Thin Films and Coatings
DEPOSITION OF DIAMOND FILMS
Professors Liya L. Regel and William Wilcox have continued research on the deposition of diamond films on a variety of substrates. They are utilizing a new, simpler, less expensive method than has been used previously. There are many potential applications.
Professors Regel and Wilcox are also doing an experimental and theoretical study of detached solidification. The phenomenon of detached solidification was discovered over 25 years ago in space experiments, and explained only 5 years ago by these CAMP Professors. When it occurred, detached solidification practically eliminated formation of new grains, twins and dislocations, thereby producing much more perfect crystals. It is now realized that it is possible to produce detached solidification on Earth. This CAMP group is seeking to make this reproducible and commercial. They are competing in this quest with investigators in France, Japan, Germany and at NASA.
Particle Transport, Deposition and Removal
INHALATION DRUG DELIVERY AND LUNG DEPOSITION
Clarkson Distinguished Professor Goodarz Ahmadi, in collaboration with Dr. Han and Dr. Greenspan of Dura Pharmaceuticals, is studying powder dispersion in inhalation drug delivery systems. He is also analyzing the dispersion and breakup of powder under the action of a strong shear field. The results provide insight into the design of drug delivery systems.
THREE-PHASE SLURRY REACTORS
Professor Ahmadi is collaborating with scientists at the Department of Energy in modeling a three-phase slurry reactor for synthetic liquid fuel production from coal. One main objective is to develop an advanced computational capability for predicting the transport and processing of three-phase (liquid - gas - solid) slurry reactors. The specific objective is to develop an accurate and reliable computational model for predicting the process parameters using the extended thermodynamically consistent anisotropic theories of multiphase flows.
FUNDAMENTALS OF NATURAL GAS AND SPECIES FLOW FROM HYDRATES DISSOCIATION
The primary goal of Professor Ahmadi's project is to provide a fundamental understanding of flow conditions of hydrate dissociation products in consolidated and unconsolidated sediment. He and his group will develop semi-analytical computational models to be used as tools for safety related issues. These include predicting the rate of natural gas pressure buildup during drilling in a hydrate reservoir, the nature of gas and water flows in the reservoir after hydrate dissociation, and the potential for sea floor instability. Availability of such an understanding, detailed experimental data and a computational tool are crucial to the future development of technology for economical and safe natural gas production from hydrates in the 21st Century.
Professor Ahmadi is studying the process of hot-gas filtration for applications to clean coal technology. In this project, the performance of ceramic candle-filters for hot-gas cleaning is being studied. Research results show that small particles (less than a micron) deposit rather uniformly in the filter vessel, while the larger particles deposit non-uniformly. This work has significant implications in designing future industrial scale hot-gas cleaning systems.
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Colloidal Dispersions and Processing NMR STUDY OF POLYMER STABILIZED LIPOSOME SYSTEMS Professor Yuzhuo Li and his group are doing research that involves liposomes. The pharmaceutical industry utilizes liposomes for a variety of applications such as drug delivery and diagnostic imaging. For drug delivery systems both polymer stabilized liposome systems (PSLS) and non-polymer stabilized (conventional) liposome systems (NPSLS) are beneficial. Liposome is used as a transport system for the active ingredient. The transport efficiency of the liposome is a function of its particle size, lipid association, micropolarity and lifetime in the biological system. Controlling each of these properties is critical to the design of a pharmaceutical agent. The size of the liposome system can be controlled through the method of preparation. The lipid association and micropolarity can be controlled by the choice of lipids. The lifetime in the biological system can be increased through the use of polymer stabilization (Stealth Liposome). Working with Dr. Gregory Slack at DuPont Pharmaceuticals, Professor Yuzhuo Li and his graduate student Nicole Heldt and undergraduate student Michele Gauger have investigated a range of issues related to the characterization and preparation of polymer stabilized lipsome systems. In a more recent study, a pulsed-field gradient technique was employed to study the dynamic nature and the size variation of the polymer stabilized and nonpolymer stabilized liposome systems. The goal of this research is to develop an optimized liposome system for drug delivery and medical diagnostic applications
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