Publications

We demonstrate through experiment and simulation that when mono-domain Fe nanoparticles are formed into chains by the application of a magnetic field, the susceptibility of the resulting structure is greatly enhanced (11.4-fold) parallel to the particle chains and is much larger than transverse to the chains. Simulations show that this significant enhancement is expected when the susceptibility of the individual particles approaches 5 in MKS units, and is due to the spontaneous magnetization of individual particle chains, which occurs because of the strong dipolar interactions. This large enhancement is only possible with nanoparticles, because demagnetization fields limit the susceptibility of a spherical multi-domain particle to 3 (MKS). Experimental confirmation of the large susceptibility enhancement is presented, and both the enhancement and the susceptibility anisotropy are found to agree with simulation. The specific susceptibility of the nanocomposite is 54 (MKS), which exceeds the highest value we have obtained for field-structured composites of multi-domain particles by a factor of four.

Tethered films of poly n-isopropylacrylamide (PNIPAM) films have been developed as materials that can be used to switch the chemistry of a surface in response to thermal activation. In water, PNIPAM exhibits a thermally-activated phase transition that is accompanied by significant changes in polymer volume, water contact angle, and protein adsorption characteristics. New synthesis routes have been developed to prepare PNIPAM films via in-situ polymerization on self-assembled monolayers. Swelling transitions in tethered films have been characterized using a wide range of techniques including surface plasmon resonance, attenuated total reflectance infrared spectroscopy, interfacial force microscopy, neutron reflectivity, and theoretical modeling. PNIPAM films have been deployed in integrated microfluidic systems. Switchable PNIPAM films have been investigated for a range of fluidic applications including fluid pumping via surface energy switching and switchable protein traps for pre-concentrating and separating proteins on microfluidic chips.

This report summarizes research on the aging of Class I components in environments representative of nuclear power plants. It discusses Class IE equipment used in nuclear power plants, typical environments encountered by Class IE components, and aging techniques used to qualify this equipment. General discussions of radiation chemistry of polymers and accelerated aging techniques are also included. Based on the inadequacies of present aging techniques for Class IE equipment, a proposal for an experimental program on electrical cables is presented. One of the main purposes of the proposed work is to obtain relevant data in two areas of particular concern--the effect of radiation dose rate on polymer degradation, and the importance of synergism for combined thermal and radiation environments. A new model that allows combined environment accelerated aging to be carried out is introduced, and it is shown how the experimental data to be generated can be used to test this model.