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What does Professor Gogotsi’s research group
study?
Professor Yury Gogotsi heads both the Nanomaterials Group (NMG) and the A. J.
Drexel Nanotechnology Institute (DNI) at Drexel University. The Nanomaterials
Group is centered around a single seemingly small field, nanomaterials. Yet,
this field is anything but small.
What are examples of nanomaterials?
There are a multitude of materials under the title of nanomaterials. Some of the
most common materials studied by Professor Gogotsi’s research group include
carbon materials (nanotubes, nanodiamonds, and nanoporous carbons), ceramic
nanoparticles (whiskers and nanowires), and composites. Research in the group
focuses on the fundamental and applied aspects of synthesis and characterization
of these materials. The group also works closely with industry to accomplish the
goal of cutting down the time gap from the discovery of new materials to the
application of them in commercial products.
What are some real world applications of nanomaterials research?
One of the topics being researched by Professor Gogotsi’s group is carbide
derived carbons (CDCs) with changeable porosity for different applications. One
of these applications includes supercapacitors and batteries, which are
important components of commercial products. Capacitors provide quick bursts of
energy, but they can’t store as much energy as a battery. Supercapacitors,
however, are getting close. Professor Gogotsi’s research in this area was
recently published in the world-renowned journal, Science.
Another CDC area is the storage of gases, such as hydrogen and methane. As
everyone knows, the planet is running out of fossil fuels, such as oil and coal,
and new sources of energy are needed. Hydrogen fuel is more reliable than solar
energy, even though there are still many problems with it, including cost and
storage tank size. Hydrogen storage is a very popular area of research because
it is very likely to become vital to the survival of our world. CDCs also link
the study of nanomaterials to biomedicine.
Carbide-derived carbons and other nanomaterials have a large future in
biomedicine. CDCs can be used for selective absorption of proteins and other
biomolecules from blood and liquids in the human body. The NMG also works with
carbon nanopipes and other nanofluidic devices that can one day be used to
administer drugs at a minuscule amount. Not microliters, not even nanoliters,
but attoliters, which are 10-18 of a liter. Another important material that is
being researched and studied is the nanodiamond. This tiny diamond, only a few
dozen atoms in size, also has potential for use in medicine and drug
administration. It is the mostly likely candidate for the drug carrier.
What is some of the instruments Professor Gogotsi’s group uses to study
nanomaterials?
The Nanomaterials Group has to study very fine particles that almost no one has
studied before. Apart from a few brand new labs, the group has access to some of
the most sophisticated equipment available. The equipment includes Raman
spectrometers, Scanning Electron Microscopes (SEM) and Transmission Electron
Microscopes (TEM), as well as a nanoindenter. |
