Award Abstract #0721324
MRI: Acquisition of a Multi-Length Scale Ultra High-Resolution X-Ray Nanotomography Instrument

NSF Org:	DMR Division of Materials Research
Initial Amendment Date:	August 9, 2007
Latest Amendment Date:	August 9, 2007
Award Number:	0721324
Award Instrument:	Standard Grant
Program Manager:	Charles E. Bouldin DMR Division of Materials Research MPS Directorate for Mathematical & Physical Sciences
Start Date:	August 15, 2007
Expires:	July 31, 2009 (Estimated)
Awarded Amount to Date:	$1998500
Investigator(s):	Paul Braun pbraun@uiuc.edu (Principal Investigator) Walter Hurley (Co-Principal Investigator) Iwona Jasiuk (Co-Principal Investigator) John Rogers (Co-Principal Investigator) Amy Wagoner Johnson (Co-Principal Investigator)
Sponsor:	University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign SUITE A CHAMPAIGN, IL 61820 217/333-2187
NSF Program(s):	MAJOR RESEARCH INSTRUMENTATION
Field Application(s):	0106000 Materials Research
Program Reference Code(s):	9161, 7574, AMPP
Program Element Code(s):	1189

ABSTRACT

Technical Abstract:

This proposal support the purchase an ultra high-resolution x-ray nanotomography instrument (nano-CT). This instrument, which supports nondestructive internal three-dimensional (3D) imaging of samples as thick as 100 om with 30 nm resolution, would be the first nonsynchrotron-based nano-CT in the US. Forty-seven faculty on the campus of the University of Illinois at Urbana/Champaign (UIUC) are participating. Within materials science, the nano-CT will aid the development of self-healing materials and stretchable/flexible circuits, and it will enable complete characterization of complex materials in 3D micro and nanoassemblies. In the areas of engineering, the nano-CT will improve optical coherence tomography for imaging breast tumors, aid the development of 3D nanofabrication technologies and the modeling of solid propellants, characterize multi-scale particle/pore distributions in concrete fracturing, enable electrode optimization for fuel cells, support the development of new nano-CT contrast agents, and enable the refinement of new ultra-fast tomography image reconstruction algorithms.

Non-technical Abstract:

This proposal support the purchase a very high-resolution three dimensional x-ray imaging system, a nanotomography instrument (nano-CT). This instrument, allows nondestructive three-dimensional (3D) imaging of samples as thick as 0.1 mm while resolving features as small as 600 atomic diameters in width. In the areas of materials science, biology, bio-engineering and other fields, considerable progress is being made in fabricating materials and devices that operate at a "nano-scale", that is, the size regime just larger than single atoms. For progress in these fields to continue it is vital to be able to study the three dimensional structure of materials at that length scale that is much larger than a single atom but much smaller than a biological cell. Outside of major Department of Energy national facilities, this will be the first instrument for this three dimensional imaging in the United States. The capabilities of the instrument are expected to have major impacts in materials science, complex materials, modeling of solid propellants, studies ofconcrete fracture, electrode optimization for fuel cells, and enable the refinement of new methods of three dimensional image reconstruction that can study the time dependent changes in structures.

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