Excellence in Research: Collaborative Research on Nanosensors to Develop Research Capacities at Interdisciplinary Materials Research and Education Laboratory (IMREL)

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This Excellence in Research (EIR) project, proposed by three investigators at Fayetteville State University (FSU), is to conduct interdisciplinary collaborative research on nanosensors including physical, chemical and biochemical sensors. A sensor is used to detect the changes in its environment, such as temperature, waves, electric/magnetic/electromagnetic fields, chemicals, etc., and a sensor made at the nanoscale may achieve higher sensitivities, extended detection limits, enhanced mechanical, physical and chemical properties, and high-throughput detection. This research includes three subprojects: (1) nanoscintillators for fast X-ray detection; (2) conjugated polymers and small molecules for optical sensing; and (3) highly sensitive electrochemical and fluorescent biochemical sensors based on oxide nanofibers for beta amyloid protein detection. The proposed research will be integrated with the education of undergraduates at FSU. FSU is a Historically Black University focusing on the education of African American students, with high female, military or military-affiliated student populations. This project carries with three project goals to: (1) build a strong collaborative research team for research in physical, chemical and biochemical sensors; (2) enhance infrastructure to support nanomaterials research; and (3) train the next generation of materials scientists and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) professionals in nanosensors research. The integration of research and education will improve the STEM educational quality of Materials Science minors from multiple STEM departments based on evidence-based practices, significantly enhancing the educational quality of undergraduates through the research-oriented education. Crosslinked with electronic structures and optical luminescence properties of nanomaterials, this EIR project will be conducted collaboratively: (1) research on physical sensors of nanoscintillators for fast X-ray detection will investigate factors controlling fast X-ray detection, and potentially identify new fast scintillator materials with optimized tunable emissions through chemical doping; (2) manipulation of optical properties of conjugated polymers and small molecules will provide important insights into how these systems can be applied as chemical sensors, and will provide directions for future design of cost-effective and highly sensitive solid-state chemical nanosensors using these materials; and (3) using oxide nanofiber scaffolds with high porosity and large surface areas, research on immunosensor will allow highly sensitive, selective, rapid and repeatable detection of beta amyloid. challenges of current enzyme sensors. The fast X-ray detection is highly desirable in a wide range of scientific time-resolved experiments to detect rapid pulsed radiations, such as the transient deformation or transformation process under extreme conditions in materials research. Optical sensing using conjugated polymer and small molecules will provide a simplified strategy for solid-state chemical sensing and is highly desirable to detect singlet oxygen, charge/ionic species and radicals. Immunosensors based on oxide nanofibers hold several promises for applications in biological, food, environmental and energy sciences. These advanced nanosensors will impact the hazard detection, disease detection, environmental monitoring, and exo-terrestrial monitoring.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.