Advanced Materials Thrust Facilities

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Setup showing the Bruker PI-88 in-situ SEM picoindenter. The picoindenter is used to test materials at the nanoscale within a SEM microscope. Loading and SEM imaging are synchronized during experiments to allow the investigation of the fundamental mechanisms of deformation and fracture. The picoindenter operates up to 800C. Setup showing the Bruker PI-88 in-situ SEM picoindenter. The picoindenter is used to test materials at the nanoscale within a SEM microscope. Loading and SEM imaging are synchronized during experiments to allow the investigation of the fundamental mechanisms of deformation and fracture. The picoindenter operates up to 800C.
Setup showing the Bruker PI-88 in-situ SEM picoindenter. The picoindenter is used to test materials at the nanoscale within a SEM microscope.

The AM program is centered around university-wide and other shared comprehensive facilities to allow students and faculty to work together and combine their strengths and resources to use AMs to solve fundamental application related open questions (Fig. 1). It is anticipated that the most essential shared facilities at the University of Miami would be in the currently built Frost Institute of Chemistry and Molecular Science building on the main campus in Coral Gables.

The idea of this facility perfectly matches the goals of the AM program. The currently planned shared space encompasses SEM, TEM, cryo-TEM, and NMR tools, which represent some of the most important AM characterization tools. In addition, through the support of the Engineering administration, the participating faculty at CoE have already set a ground for a shared space for microscopy and nanofabrication tools which includes high resolution electron microscopy, scanning probe microscopy (SPM) with atomic force microscopy (AFM), magnetic force microscopy (MFM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), arc-melting, and scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) stations. Currently, we have an ongoing campaign to invite more Engineering faculty to participate in this effort and volunteer including their own characterization and/or fabrication tools in exchange for benefiting from shared use of the comprehensive state of the art tools. This campaign underscores the existing awareness within the College and the University that only as a team, we can build a world-class interdisciplinary AM research and education program.  

Other important shared tools, such as thin film deposition and lithography systems, are being considered for being placed in the same Frost building.

Last but not least, it is anticipated that at least at the early stage, while the AM program growing into a world-class internationally recognized initiative, the team will increase their collaborative usage of other government-funded facilities such as Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, and others.

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