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Publication Open Access 3D printing of elastomeric bioinspired complex adhesive microstructures(Wiley, 2021) Dayan, Cem Balda; Chun, Sungwoo; Krishna Subbaiah, Nagaraj; Drotlef, Dirk Michael; Akolpoğlu, Mükrime Birgül; Department of Mechanical Engineering; Sitti, Metin; Faculty Member; Department of Mechanical Engineering; College of Engineering; School of Medicine; 297104Bioinspired elastomeric structural adhesives can provide reversible and controllable adhesion on dry/wet and synthetic/biological surfaces for a broad range of commercial applications. Shape complexity and performance of the existing structural adhesives are limited by the used specific fabrication technique, such as molding. To overcome these limitations by proposing complex 3D microstructured adhesive designs, a 3D elastomeric microstructure fabrication approach is implemented using two-photon-polymerization-based 3D printing. A custom aliphatic urethane-acrylate-based elastomer is used as the 3D printing material. Two designs are demonstrated with two combined biological inspirations to show the advanced capabilities enabled by the proposed fabrication approach and custom elastomer. The first design focuses on springtail- and gecko-inspired hybrid microfiber adhesive, which has the multifunctionalities of side-surface liquid super-repellency, top-surface liquid super-repellency, and strong reversible adhesion features in a single fiber array. The second design primarily centers on octopus- and gecko-inspired hybrid adhesive, which exhibits the benefits of both octopus- and gecko-inspired microstructured adhesives for strong reversible adhesion on both wet and dry surfaces, such as skin. This fabrication approach could be used to produce many other 3D complex elastomeric structural adhesives for future real-world applications.
Publication Metadata only A deep etching mechanism for trench-bridging silicon nanowires(Iop Publishing Ltd, 2016) Wollschlaeger, Nicole; Österle, Werner; Leblebici, Yusuf; N/A; Department of Mechanical Engineering; Taşdemir, Zuhal; Alaca, Burhanettin Erdem; PhD Student; Faculty Member; Department of Mechanical Engineering; Koç University Surface Science and Technology Center (KUYTAM) / Koç Üniversitesi Yüzey Teknolojileri Araştırmaları Merkezi (KUYTAM); Graduate School of Sciences and Engineering; College of Engineering; N/A; 115108Introducing a single silicon nanowire with a known orientation and dimensions to a specific layout location constitutes a major challenge. The challenge becomes even more formidable, if one chooses to realize the task in a monolithic fashion with an extreme topography, a characteristic of microsystems. The need for such a monolithic integration is fueled by the recent surge in the use of silicon nanowires as functional building blocks in various electromechanical and optoelectronic applications. This challenge is addressed in this work by introducing a topdown, silicon-on-insulator technology. The technology provides a pathway for obtaining wellcontrolled silicon nanowires along with the surrounding microscale features up to a three-orderof-magnitude scale difference. A two-step etching process is developed, where the first shallow etch defines a nanoscale protrusion on the wafer surface. After applying a conformal protection on the protrusion, a deep etch step is carried out forming the surrounding microscale features. A minimum nanowire cross-section of 35 nm by 168 nm is demonstrated in the presence of an etch depth of 10 mu m. Nanowire cross-sectional features are characterized via transmission electron microscopy and linked to specific process steps. The technology allows control on all dimensional aspects along with the exact location and orientation of the silicon nanowire. The adoption of the technology in the fabrication of micro and nanosystems can potentially lead to a significant reduction in process complexity by facilitating direct access to the nanowire during surface processes such as contact formation and doping.Publication Open Access A hybrid broadband metalens operating at ultraviolet frequencies(Nature Publishing Group (NPG), 2021) Department of Physics; Ali, Farhan; Ramazanoğlu, Serap Aksu; Faculty Member; Department of Physics; Graduate School of Sciences and Engineering; College of Sciences; N/A; 243745The investigation on metalenses have been rapidly developing, aiming to bring compact optical devices with superior properties to the market. Realizing miniature optics at the UV frequency range in particular has been challenging as the available transparent materials have limited range of dielectric constants. In this work we introduce a low absorption loss and low refractive index dielectric material magnesium oxide, MgO, as an ideal candidate for metalenses operating at UV frequencies. We theoretically investigate metalens designs capable of efficient focusing over a broad UV frequency range (200–400 nm). The presented metalenses are composed of sub-wavelength MgO nanoblocks, and characterized according to the geometric Pancharatnam–Berry phase method using FDTD method. The presented broadband metalenses can focus the incident UV light on tight focal spots (182 nm) with high numerical aperture (NA ≈ 0.8). The polarization conversion efficiency of the metalens unit cell and focusing efficiency of the total metalens are calculated to be as high as 94%, the best value reported in UV range so far. In addition, the metalens unit cell can be hybridized to enable lensing at multiple polarization states. The presented highly efficient MgO metalenses can play a vital role in the development of UV nanophotonic systems