Digital Commons Network^™

Nanoparticles And The Environment: Biopolymer Grafted Cellulose And Screen-Printed Carbon Nanotube Composites, Dominique Henry Porcincula

Master's Theses

A host of environmental issues will define the state of the environment in the 21^st century, with plastic pollution and water shortages among them. While solutions to these problems require large-scale, multipronged solutions, one way we can address them is through material innovation and the use of nanoparticles.

In the first project, we address the issue of plastic pollution by creating nanocomposites of biodegradable polymers (PLA and PCL) with cellulose nanofibrils. Here, PLA and PCL are grafted from the surface of cellulose nanofibrils via ring-opening polymerization of cyclic ester monomers. Polymer-grafted cellulose (PGC) is characterized with structural analysis, solubility …

Fullerene, Carbon Nanotubes And Graphene: A Comprehen-Sive Review, Sunila Bakhsh

Karbala International Journal of Modern Science

The aim of this review is to provide an update on the present status of carbon allotropes, namely fullerenes, carbon nanotubes, and graphene, with a focus on various structures that result from changes in carbon bonding. This review will also help us understand the main features, processes and advancement in the study of fullerene, CNTs and graphene. The extraordinary mobility that is extremely sensitive to field effect makes graphene an appealing substitute to CNTs in FET-based applications. For this, graphene can also be used to produce sensitive sensors and as coating material.

Molecular Dynamics Modeling Of Polymers For Aerospace Composites, Swapnil Sambhaji Bamane

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Polymer matrix composite materials are widely used as structural materials in aerospace and aeronautical vehicles. Resin/reinforcement wetting and the effect of polymerization on the thermo-mechanical properties of the resin are key parameters in the manufacturing of aerospace composite materials. Determining the contact angle between combinations of liquid resin and reinforcement surfaces is a common method for quantifying wettability. It is challenging to determine contact angle values experimentally of high-performance resins on CNT materials such as CNT, graphene, bundles or yarns, and BNNT surfaces. It is also experimentally difficult to determine the effect of polymerization reaction on material properties of a …

A Critical Review On The Development Of Ionic Liquids-Based Nanofluids As Heat Transfer Fluids For Solar Thermal Energy, Titan C. Paul, Amitav Tikadar, Rajib Mahamud, Azzam S. Salman, A.K.M. Monjur Morshed, Jamil A. Khan

Faculty Publications

In recent years, solar thermal energy (STE) has attracted energy researchers because of its higher efficacy compared to the photovoltaic solar cell. STE is one of the forms of solar energy whereby heat is transferred via a secondary medium called heat transfer fluids (HTFs). Therefore, the overall performance of STE depends on the thermophysical properties and thermal performance of the HTFs. Traditional HTFs suffer from low decomposition temperature, high melting point, and higher vapor pressure. To overcome these limitations, researchers have recently begun working on new HTFs for STE. Ionic liquids (ILs) are considered as a potential candidate for the …

Deformation Manifold Learning Model For Multi Walled Carbon Nanotubes, Shashank S. Pathrudkar

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Two-Dimensional (2D) materials are being studied widely by researchers due to their superior material properties over the bulk materials. Since the isolation of graphene in 2004, graphene has gained popularity amongst the 2D materials community. Graphene when rolled into sheets form Carbon Nanotubes (CNTs) which possess excellent mechanical and electrical properties. Concentric stacks of CNTs yield Multi-walled Carbon Nanotubes (MWCNTs) which are superior to CNTs in certain aspects. It has been well established that the deformation of CNTs and MWCNTs change their mechanical and electrical properties significantly. This has opened doors for CNTs into numerous applications and also piqued the …

Application Of Carbon Nanotube Thermophones As Duct Noise Cancelling Speakers: Using New Technology With Old Theories, Stephania M. Vaglica

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Certain materials can produce sound through heat fluctuations. In recent times, the material capable of this was discovered to be Carbon Nanotubes (CNT). The idea is to create a flexible speaker that can be made into any shape or form to create sound. Once a speaker has been created, an active noise control system can be designed to cancel loud sounds in building and pipe ducts. This technology, similar to noise cancelling headphones, allows a user to create a modular system to mitigate noise in everyday life. Thus, the purpose of this research is to illustrate the abilities of a …

Modeling And Effects Of Non-Homogeneous Infiltration On Material Properties Of Carbon-Infiltrated Carbon Nanotube Forests, Daniel Owens Snow

