Adventurous Chemistry at York

化学是一门允许创造性地生产新物质的学科。根据这一提议，约克大学化学系希望开发出全新的材料，如果成功的话，这种材料将具有令人难以置信的新特性。1.． 酶在硅化学中的应用。碳是生命和生物分子的基本组成部分。酶，人体内的催化剂，能够转化含有碳的分子。我们打算用一组酶来进行化学反应，不是与碳，而是与硅，一种与碳相关但性质明显不同的元素。如果我们能实现这一点，那么我们就能生产出全新的材料。2 . .人工神经元。大自然经常给化学家设计新材料的灵感。在这里，我们希望制备新的材料来模拟神经元，大脑中基本的信息载体。我们希望利用被称为纳米颗粒的微小金片，构建人造神经元，像你的大脑一样，能够携带和学习信息。

Chemistry is a subject that allows for creativity in the production of new substances. With this proposal the Department of Chemistry at York wishes to develop completely new materials, which-if successful-would have incredible new properties. 1.. The use of enzymes for silicon chemistry. Carbon is the fundamental building block of life and biological molecules. Enzymes, the catalysts in one's body are able to transform molecules containing carbon. We intend to use a set of enzymes to perform chemical reactions not with carbon, but with silicon, an element which is related to carbon but whose properties are significantly different. If we can realise this, then we could produce brand new matreials. 2.. Artificial neurons. Nature often gives inspiration to chemists for the design of new materials. Here we wish to prepare new materials which model neurons, the basic information carriers in the brain. Using tiny pieces of gold, known as nanoparticles, we wish to construct artificial neurons that, like your brain, will carry and learn information.