Fundamentals of Nanomaterials and Nanotechnology

This course will introduce students to the field of nanotechnology with a special emphasis on nanomaterials synthesis, characterizations and their applications in civil and environmental engineering. The specific applications will include, but not limited to, tailoring mechanical property, durability, self-cleaning, self-sealing, self-sensing, energy harvesting and other multi-functionality. It integrates the fields of materials science, civil engineering and electrical engineering. The basic concepts will be discussed including nano-scale effect, process-structure-property relationship, nano- and micro-structure property characterizations, multi-functional materials, nano-device fabrication and their applications for energy harvesting, water infiltrations and environmental sensing. lab will be provided to students enrolled in the course to learn nano and micro-structure characterizations skills.

Week 1

• Nanotechnology Overview
• Nanotechnology Applications
• Nanostructures

Week 2

• Crystal Structure of Solids
• Bravais Lattice & Unit Cell
• Crystal Plane & Miller Indices
• Crystal Defects
• Crystal Structure on Mechanical Property
• Electron Transport in Crystals

Week 3

• Gas Phase Deposition
• Electrospinning
• Solid Phase Synthesis: Ball Milling
• Lithography

Week 4

• Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM)
• Transmission Electron Microscopy
• Atomic Force Microscope
• X-ray Diffraction (XRD)

Week 5

• Electrical Property Characterizations
• Thermal Property Measurement
• Thermal Characterization: TGA and DSC
• Nanoindentation