Brian S. Mitchell

Brian graduated with High Distinction with a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Illinois-Urbana in 1986, and received his M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Chemical Engineering from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Nanostructured materials processing is Brian’s primary research area of interest. In particular, his research focuses on the production and characterization of functionalized nanoparticles formed via top-down techniques. Brian's research experiences include an NSF-NATO Postdoctoral Fellowship at the University of Karlsruhe, a German Academic Exchange Fellowship at the University of Freiberg/Sachsen and the German Federal Materials Laboratory, and Alexander Von Humboldt Research Fellowship at the German Aerospace Agency in Cologne, and the Institute for Colloids and Interfaces in Postdam. He is former chair of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE) Materials and Science Division (MESD), former chair of the AIChE New Orleans Local Sections, and is a Fellow of AIChE. He was Associate Provost for Graduate Studies and Research at Tulane from 2006-2014 and was the 2015-16 Council of Graduate Schools (CGS) Dean-in-Residence to the division of Graduate Education at the National Science Foundation. In addition to over 70 peer-reviewed journal articles, conference proceedings and patents, he is the author of the textbook "Materials Engineering and Science for Chemical and Material Engineers". Brian has given numerous national and international presentations on both research and graduate education topics, including over thirty presentations to Louisiana elementary school children through the state's "Speaking of Science" program.

Research Interests

Nanostructured Materials Processing, Additive Manufacturing

Visit Dr. Mitchell's Research Website.

Nanostructured materials are those materials that have some critical dimension on the order of 100 nanometers or less. Our current work focuses on the use of mechano- and sonochemistry to form functionalized nanoparticles with interesting properties. Through manipulation of the particle size, surface functionality, and defect structures, the properties of these nanoparticles can be controlled and tuned for specific applications such as nanoparticle expression vectors, photodynamic therapy agents, battery electrodes, 3D printing, and light harvesting. The images below illustrate how photo luminescent silicon nanoparticles that have been formed and functionalized in Reactive High Energy Ball Milling (RHEBM) can be inkjet printed onto flexible substrates.

Recent Publications

Wright, J., and B.S. Mitchell “Power Law Modeling of Acoustic Cavitation Erosion: The Hemispherical Pit Model,” J Phys D: Appl Phys, DOI: 10.1088/2399-6528/ab0a17, 3:3, 035014 (2019).

Wang, H., Z. Xu, M.J. Fink, D. Shchukin, and B.S. Mitchell, “Functionalized Silicon Nanoparticles from Reactive Cavitation Erosion,” ChemComm,  DOI: 10.1039/C4CC06991A, 51(8), 1465 - 1468 (2015). 

Hallmann, S., M.J. Fink, and B.S. Mitchell, “Williamson Ether Synthesis: An Efficient One-Step Route for Surface Modifications of Silicon Nanoparticles,” J. Exp. Nanosci., DOI:10.1080/17458080.2013.848299, 10(8), 588-598 (2015).

Xu, Z., Y. Li, T. Purkait, B. Zhang, A. Alb, B.S. Mitchell, S.M. Grayson, and M.J. Fink, “Water Soluble PEGylated Silicon Nanoparticles and Their Assembly into Nanoparticle Arrays,” J. Nanopart. Res., DOI 10.1007/s11051-015-2869-9; 17:56, 1-16(2015).

Mitchell, B.S., “Nanostructures from Reactive High-Energy Ball Milling,” in Handbook of Mechanical Nanostructuring, M. Aliofkhazraei, editor, Vol. 2, ISBN 978-3-527-33506-0,  Wiley-VCH,p. 493 (2015).

Li, Kuang, B.S. Mitchell, and M.J. Fink, “Silicon Nanoparticles Synthesized through Reactive High Energy Ball Milling: Enhancement of Optical Properties from the Removal of Iron Impurities,” J. Exp. Nanosci., DOI: 10.1080/17458080.2014.989552 (2015).

Jayawickramarajah, J.; X. Su; L. Kuang, C.H. Battle, T. Shaner, B.S. Mitchell, and M.J. Fink, “A Mild Two-Step Method to Construct DNA-Conjugated Silicon Nanoparticles: Scaffolds for the Detection of MicroRNA-21,” Bioconj. Chem., 25 [10], 1739–1743, DOI: 10.1021/bc5004026, 25(10), 1739-1743 (2014) .

Azizi, A., T. Khosla, B.S. Mitchell, N. Alem, and N.S. Pesika, “Tuning Carbon Content and Morphology of FeCo/Graphitic-carbon Core-shell Nanoparticles using a Salt-Matrix Assisted CVD Process,” Part. Part. Syst. Charact., 31, 474–480, DOI: 10.1002/ppsc.201300259 (2014).

Bhattacharjee, S., IMCM Rietjens, M.P. Singh, R.J. Clark, T.M. Atkins, G.M. Alink, A. Louie, S.M. Kauzlarich, J.G.C. Veinot, M.J Fink, B.S. Mitchell, T. Purkait, A.T.M. Marcelis, and H. Zuilhof, “Cytotoxicity of Surface-functionalized Silicon and Germanium Nanoparticles: The Dominant Role of Surface Charges,” Nanoscale, 5, 4870-4883, DOI: 10.1039/C3NR34266B (2013).

Verdoni, L., M.J. Fink, and B.S. Mitchell, “A Fractionation Process of Mechanochemically-Synthesized Blue Luminescent Alkyl-Passivated Silicon Nanoparticles,” Chem. Eng. J., 72, 591-600, DOI: 10.1016/j.cej.2011.06.033, (2011).

Hallmann, S., M.J. Fink, and B.S. Mitchell, “The Mechanochemical Formation of Functionalized Semiconductor Nanoparticles for Biological, Electronic and Superhydrophobic Surface Applications,” Ceramic Transactions, 229, 129-142 (2011).

Hallmann, S., M.J. Fink, and B.S. Mitchell, “Mechanochemical Synthesis of Functionalized Silicon Nanoparticles with Terminal Chlorine Groups,” J. Mat. Res., 26[8], 1052-1060, DOI: 10.1557/jmr.2011.31 (2011).

Hallmann, S., M.J. Fink, and B.S. Mitchell, “Wetting Properties of Silicon Films from Alkyl-Passivated Particles Produced by Mechanochemical Synthesis,” J. Coll. Int. Sci., 348, 634-641 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2010.05.003 (2010).

Heintz, A.S., M.J. Fink, and B.S. Mitchell, “Silicon Nanoparticles with Chemically Tailored Surfaces,” App. Organometallic Chem., 24[3], 236-240 DOI: 10.1002/aoc.1602 (2010).