Shape Memory Alloy Activated High Pressure Optical Cell for Biological Studies

该奖项支持高压光学电池（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将使用活化的塞子机制来构建，例如，将酶与其底物分离。装载后，将光电池带到所需的压力和温度，反应物仍然分离。此时，电信号将触发一个由SMA制成的弹簧状机构，该机构拔掉插头，允许反应物混合。同时，SMA的周期性形状变化将提供搅拌和泵送，从而有助于彻底混合组分。设计目标是在拔塞后100毫秒内实现完全混合。如果完全成功，新的HPOC将比目前使用的压力电池有重大改进。这项工作将涉及两名教员，一名来自天普大学，另一名来自德雷塞尔大学，他们在生化系统和材料科学的高压研究方面具有互补的专业知识。两者都将在sma激活插头机构的设计以及仪器的测试，接口和校准中密切合作。该项目将为培养工程学、生物化学、生物物理学和高压压生物学的研究生提供一个独特的机会，并将涉及来自天普大学-费城社区学院桥梁项目的几名本科生。此外，通过这个项目，PI和Co-PI将为两所大学机械工程、材料、化学、物理、生物工程和各种生命科学系的研究生和高年级本科生开发一个名为“高压生物、物理和仪器”的新课程模块。

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.