Sep. 27, 2022

In pursuit of better lithium-ion batteries

MU researchers Matthias J. Young (left) and Xiaoqing He are using a $500,000 grant from NSF to explore a key technical challenge preventing lithium-ion batteries from achieving optimal energy performance. By Eric Stann  |  MU News Bureau From personal electronics to electric vehicles, lithium-ion batteries are used in many technologies today. Over the last 30 years, scientists have worked to improve the overall safety and performance of these batteries by converting a key component, called electrolytes, from liquid to solid — partly due to an issue of the liquid being flammable. Yet, while solid-state lithium-ion batteries — using solid electrolytes…

Aug. 25, 2022

Building polymers one molecule at a time

A Mizzou Engineering researcher has demonstrated a new method of controlling material behavior by building polymers molecule-by-molecule. Polymers are made of long, repeating chains of single molecules known as monomers. In this study, Matthias Young — an assistant professor of biomedical, biological and chemical engineering — focused on monomers that exhibit high electrochemical capabilities, making them good candidates to serve as electrode materials for energy storage. Young and others have previously demonstrated that they could grow inorganic films onto carbon electrodes to make fast-charging batteries and supercapacitors, through a process known as atomic layer deposition. However, scaling up…

Aug. 22, 2022

Interdisciplinary team uses light as an innovative treatment to prevent tongue weakness in ALS

An interdisciplinary research team at Mizzou is investigating a novel treatment to prevent tongue muscle degeneration and preserve swallowing function in patients suffering from ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis).

Aug. 8, 2022

Mizzou Engineers develop new method to design semiconductors

A new way to make semiconductors:Topology (A) and phase (B) imagery of the functionalized zone after zinc oxide atomic layer deposition. Mizzou Engineers have come up with a novel new technique to design semiconductors, the chips that make your phones, laptops and other devices not only smart, but also compact. Matthias Young and Matt Maschmann outlined a proof of concept for their technique in a recent issue of Nano Select and worked with the Technology Advancement Office to file an application to patent the work. Now, they’re hoping to scale up and optimize the process to make…

July 25, 2022

BBCE Spring 2022 Capstone Projects

Seniors in the Department of Biomedical, Biological and Chemical Engineering conclude their coursework with a semester-long capstone project. Through these capstones, students apply their classroom learning to develop prototypes to solve real-world issues.

July 13, 2022

Mizzou team develops system that detects cancerous mutations in a single molecule

A Mizzou research team has developed a two-part system that accurately detects cancerous mutations in a single molecule of genetic material (DNA). But wait, there’s more. Biomedical and Biological Engineering Professor Li-Qun “Andrew” Gu and his collaborators also believe his nanopore machine could have the ability to read digital data stored on DNA. The team recently filed a patent for the work. This drawing depicts the nano device system. In the medical application, researchers devised a more accurate way to detect molecular mutations by capturing individual genetic markers. This can help doctors not only predict cancer…

June 27, 2022

Personal health trackers may include smart face mask, other wearables

Zheng Yan, an assistant professor of biomedical, biological and chemical engineering recently published two studies demonstrating different ways to improve wearable bioelectronic devices.

May 13, 2022

Mizzou celebrates opening of MU Materials Science & Engineering Institute

A new institute at Mizzou will advance collaboration around materials research and education across campus. University and College leaders celebrated the grand opening of the MU Materials Science & Engineering Institute (MUMSEI) at a symposium and ribbon cutting event on Friday.

May 10, 2022

Engineering faculty recognized for patents that take research to market

When Mizzou Engineering’s top faculty aren’t teaching the next generation of engineers, they’re busy collaborating with medical, plant science and other researchers across campus to make life better for the rest of us.

April 13, 2022

Engineering undergraduates present research at Missouri Capitol

Missouri lawmakers this week heard about how Mizzou Engineering researchers are turning byproducts into nutritious foods, assessing water quality in the state and improving the accuracy of large-scale smart city synthetic environments