This $299,963 Project Grant award from the National Science Foundation's (NSF) Mathematical and Physical Sciences (CFDA 47.049) program will fund research on the torsional piezoelectricity of chiral solids, i.e., how twisting biological molecules can generate electrical voltage, and how applying voltage can cause the molecules to twist. The two-year project at the University of Nebraska will study both left- and right-handed versions of at least three different chiral molecules to better understand the relationship between molecular chirality and this torsional piezoelectric effect. The research aims to elucidate novel piezoelectric mechanisms that could lead to functional materials and new insights into biological energy transfer and mechanosensing. The project will also engage the scientific community, K-12 students, and the public through publications, demonstrations, and interactive presentations on the exciting properties of chiral molecules.
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