NMRL Multi-Disciplinary Research Portfolio
Nanotube Functionalization – An Enabling Technology
To expand the use of CNTs, it is necessary for them to be functionalized. The combination of nanotubes with proteins and other natural products allows the compatibility of such materials with biological systems. Dispersibility of CNTs in aqueous media is a fundamental pre-requisite for biological and engineering applications. CNTs are practically insoluble in any type of solvent and only the development of strategies for linking chemical moieties on the tubes has facilitated their dispersion, allowing solubility to be modulated in different solvents.
Bio-Engineering
In the past, graphite has been associated with various toxological effects including dermatitis and inflammation. In defence of CNTs, studies so far have focused on the effects of pristine CNT. Significant efforts have been made to improve CNT solubility and a remarkable reduction in toxicity has resulted.
Medical and Dental Materials Engineering
Implant Technology: These studies are focused on stimulating bone cell migration and differentiation and nerve cell growth.
Nano-Materials for Optical Devices
The interaction of CNTs with light has many potential applications for ultra-compact tuneable emitters and detectors. The phonon-photon interaction cross-section can increase by up to 5 orders of magnitude and optical observation of single-nanotube phenomena becomes feasible. Such enhancement could lead to enhanced thresholdless lasers, single-photon sources, and absorbers with low saturation fluence.
Nano-Particle Enhanced Infrastructure Materials
NMRL is working with the Concrete Technology Unit at Dundee, on the development of CNT-concrete composites to give specific functional behaviour to structural materials. It has been shown that CNTs can provide enhanced energy absorbing and tensile strain capacity.
Nano Electro-Mechanical Systems (NEMS) Utilizing Nanotubes
NEMS takes advantage of the nanotube’s electro-mechanical and perfect structural properties. The high Young’s modulus of nanotubes (1TPa) and their defect-free nature could enable CNT oscillators with a resonance frequency of ~1GHz and very high Q.
Nano-Materials for Power Applications
The extraordinary conductivity of CNTs (electrical=104S/cm) coupled with their high aspect ratio has contributed to dramatic enhancement in composite conductivity. Improvements in the performance of power devices, such as thin-film polymeric solar cells, enhanced electrodes, fuel cells, lithium-ion batteries and thermionic power supplies has been shown.
Nano-Emissive Displays
This R&D project investigates recent technology developments that have shown potential to produce flat panel NEDs using either arrays of nano-crystalline silicon, or carbon nanotube emitters illuminating each pixel. This project has investigated the controlled stimulation of these emitters enabling them to emit electrons and act as a miniature electron gun. Theses NED technologies have the potential to deliver large screen (100”) CRT-level performance, with enhanced brightness, wide angle viewing, contrast, response time and wide colour gamut.
Materials Engineering for Environmental & Renewable Energy Applications
Hydrogen Storage, Carbon Sequestration and Water treatment.
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