Theses and Dissertations

This work investigates the material properties and production parameters of carbon infiltrated carbon nanotube structures (CI-CNT's). The impact of non homogeneous infiltration and the porosity of cross section regions, coupled with changes in designed geometry, in this case beam width, on the density and modulus of elasticity are compared. Three potential geometric models of beam cross section are proposed and evaluated. 3-point bending, SEM images, and numerical optimization are used to assess the validity of each model and the implications they have for future CI-CNT material applications. Carbon capping near exterior beam surfaces is observed and determined to be a …

Peridynamic Approaches For Damage Prediction In Carbon Fiber And Carbon Nanotube Yarn Reinforced Polymer Composites, Forrest E. Baber

Theses and Dissertations

Aerospace structures are increasingly utilizing advanced composites because of their high specific modulus and specific strength. While the introduction of these material systems can dramatically decrease weight, they pose unique certification challenges, often requiring extensive experimental testing in each stage of the design cycle. The expensive and time-consuming nature of experimental testing necessitates the advancement of simulation methodologies to both aid in the certification process and assist in the exploration of the microstructure design space.

Peridynamic (PD) theory, originating from Sandia National Lab’s in the early 2000’s, is a nonlocal continuum-based method that reformulates the equation of motion into an …

Active Noise Control Using Carbon Nanotube Thermophones: Case Study For An Automotive Hvac Application, Walker H. Nelson

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

The goal of this project was to reduce the overall noise levels emitted by the HVAC components in a vehicle’s cabin. More specifically, the feasibility of achieving this goal using two key technologies was investigated.

The first of these technologies, Active Noise Control (ANC), is a noise attenuation technique that relies on destructive interference that “cancels” unwanted noise. Typically used in situations where physical constraints prevent passive attenuation techniques from being used, ANC is known for its high size-to-effectiveness ratio. This benefit cannot be gained without a cost however; the complexity of ANC systems is significantly higher than their passive …

Carbon Nanotube (Cnt) Coated E-Glass Fibre Sensor For Structural Health Monitoring Of Composite Materials, Sidney Wong

Master's Theses

Composite materials are extensively used as an advanced engineering material, particularly in aerospace, automotive, and buildings industries due to its superior properties such as high strength to weight ratios and resistance to corrosion. As composite materials are rapidly replacing traditional materials in aircraft manufacturing, improved methods of identifying damage and critical failure is in development. One of the most commonly used procedures utilizes a health monitoring system that relies on transducers to monitor transmitted waves generated by ultrasonics. By replacing this method with a nanotechnology-based one, it is possible to efficiently detect damage without the time-extensive process of scanning the …

Investigation Of Oxygen Reduction Reaction In Carbon-Based Electrocatalysts, Andrew Mason

Honors Theses

In the modern era, some global challenges are energy storage conversion. To find sustainable solutions to this problem, researchers have turned to renewable energy resources. An example of promising energy generation devices is fuel cell. Fuel cells are electrochemical systems that convert the chemical energy of the fuel to electrochemical potential that can be used as direct current (dc) generators. Although these technologies are very attractive, they are known to be expensive due to high cost of catalysts and concerns regarding their energy densities. Fuel cells composed of two electrodes, namely cathode and anode and electrolyte separating the oxidizing agents …

Nano-Enhanced Composite Membranes For Water Desalination, Benjamin Fredrik Victor Sundling Von Fürstenrecht

Materials Engineering

In theory single walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNT) will aid in ion rejection due hydrophobicity and smoothness of the SWCNT. An efficient means of water desalination utilizing SWCNT in a membrane seems plausible. A lyotropic liquid crystal (LLC) solution was made with a synthesized polymerizable surfactant methacryloxy ethyl hexadecyl dimethyl ammonium bromide (C16MA) to help with vertical alignment of SWCNT. Due to SWCNT lack of solubility and tendency to agglomerate in water, a dispersion performed using an inert surfactant centrimonium bromide (CTAB) to make sure that the SWCNT were homogeneously dispersed in the solution without altering the hexagonal packing factor of …

Hand-Fabricated Cnt/Agnps Electrodes Using Wax-On-Plastic Platforms For Electro-Immunosensing Application, Sensen Chen, Ahmad Qamar, Narges Asefifeyzabadi, Madison Funneman, Motahareh Taki, Lee Elliott, Mary Kinsel, Gary R. Kinsel, Mohtashim Shamsi

