The Future is NEAR - Nanotechnology Research at North Penn High School

This year, there are 7 research teams in the Engineering Design and Development class of the North Penn High School engineering academy. The main research endeavors that the students are involved with are listed below. Many of the students within these teams will also be performing various extended and supplementary experiments. A team research section will be added to the website soon to demonstrate various images and videos of the students' research. Please check back soon!

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania—February 6, 2016— Eleven NPHS engineering academy seniors in the Engineering Design and Development class presented at the 6^th annual Philly Materials Day event held at Drexel University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Click here to read more...

Students present at Philly Materials Day Saturday 2/6/16!

Jon Hollenbach explaining phase change polymer with visitors.

Brian Lawn and Tom Gerhart demonstrating medicinal encapsulation.

Tom Gerhart discussing core-sheath nanofibers.

Tommy Novia and Mash Pramanik discussing water filtration.

Grant Pietrzykoski discussing noise cancellation with a visitor.

Nate McWilliams discussing the thermoelectric demonstration.

A "birds'-eye" view of the students presenting...

Mark Wallace and Mash Pramanik presenting.

Thank you to all of the grant funding organizations!


		Phase Change Materials Core-Sheath Nanofibers
ENERGY RESEARCH	**Jonathan Hollenbach \| Nicholas Seiberlich \| Mark Wallace**
IMAGE GALLERY	First time electrospinning polymer nanofibers! Preparing their 1st bubble electrospinning apparatus First time bubble electrospinning! Initial dark field analysis Initial dark field analysis! Initial dark field analysis! Bubble electrospinning apparatus v2.0! Initial Core Sheath apparatus v1.0. Initial Core Sheath apparatus v1.0 Initial Core Sheath apparatus v1.0 Initial Core Sheath apparatus v1.0 uV polymer solution. Core Sheath nanofiber collection for optical characterization. uV nanofibers. Core-sheath nanofiber test. Nanofiber test. Paraffin test. Paraffin phase change test. Paraffin phase change development. Paraffin phase change development. Preparation for sheath polymer (PVB) electrospinning. Preparation for sheath polymer (PVB) electrospinning. Preparation for sheath polymer (PVB) electrospinning. PVB Nanofiber analysis: Zeiss PrimoStar. PVB Nanofiber analysis: Zeiss PrimoStar. Student designed 3-D printed cores-sheath needle holder. Core-Sheath electrospinnning PVB and Octadecane! PVB Nanofiber analysis: Zeiss PrimoStar. Core-Sheath electrospinnning PVB and Octadecane! Core-Sheath electrospinnning PVB and Octadecane! Core-Sheath electrospinnning PVB and Octadecane! Transmission Electron Microscope grid preparation idea... Transmission Electron Microscope grid on a glass microscope slide. Transmission Electron Microscope grid analysis - Zeiss Primo Star Zeiss PrimoStar optical analysis of TEM grid! Zeiss PrimoStar optical analysis of TEM grid! Zeiss PrimoStar optical analysis of TEM grid! Zeiss PrimoStar optical analysis of TEM grid! Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) preparation of a Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM) grid!

		Concussion Detection and Prevention
ENERGY RESEARCH	**Keith Earle \| Tyler Gillett**
IMAGE GALLERY	First time electrospinning polymer nanofibers! First time electrospinning polymer nanofibers! Concussion research. Drop testing utilizing a Vernier force plate.

		Water Quality Purification and Filtration
PURE RESEARCH	Tommy Novia \| Mash Pramanik
IMAGE GALLERY	First time electrospinning polymer nanofibers! Preliminary foam filter testing H20 Quality: Turbidity testing. H20 Quality: Turbidity testing. Preparing the first antimicrobial solution. Preparing the first antimicrobial solution. Experimenting with a Lifestraw Experimenting with a Lifestraw Initial Lifestraw testing apparatus. Philly Materials Day practice. Custom water filter creation. Custom water filter creation. Custom water filter foams. Custom water filter testing. Custom water filter testing. Custom water filter testing. Custom water filter testing. Water quality testing: turbidity. Water quality testing: turbidity.

