Synthesis and Properties of Deformable Biomaterials and Soft Matter Systems

技术摘要：软质材料易变形，其基本性能通常由其变形敏感性来定义。变形可以发生在许多长度尺度上，定义了柔软材料的独特属性。提出的研究集中在软材料的调查，其中材料的基本成分本身是可变形的。例如，微凝胶颗粒的分散体可以通过压缩变形，将流体从颗粒中挤压出来，以探索新的动态行为并研究可能的结晶。生物分子网络的不同寻常的特性，它表现出历史依赖的力学，这是由于变形引起的长丝拉伸造成的；将结合成像和流变学进行研究。新的软材料将利用微流体的精密技术制造出来，并将开发出扩大生产规模以产生有用数量的材料的方法。这项研究将在一个高度协作、跨学科的环境中进行，为下一代科学家和工程师提供高质量的培训，为我国的经济竞争力提供人力。大部分工作将与工业界合作完成，在国家科学基金会的支持下创建的初创公司的成功将继续创造就业机会。非技术摘要：软材料是那些在很小的力下很容易变形的材料。它们通常是固体，但当施加很小的力时，它们可以改变形状甚至流动。例如，剃须膏之类的泡沫是由水和空气制成的；然而，将液体和气体混合在一起会产生固体物质。但是，它是一种弱固体，也可以很容易地流动，例如，当它被用于帮助润滑剃须刀片的预期目的时。因此，像所有软质材料一样，它的固体和流体性质都很重要。这项研究将开发新的方法来探索这些材料，并将研究这些新材料的性质。研究的结果将导致对材料的新的、基本的理解。这种理解将有助于了解重要的生物材料，例如形成我们膝盖功能中至关重要的软骨的材料。此外，新材料将被创造出来，具有技术用途，包括药物输送或保护食品和个人护理产品中的活性成分。这项研究将与工业界合作进行，并将有助于培养下一代科学家和工程师，为我们国家的经济竞争力提供动力。此外，所开发的技术将继续成为初创公司的基础，这些公司已经提供了新的高质量就业机会。

Technical Abstract: Soft materials are easily deformed, and their fundamental properties are often defined by their susceptibility to deformation. Deformation can occur on many length scales, defining the unique properties of a soft material. The proposed research is centered on investigation of soft materials where the basic components of the material are themselves deformable. For example, dispersions of microgel particles which can be deformed by compression, squeezing the fluid out of the particles will be probed to explore new dynamic behavior and to investigate possible crystallization. The unusual properties of biomolecular networks, which exhibit history-dependent mechanics resulting from stretching of the filaments due to deformation; will be investigated with a combination of imaging and rheology. New soft materials will be made using the exquisite precision of microfluidics, and methods to scale up the production to yield useful quantities of material will be developed. The research will be carried out in a highly collaborative, interdisciplinary environment that provides high quality training for the next generation of scientists and engineers that will provide the manpower for our nation's economic competitiveness. Much of the work will be done in collaboration with industry, and jobs will continue to be created by the success of the start-up companies that are created with the help of the support from the NSF. Non-Technical Abstract: Soft materials are those that are very easily deformed by small forces. They are typically solids, but they can change in shape or even flow when small forces are applied. For example, a foam such as shaving cream, is made from water and air; however, mixing a liquid and a gas together produces a material that is a solid. But, it is a weak solid, that can also easily flow as happens, for example, when it is used for its intended purpose of helping to lubricate a razor blade. Thus, like all soft materials, both it solid-like and its fluid-like properties are important. This research will develop new methods to explore such materials, and will investigate the properties of these new materials. The results of the research will lead to new, fundamental understanding of the materials. This understanding will be applied to help learn about important biological materials, such as that which forms the cartilage so essential in the functioning of our knees. In addition, new materials will be created that have technological uses for applications including drug delivery or protection of active ingredients in foods and person care products. The research will be carried out in collaboration with industry, and will help train the next generation of scientists and engineers that will power the economic competitiveness of our nation. In addition, the technology developed will continue to form the basis of start-up companies, that are already providing new high-quality jobs.