Publications

Fabrication of inexpensive and flexible electronic and electrochemical sensors is in high demand for a wide range of biochemical and biomedical applications. We explore hand fabrication of CNT modified AgNPs electrodes using wax-on-plastic platforms and their application in electrochemical immunosensing. Wax patterns were printed on polyethylene terephthalate-based substrates to laydown templates for the electrodes. Hand painting was employed to fabricate a silver conductive layer using AgNPs ink applied in the hydrophilic regions of the substrate surrounded by wax. CNT was drop cast on top of the working electrodes to improve their electrochemical signal. The device layers were characterized by scanning …

Ballistic Evaluation Of Carbon Nanotube Sheet Material In Multifunctional Applications, Casey M. Keilbarth

Theses and Dissertations

Significant development of carbon nanotubes has occurred since they were first studied in the 1990's. Attempts to capture the phenomenal molecular properties in practical applications are gaining ground as new methods of producing CNTs have been developed. This thesis sought to determine if the addition of commercially produced CNT sheets to thin carbon fiber panels improved the ballistic properties of the panel. The difference between 0 and 4 CNT sheets was studied. The hypothesis was that inte- grating CNT sheets into the laminate would increase the projectile energy absorbed by the panel and reduce the damage to the panel incurred …

Voc Emission Factors From 3d Printers - Abs (Acrylonitrile-Butadiene-Styrene) Type Filaments, Dean Lay

LSU Master's Theses

Acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) is a polymer that is widely used in many plastic products and is receiving new attention due to its use as a filament for fused deposition modelling (FDM) 3D printers. It has been shown to emit potentially dangerous volatile organic compounds (VOCs) when heated at temperatures used in the 3D printing process. Many new products are becoming available that contain various additives to the polymer matrix, which have an unknown effect on the emission profiles and rates. In this study a method is developed using a modified system for thermal diagnostic studies (STDS) to evaluate VOC emission from …

Organizing 6, 5-Carbon Nanotubes On Dna Origami Arrays, Kathryn A. Pitton

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Carbon nanotubes¹ are cylindrical carbon molecules and can be considered to be composed of one atom thick sheets of carbon called graphene. They have been at the forefront of nanochemistry due to their strength and multiple properties such as absorption, fluorescence, semiconduction, and light scattering capability. DNA Origami (DO)² has emerged as a novel domain for molecular design, resulting in the generation of numerous one, two, and three-dimensional structures that have provided platforms for the organization of organic species and inorganic nanoparticles through simple modifications. The use of DNA Origami to control the placement of single walled carbon …

Chronoamperometry Analysis Of Sweat Sensor Technology, Evan Fritz

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Due to the demand for in-situ electrolyte sodium sensors, prototype sensors have been produced to create a product for athletes and marathoners to monitor hydration levels. These senors address a desire in the marketplace for athletic monitoring for overall athlete wellness and performance. Sweat sensor samples were created using Multi-walled Carbon Nanotubes functionalized on a Nylon-6 fiber mat using cyclo-oligomeric Calixarene. This production process produces sensors capable of detecting sodium ion concentration present in human sweat in presence of an electric current. Chronoamperometry analysis is used in this manner to determine the functionality of the sensors. Much of the research …

Equilibrium Structures And Thermal Fluctuations In Interacting Monolayers, Emmanuel Rivera

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Coherency strains appear in interacting atomic monolayers due to differing bond lengths, which can arise from different materials or geometries. Examples include extended monolayers interacting with a substrate and the interacting walls of a multi-walled carbon nanotube. These strains can induce various equilibrium configurations, which we will analyze by means of a phenomenological model that incorporates forces from bond stretching and bending within each layer and the weak van der Waals interactions connecting the separate layers. We vary the strengths of each interaction to explore their effects on equilibrium structures, and the specific case of a two-walled carbon nanotube is …

Studying The Effect Of Vacancies On The Thermal Conductivity Of Metal-Coated Carbon Nanotubes Using Molecular Dynamics Atomistic Simulations, Ravindra Sunil Dhumal

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Breakthroughs in nanotechnology have made it possible for the size of electronic gadgets to be scaled down to micro/nano level. What follows however, is the side effect of high power densities and overheating as the heat dissipation is restricted to very small surface area. Thus, the need of an effective thermal management system is central to these developments. One way to counter this problem is to use Thermal Interface Materials (TIMs) which promote heat transfer between heat source and sink.

