Projects
Carbon Nanopipes for Nanofluidic Devices and In-situ Fluid Studies]
The research focus is on the application of carbon nanotubes in different areas of engineering and understanding the fundamental issues at the nanometer scale. The research areas include fluid flow inside nanotube channels to create carbon nanopipes for nanofluidic devices, loading of nanoparticles inside carbon nanotubes to functionalize them for various applications such as drug delivery, magnetic assembly etc., non-thermal plasma discharge in metal salt solutions for controlled localized deposition of nanoparticles on nanotubes and nanopipettes, and synthesis of conductive coatings with nanotubes that has the potential to replace the existing ITO industry. The group has made revolutionary work on engineering the carbon nanotubes as multifunctional probes for interrogation of single cell organelle in bio-medical research. Learn More...
Caribide Derived Carbon
The research focus is on the discovery of new methods for synthesis of carbon coatings on the surface of silicon-carbides and nanoporous materials with tunable pore size. This research will allow the comparison of different techniques for the extraction of metals from carbides. The comparison will then make it possible to increase our understanding of carbon growth mechanisms. The coatings developed as a result of this research will find uses in new protective coatings for sensors and tools, intermediate thin films for further chemical vapor deposition of diamond, molecular membranes for sensors, et al. Porous materials will be used for hydrogen storage, methane storage, gas separation, water desalination, and other applications. Learn More...
Nanodiamond
Nanodiamond produced by detonation is the latest and hottest member of nanocarbon family with a great potential for applications such as:
- ♦ Polishing
- ♦ Lubricants
- ♦ Thermal spreads
- ♦ Electroplating additives
- ♦ Biomedical applications including bioimaging, drug delivery systems etc.
- ♦ Polymer- and metal-matrix composites with improved mechanical and thermal properties
Nanodiamond project at Drexel is partially sponsored by NanoBlox, Inc., a US-based private company aimed to establish the first detonation nanodiamond production in the U.S.A. Our project is aimed to address all major topics in nanodiamond science and applications:
- ♦ Characterization
- ♦ Purification
- ♦ Functionalization and modification
- ♦ Nanodiamond-polymer composites
- ♦ Nanodiamond-metal composites
- ♦ Biomedical imaging with fluorescent nanodiamond
- ♦ Nanodiamond-based drug delivery systems
Detailed information on nanodiamond project in our group can be found here.
W.M Keck Institute for Attofluidic Nanotube Based Probes
The project objective is to develop probes based on engineered carbon nanotubes capable of metering and transferring fluids with volumes of approximately one attoliter (10-18 liter), while performing electrical, optical and mechanical measurements of the probe environment. Such tiny and versatile tools will create opportunities in areas such as minimally invasive intra-cellular probing and drug delivery, single-cell surgery, molecular scale manufacturing, and environmental sensing. The Drexel University has assembled a dynamic team of researchers, including those who were the first to study fundamentals of fluid behavior in individual nanotubes. The proposed project will leverage the researchers' experience to build carbon nanotube-tipped pipettes capable of controlled transfer of attoliter fluid volumes. The proposed devices feature controlled surface functionality of carbon nanotubes, magnetic properties permitting remote manipulation and control, and embedded nanoparticles for sensing and imaging. Success of this work may lead to breakthroughs in the development and application of subcellular tools that can be used to directly detect and treat disease, such as cancer, at the cellular level, and to dramatic improvement of our ability to detect toxins in air and water at the single molecule level, identifying possible biological attack and other threats. Learn more here.
Titania
TiO2 (titania) is an interesting material which possesses unique photoinduced properties like high oxidative power and superhydrophilicity. Titania's excellent chemical and physical stability along with its abundance make it the most promising photocatalytic material which can be used as a self-cleaning and antimicrobial material. The biggest disadvantage of titania is its insensitivity to visible light, which limits its use. Here, we investigate the effect of doping titania with various elements to obtain visible light activity. We prepare titania films by sol-gel for this purpose, on glass or silicon substrates and subject them to various tests to obtain a more efficient photocatalyst. Learn More...