The integrated 2D-SAXS/WAXS instrumentation requested will serve as a shared resource for the academic institutions of the Northern Colorado Rocky Mountain region. These include five major research universities (Colorado State University (CSU), University of Colorado, Colorado School of Mines, Denver University, and University of Wyoming) and two national labs (NREL and NIST ? Boulder), all within an hour?s radius of CSU. The integrated 2D-SAXS/WAXS instrument will be housed in the shared multi-user Central Instrument Facility (CIF) at CSU, a 24-hour open access facility for trained users. This instrumentation is expected to have immediate usage by the research groups of 21 faculty originating from 10 departments spanning four of these universities. Among these are eight new faculty for which local access to integrated 2D-SAXS/WAXS would play a deciding role in the development of their emerging research programs. The integrated 2D-SAXS/WAXS instrumentation will be applied to the analysis of a tremendously varied collection of research projects. Examples include the development of nanostructured hydrogel networks and organic photovoltaic materials; the characterization of morphology in stereo and DNA-like block copolymers; the development of nanofiltration and reverse osmosis membranes from polymerizable lyotropic liquid crystals; the mechanisms and roles of RNA folding in translation and other biological activities; the role of structure on stability, catalytic activity, and lifetime of transition-metal nanoparticle nanoclusters; the mechanical and wear property improvement of joint replacement technologies; the synthesis of biologically active materials from polyelectrolyte assemblies; and the generation of polymer composites using renewable polymers. The uniqueness of this instrument to the region, combined with the open-access policies of the CIF will play a key role in maximizing our ability to develop relationships with prospective students and faculty from all over the region, including minority serving institutions in Colorado for which CIF usage at CSU is encouraged through 100% subsidy.
Abstract for a Non-Technical Audience
Nanoscience and nanotechnology research in the Northern Colorado Rocky Mountain region has grown intensely in the last decade, spurred on by the research activities at five major research universities (Colorado State University, University of Colorado, Colorado School of Mines, Denver University, and University of Wyoming), two national labs (NREL and NIST ? Boulder), and political initiatives that entice emerging nanotechnology companies to make Colorado their home. The integrated small and wide angle X-ray scattering instrumentation sought in this proposal will be housed within the multi-user Central Instrument Facility (CIF) at CSU, and openly shared among region to advance the research programs of over 21 faculty spanning 10 different departments across these institutions; research programs that are developing next-generation materials for a rich and diverse collection of applications, including organic solar cells, water filtration membranes, chemical and drug delivery, nanoparticle catalysts, joint replacement technologies, renewable polymer composites, artificial muscles and tissue growth scaffolds. We anticipate a direct and significant impact on key infrastructural goals and projects consistent with CSU?s educational mission for excellence and innovation in teaching, and in particular our active efforts to broaden participation of underrepresented groups in the sciences and engineering. The uniqueness of this instrument, combined with the open-access policies of the CIF will play a key role in developing relationships with prospective students and faculty from all over the region, including several very important minority serving institutions for which use of all instrumentation in the CIF is strictly gratis. In addition, the inclusion of this instrument in our research and curricular based education mechanisms will ensure our graduate and undergraduate training programs are preemptively adapting to skill set demands consistent with Colorado?s changing economic landscape.