and could pave the way towards the world of miniaturization.Publication Open Access A multi-state coarse grained modeling approach for an intrinsically disordered peptide(American Institute of Physics (AIP) Publishing, 2017) Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering; N/A; Sayar, Mehmet; Dalgıçdır, Cahit; Ramezanghorbani, Farhad; Faculty Member; PhD Student; Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering; College of Engineering; Graduate School of Sciences and Engineering; 109820; N/A; N/AMany proteins display a marginally stable tertiary structure, which can be altered via external stimuli. Since a majority of coarse grained (CG) models are aimed at structure prediction, their success for an intrinsically disordered peptide's conformational space with marginal stability and sensitivity to external stimuli cannot be taken for granted. In this study, by using the LK alpha 14 peptide as a test system, we demonstrate a bottom-up approach for constructing a multi-state CG model, which can capture the conformational behavior of this peptide in three distinct environments with a unique set of interaction parameters. LK alpha 14 is disordered in dilute solutions; however, it strictly adopts the alpha-helix conformation upon aggregation or when in contact with a hydrophobic/hydrophilic interface. Our bottom-up approach combines a generic base model, that is unbiased for any particular secondary structure, with nonbonded interactions which represent hydrogen bonds, electrostatics, and hydrophobic forces. We demonstrate that by using carefully designed all atom potential of mean force calculations from all three states of interest, one can get a balanced representation of the nonbonded interactions. Our CG model behaves intrinsically disordered in bulk water, folds into an alpha-helix in the presence of an interface or a neighboring peptide, and is stable as a tetrameric unit, successfully reproducing the all atom molecular dynamics simulations and experimental results.Publication Open Access A tissue adhesion-controllable and biocompatible small-scale hydrogel adhesive robot(Wiley, 2022) Lee, Y.W.; Chun, S.; Son, D.; Hu, X.; Schneider, M.; Department of Mechanical Engineering; Sitti, Metin; Faculty Member; Department of Mechanical Engineering; College of Engineering; School of Medicine; 297104Recently, the realization of minimally invasive medical interventions on targeted tissues using wireless small-scale medical robots has received an increasing attention. For effective implementation, such robots should have a strong adhesion capability to biological tissues and at the same time easy controlled detachment should be possible, which has been challenging. To address such issue, a small-scale soft robot with octopus-inspired hydrogel adhesive (OHA) is proposed. Hydrogels of different Young's moduli are adapted to achieve a biocompatible adhesive with strong wet adhesion by preventing the collapse of the octopus-inspired patterns during preloading. Introduction of poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) hydrogel for dome-like protuberance structure inside the sucker wall of polyethylene glycol diacrylate hydrogel provides a strong tissue attachment in underwater and at the same time enables easy detachment by temperature changes due to its temperature-dependent volume change property. It is finally demonstrated that the small-scale soft OHA robot can efficiently implement biomedical functions owing to strong adhesion and controllable detachment on biological tissues while operating inside the body. Such robots with repeatable tissue attachment and detachment possibility pave the way for future wireless soft miniature robots with minimally invasive medical interventions.Publication Open Access A transferable coarse-grained model for diphenylalanine: how to represent an environment driven conformational transition(American Institute of Physics (AIP) Publishing, 2013) Peter, Christine; N/A; Department of Mechanical Engineering; Dalgıçdır, Cahit; Şensoy, Özge; Sayar, Mehmet; PhD Student; Faculty Member; Department of Mechanical Engineering; Graduate School of Sciences and Engineering; N/A; N/A; 109820One of the major challenges in the development of coarse grained (CG) simulation models that aim at biomolecular structure formation processes is the correct representation of an environment-driven conformational change, for example, a folding/unfolding event upon interaction with an interface or upon aggregation. In the present study, we investigate this transferability challenge for a CG model using the example of diphenylalanine. This dipeptide displays a transition from a trans-like to a cis-like conformation upon aggregation as well as upon transfer from bulk water to the cyclohexane/water interface. Here, we show that one can construct a single CG model that can reproduce both the bulk and interface conformational behavior and the segregation between hydrophobic/hydrophilic medium. While the general strategy to obtain nonbonded interactions in the present CG model is to reproduce solvation free energies of small molecules representing the CG beads in the respective solvents, the success of the model strongly depends on nontrivial decisions one has to make to capture the delicate balance between the bonded and nonbonded interactions. In particular, we found that the peptide's conformational behavior is qualitatively affected by the cyclohexane/water interaction potential, an interaction that does not directly involve the peptide at all but merely influences the properties of the hydrophobic/hydrophilic interface. Furthermore, we show that a small modification to improve the