Projects

@article{J24c,

title = {Plastics adsorption and removal by {2D} ultrathin iron oxide nanodiscs: From micro to nano},

author = {Y. Cao and C. I. Sathish and Z. Li and M. I. Ahmed and V. Perumalsamy and C. Cao and C. Yu and B. Wijerathne and A. J. Fleming and L. Qiao and S. Wang and J. Yi},

url = {https://www.precisionmechatronicslab.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/J24c.pdf},

doi = {10.1016/j.cej.2024.154610},

isbn = {1385-8947},

year  = {2024},

date = {2024-10-01},

journal = {Chemical Engineering Journal},

volume = {497},

pages = {154610},

abstract = {The escalation of microplastics/nanoplastics (MPs/NPs) contamination in aqueous systems has ignited considerable concern. Magnetic separation has emerged as a promising remedy for the removal of these pollutants, owing to its notable removal efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and environmentally friendly attributes. This study presents the utilization of ultra-thin magnetic Fe3O4 nanodiscs (NDs) for the adsorption and separation of MPs/NPs. Investigations revealed that these NDs could effectively adsorb/remove MPs/NPs across a spectrum ranging from micro- to nano-scale, exhibiting a notable adsorption capacity of 188.4 mg g−1. Mechanistically, MPs/NPs adsorption was driven by both electrostatic and magnetic forces originating from the vortex domain of NDs, which can be well described by pseudo-first-order and Sips models. Furthermore, the NDs exhibited outstanding reusability, maintaining over 90 % removal efficiency even after undergoing five cycles. This research introduces a cost-effective method for the separation of MPs/NPs, representing a significant stride in wastewater treatment methodologies.},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{J24b,

title = {Thermal Protection of Piezoelectric Actuators Using Complex Electrical Power Measurements and Simplified Thermal Models},

author = {Y. K. Yong and A. A. Eielsen and A. J. Fleming},

url = {https://www.precisionmechatronicslab.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/J24b.pdf},

doi = {10.1109/TMECH.2023.3277437},

isbn = {1083-4435},

year  = {2024},

date = {2024-06-01},

urldate = {2024-01-01},

journal = {IEEE/ASME Transactions on Mechatronics},

volume = {29},

issue = {1},

abstract = {This article describes a method for estimating the temperature of high-power piezoelectric actuators when a direct temperature measurement is impractical. The heat flow is estimated from the real component of the electrical power; then, the temperature is estimated by a transfer function that approximates the thermal response of the system. The transfer function can be derived analytically from a lumped-element approximation or calibrated experimentally by using a system identification method. The proposed method is demonstrated on a piezoelectric stack actuator used in a high-speed nanopositioning device. A second-order transfer function estimates the temperature to within 3  ∘ C of a reference measurement for a range of operating conditions. The proposed method is suitable for protecting piezoelectric actuators in applications where direct temperature measurement is impractical, for example, due to space or wiring constraints.},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{J24a,

title = {Feasibility of gold nanocones for collocated tip-enhanced Raman spectroscopy and atomic force microscope imaging },

author = {L. R. McCourt and B. S. Routley and M. G. Ruppert and A. J. Fleming},

url = {https://www.precisionmechatronicslab.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/J24a.pdf},

doi = {10.1002/jrs.6625},

issn = {1097-4555},

year  = {2024},

date = {2024-03-01},

urldate = {2024-03-01},

journal = {Journal of Raman Spectroscopy},

volume = {55},

issue = {3},

pages = {336-346},

abstract = {Microcantilever probes for tip-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (TERS) have a grainy metal coating that may exhibit multiple plasmon hotspots near the tip apex, which may compromise spatial resolution and introduce imaging artefacts. It is also possible that the optical hotspot may not occur at the mechanical apex, which introduces an offset between TERS and atomic force microscope maps. In this article, a gold nanocone TERS probe is designed and fabricated for 638 nm excitation. The imaging performance is compared to grainy probes by analysing high-resolution TERS cross-sections of single-walled carbon nanotubes. Compared to the tested conventional TERS probes, the nanocone probe exhibited a narrow spot diameter, comparable optical contrast, artefact-free images, and collocation of TERS and atomic force microscope topographic maps. The spot diameter was 12.5 nm and 19 nm with 638 nm and 785 nm excitation, respectively. These results were acquired using a single gold nanocone probe to experimentally confirm feasibility. Future work will include automating the fabrication process and statistical analysis of many probes.},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}