AFIT Alumnus Awarded Patent for Nanocrystal-Based Strain-Sensing Technology Published Aug. 15, 2024 By Katie Scott Air Force Institute of Technology Air Force Institute of Technology alumnus Dr. Michael Sherburne was awarded a U.S. patent on July 9 for his innovative work titled “Article Comprising Bonded Substrate Comprising Nanocrystals and Method of Making and Using Same” (Patent No. US 12,031,074 B1). Sherburne pictured during his presentation at the IEEE SENSORS 2023Conference in Vienna, Austria. (Contributed photo) Photo Details / Download Hi-Res WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio -- Air Force Institute of Technology alumnus Dr. Michael Sherburne was awarded a U.S. patent on July 9 for his innovative work titled “Article Comprising Bonded Substrate Comprising Nanocrystals and Method of Making and Using Same” (Patent No. US 12,031,074 B1). “This invention lays the foundation for a strain-sensing nanomaterial-based paint using colloidal quantum dots on a surface designed to promote the integrity of the paint in austere environments,” Sherburne said. “It could be used to optically measure strain in a faster and more accurate way than present methods.” Current nondestructive inspection of airframes involved using eddy current probes or digital imaging correlation. These methods have several limitations, such as being restricted to magnetically sensitive materials, limited resolution due to the size of the probe, high equipment costs, and requiring extensive user training. AFIT Alumnus Awarded Patent for Nanocrystal-Based Strain-Sensing Technology Graphic of a colloidal quantum dot where the inner core (pink), outer shell (yellow), and polymer ligands (black lines) can be seen. Sherburne, M. X-Ray Detection and Strain Sensing Applications of Colloidal Quantum Dots. M.S. Thesis, Air Force Institute of Technology, March 2020. (Contributed graphic)* Photo Details / Download Hi-Res AFIT Alumnus Awarded Patent for Nanocrystal-Based Strain-Sensing Technology Future concept of a handheld camera scanning for surface deformation of an airframe using the nanomaterial-based strain-sensing paint. As the surface is scanned, a 2D strain-surface map is generated for the technician. (Contributed image) Image from: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Hengky-Chandrahalim/publication/359426943_Novel_Quantum_Dot_Technology_Shows_Promise_in_Simplifying_Vehicle_and_Structural_Surface_Inspections/links/623b87cd3818892e0a6c626b/Novel-Quantum-Dot-Technology-Shows-Promise-in-Simplifying-Vehicle-and-Structural-Surface-Inspections.pdf Photo Details / Download Hi-Res AFIT Alumnus Awarded Patent for Nanocrystal-Based Strain-Sensing Technology (a) Illustration of the experimental setup. (b) Labeled photo of the experimental setup. Sherburne, M. X-Ray Detection and Strain Sensing Applications of Colloidal Quantum Dots. M.S. Thesis, Air Force Institute of Technology, March 2020. (Contributed graphic)* *Graphics from: https://pubs.acs.org/doi/full/10.1021/acsami.0c12110 Photo Details / Download Hi-Res Sherburne's patent details a process that utilizes colloidal quantum dots embedded within a polymer, applied to a surface as an optical strain gauge. When the surface experiences strain, the optical emission properties of the colloidal quantum dots change, allowing for the measurement of strain. This method is both cost-effective and capable of providing quick, accurate strain measurements on structures like aircraft. “The material could also be integrated within specialized composites to internally inspect materials from the exterior of the system,” Sherburne added. “Ideally, a technician could use a thermal camera-like handheld device to scan the strain fields of a surface and tag the location of the strain fields with a 3D model in real-time for further analysis offsite. The digital model could also be used to analyze how strain changes over time and use.” Sherburne's research, which formed part of his master’s degree thesis in electrical engineering from AFIT’s Graduate School of Engineering and Management, benefited from the interdisciplinary collaboration at AFIT. “AFIT faculty like Dr. Hengky Chandrahalim are really risk-tolerant for trying new things and exploring new fields,” Sherburne said. “We were able to tag along with a PhD student’s project and conduct tests to explore our ideas. His support was crucial for me to pursue my interest in this area. AFIT encourages tackling complex problems that have operational relevance.” Initial research on this technology focused on smooth surface applications, which are not ideal for operational purposes due to potential deformation and flaking in harsh environments. Sherburne’s work involved roughening the surface to enhance its field applicability, results of which were published in a 2020 paper in the American Chemical Society Applied Materials and Interfaces. The work has garnered significant recognition, leading to multiple articles and high-level accolades. Sherburne and a team of other AFIT alumni, including Capt. Candice Mueller (M.S. Aeronautical Engineering, 2020) and Maj. John Brewer (PhD Aeronautical Engineering, 2020), were top two semifinalists in the Air Force Materiel Command’s 2020 MAJCOM Spark Tank and placed in the top 15 at the Air Force-level competition. “I am pleased to highlight the creativity and dedication of Dr. Michael Sherburne, who began his journey as a graduate student at AFIT,” said Dr. Hengky Chandrahalim, assistant professor of electrical engineering and a co-author with Sherburne on publications related to this work. “Our research on nondestructive strain sensors utilizing quantum dots has garnered significant recognition, including a feature by IEEE Spectrum magazine in October 2023. Notably, this recognition followed the awarding of the 2023 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for advances in quantum dots.” Currently, Sherburne is an advanced technology section supervisor at Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory, where he received an internal Ignition Grant to investigate naval applications of the strain-sensing nanomaterial-based paint. Additionally, Sherburne and Mueller have engaged with Tesseract, the innovation acceleration arm of the Air Force’s Air Staff Logistics Directorate, to seek potential sponsors for continuing the project within the Air Force. “Once we fully understand the science for transitioning, there are numerous other promising integration techniques we can explore with this technology,” Sherburne said. “The possibilities are limitless.”