Advisor: John Crocker, PhD; Committee Members: Talid Sinno, PhD; Scott Diamond, PhD; and Daniel Hammer, PhD
Liquid crystal elastomers are rubbery solids with liquid crystal mesogens incorporated into their main chains. They display an isotropic to nematic phase transformation accompanied by a large spontaneous deformation. This in turn leads to rich variety of phenomena including ultra-soft behavior, stripe domains, shape-morphing etc. Further, when made as slender structures, the structural instability of […]
In the first part of the presentation, we discuss a double-stranded elastic rod (birod) model and apply it to study allosteric interactions between two ligands on DNA. Next, we combine the birod model with statistical mechanics and use it to study the temperature-induced strand separation in dsDNA. Allosteric interaction between two ligands on DNA is […]
Abstract: Biomaterial implants have a long history in the clinic, but regenerative biomaterials and regenerative medicine therapies, in general, have been slow to reach patients. Clinical translation provides a unique and critical opportunity to investigate the key therapeutic drivers of technology efficacy in people. Careful evaluation of clinical outcomes and reevaluation of design parameters is […]
Two-dimensional (2D) hybrid organic-inorganic perovskites are under intense investigation due to their interesting physical properties and superior performance in thin-film based optoelectronic devices. The structural diversity embedded in the system provides a variety of parameters to target favorable properties for applications in photovoltaics (PV) and light emitting diodes (LEDs). In this talk, Dr. Mao will […]
Abstract: Mathematical Justification of Slender Body Theory Systems in which thin filaments interact with the surrounding fluid abound in science and engineering. The computational and analytical difficulties associated with treating thin filaments as 3D objects has led to the development of slender body theory, in which filaments are approximated as 1D curves in a 3D […]
The Department of Bioengineering at the University of Pennsylvania and Dr. David Meaney are pleased to announce the Doctoral Dissertation Defense of David Gabrieli. This event is open to the public.
In this talk we will review emerging applications of rarefied gas dynamics for microscale sensing, actuation and power generation. Performance of conventional fluidic devices such as pumps, combustors and heat engines decreases at the microscale due to greater viscous and heat transfer losses. Unconventional micro/nanodevices exploit the tight coupling between non-equilibrium gas, liquid and solid-state […]
High-performance designs that utilize metallic alloys are driving a need to quantify deformation in-situ at the finest length scales in order to reduce weight, increase operating temperatures, and improve fatigue life. With improvements to data reconstruction algorithms, brighter X-ray sources, and more efficient detectors, these in-situ studies of microstructural and micromechanical evolution in 3-D (nm-µm […]
Abstract: Heterogeneous catalysis is of central importance to the global economy today, facilitating the conversion of raw materials into valuable fuels and chemicals, and the abatement of chemical pollutants in an efficient way. As environmental concerns associated with the use of fossil fuels and increased viability of alternative technologies motivate a transition away from traditional […]
Thin film materials and heterostructures play a key role in modern technology including electronics and photonics. Atomically precise engineering of thin film materials enables unprecedented control of their structure and properties, bringing exciting opportunities to materials science. Transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs), which form three-atom-thick monolayers with van der Waals surfaces, provide an ideal material platform […]
Diabetes and peripheral arterial disease affect hundreds of millions of people worldwide. Patients with these conditions frequently develop chronic wounds on the lower limbs that lead to amputation, with a 5-year mortality rate as high as 77%. Macrophages, the primary cell of the innate immune system, are critical regulators of angiogenesis and wound healing. Their […]