MRI: Track 1 Acquisition of a Broad Beam Ion Mill for Advancing Research and Training

This Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) award supports the acquisition of a broad beam ion mill that is used to prepare samples for examination by electron microscopy. The development of new technology often requires greater understanding of how materials are constructed and change at a very small scale. Traditional sample preparation by abrasive polishing can actually obscure or destroy the features that are most important. This instrument will be used to preserve those features and study them in detail. This broad beam ion mill acquisition will support research in nanostructured alloy development for high-strength, lightweight structures, low-cost and efficient catalysts and electrodes, and advancing additive manufacturing processes to extend the materials catalog. Liberty University primarily serves undergraduate students in its science and engineering programs, and this instrument and associated analysis will be incorporated into all levels of those programs to better prepare future scientists and engineers. In addition to being a critical component of cutting-edge research, the instrument will also be used in new graduate-level opportunities at Liberty University. As part of Liberty University’s commitment to engage a diverse range of students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, the instrument will also be used to support outreach and recruitment in local schools, especially those which serve historically underrepresented communities in these fields. The development of new materials and processes by trial and error is time-consuming and expensive. Integrated computational materials engineering is a method that optimizes materials for applications through the interplay of simulation and experimental validation to accelerate innovation. Having the best possible microstructural data is crucial to this process. The ion mill will be used to create cross-sections and planar surfaces with minimal damage to preserve nanoscale features after various mechanical and chemical processes to illuminate chemistry-structure-process-property relationships. This data will be compared to computational predictions incorporating the internal state variable approach to multiscale modeling. The research enabled will pair together faculty with expertise in computational and experimental engineering with local industry and include interdisciplinary work in biomedical applications with the College of Medicine. The ion mill will be used synergistically with Liberty University’s world-class microscopy facilities, including a first-of-its-kind in-situ heating and mechanical testing stage for use in the electron microscope. This project is jointly funded by the Major Instrumentation Research Program (MRI) and the division of Civil, Mechanical and Manufacturing Innovation (CMMI). This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.