Research Projects
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High Performance Separation of Nanoparticles Using Ultrathin Pnc-Si Membranes
Porous nanocrystalline silicon (pnc-Si) is a 15 nm thin free-standing membrane material with applications in small-scale separations, biosensors, cell culture, and lab-on-a-chip devices. Pnc-Si has already been shown to exhibit high permeability to diffusing species and selectivity based on molecular size or charge. In this report, we characterize properties of pnc-Si in pressurized flows. More info...
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Ion-Selective Permeability of UltrathinNanopore silicon Membrane as Studied Using Nanofabricated Micropipet Probes
We report on the application of scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM) to the measurement of the ion-selective permeability of porous nanocrystalline silicon membrane as a new type of nanoporous material with potential applications in analytical, biomedical, and biotechnology device development. The reliable measurement of high permeability in the molecularly thin nanoporous membrane to various ions is important for greater understanding of its structure-permeability relationship and also for its successful applications. More info...
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Pore Size Control of Ultra-thin Silicon Membranes by Rapid Thermal Carbonization
Rapid thermal carbonization in a dilute acetylene (C2H2) atmosphere has been used to chemically modify and precisely tune the pore size of ultrathin porous nanocrystalline silicon (pnc-Si). The magnitude of size reduction was controlled by varying the process temperature and time. Under certain conditions, the carbon coating displayed atomic ordering indicative of graphene layer formation conformal to the pore walls. More info...
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Porous Nanocrystalline Silicon Membranes
The The Nanomembrane Research Group (NRG) focuses on the development and application of a novel nanomaterial called porous nanocrystalline silicon (pnc-Si). The membranes are mass produced on silicon wafers in a variety of form factors at low cost. The thinness, strength, pore size characteristics, and economics of pnc-Si membranes are enabling a variety new devices in microfluidics, precision biomolecule separation, and cell culture. More info...
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Porous Nanocrystalline Silicon Membranes as Highly Permeable and Molecularly Thin Substrates for Cell Culture
Porous nanocrystalline silicon (pnc-Si) is new type of silicon nanomaterial with potential uses in lab-on-a-chip devices, cell culture, and tissue engineering. The pnc-Si material is a 15 nm thick, freestanding, nanoporous membrane made with scalable silicon manufacturing. Because pnc-Si membranes are approximately 1000 times thinner than any polymeric membrane, their permeability to small solutes is orders-of-magnitude greater than conventional membranes. More info...
