Understanding the Interplays of Mechanical and Chemical Interactions at the Molecular Interfaces of Multifunctional Bio-/Nano- Materials
Abstract
Funds are requested to acquire a fully integrated AFM-Raman instrument to enhance cross campus multidisciplinary research activities and research related education at California State University, Los Angeles (Cal State LA). There are four PI/co-PIs and one senior personnel in two departments and two colleges, conducting research in advanced bio-/nanomaterials, functional composites, activities/binding of biomolecules, biophysical and biochemical processes. Three of them are early-career researchers, and three are women. A common theme of the enabled research projects seeks to fundamentally understand the physical and chemical interactions and properties at molecular surfaces or interfaces of novel bio-/nanomaterials and devices. The prospective Department of Defense (DoD) sponsor is the Army Research Office (ARO). The proposed research and research related education directly contribute to the following programs: 1) Materials Design/Mechanical Behavior of Materials/Physical Properties of Materials Programs; 2) Electrochemistry/Reactive Chemical Systems/Environmental Chemistry Programs, and; 3) Biochemistry/Microbiology Programs. The proposed transformative research will yield both basic and applied advances in energy, environmental, biomedical and biomimetic fields, which align well with the mission of the ARO. The requested instrument has the unique capability to detect in-situ, co-localized and correlated biochemical, multi-physical and mechanical information that will allow involved faculty to address a wide array of interdisciplinary problems with regard to the mechanisms of adhesion and friction coupling; dynamics of molecular surfaces/interfaces; cell-protein-surface interactions; functional nanoparticles and nanowires. Successful use of the instrument will generate a series of scientific breakthroughs and revolutionize how humans make synthetic materials and structures that are desirable in realizing controlled micromanipulation, miniaturized energy devices, biosensing, molecular sorting, smart chemical release, tissue engineering, self-cleaning and self-healing properties. The proposed AFM-Raman will be a multi-user instrument across the campus and entail a multifaceted approach to student involvement with research. Students will be able to examine problems at the crossroads of materials science, physics, chemistry, engineering and other related sciences. Exploring a broad range of applications using a state-of-the-art versatile system will substantially enhance the research productivity and provide essential research training to a large number of undergraduate and graduate students in the Southern California region. This acquisition will significantly enhance the research capabilities at Cal State LA, a comprehensive Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI), under the direction of a multidisciplinary team of faculty, allowing them to initiate and pursue a more sophisticated type and level of research than would otherwise be possible, making their research more competitive for future funding. The AFM-Raman instrument is critical to the campus community given its location in the Los Angeles area and its role in educating underrepresented minority students (approximately 68% of the student body are Hispanic/Latino, African-American and Native-American). This effort will enable Cal State LA to continue its long tradition of educating local students and in creating the next generation of scientists and educators whose vision is to link science priorities to the solving of societal problems. The diverse research projects proposed will help address the need for more students, and in particular minority students, trained in state-of-the-art technologies and continuing onto graduate programs in STEM fields. Overall, the enabling facility will create a fertile environment for further expansion and fostering of synergistic research activities and new frontiers important for strengthening our n
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Jul 09, 2020
- Source ID
- W911NF2010077
Entities
People
- Travis Shihao Hu
Organizations
- Army Contracting Command
- California State University, Los Angeles
- United States Army