Research Conducted

Electrodeposition Coating of Carbon Fibers

Mon, 7 Mar 2011 15:17:50 -0600

With better understanding of metal layer formation on carbon surface the electrical, magnetic, thermal, interfacial and catalytic behaviors of carbon based micro-, nano- materials can be further improved for large-scale engineering applications.

Experiments at Argonne National Labs demonstrated that controlled metal electrodeposition on micro-carbon fiber can be realized in a cost effective and reproducible fashion. Micro-beam synchrotron x-ray diffraction and fluorescence techniques provide practical high-resolution in situ characterization capability to reveal the metal nuclei formation and growth process on individual carbon microfibers with size, distribution and microstructural information. The nuclei stability of the metal deposit is found to strongly depend on their sizes.

Electrochemical Synthesis of Nanostructured Materials

Tue, 4 Jan 2011 15:02:19 -0600

Using template assisted electrodeposition, we can fabricate nanowires with controlled sizes and composition using a wide range of solutions, and with minimal effort.

Templates for growing these nanowires can be from both industry sources, or can be fabricated ourselves by forming nuclear particle tracks in solid films

Nanowire Alignment and Rotation in Liquids

Tue, 4 Jan 2011 13:15:33 -0600

Using helmholtz coils that are controlled through a stepper motor we are working on controlling the alignment and rotation of nanowires.

Nanowire/Polymer Composite

Tue, 4 Jan 2011 13:10:09 -0600

The capability of manipulating these nanoscale entities in suspensions will help in the development of micro-nano fluidic components, anisotropic polymer composites, super capacitors, optical switches and bio/chemical devices.

As a demonstration, we synthesized Ni nanowire polymer composites with controlled filler distribution and orientation; the anisotropic magnetic and mechanical reinforcement effects have been studied.

Field Induced Exchange Bias

Tue, 4 Jan 2011 13:10:08 -0600

Perpendicular exchange bias and perpendicular anisotropy can be established in conventional ferromagnetic/antiferromagnetic multilayers through controlled field cooling. Temperature, constituent layer thickness especially angular dependent studies show intriguing magnetic behaviors.

Functionalization and Engineering Application of Carbon Nanofibers

Tue, 4 Jan 2011 13:10:07 -0600

Due to the abundance, light weight, superior mechanical properties, good electrical/thermal conductivities, and chemical stability, carbon based materials have attracted scientific and engineering interests for a long time.

Despite the extensive research efforts devoted to carbon nanostructures since late 1980s after the discovery of C60 and carbon nanotubes (CNTs), large scale applications are limited to carbon black and micro-carbon-fibers Cost and handling are two of the major bottlenecks affecting the application reproducibility and reliability of carbon nanomaterials. Based on a dispersion and filtration approach, we are able to synthesize carbon nanofiber sheets with controlled size and porosity. The cost effective self-standing CNF sheets can be ideal platforms to achieve multi-functionality.

We are working on functionalize carbon nanofibers (CNF) to explore their applications in composite, fuel cell electrode, supercapacitor, structure health monitoring, electromagnetic field shielding, lighting striking prevention and acoustic/vibration damping.

Magnetic Field manipulation of Nanostructures

Tue, 4 Jan 2011 13:10:06 -0600

We can control the magnetic nanowire alignment and rotation in a non-contact, efficient, low cost, and easy-to-implement alternative fashion without sample size or geometry limitations

A mathematical model has been developed to describe the nanowire motion in the ultra low Reynolds number region.