U.S.-Brazil Planning Visit for Studying Network Fiber Formation in Gels

在这次由国际科学与工程办公室美洲项目支持的美巴计划访问中，乔治城大学的Richard G.Weiss将与巴西坎皮纳斯大学的Teresa D.Z.Atvars教授探讨凝胶科学领域的研究合作。Atvars教授有一个荧光显微镜，它可以跟踪成核和随后的聚集步骤，从而导致分子凝胶的自组装纤维网络(Safins)。这一总体研究主题是魏斯教授实验室目前正在进行的一个项目的一部分。从拟议的研究中获得的信息对于理解一系列不同的成核-结晶现象至关重要，这是溶胶-凝胶化学中的一个重要领域。教授的培养方法和途径。Atvars和Weiss非常不同，他们的专业领域是互补的。这些差异和互补性预计将产生仅在他们的任何一个实验室都不可能实现的结果。未来的合作研究项目将为那些使用凝胶(包括分子凝胶)的人提供一张蓝图，用于健康领域(植入设备或真皮贴片的药物输送速率)、提高石油采收率(页岩破裂阶段)，甚至艺术品保护。这也将是人力资源开发的一个重要组成部分。除了让巴西和美国的研究生并肩工作，学习解决问题的新技术和方法外，美国学生还将学习如何适应不同的文化。

In this U.S.-Brazil planning visit supported by the Americas Program of the Office of International Science and Engineering, Richard G. Weiss of Georgetown University will explore research collaboration in the area of gel science with Prof. Teresa D. Z. Atvars of the University of Campinas in Brazil. Professor Atvars has a fluorescence microscope that can follow the nucleation and subsequent aggregation steps leading to self-assembled fibrillar networks (SAFINs) of molecular gels. This general research theme is part of a project currently being being pursued in Prof. Weiss's laboratory. The information to be obtained from the proposed research is central to understanding a wide range of different nucleation-crystallization phenomena, an important area in sol-gel chemistry. The approaches and training of Profs. Atvars and Weiss are quite different, and their areas of expertise are complementary. These differences and complementarities are expected to produce results that would not be possible in either of their laboratories alone.The prospective collaborative research project will provide a blueprint for those who are employing gels, including molecular gels, for applications in health fields (rates of drug delivery for implanted devices or dermal patches), enhanced oil recovery (at the shale cracking stage), and even art conservation. There will also be an important component of human resource development. In addition to having both Brazilian and US graduate students work side by side to learn new techniques and approaches to problem solving, the US students will also learn how to adapt to a different culture.