Hybrid Nano-Architectures and Advanced Manufacturing Research

1. Building nanostructured nanomaterial-polymer interfaces for high-performance composite and flexible sensors
2. High-rate and large-scale assembly of nanomaterials on the polymer substrates for affordable flexible electronics.

Recent Research Grants

Title: Probing the interaction between atomic structures of 2D material and polymer chains
Sponsor: The Center for Nanophase Materials Sciences (CNMS) at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL)
Dates: 8/1/2019–7/31/2020

This is a competitive user program offered by CNMS at ORNL. The PI (Dr. Bo Li) and his graduate student (Dong Zhou, 4th year Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, Villanova University) will work at the CNMS and use major equipment such as scanning transmission electron microscope, transmission electron microscope, and other advanced characterization tools as a continuous effort of their Department of Energy Visiting Faculty Program.

The main scientific question to be addressed in this proposal is how nanomaterial and polymer interact at the atomic level. Specifically, the PI proposes to study how atomic structures of two-dimensional materials (2DMs) initiate, stop or guide the assembly of polymer chains in the solution.

Title: Probing the interaction between atomic structures of 2D material and polymer chains
Sponsor: Department of Energy Visiting Faculty Program (DOE-VFP)
Dates: 6/16/2019–8/23/2019

The PI (Dr. Bo Li) and Villanova University undergraduate Nicholas Yoo ’21 ChE received funding support to perform research at ORNL during the summer of 2019. The goal of the research is to establish a new understanding of the interaction between nanomaterial and polymer at the atomic level.

The PI utilized a new nanomaterial platform, two-dimensional materials (2DMs), in combination with a highly controlled solution-based polymer assembly process, and studied how the atomic structures of 2DMs initiate, stop or guide the assembly of polymer chains.

Title: 3D printing with polymer nanocomposites
Sponsor: University Summer Grant, Villanova University
Dates: 6/1/2018–8/1/2018

The PI (Dr. Bo Li) and Villanova University undergraduate Nicholas Yoo ’21 ChE have integrated two dimensional materials and polymer technology into 3D printing technology to prepare conductive polymer nanocomposites.

Title: Build Highly Sensitive Environmental Sensor from Polymer Nanocrystals Assembled on Crystalized 2D Materials
Sponsor: 2019 Match Research Program for First-Year Students of Villanova University
Dates: 1/16/2019–5/10/2019

The PI (Dr. Bo Li) guided two undergraduate students, Kelly DeLawder ’22 EE and William Taubner ’22 ChE and developed a customized Dual-Mode Gas Sensing Platform with the capability to detect gas in both flowing mode and steady mode.

Title: Scalable assemble two dimensional nanomaterials on polymer substrate for flexible sensors Sponsor: 2019 Match Research Program for First-Year Students of Villanova University
Dates: 1/16/2018-5/10/2018

The PI (Dr. Bo Li) guided Nicholas Yoo ’21 ChE and developed a solution-based exfoliation process to prepare high-quality two dimensional nanomaterials for the assembly process.