Author: Scott Bree | Major: Mechanical Engineering | Semester: Spring 2023

After finishing Spring 2023 and completing my fourth semester of nanoparticle research in Dr. David Huitink’s mechanical engineering lab, I have learned so much about the research process and am thankful for the opportunities I have gained through research. Majoring in mechanical engineering and taking additional biomedical engineering courses, my main goal is to engineer solutions to healthcare challenges. After meeting with Dr. Huitink and learning about a project in his lab using nanoparticles to treat cancer through hyperthermia, my interest was sparked, and I joined the lab. I knew nothing about nanoparticles but was eager to learn.

I started out assisting with the hyperthermia project, and then it was time to start my own project. Dr. Huitink suggested looking into use of superparamagnetic nanoparticles to drive chemical reactions, as these nanoparticles heat up when exposed to an alternating magnetic field and could produce a unique heating distribution in the reactant mixture compared to traditional hot plate heating. The nature of the heating distribution and its implications on reaction rates were unknown, so it was interesting to explore the uncharted territory.

At the beginning of the research process, I cautiously planned every step I would make. I designed an idealized reaction setup and assumed it would work perfectly the first try. After several attempts, I realized it was more complicated—it would require many rounds of modifications and testing to achieve a working setup, and several more modifications would come over the next semesters. While difficult at times, I learned to enjoy the iterative modification process and the gratification that comes with successful improvements in the design. Along the way, I improved problem solving, time management, and data analysis skills.

This past semester, I used my most updated version of the testing setup to gather some heating and reaction data. The setup has an aqueous nanoparticle suspension in a vessel that is placed either inside the induction coil or on the hot plate. A pipette containing hydrogen peroxide is attached to the vessel with an airtight seal. The hydrogen peroxide is added to the nanoparticle suspension and decomposes into oxygen gas and water at elevated temperatures, and this reaction is monitored by the collection of oxygen gas that travels through tubing to a graduated cylinder where it is measured. Using a thermocouple, I measured the temperatures of the nanoparticles at a set concentration using varying settings on the hot plate and induction heater over several minutes. Next, I interpolated this data to find the hot plate settings producing temperature curves corresponding most closely to three particular induction heater settings. Finally, I performed the reactions at each induction heater and corresponding hot plate setting, with three replicates for each setting type.

The results did not show a clear advantage of hot plate or induction heating for facilitation of the reaction. However, with modified methods and further testing, a trend may be revealed. While most of the hot plate temperature curves were relatively similar to induction heating curves, they did not align perfectly, so it is difficult to isolate the effects of the heating method from simple temperature difference effects. This can be alleviated by matching induction heater settings to hot plate settings instead of vice versa because of a higher level of precision possible in the induction heater setting changes. Further, nanoparticles easily fell out of suspension, which may decrease the effects of the nanoparticle heating distribution. I am working on a stirring mechanism to prevent this in future testing.

Over the course of my research, I have met regularly with my mentor for guidance, which greatly helped with troubleshooting issues and determining next steps. I also gave presentations to the lab team, through which I received helpful feedback that guided my next directions. There were several points in the research process during which I would not know how to proceed without this feedback, so I am very grateful for the help.

Additionally, my research experience and mentor support helped me to get a research fellowship at UAMS in Little Rock over summer 2022 where I was immersed into biomedical research techniques and investigated the cross talk between osteocytes and breast cancer cells in bone metastatic breast cancer. It was a great learning experience and chance to explore another side of research.

I have enjoyed the opportunities and experiences that research has brought me and look forward to improving the nanoparticle reaction setup and seeing future results.