Associating Structure and Rheology of Bacterial Polysaccharides

非技术性：该奖项由密歇根大学安娜堡分校材料研究部的生物材料项目颁发，由土木工程、机械和制造创新部门(ENG)的材料力学项目共同资助。这项研究是为了了解聚合物的基本水性性质，并将影响使用水作为溶剂的天然和可持续材料的发展。有关水性聚合物稳定性和流动的新知识将在发现或消费这些聚合物的领域中有用。例如，一般情况下，水性聚合物，特别是细菌多糖，与医院、废水处理厂和工业设施中细菌生物膜的增殖和控制有关。细菌多糖的稳定性、结构和机理对生产含有或添加细菌多糖的食品也很重要。随附的教育计划将通过模拟导师计划的使用来提高国家对STEM培训的兴趣，以此作为一种增加所有学生完成博士学位的可能性的机制。这位项目研究人员参与了一项针对本科生的暑期研究体验计划，这将增加来自科学和工程专业代表性不足群体的学生的参与。该项目开发的关于多糖食品添加剂的新模块将吸引中学女生参与科学和工程，从而培养她们对STEM领域的兴趣。技术：细菌多糖是一种重要的水溶性聚合物，存在于一系列自然环境和工业背景中。细菌多糖的化学结构和性质极为多样。然而，这些材料的功能流变性广泛地由细菌多糖作为聚合物和缔合物种的性质之间的相互作用所调节。同时，基因工程和化学取代使细菌多糖具有电荷可控、氢键可控、疏水性强等特点，可用于基础研究。因此，通过对细菌多糖的基础研究，可以更好地了解所有水溶性聚合物的缔合结构和流变学之间的联系。这个项目将通过涉及光散射、微观流变学和本构模型的三个研究目标来产生这种新的理解。这项研究将伴随着一项涉及研究生培训和指导的教育计划。参与暑期研究机会计划和让中学女生参与科学和工程的外展活动是这一奖项的一部分。

Nontechnical: This award by the Biomaterials program in the Division of Materials Research to University of Michigan Ann Arbor is cofunded by the Mechanics of Materials program in the Division of Civil, Mechanical, and Manufacturing Innovation (ENG). This research is to understand the fundamental water-borne properties of polymers, and will impact the development of natural and sustainable materials that use water as a solvent. The new knowledge about aqueous polymer stability and flow will be useful in areas in which these polymers are found or consumed. For example, aqueous polymers generally, and bacterial polysaccharides in particular, are relevant to the proliferation and control of bacterial biofilms in hospitals, in wastewater treatment plants, and in industrial facilities. The stability, structure, and mechanics of bacterial polysaccharides are also important for producing foods in which they are present or added. The accompanying educational plan will advance the national interest in STEM training by modeling the use of mentoring plans as a mechanism to increase the probability of doctoral completion of all students. The project researcher's engagement in a summer research experience program for undergraduates will increase the participation of students from groups underrepresented in science and engineering. The project's development of a new module about polysaccharide food additives will engage middle school girls in science and engineering, and thereby foster their interest in STEM areas.Technical: Bacterial polysaccharides are an important class of aqueous soluble polymer found in a range of natural environments and industrial contexts. The chemical structure and properties of bacterial polysaccharides are extremely diverse. Yet, the functional rheological properties of these materials are broadly mediated by the interplay between the bacterial polysaccharide's properties as a polymer and as an associating species. At the same time, genetic engineering and chemical substitution make bacterial polysaccharides useful polymers for fundamental study because of their controllable charge, hydrogen bonding, and hydrophobicity. Thus, the connection between the associative structure and rheology of all aqueous soluble polymers can be better understood by fundamental study of bacterial polysaccharides. This project will generate this new understanding through three research aims that involve light scattering, microrheology, and constitutive modeling. This research will be accompanied by an educational plan that involves graduate student training and mentoring. The participation of the PI in a summer research opportunities program and in outreach activities that engage middle school girls in science and engineering is part of this award.