Owing to their high thermal conductivity (up to 6000 W/mK), Carbon Nanotubes (CNTs) are thought of as strong candidates for …

Using Non-Destructive Testing To Predict Bending Modulus Of Carbon Infiltrated-Carbon Nanotubes, Fred Stile Fagergren

Theses and Dissertations

Fabrication of carbon infiltrated carbon nanotubes (CI-CNT) can result in large mechanical property variation, and methods to characterize properties usually involve destructive testing. Finding a non-destructive way to test for stiffness of this material reduces the number of parts that have to be made. It also simplifies testing of complex parts. The stiffness of CI-CNT beams is related to the type of carbon material infiltrated between the carbon nanotubes (CNTs), how it interacts with the CNTs, and how much of it there is. The amount of material can be estimated using the density of the beam, and both the type …

Vacuum Field Emission Devices With Integrated Cnts, Leo Kheyn-Kheyfets

Journal of the Microelectronic Engineering Conference

This research looks at the design and fabrication of sub 100-nm carbon nanotube-based vacuum field emission devices. The devices in this project are based in the Fowler-Nordheim emission of electrons, which allow the devices to hold radiation hardened capabilities due the absence of a semiconductor channel. On top of the radiation hardened capabilities of the Vacuum FETS, the emitter material, SWCNT (Single-Wall Carbon Nanotubes) themselves hold radiation hardened capabilities. SWCNT could also be the nanomaterial that replaces silicon in CMOS FETs (Field-Effect- Transistors). Through extensive preparation and testing, a field emission device based on carbon nanotube emitters with an effectiv …

Commercialization Of The Carbon Nanotube Thermophone For Active Noise Control Applications, Steven A. Senczyszyn

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

The rate of commercialization for technology developed in junction with academic institutions has risen dramatically over the past 30 years. Since the introduction of the Bayh-Dole Act in 1980, the amount of intellectual property owned by academic institutions has increased exponentially, and with that, there has also been an increase in the number of university spinouts generated. However, the increase of spinouts does not match the rate of increase in intellectual property. The National Science Foundation has created the Innovation Corps (I-Corps) program to help bridge this gap and provide academic professionals and students the tools necessary to commercialize technology …

Preparation And Characterization Of A (Viologen) Containing Main Chain Peg-Carbon Nanotubes Phase For Hybrid Supercapacitor Application, Kanishka Rana

Master's Theses

Supercapacitors (SCs) and batteries are recognized as the two most important electrical energy storage devices. SCs have some distinct advantages such as high-power density and long cycle life when compared to batteries. However, they have yet to match the energy densities of batteries. In an effort to improve the energy density of SCs, a hybrid supercapacitor was developed using a pair of single-walled carbon nanotube electrodes and two polyethylene glycol (PEG-400) gel-polymer electrolytes (GPEs) containing redox additives of viologen (V) and ferrocene dicarboxylic acid (Fc), respectively. The introduction of V and Fc, was expected to improve the energy performance of …

An Experimental Study Of The Effects Of Substrate Porosity, Morphology, And Flexibility On The Equilibrium Thermodynamics And Kinetics Of Adsorption For Atomic And Molecular Adsorbates, Brice Adam Russell

Dissertations

Five systems consisting of different sorbate-sorbent combinations were studied using experimental volumetric adsorption techniques. Multiple adsorption isotherms were measured at low temperatures and low pressures for all of the systems studied which included CO2 adsorption on single walled carbon nanotubes (CO2 – SWCNT), Ethane adsorption on closed carbon nanohorns (Ethane-cNH), Ar adsorption on open carbon nanohorns (Ar – oNH), CO2 adsorption on zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 (CO2 – ZIF-8), and O2 adsorption on ZIF-8 (O2 – ZIF-8). Each of these systems offers a unique study of the relationship between the physical properties of the adsorbate and substrate and the effects of …

Forming A Metal Matrix Nanocomposite (Mmnc) With Fully Dispersed And Deagglomerated Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes (Mwcnts), Mahesh Kumar Pallikonda

