Grant: Research Tools and Instruments

X-ray diffraction is one of the single most important techniques in structure determination in the solid state. It provides the ability to elucidate molecular connectivity and geometry with a high degree of precision, ranging from small molecules through to nano-sized particles and biomolecules. For materials scientists, crystallographic studies provide an understanding of the interplay between solid state structure and physical properties is fundamental to the design of new functional materials. In biochemistry protein crystallography provides insights not only into the active site of the protein but also the secondary and tertiary structure which dictate the unique shape and function of each protein. The Dept of Chemistry and Biochemistry at the University of Windsor (UW) has a strong interest in X-ray crystallography for (i) the determination of the structure of the next generation of catalysts for green energy conversion; (ii) developing new responsive materials whose structure changes as a function of temperature or pressure, leading to changes in their physical properties (magnetic, conducting or optical) or for controlled drug release; (iii) to develop next generation nano-machines in which molecular motion in the solid state can be controlled and manipulated;(iv) elucidating the inter-relationship between protein structure and function. UW has made multiple strategic faculty appointments in the area of chemistry and biochemistry in recent years, all of which rely heavily on the use of single crystal X-ray diffraction (SC-XRD) as a key instrumental tool for their research. SC-XRD is a primary characterization technique for the groups of the six applicants and an additional three 'frequent user' groups who, collectively, make up 47% of our current faculty holding tri-council funding. A catastrophic detector failure (Aug 2021) of the detector for our single crystal X-ray diffractometer has essentially stalled key research progress for many these research groups. The manufacturer has identified that the current detector cannot be repaired and this proposal seeks funding for the purchase of a new detector to support the research programs and HQP training for all these groups. The equipment requested is a state-of-the-art, 4th generation charge integrating pixel array detector (CPAD) which can be fully integrated into our existing Bruker D8 Venture system to replace the obsolete and irreparable Photon 100 detector. The CPAD has a larger 'window' will also facilitate faster throughput of structures, while reduced parallax and improved signal:noise ratio, coupled with our existing high intensity copper microsource, will better support the research of our two protein crystallographers to undertake essential screening of protein crystals 'in house'. Most importantly, this replacement detector is essential for the continued success of a large proportion of our research programs in the Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry at UW.