Smart nanoparticle coating system

We are developing a Smart Nanoparticle Coating System that turns dip coating into a programmable, closed-loop manufacturing process. The platform is built on a sharp, quantitative understanding of three coupled physical levers: aggregation dynamics set the size distribution of nanoparticle clusters in suspension, capillary filtering at the meniscus that selectively admits or rejects clusters by size (Colosqui, Morris & Stone, Phys. Rev. Lett. 110, 188302, 2013), and an AI-assisted optical system that monitors the coating in real time and provides feedback control of withdrawal speed and meniscus curvature. By controlling these levers together, the system delivers low-cost, scalable, and precise deposition of nanoparticle films with capabilities that are difficult to achieve by conventional coating: size and chemical selectivity of the deposited particles, targeted porosity, tunable structural order, and engineered inverse or double-layer stratification; all from a single, instrumented dip-coating pass.

We are seeking an industry partner to co-design the translational research that moves this system from the laboratory bench to a production-relevant setting. The partnership would involve joint definition of target coatings and performance specifications, technical advising on integration and scale-up constraints, and potentially hosting a PhD student or postdoctoral associate to test and validate the system within the partner's own manufacturing environment. In return, the partner gains early, hands-on access to a differentiated coating capability, direct influence over its development priorities, and a low-risk route to evaluating precision nanoparticle films for their specific products and processes. We welcome the opportunity to discuss how the system's capabilities map onto particular coating applications and to shape a collaboration around them.