The
chiral
solids
and surfaces
project
is the
most
recent
seed
supported
by the
CMU MRSEC.
The central
objective
of the
chiral
solids
and surfaces
project
is to
design
surfaces
of traditional
solid
state,
inorganic
materials
for use
in the
processing
of biochemical
compounds.
When
a structure
has the
property
of handedness
and cannot
be superimposed
upon
its mirror
image,
it is
said
to be
chiral.
All important
biomolecules
such
as DNA,
pharmaceuticals,
and agrochemicals
are chiral
and thus
exist
in two
nominally
identical
left-
and right-handed
forms.
The traditional
methods
for manufacture
of these
biochemicals
usually
result
in a
mixture
of the
two forms,
each
of which
interacts
differently
with
living
organisms.
In some
cases,
one form
of a
molecule
can be
therapeutic
while
its mirror
image
is toxic.
Therefore,
developing
strategies
to synthesize
only
one chiral
form
or of
separating
the left-
and right-handed
forms
is critical
for the
implementation
of biochemical
products.
We foresee
the potential
for chiral,
inorganic
surfaces
to play
an important
role
in the
synthesis
and separation
of chiral
molecules.
Chiral
atomic
structures
on the
surfaces
of catalysts
have
the potential
to selectively
convert
achiral
reactants
to single
handed
forms
of chiral
products.
Chiral
surfaces
might
also
be used
for separation
processes
if chiral
substrates
of the
proper
symmetry
can be
used
to seed
the growth
of crystals
containing
molecules
all of
a single
handedness.
We propose
to demonstrate
the preparation
of large
area
chiral
surfaces
of a
variety
of materials
by heteroepitaxial
growth
on relatively
inexpensive
chiral
substrates.
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