Synthesis and Characteristics of Nanomaterials
As scientific inquiries in nanoscience progress, the opportunity for nanotechnology breakthroughs continue to expand. The smaller the technology-whether a memory chip for a supercomputer or a tiny machine racing through the body to detect cancer-the greater the chance for a large societal impact.
FACULTY
Meet Georgia Tech Faculty involved in the Synthesis and Characteristics of Nanomaterials.
RESEARCH SPOTLIGHT
MSE: Focusing on the Future
Georgia Tech's School of Materials Science Engineering (MSE) focuses on the future by incorporating nanomaterials study into its curriculum.
Current MSE research projects include:
- the synthesis of nanomaterials for the construction of nanoscale machines;
- the use of diamond coatings as a bio-barrier to prevent the body from attacking implants;
- the use of the genetic patterns found in nature to harness the ribosome to manufacture biosensors and photonic circuits;
- the development of conductive polymers for a new generation of MEMS devices;
- the development of a form fitting light-weight armor that can stop ballistic projectiles; and
- the development of hydrogen burning fuel cells to power a future generation of automobiles.
By spearheading today's innovative MSE nanomaterials projects, Georgia Tech's materials scientists are leading the way in nanoscience study, turning yesterday's science fiction into tomorrow's reality.
At Georgia Tech, expert researchers are already pushing the early frontiers of nanoscience and nanotechnology research, studying how materials 50,000 times smaller than the width of a single strand of human hair can be manipulated to produce inventive products that help humanity.
In order to produce faster, cheaper, more efficient, sustainable products, Georgia Tech researchers conscientiously study the characteristics of nanomaterials. Materials at the nanoscale do not always behave as expected and nanomaterials differ from larger materials not just in size, but in surface/interface-to-volume ratio and grain shapes, which are the origins of their unique electrical, optical, thermodynamic, mechanical, and chemical properties.
Because of these unique properties, many scientists believe that nanomaterials hold the key to significant future advances in a wide range of miniaturized consumer products such as miniaturized computer chips, nanoscale sensors, and devices for sorting DNA molecules, including products that are reliant on synthesized nanomaterials and their integration with microsystems and biotechnology.
To harness the power of materials at the nanoscale, Georgia Tech researchers rely on a variety of groundbreaking methods. From Mechanical Engineering Assistant Professor William King's heat-based method of nanoscale writing to Chemistry and Biochemistry Regents Professor Mostafa El-Sayed's laser-based inquiries, Georgia Tech researchers are contributing to the world's understanding of nanoscience study and emerging nanotechnologies.
