This award from the Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) program and the Office of Multidisciplinary Activity of the Directorate for Mathematical and Physical Sciences enables Tuskegee University (TU) to acquire a state-of-the-art Hysitron TI-980 Triboindenter to strengthen its research capability in the emerging areas of nanobio, self-healing materials and other structural and multifunctional materials. Particularly, the instrument will improve TU's research support infrastructure by giving TU a unique set of resources to pursue funding in the micro/nanomechanical aspects of material behavior. The instrument will be used by faculty and students at TU and those at collaborating partners, thereby encouraging synergistic research collaborations. In addition, a collection of course related projects and experiments will be made available to undergraduate and graduate students. Also, the addition of this facility will assist TU faculty in developing new proposals that will not only help understand the fundamental science of materials, but will also help TU to produce a talented and well qualified pool of African-American graduates with the necessary training to compete in a market for high technology applications. It is also anticipated that the fundamental studies delineated in this proposal will eventually result in advancing the nanobio materials applications in aerospace, automobile, biomedical and pharmaceutical areas. Results generated through these research projects will be disseminated through journal and conference publications for the benefit of the scientific community. Tuskegee University (TU) has, over the years with support from National Science Foundation (NSF) and other federal agencies, developed a program of research and education in Materials Science and Engineering (MSE), which is not only very comprehensive but also very effective in recruiting, motivating, mentoring and graduating students with advanced degrees in MSE. The program has produced the largest number minority PhDs in MSE of which over 50 percent are female.
Bulk properties of multiphase composite materials (nanoparticles, polymers, fibers) largely depend on the response on how individual phases perform and the load transfer at the interface of these phases which is of a length scale of less than 5 micrometers. Moreover, the structural scale of materials such as polymers, films, bone scaffolds, skin tissue etc. is in nanometers. Also, the polymer properties are highly time- temperature-frequency sensitive due to its inherent viscoelastic nature, and its performance varies significantly at small length scales. Therefore, nanoscale characterization of these materials is extremely critical in understanding the fundamental behavior. Automated state-of-the-art TI-980 TriboNanoindentation equipment is suited for characterizing properties at nano/micro scale due to its high spatial resolution and throughput. The specific studies that will be carried out using the proposed automated nanoindenter include: Biobased resin polymeric nanocomposites as a scaffold material for bone tissue engineering applications, Nanomechanics of skin in the transdermal delivery proteins and vaccines after microneedle treatment, Polymer nanocomposites for structural applications, Self-healing of composites using microcapsule bleeding concept, and Probing the interfacial adhesion of perovskite solar cells. To accomplish these broad range of research activities, the tribonanoindenter system is equipped with modules for dynamic mechanical analysis; extended travel stage and optical microscope with color camera; high load transducer; nanoscale electromechanical characterization; high-resolution mechanical property mapping; high-temperature stage, and ultra-low force mechanical characterization. This state-of-the art all-in-one equipment will serve as an excellent tool in developing science and technology of nanobio materials, while enhancing the research and education capabilities at Tuskegee University (TU).
