MICRO/NANOTECHNOLOGY RESEARCH TARGETING RENEWABLE ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES AND THE OIL & GAS INDUSTRY

The purpose of this Startup Research Proposal is to establish Dr. Zayd Lesemans research program at KFUPM. Dr. Leseman was recently hired into the Mechanical Engineering Department and will arrive at KFUPM in August of 2019. His research focuses on multi-physics analysis, design, characterization, and manufacturing of nanostructured materials as applied to the renewable energy sector and oil & gas industry. This proposal covers the expenses necessary for the setup of Dr. Lesemans office and basic needs for his research laboratory as well as initial research in theoretically developing an OptoMechanical Load Cell (OMLC). The OMLC will apply forces in the range of fN to N and will be used for material characterization of nanotubes, nanoparticles, and thin films. Characterization of these types of materials has applications in the renewable energy sector, the semiconductor industry, and oil & gas industry. This capability will enable collaborations with Dr. Zain Yamani and his Center for Research Excellence in Nanotechnology (CENT) as well as faculty within the Mechanical Engineering department such as Dr. Bekir Yilbas and Dr. Hussain Al-Qahtani. These activities will be presented in a conference paper and presentation at the American Society of Mechanical Engineers International Mechanical Engineering Conference and Exposition (ASME - IMECE) in November 2019 and will result in at least one peer reviewed journal paper. Future research proposals will build on work from this startup grant by expanding Dr. Lesemans research lab, turning it into an experimental testing and fabrication facility in order to support the theoretical modeling of this proposal.