Seminar 12th January 2011 4 p.m. University of Southampton, Building 7, Room 3023
"An Investigation into Separation Enhancement Methods for Miniaturised Planar Capillary Electrophoresis Devices" and "Finite Modelling of Creep/Relaxation of UHMWPE"
Adam Lewis/Federico Quinci
nCATS, SES, University of Southampton
- Web page
- http://www.soton.ac.uk/ses/research/nCATS/
- Categories
- Finite elements, Tribology
- Submitter
- Petrina Butler
Adam Lewis
An Investigation into Separation Enhancement Methods for Miniaturised Planar Capillary Electrophoresis Devices
The analysis capability of field portable instruments and devices for in-situ detection is often limited due to cost, complexity and spatial restrictions. More powerful analysis tools incorporated on a miniaturised device enables users to achieve a more in-depth examination of the sample or environment being evaluated with a quick response time.
The aim of our project is to enable the prediction of structural failure through development of a device capable of regular monitoring of corrosion within structures. The analysis method we have elected to use is capillary electrophoresis.
There has been significant research effort reported in the literature for improving miniaturised capillary electrophoresis systems alongside lab-on-a-chip applications. Our approach addresses methods to improve the separation resolution of capillary electrophoresis on microfluidic devices without compromising device size and avoiding complex chemical buffering systems which often tend to be application specific. The separation resolution of capillary electrophoresis can be enhanced by dynamic control of the electroosmotic flow which is possible through control of the zeta-potential using an electrode close to the separation channel surface. This method is novel and is of particular interest to researchers in the area of miniaturised capillary electrophoresis. The techniques described, developed and evaluated in this report will be suitable for implementation into a variety of applications. The methods should make the incorporation of capillary electrophoresis as an analytical tool in portable field instruments or in-situ monitoring applications more feasible.
Federico Quinci
Finite Modelling of Creep/Relaxation of UHMWPE
The production of wear debris due to wear of polyethylene in a Total Knee Replacement (TKR) has been implicated in osteolysis lesion development, and may lead to implant loosening and surgery revision. UHMWPE is a nonlinear viscoelastic material (small strain) and is subject to changes in surface profile under load. These changes in surface profile (penetration) can be considered as a combination between a deformation caused by creep and wear. The clinical interest of separating these two contributes of penetration, is to compute the true wear rates in vivo. The objective of the present work so far was to replicate creep/relaxation experiments using finite elements (FE) models.
Refreshments will be provided, please bring your own mug if you can.
Contact
Dr. Richard Cook
national Centre for Advanced Tribology at Southampton (nCATS)
School of Engineering Sciences
University of Southampton
Tel: 023 8059 3761
e-mail: r.b.cook@soton.ac.uk