structural/conformational properties of the CG model could dramatically alter the thermodynamic properties. (C) 2013 AIP Publishing LLC.Publication Metadata only An electrochemical gelation method for patterning conductive PEDOT:PSS hydrogels(2019) Feig, Vivian Rachel; Tran, Helen; Lee, Minah; Liu, Kathy; Huang, Zhuojun; Mackanic, David G.; Bao, Zhenan; Department of Mechanical Engineering; Beker, Levent; Faculty Member; Department of Mechanical Engineering; College of Engineering; 308798Due to their high water content and macroscopic connectivity, hydrogels made from the conducting polymer PEDOT:PSS are a promising platform from which to fabricate a wide range of porous conductive materials that are increasingly of interest in applications as varied as bioelectronics, regen-erative medicine, and energy storage. Despite the promising properties of PEDOT:PSS-based porous materials, the ability to pattern PEDOT:PSS hydrogels is still required to enable their integration with multifunctional and multichannel electronic devices. In this work, a novel electrochemical gelation (“electrogelation”) method is presented for rapidly patterning PEDOT:PSS hydrogels on any conductive template, including curved and 3D surfaces. High spatial resolution is achieved through use of a sacrificial metal layer to generate the hydrogel pattern, thereby enabling high-performance conducting hydrogels and aerogels with desirable material properties to be introduced into increasingly complex device architecturesPublication Metadata only Artificial-goosebump-driven microactuation(Nature Portfolio, 2024) Zhang, Mingchao; Pal, Aniket; Lyu, Xianglong; Wu, Yingdan; Department of Mechanical Engineering; Sitti, Metin; Department of Mechanical Engineering; College of Engineering; School of MedicineMicroactuators provide controllable driving forces for precise positioning, manipulation and operation at the microscale. Development of microactuators using active materials is often hampered by their fabrication complexity and limited motion at small scales. Here we report light-fuelled artificial goosebumps to actuate passive microstructures, inspired by the natural reaction of hair bristling (piloerection) on biological skin. We use light-responsive liquid crystal elastomers as the responsive artificial skin to move three-dimensionally printed passive polymer microstructures. When exposed to a programmable femtosecond laser, the liquid crystal elastomer skin generates localized artificial goosebumps, resulting in precise actuation of the surrounding microstructures. Such microactuation can tilt micro-mirrors for the controlled manipulation of light reflection and disassemble capillary-force-induced self-assembled microstructures globally and locally. We demonstrate the potential application of the proposed microactuation system for information storage. This methodology provides precise, localized and controllable manipulation of microstructures, opening new possibilities for the development of programmable micromachines. Light-induced artificial goosebumps on liquid crystal elastomer skin are used to precisely manipulate passive microstructures, achieving a localized and controllable system for programmable micromachines.Publication Metadata only Bacterial physiology is a key modulator of the antibacterial activity of graphene oxide(Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC), 2016) Karahan, H. Enis; Wei, Li; Goh, Kunli; Liu, Zhe; Dehghani, Fariba; Xu, Chenjie; Wei, Jun; Chen, Yuan; Department of Chemistry; Birer, Özgür; Researcher; Department of Chemistry; Koç University Surface Science and Technology Center (KUYTAM) / Koç Üniversitesi Yüzey Teknolojileri Araştırmaları Merkezi (KUYTAM); College of Sciences; N/ACarbon-based nanomaterials have a great potential as novel antibacterial agents; however, their interactions with bacteria are not fully understood. This study demonstrates that the antibacterial activity of graphene oxide (GO) depends on the physiological state of cells for both Gram-negative and -positive bacteria. GO susceptibility of bacteria is the highest in the exponential growth phase, which are in growing physiology, and stationary-phase (non-growing) cells are quite resistant against GO. Importantly, the order of GO susceptibility of E. coli with respect to the growth phases (exponential >> decline > stationary) correlates well with the changes in the envelope ultrastructures of the cells. Our findings are not only fundamentally important but also particularly critical for practical antimicrobial applications of carbon-based nanomaterials.Publication Open Access BCS theory of time-reversal-symmetric Hofstadter-Hubbard model(American Physical Society (APS), 2017) Umucalılar, Rıfat Onur; Department of Physics; Işkın, Menderes; Faculty Member; Department of Physics; College of Sciences; 29659The competition between the length scales associated with the periodicity of a lattice potential and the cyclotron radius of a uniform magnetic field is known to have dramatic effects on the single-particle properties of a quantum particle, e.g., the fractal spectrum is known as the Hofstadter butterfly. Having this intricate competition in mind, we consider a two-component Fermi gas on a square optical lattice with opposite synthetic magnetic fields for the components, and study its effects on the many-body BCS-pairing phenomenon. By a careful addressing of the distinct superfluid transitions from the semimetal, quantum spin-Hall insulator, or normal phases, we explore the low-temperature phase diagrams of the model, displaying lobe structures that are reminiscent of the well-known Mott-insulator transitions of the Bose-Hubbard model.