Achievement

IGERT trainee Eusebio Cabrera, participated in a research project entitled New Approach to Electromagnetic Interference (EMI) Shielding of Plastic Parts via Nanopaper in mold coating (IMC). The goal of this research is to be able to provide EMI shielding and surface protection to plastic parts by combining the use of nanopaper with in mold coating. The critical step of this process is to develop nanopapers with enough strength so that they can take the surface stresses developed during the injection molding process. Eusebio a PhD student in Industrial and Systems Engineering has been closely collaborating with a research team that includes a Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering student. The focus of the CBE student is to develop surface functionalization for the Carbon Nano Fibers so that the strength of the nanopaper is increased. Eusebio is also investigating a new approach to manufacture the nanopaper using centrifugal force, to facilitate the consolidation and filtering part.