		Cellular Regeneration, Cell Scaffolding & Antibacterial Fabrics
ENERGY RESEARCH	Tom Gerhart \| Brian Lawn
IMAGE GALLERY	First time electrospinning polymer nanofibers! Preparing their first polymer. First electrospinning experiment! Initial jet and whipping of a low molecular weight polymer. Nanofiber mat. Zeiss analysis Electrospinning. Small particle encapsulation. Small particle encapsulation. Documentation is essential! Particle encapsulation! Vessicles... Documentation! PH Testing... Rame-Hart Core-Sheath Needle Rame-Hart Core-Sheath Needle Core-Sheath testing... Core-Sheath testing... Core-Sheath testing... Core-Sheath testing... Core-Sheath testing... Zeiss PrimoStar analysis Zeiss PrimoStar analysis Zeiss PrimoStar analysis Zeiss PrimoStar analysis Zeiss PrimoStar analysis Zeiss PrimoStar analysis Zeiss PrimoStar analysis Zeiss PrimoStar analysis Zeiss PrimoStar analysis Zeiss PrimoStar analysis 2nd core-sheath test 2nd core-sheath test 2nd core-sheath test 2nd core-sheath test 2nd core-sheath test SEM stub preparation SEM stub preparation SEM stub preparation

		Piezoelectric Energy Harvesting & Storage
ENERGY RESEARCH	**Dominic DiBerardino \| Thomas Dickson \| TJ O'Hagan**
IMAGE GALLERY	Electrospinning polymer nanofibers! 1st electrospun PVDF - piezoelectric nanofibers. Custom spin coater test. Custom spin coater test. Documentation the sonicator performance... Solution preparation - sonicator Preparing to spin coat. Preparing to spin coat. 1st attempt to spin coat. Making progress. Making progress. Assessing the thin film quality. 1st PVDF thin film. PVDF thin films. PVDF thin film. Single layer PVDF thin film. Spin Coating: 1 Minute anneal time. Spin Coating: 1 Minute anneal time (edge). Spin Coating: 5 Minute anneal time. Spin Coating: 10 minute anneal time. Spin coating: 10 minute anneal time (zoom). Spin Coating Spin Coating Spin Coating Spin Coating - improved parameters Spin Coating - improved parameters Spin Coating - improved annealing processes Spin Coating - SEM sample preparation Spin Coating - SEM sample preparation

		nSABs (Nanoscale Sound Attenuation Batts) Sound Attenuation and Noise Cancellation
ENERGY RESEARCH	**Shovon Akter \| Grant Pietrzykoski \| Jeremy Pulver**
IMAGE GALLERY	First time electrospinning polymer nanofibers! 1st time electrospinning polymer nanofibers. Recording all of the details... Polyethylene oxide nanofiber specimen. Electrospinning PMMA. Electrospinning PMMA. Testing a new sound testing apparatus... Thanks North Penn Educational Foundation!. Preparing solutions. Impedance tube. Testing the impedance tube. Preparing solutions. Electrospinning PMMA - 2nd round.... Electrospinning PCL. Electrospinning PCL. Designing the clamshell holder. Conductive silver paint. First prepared nanofiber specimen. Nanofiber specimen prepared for sound testing. 3-D printed nanoSAB (nanoscale Sound Attenuation Batt).

		Thermoelectric Energy Harvesting & Storage
ENERGY RESEARCH	**Bailey Harp \| Nate McWilliams \| Abdullah Nahean**
IMAGE GALLERY	First time electrospinning polymer nanofibers! Thermoelectric Cell (TEC) analysis. Thermoelectric Cell (TEC) analysis. Thermoelectric Cell testing. Thermoelectric wire testing and analysis. Thermoelectric wire testing and analysis. Energy harvesting circuit. Energy harvesting circuit test. Energy harvesting circuit test. Philly Materials Day demonstration preparation. Laser cut masks. Applying the PEDOT:PSS. Annealing the PEDOT:PSS. Annealed PEDOT:PSS. Applying the silver electrodes. Curing the silver electrodes. First completed thermoelectric cell!

		Superhydrophobic Nanofiber Research
ENERGY RESEARCH	Engineering Projects In Community Service Club

Below are a few videos from the 2015-2016 school year research endeavors. The video below is the final presentation offered by the students on June 1, 2016.

2016 Philly Materials Day Images

Core-Sheath Phase Change Nanofibers


Electronic Plants	Thermoelectric Cells	Atmospheric Pressure Research

Below are a few videos from the 2014-2015 school year research endeavors. The video below is the final presentation offered by the students on June 3, 2015.

2015 Philly Materials Day Images

PAN-CU Nanofibers


Dow Engineers Visit NPHS	Superconductive Nanofibers	We Have Vision!

Below are a few videos from the 2013-2014 school year research endeavors. The video below is the final presentation offered by the students on June 4, 2014.