Funds will support acquiring an X-Ray powder diffractometer for the Department of Geoscience?s X-ray Scattering Facility (InXS) at Stony Brook. The instrument will support investigators from the Geosciences, Chemistry, Marine Sciences and Material Science departments. The InXS user base comprises 14 research groups. A Rigaku Ultima III instrument is requested with Cross Beam Optic (CBO) technology providing fast user switching between Bragg-Brentano (B-B) and parallel beam (PB) optics, allowing flat plate or cylindrical sample analysis. A Rigaku z-translation furnace will also be purchased, allowing thermal expansion measurements. Proposed studies fall into several broad categories; Geo-nano-materials, elemental analysis will help elucidate contaminant recycling (FeS, Ferrihydrite, etc) and biogechemical processes (bone and shell growth). Materials research, amorphous calcium carbonate (ACC) formation and dissociation dynamics will be studied to enhance biomaterials design and nano-perovskite material synthesis will be determined under different temperature regimes. Mineral physics, high P and T relation to crystalline structure, rheology, strength and elasticity will be elucidated. Low temperature geochemistry, arsenic removal strategies will be evaluated, synthetic basalts will be used as a proxy to study maritan geochemical processes, and mineral interactions during early organic matter diagenesis will be assessed. Additional analyses will be made using the new instrumentation in crystalline materials research. The requested instrument will represent a robust resource offering graduate students access to hands on analyses. The rapid configuration capabilities of the requested instrument will allow unique and advanced teaching opportunities. The instrument will be incorporated into several courses. InXS facility members provide service through seminars, REU, IGERT, teacher workshops, and other outreach vehicles.
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