Date of Award

Fall 2010

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering

Program/Concentration

Mechanical Engineering

Committee Director

Julie Zhili Hao

Committee Member

Stephen Knisley

Committee Member

Stacie Ringleb

Call Number for Print

Special Collections; LD4331.E56 J36 2010

Abstract

This thesis presents the design of a novel piezoelectric device with dual functions of studying soft biological tissues. The device consists of a central circular plate and a set of flexural beams. The flexural beams are partially covered with piezoelectric film for integrated transduction. It can function as a force sensor for measuring the mechanical behavior of a tissue sample and a load applier for mimicking physiological loads experienced by the tissue sample in vivo, while the mechanical behavior can be visually observed under a microscope simultaneously. By combining the classic theories in solid mechanics and piezoelectricity, the performance of the piezoelectric device is analyzed. Based on the mechanical behavior obtained from traditional experimental studies on cartilage, the piezoelectric device is designed for studying cartilage. The main application of the device would be; (I) Study the cartilage at cell level (i.e. study of chondrocytes); (2) study the cartilage on tissue level; (3) obtain the relationship between the mechanical stimuli provided and the properties of the natural cartilage and; (4) help in culturing isolated chondrocytes to form artificial cartilage with characteristics close to native cartilage. The results of the device obtained from the theoretical calculations are confirmed using numerical simulation. The fabrication process for the piezoelectric device is also discussed.

Rights

In Copyright. URI: http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/ This Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s).

DOI

10.25776/5b00-dz44

Share

COinS