| EPSRC Reference: |
EP/J009121/1 |
| Title: |
Shell inspiration: turning nature’s secrets into engineering solutions |
| Principal Investigator: |
Yin, Professor H |
| Other Investigators: |
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| Researcher Co-Investigators: |
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| Project Partners: |
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| Department: |
School of Engineering |
| Organisation: |
University of Glasgow |
| Scheme: |
First Grant - Revised 2009 |
| Starts: |
07 September 2012 |
Ends: |
06 September 2014 |
Value (£): |
100,176
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| EPSRC Research Topic Classifications: |
| Microsystems |
Synthetic biology |
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| EPSRC Industrial Sector Classifications: |
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| Related Grants: |
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| Panel History: |
| Panel Date | Panel Name | Outcome |
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03 Nov 2011
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Materials, Mechanical and Medical Engineering
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Announced
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Summary on Grant Application Form |
The properties of a material are strongly affected by its microscopic structure, a phenomenon that can often be seen in nature. This is clearly evident in the shells of molluscs such as mussels. These seashells exhibit magnificently diverse shapes, patterns and colours. In addition, they have a toughness similar to steel whilst being much lighter. These fascinating characteristics are the result of the way that shells are made from organised building blocks of calcium carbonate (the mineral found in chalk). In nature, the combination of these building blocks is exquisitely controlled throughout growth.
The ability to use nature's secrets learned from shell growth would be invaluable in manufacturing high performance materials with unprecedented properties. To realise this, we first need to learn how nature controls the formation and assembly of the building blocks of a shell - calcium carbonate. In this proposal, we will develop a new approach to enable an in-depth understanding of this natural controlling process, and then exploit the knowledge for producing novel material that are inspired by nature. At the core of our approach is the "Electronically Programmable Microfluidic Fountain Array" (EPMFA), a tool to create biomimetic conditions for the investigation. The EPMFA will enable us to control all of the aspects of organising building blocks (such as calcium carbonate), from features only visible with the best microscopes; through to the overall shape and size of the material that we are creating.
We will start off with a focus on a single example material, Mother-of-Pearl, and then exploit what we have learnt to create novel structures based on the same building blocks. This new material will be specifically designed so that it could be used as part of a medical implant, with properties that would greatly benefit bone reconstruction or joint replacement.
We envisage the knowledge gained will significantly enhance our abilities in creative manufacturing, and will benefit a very wide range of areas, from medicine to climate change. By using building blocks beyond calcium carbonate, our techniques will let us design and manufacture new materials with unique combinations of optical, magnetic, electronic, chemical and mechanical properties. The uses for these materials will be almost endless.
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Key Findings |
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This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
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Potential use in non-academic contexts |
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This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
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Impacts |
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| Description |
This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk |
| Summary |
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| Date Materialised |
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Sectors submitted by the Researcher |
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This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
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| Project URL: |
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| Further Information: |
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| Organisation Website: |
http://www.gla.ac.uk |