Description du projet
Une image moléculaire de la rupture et de la reformation induites mécaniquement des liaisons chimiques
La spectroscopie de force sur molécule unique (SMFS pour «single-molecule force spectroscopy») permet de sonder les processus moléculaires en appliquant des forces mécaniques. Ces expériences ont apporté des informations inédites sur la structure et la fonction des systèmes biologiques, y compris sur l’ADN et les protéines. Cette technique reste toutefois sous-exploitée en chimie, en raison de la petite taille des objets synthétiques. La capacité de solliciter une molécule à la fois permettrait d’améliorer la compréhension fondamentale des liaisons chimiques, en répondant aux questions en suspens sur leur stabilité mécanique, leur réversibilité et leur durée de vie lorsqu’elles sont soumises à une charge mécanique. Les chercheurs participant au projet ChemForce, financé par l’UE, synthétiseront et étudieront les liaisons chimiques attachées dans des géométries et environnements différents, et établiront de nouvelles approches en matière de SMFS afin de sonder la reformation des liaisons après leur rupture. Les recherches du projet pourraient nous aider à développer des matériaux autocicatrisants plus efficaces.
Objectif
During the last three decades, physicists and biophysicists have largely exploited single-molecule force spectroscopy (SMFS) to advance many fields of physics, nanotechnology, and biology. The ability to probe one molecule at a time allows us to ask and answer questions that are impossible, or extremely difficult, to approach by ensemble techniques.
Chemists did not fall into steps behind physicists and biologists and have benefited little from the advent of SMFS. The mechanics of bonds, which is still in its infancy, could largely benefit from SMFS. A big question like how forces and chemistry affect each other? merits special attention. Major questions, especially concerning the mechanical reversibility of bonds and bond lifetime under tension, could be elucidated.
Over the last years, my group has acquired the needed expertise and has developed a range of pioneering SMFS approaches that now allow us to tackle this big question requiring a considerable joint effort between synthetic chemists, chemical physicists and engineers. The extreme difficulty to probe bond reformation after its rupture has been a major failure of SMFS for the last 25 years. We propose here to solve this problem and adapt SMFS to obtain a detailed picture of the mechanics and reversibility of bonds. We will design, synthesize and probe a series of supramolecular and (dynamic) covalent tethered bonds in various geometries and chemical environments. The tethered structure will ensure that the partners of the bond stay in close proximity after being broken open, leaving the possibility of rebinding. This will offer remarkable opportunities to investigate in detail how mechanical forces and proximity can trigger chemical reactions.
If we wish to gain a deeper understanding of how forces and chemistry affect each other and open new possibilities for chemical synthesis and materials science, the development of SMFS adapted to detailed chemistry investigations remains a frontier to be conquered.
Champ scientifique
Programme(s)
- HORIZON.1.1 - European Research Council (ERC) Main Programme
Thème(s)
Régime de financement
HORIZON-AG - HORIZON Action Grant Budget-BasedInstitution d’accueil
4000 Liege
Belgique