Chiral Ceramic Nanoparticles of Tungsten Oxides

非技术性SUMMARYChirality是描述与其镜像不同的对象的几何特性。这样的物体在自然界中很常见，手性决定了大多数生物过程的结果。该项目将研究如何使陶瓷纳米颗粒手性，以生产新的药物，减少污染，创造新的显示技术，改进生物医学植入物，并实现新的超强材料。这些技术进步之所以成为可能，是因为纳米陶瓷的手性可以与其特殊的机械、光学、电子、化学和生物特性相结合。将建立合成方法、特征性质和计算工具。氧化钨小颗粒的表面将被氨基酸覆盖，这些氨基酸将把它们的手性转移到无机材料上。将找到合成具有特定手性的长链分子多肽的最佳条件，以用作生物医学和国防需求的抗菌药物。该项目的成果将是一个应用研究和教育的通用工具箱，供其他科学家、工程师、教师和公众使用。陶瓷材料的低成本、生物相容性和通用性将使手性陶瓷在许多技术领域得到应用。密歇根大学将与底特律地区贫困社区的学校合作，向高中生展示手性的重要性。该项目还将帮助有语言障碍的高中生在化学、物理、材料或数学方面找到感兴趣的研究主题。技术求和手性是一种几何性质，对物理、化学、生物、天文学和数学具有统一的重要性。纳米陶瓷可以是手性的，这将提高这些材料的机械、光学、电子、化学和生物性能。陶瓷领域的这些进展将使新一代材料成为可能，用于偏振调制器件、手性催化剂、生物医学植入物、生物传感器和药物载体。因此，在这个项目中将建立一个合成方法、特征性质和计算工具的框架。作为模型体系，我们将合成表面吸附了L氨基酸和D-氨基酸配体的三氧化钨手性陶瓷纳米颗粒。这些纳米胶体随后将被用于催化氨基酸缩合成抗菌肽。对熟练掌握计算和合成工具的学生进行综合培训对该项目的影响至关重要。教育和外联工作将侧重于代表人数不足的少数民族和来自高度贫困的伊普西兰蒂地区的初中生。有语言障碍的高中年龄的孩子将从事科学研究。这一奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARYChirality is a geometrical property describing objects that are not the same as their mirror images. Such objects are common in Nature and chirality determines the outcome of most biological processes. This project will study how to make nanoparticles of ceramics chiral in order to produce new drugs, reduce pollution, create new display technologies, improve biomedical implants, and realize new ultra-strong materials. These technological advances become possible because chirality of nanoscale ceramics can be combined with their special mechanical, optical, electronic, chemical, and biological properties. Synthetic methods, characteristic properties, and computational tools will be established. The surface of small particles of tungsten oxide will be coated with amino acids that will transfer their chirality to the inorganic material. The best conditions for the synthesis of long chain molecules, known as peptides, with specific chirality to be used as antibacterial drugs for biomedical and national defense needs, will be found. The outcome of this project will be a versatile toolbox for applied studies and education that will be available to other scientists, engineers, teachers, and the public. The low cost, biocompatibility and commonality of ceramic materials will enable utilization of chiral ceramics in many technological areas. The University of Michigan will collaborate with schools in poor communities in Detroit area to demonstrate importance of chirality to high and middle school students. The project will also help kids of high school age with speech impediments to find interesting research topics in chemistry, physics, materials, or mathematics.TECHNICAL SUMMARYChirality is a geometrical property with unifying importance for physics, chemistry, biology, astronomy, and mathematics. Nanoscale ceramics can be chiral, which will enhance mechanical, optical, electronic, chemical, and biological properties of these materials. These advances in ceramics will make possible a new generation of materials for polarization modulation devices, chiral catalysts, biomedical implants, biosensors, and drug carriers. Thus, a framework of synthetic methods, characteristic properties, and computational tools will be established in this project. As a model system, chiral ceramic nanoparticles of tungsten trioxide with L- and D- amino acid surface ligands adsorbed to their surface will be synthesized. These nanocolloids will be subsequently utilized in the catalysis of amino acid condensation into antibacterial peptides. Integrated training of students skillful in both computational and synthetic tools is essential to its impact of this project. The educational and outreach efforts will be focused on underrepresented minorities and middle- and high-school students from high-poverty Ypsilanti area. Kids of high school age with speech impediments will be engaged in the scientific research.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.