Understanding structure-function-properties relationships in biological and engineered materials

材料的发展在现代世界中起着至关重要的作用。新材料催生新技术。该提案描述了一个研究项目，旨在深入理解天然材料和工程材料的结构、功能和特性之间的关系。我们建议使用强大的核磁共振（NMR）技术家族，结合同步机械或电刺激，来研究各种材料特性的结构和动力学。选择特定的材料是因为它们具有不同寻常的机械、光学、传输或磁性，以及它们在工业应用中的潜力。核磁共振是这项工作的首选工具，因为它能够提供关于这些性质背后的分子结构和动力学的特定位点信息。海螺将卵产在坚硬的蛋白质胶囊中，以保护卵免受恶劣海洋环境的影响。这种很少被研究的胶囊材料具有反复耗散大量机械能的不同寻常的能力。我们提出了一系列的核磁共振实验来研究鸡蛋胶囊蛋白。我们将建立新的装置来应用与核磁共振测量同步的动态机械应变。这项工作将提供对其迷人特性的前所未有的微观理解，并使合成类似物的开发成为可能，如安全带和减震器等需要坚固，耗能材料的应用。纤维素纳米晶体（CNC）是一种新兴的基于可再生资源的纳米材料，目前由我们合作的一家加拿大公司商业化。我们将使用核磁共振技术来研究CNC的形态和结构，以指导其优化和开发，并回答有关晶体和非晶成分性质的基本问题。CNC的一个不寻常的特点是，当悬浮在水中时，它们会自动组装成螺旋有序的阵列。其他合作者使用这些悬浮液制作高多孔有序玻璃薄膜。当充满活性液晶分子时，薄膜的光学性能可以通过外部刺激来控制，有可能用于制造显示器和传感器等设备。我们将研究吸收在这些薄膜内的液晶客体，以开发实用的装置。当今锂电池最重要的缺陷之一是安全性。使用的液体电解质是易燃的，已经导致了多次火灾和安全召回。我们将与合作者合作，研究大豆蛋白和合成聚合物基膜，设计用于固体电解质，目标是消除易燃液体。我们提出的技术，将应用电场与核磁共振测量相结合，将为这些膜的电行为提供详细的微观解释，并将指导实用固体膜和更安全电池的进一步发展。矿物黄铜矿是大多数铜的开采形式，具有不同寻常的磁共振性质，我们将使用我们独特的多光子核磁共振方法进行研究。这项工作有可能改变铜矿石的加工方式，提高效率，从而为加拿大带来环境和经济效益。这项研究的影响不仅体现在单个项目的领域内，我们创新的混合核磁共振方法将为分子机制提供无与伦比的新见解，而且还来自结果的合成；通过从这些材料的共同主题和独特差异中学习，我们将扩大和加深我们的理解，加速我们的材料驱动世界的进步。

The development of materials plays an essential role in the modern world. New materials enable new technology. This proposal describes a program of research with a vision of developing deep understanding of the relationships between the structure, function, and properties of natural and engineered materials. We propose to use a powerful family of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) techniques, combined with simultaneous mechanical or electrical stimulation, to study the structure and dynamics that underlie the properties of a diverse selection of materials. Specific materials are chosen for their unusual mechanical, optical, transport or magnetic properties, and their potential for industrial applications. NMR is the tool of choice for this work due to its ability to provide site-specific information on the molecular structure and dynamics that underlie these properties.Sea-snails lay their eggs in tough protein capsules that protect the eggs from the harsh marine environment. The little-studied capsule material has an unusual ability to repeatedly dissipate large amounts of mechanical energy. We propose a series of NMR experiments to study the egg capsule protein. We will build new apparatus to apply dynamic mechanical strain synchronized with the NMR measurements. This work will provide an unprecedented microscopic understanding of the fascinating properties, and enable the development of synthetic analogues for applications such as seat-belts and shock absorbers, where strong, energy dissipating materials are required.Celluose nanocrystals (CNC) are an emerging renewable-resource based nanomaterial currently being commercialized by a Canadian company with whom we collaborate. We will use NMR techniques to study the morphology and structure of CNC to guide their optimization and exploitation, and answer fundamental questions about the nature of the crystalline and amorphous components.An unusual feature of CNC is their self-assembly into helically ordered arrays when suspended in water. Other collaborators use these suspensions to make highly-porous ordered glassy films. When filled with active liquid crystal molecules, the optical behaviour of the films can be controlled by external stimulus, potentially to make devices such as displays and sensors. We will study the liquid crystal guests absorbed inside these films to enable the development of practical devices.One of the most important deficiencies with today's lithium batteries is safety. The liquid electrolytes used are flammable and have led to numerous fires and safety recalls. We will work with collaborators to study soy-protein and synthetic polymer-based membranes designed for use as solid electrolytes, with the goal of eliminating the flammable liquids. The techniques we propose, combining applied electric fields with the NMR measurements, will provide a detailed microscopic explanation of the electrical behaviour of these membranes, and will guide the further development of practical solid membranes and safer batteries.The mineral chalcopyrite, in which form most copper is mined, has unusual magnetic resonance properties we will study using our unique multi-photon NMR methods. This work has the potential to transform the processing of copper ores to increase efficiency, resulting in environmental and economic benefits to Canada.The impact of this research will be felt not only within the fields of the individual projects, where our innovative hybrid NMR methods will provide unparalleled new insights into molecular mechanisms, but also from the synthesis of the results; by learning from the common themes and unique differences of these materials, we will both broaden and deepen our understanding to accelerate the advancement of our materials-driven world.