Shape Memory Alloy Activated High Pressure Optical Cell for Biological Studies

该奖项支持高压光学元件(HPOC)的开发，其设计结合了形状记忆合金(SMA)的使用，以促进反应物的分离和混合。HPOC将使用激活的塞子机构来构建，例如，该塞子机构将酶与其底物分离。加载后，光学盒将被带到所需的压力和温度，反应物仍被分离。在这一点上，一个电信号将触发一个由SMA制成的弹簧式机构，该机构拉下插头，允许反应物混合。随之而来的是，SMA的周期性形状变化将提供搅拌和泵送，从而起到彻底混合各组分的作用。设计目标是在插头拔出后100毫秒内实现完全混合。如果完全成功，新的HPOC将代表着对目前使用的压力室的重大改进。这项工作将涉及两名教职员工，一名在坦普尔大学，一名在德雷塞尔大学，他们在生化系统和材料科学的高压研究方面拥有互补的专业知识。双方将在SMA激活插头机构的设计以及仪器的测试、接口和校准方面密切合作。该项目将为培养工程学、生物化学、生物物理学和高压氧生物学的研究生提供一个独特的机会，并将涉及坦普尔大学-费城社区学院桥梁项目的几名本科生。此外，通过这一项目，PI和Co-PI将为两所大学的机械工程、材料、化学、物理、生物工程和各种生命科学系的研究生和本科生高年级学生开发一个新的课程模块，名为“高压生物学、物理和仪器”。

This award supports the development of high-pressure optical cells (HPOC) whose design incorporates the use of shape memory alloys (SMA) to facilitate the separation and the mixing of reactants. The HPOC will be constructed using an activated plug mechanism that separates, for example, an enzyme from its substrate. After loading, the optical cell will be brought to the desired pressure and temperature with the reactants still separated. At this point, an electric signal will trigger a spring-like mechanism made of SMA that pulls the plug and allows mixing of the reactants. Concomitantly, a periodic shape change of the SMA will provide agitation and pumping, thus serving to thoroughly mix the components. The design goal will be to achieve complete mixing within 100 milliseconds of the plug pull-off. If fully successful, the new HPOC will represent an significant improvement over pressure cells in current use. The effort will involve two faculty members, one at Temple University and one at Drexel University, with complementary expertise in high pressure studies of biochemical systems and materials science. Both will work closely in the design of the SMA-activated plug mechanism as well as the testing, interfacing, and calibration of the instrument. This project will offer a unique opportunity for training graduate students at the interfaces of engineering, biochemistry, biophysics, and hyperbaric biology, and will involve several undergraduate students from the Temple University-Community College of Philadelphia bridge program. Moreover, through this project, a new course module entitled "High Pressure Biology, Physics, and Instrumentation" will be developed by the PI and Co-PI for graduate and upper-level undergraduate students enrolled in mechanical engineering, materials, chemistry, physics, bioengineering, and various life-science departments at both institutions.