Collaborative Proposal: Nanoparticle Separations in Nanochannels Using Fluidic Field Effect Transistors

CBET-0756776 Han这个由化学和生物分离计划授予的NSF奖项支持了San M教授的工作。Han和Cornelius F. Ivory分别在新墨西哥州大学（UNM）和华盛顿州立大学（WSU），以建立对纳米通道中纳米颗粒传输的基本理解，目的是设计新的分离技术，该技术利用纳米通道阵列的小而规则的尺寸。 今天，纳米颗粒被广泛用于各种工程应用，例如太阳能电池中的发电元件，发光二极管的下转换磷光体，以及医学成像中作为生物标记的量子点。 对于这些应用中的许多应用，基于尺寸、形状和各向异性水平细分颗粒将允许对其独特的物理性质进行系统的定量研究。 在这一广泛的工程目标的背景下，我们将重点放在（1）纳米颗粒传输的分析和（2）应用分离策略，使用场效应晶体管（FET）的流体模拟。 Fluorescent FET提供了独特的优势，可以局部控制纳米通道中的纵向电场，并根据其物理化学性质操纵颗粒的横向分布。 我们设想，所提出的研究不仅将加深我们对纳米通道中颗粒的平衡分布和动态运输过程的理解，而且还将开发出多种用于纳米通道阵列的分离策略。 拟议的研究计划还提供了一个跨学科的教育环境，在每个机构指导1名研究生。 这两个PI将继续积极参与研究代表性不足的研究生和本科生。 除了研究教育，该计划将有助于提高PI？新开发的技术选修课，如UNM的微/纳米流体基础和WSU的现代分离。 这些选修课程将广泛影响来自不同学科的学生，从化学工程，生物学，数学。 外展计划将与UNM的多样性计划和工程学生计划以及WSU教师工程经验（SWEET）计划的夏季协调，以积极教育未来的高中学生和教师使用以研究为导向的教育机会。 所有这些推广方案都有很大的潜力，可以提高高中生接受中学后教育的比例，增加少数民族学生（特别是西班牙裔和美洲土著人）和妇女的入学率。 教育计划直接解决了UNM和WSU的学生和教师的需求。 该项目还将加强国家科学基金会？在新墨西哥州的纳米材料EPSCoR倡议。

CBET-0756776HanThis NSF award by the Chemical and Biological Separations program supports work by Professors San M. Han and Cornelius F. Ivory at the University of New Mexico (UNM) and Washington State University (WSU), respectively, to establish a basic understanding of nanoparticle transport in nanochannels for the purpose of devising new separation techniques which take advantage of the small, regular dimensions of nanochannel arrays. Today, nanoparticles are widely exploited for a variety of engineering applications, such as power-generating elements in solar cells, down-conversion phosphors for light emitting diodes, and quantum dots as bio-labels in medical imaging. For many of these applications, subfractionating the particles based on size, shape, and level of anisotropy would allow a systematic, quantitative study of their unique physical properties. Within the context of this broad engineering goal, we will focus on (1) analysis of nanoparticle transport and (2) applied separation strategies, using a fluid analog of field effect transistors (FETs). Fluidic FETs offer unique advantages to locally control the longitudinal electric field in nanochannels and to manipulate the transverse distribution of particles based on their physicochemical properties. We envision that the proposed research will not only deepen our understanding of both the equilibrium distribution and the dynamic transport processes of particles in nanochannels, but will also develop a variety of separation strategies for use in nanochannel arrays. The proposed research program also offers an interdisciplinary educational environment to mentor 1 graduate student at each institution. Both PIs will continue to actively involve underrepresented graduate and undergraduate students in research. In addition to research education, the program will help improve the PIs? newly developed technical electives, such as Fundamentals in Micro/Nanofluidics at UNM and Modern Separations at WSU. These elective courses will broadly impact students from various disciplines that range from chemical engineering, to biology, to mathematics. The outreach program will be coordinated with Diversity Programs and Engineering Student Programs at UNM as well as Summer at WSU Engineering Experiences for Teachers (SWEET) program to actively educate prospective high school students and teachers using research-oriented educational opportunities. All these outreach programs have significant potential to improve the percentage of high school students pursuing post-secondary education and increase the enrollment of minority students (especially Hispanics and Native Americans) and women. The educational plan directly addresses the expressed needs of both students and faculty at UNM and WSU. This project will also enhance the NSF?s EPSCoR initiative in nanomaterials in New Mexico.