Surface Chemical Imaging of Commercially and Biologically Relevant Materials for Quantitative Analysis
NIST offers research on using advanced imaging XPS to analyze surface chemistry of materials, focusing on method development, data quantification, and applications in biology and consumer products.
This grant is no longer accepting proposals
NRC Research Associateship Programs has archived this opportunity.
Funder: NRC Research Associateship Programs
Due Dates: February 1, 2025 | May 1, 2025 | August 1, 2025
Funding Amounts: $82,764 stipend plus $3,000 travel allowance; typical appointment duration 2 years.
Summary: Postdoctoral fellowship at NIST to develop and apply imaging X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (i-XPS) methods for quantitative surface chemical analysis of biologically and commercially relevant materials.
Key Information: Open to U.S. citizens with a doctoral degree earned within the last 5 years; requires contacting a NIST research adviser prior to application; NIST participates in February and August review cycles.
Description
This postdoctoral research opportunity at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) focuses on advancing methodologies and tools for imaging surface chemical characteristics of materials using imaging X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (i-XPS) combined with conventional XPS and complementary techniques such as vibrational spectroscopy and electron microscopy. The intrinsic surface chemistry of materials governs their interactions and transformations, impacting properties like solubility, adsorption, colloidal stability, and surface reactivity.
Key research areas include:
- Investigating the impact of sample preparation on data quality (e.g., contamination, conductivity issues).
- Studying effects of ultra-high vacuum conditions on samples (e.g., outgassing, oxygen vacancy-induced chemical changes, cellular structural alterations).
- Assessing long-term X-ray exposure effects on samples.
- Developing quantitative analysis methods from hyperspectral imaging data stacks.
The research leverages state-of-the-art instrumentation at NIST, including an advanced imaging XPS system supported by transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, scanning probe microscopies, and infrared spectroscopy.
Example research topics:
- Surface chemical characterization of microorganisms using i-XPS.
- Detecting bioaccumulation of contaminants in microorganisms via chemical signatures.
- Characterizing cell walls, membranes, and cross-sections.
- Analyzing micrometer-scale surface chemical transformations on materials relevant to consumer products.
