Current Research
The human body has long been a source of wonderment and inspiration for scientists and engineers alike. Recent biological research has described the processes of this highly complex and ever dynamic system to have their origins at the nanoscale level. More specifically, functional macro molecules are the engines that enable many of the body's most elegant tasks which range from muscle contraction to tissue self-assembly. Current research in the fields of synthetic and biological chemistry has provided engineers with access to similar functional macro molecules that may be the foundation by which future nanoactuators and nanofabrication techniques are established.
Synthetic motor molecules have shown promise as nanoactuators due to their ability to be engineered specifically for an application. In particular, the [2]rotaxane molecular muscle uses electrostatic repulsion to power linear actuation. My previous efforts have demonstrated that the [2]rotaxane's actuation potential is not limited to the solution state UV-visable spectroscopy studies of its inventors, but rather, is fully realized in solid state monolayer films. This was achieved by the oxidation of the motor molecule while firmly mounted on a Si substrate via the Langmuir-Blodgett technique. X-Ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) tracked the actuating ring of the molecule and proved its motion. With this in mind, a self-assembled monolayer of rotaxane molecules was covalently bound to a micro cantilever (500 µm). The actuation of the motor molecule produced strain on the upper surface of the cantilever, causing it to bend upwards in a reproducible and repeatable manner. This proof of concept is the first to demonstrate the use of functional macro molecules as an actuation mechanism for a micro system. Currently, atomic force microscopy (AFM) measurements are being performed to investigate the force produced by a single rotaxane molecule. These single molecule force probing measurements involve specific binding to the AFM probe and force profiling as the motor molecule is ripped apart. By comparing the force curve generated by oxidized and ground state molecules, we will be able to determine the energy barrier that is responsible for the molecule's actuation. These studies will all assist in the production of a hybrid bottom-up/top-down nanoscale device powered by macro molecules.
Promising functional molecules are not limited to synthetic actuators. Natural occurring muscle proteins self assemble at the molecular level to form highly complex systems. By allowing specific proteins to self assemble while carefully dictating their electrical, chemical, and physical surroundings, we are finding that we can alter the resulting structures into favorable geometries. Thus far, actin filaments have been shown to assemble into perfect rings of a finite diameter which we can then separate and position within a micromachined system. By integrating biological self assembly with conventional MEMS fabrication techniques, a new paradigm will arise in bio-templating allowing for a higher level of complexity and detail.
Research funded by and/or associated with: CMISE, CNSI, DARPA, NIH, NSF, SINAM
Education
- Ph.D. UCLA, School of Engineering and Applied Science, Mechanical Engineering, MEMS, expected 2005
- M.S. UCLA, School of Engineering and Applied Science, Mechanical Engineering, MEMS, 2003
- B.S. UCLA, School of Engineering and Applied Science, Mechanical Engineering, Emphasis in Fluid Mechanics, 2000
Work Experience
Design and Research Engineer, The Aerospace Corporation, 2001
- Designed and manufactured MEMS microfluidic devices for capillary electrophoresis
- Developed testing procedure and investigated chip performance with regard to mixed amino acid separation and detection using florescence
Manufacturing Engineer, Jim Henson Creature Shop, 2000-2001
- Design team member for film animatronics and robotics
- Manufacturing of animatronics in machine shop
Undergraduate Research Engineer, UCLA - Dr. Ho’s MicroBat Project, 1999
- Design, manufacture and test 4 inch wingspan, self-powered ornathopter
Graduate Student Researcher, UCLA - Dr. Ho's Group, 2000 - present
- See above
Publications
Journal papers:
- Tony Jun Huang et al., A Nanomechanical Device Based on Linear Molecular Motors, Applied Physics Letters , Vol. 85, No. 22, pp. 5131-5472, Nov. 29, 2004. (cover image)
- Tony Jun Huang et al., Mechanical Shuttling of Motor-Molecules on Solid Substrates, Nano Letters , Vol. 4, No. 11, pp. 2065-2071, Nov. 10, 2004.
- Yi Liu et al., Linear Artificial Molecular Muscles, Journal of American Chemical Society, Vol. 127, pp. 9745-9759, 2005.
