Xenocs Xeuss 3.0 SAXS/WAXS for DOD-funded functional polymer research and training

Abstract

This proposal seeks to purchase a turnkey Xenocs Xeuss 3.0 Small Angle X-ray Scattering (SAXS)/Wide Angle X-ray Scattering (WAXS) instrument for structural characterization of thin films of functional and semiconducting polymers with unique chemical structures that control self-assembly and thus functional properties. It will support and accelerate ongoing and future research in this important research area and critical materials class that is pursued by two MURI teams as well as numerous other individual grants supportedby the DOD programs at North Carolina State University (NCSU) and University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC-CH) and collaborators nationwide. The Xeuss 3.0 is a laboratory-based instrument that can perform Grazing Incidence WAXS (GIWAXS) ten times better than prior laboratory instruments and is an ideal complement to extensive ongoing synchrotron based GIWAXS studies. In contrast to the synchrotron facilities, which offer access twice a year to a given research group, the Xeuss 3.0 will be available 24/7 and thus facilitate totally different multi-disciplinary experimental workflows associated with state-of-the-art solution-processed thin film technologies so as to enable an end-to-end, data-driven co-design framework for basic and use-based research. Similarly, in-situ strain experiments on thin films will be enabled. The different duty cycle of a laboratory SAXS/WAXS instrument will not only dramatically enhance and enable new research of numerous faculty, postdoctoral, and student researchers, but will also provide improved training and education of advanced x-ray structural characterization techniques.

Document Details

Document Type
DoD Grant Award
Publication Date
Mar 08, 2024
Source ID
N000142412143

Entities

People

  • Harald Ade

Organizations

  • North Carolina State University
  • Office of Naval Research
  • United States Navy

Tags

Readers

  • Nanocomposite Materials Science
  • Research Science/Academic Research
  • Thin Film Deposition Science.