Biography
Raoul Peltier was born in Tarbes, France. He received his MSc in Chemistry at The University Paul Sabatier, Toulouse (France) in collaboration with the Polymer Research Group of Professor Zhu at the University of Montreal (Canada). He is presently completing a PhD at the University of Auckland (New Zealand) under the supervision of Professor David E. Williams, Professor Margaret A. Brimble and Associate Professor Clive W. Evans. His research is based on the biomimetic templating of crystal growth using the antifreeze glycoprotein as a model.
Abstract
Biomimetic Templating of Crystal Growth
This project describes a biomimetic approach of crystal growth templating. We started with the antifreeze glycoproteins (AFGPs), unique compounds found in Arctic and Antarctic fishes living at sub-zero temperatures, which can both modify and inhibit the growth of ice crystals. To improve our understanding of the critical functional molecular interactions of such compounds, we have synthesised and extensively studied the activity of a range of peptides and glycopeptides that both replicate and provide systematic variants of Antarctic fish AFGPs. These molecules were both active and inactive for growth habit modification and inhibition. By observing the relations between the molecular dynamics and interactions, the crystal morphology and the structural variations observed in the case of AFGPs/ice system, we uncovered general principles of crystal growth habit modification that can be used to control the growth of other crystals than ice.
