Events Calendar

Sonny Astani Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering Seminar

Speaker: Dr. Navid Saleh, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering University of South Carolina

Title:
Aggregation and Surface Interaction of Carbonaceous and Metallic Nanomaterials in Environmental and Biologically Relevant Conditions

Abstract:
Carbonaceous (fullerenes and nanotubes) and metallic nanomaterials have a widespread potential for application due to their unique physicochemical properties. There has been lack of studies aimed at understanding the aggregation and surface interaction of such materials in the natural and biological environments. A systematic study of aggregation (kinetics and structure) and surface interaction of such nanomaterials is essential in order to predict their fate and interaction in chemistries relevant to natural and biological environments. Single-walled carbon nanotubes, higher order fullerenes, and gold nanospheres and nanorods are used in aggregation and surface interaction experiments in both natural and biologically relevant background chemistries. Aggregation kinetics and aggregate structural conformation of both carbonaceous and metallic nanoparticles are measured experimentally using state-of-the-art time-resolved dynamic and static light scattering studies. Classical Derjaguin-Landau-Verwey-Overbeek (DLVO) model has been used to analyze the aggregation behavior. Quartz Crystal Microbalance-Dissipation (QCM-D) has been used to quantify such nanomaterial interaction with natural mineral interfaces. The mineral interfaces were also modified with natural organic matter (NOM) to determine the effect of NOM on deposition behavior. The results thus obtained aid in establishing quantitative structure activity relationships (QSARs) and mechanistically explain nanomaterial interaction with biological species.

Short Biography:
Navid Saleh is an Assistant Professor at Civil and Environmental Engineering at USC. Prior to joining USC in January 2009, he was a Post-Doctoral Researcher in Menachem Elimelech’s research group in Environmental Engineering at Yale University. Dr. Saleh received his B.S. degree in Civil Engineering from Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET), Dhaka, Bangladesh and his M.S. and PhD degrees from Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA in 2007 in Civil and Environmental Engineering. His research interests include (1) aggregation and deposition mechanisms of nanomaterials in aquatic environments, (2) development of novel technologies for water treatment and pollutant remediation, and (3) understanding interactions between nanomaterials and biological species in environmental systems. He already has received two major NSF grants as the PI on environmental fate of nanomaterials and nanoeducation.

Location: Kaprielian Hall (KAP) - 209

Audiences: Everyone Is Invited

Contact: Evangeline Reyes