Synthesis and Characterization of Advanced Materials (1984)

SACAM has developed primarily in industry in the United States, but elsewhere it has been actively pursued in universities, especially in Germany, the Scandinavian countries, the Netherlands, France, and Austria. Growing interest in SACAM characterizes material resources efforts in the Soviet Union and Japan. For a variety of reasons, in the United States basic research on advanced materials has not kept pace with basic research in many other fields. The magnitude of the academic effort in the United States lags behind that of other advanced countries and proportionately behind that of other scientific disciplines. Here we suggest ways to improve the development and utilization of resources for SACAM in the United States.

Experience has shown that SACAM usually involves a synergistic interaction among scientists with skills in synthesis (often, but by no means always, chemists) and characterization (often, but not always, materials scientists and physicists). The growth of the field depends on the interaction of people from different disciplines who work at the frontiers of knowledge in their own disciplines and are also conversant with the vocabulary, approaches, and techniques of related disciplines. Accordingly, the fostering of fruitful interactions between scientists from different disciplines is a major concern. The prime requisites for such interactions are that they lead to a high degree of intellectual stimulation and that the resultant collabora-

tive programs be recognized as bona-fide professional activities.

In the United States, the less-well-recognized activity in the interaction of synthesis and characterization is generally synthesis. This situation weakens the whole field of solid-state science. At present, solid-state chemistry, a key synthesis discipline, is generally perceived by other chemists to be a peripheral and ill-defined area, whereas in terms of the needs and opportunities of SACAM it has the potential of providing much-needed ideas and techniques. Many of the important materials and concepts of solid-state science are rarely dealt with in the courses routinely offered by chemistry departments. In this respect, universities in the United States differ markedly from European universities where preparative solid-state chemistry is a well-recognized and accepted discipline. The French and German university systems have a long history in the training of solid-state scientists in both synthesis and characterization. For example, unlike universities in the United States, European universities have emphasized solids rather than solutions and molecular materials. In most cases, the main centers of solid-state science receive government support and funding and at the same time are an integral part of chemistry training programs. In Norway and Sweden, the emphasis historically has been directed toward the crystal-chemical characterization of solids, but the synthesis aspects of solid-state science have received considerable attention as well. In the United Kingdom, synthesis and characterization have been noted features of inorganic chemistry at Oxford and, more recently, of physical chemistry at Cambridge. Such encouragement within chemistry departments and by governments results in sufficient numbers of trained, synthesis-oriented scientists to satisfy the industrial, government, and university needs of many of these countries.

To tap and increase the human resources devoted to SACAM in academia, it is necessary to

• Encourage interdisciplinary collaborative research in SACAM by equitable funding of such collaborative research projects;

• Upgrade training in solid-state chemistry, particularly at the undergraduate level, where basic courses in solid-state chemistry are needed.

The establishment of dedicated, well-staffed, continuously updated facilities outside the exclusive domain of any one department would greatly promote interdisciplinary research in SACAM. One of the more important aspects of such facilities should be service or support, specifically state-of-the-art instrumentation and skilled support personnel.

Many of the basic personnel and equipment resources needed for a dynamic program in SACAM in educational institutions could well be funded, at least in part, by joint university-industry research grants. This method would benefit both universities and industry, particularly the smaller industrial firms. A greater level of university-industry interaction would also help to keep university researchers abreast of the current industrial scientific challenges and problems, as well as assist in keeping industrial personnel abreast of the latest ongoing academic research.

The problem of the growing sophistication and cost of apparatus used in the characterization and occasionally the synthesis of materials is of great concern. Much of this apparatus is too costly for most universities. In some instances, even the largest companies cannot afford valuable modern facilities (e.g., a synchrotron and the associated instrumentation). More major centers for sophisticated state-of-the-art instrumentation, permanently staffed by dedicated and expert personnel, should be established. Industrial scientists should be encouraged to use such centers. More and expanded materials-research-type laboratories centered on major campuses might be appropriate to develop.

Different problems are associated with the instrumentation in different cost brackets. For example, it is a widely held view that a large proportion of instruments costing up to about $50,000 are poorly maintained and deteriorating. Frequently, funds are not available for service contracts or other forms of maintenance. Generally, funds are needed to maintain and upgrade existing equipment and instruments.

For the efficient operation of a piece of equipment costing from about $50,000 up to approximately $250,000,

a full-time technician is frequently necessary. Funds for the training and employment of such technicians are difficult to obtain. In addition, although maintenance is a major need, it is often not appropriately budgeted or anticipated. Funding for these purposes is essential. It is also desirable for research centers having specialized equipment to offer short courses and training programs to educate potential users. The provision of support for visiting scientists to learn how the instrumentation operates should also be considered.

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