Our major research interests are in polymer engineering of nanomaterials and nanotechnology with applications to Bio-Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (BioMEMS). MEMS emerged from IC manufacturing and is gaining applications in biomedical and optical communications fields. In the nano- or micron-size range, surface forces play important roles. We need to re-examine the transport equations as well as constitutive relations. In BioMEMS, we are developing affordable new techniques for micro/nanoarray and micro/nanofluidics biochips, and biosensors, multifunctional nanoparticles for drug and gene delivery, and cell-based drug delivery devices. Major applications are cancer detection and treatment, and cell reprogramming for regenerative medicine.

Surface functionalization and dispersion of nanoparticles, fluid flow, and fiber wetting during filling, heat transfer and fiber-matrix bonding during curing, and the effect of macro- and micro-changes on the properties of molded composites are the major research issues. Processing examples include extrusion, injection molding, liquid composite molding, compression molding of sheet molding compounds (SMC), autoclave curing of prepregs, nanocomposite foaming, and nanopaper formation.