This $150,000 Project Grant from the National Science Foundation Division of Chemistry, under the Mathematical and Physical Sciences program (CFDA 47.049), will fund research at Penn State University to develop microfluidic platforms that harness energy from chemical reactions to enable autonomous fluid transport. Specifically, the award will examine the effects of molecular-scale chemistry on microscale confined fluid flow, and vice versa, to uncover new modes of chemically induced motion and self-organization. The collaborative research team will pursue this through three complementary work packages involving 3D microprinting of fluidic systems, active pumping mechanisms using enzymes and deformable posts, and implementing self-organizing signal patterning using DNA strand displacement reactions coupled to pumping. The goal is to establish efficient and autonomous modes of chemical synthesis, sensing and delivery using sculpted confined fluids, with potential applications in portable fluidic devices. Findings are expected to advance knowledge across fluid mechanics, catalysis, chemical engineering and non-equilibrium dynamics.
Mod # | Description | Reason For Modification | Federal Obligation (Click to sort descending) | Date (Click to sort ascending) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Not listed | $150.0k | 8/18/22 |