Vibrational spectrochemical imaging studies of materials from macro to nanoscale

关键的化学相互作用发生在纳米尺度上，但对每个维度都有影响。我和我的学生解决了对材料化学进行成像所固有的挑战，使用模型系统来证明原理，从千分之一米到十亿分之一米的长度尺度。具体地说，我们使用一种名为振动光谱的技术，用可见光和红外光探测物质的化学成分。通过这个项目，我努力成为振动光谱化学成像领域的世界领先者，培训年轻科学家掌握开创性的技术，以解决与重要材料和环境问题相关的难题。我的短期目标代表着从纳米到宏观分辨率的现实世界问题，从可再生资源制成的新材料到气候变化对北冰洋海冰硅藻的影响，这些都是海洋食物网的关键成员。我们将已确立的振动光谱原理带到了科学前沿，使用了最好的衍射限制光学技术，这是我们最新获得专利的红外层析成像附件，以及打破红外衍射限制的超分辨率技术。我们设计了新的方法来保留天然的分子结构，使我们能够阐明局部化学，并对这些以前无法访问的微米和纳米级数据做出准确的解释。 在我的程序的一个分支中，我们使用光谱化学成像来识别单细胞微生物在正常和应激条件下的化学变化。为什么？我们可以发现营养和光照水平以及群落相互作用如何影响北极海冰硅藻，这是预测它们对全球气候变化和海冰减少的可能反应的关键。我们可以了解到白色念珠菌的细胞壁超微结构是如何受到外界刺激，特别是抗真菌治疗的影响。 在另一个分支中，我们在微米和纳米尺度上分析天然纤维和合成纤维。我们的目标是最大限度地增加收获后废纤维这一可再生资源的附加值，并提高取决于分子组成、取向和构象的仿生合成丝材料的生产质量。我们将更好地了解胶原蛋白的自组装，胶原蛋白是一种生物分子，在健康的身体中发挥基本功能，是组织工程材料的基础。最后，我们将帮助设计新的接触式主动自我消毒表面，这是一种颠覆性技术，旨在防止医院内的交叉感染和食品在加工或包装过程中的污染。 我们的光谱能力将加速全新的发现途径。我的学生精通这些技术，他们将能够将从分子到宏观长度尺度的后果联系起来，并准备好为基础知识的发展做出贡献，帮助加拿大的环境、健康和先进制造计划。

Critical chemical interactions occur at the nanoscale but have impact at every dimension. My students and I tackle the challenges inherent in imaging the chemistry of materials at length scales from one thousandth to one billionth of a meter, using model systems for proof of principle. Specifically, we probe the chemical composition of matter with visible and infrared light, using a technique called vibrational spectroscopy. With this program, I strive to be a world leader in vibrational spectrochemical imaging, training young scientists in groundbreaking techniques to solve puzzles related to important materials and environmental issues. My short term objectives represent real-world problems that span the nano to macro resolution scale, in new materials made from renewable resources to the impact of climate change on Arctic sea ice diatoms, key members of the marine food web. We take established principles of vibrational spectroscopy to the scientific frontier, using best diffraction-limited optics, our newly-patented accessory for infrared tomography, and super-resolution techniques that break the infrared diffraction limit. We devise novel methods to retain native molecular architecture, allowing us to elucidate localized chemistry and make accurate interpretations of this previously inaccessible micro and nanoscale data. In one branch of my program, we use spectrochemical imaging to identify chemical changes in single-celled microorganisms under normal and stress conditions. Why? We can discover how nutrient and light levels, and community interactions affect Arctic sea ice diatoms, key to predicting their likely responses to global climate change and decreasing sea ice. We can learn how the cell wall ultrastructure of Candida albicans is affected by external stimuli, especially antifungal treatments. In the other branch, we analyze natural and synthetic fibres at the micro and nanoscale. We aim to maximize the added-value of post-harvest waste-stream fibre, a renewable resource, and improve production quality of bio-inspired synthetic silk materials that depend on molecular composition, orientation and conformation. We will better understand the self-assembly of collagens, biomolecules that perform essential functions in the healthy body and are basic to tissue engineering materials. Finally, we will aid the design of new contact-active self-disinfective surfaces, a disruptive technology created to prevent cross-infection in hospitals and contamination of food during processing or packaging. Our spectroscopic capabilities will accelerate completely new avenues of discovery. My students, skilled in these techniques, will be able to connect consequences from the molecular to macroscopic length scales, and be ready to contribute to the advancement of fundamental knowledge, aiding environmental, health and advanced manufacturing initiatives in Canada.