Michael C. McAlpine | Assistant Professor
B.S. Brown University (2000) | Ph.D. Harvard University (2006)
Nanomaterials | Nanomechanics | Bio-Nano Interfaces | Biointerfaced Nanodevices
Research activities in the McAlpine Group have focused on nanotechnology-enabled approaches to interfacing materials with vastly distinct mechanical properties, for fundamental investigations in the biomedical and energy sciences.
The development of a method for interfacing high performance inorganics with flexible, stretchable, and biocompatible polymers could yield breakthroughs in implantable or wearable systems. Yet, most high quality materials are hard or rigid in nature, and the crystallization of these materials generally requires high temperatures for maximally efficient performance. These properties render the corresponding devices incompatible with temperature-sensitive soft materials such as plastic, rubber, and tissue.
Nanotechnology provides a route for overcoming these dichotomies, by altering the mechanics of materials while improving their performance. Current work in particular focuses on two broad research themes: Nanoscale Piezoelectrics and Biomimetic Nanosensing.
