Grant: Research Tools and Instruments - Category 1 (<$150,000)

The aim of this proposal is to acquire rheometry instrumentation with in-situ light scattering capabilities for the study of soft materials.  Soft materials are  heterogeneous, metastable solid phases with weak enthalpic interactions between their constituents.  As a result, they exhibit novel interdependent mechanical and structural properties that make them useful in a number of industrial and medical applications.   The requested instrumentation will be constructed from a modified rheometer with transparent base plate, a fast CMOS digital camera, a laser, an optical table, personal computer, and associated optical components.  This apparatus could simultaneously monitor the the viscoelastic and microstructural properties of soft materials, and therefore would be a very important materials characterization tool to support my research programs in soft glassy materials, soft biomaterials from biomolecular assemblies and biomimetic materials for tissue engineering. This equipment would provide many opportunities for students and other HQP to obtain training and research experience in these program areas, preparing them for successful academic or industrial careers in the important emerging field of soft materials.