Jaewook Nam

Carbon nanotube-nanocup hybrid structures for high power supercapacitor applications.

Here, we design and develop high-power electric double-layer capacitors (EDLCs) using carbon-based three dimensional (3-D) hybrid nanostructured electrodes. 3-D hybrid nanostructured electrodes consisting of vertically aligned carbon nanotubes (CNTs) on highly porous carbon nanocups (CNCs) were synthesized by a combination of anodization and chemical vapor deposition techniques. A 3-D electrode-based supercapacitor showed enhanced areal capacitance by accommodating more charges in a given footprint area than that of a conventional CNC-based device.

Alloyed 2D Metal-Semiconductor Atomic Layer Junctions.

Heterostructures of compositionally and electronically variant two-dimensional (2D) atomic layers are viable building blocks for ultrathin optoelectronic devices. We show that the composition of interfacial transition region between semiconducting WSe2 atomic layer channels and metallic NbSe2 contact layers can be engineered through interfacial doping with Nb atoms. WxNb1-xSe2 interfacial regions considerably lower the potential barrier height of the junction, significantly improving the performance of the corresponding WSe2-based field-effect transistor devices. The creation of such alloyed 2D junctions between dissimilar atomic layer domains could be the most important factor in controlling the electronic properties of 2D junctions and the design and fabrication of 2D atomic layer devices.

Particle Margination and Its Implications on Intravenous Anticancer Drug Delivery

Abstract“Margination” refers to the movement of particles in flow toward the walls of a channel. The term was first coined in physiology for describing the behavior of white blood cells (WBCs) and platelets in blood flow. The margination of particles is desirable for anticancer drug delivery because it results in the close proximity of drug-carrying particles to the endothelium, where they can easily diffuse into cancerous tumors through the leaky vasculature. Understanding the fundamentals of margination may further lead to the rational design of particles and allow for more specific delivery of anticancer drugs into tumors, thereby increasing patient comfort during cancer treatment. This paper reviews existing theoretical and experimental studies that focus on understanding margination. Margination is a complex phenomenon that depends on the interplay between inertial, hydrodynamic, electrostatic, lift, van der Waals, and Brownian forces. Parameters that have been explored thus far include the particle size, shape, density, stiffness, shear rate, and the concentration and aggregation state of red blood cells (RBCs). Many studies suggested that there exists an optimal particle size for margination to occur, and that nonspherical particles tend to marginate better than spherical particles. There are, however, conflicting views on the effects of particle density, stiffness, shear rate, and RBCs. The limitations of using the adhesion of particles to the channel walls in order to quantify margination propensity are explained, and some outstanding questions for future research are highlighted.

Two-Dimensional Atomic-Layered Alloy Junctions for High-Performance Wearable Chemical Sensor.

We first report that two-dimensional (2D) metal (NbSe2)-semiconductor (WSe2)-based flexible, wearable, and launderable gas sensors can be prepared through simple one-step chemical vapor deposition of prepatterned WO3 and Nb2O5. Compared to a control device with a Au/WSe2 junction, gas-sensing performance of the 2D NbSe2/WSe2 device was significantly enhanced, which might have resulted from the formation of a NbxW1-xSe2 transition alloy junction lowering the Schottky barrier height. This would make it easier to collect charges of channels induced by molecule adsorption, improving gas response characteristics toward chemical species including NO2 and NH3. 2D NbSe2/WSe2 devices on a flexible substrate provide gas-sensing properties with excellent durability under harsh bending. Furthermore, the device stitched on a T-shirt still performed well even after conventional cleaning with a laundry machine, enabling wearable and launderable chemical sensors. These results could pave a road toward futuristic gas-sensing platforms based on only 2D materials.

