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Graduate Student Presentations

September 27 @ 1:30 pm - 2:30 pm MDT

Graphene Foam as an Active Bioscaffold for Cartilage Tissue Engineering

Presenter: Mone’t Sawyer

Articular cartilage (AC) damage is a common issue that can progress to osteoarthritis, a degenerative joint disease. Tissue engineering seeks to repair these damaged tissues; however, replicating the complexity of human tissues—considering their functional, structural, and hierarchical intricacies—remains a significant challenge. In recent years, AC tissue engineering has advanced from simple 2D cell cultures on flat surfaces to more sophisticated 3D architectures. The use of 3D bioscaffolds aims to replicate the native AC environment, as the material properties of these scaffolds are known to influence cell behavior and promote tissue formation. Graphene foam (GF), a porous material with unique properties, offers an innovative platform for directing cell behavior by delivering localized physical stimuli to encourage tissue growth. This study examines the impact of electrical stimulation on chondrocyte progenitor cells cultured on GF, focusing on its influence on cell behavior and the mechanical properties of the resulting GF-tissue constructs.

Formulation of two-dimensional inks for additive manufacturing of energy storage devices

Presenter Fereshteh Rajabi Kouchi

Global issues like environmental hazards, depletion of fossil fuel reserves, and increased pollution are accelerating due to global economic growth, urbanization, and higher living standards. As a result, there is an urgent need for sustainable, clean energy sources and technologies. Supercapacitors have emerged as promising energy storage devices due to their high power density, fast charge-discharge rates, and reliability. Additive manufacturing, especially aerosol jet printing (AJP), offers a low-cost, high-resolution method for producing flexible electronic devices, including supercapacitors. Two-dimensional materials like MXenes and transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) are potential electrode materials for these devices, thanks to their conductivity, mechanical stability, and electrochemical properties. This talk focuses on developing 2D material inks compatible with AJP for fabricating supercapacitors and understanding their energy storage mechanisms.