MRI-R2: Acquisition of a SAXS/MAXS/WAXS Detector System for Nanoscale Studies of Soft Materials

Northwestern University, Evanston IL

Investigators

Abstract

0960140 Burghardt Northwestern U. ABSTRACT (TECHNICAL) This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5). X-ray scattering and diffraction methods are powerful tools for studying the structure of soft materials on length scales ranging from ~ 0.1 to 100 nm. NSF MRI-R2 funds will support acquisition and commissioning of a unique small-, medium- and wide-angle (SAXS/MAXS/WAXS) detector system to be installed at Beamline 5ID-D at the Advanced Photon Source of Argonner National Laboratory. The new detector systems will offer unprecedented capabilities, including: (i) seamless coverage of ?reciprocal space? spanning three orders of magnitude in length scale; (ii) access to full two-dimensional scattering data over the entire accessible range of scattering vector; (iii) substantial upgrades in sensitivity and frame rate over currently available detectors, enabling the full potential afforded by APS undulator radiation to be harnessed; and (iv) significant improvements in operational efficiency, as a single, stable, end-station configuration meets the needs of the vast majority of 5ID-D users, avoiding disruptive layout changes. This consortium effort will be led by investigators from Northwestern in partnership with colleagues from the University of Minnesota who are major ?General Users? of 5ID-D. The new detector capabilities will favorably impact research in diverse areas such as dynamics and processing of polymers and other complex fluids; nano-scale DNA-mediated self-assembly processes; biophysical studies of protein/nucleic acid and protein/lipid complexes; block copolymer physics; polymer deformation; nanomaterials for solar energy conversion and catalysis; polymer membrane characterization; biomimetic self-assembly and biomineralization. Through the General User program of the Advanced Photon Source, this powerful instrumentation will be made available to the entire US x-ray scattering community, and thereby contribute to the nation?s research infrastructure, and to the education and training of a large number of students and post doctoral researchers. MRI-R2 CONSORTIUM: ACQUISITION OF A SAXS/MAXS/WAXS DETECTOR SYSTEM FOR NANOSCALE STUDIES OF SOFT MATERIALS Proposal #0960140 Wesley Burghardt, Chad Mirkin, Alfonso Mondragon Northwestern University Frank S. Bates and Timothy P. Lodge University of Minnesota ABSTRACT (NONTECHNICAL) This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5). National ?User Facilities? form a vital infrastructure supporting US competitiveness in science, engineering and technology. By providing researchers access to cutting edge experimental capabilities, such facilities also contribute materially to the education and training of a sophisticated scientific workforce. The premier facility for x-ray science in the western hemisphere is the Advanced Photon Source (APS), located at Argonne National Laboratory. The APS generates extremely intense x-ray beams that may be used in many ways to study fundamental problems in biology, chemistry, physics, materials, and technology. One class of techniques, known as ?x-ray scattering?, involves measuring the way in which a beam of x-rays is deflected or ?scattered? by a sample?s microscopic internal structure. Analysis of scattering images provides deep insights into a sample?s structure over length scales from ~ 0.1 nm (the size of atoms) to ~ 100 nm (the size of very large molecules such as proteins). In this project, MRI-R2 funds will be used for the acquisition and commissioning of a new detector system to be installed at the Advanced Photon Source to greatly enhance capabilities for x-ray scattering research. Detectors are the ?cameras? that collect scattering images, and hence are at the heart of x-ray scattering techniques. The unique system being developed in this project will combine three separate detectors that will enable simultaneous investigation of samples? structure over the entire range of length scales studied using x-ray scattering (by anaology, imagine a camera that can simultaneously take a high quality picture of both a dog and a flea sitting on the dog?s back). The detectors will also operate at much higher speed than currently available systems, allowing ?real time? studies of molecular and nano-scale structural dynamics. Through its installation at the Advance Photon Source, these new capabilities will be made available scientists from all over the US, and used for studies of fundamental problems in biology, nanoscience and chemistry, as well as in technologically-oriented work in the characterization and processing of polymers catalysts, and other engineering materials.