Nanoscience and Nanotechnology Commons^™

On Eigenmodes, Stiffness, And Sensitivity Of Atomic Force Microscope Cantilevers In Air Versus Liquids, Daniel Kiracofe, Arvind Raman

Birck and NCN Publications

The effect of hydrodynamic loading on the eigenmode shapes, modal stiffnesses, and optical lever sensitivities of atomic force microscope (AFM) microcantilevers is investigated by measuring the vibrations of such microcantilevers in air and water using a scanning laser Doppler vibrometer. It is found that for rectangular tipless microcantilevers, the measured fundamental and higher eigenmodes and their equivalent stiffnesses are nearly identical in air and in water. However, for microcantilevers with a tip mass or for picket shaped cantilevers, there is a marked difference in the second (and higher) eigenmode shapes between air and water that leads to a large decrease …

Enterprise Development Policies And Capacity-Building In Science, Technology And Innovation (Sti)-Response To The Issue Note, Deogratias Harorimana

Dr Deogratias Harorimana

Enterprise Development, Investment and Business Climate are all important for economic growth. But what policies, strategies are needed to make economic growth a reality. The author has followed one of the World's fastest reformer and emerging nation in the Heart of Africa-Rwanda. The paper shares lessons and practical aspects related to building an entrepreneurial population, and building a government which is a facilitator of business climate

Bdf-Like Methods For Nonlinear Dynamic Analysis, S. Dong

PRISM: NNSA Center for Prediction of Reliability, Integrity and Survivability of Microsystems

We present several time integration algorithms of second-order accuracy that are numerically simple and effective for nonlinear elastodynamic problems. These algorithms are based on a general four-step scheme that has a resemblance to the backward differentiation formulas. We also present an extension to the composite strategy of the Bathe method. Appropriate values for the algorithmic parameters are determined based on considerations of stability and dissipativity, and less dissipative members of each algorithm have been identified. We demonstrate the convergence characteristics of the proposed algorithms with a nonlinear dynamic problem having analytic solutions, and test these algorithms with several three-dimensional nonlinear …

Survey Report On Training And Spending On Customer Care Services, Deogratias Harorimana Sr

Dr Deogratias Harorimana

In a bid to promote and develop good customer care service in various sectors of Rwandan economy, a survey was conducted to assess progress and trends on customer service capacity building. Although shortcomings are there, there have been efforts and registered trends across the country on service delivery front. Investment in Capacity Building IS happening in certain sectors but this is unevenly distributed. In 2008 companies had started recognizing the significance of good service and cultivate a good working environment and training. From 2009, there was a decline in investment in capacity building in front office and key service delivery …

Advances On The Development Of Novel Heterogeneous Catalysts For Transesterification Of Triglycerides In Biodiesel, João F. Gomes

João F Gomes

This paper describes experimental work done towards the search for more profitable and sustainable alternatives regarding biodiesel production, using heterogeneous catalysts instead of the conventional homogenous alkaline catalysts, such as NaOH, KOH or sodium methoxide, for the methanolysis reaction. This experimental work is a first stage on the development and optimization of new solid catalysts, able to produce biodiesel from vegetable oils. The heterogeneous catalytic process has many differences from the currently used in industry homogeneous process. The main advantage is that, it requires lower investment costs, since no need for separation steps of methanol/catalyst, biodiesel/catalyst and glycerine/catalyst. This work …

Study On The Activity Of New Amine Based Absorbents For Co2 Absorption From Flue Gases, João F. Gomes

João F Gomes

The capture of CO2 from flue gases can be done by chemical absorption with aqueous amine solutions like MEA (monoethanolamine). Although this is a proven process, there are still operational problems to overcome [1], namely those resulting from solvent degradation, precipitation, corrosion and foaming. Also, the absorption capacity of the most current amines must be improved in order to obtain a more profitable operation. It has been shown previously that relationships exist between the amine structure and the activity/capacity for CO2 absorption. The introduction of amine substituents at the α-carbon creates a carbamate instability, which causes the hydrolysis to go …

A Simulation Study On The Abatement Of Co2 Emissions By De-Absorption, João F. Gomes

João F Gomes

Due to the adverse effect of CO2 from fossil fuel combustion on the earth’s ecosystems, the most cost effective method for CO2 capture is an important area of research. The predominant process for CO2 capture currently employed by industry is chemical absorption in amine solutions. A dynamic model for the de-absorption process was developed with Monoethanolamine (MEA) solution. Henry’s law was used for modeling the vapour phase equilibrium of the CO2, and fugacity ratios calculated by the Peng Robinson equation of state (EOS) were used for H2O, MEA, N2 and O2. Chemical reactions between CO2 and MEA were included in …

Studies On The Development Of Novel Heterogeneous Catalysts For Transesterification Of Triglycerides In Biodiesel, João F. Gomes

João F Gomes

No abstract provided.

