Project Description
Helical particles made of a composite polymer material and paramagnetic nanoparticles can be driven to propel by the torque induced from the continuous misalignment of the magnetization of the particles with a rotating magnetic field, thus mimicking the mechanism of bacterial motion through flagella and cilia rotation. While much work has been conducted to study the locomotion of these particles in Newtonian fluids, there is a lack of detailed studies on the motion of these particles in more complex, biologically relevant fluids. Through this project you will learn how to fabricate composite micro-helices using two-photon lithography and image them using scanning electron microscopy. You will also learn how to control and record particle locomotion in complex fluids using a rotating magnetic field and optical microscopy. Additionally, you will become proficient doing basic rheology to characterize the rheological properties of the fluids of interests. Lastly, you will learn how to perform particle tracking analysis to compare experimental observations of particle motion to theoretical predictions from fluid mechanical calculations.
Special Requirements
Requirements include general computational proficiency (no specific coding/software knowledge required), general lab and electrical safety, and a basic knowledge of physics.
Contact
- Charles Shields (faculty)
- Ritu Raj (graduate student)