Core-Sheath TEM Images!:
 

Thank you Craig Johnson at Drexel University and Carl Clegg at ramé-hart instrument co. DeltaPhase: Jonathan Hollenbach, Nicholas Seiberlich, Mark Wallace NanoMedical: Thomas Gerhart, Brian Lawn

Students in the DeltaPhase and NanoMedial research teams have successfully created core-sheath nanofibers!  With assistance from Carl Clegg at ramé-hart instrument co. and one of the company's coaxial spinnerets, the students were able to design and run several coaxial electrospinning experiments with plans to create phase change textiles and core-sheath medicinal embedded cellular scaffolds.

Craig Johnson at Drexel University performed analysis utilizing a Transmission Electron Microscope to prove that the fibers were core-sheathed!  These images show that the teams successfully core-sheathed their nanofibers!  Next is proving that they can act as viable phase change materials and cellular scaffolds!

Core-Sheath Phase Change Nanofibers!: DeltaPhase (Jonathan Hollenbach, Nicholas Seiberlich, Mark Wallace)

Engineering academy students in the DeltaPhase research team, Jonathan Hollenbach, Nicholas Seiberlich and Mark Wallace have recently electrospun core sheath nanofibers of Polyvinyl Butyl (PVB )and Octadecane.

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Thermoelectric Cells: ThermoTech (Bailey Harp, Nate McWilliams, Abdullah Nahean)

Engineering Academy students, Bailey Harp, Nate McWilliams and Abdullah Nahean have created their first thermoelectric cell!  The next step will be to construct the testing apparatus and assess the thermoelectric capability of their cell. 

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Piezoelectric Thin Films: PiezoTech (Dominic DiBerardino, Thomas Dickson, T.J. O'Hagan)

Engineering Academy students, Dominic DiBerardino, Thomas Dickson and T.J. O'Hagan are in the process of developing piezoelectric thin films for strain sensing and energy harvesting applications!
 

Core-Sheath Electrospinning:  A Better Bandage: NanoMedical Solutions (Tom Gerhart, Brian Lawn)

Engineering Academy students, Tom Gerhart and Brian Lawn, have successfully core-sheath electrospun nanofibers today in the lab.   This is their first official trial and hope to tune all of the parameters of their experiment.  The ultimate goal of their research this year is to design and test a bandage that will act as an antibacterial core-sheath nanofiber-based cell scaffold that time releases pain medicine to victims with acute traumatic wounds.

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Effects of Atmospheric Pressure on Nanofiber Development:
An Experiment Six Years in the Making!

Towamencin, Pennsylvania—February 19, 2016— Engineering academy students, Nick Seiberlich, Grant Reynard, Sean Sacchetti, Jonathan Hollenbach and Mark Wallace are currently in the process of studying the effects of atmospheric pressure on nanofiber development; an idea that is over six years in the making. 

The idea to study the effects of atmospheric pressure on...  Click here to read more...
 

Engineering Academy Students Present at Philly Materials Day @ Drexel University

Eleven NPHS engineering academy seniors in the Engineering Design and Development class, Thomas Gerhart, Bailey Harp, Jon Hollenbach, Brian Lawn, Nate McWilliams, Abdullah Nahean, Tommy Novia, Mash Pramanik, Grant Pietrzykoski, Nick Seiberlich and Mark Wallace presented at the 6^th annual Philly Materials Day event held at Drexel University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

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Nanomedical Solutions: Thomas Gerhart and Brian Lawn
Medicinal MicroEncapsulation: Introducing Another Method to Pain Relief

Students in the NanoMedical Research Group successfully microencapsulated medicine, to reduce pain symptoms caused by large wounds. A first for North Penn High School and a first for our future. These vesicles have the potential to become embedded into a polycaprolactone cell scaffold system which will aid in the regeneration of cells. Keep posted for further details.

Electronic Plants: What if...

Engineering Academy Junior, Julia Santos, is currently researching the design and development of conductive plants.  Inspired by research from the Laboratory of Organic Electronics, Department of Science and Technology, Linköping University and the Department of Forest Genetics and Plant Physiology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences in Sweden.

Her initial research began with a tomato plant to experiment with measuring conductivity utilizing our Keithley 2450 Source Meter.

Her research has moved to utilizing roses and she is currently learning about the internal structure of rose stems.  Check back soon for more information!

Bubble Electrospinning:  Another approach to producing polymer nanofibers

Students in the DeltaPhase research team designed an apparatus to create nanofibers from a process known as bubble electrospinning.  The students designed and ran their first experiment and successfully created nanofibers. 

The next step in their endeavor is to analyze their initial results, make modifications and re-run their experiments to improve upon their results.  Check back soon for further updates.

Students Began Electrospinning Polymer Nanofibers

Student research teams began electrospinning their first polymer nanofibers from their own developed polymer solutions today.

Be sure to check back often for more research to be completed by the students this year and for new types of polymer fiber development techniques!
 

Student Research Teams - 2015 - 2016

The Engineering Design and Development students have chosen their teams and their specific research endeavors!

Energy:

Core-Sheath Nanofibers / Phase Change Materials

Piezoelectric Nanofibers

Thermoelectric Nanofibers

Healthcare:

Concussion Detection and Prevention

Self-assembling Nanofibers

Cellular regeneration and Antibacterial Fabrics

Environment:

Soundproofing / Noise Cancellation