Electrospray Deposition of Discrete Nanoparticles: Studies on Pulsed-Field Electrospray and Analytical Applications
Candidate for Master of Science in Materials Science
Major Professor: Dr. Vincent Remcho

Electrospray is a nano-scale material fabrication technique, based on phenomena of electrically charged fluid spray generated from a droplet of liquid. Material is dissolved in liquid, then a spray is generated by applying a high voltage, creating an electric field, between the fluid dispensing capillary and a grounded collection substrate. Nano-scale features of the dissolved material are collected when the solvent evaporates in flight between the needle and collection substrate. A significant portion of this work was in collaboration on a DARPA funded research project with a local industry sponsor. The goal of the project was development of techniques and methodology for assembling structures comprising features spanning nano, micro and macro scale dimensions. Electrospray was used to fabricate discrete nanoplate features on the order of 100-200nm in size, onto a branched architecture with dimensions on the micron length scale. Outside of the DARPA project, generation of discrete nano-plate/particle features from protein and polymer materials was used in both direct applications and to investigate the impact of pulsed high voltage (or pulsed-field) on the electrospray process. The direct use of the technique was in two analytical chemistry applications: first, the deposition of blood coagulation chemistries onto a pointof-care-applicable blood plasma separation device, with the goal of improving its separative performance; and second, electrospray deposition to immobilize enzyme on the working electrode for electrochemical glucose detection.