Transient stress‐based and strain‐based hemolysis estimation in a simplified blood pump

We compare two approaches to numerical estimation of mechanical hemolysis in a simplified blood pump model. The stress-based model relies on the instantaneous shear stress in the blood flow, whereas the strain-based model uses an additional tensor equation to relate distortion of red blood cells to a shear stress measure. We use the newly proposed least-squares finite element method (LSFEM) to prevent negative concentration fields and show a stable and volume preserving LSFEM for the tensor equation. Application of both models to a simplified centrifugal blood pump at three different operating conditions shows that the stress-based model overestimates the rate of hemolysis. The strain-based model is found to deliver lower hemolysis rates because it incorporates a more detailed description of biophysical phenomena into the simulation process.

Effect of shim configuration on flow dynamics and operability windows in stripe slot coating process

The slot coating method is a strong candidate for the manufacture of secondary batteries and electrodes for electronics. For the production of such devices, one may need to coat multiple lanes simultaneously which is usually done by implementing specially designed stripe shim inside the die manifold. The effects of shim configurations on the stripe-patterned coated film were analyzed in this study. We employed computational and experimental analyses to estimate flow patterns and corresponding desirable operating condition changes for uniform, converging and diverging slit channels. It was found that the slit channel shape, which is determined by the shim design, can manipulate the die-exit velocity distribution, capable of controlling edge shape of the crossflow film thickness profile. However, other than producing a uniform channel, this might decrease the scope of operability windows due to the aggravation of bead break-up near the edge of the slit channel.

Analysis of transparent conductive silver nanowire films from dip coating flow

Silver nanowires are a promising nanomaterial for the fabrication of transparent flexible conductive films. Due to their fascinating properties, numerous studies have been done to determine the relationship among nanowire properties, micro-network structure, and opto-electronic properties, such as transparency and conductivity.1,2 However, most previous studies have used methods that are not suitable for mass production, such as vacuum filtration. To produce the film economically, it is advisable to use a solution process, e.g., a liquid coating method. In this study, we use a simple dip coating method to produce the film using a coating solution, which disperses nanowires in isopropyl alcohol. The amount of nanowires on the film is carefully controlled by the wet film thickness predicted from computational analysis. The important parameters of nanowire networks, such as the diameter, the aspect ratio, and the areal coverage of nanowires are measured directly from image analysis of the electron microscopy images. Finally, the relationship among those parameters and opto-electronic properties is examined in detail.

Synthesis and sonication-induced assembly of Si-DDR particles for close-packed oriented layers

Here, we report a seeded growth protocol for synthesizing monodisperse Si-DDR particles of ~1.3-10 μm by varying the seed amount. These Si-DDR particles were deposited onto porous α-Al2O3 discs via sonication-induced assembly, constituting close-packed h0h-oriented layers.

Process design and evaluation of value-added chemicals production from biomass

Three different biodiesel production processes were simulated using the SuperPro Designer program. The process for producing biodiesel from soybean oil and methanol was designed using commercial chemical catalysts. This chemical process was compared with the biological process catalyzed by immobilized enzymes. In addition, a hybrid process consisting of catalytic biodiesel production and enzymatic glycerol carbonate production was designed and simulated for the conversion of waste glycerol to value-added chemical. Finally, the economics and productivity of these processes were evaluated to determine economic feasibility.

Effect of sloped die lip geometry on the operability window in slot coating flows using viscocapillary and two-dimensional models

As an indicator for determining the operability window in slot coating flow, the viscocapillary model considering various configurations of upstream and downstream slot die lips was tested and compared with Navier–Stokes two-dimensional model. Bead pressure and sloped lip angle conditions for uniform coating operation demarcated from leaking and bead break-up defects were quantitatively predicted from the position of upstream meniscus from both models. By comparing the results, it is confirmed that the viscocapillary model for many kinds of sloped die lips could predict the operability window accurately. It is also found that there exists vortex or recirculation regimes inside upstream and downstream coating bead regions, depending on the angles of sloped die lips, even for the stable coating flow. The flow control by die lip structure will be usefully applied to design the strategy for the reliable and optimal coating process, including vortex-free windows.