Award Abstract #0216000
MRI: Acquisition of a Thermal Analysis System for Multidisciplinary Research and Educational Projects

NSF Org:	CBET Division of Chemical, Bioengineering, Environmental, and Transport Systems
Initial Amendment Date:	July 25, 2002
Latest Amendment Date:	July 25, 2002
Award Number:	0216000
Award Instrument:	Standard Grant
Program Manager:	Triantafillos J. Mountziaris CBET Division of Chemical, Bioengineering, Environmental, and Transport Systems ENG Directorate for Engineering
Start Date:	August 1, 2002
Expires:	July 31, 2005 (Estimated)
Awarded Amount to Date:	$85975
Investigator(s):	David Cocke dlcocke@my.lamar.edu (Principal Investigator) Ku-Yen Li (Co-Principal Investigator) Daniel Chen (Co-Principal Investigator) Thomas Ho (Co-Principal Investigator) Stephen Fearnley (Co-Principal Investigator)
Sponsor:	Lamar University Beaumont 4400 Port Arthur Road Beaumont, TX 77705 713/838-7011
NSF Program(s):	MAJOR RESEARCH INSTRUMENTATION
Field Application(s):	0308000 Industrial Technology
Program Reference Code(s):	OTHR, 1415, 1189, 0000
Program Element Code(s):	1189

ABSTRACT

This grant will fund a multifunctional thermal analysis (TA) system that can support the interdisciplinary engineering, materials research and educational activities at Lamar University and its collaborative outreach program to industry and other universities in the region. The system is designed to provide the following capabilities: differential scanning caloremetry, DSC, thermal gravimetric analysis, TGA over a temperature range from 120 to 1600C and connectivity to FTIR and MS gas analysis systems. It will allow the determination of specific heats, melting temperatures, transition enthalpies, phase transformations, phase diagrams, crystallization temperatures, degrees of crystallinity, glass transition temperatures, decomposition effects, reaction kinetics, purity determinations, mass changes, dehydroxylation, corrosion/oxidation, thermal stability, reduction/oxidation studies, and composition changes. Lamar University is establishing a central engineering materials research facility for the University to be located in the College of Engineering with active participation of the departments of civil, chemical, mechanical, industrial, and electrical engineering.

The major objectives of the Materials Science and Engineering Laboratory is to provide a productive environment for interdisciplinary engineering and materials research and an interactive learning experience for undergraduate and graduate students at Lamar and to encourage collaboration with off-campus engineering and materials research centers and individuals. In addition, the Departments of Chemistry, Physics and Geology will participate in the laboratory and have extensive use for the thermal analysis system in both teaching and research.

The research and education projects will be in the following areas: environmental science and engineering, polymers, nano-structured materials, structured thin films, high technology alloys, super conducting and magnetic materials, and geological and paleontological materials. The instrument will support the work of 20 senior personnel, 70 graduate students and over 220 undergraduates and will initially have five industrial research collaborators. It will be used in graduate research education, undergraduate research education and in general thermodynamic and materials education in engineering, chemistry, geology and materials science. The senior personnel come from Lamar University, Prairie View A&M (a traditionally African-American university), Texas A&M University and the Technological Institute of Saltillo, Mexico, as well as catalyst, petroleum, steel and mining industries. The acquisition of the versatile thermal analysis system is justified by the difficulty numerous research and educational projects have in accessing a high quality broad temperature range thermal analysis system.

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