MCA: Precision Electrospinning Training to Enhance Electrokinetic Filtration and Spectroscopy

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This grant supports research in the development of advanced nanofiber fabrication techniques that will be applied towards the manufacturing of enhanced filters. The researchers will be trained in electrospinning, a technique where a combination of fluid dynamic and electrical forces generate a mesh of nanofibers. More specifically, electrospinning enables the researchers to develop a heterogeneous network of high quality uniform fibers whose composition will enable advancements in filtration. The fiber mesh will comprise of a network of electrically conductive and insulative fibers that, when energized, will generate strong electric forces that will significantly enhance particulate trapping capabilities. Further, this unique network of fibers can be applied to various disciplines, including controlled high throughput sorting of biological cells and nanoparticles. This special network of fibers will lead to advancements in smart filtration, fluid transport, and heat transfer, leading to technological advancements that impact the U.S. economy and society. The candidate’s electrospinning training will have immediate impact on ongoing multidisciplinary research projects at his home institution and manufacturing interests within the state of Kentucky. Gained knowledge will be transferred to the local community: researchers will develop hands-on activities, create a new multidisciplinary course, and involve high school students in their research endeavors.The research goal is to fabricate a high throughput dielectrophoretic nanofiber-based particle sorter; this will be possible by developing a heterogeneous fibrous mat that contains both electrically conductive and insulative nanofibers. Both fibers are sources of significant field non-uniformities, greatly enhancing dielectrophoretic forces throughout the device and enabling an inexpensive platform capable of high throughput particle sorting whose selective trapping is AC frequency dependent. The principal investigator will be trained in advanced electrospinning such that the research team can fabricate and test these heterogeneous nanofiber networks. Experimental particle-sorting results will be compared to physics-based numerical simulations. The manufacturing method can be scaled up, enabling large-scale electrokinetic nanofiber applications beyond their typical use in microfluidic devices. The application of electrokinetics to low cost heterogeneous fibrous platforms is underexplored; discoveries in their manufacture and physical operational limits can advance the application of dielectrophoresis and electrohydrodynamics in purposefully-designed nanofiber mats. The investigator’s training in electrospinning will impact other research activities at his university, including advancements in personal protective equipment, energy efficient supercapacitors, cell scaffolds for cardiac remodeling, inexpensive neurostimulation, and in situ drug delivery.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.