ETD Archive

Carbon Nanotubes (CNTs) with their exceptional properties will facilitate the Metal matrix composites (MMC) to exhibit good mechanical properties, thermal and electrical conductivities, corrosion resistance, etc. The critical factor that holds the development of the Metal matrix Nanocomposites (MMNC) by using CNTs is the tendency of CNTs to form clusters (agglomerations) due to their high Van der Waals attractions. Due to this factor, low density and other properties of the CNTs, there has been a delay in harnessing their ultimate potential.
Existing literature in contemporary times from the works of few researches in Nanocomposites shows the prevalence of using surfactants …

Effect Of Surface Oxidation On The Mechanics Of Carbon Nanotube Laden Interfaces, William Daniel Ivancic

ETD Archive

Single and multi-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNT & MWCNT) have been studied over the past three decades because of their excellent properties, including their mechanical strength and large electrical and thermal conductivities. Incorporating CNTs into phases necessary for use in consumer or industrial products has been challenging because of strong attractive interactions, heterogeneity, and lack of separation techniques for these nanomaterials. Moreover, there are further challenges incorporating CNTs into multiphase materials because of the many remaining open questions regarding the properties of an interface with CNTs adsorbed or nearby. In the present work, the mechanics and microstructure of a water/air interface …

Electrogenerated Chemiluminescence Study Of Semiconductor Nanoparticles Towards Sensitive Detection Of Biomolecules, Yiliyasi Wusimanjiang

Dissertations

The main focus of this dissertation is to unfold the fundamental aspects of electrogenerated chemiluminescence (ECL) generation from semiconductor nanoparticles (also known as quantum dots or QDs) within different ECL systems. The ECL and photo-physical interactions between the CdTe QDs (λ_emission= ~760 nm) and the CdSe QDs (λ_emission= ~550 nm), as well as the effects of carbon nanotubes on ECL of QDs were separately investigated. Optimum experimental conditions for peptide bond formation on an electrode surface through EDC (1-ethyl-3-(-3-dimethylaminopropyl) carbodiimide hydrochloride)/NHS (N-Hydroxysulfosuccinimide) coupling were also revealed using cyclic voltammetry technique. Based on the information …

Development Of Metal Matrix Composite Gridlines For Space Photovoltaics, Omar K. Abudayyeh

Chemical and Biological Engineering ETDs

Space vehicles today are primarily powered by multi-junction photovoltaic cells due to their high efficiency and high radiation hardness in the space environment. While multi-junction solar cells provide high efficiency, microcracks develop in the crystalline semiconductor due to a variety of reasons, including: growth defects, film stress due to lattice constant mismatch, and external mechanical stresses introduced during shipping, installation, and operation. These microcracks have the tendency to propagate through the different layers of the semiconductor reaching the metal gridlines of the cell, resulting in electrically isolated areas from the busbar region, ultimately lowering the power output of the cell …

Fabrication And Characterization Of Conductive Melt Electrospun Fibers, Brandon Ross

Graduate Theses & Non-Theses

Conductive polymer nanocomposites are a type of particle reinforced plastic composite where the doping material is electrically conductive. The diverse properties of an engineered composite material allow for the material properties to be fine-tuned for the specific application. This research focuses on using carbon allotropes, such as two-dimensional graphene and one-dimensional carbon nanotubes, to achieve direct current electrical conductivity through a polymer fiber. Melt electrospinning is the process used for creating the micrometer scale fibers by melting thermoplastic materials. High electrostatic fields apply a force to the polymer melt and a single fiber is drawn out. The resistivity of the …

Carbon Nanotube Based Groundwater Remediation: The Case Of Trichloroethylene, Kshitij C. Jha, Zhuonan Liu, Hema Vijwani, Mallikarjuna Nadagouda, Sharmila M. Mukhopadhyay, Mesfin Tsige

Mechanical and Materials Engineering Faculty Publications

Adsorption of chlorinated organic contaminants (COCs) on carbon nanotubes (CNTs) has been gaining ground as a remedial platform for groundwater treatment. Applications depend on our mechanistic understanding of COC adsorption on CNTs. This paper lays out the nature of competing interactions at play in hybrid, membrane, and pure CNT based systems and presents results with the perspective of existing gaps in design strategies. First, current remediation approaches to trichloroethylene (TCE), the most ubiquitous of the COCs, is presented along with examination of forces contributing to adsorption of analogous contaminants at the molecular level. Second, we present results on TCE adsorption …