| NSF Org: |
CMMI Division of Civil, Mechanical, and Manufacturing Innovation |
| Recipient: |
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| Initial Amendment Date: | July 20, 2012 |
| Latest Amendment Date: | July 31, 2018 |
| Award Number: | 1150767 |
| Award Instrument: | Standard Grant |
| Program Manager: |
Khershed Cooper
CMMI Division of Civil, Mechanical, and Manufacturing Innovation ENG Directorate for Engineering |
| Start Date: | August 1, 2012 |
| End Date: | July 31, 2019 (Estimated) |
| Total Intended Award Amount: | $400,334.00 |
| Total Awarded Amount to Date: | $489,988.00 |
| Funds Obligated to Date: |
FY 2013 = $23,654.00 FY 2017 = $16,000.00 FY 2018 = $50,000.00 |
| History of Investigator: |
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| Recipient Sponsored Research Office: |
110 INNER CAMPUS DR AUSTIN TX US 78712-1139 (512)471-6424 |
| Sponsor Congressional District: |
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| Primary Place of Performance: |
204 E. Dean Keeton St. Austin TX US 78712-1068 |
| Primary Place of
Performance Congressional District: |
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| Unique Entity Identifier (UEI): |
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| Parent UEI: |
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| NSF Program(s): |
GOALI-Grnt Opp Acad Lia wIndus, NANOMANUFACTURING, CLB-Career |
| Primary Program Source: |
01001314DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT 01001718DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT 01001819DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT |
| Program Reference Code(s): |
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| Program Element Code(s): |
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| Award Agency Code: | 4900 |
| Fund Agency Code: | 4900 |
| Assistance Listing Number(s): | 47.041 |
ABSTRACT
This Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) award supports research to explore novel mechanisms for highly efficient assembly of rotary nano-electromechanical devices (NEMS motors or nanomotors) from nanocale building blocks and to elucidate the fundamental nanoscale interactions in such systems. Rotary nanomotors, a type of NEMS device, are particularly important for advancing NEMS technology. However, the complexity of top-down fabrication of miniature motors has greatly hindered their development for practical applications. In this research, the PI aims to investigate an innovative mechanism to (1) successfully assemble and accurate large arrays of nanomotors consisting of nanowires as rotors, nanomagnets as bearings, and quadruple microelectrodes as stators; (2) investigate the nanoscale interactions involved in a nanomotor system for high-performance nanomotors with controlled rotation angle, speed and chirality, like stepper motors; (3) evaluate and experimentally investigate the size limits of nanomotors; and (4) demonstrate the synergistic operation of nanomotors for pumping nanoparticles and biological cells in microfluidics.
If successful, this research will result in a unique bottom-up assembly scheme for rotary NEMS devices that can be integrated into large arrays to perform complex functions. The assembly concept using nanoscale building blocks can provide a practical solution for the economical production of NEMS devices. The research may also advance our understanding of fundamental nanoscale electrical-material-mechanical-magnetic interactions. Overall, the proposed research may produce transformative impacts on multiple fields including NEMS, microfluidics, and lab-on-chip architectures. The synergy of research and education will benefit graduate, undergraduate, and K-12 students, increase participation of minorities and women, bring new perspectives on nano-assembly and applications to classroom teaching, and result in the development of a Nanomotor Learning Module for demonstration at the Austin Children's Museum.
PUBLICATIONS PRODUCED AS A RESULT OF THIS RESEARCH
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PROJECT OUTCOMES REPORT
Disclaimer
This Project Outcomes Report for the General Public is displayed verbatim as submitted by the Principal Investigator (PI) for this award. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this Report are those of the PI and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation; NSF has not approved or endorsed its content.
Nano-Electromechanical System Devices (NEMS), consisting of both electronic and mechanical components are emerging as the next-generation technology that can significantly impact people?s lives. Rotary nanomotors, a type of NEMS device, are particularly important because they are among the most critical components for advancing NEMS technology. However, traditional fabrication of miniature motors requires complex design and arduous processes that have greatly hindered the development of rotary NEMS. In fact, most of the rotary motors reside in the sizes range of hundreds of micrometers to millimeters. Very few can make true nanoscale motors even using the best available techniques.
In this CAREER project, the PI proposed and sucessfully realized an original type of rotary nanomotors (or NEMS) made from rom nanoscale building blocks. The nanomotors consist of multisegment nanowires, patterned nanomagnets, and quadrupole microelectrodes as rotors, bearings, and stators. Arrays of nanomotors have been assembled and synchronously rotated with controlled angle, speed (to at least 18,000 rpm), and chirality (Figure 1). The fundamental electric, optical, magnetic, and frictional interactions involved in the components of the nanomotor systems are investigated, which provide understanding for designing and actuating various metallic NEMS devices. With the understanding, ultra-durable nanomotors have been created that can continuously rotate for 80 hours and 1.1 million cycles, which is the highest record that has been reported up to now. A series of rotary nanomotors have been obtained for the first time, inlcuding nanostepper motors that operate in a similar manner as that of the counterpart, plasmonic nanomotors that can controllably tune the release rate and enhance the detection speed of molecules, as well as optical-reconfigurable nanomotors that switch agilely in response to light.
The innovation in this research may inspire new paradigms for multiple research fields including MEMS/NEMS, bio-NEMS, reconfigurable systems and devices, biosensing and molecule delivery, as well as micro/nanofluidics.
This work has led to a series of publications on leading journals, including Nature Communications, Science Advances, ACS Nano, Advanced Materials, and Advanced Functional Materials. The results have been reported by UT News, NSF News, BBC Focus Magazine, Nano Today, Materials Today, IEEE Spectrum, Forbes, ASEE First Bell, Science Daily, Physorg, EurekAlert, and The Daily Texan among numerous international news agencies.
Last Modified: 11/25/2019
Modified by: Donglei (Emma) Fan
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