Structure of Mollusk Shells at Different Length-Scales

ID：MPS/DMR/BMAT（7623）1105167 主要研究者：吉尔伯特，Pupa ORG：威斯康星大学标题：不同长度尺度的软体动物壳的结构智力优势：软体动物壳的复杂结构将以前所未有的分辨率进行分析，并在大规模上使用与以前的NSF资助开发的新光谱显微镜方法，现在可用于世界各地的许多其他同步加速器用户。 软体动物产生各种矿化的外壳，这些外壳可能适应特定的功能。 PI将研究导致复杂壳结构形成的过程，并将这些观察结果与软体动物生活环境的物理参数（例如深度，压力，温度）相关联。 这将为了解软体动物外壳的进化，它们如何适应不同的环境提供见解，并可能为测量环境参数提供新的工具。 除此之外，对软体动物外壳如何构造的充分理解可以作为仿生制造坚固，坚韧复合材料的指导。更广泛的实施：与以前的NSF资助开发的方法现在已经建立，并提供给世界各地的数百个其他光谱显微镜用户。 PI还开发了处理光谱显微镜数据的软件，该软件在http://home.physics.wisc.edu/gilbert/上免费分发给社区。 这里提出的实验将产生详细的微晶和微晶结构和坚韧生物矿物的形成机制，因此可能会激发新的合成材料的工程与医疗植入物或微机械的性能改善。 每年将有一名研究生和一名本科生参与拟议的实验。 将积极征聘妇女和代表性不足的少数民族学生。 四个主要的推广活动将进行，包括：（1）在威斯康星州中心的研究，教学和学习（CIRTL）的整合框架内的生物矿化教学模块的开发。 这些材料将通过CIRTL积极传播，供高中教师和大学教育工作者在自己的课堂上使用。 (2)在UW-Madison物理博览会上向大约3000人/年的公众演讲。 (3)PI和她的学生将继续提供讲座和实验室实验，以非裔美国学生在人民计划每年夏天。 (4)PI已经并将继续在美国物理教师协会（AAPT）年会上发表特邀演讲，在此期间，她已经并将向教师传播教学工具，模块和幻灯片，向高中和大学生教授生物矿物的魅力。

ID: MPS/DMR/BMAT(7623) 1105167 PI: Gilbert, Pupa ORG: University of WisconsinTitle: Structure of mollusk shells at different length-scalesINTELLECTUAL MERIT: The complex structures of mollusk shells will be analyzed with unprecedented resolution, and on a large scale, using new spectromicroscopy methods developed with the previous NSF grant and which are now available to many other synchrotron users around the world. The mollusks produce a variety of mineralized shells that are presumably adapted to specific functions. The PI will study the processes leading to the formation of complex shell structures, and correlate these observations with the physical parameters (e.g. depth, pressure, temperature) of the environments in which the mollusks live. This will provide insights into the evolution of mollusk shells, how they adapted to different environments, and possibly provide new tools to for measurement of environmental parameters. Beyond this, a full understanding of how mollusk shells are constructed can serve as a guide for biomimetic manufacture of strong, tough composites.BROADER IMPACTS: The methods developed with the previous NSF grant have now been established, and are available to hundreds of other spectromicroscopy users around the world. The PI has also developed software to process the spectromicroscopy data, which is distributed free-of charge to the community on http://home.physics.wisc.edu/gilbert/. The experiments proposed here will yield detailed microcrystal and nanocrystal architectures and the formation mechanisms of tough biominerals, and may therefore inspire the engineering of new synthetic materials with improved performances for medical implants or micro-mechanical machines. One graduate and one undergraduate student per year will be involved in the proposed experiments. Women and underrepresented minority students will be actively recruited. Four major outreach activities will be performed, including: (1) Development of instructional modules on biomineralization within the framework of the Wisconsin Center for the Integration of Research, Teaching, and Learning (CIRTL). These will be actively disseminated through CIRTL for use by high school teachers and college educators for their own classes. (2) Presentations to about 3000 people/year from the general public at the UW-Madison Physics Fair. (3) The PI and her students will continue to provide lectures and lab experiments to African American students within the PEOPLE program every summer. (4) The PI has given and will continue to give invited talks at the American Association of Physics Teachers (AAPT) annual meeting, during which she has and will disseminate teaching tools, modules, and slides to the teachers, to teach the fascination of biominerals to high school and college students.