Materials World Network: Self-Assembled DNA Nanotubes: Biomimetic Design, Controlled Surface Alignment and Templated Nanowire Formation

共同项目负责人Yan和Mertig将协调项目的管理并监督研究进展。虽然两个共同调查委员之间每天都会进行电子邮件交流，但两个小组之间将通过电话视频会议定期举行两周一次的会议。任务将分配给两个小组，以避免任何重叠的努力。Yan团队将负责一组螺旋DNA管的设计、自组装和表征。Mertig小组将负责测量DNA管的机械性能，各种DNA纳米管的表面排列和金属化（包括新设计的螺旋管和先前报道的DNA管）。从任何一方获得的知识都将在两组之间传递，以确保结果的可重复性和改进设计的有效实施。为了实现高效和富有成效的国际合作，我们计划在两个实验室之间交换研究生。我们计划每年派学生去彼此的实验室两次。已申请学生旅行预算。下表列出了拟议研究的主要里程碑。y1a：直径、螺距和螺旋手性可控的螺旋DNA纳米管的设计（Yan）；B：管的结构表征：AFM (Yan)， TEM和cro -TEM (Mertig)；C：使用最初获得的螺旋管作为金属化（Mertig）的模板。y2a：优化螺旋DNA管的生长以增加长度（Yan）；B：测量螺旋DNA管的弯曲刚度。(Mertig);C：将各种DNA纳米管排列成二维网络（Yan & Mertig），并用不同的金属改善DNA管的金属化（Mertig）。y3a：用可控几何形状的纳米团簇装饰管（Yan & Mertig）；B：混合结构的结构和电学特性（Mertig）

The co-PIs Yan and Mertig will coordinate the management of the project and monitor the research progress. While email exchange will happen between the two co-PIs on a daily basis, regular biweekly meetings between the two groups will be held through tele-video-conference. Tasks will be assigned to the two groups to avoid any overlapping efforts. The Yan group will be in charge of the design, selfassembly and characterization of a group of spiral DNA tubes. The Mertig groups will be in charge of the measurement of the mechanical properties of the DNA tubes, surface alignment and metallization of various DNA nanotubes (including the newly designed spiral tube and previously reported DNA tubes). Knowledge gained from either side will be transfer between the two groups to ensure the reproducibility of the results and efficient implementation of improved designs. To achieve an efficient and fruitful international collaboration, we plan to exchange graduate students between the two laboratories. We plan to send students to each other’s lab twice a year. Budget for student travel has been requested. Table below lists major milestones for the proposed research. Y1 A: Design, of spiral DNA nanotubes with controlled diameter, helical pitch and helical chirality (Yan); B:Structure characterization of the tubes: AFM (Yan), TEM and cryo-TEM (Mertig); C: Use of the initiallyachieved spiral tubes as templates for metallization (Mertig).Y2 A: Optimize the growth of spiral DNA tubes to increased length (Yan); B: Measure the flexural rigidity of the spiral DNA tubes. (Mertig); C: Align various DNA nanotubes into 2D networks (Yan & Mertig) and improve the metallization of DNA tubes with different metals (Mertig).Y3 A: Decoration of the tube with nanoclusters with controlled geometries (Yan & Mertig); B: Structural and electrical characterization of the hybrid structures (Mertig)