Integration of soft and hard materials for environmental and health applications

点击翻译按钮获取中文摘要

Imagine a headband that can provide real-time physiological health status from sweat. Continue to imagine having an ability to check regularly the tap water quality. Both can be provided by robust integrated sensing platforms, which are important in developed countries (such as Canada) and critical in the Developing World. Creating such systems requires the integration of flexible, soft and hard materials and components into a single packaged system. This is an extremely challenging task because of their surface and bulk properties' incompatibilities. This precludes excessive heat or pressure, or glue during integration. We propose to develop Surface Activated nanoBonding (SAB) methodologies for heterogeneous materials integration to create the technology platforms, with a focus on applications for monitoring physiological health and water quality parameters. Surface activation refers to the cleaning of native oxides and carbon contaminants from the surface. We will focus on the SAB-based bonding and integration technologies to overcome the attaching difficulties in the current bonding and packaging technologies. Therefore, it is an enabling factor to develop a research program with a strategic and unique manner to create health and water diagnostic systems.******We will focus on the following. *** Exploring fundamental science and innovative technologies of SAB for integration of flexible, soft, and hard materials without external pressure, adhesive, heat, or chemicals.*** Application of SAB-based bonding and integration technologies in design, fabrication, and characterization of sensing electrodes, micro-heater element, and microfluidic component to create sustainable integrated water-quality monitoring in pipeline. *** Application of SAB-based bonding and integration technologies in design, fabrication, and characterization of sensing electrodes, sweat extraction electrode, and microfluidic component to create wearable sweat monitoring system. ******The novelty of the proposed research is the result of SAB-based science and technology of materials, components, and devices integration to create fully integrated, robust, and sustainable monitoring systems. The research is also highly significant as it focuses on novel, emerging applications with a high interest and need in the health and environmental sciences, along with mining and industrial monitoring. In health monitoring, the proposed research is particularly attractive for detecting early symptoms of diseases like cancer. According to Reuters Health on 21 April 2017 “A next step in wearable health sensors might be a device that causes a patch of skin to sweat, then analyzes the perspiration to monitor or even diagnose disease”. This research program will provide Canada with the knowledge and HQP necessary to lead the commercialization of these next-generation systems' integration technologies.***********