Micro- To Macroscopic Observations Of Mnalpo-5 Nanocrystal Growth In Ionic-Liquid Media, Eng-Poh Ng Dr.

Eng-Poh Ng

Micro- and macroscopic studies of nucleation and growth processes of MnAlPO-5 nanosized crystals under ionothermal synthesis conditions are reported herein. The samples treated at 150 8C were extracted from the reaction mixture at various stages of crystallization, and characterized by XRD; SEM; thermogravimetric analysis (TGA); 31P and 27Al solid-state magic angle spinning (MAS) NMR, Raman, UV/Vis, and X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (XRF). The starting raw materials (alumina, manganese, and phosphorous) were dissolved completely in the ionic liquid and transformed into an amorphous solid after 5 h of ionothermal treatment. This amorphous solid then undergoes structural changes over the following 5–25 h, …

Optical Properties Of Photopolymer Layers Doped With Aluminophosphate Nanocrystals, Eng-Poh Ng Dr.

Eng-Poh Ng

The optical properties of photopolymer layers consisting of an acrylamide-based matrix and microporous aluminophosphate nanocrystals of AEI type are investigated. The compatibility of the photopolymer doped with the nanoparticles is studied. The surface and volume properties of the layers with different levels of doping with microporous nanocrystals are characterized. The effective refractive indices and absorption coefficients of the doped photopolymer layers are determined and used to calculate the refractive index and porosity of pure AEI nanoparticles used as dopants. Volume transmission gratings were recorded in the doped photopolymer layers at different spatial frequencies. By spatial monitoring of the characteristic Raman …

Facile Preparation Of Quantum Cutting Gdf3 : Eu3+ Nanoparticles From Ionic Liquids, Chantal Lorbeer, Joanna Cybinska, Anja V. Mudring

Anja V. Mudring

Microwave reaction of Ln(OAc)3·xH2O, Ln = Gd, Eu; OAc = acetate) with and in the ionic liquid [C4mim][BF4] (C4mim = 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium) allows the fast and efficient synthesis of small, uniform, oxygen-free lanthanide nanofluorides with excellent photophysical behaviour. For GdF3 : Eu3+ nanoparticles a quantum efficiency of up to 145% was determined.

Size Effect Of Ruthenium Nanoparticles In Catalytic Carbon Monoxide Oxidation, Sang Hoon Joo, Jeong Y. Park, J. Russell Renzas, Derek R. Butcher, Wenyu Huang, Gabor A. Somorjai

Wenyu Huang

Carbon monoxide oxidation over ruthenium catalysts has shown an unusual catalytic behavior. Here we report a particle size effect on CO oxidation over Ru nanoparticle (NP) catalysts. Uniform Ru NPs with a tunable particle size from 2 to 6 nm were synthesized by a polyol reduction of Ru(acac)3 precursor in the presence of poly(vinylpyrrolidone) stabilizer. The measurement of catalytic activity of CO oxidation over two-dimensional Ru NPs arrays under oxidizing reaction conditions (40 Torr CO and 100 Torr O2) showed an activity dependence on the Ru NP size. The CO oxidation activity increases with NP size, and the 6 nm …

Highly Active Heterogeneous Palladium Nanoparticle Catalysts For Homogeneous Electrophilic Reactions In Solution And The Utilization Of A Continuous Flow Reactor, Wenyu Huang, Jack Hung Chang Liu, Pinar Alayoglu, Yimin Li, Cole A. Whitman, Chia-Kuang Tsung, F. Dean Toste, Gabor A/ Somorjai

Wenyu Huang

highly active heterogeneous Pd-nanoparticle catalyst for the intramolecular addition of phenols to alkynes was developed and employed in a continuous flow reaction system. Running the reaction in flow mode revealed reaction kinetics, such as the activation energy and catalyst deactivation, and provides many potential practical advantages.

Seedless Polyol Synthesis And Co Oxidation Activity Of Monodisperse (111)- And (100)-Oriented Rhodium Nanocrystals In Sub-10 Nm Sizes, Yawen Zhang, Michael E. Grass, Wenyu Huang, Gabor A. Somoraji

Wenyu Huang

Monodisperse sub-10 nm (6.5 nm) sized Rh nanocrystals with (111) and (100) surface structures were synthesized by a seedless polyol reduction in ethylene glycol, with poly(vinylpyrrolidone) as a capping ligand. When using [Rh(Ac)2]2 as the metal precursor, (111)-oriented Rh nanopolyhedra containing 76% (111)-twinned hexagons (in 2D projection) were obtained; whereas, when employing RhCl3 as the metal precursor in the presence of alkylammonium bromide, such as tetramethylammonium bromide and trimethyl(tetradecyl)ammonium bromide, (100)-oriented Rh nanocubes were obtained with 85% selectivity. The {100} faces of the Rh nanocrystals are stabilized by chemically adsorbed Br− ions from alkylammonium bromides, which led to (100)-oriented nanocubes. …

