Scanning Probe Microscopy of Advanced Materials for Energy and Manufacturing
Develop new scanning probe microscopy techniques to analyze the mechanical and other properties of advanced materials used in energy and manufacturing.
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 | November 1, 2025
Funding Amounts: $82,764 stipend plus $3,000 travel allowance; typical appointment duration 2 years.
Summary: Postdoctoral fellowship to develop novel scanning probe microscopy methods for characterizing mechanical and other properties of advanced materials in energy and manufacturing.
Key Information: Open to U.S. citizens with a Ph.D. earned within the last 5 years; research conducted onsite at NIST Boulder, CO; strong focus on dynamic atomic force microscopy and mechanical property characterization.
Description
This postdoctoral research opportunity at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) focuses on developing novel scanning probe microscopy (SPM) techniques and instrumentation to characterize advanced material systems. The materials studied include model polymers for method validation, energy-related materials such as cellulosic biomass, and materials used in advanced manufacturing processes like 3D printing.
The research emphasizes mechanical property characterization using dynamic atomic force microscopy (AFM) methods, particularly contact resonance force microscopy for viscoelastic property measurements. Other relevant material properties beyond mechanics are also of interest.
The fellowship is part of the NRC Research Associateship Programs, which provide promising scientists with high-quality research experiences at federal laboratories. Awardees will work in the Material Measurement Laboratory, Applied Chemicals and Materials Division, located in Boulder, Colorado.
Key References
- Killgore, J. P., & DelRio, F. W. (2018). Contact resonance force microscopy for viscoelastic property measurements: from fundamentals to state-of-the-art applications. Macromolecules, 51(18), 6977-6996.
- Ciesielski, P. N., et al. (2019). Nanomechanics of cellulose deformation reveal molecular defects that facilitate natural deconstruction. PNAS, 116(20), 9825-9830.
- Fiedler-Higgins, C. I., et al. (2019). Monitoring Fast, Voxel-Scale Cure Kinetics via Sample-Coupled-Resonance Photorheology. Small Methods, 3(2), 1800275.
Keywords
Atomic force microscopy, Nanomechanics, Interfaces, Polymers, Thin films, Additive manufacturing, Renewable energy.
