Structure of Mollusk Shells at Different Length-Scales

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ID: MPS/DMR/BMAT(7623) 1105167 PI: Gilbert, Pupa ORG: University of WisconsinTitle: Structure of mollusk shells at different length-scalesINTELLECTUAL MERIT: The complex structures of mollusk shells will be analyzed with unprecedented resolution, and on a large scale, using new spectromicroscopy methods developed with the previous NSF grant and which are now available to many other synchrotron users around the world. The mollusks produce a variety of mineralized shells that are presumably adapted to specific functions. The PI will study the processes leading to the formation of complex shell structures, and correlate these observations with the physical parameters (e.g. depth, pressure, temperature) of the environments in which the mollusks live. This will provide insights into the evolution of mollusk shells, how they adapted to different environments, and possibly provide new tools to for measurement of environmental parameters. Beyond this, a full understanding of how mollusk shells are constructed can serve as a guide for biomimetic manufacture of strong, tough composites.BROADER IMPACTS: The methods developed with the previous NSF grant have now been established, and are available to hundreds of other spectromicroscopy users around the world. The PI has also developed software to process the spectromicroscopy data, which is distributed free-of charge to the community on http://home.physics.wisc.edu/gilbert/. The experiments proposed here will yield detailed microcrystal and nanocrystal architectures and the formation mechanisms of tough biominerals, and may therefore inspire the engineering of new synthetic materials with improved performances for medical implants or micro-mechanical machines. One graduate and one undergraduate student per year will be involved in the proposed experiments. Women and underrepresented minority students will be actively recruited. Four major outreach activities will be performed, including: (1) Development of instructional modules on biomineralization within the framework of the Wisconsin Center for the Integration of Research, Teaching, and Learning (CIRTL). These will be actively disseminated through CIRTL for use by high school teachers and college educators for their own classes. (2) Presentations to about 3000 people/year from the general public at the UW-Madison Physics Fair. (3) The PI and her students will continue to provide lectures and lab experiments to African American students within the PEOPLE program every summer. (4) The PI has given and will continue to give invited talks at the American Association of Physics Teachers (AAPT) annual meeting, during which she has and will disseminate teaching tools, modules, and slides to the teachers, to teach the fascination of biominerals to high school and college students.