Mineralisation of bone and biomimetic collagen from the atomic to the micro meter scale studied by novel in situ X-ray and electron microscopy techniq

项目目标-详细研究胶原/磷灰石复合材料的生长-研究仿生系统和骨骼中从纳米尺度到微观尺度的胶原-矿物界面-重点研究胶原中羟基磷灰石形成的动力学-探索结晶动力学的成像和光谱。围绕胶原矿化的主题，胶原纤维中矿物（羟基磷灰石）形成的机制仍然是生物矿化研究领域的核心问题。该项目将包括对胶原/磷灰石复合材料生长的详细研究，并在仿生系统和骨骼中研究从纳米到微尺度的胶原-矿物界面。为了使我们能够探索结晶动力学的成像和光谱学，并在控制羟基磷灰石/胶原复合材料形成的同时量化传输和相变过程，我们将采用独特的实验技术组合，包括（原位）电子显微镜，x射线光谱学和同步加速器技术。这些将包括原位液体细胞透射电子显微镜（原位LCTEM）、透射电子显微镜（TEM）、扫描电子显微镜（SEM）、扫描透射电子显微镜（STEM）、能量色散x射线（EDX）、电子能量损失光谱（EELS）和拉曼光谱。使用同步加速器技术的实验将在牛津钻石光源进行，使用I14（硬x射线纳米探针），I08（扫描x射线显微镜），I22（小角度散射和衍射）光束线。

Project aims-Detailed study of the growth of collagen/apatite composites-Investigate the collagen-mineral interface over a range of length scales from the nanoscale to microscale in both biomimetic systems and bone-Focus on the dynamics of the formation of hydroxyapatite in collagen-Explore the imaging and spectroscopy of the crystallisation dynamicsProject SummaryDespite a vast array of studies, surrounding the subject of collagen mineralisation the mechanism behind the mineral (hydroxyapatite) formation within collagen fibers is still a central problem in the field of biomineralisation research.This project will involve a detailed study of the growth of collagen/apatite composites and investigate the collagen-mineral interface over a range of length scales from the nano- to microscale in both biomimetic systems and bone. To allow us to explore the imaging and spectroscopy of the crystallisation dynamics, and to quantify the transport and phase transition processes whilst controlling the formation of hydroxyapatite/collagen composites we will employ a unique combination of experimental techniques including (in-situ) electron microscopy, X-ray spectroscopy and synchrotron techniques. These will include in-situ liquid cell transmission electron microscopy (in-situ LCTEM), Transmission ElectronMicroscopy (TEM), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy (STEM), Energy Dispersive X-ray (EDX), Electron Energy Loss Spectrometry (EELS) and Raman spectroscopy. Experiments using synchrotron techniques will be carried out at Diamond Light Source, Oxford using the I14 (Hard X-Ray Nanoprobe), I08 (Scanning X-ray Microscopy), I22 (Small Angle Scattering & Diffraction) beamlines.