Category: Research

Physics researchers at Michigan Tech produced some results of interactions of boron nitride nanotube (BNNT) and amino acids through the use of density functional theory. The 2011 paper entitled “Sensitivity of Boron Nitride Nanotubes toward Biomolecules of Different Polarities” (DOI: 10.1021/jz2010557) created the following response in a recent experimental paper “Facile and Mild Strategy Toward Biopolymer-Coated Boron Nitride Nanotubes via a Glycine-Assisted Interfacial Process” (DOI: 10.1021/jp4073729):

Inspired by these theoretical investigations, we set about to assess experimentally the interactions of BNNTs with glycine. We discovered that this simple amino acid is remarkably efficient in breaking up pristine BNNT bundles, yielding hydrophilic BNNTs dispersed in water as individual, debundled, nanotubes.

Authors of the theoretical study include Saikat Mukhopadhyay, Ralph H. Scheicher, Ravindra Pandey, and Shashi P. Karna.

Adjunct Assistant Professor of Physics Gowtham attended the HPC (High-Performance Center) Advisory Council Conference and Exascale Workshop at Stanford University in February 2014. Gowtham presented “Streamlining Computing Infrastructure: A Small School’s Experience.”

International Science Grid This Week (iSGTW) interviewed Gowtham regarding the issues and challenges experienced by Michigan Tech during this overhaul of research computing. The interview appeared in the February 12, 2014, article “How one small school streamlined research-computing infrastructure,” by Amber Harmon.

Gowtham is an HPC Research Scientist for Information Technology Services at Michigan Tech. Learn more about high-performance computing at campus.

Professor John Jaszczak (Physics and A. E. Seaman Mineral Museum) published an article “Optically sector zoned (star) diamonds from Zimbabwe,” with co-authors J. Rakovan (Miami Univ.), E. Gaillou (Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County), J. E. Post (Smithsonian Institution) and J. Betts in the latest issue of Rocks and Minerals vol. 89 173-178 (2014).

DOI:10.1080/00357529.2014.842844

From Tech Today.

The 2007 research paper entitled “Physisorption of nucleobases on graphene: Density-functional calculations” has been cited 124 times. The work is from Phys. Rev. B 76, 033401 – published 2 July 2007, by S. Gowtham, Ralph H. Scheicher, Rajeev Ahuja, Ravindra Pandey, and Shashi P. Karna.

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.76.033401

The research concerns first-principles investigation on the relative interaction strengths of the nucleobases with a graphene sheet. The study relates to how the base sequence of DNA can affect its interaction with carbon nanotubes, as observed experimentally.

2014 Graduate Research Colloquium
Memorial Union Building Ballroom

Wednesday, February 19th
Human Impact (A2)
Timing Sunsets with Smartphones: Proof of Concept for a Citizen Science Project that Quantifies the Atmosphere and Supports Astronomical Observations – Teresa Wilson, Physics
Measurement Techniques and Analysis Methodology (A3)
Minimum Principles in Electromagnetic Scattering by Small Aspherical Particles – Ajaree Mongkolsittisilp, Physics

Thursday, February 20th
12:00 PM – 2:00 PM: Measurement Techniques and Analysis Methodologies (B1)
12:00 PM – 12:20 PM: Electric Field Manipulation of Magnetoresistance in a Single Molecular Spin-Valve Device – Kamal Dhungana, Physics

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