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THE CINCINNATI SMART STRUCTURES
BIO-NANOTECHNOLOGY LABORATORY
Current and Emerging Research Areas
Mark Schulz, Vesselin Shanov
Phone: (513) 556-4132; Email: [email protected]: (513) 556-2461; Email: [email protected]
(http://www.min.uc.edu/~mschulz/smartlab/smartlab.html)
Collaborators
UC Professors; Donglu Shi (CME), Jim Boerio (CME), David Mast (Physics)
UC Staff; Douglas Hurd and Dave Breheim (Machinists and Design), Bo Westheider (Electronics)Other Universities: Mannur Sundaresan (NCA&TSU), Shankar Mall (AFIT)
Industry: Chris Sloan (FirstNano), Don Bailey (OAI), Robert Bianco (Goodrich Corp)
Students
Suhasini Narsimhadevara, Phil Kang, Yun Yeo-Heung, Tony He, Sachin Jain, Atul Muskin, Vishal Shinde,Goutham Kirikera, Ramanand Gollapudi
Student Collaborators
Srinivas Subramaniam, Rob Gilliland
April 18, 2004
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THE CINCINNATI SMART STRUCTURES BIO-NANOTECHNOLOGY (SSBN) LAB
MISSION STATEMENT
The SSBN Lab develops innovative smart materials, sensors, and active devices by intersecting thedisciplines of engineering, nanotechnology, and biomedicine. The SSBN Lab is comprised of a Nanotube
Synthesis Lab, a Nanoscale Materials Processing Lab, and a Smart Structures and NanoDevices Lab. The
SSBN Lab is an exciting interdisciplinary learning environment for UG through Ph.D. level students.
RESEARCH COMPETENCIES
Smart Structures. Smart structures contain sensors, actuators and artificial intelligence and can respond in
a human-like way to counteract loads, reduce vibration, change shape, and prevent their own degradation.
Piezoelectric Active Fiber Composite sensors/actuators are built at the UC for use in smart structures.
Structural Health Monitoring: An International Journal is managed from this laboratory.
Biomimetics. This is the development of smart structures based on the principles of mimicking the structureand function of biological systems. An Artificial Neural System using continuous neuron sensors is being
developed and commercialized for the real-time monitoring of acoustic emissions and dynamic strains
generated by damage growth in large composite and metallic structures.
Nanotechnology. Nanotechnology is the application of nanoscale materials. Nanocomposite materials are
being developed that are self-sensing and self-actuating to improve the strength, reliability, and performanceof mechanical and aerospace structures and systems. The Nanotube Synthesis Laboratory provides the raw
materials (carbon nanotubes) needed to develop Smart Nanocomposite Materials.
Bio-Nanotechnology. This is the logical integration of Nanoscale Precision with biomedicine. We are
designing smart material systems and biosensors that may be highly sensitive and selective detectors of
cancer, other diseases, and chemical agents.
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1. Carbon Nanotube Synthesis
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Catalysts and Substrates for SWCNT Growth
(a) (b)
11
33 44
22
(a) Catalysts
1. FirstNano liquid catalyst
2. UC- Fe/MgO powder catalyst3. Patterned silicon chip
4. Bulk SWCNT
(b) Molybdenum boat
(c) UC Fixture for growth experiments
(c)
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ESEM Images of as Grown (left) and Purified Nanotubes (center and right)
TEM Images
(rope (left) and coil(right))
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2. Nanocomposites and Smart Materials
Epoxy Nanocomposite
Study of Dispersion of Nanotubes in Water
Piezoresistive Sensor Electrochemical Actuator
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3. Nanodevice Concepts
Nano-Tripod Actuator
Building Brick
Nanotube Array
Building Brick
For sensors and
actuators Biosensor
Structural Actuators
Active Catheter
V
V1
CNT Actuator Model
Rp
Cd
Rs
V2
Rp
Cd
Rs
Reference Model
Rd
RdZp
V
V1
CNT Actuator Model
Rp
Cd
Rs
V2
Rp
Cd
Rs
Reference Model
Rd
RdZp
CNT self-sensing actuator
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4. Biomimetics
An Artificial Neural System for Structural Health Monitoring
Advantages
Highly Distributed
Nerves for Sensing
Massively Parallel
Signal Processing
A Passive System
Sensor Types
Acoustic Emission
Dynamic Strain
Corrosion
Generic
Applications
Sensing temperature,
light, sound, radiation,
chemicals, biological
agents
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5. NEW SYNTHESIS RESEARCH
Growth of Patterned Arrays of MWCNT and Long Nanotubes and RopesSEM images (a,b,c) of nanotube synthesis by FirstNano using the EasyTube furnace; (a) aligned MWCNT grown on a silicon
substrate by FirstNano, (b) 250 square by 130 micron tall blocks of aligned MWCNT grown using 5 nm of iron evaporated with a
shadow mask on porous silicon and grown at 700 C in Ethylene, (c) 5 micron square MWCNT blocks grown to a high aspect
ratio, (d) a Quadurpole Mass Spectrometer to improve nanotube growth, (e) a Vertical nanofurnace.
(a)
(b)
(c)(d)
(e)
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6. APPLICATION IDEAS
Applications of MWCNT Patterned Arrays
Reinforcing composite materials
Biosensors
Acoustic Emission Sensors
Sound Insulators
Optical Filters
Nanoscale Shell and Tube Heat Exchanger
Particulate Filters
Applications of Long Parallel NanotubesReinforcing composite materials, improving toughness, electrical conductivity, thermal
conductivity, stealth, reducing permeability, dimensional stability, etc.
Sensors for Structural Health Monitoring
Actuators for repair of the human body
Applications of Compound and Inorganic NanotubesPiezoelectric nanoscale smart materials
Boron Nitride nanotubes for radiation shielding (neutron absorption)
Actuators for repair of the human body