SGER: Development of Dynamic Diamond Anvil Cell Spectroscopy

化学部的实验物理化学计划资助探索性研究(SGER)的这一小笔赠款。加州大学河滨分校的Eric Chronister教授和他的研究生们将讨论与优化动态钻石顶锤单元(DAC)的响应时间和最大负载相关的设计问题。这项工作的目标是开发一种具有启动快速(微秒时间尺度)和可逆高压(~30kbar)变化和快速压力循环的独特能力的电池。动态数模转换器的性能将使用掺杂到聚合物中的红宝石发射线的压力依赖关系来表征。空间图案化的聚合物样品将允许确定压力变化的时间和空间特征。所提出的动态DAC的应用包括聚合物和玻璃的动态压力跳跃研究，蛋白质折叠的压力跳跃研究，以及压力诱导的多晶型相变的动力学研究。对生理条件下微秒级蛋白质折叠和展开的压力跳跃研究将为温度跳跃实验提供一个有用的替代方案。在高重复率下研究压力循环的能力也将为加速和研究材料的老化过程提供一种独特的方法。

The Experimental Physical Chemistry Program of the Chemistry Division funds this Small Grant for Exploratory Research (SGER). Professor Eric Chronister of the University of California, Riverside and his graduate students will address design issues relevant to optimizing the response time and maximum load of a dynamic diamond anvil cell (DAC). The goal of this work is to develop a cell with unique capabilities for initiating fast (microsecond timescales) and reversible high-pressure (~30 kbar) changes and rapid pressure cycling. The performance of the dynamic DAC will be characterized using the pressure dependence of the emission lines of ruby doped into a polymer. Spatially patterned polymer samples will allow determination of both the temporal and spatial characteristics of the pressure changes. Applications for the proposed dynamic DAC include dynamic pressure jump studies of polymers and glasses, pressure-jump studies of protein folding, and kinetic studies of pressure-induced polymorphic phase transitions. Pressure-jump studies of protein folding and unfolding on microsecond timescales under physiological conditions would provide a useful alternative to temperature-jump experiments. The ability to study pressure cycling at high repetition rates also would offer a unique approach to accelerating and studying aging processes in materials.