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The Walus Laboratory focuses on applications of nano- and micro-technology for solving important problems in sensing, computing and biology.
Dr. Walus works with a team of graduate students, postdoctoral fellows and other faculty to develop nanostructured materials and devices for a wide variety of applications. In this video, members of the laboratory, Simon Beyer, Robert Busch, Derek Tsan, and Dr. Lisheng Wang describe their recent work in developing innovative technology for chemical and physical sensing.
Using inkjet printing, researchers working in the Walus Lab can replace traditional ink with functional materials, embedding nanotechnology into the ink. Although the method of printing is familiar, because the ink itself contains nano-structured elements, what would ordinarily be an image from a conventional printer becomes a functional circuit or sensor using these inks. As the ink is printed into a pattern a functional device is being created. The inkjet printing technology allows the group to explore a large variety of materials that would otherwise be difficult to pattern using conventional techniques. In fact, the group is also experimenting with printing living cells. In addition, the group has learned to control not just where the ink is deposited but also the pattern of elements that remain once the solvents have evaporated, allowing for greater control over the performance of those printed structures.
The lab is collaborating with Environment Canada and Metro Vancouver to develop chemical sensing technology that will monitor the precursors of smog. Currently, such precursors are not monitored in real-time, due to the high cost of sensing systems and are monitored by taking manual measurements every several days. Robert Busch is creating all polymer sensors for air quality monitoring as part of this project. Robert is employing the inkjet printing technology to pattern the electronic elements of the sensors onto polymer piezoelectric films. In using these low cost fabrication techniques and materials, he hopes to develop sensors that could be much more widely distributed and enabling real-time measurements of precursors in the environmental monitoring network. Real-time measurements would improve our understanding of the impact of our activities on the environment and help to improve the environmental policies.
Printed sensors can also be used for measuring strain in buildings, bridges and other types of structures. When a crack forms, even if it is deep within the thick material, vibrations are sent through the structure and can be measured at the surface. Derek Tsan’s research is focused on developing improved strain and vibration sensors for structural health monitoring. At the nano-scale there are unique physical properties that arise, Derek is growing piezoelectric nanowires to fabricate vibration sensors that are highly sensitive and very low cost. Derek is employing the inkjet printing technology to deposit a seed layer from which the piezoelectric nanowires are synthesized in solution. The properties of these nanowires have previously been shown to be a significant improvement over the use of bulk materials and the simple nature of the fabrication process that Derek is using contributes to reducing fabrication costs. He hopes that his technology will also facilitate wide spread application to monitoring of critical structures, that would contribute both economically as well as to improving safety.
Dr. Walus and his team are looking for students who are both competent in their core background but also able to work in a multi-disciplinary environment to join them in their research.