- Tony Jun Huang et al., Understanding and Harnessing Biomimetic Molecular Machines for NEMS Actuation Materials, IEEE Transactions on Automation Science and Engineering, Vol. 3, No. 3, pp. 254-259, July 2006.
- Branden Brough et al., Evaluation of Synthetic Linear Motor-Molecule Actuation Energetics, to be submitted to Science , 2005.
- Branden Brough et al., Evaluation of Synthetic Linear Motor-Molecule Actuation Energetics, PNAS, Vol. 103, No. 23, pp. 8583-8588, June 6, 2006.
Conference papers and presentations:
- Andrew Fung et al., Fluorescent Detection of Oral Pathogens by a Solid-Phase Immunoassay on PDMS, 27th Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society (EMBS) , Shanghai, China, September 1-4, 2005.
- Andrew Fung et al., Fluorescent Detection of Oral Pathogens by a Solid-Phase Immunoassay on PDMS, Biophysical Society 49 th Annual Meeting , Long Beach , CA , February 12-16, 2005 .
- Tony Jun Huang et al. , A Nano-Chemo-Mechanical Actuator Based on Artificial Molecular Machines , MEMS 2005, Miami, FL, January 30-Febuary 3, 2005.
- Branden Brough et al. , Artificial Molecular Motors for Nanoactuation and Beyond, CNSI-CeNS Workshop, UCSB, Santa Barbara, CA, March 15-17, 2004.
- Tony Jun Huang et al. , From Synthetic Motor Molecules to Functional Nanomechanical Devices, 3 rd Annual Southern California Biomedical Engineering Symposium, Los Angeles , CA , January 24, 2004 .
- Tony Jun Huang et al. , Molecular Shuttle Switching in Closely Packed Langmuir Films, 11th Foresight Conference on Molecular Nanotechnology, San Francisco , CA , October 10-12, 2003.
- Branden Brough et al. , Characterization of Individiual Molecular Ring Translation Through AFM, Biomolecular Motors (BMM) Annual Principle Investigators Conference, San Francisco , CA , August 19-20, 2003 .
- Branden Brough et al. , Motion Control of Bio-molecules in Fluidics, Recent Highlights in the Nanoworld, Wildbad Kreuth, Germany, October 6-9, 2002.
- Tony Jun Huang et al. , Demonstration of [2]Rotaxane Mechanical Switching in Closely Packed Langmuir-Film, CNSI Nanotriangle Meeting, Marina del Rey, CA, July 9, 2002 .
- Branden Brough et al. , Characterization of [2]Rotaxane-Based Langmuir-Blodgett Films, the First International Conference on Nanoscale/Molecular Mechanics (N/MM-I), Maui , HI , May 12-17, 2002 .
Miscellaneous
Awards
- 2003 - Saint Paul Foundation Scholarship - John H. Bent Memorial Fund
- 2002 - First International School and Conference on Nanoscale/Molecular Mechanics (N/M2-I) Scholarship
- 1993 - Boy Scouts of America - Eagle Scout
Member of CNSI Outreach Committee, 2002 - present
- design nanoscale relevant experiments for underprivileged Los Angeles high school students (over 35 teachers and 4,200 students involved per year)
- prepare and distribute experimental kits and train high school science teachers how to use them in the classroom
- http://voh.chem.ucla.edu/outreach.php3
Editor for Spheres, CNSI's quarterly magazine, 2003 - present
- Edit the UCLA Nanosystems Seminar Series review submissions
- http://www.cnsi-uc.org/mainpage.html
Leader of Jr. High Youth Group for local community church, 1998 - present
- over 100 attendees weekly plus weekend outings (House building in Mexico, skiing, bowling, etc)
Member of UCLA's Den, 2003 - present
- responsible for encouraging and organizing student body support of all UCLA athletic competitions and events
- Creator, writer and editor of "The Dirt from the Den," a student newsletter published online and distributed at the Rose Bowl and Pauley Pavilion for all home football and basketball games
- http://www.studentgroups.ucla.edu/theden/
Contact Info
Mailing Address:
48-121 Engineering IV
420 Westwood Plaza
Los Angeles, CA 90095
Phone: 310-825-9540
Fax: 310-825-1350
Email: bqbrough@ucla.edu