CAMP
is an interdisciplinary science and engineering
endeavor dedicated to research on
high-technology materials processing. This research is focused on the
production, modification and conversion of matter for which "small" particles,
colloidal media and / or surfaces play an important role in the process
and /or properties of the final product. Presented here are some highlights
of the research during CAMP's sixteenth year as a New York State Center
for Advanced Technology
The Research
PARTICLE SYNTHESIS AND PROPERTIES
Preparation of Uniform Particles for Medical Applications and CMP
Professor Egon Matijevic'
( the Victor K. LaMer Chair in Colloid and Surface Science) has extended
his studies of well-defined colloidal and nanosized particles to organic
compounds, especially of interest in medical applications. His research
group has demonstrated that different drugs, such as hydrocortisone, naproxen,
cyclosporine, loratadine, and danazol can be prepared as uniform particles
of various shapes and modal sizes. These investigations are of special
interest in view of the recent recognition of the importance of the morphological
characteristics of such compounds in their medical activities.
In collaboration with Professors Privman and Goia, a comprehensive experimental and theoretical investigation of the mechanism of the formation of monodispersed colloids by aggregation of nanosize precursors is continuing. A refined model has been successfully tested on the growth of CdS spheres.
Finally a systematic study, in collaboration with Professor Babu, dealing with a careful evaluation of the properties of particles used as abrasives in chemical-mechanical polishing is in progress. The effects of low k polymers and of slurry chemistry on the efficiency of polishing processes and the quality of the treated surfaces are also under investigation.
CAMP
Professor Dan Goia is involved in the synthesis, characterization, and
modification of ultra-fine and nanosize metallic and metal-composite particles
with controlled size, shape, internal structure, composition, and surface
properties. Besides being already used extensively in catalysis, electronics,
metallurgy, and pigments, these materials could have a significant impact
in many emerging technological fields such as medicine, biology, defense,
nonlinear optics, energy generation, and magnetic storage. Professor Goia
also has several active government and industrial grants to conduct research
in the areas of metal and metal-composite particles for defense applications,
heterogeneous metallic catalysts for PEM (Proton Exchange Membrane) and
solid oxide fuel cells, precious and base metal powders for electronic
components, metallic flakes for electromagnetic interference shielding,
nanosize metallic particles for medical and antimicrobial applications,
and metal composite powders for metallurgical applications.
In a collaborative project, CAMP Professors Janos Fendler (CAMP Distinguished Professor of the Chemistry Department) and Dipankar Roy are studying multilayered thin films that are composed of highly ordered nanomaterials. These films are fabricated by using the technique of self-assembly. Molecular self-assembly is now widely recognized as a cost-effective approach to nanofabrication of biomaterials. It often involves relatively simple and well-developed chemical techniques, and at the same time, can provide highly ordered molecular nanostructures that are precisely tailored with desired chemical properties and complex functionalities. Biosensors based on the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) technique utilize these unique features of self-assembled monolayers (SAMs). These SPR sensors (also known as evanescent field sensors) use a densely packed organic SAM (typically 0.5-1.5 nm long, and longer for some proteins), supported by a 40-60 nm thick gold film on an optically transparent solid dielectric substrate as a template for immobilized bio-recognition molecules (sensing element). The CAMP groups are studying how such self-assembled structures can be modified in a precisely controlled manner to further improve the performance of currently existing SPR sensors, as well as to develop new classes of sensors.
Research in this area by the CAMP groups is continuing, and it is expected that the new results will considerably ease the difficult task of designing nanoparticle-based high performance SPR biosensors. Currently Professors Fendler and Roy are attempting to combine FFT-EIS with the SPR technique. Their goal is to eventually achieve new types of opto-electrochemical biosensors that would have much broader capabilities than the currently available sensors based on single detection methods.
Complete
lists of recently published research reports from Professors Fendler's
and Roy's groups can be found at the following websites:
www.clarkson.edu/~samoy/pub.htm
For
information about Professor Fendler and his research, you may call him
at 315-268-7113 or send email to fendler@clarkson.edu.
For information about Professor Roy and his research, you may call him
at 315-268-6676 or send email to samoy@clarkson.edu.