Synthesis, Assembly and Characterization of Biologically-Derived Materials with Novel Physical Properties

具有新颖物理性质的生物衍生材料的合成、组装和表征

• 批准号: RGPIN-2017-04598
• 负责人: DorvalCourchesne, NoemieManuelle
• 金额: $ 1.75万
• 依托单位: McGill University
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Discovery Grants Program - Individual
• 财政年份: 2019
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2019-01-01 至 2020-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=680011
• 关键词: Synthesis; Assembly; Characterization; Biologically; Derived

Electronic devices are an essential part of our daily lives. They include conventional batteries, solar panels, electronic circuits in computers, responsive touch screens, and many more. Generally, these devices rely on efficient or tunable charge transport phenomena. Recently, devices have become more portable and an interest in incorporating self-powered sensors, diagnosis systems, and other electronics in wearable clothing or skin patches is growing. However, traditional methods for constructing electronic devices require energy intensive processes, and involve the use of toxic chemicals and rare earth metals. ******Here, as an alternative, I propose to use non-toxic biologically-derived materials to assemble biocompatible, light weight, and environmentally-friendly devices. Nature has evolved microorganisms, proteins and biopolymers with exquisite properties. For instance, some proteins can spontaneously assemble into fibrous structures, and can easily be modified through genetic engineering to tune their properties. They can also be produced at low cost and large scale using inoffensive bacteria as factories. Such protein fibers, with nanoscale dimensions, can serve as building blocks to assemble nanowire-like structures. Specifically, two different types of fibers are of interest: 1) fibers with complex nanoscale structures or assembly properties that can serve as scaffolds for conductive materials; 2) naturally conductive protein fibers produced by bacteria that could directly be used directly as conductive materials and integrated in devices.******First, this research program aims at engineering naturally-derived protein fibers to modify their physical properties, and allow them to conduct charges, fluoresce, or sense specific chemicals. Combining novel physical properties with biological functions such as biocompatibility or biomolecule recognition will lead to the development of multifunctional materials. Second, this program aims at exploiting naturally conductive fibers, and at scaling-up their production in order to harvest enough conductive fibers to fabricate real-world materials, electrodes, devices, and coatings for large surfaces. In both cases, the final materials will be incorporated into functional sensors for environmental contaminants or disease markers, and into various types of energy conversion and storage devices like solar cells or batteries. Engineered protein fibers will be non-toxic and light weight, and they could be integrated in clothes, or deposited on the skin to serve as wearable electrodes. Successful completion of this work will represent significant steps towards the creation of a new generation of biocompatible and more portable electronic devices. It could lead to changes in the fabrication processes required to produce common devices, while minimizing consumers and industries environmental impact.

电子设备是我们日常生活的重要组成部分。 它们包括常规电池，太阳能电池板，计算机中的电子电路，响应式触摸屏等。 通常，这些设备依赖于有效或可调的电荷运输现象。 最近，设备变得更加便携，并有兴趣将自动传感器，诊断系统和其他电子设备纳入可穿戴衣服或皮肤斑块中。 但是，用于构建电子设备的传统方法需要精力密集型过程，并涉及使用有毒化学物质和稀土金属。 ******在这里，作为替代方案，我建议使用无毒的生物学衍生的材料来组装生物相容性，轻质重量和环保设备。 自然具有具有精致特性的微生物，蛋白质和生物聚合物。 例如，某些蛋白质可以自发地组装成纤维结构，并且可以通过基因工程来轻松修改以调整其特性。 它们也可以以低成本和大规模生产，并使用非官量的细菌作为工厂生产。 具有纳米级尺寸的这种蛋白质纤维可以用作组装纳米线样结构的基础。 具体而言，感兴趣的两种不同类型的纤维：1）具有复杂的纳米级结构或装配特性的纤维，可以用作导电材料的支架； 2）细菌产生的自然导电蛋白纤维可以直接直接用作导电材料并集成在设备中。******首先，该研究计划旨在工程自然衍生的蛋白质纤维来修饰其物理特性，并允许它们进行指控，荧光或感知特定化学物质。 将新颖的物理特性与生物相容性或生物分子识别等生物学功能相结合将导致多功能材料的发展。 其次，该程序旨在利用自然导电纤维，并扩大其生产，以收集足够的导电纤维以制造真实的材料，电极，设备和涂料，以用于大型表面。 在这两种情况下，最终材料都将被纳入用于环境污染物或疾病标志物的功能传感器中，以及各种类型的能量转换和储存设备，例如太阳能电池或电池。 工程的蛋白质纤维将无毒且重量轻，并且可以将其整合在衣服中，也可以沉积在皮肤上以用作可穿戴电极。 这项工作的成功完成将代表创建新一代生物相容性和更便携的电子设备的重要步骤。它可能导致生产通用设备所需的制造过程变化，同时最大程度地降低消费者和行业的环境影响。