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，其设计采用形状记忆合金（SMA），以促进反应物的分离和混合。 HPOC将使用活化的插塞机制来构建，该机制将例如酶与其底物分离。 在装载之后，将使光学池达到所需的压力和温度，而反应物仍然分离。 在这一点上，电信号将触发由SMA制成的弹簧状机构，该机构拉动塞子并允许反应物混合。同时，SMA的周期性形状变化将提供搅拌和泵送，从而用于彻底混合组分。 设计目标是在拔出塞子的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传感器的重大改进。 这项工作将涉及两名教员，一名在坦普尔大学，一名在德雷克塞尔大学，在生物化学系统和材料科学的高压研究互补的专业知识。 双方将密切合作，在SMA激活插头机制的设计，以及测试，接口和仪器的校准。 该项目将为培养工程，生物化学，生物物理学和高压生物学接口的研究生提供一个独特的机会，并将涉及来自费城桥梁计划的坦普尔大学社区学院的几名本科生。此外，通过该项目，PI和Co-PI将开发一个名为“高压生物学，物理学和仪器仪表”的新课程模块，供两所机构的机械工程，材料，化学，物理，生物工程和各种生命科学部门的研究生和高年级本科生使用。

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.