Project Details
Projekt
Development of a micromechanical thermogravimetric tool for investigation of biominerals
Subject Area
Analytical Chemistry
Term
from 2015 to 2019
Project identifier
Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 269130442
Biominerals are a source of inspiration for the development of new materials given their unique properties, hierarchical organization and hybrid composition (organic-inorganic composites). This trapped material plays an important role in determining its intrinsic properties. Thus, both the exact content and the distribution of organic compounds must be measured and further correlated to given specific property (e.g. mechanical). However, these measurements are limited by quantity/size constrains, i.e., mm-cm and/or >50 mg and to the use of classical thermogravimetric analysis. This project aims to develop and implement a thermogravimetric analysis capable of analyzing the organic content micro-sized objects with masses as small as 1 ng with mass resolution of 1pg. The direct analysis of microsized, individually selected objects will allow us to eliminate artifacts associated with bulk analysis. This analytic technique is based on a resonating heated microstructure (cantilever) that, upon resonance frequency shifts, will allow us to quantify temperature-induced mass changes (1pg). Upon methodology establishment, both synthetic and natural CaCO3-based biominerals will be used as proof-of-concept. A correlation between organic mass content and its distribution (determined by scanning force microscopy) will be revealed. Further, we aim to develop the following goals: a) in situ monitoring of crystallographic processes (mass loading determination) by functionalizing the microdevices heatable tips with biomolecules and promoting CaCO3 direct crystallization onto the microdevice. In addition local determination of organic content will be performed; b) development of a custom-made high performance microdevices with high Q-factors resolution, a uniform temperature distribution and a defined sample platform together with our cooperation partner (Prof. Rao, IIT, India); c) implementation of in situ IR-absorption measurements carried out on heatable microdevices for direct monitoring of crystal phase-transitions (amorphous-crystalline) not associated with an organic influence (Prof. Thundat, University Alberta, Canada).
DFG Programme
Research Grants
International Connection
Canada, India
Cooperation Partners
Professor Dr. V. Ramgopal Rao; Professor Thomas G. Thundat, Ph.D.
