This $614,411 Project Grant award from the National Science Foundation's Integrative Activities program (CFDA 47.083) supports the acquisition of an X-ray diffractometer instrument at Arkansas State University. The instrument will enable structural characterization of a wide range of materials, including advanced semiconductors, asphalt, engineered proteins, and small molecules. The research activities facilitated by this instrument address critical issues such as space communication, solar...
This Project Grant award from the National Science Foundation's (NSF) Integrative Activities program (CFDA 47.083) provides $719,573 to The Washington University in St. Louis to acquire a multi-modal x-ray diffraction and scattering instrument. This state-of-the-art equipment will enable researchers to probe the structure of materials at scales ranging from the atomic arrangement to surface roughness. The instrument's advanced capabilities will support a wide range of materials research across...
This $535,686 National Science Foundation project grant will fund the acquisition of a comprehensive X-ray scattering system for in situ studies at the University of California, Davis through August 2025. The system will transform research, education, and outreach in materials characterization across California's Central Valley under the Mathematical and Physical Sciences program (CFDA 47.049). Specifically, the state-of-the-art instrument serves as a flagship tool for advanced materials...
This $557,841 National Science Foundation Project Grant supports the acquisition of a dual transmission X-ray diffractometer (DTXRD) by Arizona State University under the Mathematical and Physical Sciences program (CFDA 47.049). The DTXRD will enable researchers to study the local and bulk structure of soft and hard materials under in situ and operando conditions. It combines two independently operated systems for X-ray diffraction measurements and total scattering experiments. The instrument...
The National Science Foundation (NSF) awarded a $846,986 Project Grant under the Integrative Activities (CFDA 47.083) program to Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station (Tees), a division of the Texas A&M University System, to acquire a state-of-the-art x-ray instrument for advanced scattering studies of polymers, ceramics, and hybrid organic-inorganic materials. The instrument enables real-time monitoring of material nanostructure under diverse environmental conditions and external...
This $1.49 million project grant from the National Science Foundation's Engineering program (CFDA 47.041) supports the acquisition of an Xradia Versa 620 x-ray microscope to enable multiscale 3D/4D materials research. The microscope will be used to examine the microstructure and properties of a variety of natural and engineered materials, with a focus on lightweight aerospace materials, geological materials, and biological materials. Experiments will study early-stage cracking in aerospace...
The National Science Foundation (NSF) awarded a $203,696 Project Grant under the STEM Education (formerly Education and Human Resources) program (CFDA 47.076) to Alabama State University (ASU) to acquire an X-ray diffractometer instrument. The goals of this project are to enhance the teaching and research capabilities within ASU's Chemistry, Forensic Biology, Forensic Chemistry, and Biomedical Engineering programs, and provide underrepresented STEM students the opportunity to conduct research...
This $350,188 Project Grant award from the National Science Foundation (NSF) Office of Integrative Activities (CFDA 47.083) enables Marquette University to acquire an advanced X-ray diffractometer instrument to support research and education in southeastern Wisconsin. The diffractometer will be utilized by professors and students at Marquette as well as neighboring colleges and universities, providing critical capabilities to study the 3D molecular structures of compounds in fields like...
The National Science Foundation awarded the University of Notre Dame a $287,021 Project Grant under the Integrative Activities federal grant program (CFDA 47.083) to acquire a dual-source single-crystal x-ray diffractometer. The diffractometer will be used to determine the precise three-dimensional molecular structures of organic and inorganic compounds, metal complexes, solid-state materials and other substances. This will support the research of Professor Allen Oliver and colleagues in areas...
The National Science Foundation (NSF) Office of Integrative Activities awarded a $1,177,779 Project Grant to the University of Georgia (UGA) Research Foundation to acquire a high-resolution X-ray computed microtomography (micro-CT) imaging system with in situ capabilities. This award, made under the Integrative Activities (CFDA 47.083) program, will support research, training, teaching, and outreach efforts across more than 30 investigators at UGA, Georgia Tech, and Emory University in diverse...
This National Science Foundation (NSF) Project Grant award under the Integrative Activities (CFDA 47.083) program provides $704,482 to Auburn University to acquire an X-ray diffraction contrast tomography (DCT) instrument. This advanced instrument will enable new research, education, and workforce development activities at Auburn University, in the state of Alabama, and the Southeast region.
The DCT instrument will allow researchers to non-destructively map the orientations of crystalline materials in 3D, providing unique insights into micro-/defect-structures and their responses to various excitations. This will facilitate the establishment of structure-property relationships for a broad range of polycrystalline materials, including those used in additive manufacturing, minerals/inorganic compounds, and polymers/composites. The project will leverage machine learning and data analytics to assist in extracting geometric features and correlating them with material responses. The acquired instrument and associated research are expected to advance strategic areas such as fatigue and fracture, materials science/engineering, earth sciences, and environmental engineering, with broader societal benefits in areas like advanced manufacturing and biomedical applications.