James Smay, Ph.D.
Education
Ph.D., Materials Science and Engineering
University of Illinois, 2002
B. S., Mechanical Engineering
Oklahoma State University, 1996
Major Areas of Interest
Materials Science
Direct Write Manufacturing
Colloidal Processing of Materials
Rheology of Complex Fluids
Encouraging STEM Education in the Native American Community
Recent Research Activities
The Smay group focuses its efforts on colloidal assembly processes to enable novel devices. The main technique employs the direct writing of colloidal gel based inks. The inks consist of sub-micron particles of ceramic (Al2O3, ZrO2, SiO2, BaTiO2, Pb(ZrxTi1-x)O3, hydroxyl(apatite)), metal (Cu, Ni), and polymer (acrylics, PLGA) suspended in aqueous media. A number of devices are under investigation based on printing of structures that are difficult or impossible to construct using traditional manufacturing techniques. These include photonic band gap crystals, bone scaffolds, all-ceramic dental crowns, and metal-ceramic composites.
The Smay lab is equipped for powder processing, advanced rheological measurement, thermal treatment of ceramics, metals, and polymers, and particle size and zeta potential measurements.
Recent Publications
- Silva, N., L Witek, P. Coelho, V. Thompson, E. Rekow, J. Smay. “Additive CAD/CAM Process for Dental Prostheses.: Journal of Prosthodontics Research I, Accepted 2010.
- Seo, J., and J. E. Smay.“Formation of TiO Fibers by Electrochemical Reduction of TiO2 in molten CaC12.” Electrochemisty Communications, submitted July, 2010.
- Smay, J. E., and J. A. Lewis.‘Solid Freeform of Ceramics.” In Processing of Ceramics and Composites, ed. Banssal, N. P., and R. Aldo., submitted July 2010.
- Xu, J., C. Zhu, and J. E. Smay.“Aqueous Carbon Black Colloidal Gel for Direct Write Assembly.” Journal of the American Ceramic Society, submitted, July 2010.
- Zhu, C., and J. E. Smay.“Thixotropic Rheology of Concentrated Alumina Colloidal Gels for Solid Freeform Fabrication.” Journal of Rheology, submitted July, 2010.
- Jourard, N., E. Friis, J. Xu, and J.E. Smay.“Mechanical Properties of Three-Dimensional, Periodic Porous Nickle.” Advanced Functional Materials, in preparation, 2010.
- Xu, J., and J. E. Smay.“Direct Write Assembly and Sintering of Three-Dimensional, Periodic Porous Nickle.” Advanced Functional Materials, in preparation, 2010.