Postal address: Avdelningen för fysik och elektroteknik, Linköping University Campus Norrköping, SE-601 74 Norrköping
Visiting address: Bredgatan 33, Norrköping
Web page: http://fe.itn.liu.se/?l=en
Contact person: Professor Magnus Willander, Leads the Physical Electronics and Nanotechnology research group. Phone: +46 (0)11 36 31 67
Research connected to South Asia
Physics and nanotechnology Research Group web page:
http://www.itn.liu.se/fe.itn.liu.se/fysikalisk-elektronik?l=en
Professor Magnus Willander (photo to the left) leads a research group focusing on both “bottom-up” and “top-down” approaches in the field of physics and nanotechnology. They use diverse methodology for growth and design of ZnO nanostructures and their applications, e.g. Fabrication of light emitting diodes, laser, UV and infrared detector technology, photonic applications, medical applications covering extra- and intracellular sensors and mechanical applications.
The research group has members from several developing countries, including many PhD candidates from Pakistan: Riaz Mohammad; Muhammad Israr Qadir; Sadaf Jamil Rana; Muhammad Asif; Kishwar Sultana; Naveed ul Hassan Alvi; Nargis Bano; Syed Muhammad Usman Ali; Saima Zaman; Gul Amin; Kamran ul Hasan; Mazhar Ali Abbasi; and Muhammad Yousuf Soomro.
Full list of members in the research group.
Professor Willander is involved in research collaboration with Dr. Zaki Ahmed at COMSATS Institute of Information Technology (CIIT) in Lahore, Pakistan. In October 2012, they received a Swedish Research Links (Asian–Swedish research partnership programme) grant on SEK 750 000 for their project on “Generation of hydrofobic surface for improved corrosion and nano mechanical properties“.
See the full list of South Asia related projects given Swedish Research Links gants 2012.
Project abstract: Attempts have been made in recent years to mimic nature in engineering designs. Scientists and engineers have been inspired by the water and dust repulsion properties of lotus flower, water strider and butterflies to produce water and dust repellent engineering surfaces. This proposal aims to produce water repellent, dust repellent and antifogging engineering surfaces on metals. The objectives would be achieved by preparing a critical surface through sandblasting and chemical etching. Low energy materials such as polydimethyl siloxane (PDMS) would be used because of their intrinsic hydrophobic property. Special additive such as flour alkyl silane would be added to enhance hydrophobicity. The bumpy sites typical of lotus leaves would be created by laser etching. Experimental surface would be created examined by scanning electron microscopy. Contact angle measurements would be made to evaluate water repellency. Surfaces would be evaluated for water resistance, fog resistance, dust repulsion, environmental contamination. The success of the work would depend on how hydrophobic surface is obtained. The surface if properly developed will have the potential to be utilized in micro/ Nano devices, paints, transportation pipelines and textiles.
The Nano structure super hydrophobic surfaces would be prepared at COMSATS Institute of Information Technology (photo) and work on Nano indentation, surface morphology, X-Ray spectroscopy and wet angle measurements would be conducted in Sweden. The samples would be sent to Swedish University. whereas hydrophobicity has been done in the past, the work on the corrosion resistance and dust repellency is needed to be done. Successful collaboration would produce Nano structured anti-corrosion, anti-friction, anti-dust and hydrophobic surfaces for application in microelectronics, paints, navigation devices, navigation automotive and aerospace industry. The collaboration could make an industrial impact in Pakistan as well as in Sweden.
On 3 November 2015 the Swedish Research Council awarded a Swedish Research Links grant to Professor Per Hammarström for a project titled Is Chronic Arsenic Posioning Associated With Protein Aggregrate Pathology? in collaboration with Quazi Quamruzzaman from Dhaka Community Hospital. The project has been awarded a total amount of SEK 840 000. Introduced by Sida and the Swedish Research Council in 2002, Swedish Research Links aim to stimulate cooperation between researchers in Sweden and those in selected developing countries.
Project description
Dhaka Community Hospital (DCH) played a pioneering role in bringing the arsenic issue to the attention of the world by detecting the serious health problems caused by arsenic contamination in the ground water of Bangladesh. At present it runs many projects in arsenic affected areas, including testing of tube wells, awareness campaigns, patient management, arsenic mitigation and action research. The next step is this research field is to study the health effects of arsenic among children in Bangladesh. The infrastructure at DCH includes research staff, laboratory facilities, computer networks, and clinical staff that will facilitate the completion of this important project.