NIRT: Protein-aided Nanomanufacturing

这项研究是响应主动纳米结构和纳米系统倡议，NSF 06-595，类别NIRT。 纳米级制造具有与确保上级质量、成本、速度和生产灵活性相关的传统挑战，以及对产品的精确分子/原子构型的额外限制。 这项研究旨在开发所需的分子，硬件和软件，以满足分层纳米制造的挑战。将使用通过组合生物学鉴定的无机合成蛋白质（ISP）实现对溶液处理的无机材料的精确控制。ISP是生长“种子”，当与工程化的水性电解质接触时，其可以使目标无机材料成核。ISP种子“种植”的硬件将依赖于蛋白质兼容的图案化技术，包括蘸笔纳米光刻、微接触印刷和热响应蛋白质吸附。正在开发新的软件算法，以计算在表面上种植ISP种子的最佳位置，从而以最少的刀具移动次数生产最高精度的物体。 蛋白质辅助制造过程的最后一步是将接种表面浸入生长电解质中以自发地生长物体。 将讨论几个科学问题。快速鉴定对特定无机多晶型物具有选择性亲和力的ISP是理解和控制具有所需结晶度的材料生长的关键。 将研究蛋白质图案化方法对ISPs的分子取向和合成活性的影响，以及图案化和生长的尺度依赖性。 将开发强大的几何建模和工具路径规划软件，以确保在分层几何结构上各向同性和各向异性晶体生长的良好构建保真度。该研究解决了与替代能源，可持续性以及科学和工程人力资源开发相关的关键社会挑战。这项研究的技术测试平台是ZnO太阳能电池的制造，其中新的纳米制造方法提供了显着改善太阳能转换性能和成本的潜力。 目前，太阳能电池和大多数电子设备都是使用高温，低压和有毒试剂制造的。 本文提出的室温、水基蛋白质辅助制造工艺需要适度的能源投入，并使用低毒性前体试剂，从而影响我们经济的可持续性和效率。 从事该项目的研究生将被纳入以纳米技术为导向的计划，旨在提高科学家和工程师的多样性，以及全球合作伙伴关系，他们将有机会获得国际经验。

This research was received in response to the Active Nanostructures and Nanosystems initiative, NSF 06-595, category NIRT. Manufacturing at the nanometer-scale has the traditional challenges associated with ensuring superior quality, cost, speed, and production flexibility, as well as added constraints on the precise molecular/atomic configuration of the product. This research seeks to develop the molecules, hardware, and software needed to meet the challenges of hierarchical nanomanufacturing. Precise control of solution processed inorganic materials will be achieved using inorganic synthesizing proteins (ISPs) that are identified via combinatorial biology. ISPs are growth 'seeds' that can nucleate the target inorganic materials when brought into contact with an engineered aqueous electrolyte. Hardware for ISP seed 'planting' will rely on the protein-compatible patterning techniques dip-pen nanolithography, micro-contact printing, and thermo-responsive protein adsorption. New software algorithms are being developed to compute the optimal locations for planting ISP seeds on a surface to produce the highest accuracy object with the fewest number of tool moves. The final step in the protein-aided manufacturing process is to immerse the seeded surface in the growth electrolyte to spontaneously grow the object. Several scientific issues will be addressed. Rapidly identifying ISPs with selective affinity for specific inorganic polymorphs is key to understanding and controlling the growth of materials with desired crystallinity. The impact of protein patterning method on the molecular orientation and synthesis activity of ISPs will be studied, as will the scale-dependence of patterning and growth. Robust geometric modeling and tool path planning software will be developed to ensure good build fidelity for both isotropic and anisotropic crystal growth over hierarchical geometries. This research addresses key societal challenges associated with alternative energy, sustainability, and the development of scientific and engineering human resources. The technology test bed for this research is the fabrication of ZnO solar cells, where new nanomanufacturing approaches offer the potential for significant improvements in performance and cost of solar energy conversion. Currently, solar cells and most electronic devices are made using high temperature, low pressure, and toxic reagents. The room temperature, water-based protein-aided manufacturing process proposed here demands modest energy inputs and uses low toxicity precursor reagents, thereby impacting the sustainability and efficiency of our economy. The graduate students working on this project will be integrated into nanotechnology-oriented programs aimed at improving the diversity of scientists and engineers, as well as a global partnership where they will have the opportunity to gain international experiences.