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Novel Concrete Systems
Professor Narayanan Neithalath, of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, is primarily interested in the area of cement based materials, including concretes and structural composites. He is particularly concerned with the development of novel concrete systems for special applications like highway noise reduction and stormwater runoff reduction. His other interests are in the characterization and modeling of multi-functional cementitious materials, use of industrial and by-product waste materials in concrete, and the structural and durability performance of nanoparticle modified cementitous matrices. Professor Neithalath’s active research projects include investigations on the use of waste glass powder in concrete, which are being carried out in collaboration with three Northern NY industrial partners. His work also involves the development of an impedance based sensing system for the performance monitoring of concrete infrastructure.
Professor Silvana Andreescu of chemistry is currently working on microencapsulation techniques, bioremediation and biosensors. Her group is developing multifunctional biocapsules for the removal and detoxification of contaminants from environmental matrices. The project involves the use of cells and enzymes that are known to catalyze the conversion of toxic substances into less toxic compounds. In the field of biosensors, the group is investigating novel nanostructured materials and biomaterials for the purpose of increasing the selectivity and the stability of these devices as well as to ensure their functionality in harsh conditions (organic solvents, high temperatures). The ultimate goal is to develop biosensors in which biological material remains fully active during manufacturing, storage and use. This will have applications in environmental monitoring, public safety, food and clinical control.
Invisible Transistors and Circuits
An n-channel invisible MOSFET transistor has been fabricated in the micro/nano fabrication lab in CAMP by Professor Feng Hua and his group. The transistor is made up of transparent oxide and semiconductor nanocrystals with a dimension of 12-nm. The nanoself-assembly technique is employed to integrate the nanobuilding blocks into the device. The transistor has a high optical transparency of >80%. This approach enables one to construct invisible circuits on both rigid and flexible substrates at significantly low cost. The future work will focus on the fabrication of invisible circuits that will lead to invisible sensors, smart cards, clear toys, etc.
Particle Sampling and Characterization
Professor Suresh Dhaniyala, of the Department of Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering at Clarkson University, has research interests in the fields of nanoparticle characterization, particle instrumentation development, aerosol sampling, and atmospheric aerosol measurements. Professor Dhaniyala and his group are working on developing several next generation tools for improved real-time characterization of nanoparticles down to 1-2 nm in size. New tools are also being designed for personal sampling and large scale ambient monitoring of ambient aerosol particles. The development of these techniques will help improve the characterization of aerosol particles and their transformation processes in a range of environments. Funding sources for these projects include NSF, NYSERDA, NASA, the US Navy, and EPA.
