our tools (toys)
PhD program
Our most important investigative tools in the
lab are the scanning probe methods (SPM),
most notably atomic force microscopy (AFM).
As shown in the illustrations, these techniques
offer impressive ways of imaging and manipulating nanoscale samples. We are leaders in
SPM and continuously work on new ways of
pushing the limits of this exciting technology.
We have in our laboratory one of the most
powerful
and versatile
commercial
SPM
instruments.
Getting excited about this kind of research?
Apply for our PhD program!
Highlights:
• Academic program tailored to each student's needs. The coursework component
of the curriculum is highly flexible. It typically includes Materials Science, Interface
Science, M icroscopy, Methods, and Math.
• Yearly stipends andfull-tuilionfellowships.
The current Research Assistant stipend is
$22,000 plus tuition and health insurance.
•
Contact:
Students in our group receive state-of-the art
training to become experts in SPM. Since the
scanning probe techniques are key methods in
nanotechnology,
this expertise
becomes an
important asset in the students' professional
knowledge portfolio.
•
I
The College of William and Mary in Virginia
http://as.wm.edu
http://nano-materials.org
QUI' beautiful historic campus is located in
Colonial Williamsburg. Also in town are
Busch Gardens and Water Country USA,
with the Atlantic Ocean beaches to the
east, the Blue Ridge Mountains to the west,
and Washington, D.C. to the north.
Using AFM we can also manipulate materials
down to atomic scales. In this image. we fold a
graphene sheet-only a single atomic layer thickinfour steps.
•
Prof. Hannes Schniepp
[email protected]
Phone: (757) 221-2559
http://schniepp.org
Mission.
We develop and synthesize
new
nanomaterials,
and we investigate nanomaterials across the length scales, down to atomic
dimensions.
Fall application
deadline: the first Friday in
February (application for Spring is possible as
well). Required documents: GRE general test
(one additional
subject test is encouraged),
TOEFL scores for non-native English speakers. Contact address for more application
details and application submission:
Department of Applied Science
The College of William & Mary
Williamsburg, VA 23187-8795
telephone: (757) 221-2563
fax: (757) 221-2050
email: [email protected]
web: http://as.wm.edu
STM image of a graphite slilface. showing individual carbon atoms forming a honeycomb laffice
research goals
bio(medical) materials
Nanomaterials. We are interested
We are also working on materials that have
improved properties for biomedical applications, such as implants. The advantage of our
approach is that we can study the interactions
of cells with other materials at the molecular
scale, thus providing the ground for a more
rigorous understanding of these processes.
in composite materials with structural features on the
nanometer
scale. Such nanomaterials
offer
significant
advantages
over the current engineering materials, and many of their characteristics can be tuned over a wide range. We
are particularly
interested in controlling
the
mechanical properties, electrical conductivity,
and the barrier properties.
We combine this approach with our expertise
in materials
science and nanomaterials
to
develop the next generation
of biomedical
materials.
Bioinspired materials. Some particularly
successful examples
of nanomaterials
can be
found in nature, as most biomaterials are nanocomposites. Bio-ceramics like bone have not
only mechanical properties superior to engineering ceramics, they are also multi-functional,
smart, and self-healing. On top of this, they are
naturally formed in a very energy-efficient
and
sustainable way. Our goal is to apply these
concepts to make new synthetic materials.
molecular self-assembly
AFM image showing many single-layer sheets of
functionalized graphene.
graphene nanocomposites
We investigate new synthetic nanocomposites
on the basis of functionalized
graphene,
produced in our laboratory. Graphene
is a
single-atomic
layer of graphite.
Similar to
carbon nanotubes, this material is as strong as
diamond and electrically conductive. The great
advantage of our graphene sheets is that they
can be made at low cost and in large amounts.
Dur nanomaterials are engineered from
dimensions to macroscopic length scales.
atomic
By mixing graphene sheets into polymer, we
can make super-strong
plastics, and we can
even make them electrically conductive! We
envision
that in the future these multifunctional materials will replace engineering
materials like plastics, metals, and fiber reinforced polymers.
In a world of nanomaterials,
how do
control the organization
and arrangement
millions upon millions oflittle particles?
we
of
If the particles and their interactions are engineered in a certain way, they will selfassemble automatically into ordered structures,
without controlling them individually. We use
this principle to make self-healing
materials
and materials
with an organization
ITom
atomic to macroscopic scales.
The atomic graphite lattice (a) serves as template
for cylindrical swjactant aggregates (b). Using
liquid-cell AFM (c), we study the dynamic behavior
of this system at two length scales simultaneously.