A system to reversibly extract Pb²⁺ ions from aqueous solutions using spiropyran functionalized nanofibers was proposed. Spiropyrans are photochromic compounds which undergo a conformational change that alters their physical properties and makes Pb²⁺ binding possible upon irradiation with UV light (365 nm). Irradiation with green light (525 nm) reverses this...
The intriguing size- and shape dependent properties of nanoparticles have garnered recent attention in many science and engineering areas. When the particle size is in the nanometer size range, the material exhibits very different properties such as surface plasmon resonance (of gold nanoparticles) and superparamagnetism (of iron oxide nanoparticles). The...
Continued interest in the development of miniaturized and portable analytical platforms necessitates the exploration of sensitive methods for the detection of trace analytes. Nanomaterials, on account of their unique physical and chemical properties, are not only able to overcome many limitations of traditional detection reagents but also enable the exploration...
The cross over from batch nanoparticle synthesis to continuous synthesis processes is crucial to the commercialization of these materials. This project reports comparative studies of batch and continuous synthese of copper nanoparticles by the polyol method. Continuous synthesis of copper nanoparticles was done utilizing a stainless steel micro-mixer that yielded...
A system of Photoactuated Droplet Microfluidics (PDM), in which a droplet of
fluid is moved by way of the manipulation of the wettability of a spiropyran
functionalized surface via irradiation with ultraviolet and visible light, was proposed. The
photochromic behaviors of several species of spiropyran were studied and a procedure...