| |
 |
LEHN lab summer 2008 from left to right: Robert Hurt, Aihui Yan, Daniel Vinson, Saira Shervani, Xinyuan Liu, Shin Bowers, Lorin Jakubek, Lutfiye Bulut, Love Sarin, Brian Lee, Jingyu Liu, Indrek Kulaots |
|
|
| |
The Laboratory for Environmental and Health Nanoscience focuses on the creation of new nanomaterials and structures and their applications and implications for both the environment and for human health. Our diverse team of staff and student researchers, represents 6 countries and four disciplines (chemistry, chemical engineering, biomedical engineering, materials/mechanical engineering) and collaborates extensively with other groups to understand the complex problems that arise at the interface between nanomaterials and the natural world.
(more info) |
|
|
|
Robert Hurt, Professor of
Engineering, (CV)
Ph.D. Chemical Engineering, M.I.T., 1987
Director, Institute for Molecular and Nanoscale Innovation at Brown
Editor, Carbon
Technical Program Chair, Carbon2004
2004/5 Graffin Lecturer of the American Carbon Society
|
| |
- Health impacts of manufactured carbon nanomaterials (w/ A.
Kane group)
- mobilization, mitigation, and intracellular chemistry of Ni
associated with single-wall carbon nanotubes (X. Liu, L.
Jakubek, D. Morris, also w/ Zhitkovich group)
- folic acid and other micronutrient adsorption from cell culture medium and its implications for cell growth and nanotoxicity testing
- Nano-silver interactions with placental tissue and implant surfaces (J. Liu and S. Shervani with S. Sharma group)
- Safe nanomaterial development (nanotube detoxification protocols, surface functionalization schemes, TPGS as an antioxidant surfactant, environmental transformation of quantum dots (w/ A. Kane group and QDVision)
-
characterization and suppression of mercury release from broken compact fluorescent lamps
- nanomaterial interactions with Drosophila - adhesion, toxicity, and environmental transport (D. Vinson, X. Liu w/ David Rand, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology)
-
carbon nanotube effects on membranes and ion channels (w/ Diane Lipscome, Neuroscience)
- “Supramolecular” nanocarbon synthesis - use of directed liquid
crystal assembly to design graphene layer arrangements in carbon
nanomaterials (K. Jian, B. Weissman w/ G. Crawford group)
- Nanotechnology enabled mercury capture (S. Manchester, Y. Gao,
I. Kulaots, K. Jian)
- Combustion micro- and nanopatterning of graphene and carbon films (L. Bulut, I. Kulaots)
- Chemopreventive and therapeutic applications of nano-selenium (L. Sarin with Webster and Kane groups)
- Chemistry at
the graphene edge plane for surface applications of
supramolecular nanocarbons (A. Yan, I. Kulaots)
- Superhydrophobic carbon and diamond films (A. Yan w/ X. Xiao in
B. Sheldon group)
|
Hungry nanotubes: Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) compete with cells by adsorbing folate and other essential micronutrients in cell culture medium (see picture). Sequestering of folate can cause apparent toxicity even without direct nanotube-cell contact through a new  starvation mechanism. Sketch shows competitive pathways for folate in the presence of cells and SWNTs.
Guo L, Von Dem Bussche A, Buechner M, Kane AB, Hurt RH, Adsorption of Essential Micronutrients by Carbon Nanotubes and its Implications for Nanotoxicity Testing, Small 4(6) 721-727 (2008) |
|
|
Nanomaterials for Mercury Capture. Our lab has characterized the release of mercury vapor from broken compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs), and developed new nanomaterial formulations for capturing this mercury vapor at room temperature [Johnson et al., 2008]. The group has found that uncoated nanoselenium has an extremely high capacity for room-temperature mercury vapor capture and is developing engineered solutions for (i) CFL break sites at homes and offices, (ii) safe recycle/disposal bags, and (iii) multi-lamp boxes for CFL sales and collection.
[Johnson NC, Manchester S, Sarin L, Gao Y, Kulaots I, Hurt RH, Mercury Vapor Release from Broken Compact Fluorescent Lamps and In Situ Capture by New Nanomaterial Sorbents 42(15) 5772 - 5778 (2008).]
DOWNLOAD PDF |
Safer carbon nanotubes
A number of reported phenomena for nanotubes can be attributed to metallic catalyst residues. The LEHN group has identified the portion of the metal that is biologically active for iron (Guo et al., Chemistry of Materials, 2007), and nickel (Liu et al., Advanced Materails, 2008). We have developed methods to assay for "bioavailable" metal, and on ways to purify that avoid or remove bioavailable metal for purposes of nanotube detoxification (Liu et al., Carbon, 2008). Image shows toxicity and carcinogenicity pathways for nickel residues imbedded in carbon nanotubes. |
|
 |
Self-assembled carbon thin films from lyotropic liquid crystal spin
coating. These unique films consist exclusively of graphene
layers oriented perpendicular to the substrate imparting high
surface activity and anisotropy in the substrate plane
(K.
Jian in collaboration with laboratory of Prof. G. Crawford).
|
Micropattern of molecular orientation in discotic film made by
liquid crystal surface anchoring on two-component lithographic
template
(K. Jian in collaboration with laboratory of Prof. G. Crawford) |
 |
 |
Murine
macrophage adhered to open mesh of platelet-symmetry carbon
nanofibers synthesized in the LINC
(L.
Guo in collaboration with laboratory of Prof. A. Kane).
|
Free-standing vertical array of carbon nanofibers prepared by liquid
crystal templating and solvent exchange
(L.
Guo)
|
 |
 |
Ordered array of carbon/carbon
composite nanofibers fabricated by discotic liquid crystal assembly
in nanochannel alumina with CVD carbon precoating
(K. Jian in collaboration with
laboratory of Prof. B. Sheldon).
|
Carbon
nanoparticles fabricated in the LINC by liquid crystal assembly
during microdroplets spray pyolysis
(A.
Yan, I. Kulaots).
|
 |
 |
Nanophase iron doped on platelet-symmetry carbon nanofibers as model
material system for studying residual catalyst effects in
cytotoxicity
(D.
Morris, K. Jian)
|
|
|
