Team Members
Faculty
Don Brenner – Department of Materials Science and Engineering
Jacqueline Krim – Department of Physics
Brian Reich – Department of Statistics
Alex Smirnov – Department of Chemistry
Students
Biplav Acharya, Physics
Research interests: My research goal is to understand the role of nanoparticles as potential lubricant additives. The effective nano-additives enhance the tribological performance of lubricants by reducing friction and wear rates at the solid-solid or solid-liquid interfaces. I utilize nano-scale surface probes and surface force apparatus to uncover the probable physical mechanisms of these nano-additives to develop a better understanding of the fundamental rules of nanoparticle lubrication for a wide range of solid-liquid-nanoparticle combinations.
Research interests: My research goal is to understand the role of nanoparticles as potential lubricant additives. The effective nano-additives enhance the tribological performance of lubricants by reducing friction and wear rates at the solid-solid or solid-liquid interfaces. I utilize nano-scale surface probes and surface force apparatus to uncover the probable physical mechanisms of these nano-additives to develop a better understanding of the fundamental rules of nanoparticle lubrication for a wide range of solid-liquid-nanoparticle combinations.
Colin Curtis, Physics
Research interests: As a member of Dr. Krim’s Nanotribology research group, my work focuses on aqueous nanoparticle solutions and their impact on friction, dissipation, and surface morphology at the nanoscale. The application of nanodiamonds, in aqueous solution, to metallic and ceramic surfaces has revealed important modifications to the liquid-solid and solid-solid interfacial behavior of those materials. With members of the departments of Statistics, Material Science, and Chemistry at NCSU, our NSF funded DMREF collaboration is producing materials, conducting experiments, simulating dynamics, and finding complex relationships and interactions between nanoparticles, fluids, surfaces.
Research interests: As a member of Dr. Krim’s Nanotribology research group, my work focuses on aqueous nanoparticle solutions and their impact on friction, dissipation, and surface morphology at the nanoscale. The application of nanodiamonds, in aqueous solution, to metallic and ceramic surfaces has revealed important modifications to the liquid-solid and solid-solid interfacial behavior of those materials. With members of the departments of Statistics, Material Science, and Chemistry at NCSU, our NSF funded DMREF collaboration is producing materials, conducting experiments, simulating dynamics, and finding complex relationships and interactions between nanoparticles, fluids, surfaces.
Vladislav Perelygin, Chemistry
Research interests: My research is focused on interfacial electrostatic properties of nanomaterials and nanospheres in particular, and the relation of such properties to lubrication effects of such nanoparticles. This includes synthesis and characterization of inorganic nanospheres with controllable diameter, functionalization of the nanosphere surfaces with organic ligands and biomacromolecular assemblies, such as biomembranes, and employing a variety of analytical and spectroscopic methods (DLS, TGA, spin-labeling EPR) to characterize such hybrid nanostructures.
Research interests: My research is focused on interfacial electrostatic properties of nanomaterials and nanospheres in particular, and the relation of such properties to lubrication effects of such nanoparticles. This includes synthesis and characterization of inorganic nanospheres with controllable diameter, functionalization of the nanosphere surfaces with organic ligands and biomacromolecular assemblies, such as biomembranes, and employing a variety of analytical and spectroscopic methods (DLS, TGA, spin-labeling EPR) to characterize such hybrid nanostructures.
Liangliang Su, Physics
Research interests: My research interests include molecular dynamics simulation of nano-tribological performance, and developing multi-physics models to gain a better understanding and appreciation of the role of electrostatics in tribological performance.
Research interests: My research interests include molecular dynamics simulation of nano-tribological performance, and developing multi-physics models to gain a better understanding and appreciation of the role of electrostatics in tribological performance.
Munir Winkel, Statistics
Research interests: My research interests are on how to learn the most from the least amount of information, through sequential experimental design and Bayesian statistics.
Research interests: My research interests are on how to learn the most from the least amount of information, through sequential experimental design and Bayesian statistics.
Other Professionals
Antonin Marek, Chemistry
Research interests: My research interests encompass a broad range of interdisciplinary areas including magnetic resonance, polymer chemistry, computer modeling and simulations, nanotechnology, tribology, and biophysics of lipid bilayers and membrane proteins.
Research interests: My research interests encompass a broad range of interdisciplinary areas including magnetic resonance, polymer chemistry, computer modeling and simulations, nanotechnology, tribology, and biophysics of lipid bilayers and membrane proteins.