• Using a 3D additive manufacturing technique to fabricate sub-micron films for use in dye-sensitized and perovskite solar cells
• Investigation of the surface forces acting on the ink, nozzle, and substrate during the extrusion process and their relation to the properties of the resulting film. No pressure is applied on the ink during the printing process
• Aiming to decrease cost of manufacturing of metal-oxide thin films, and, in turn, electronic devices, through the direct ink writing of low-viscosity inks

Figure 1. (a) Custom-built direct ink writing stage with X, Y, and Z motion control. (b) Close-up of the extrusion process of a titanium dioxide ink. (c) Schematic of the surface force-driven direct ink writing. No pressure is applied on the ink

Direct Ink Writing of PLA-Mg Scaffolds for Bone Tissue Regeneration

• Composite bone scaffolds used to address challenges characteristic of Mg implants
• Polymer matrix combats rapid degradation, while Mg positively influences bioactivity
• Direct Ink Writing allows for high resolution printing of irregular and porous geometries
• Particle inclusion shown to influence cell adhesion and morphology

Titanium Dioxide Printable Foams for Space Applications

Past Projects

Electromechanical Stability of Flexible Optoelectronic Devices

• Studying structural and electrical integrity of flexible devices (CNT, ITO, Cu, Au - based)
• Effects of manufacturing-born defects and integrated micro/nano chips on device reliability (eg. iLEDs)
• Stress-corrosion, fatigue and corrosion for flex-on-harsh environments

Collaboration with Darran Cairns and  Stephen Kukureka

Flexible and Stretchable Haptic Sensors

• Hydrothermally-grown ZnO piezoelectric nano-arrays on flex
• Fabrication of transparent, flexible and stretchable haptic sensors
• Electro-structural reliability studies to determine critical haptic loadings

Patterning Multi-Compositional Systems for Smart Sensors and Flexible devices

• Use of dip-pen nanolithography for nano-patterning of functional inks
• Deposition of multiple chemistries and high-T curing
• Transfer process to flexible substrates
• Demonstration of method using YAG:Ce phosphors on PEN

Collaboration with Edward Sabolsky

Rotational-Based Energy Harvesting from Tribological Processes

• Development of piezotribonic devices for harvesting contact-based stresses and frictional heating (rigid and flexible)
• Utilization of rotational motion and low-cost solution (sol-gel) processed piezoelectric films
• Resonant-independent ambient energy harvesting

Natural-Based Materials Deposition and Characterization for Biodegradable Electronics

• Thermal evaporation and solution deposition of natural semiconductors
• Fabrication of flexible and edible substrates by drop casting
• Structural, electrical and optical characterization
• Device design and fabrication

Collaboration with Dimitris Korakakis

Current Funding

                 

Past Funding