MAE Seminar: Bio-nanotechnology and Microsystems for Different Industrial Applications

Abstract: The group of biomicrosystems develops bionanocomposites, biosensors, and fluidic and electronic microsystems to monitor and treat aqueous solutions from sweat to industrial wastewaters. The use of different nanotechnology-based synthesis and manufacturing processes to produce inorganic and organic bionanocomposites and functionalized surfaces is a key component in the improvement of several industrial processes and products. In addition, the incorporation of these nanocompounds into IoT and magnetic microfluidic systems (e.g., micromixers, microreactors) allows their use as portable devices that minimize production costs and use of reagents while providing better controlled environments. Our developments have been successfully introduced in the textile, agro, food, oil, plastic, disinfectant, courier and construction industries, and nowadays our group is designing and testing more than 100 nanocompounds per year for industry. Some of our developments include long-term disinfectants against COVID, heavy-metal removal additives for food, energy-reduction additives for oil transportation and ceramics, bionanocomposites to promote water freezing at higher temperatures for food and medicine transportation, different microreactors and bionanocomposites for wastewater treatment, and IoT wearable point-of-care devices. Currently, we are working on magnetic microstructures with bionanocomposites as a proposed model to explore microrobotics for wastewater treatment in association with UCI.

Bio: Johann F. Osma is associate professor of the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering and head of Biomicrosystems Group at Universidad de los Andes (Colombia). He has a doctorate in chemical, environmental and process engineering and a master’s in chemical and environmental engineering from Universitat Rovira i Virigli (Spain); he also has a master's in electronic and computer engineering, and a bachelor's in electronic engineering from Universidad de los Andes. He is currently the general secretary of the Nanoscience and Nanotechnology Network of Colombia (Red NanoColombia). His areas of research include microsensors, biomicrosystems and bionanotechnology. He specializes in the development of commissioned works for the industry, among which include the development of bionanocomposites and microsystems for wastewater treatment, food, textile, plastics, construction, and petroleum industries. Osma has a significant number of indexed publications, mainly in the areas of bionanotechnology and sensors, several invention patents granted in recent years, and numerous software and design records. Through his research group, five companies have been incubated in the last six years, of which two currently subsist. He has participated or helped create more than 15 companies in his life, belonging to two at this time, one dedicated to the generation of bionanotechnological products for agriculture and another dedicated to cooling nanoproducts for food and medicine transportation.