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Dream : Faculty : Nanomaterials : Wei-Heng Shih
Wei-Heng Shih
Professor of Materials Science and Engineering
Faculty web page
Nanostructured Materials Processing: Nanoparticles, Nanocoating of Ceramic Powders
Aqueous colloidal processing has the advantages of controlling the interactions between particles and environmental friendliness. Dr. Shih’s research has developed a colloidal coating method that modifies the surface of ceramic powders by nanocoating. The nanocoating enhances the chemical and thermal stability of the powders, improves the consolidation and rheological properties of slurries, and lowers the sintering temperatures of the green compacts. For example, silicon nitride and silicon carbide powders were coated by boehmite via a solgel process (Fig. 4). Current research includes biomaterials applications of nanometric hydroxyapatite particulate coating for bioimplant surface modifications.
Example REU Project: Synthetic bone replacements implants are usually metallic and frequently lack bioactivity to integrate with the body. The REU student will develop and evaluate the processing techniques to produce hydroxyapatite (HA) coatings on implant surfaces. These coatings, produced from nano-sized and micron-sized HA particles, are expected to greatly improve the bioactivity of the implant surface. The surface potential of the HA particles will be measured to monitor their bioactivities when immersed in simulated body fluids.
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