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The Columbia Rocketry Program designs, builds, and tests high-powered hybrid rockets. As one of only a few collegiate teams worldwide developing hybrid rocket engines, we are a dedicated group of engineers and scientists focused on technical advancement. Last year, we refined and improved our previous design for a 600 lbf Class O nitrous-oxide/paraffin wax hybrid rocket engine. For the first time in Columbia Rocketry's history, our rocket successfully launched at the 2023 Spaceport America Cup competition, placing 3rd in the 30K hybrid rockets category!
Payload Co-Lead: Manufacturing and Design
Led a 15-member team in designing, building, and testing a payload with a gold nanoparticle synthesis experiment as part of a 600-thrust hybrid rocket for the 2023 Spaceport America Cup competition.
Software
ANSYS CFD/FEA
SolidWorks
OpenRocket
UV-Vis Spectrophotometer
Manufacturing
Precision Machining
CAM
DFM
Our objective is to test a rapid gold nanoparticle synthesis method using a microfluidic chip design during the time from motor burnout to coast to apogee when the rocket is in a reduced gravity environment.
Nanoparticle Synthesis
We generated nanoparticles in the size range of 50 to 60nm, which is the optimal size for overcoming the blood-brain barrier and allowing drugs to enter the brain. If microfluidic chips can be used to synthesize usable gold nanoparticles in microgravity, it has the potential to revolutionize drug manufacturing and delivery, particularly in remote settings like outer space, as well as various other in-space manufacturing applications due to their point-of-use and portable nature.
Research Poster
Check out research poster presented at the 2023 Spaceport America Cup competition:
The experimental setup, enclosed in a 40 cm-long cylindrical frame with easily attachable end caps to rocket bulkheads, features a set of insulin syringes that deliver 3 chemicals into a microfluidic chip and a control chamber. A NEMA 17 stepper motor actuates syringe plungers upon receiving a signal from the rocket's flight computer via the payload Arduino. The stepper motor is set to move at approximately 0.72 mm/s, achieving a chemical flow rate of 0.1 mL per 10 seconds. After all the plungers reach their final position, a pinch valve (on/off solenoid) securely closes the pipe to contain the chemicals post-experiment. Powered by an 11.1 V 1500 mAh Lipo batter, the entire experiment concludes in approximately 75 seconds.
Chemicals
The following 3 chemicals were used to generate the gold nanoparticles:
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N-2-hydroxyethylpiperazine-N-2-ethanesulphonic acid (HEPES)
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Chloroauric acid
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Phosphate
Microfluidic Chip
The microfluidic chip consists of 3 inlet ports and 1 outlet. Barber luer adapters are attached to the inlet ports, which are connected to the syringes using soft plastic tubing. The channels of the chip have a width of 0.4mm and the chip is enclosed using microfluidic diagnostic tape.
Electronics
An Arduino Nano controls the stepper motor, which is connected to the flight computer of the rocket to know when to start the experiment right after motor burnout.
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Bulkhead
NEMA 17
Electronics
Syringe
Plungers
Battery
Microfluid Chip
Control Chamber
Lead Screw
Pinch Valve
Post-Experiment
Chamber
Syringes
Microfluidic Chip
The microfluidic chip was manufactured out of acrylic using a CNC mill. Tools such as linear height gauges, fly cutters, and precision carbide end mills were used to achieve channels with a 0.4 x 0.4mm cross-section.
Prototype 1: microfluidic chip with channels only, to test the flow of chemicals.
Prototype 2: microfluidic chip with channels and inlet/outlet ports, to test the flow of chemicals from syringes to channels. Changes to the channel geometry were made to achieve better flow.
Prototype 3: threads were added to the ports to connect barber luer adapters.
Control Chamber
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