Engineering of protein crystals for use as solid biomaterials

In this paper, the elastic–plastic mechanical properties of regular and functionally graded additively manufactured porous structures made by a double pyramid dodecahedron unit cell are investigated. The elastic moduli and also energy absorption are evaluated via finite element analysis. Experimental compression tests are performed which demonstrated the accuracy of numerical simulations. Next, single and multi-objective optimizations are performed in order to propose optimized structural designs. Surrogated models are developed for both elastic and plastic mechanical properties. The results show that elastic moduli and the plastic behavior of the lattice structures are considerably affected by the cell geometry and relative density of layers. Consequently, the optimization leads to a significantly better performance of both regular and functionally graded porous structures. The optimization of regular lattice structures leads to great improvement in both elastic and plastic properties. Specific energy absorption, maximum stress, and the elastic moduli in x- and y-directions are improved by 24%, 79%, 56%, and 9%, respectively, compared to the base model. In addition, in the functionally graded optimized models, specific energy absorption and normalized maximum stress are improved by 64% and 56%, respectively, in comparison with the base models.

Download Full-text

Backscattered Electron Imaging of GaAs/AlGaAs Super Lattice Structures with an Ultra-High- Resolution SEM

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s0424820100103103 ◽

1988 ◽

Vol 46 ◽

pp. 204-205

Author(s):

Kazumichi Ogura ◽

Michael M. Kersker

Keyword(s):

High Resolution ◽

Layer Structure ◽

High Sensitivity ◽

Beam Current ◽

Electron Beam Current ◽

Lattice Structures ◽

Super Lattice ◽

Different Types ◽

Backscattered Electron ◽

Electron Imaging

Backscattered electron (BE) images of GaAs/AlGaAs super lattice structures were observed with an ultra high resolution (UHR) SEM JSM-890 with an ultra high sensitivity BE detector. Three different types of super lattice structures of GaAs/AlGaAs were examined. Each GaAs/AlGaAs wafer was cleaved by a razor after it was heated for approximately 1 minute and its crosssectional plane was observed.First, a multi-layer structure of GaAs (100nm)/AlGaAs (lOOnm) where A1 content was successively changed from 0.4 to 0.03 was observed. Figures 1 (a) and (b) are BE images taken at an accelerating voltage of 15kV with an electron beam current of 20pA. Figure 1 (c) is a sketch of this multi-layer structure corresponding to the BE images. The various layers are clearly observed. The differences in A1 content between A1 0.35 Ga 0.65 As, A1 0.4 Ga 0.6 As, and A1 0.31 Ga 0.69 As were clearly observed in the contrast of the BE image.

Download Full-text

Lattice imaging of precipitates in Al-Zn-Mg alloy

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s0424820100143651 ◽

1986 ◽

Vol 44 ◽

pp. 412-413

Author(s):

C. K. Wu

Keyword(s):

Grain Boundaries ◽

Homogeneous Nucleation ◽

Alloy System ◽

Mg Alloy ◽

List Type ◽

Lattice Structures ◽

Type Number ◽

Orientation Relationships ◽

Lattice Imaging ◽

The Matrix

The precipitation phenomenon in Al-Zn-Mg alloy is quite interesting and complicated and can be described in the following categories:(i) heterogeneous nucleation at grain boundaries;(ii) precipitate-free-zones (PFZ) adjacent to the grain boundaries;(iii) homogeneous nucleation of snherical G.P. zones, n' and n phases inside the grains. The spherical G.P. zones are coherent with the matrix, whereas the n' and n phases are incoherent. It is noticed that n' and n phases exhibit plate-like morpholoay with several orientation relationship with the matrix. The high resolution lattice imaging techninue of TEM is then applied to study precipitates in this alloy system. It reveals the characteristics of lattice structures of each phase and the orientation relationships with the matrix.

Download Full-text

Sectioned rubisco crystals in TEM

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s042482010016087x ◽

1990 ◽

Vol 48 (3) ◽

pp. 664-665

Author(s):

Gunnel Karlsson ◽

Jan-Olov Bovin ◽

Michael Bosma

Keyword(s):

Plant Cell ◽

Carbon Fixation ◽

Unit Cell ◽

Protein Crystals ◽

Unit Cell Parameters ◽

Cell Parameters ◽

Photosynthetic Carbon Fixation ◽

Photosynthetic Carbon

RuBisCO (D-ribulose-l,5-biphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase) is the most aboundant enzyme in the plant cell and it catalyses the key carboxylation reaction of photosynthetic carbon fixation, but also the competing oxygenase reaction of photorespiation. In vitro crystallized RuBisCO has been studied earlier but this investigation concerns in vivo existance of RuBisCO crystals in anthers and leaves ofsugarbeets. For the identification of in vivo protein crystals it is important to be able to determinethe unit cell of cytochemically identified crystals in the same image. In order to obtain the best combination of optimal contrast and resolution we have studied different staining and electron accelerating voltages. It is known that embedding and sectioning can cause deformation and obscure the unit cell parameters.

Download Full-text

Dynamical Scattering in Electron Diffraction of wet Protein Crystals

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s1431927600000167 ◽

1980 ◽

Vol 38 ◽

pp. 42-43

Author(s):

B. B. Chang ◽

D. F. Parsons

Keyword(s):

Electron Diffraction ◽

Scattering Theory ◽

Protein Crystals ◽

Electron Diffraction Data ◽

Specimen Thickness ◽

Major Question ◽

X Ray ◽

Scattering Effects ◽

Diffraction Patterns ◽

Acceleration Voltage

The significance of dynamical scattering effects remains the major question in the structural analysis by electron diffraction of protein crystals preserved in the hydrated state. In the few cases (single layers of purple membrane and 400-600 Å thick catalase crystals examined at 100 kV acceleration voltage) where electron-diffraction patterns were used quantitatively, dynamical scattering effects were considered unimportant on the basis of a comparison with x-ray intensities. The kinematical treatment is usually justified by the thinness of the crystal. A theoretical investigation by Ho et al. using Cowley-Moodie multislice formulation of dynamical scattering theory and cytochrome b5as the test object2 suggests that kinematical analysis of electron diffraction data with 100-keV electrons would not likely be valid for specimen thickness of 300 Å or more. We have chosen to work with electron diffraction patterns obtained from actual wet protein crystals (rat hemoglobin crystals of thickness range 1000 to 2500 Å) at 200 and 1000 kV and to analyze these for dynamical effects.

Download Full-text