INSPIRE Track 2: Discovery and Development of Optimized Photonic Systems for High Volume, Low Surface Area Solar Energy Harvesting: Learning from Giant Clams

INSPIRE 轨道 2：发现和开发用于大容量、低表面积太阳能收集的优化光子系统：向巨蛤学习

• 批准号: 1343159
• 负责人: Shu Yang
• 金额: $ 299.93万
• 依托单位: University of Pennsylvania
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2014
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2014-08-01 至 2020-07-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1343159&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: INSPIRE; Track; Discovery; Development; Optimized

This INSPIRE award brings together research areas traditionally supported in the Division of Integrative Organismal Systems in the Directorate for Biology, in the Materials Research Division in the Directorate for Mathematical and Physical Sciences, and the Division of Electrical, Communications and Cyber Systems in the Directorate for Engineering. Giant clams evolved an elegant system for efficiently harvesting solar energy in areas of extremely high light intensity using algae adapted for much lower light intensities. They do this by arranging algae within their tissues into vertical pillars parallel to incoming sunlight. The surface of the tissue is covered by cells called iridocytes; these function to redistribute light incident on the horizontal surface of the clam tissue evenly over the much larger vertical surfaces of the algal micropillars. The project will explore the wealth of biophysical complexity in the system to understand exactly how the clam optimizes solar energy capture. PI Sweeney will characterize the clams' evolved structural responses to changing light environment over the lifetime of a clam and over evolutionary time as observed in differences between closely related clam species. Co-PI Yang will make new materials inspired by the clam by synthesizing top-down and bottom-up design and fabrication techniques to rival biology in hierarchical structural control. The clam's design will be especially useful for utilizing inexpensive polymer photovoltaics efficiently and with low photodamage in novel devices, and for improved photobioreactor technology. The project includes internships for college students from Palau and Philadelphia to provide pre-college students with cultural knowledge of scientific career paths and concrete lab experiences.The PIs seek to turn new insights from this biophotonic symbiosis into transformative, high volume, low surface area, defect tolerant photovoltaic devices, and algal fuel culture systems. Giant clams in the genus Tridacna support microalgal symbionts with a remarkable photonic arrangement that addresses such design challenges as how to concentrate sunlight into smaller footprint devices while tolerating device imperfections and avoiding overheating and photodamage. The project integrates biological fieldwork, physical/optical modeling, and the development of at least two novel materials/devices. Evolved responses of the clam to shifts in light environment will be explored; this work will generate a matching function between light environment and iridocyte/algal pillar design that will directly inform device design. New materials will be made by synthesizing top-down and bottom-up design and fabrication techniques to rival biology in hierarchical structural control. The project will produce synthetic iridocytes which can be engineered to enhance radiance reaching any arbitrary solar energy absorber, and copy the clam's micropillar + iridocyte arrangement for a paradigm-shifting, micron-scaled photobioreactor for biofuel production. Fieldwork in Palau will allow the investigators to probe the evolution of the clam system in variable light environments.

该 INSPIRE 奖项汇集了传统上由生物学理事会综合有机体系统司、数学和物理科学理事会材料研究司以及数学和物理科学理事会电气、通信和网络系统司支持的研究领域。工程。巨蛤进化出了一种优雅的系统，可以利用适应低光强度的藻类在极高光强度的区域有效地收集太阳能。他们通过将组织内的藻类排列成与入射阳光平行的垂直柱子来做到这一点。组织表面覆盖着称为虹膜细胞的细胞；它们的作用是将入射到蛤组织水平表面上的光均匀地重新分布到藻类微柱的更大的垂直表面上。该项目将探索该系统中丰富的生物物理复杂性，以准确了解蛤如何优化太阳能捕获。 PI Sweeney 将通过观察密切相关的蛤类物种之间的差异来描述蛤类在其一生和整个进化过程中对不断变化的光环境的进化结构响应。杨联合首席研究员将通过综合自上而下和自下而上的设计和制造技术来制造受蛤蜊启发的新材料，以在分层结构控制方面与生物学相媲美。蛤的设计对于在新型设备中有效地利用廉价的聚合物光伏电池和低光损伤以及改进光生物反应器技术特别有用。该项目包括为帕劳和费城的大学生提供实习机会，为大学预科生提供科学职业道路的文化知识和具体的实验室经验。PI 寻求将这种生物光子共生的新见解转化为变革性的、高容量、低表面积、缺陷容错光伏装置和藻类燃料培养系统。砗磲属的巨蛤以非凡的光子排列支持微藻共生体，解决了如何将阳光集中到占地面积更小的设备中，同时容忍设备缺陷并避免过热和光损伤等设计挑战。该项目整合了生物实地考察、物理/光学建模以及至少两种新型材料/设备的开发。将探索蛤对光环境变化的进化反应；这项工作将在光环境和虹膜细胞/藻柱设计之间生成匹配函数，这将直接为设备设计提供信息。新材料将通过综合自上而下和自下而上的设计和制造技术来制造，以在分层结构控制方面与生物学相媲美。该项目将生产合成虹膜细胞，经过改造后可增强到达任意太阳能吸收器的辐射亮度，并复制蛤的微柱+虹膜细胞排列，以用于生产生物燃料的范式转变的微米级光生物反应器。帕劳的实地考察将使研究人员能够探究蛤系统在可变光照环境下的进化。