Hierarchical considerations in materials design and characterization

目标*新材料表征工具继续照亮新的结构特征，往往越来越小。但我们对材料性质的理解不一定来自于达到纳米或飞秒的分辨率，而是来自于跨长度和时间尺度的连接行为(结构、形成、性能)。换句话说，我们必须考虑层级结构(及其出现)，而不仅仅是组件特征。**跨长度尺度的协同和通信导致了独特的特性，例如蝴蝶翅膀中的机械和光学响应的平衡。我们对材料设计和表征的分层方法已经在我们的实验室产生了具有有趣的生物和光学特性的新材料，以及对合成材料和天然材料的异质性的更深层次的认识。**长期计划*我们正在继续开发新材料和寻找新的应用，基本的长期目标是了解结构和性能如何在长度尺度上传播和连接。在应用方面，我们对新型组织支架和细胞培养材料以及光学化学传感器和生物传感器的新材料有长期目标。**短期目标(5年)*在下一个赠款周期中，我们将解决一些关键的表征问题，特别侧重于通过映射软薄膜材料的属性来捕捉异质性(非均匀结构和组成)的作用。**-自然组织的纳米机械映射*-将化学异质性与机械性能相关联*-将局部和整个薄膜的属性联系起来*新颖性和重要性*建议的工作将导致新的表征方法以及对纳米尺度和中尺度化学和机械异质性之间的联系的更好的理解。这项研究将以两种方式影响卫生和生物技术部门：通过改进生物支架设计和通过更好地了解病理组织的力学。除了对加拿大人的健康和相关商机带来的直接好处外，我们开发的新技术和分析还将促进加拿大和国际上在软材料研究方面的努力。

Objectives*New materials characterization tools continue to illuminate new structural features, often ever smaller. But our understanding of materials properties will not necessarily come from achieving nanometre or femtosecond resolution, but in linking behaviour (structure, formation, properties) across length and time scales. In other words, we must consider the hierarchical structure (and its emergence) and not just the component features. **Synergy and communication across length scales lead to unique properties, such as the balance of mechanical and optical response in a butterfly wing. Our hierarchical approach to materials design and characterization has already yielded new materials in our laboratory with interesting biological and optical properties, as well as a deeper appreciation of heterogeneity in synthetic and natural materials.**Long-term program*We are continuing to develop new materials and seek out new applications, with the fundamental long-term goal of understanding how structure and properties propagate and connect across length scales. On the applied side, we have long-term goals for new types of tissue scaffold and cell culture materials, and new materials for optical chemosensors and biosensors.**Short-term objectives (5 years)*In this next grant cycle we will address a number of key characterization questions, particularly focusing on capturing the role of heterogeneity (nonuniform structure and composition) by mapping properties of soft thin film materials.** - Nanomechanical mapping of natural tissue* - Correlating chemical heterogeneity with mechanical properties* - Connecting local and whole-film properties*** Novelty and Significance*The proposed work will lead to new characterization methods as well as a greater understanding of the connections between nanoscale and mesoscale chemical and mechanical heterogeneity. This research will impact the health and biotechnology sector in two ways: through improvements in bioscaffold design and through better understanding of the mechanics of pathological tissue. In addition to this direct benefit to the health of Canadians and the associated business opportunities, the new techniques and analyses which we develop will also advance Canadian and international efforts in soft materials research.