Discovery of Nanoscale Folding Properties of Atomically-Layered Materials by Atomic Lattice Interferometry and Simulation

该奖项支持原子层状材料力学的基础研究。当人们折叠原子层状材料时，只有几个原子厚的、史无前例的纳米材料特性可以表现出来。例如，石墨烯是一种由碳原子组成的多层材料，其横向压缩会导致尖锐的脊状图案。沿着这些原子尺度的褶皱，有一条只有几个原子那么宽的带电。这条带电吸引带相反电荷的分子。这种石墨烯褶皱网络的受控变形潜在地调节了生物分子的吸附，从而实时地调节了生物细胞与固体表面的黏附。研究成果将使原子尺度材料工程在纳米技术中的各种应用，以及分子工程在生物医学技术中的应用。这包括但不限于用于癌症治疗的生物黏附控制和用于基因工程的分子操纵技术。此外，这一结果将对纳米和微米计量以及环境过滤和传感器技术产生影响。原子晶格干涉仪这一科学工具将使人们能够观察先进纳米结构的行为，不仅用于科学研究，还用于生活和物理科学技术方面的教育。布朗大学分子和纳米创新研究所将制定一项外展计划。该计划将通过暑期实习计划教育STEM中处于弱势群体的学生，向他们介绍一个工业种子项目的现实世界问题。PI将开发关于褶皱机制的新课程材料。对石墨烯或类似石墨烯材料中原子层褶皱结构和相关弯电特性的连续/从头算和实验混合分析将提供对机械行为以及像褶皱脊一样变形跳跃的电子态的基本理解。PI的实验室首次使用新发明的原子晶格干涉仪实验观测到了这种褶皱网络。这种新型干涉仪开辟了在大视场范围内测量原子尺度表面变形的独特实验能力。由此产生的对机电行为的理解将为生物力学研究建立一个调节分子吸附和细胞黏附的系统框架。此外，许多重要的多尺度建模和实验能力，如高性能计算和原子级结构测试，将得到提升。此外，数学上困难的和历史上未解决的Ruga(皱纹、折皱、褶皱、脊纹和皱纹)力学的分叉问题将被解开。

This award supports fundamental research on the mechanics of atomically-layered materials. When one folds atomically-layered materials, only a few atoms thick, unprecedented nanoscale material properties can manifest. For example, the lateral compression of graphene, a multi-layered material of carbon atoms, leads to patterns of sharp ridges. Along the ridges of these atomic-scale crinkles a strip with the width of a few atoms is electrically charged. The strip of charges attracts oppositely charged molecules. The controlled deformation of such a graphene crinkle network potentially regulates adsorption of biomolecules and, consequently, the adhesion of biological cells to solid surfaces in real time. The research results would enable various applications for atomic-scale materials engineering in nanotechnology, and molecular engineering in biomedical technology. This includes but is not limited to bio-adhesion control for cancer treatment and molecular manipulation techniques for genetic engineering. Further, the results would have impact on nano- and micro- metrology, and environmental filter and sensor technology. The scientific tool, the atomic lattice interferometer, will enable observation of the behavior of advanced nanostructures, not only for scientific research, but also for education in both life and physical science and technology. An outreach program will be developed in the Institute of Molecular and Nanoscale Innovation at Brown University. This program will educate students from underrespresented groups in STEM through summer internship programs, introduce them to real world problems with an industrial seed project. The PI will develop new course materials on the mechanics of folding.Continuum/ab-initio and experimental hybrid analyses of atomic-layer crinkle structures and associated flexoelectric characteristics in graphene or graphene-analogous materials will provide a fundamental understanding of the mechanical behavior, as well as of the electronic states of a deformation jump like a crinkle ridge. The PI's laboratory experimentally observed such crinkle networks for the first time by using a newly invented atomic lattice interferometer. This novel interferometer opens up unique experimental capabilities of measuring atomic-scale surface deformations over a wide field of view. The resultant understanding of the electro-mechanical behavior will establish a systematic framework for regulating molecular adsorption and cellular adhesion for biomechanics research. In addition, many important multi-scale modeling and experimental capabilities, such as high performance computing and testing of atomic-scale structures, will be advanced. Furthermore, mathematically difficult and historically unsolved bifurcation problems of ruga (wrinkle, crease, fold, ridge and crinkle) mechanics will be unraveled.