Hacking Macro with Nano: Colloidal Electronics and Plant Nanobionics by Dr. Volodymyr Koman

<strong>Abstract:</strong> With the ability to tune materials and structures down to the nanoscale, nanotechnology has a potential to revolutionize numerous fields, such as health, energy, agriculture, manufacturing, etc. However, nanomaterials are generally limited by low-volume production rates and, thus, are often not scalable. To bypass this, I will introduce novel functional materials that can be directly integrated into existing macro objects to dramatically alter the properties of the latter. I will focus on two examples. <strong>(a) Plant nanobionics</strong>. Comparing to our modern devices, plants possess some unique features, such as the ability to self-repair, autonomy and negative carbon footprint. Plant nanobionics focuses on how nanomaterials can transform plants into useful device with non-native functions. I will demonstrate how a conductive carbon nanotube-based ink interfaced with plant stomata acts as a light sensor [1] and how infiltrated nanosensors transform a plant into an explosive sensor that queries surrounding soil and groundwater and communicates wirelessly [2]. <strong>(b) Colloidal electronics.</strong> Modern colloidal micro/nanoparticles are not modular, i.e. their functions are intimately related to their materials and can’t scale up as electronic devices. Equipped with 2D material circuits, we have recently created sub-millimeter colloidal particles that can collect, manipulate and store information autonomously [3,4]. They can access local fluid hydrodynamics to enter spaces inaccessible to conventional electronics. Examples include oil and gas conduits, chemical and biosynthetic reactors, porous geological materials for upstream oil and mining explorations, and the human digestive tract.

[1] <strong>V. B. Koman</strong>, M.S. Strano, et al., <em>Persistent drought monitoring using a microfluidic-printed electro-mechanical sensor of stomata in planta</em>, Lab on a Chip (2017).

[2] M.H. Wong, <strong>V.B. Koman</strong>, M.S. Strano, et al. <em>Nitroaromatic detection and infrared communication from wild-type plants using plant nanobionics</em>, Nature Materials (2017).

[3] <strong>V.B. Koman</strong>, M.S. Strano, et al. <em>Colloidal nanoelectronic state machines based on 2D materials for aerosolizable electronics</em>, Nature Nanotechnology<u>,</u> 1 (2018).

[4] P. Liu, <strong>V.B. Koman</strong>, M.S. Strano, et al. <em>Autoperforation of 2D Materials for Generating Two Terminal Memresistive Janus Particles</em>, Nature Materials (2018).

BIOSKETCH: Volodymyr Koman is a PostDoc in chemical engineering at MIT. Volodymyr received his PhD degree from Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (EPFL), where he developed optical sensors and microfluidics to study toxicity of nanomaterials. His current research interests include discovering novel fundamental properties of low-dimensional materials, such as carbon nanotubes and 2D materials, with their further applications in functional materials, such as colloidal nanoelectronic particles and nanobionic plants. Volodymyr is the recipient of Swiss NSF PostDoctoral Fellowship, Erasmus Mundus Photonics Scholarship and President of Ukraine Scholarship.

Date/Time:
Date(s) - Jan 16, 2019
10:00 am - 11:00 am

Location:
38-138 Engineering IV
420 Westwood Plaza Los Angeles CA 90095