University of Pittsburgh – TechConnect Briefs

Development of In-Vivo Screening Benchmarks for Complex Engineered Nanomaterials

Mahoney S., Najera M., Bai Q., Burton E., Veser G., University of Pittsburgh, US

This works investigates embedding metal nanoparticles (NPs) in porous silica shells to reduce or entirely mitigate the metal NPs toxicity while still providing access to the metal NP surface; hence maintaining functionality of the embedded [...]

Carbon Nanotube/Green Tea Composite for the Electronic Detection of Hydrogen Peroxide

Chen Y., Lee Y.D., Vedala H., Allen B.L., Star A., University of Pittsburgh, US

Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) and their composites are ideal candidates for chemical and biological sensing application, due to their unique electronic, chemical and physical properties. Green tea, or more specifically its main antioxidant component, epigallocatechin [...]

Probing Protein-Carbohydrate Interactions using Carbon Nanotube Nanodevices for Rapid Bacterial Detection

Vedala H., Chen Y., Star A., University of Pittsburgh, US

In this work, we demonstrate novel nanoelectronics devices based on single-walled carbon nanotube field-effect transistor (NTFET) to probe the interactions between carbohydrates and their recognition proteins called lectins. These interactions are involved in a wide [...]

So You Want to Replace Your PVC

Gibb S.E., Beckman E.J., University of Pittsburgh, US

This paper looks at product design in the context of PVC pipe replacement. A three metric system is used assessing the functionality, economics, and environmental aspects of a product to truly create greener products that [...]

Synthesis and Characterization of Novel High-Temperature Stable Nanocomposite Catalysts

Kirchhoff M., Specht U., Veser G., University of Pittsburgh, US

Unusually active and sinter-resistant nanocomposite materials were synthesized by combining the high reactivity of nanosized noble metal particles with the excellent hightemperature stability of hexa-aluminates through a simple one-step microemulsion-templated sol-gel synthesis. The novel nanocomposite [...]

Computational Prototyping of an RF MEMS Switch using Chatoyant

Bails M., Martinez J.A., Levitan S.P., Avdeev I., Lovell M., Chiarulli D.M., University of Pittsburgh, US

In this paper we demonstrate the capabilities of our system-level CAD tool, Chatoyant, to model and simulate an RF MEMS switch. Chatoyant is a mixed signal, multi-domain CAD tool that can be used to design [...]

New Accurate 3-D Finite Element Technology for Solving Geometrically Complex Coupled-Field Problems

Avdeev I., Gyimesi M., Lovell M., Ostergaard D., University of Pittsburgh, US

Increased functionality of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) has lead to the development of micro-scale devices that are geometrically complex. These complex configurations require the development of new and more efficient finite element (FE) techniques for modeling [...]

Study of Misaligned Lateral Combdrive Static Actuators

Avdeev I., Lovell M., Onipede Jr. D., University of Pittsburgh, US

In-plane combdrive misalignments are studied using developed analytical and numerical (FEA) models and techniques. Issues of decreasing precision and stability are discussed. The analytical models are closed form and can be used by designers of [...]

System Level Simulation of Mixed-signal Multi-domain Microsystems with Piecewise Linear Behavioral Models

Kurzweg T.P., Levitan S.P., Davare A.J., Kahrs M., Chiarulli D.M., University of Pittsburgh, US

The creation of simulation tools for mixed-signal, multi-domain (MSMD) systems is challenging because these systems span the physical domains of electronics, photonics, fluidics, and mechanics, as well as multiple orders of magnitude in both time [...]

System Level Simulation of Mixed-signal Multi-domain Microsystems with Piecewise Linear Behavioral Models

Kurzweg T.P., Levitan S.P., Davare A.J., Kahrs M., Chiarulli D.M., University of Pittsburgh, US

The creation of simulation tools for mixed-signal, multi-domain (MSMD) systems is challenging because these systems span the physical domains of electronics, photonics, fluidics, and mechanics, as well as multiple orders of magnitude in both time [...]