Carlos Montalvo

Foy H. Moody High School; Corpus Christi ISD

Faculty Mentor: Dr. Zhengdong Cheng

Artie McFerrin Dept. of Chemical Engineering

B.S., University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China, 1990

M.S., Institute of High Energy Physics, Beijing, China, 1993

Ph.D., Princeton University, 1999 Postdoc, ExxonMobil, 1999-2000 DiCon Fiberoptics Inc., 2001-2002 Postdoc, Harvard Universtiy, 2002-

2004

Colloid Chemistry Colloid—type of mechanical mixture where one

substance is dispersed evenly throughout another.

Aspects of Research

Colloidal Crystal Growth Engineering and ordering large crystals to create

photonic band gaps for optical computers Discotic Colloids

Study the flow and movement of disk like molecules such as red blood cells

Cell Encapsulation Using microreactors to create a protective

“bubble” over a cell for possible drug delivery

Crystal Structure Review

How are Colloids and Crystal structures related?

Colloidal Crystals!!

89 min 152 min

0 min 4 min 11 min

25 min

Reason for Understanding Colloidal Crystals

Optical Computers

Optical Computer

Discotic Colloids

Emulsification—process by which one liquid is dispersed into another in the form of small droplets (http://www.pwsrcac.org/resources/glossary.html)

• Wax with 1% STADIS-450

• Flow Rate : 4ml/h

• Voltage: 2.8 kV

Electrospray

Electrospray Ionization technique

where droplets are created in an electric field

An electric force is applied to a liquid surface

Wax Emulsion

Eicosene (wax) Formation of

droplets Lower

temperature to form disks

Disk Forming

Electrospray cooling forms disks similar to shape of Red Blood Cell

Cell Encapsulation

Placing a cell into a protective membrane that is not immunosuppressed.

Cell Encapsulation: concept

Encapsulate cells of interest in semi-permeable membrane

Implant cell capsules Cells release therapeutic

substances Advantages

Immunoisolation Natural therapeutic response

Applications Diabetes (type I) Hemophilia Cancer Renal failure Dr. Dawei Luo

Cell Encapsulation

Confocal microscope imaging shows the uniform shape of alginate disks.

Fluorescence shows successful encapsulation of colloidal particles.

Microfluidics

Microfluidics

water

water

oil oil

oil oil

Microfluidics

Microreactors using microfluidics

Experiments to be Conducted

Formation of microdisks using Electrospray technique

Droplet Formation Using Electrospray

Experiments to be Conducted

Study the size and variation of the wax disks as electrospray settings are changed

Study how the disks flow through various substances (ie.—red blood cell flow)

Observe and study encapsulation techniques Attempt to add protective coating to

encapsulations

Aspects of Research Colloidal crystal growth Disk formation using Electrospray Cell encapsulation using Electrospray and

microfluidics

Classroom Activities???

Dr. Zhengdong Cheng Andres Mejia Lucas Kinard National Science Foundation