Furan Hydrogenation Over Pt(111) And Pt(100) Single-Crystal Surfaces And Pt Nanoparticles From 1 To 7 Nm: A Kinetic And Sum Frequency Generation Vibrational Spectroscopy Study, Christopher J. Kliewer, Cesar Aliaga, Marco Bieri, Wenyu Huang, Chia-Kuang Tsung, Jennifer B. Wood, Kyriankos Komvopoulos, Gabor A. Somorjai

Wenyu Huang

Sum frequency generation surface vibrational spectroscopy and kinetic measurements using gas chromatography have been used to systematically study the adsorption and hydrogenation of furan over Pt(111) and Pt(100) single-crystal surfaces and size-controlled 1.0-nm, 3.5-nm and 7.0-nm Pt nanoparticles at Torr pressures (10 Torr of furan, 100 Torr of H2) to form dihydrofuran, tetrahydrofuran, and the ring-cracking products butanol and propylene. As determined by SFG, the furan ring lies parallel to all Pt surfaces studied under hydrogenation conditions. Upright THF and the oxametallacycle intermediate are observed over the nanoparticle catalysts under reaction conditions. Butoxy increases in surface concentration over Pt(111) with …

Oscillatory And Monotonic Modes Of Long-Wave Marangoni Convection In A Thin Film, Sergey Shklyaev, Mikhail Khenner, Alexei Alabuzhev

Mikhail Khenner

We study long-wave Marangoni convection in a layer heated from below. Using the scaling k=OBi, where k is the wave number and Bi is the Biot number, we derive a set of amplitude equations. Analysis of this set shows presence of monotonic and oscillatory modes of instability. Oscillatory mode has not been previously found for such direction of heating. Studies of weakly nonlinear dynamics demonstrate that stable steady and oscillatory patterns can be found near the stability threshold.

Easy Access To Ultra Long-Time Stable, Luminescent Europium(Ii) Fluoride Nanoparticles In Ionic Liquids, Nina Von Prondzinski, Joanna Cybinska, Anja V. Mudring

Anja V. Mudring

Physical vapour deposition into ionic liquids allows for the first time the synthesis of a reduced lanthanide halide on the nanoscale. The obtained EuF2 nanoparticles show a bright blue luminescence and form long-time stable-colloidal solutions in the ionic liquids.

Dynamics Of Individual Molecules Of Linear Polyethylene Liquids Under Shear: Atomistic Simulation And Comparison With A Free-Draining Bead-Rod Chain, David Keffer, J. M. Kim, B. J. Edwards, B. Khomami

David Keffer

Nonequilibrium molecular dynamics (NEMD) simulations of a dense liquid composed of linear polyethylene chains were performed to investigate the chain dynamics under shear. Brownian dynamics (BD) simulations of a freely jointed chain with equivalent contour length were also performed in the case of a dilute solution. This allowed for a close comparison of the chain dynamics of similar molecules for two very different types of liquids. Both simulations exhibited a distribution of the end-to-end vector, |R_ete|, with Gaussian behavior at low Weissenberg number (Wi). At high Wi, the NEMD distribution was bimodal, with two peaks …

Tungsten Oxide (Wo3) Thin Films For H2s Sensor Application In Energy Systems, Satya Kiran Gullapalli

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The sulfur containing emissions in coal gasification systems to produce energy are devastating and hostile to the requirements of clean, environmental friendly, efficient, and economical energy. Therefore, hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) emissions in coal gasification plants must be monitored, controlled and effectively removed before the syngas is used for energy production. The present research focuses on the development and utilization of tungsten oxide (WO₃) thin films and nanostructures for H₂S application in the coal gasification systems. As a part of that overall goal, the present work was performed with a specific objective of understanding the …

Nanoscale Functionalization And Characterization Of Surfaces With Hydrogel Patterns And Biomolecules, Hariharasudhan Chirra Dinakar

University of Kentucky Doctoral Dissertations

The advent of numerous tools, ease of techniques, and concepts related to nanotechnology, in combination with functionalization via simple chemistry has made gold important for various biomedical applications. In this dissertation, the development and characterization of planar gold surfaces with responsive hydrogel patterns for rapid point of care sensing and the functionalization of gold nanoparticles for drug delivery are highlighted.

Biomedical micro- and nanoscale devices that are spatially functionalized with intelligent hydrogels are typically fabricated using conventional UV-lithography. Herein, precise 3-D hydrogel patterns made up of temperature responsive crosslinked poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) over gold were synthesized. The XY control of the hydrogel …