Welcome to Soft Nanomaterials Lab website!
Washington University in St. Louis
Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science
Bryan 104, 108, 112
1 Brookings Dr., Campus box: 1185
St. Louis, MO 63130
Our research interests are focused at the intersection organic and plasmonic nanomaterials. We aim at rational integration of organic (polymeric, biological) materials and plasmonic nanostructures to realize multifunctional materials. Organic materials with responsive and self-assembling properties combined with functional plasmonic nanostructures that exhibit unique optical properties forms a powerful materials platform for a wide variety of applications including plasmonic photovoltaics, chemical and biological sensors, adaptive materials, non- or minimally-invasive bioimging and therapy.
Specific research interests:- Unconventional approaches for the fabrication highly efficient surface enhanced Raman Scattering substrates for the detection of chemical and biological analytes.
- Hierarchical assembly of plasmonic nanostructures into functional superstructures using self-assembling properties of organic materials (e.g., block copolymers, amphiphilic molecules).
- Organic/inorganic hybrids for physical, chemical and biological sensors and multifunctional surfaces and interfaces.
- Nanoscale confinement effects on the thermo-mechanical properties of polymer thin films, brushes, membranes, nanocomposites and 3D polymeric structures.
Ramesh, Chang and Limei-Congrats on your Inside Front Cover article in J. Mater. Chem.!!
Our work in the News
2013
2012
- http://www.nature.com/nphoton/journal/v7/n1/full/nphoton.2012.354.html (Nature Photonics Research highlight)
- http://www.photonics.com/Article.aspx?AID=52420
- http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/253095.php
- http://www.medica.de/cipp/md_medica/custom/pub/content,oid,40682/lang,2/ticket,g_u_e_s_t/~/Bright_Light_Reveals_Location_of_Target_Tissues.html
- http://www.news-medical.net/news/20121121/BRIGHTs-bind-to-biomarkers-of-disease-and-light-up-to-reveal-their-location.aspx
- http://scicasts.com/bioit/1861-nanotechnology/5067-tiny-probes-called-brights-reveal-the-location-of-targeted-tissues
- (Chinese) http://www.bioon.com/biology/bioenginering/532877.shtml
- (More images) http://www.kurzweilai.net/nanoscale-probes-light-up-when-they-detect-specific-diseases?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter
- http://www.redorbit.com/news/technology/1112735500/brights-reveal-location-targeted-tissues-112112/
- http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/11/121120152411.htm?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+sciencedaily%2Fmatter_energy+%28ScienceDaily%3A+Matter+%26+Energy+News%29
- http://phys.org/news/2012-11-tiny-probes-brightly-reveal-tissues.html
- http://www.nanowerk.com/news2/newsid=27566.php
- http://www.bio-medicine.org/biology-news-1/Tiny-probes-shine-brightly-to-reveal-the-location-of-targeted-tissues-27523-2/
- http://esciencenews.com/articles/2012/11/20/tiny.probes.shine.brightly.reveal.location.targeted.tissues
- http://www.futurity.org/health-medicine/tiny-probes-light-up-to-spot-signs-of-disease/
- http://www.laboratoryequipment.com/news/2012/11/tiny-probes-light-diseased-tissue
- http://www.devicespace.com/News/tiny-probes-shine-brightly-to-reveal-the-location/280376
- http://www.nanotech-now.com/news.cgi?story_id=46416
- “So BRIGHT, you need to wear shades” https://news.wustl.edu/news/Pages/24553.aspx
- “Tiny probes shine brightly to reveal the location of targeted tissues” http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2012-11/wuis-tps112012.php
- “Novel process to detect proteins could simplify kidney disease detection” http://phys.org/news/2012-11-proteins-kidney-disease.html
- “Plasmonic biosensors with artificial antibodies” http://www.nanotech-now.com/news.cgi?story_id=46322
- “New Gold Nanorod-Based Biosensor Shows Promise to Facilitate Kidney Disease Detection” http://www.azonano.com/news.aspx?newsID=25947
- “Novel process to detect proteins could simplify kidney disease detection” http://www.healthcanal.com/kidneys-urinary-system/33960-Novel-process-detect-proteins-could-simplify-kidney-disease-detection.html
- “Novel process to detect proteins could simplify kidney disease detection” http://news.wustl.edu/news/Pages/24595.aspx
- “Gold nanorods that detect proteins could simplify kidney disease detection” http://www.nanowerk.com/news2/newsid=27462.php
- “Plasmonic biosensors with artificial antibodies” http://www.materialsviews.com/plasmonic-biosensors-with-artificial-antibodies/
- “Gold nanorods monitor the growth and swelling of ultrathin polymer films” http://nanotechweb.org/cws/article/lab/49997
- “Research Conducted at Washington University Has Updated Our Knowledge about Nanotechnology” http://www.verticalnews.com/premium_newsletters/Journal-of-Technology-and-Science/2012-06-17/68083JTS.html
- “Metallic biofunctionalization of porous organic structures” http://www.frost.com/prod/servlet/segment-toc.pag?segid=D785-00-0A-00-00