Engineering Commons^™

Characterization, Synthesis And Stabilization Of Au Based Bimetallic Catalysis For The Hydrochlorination Of Acetylene, Kerry Charles O'Connell

Theses and Dissertations

Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) is the third most-produced plastic polymer world-wide by volume after polypropylene and polyethylene. Vinyl chloride monomer, which is polymerized into PVC, is produced via mercuric chloride catalysts that deactivate as mercury sublimes into the atmosphere from the catalyst surface, resulting in substantial environmental concerns.

In an effort to rationally synthesize non-mercuric catalysts, strong electrostatic adsorption (SEA) was used to prepare highly dispersed and active gold nanoparticles over low point of zero charge (PZC) carbon to increase the active metal surface area. The use of <1.5nm gold clusters did not lead to large increases in activity as there was an increased degree of particle coalescence during reaction for activated carbon supported samples. A pronounced support effect was observed in which oxide supports completely prevented Au sintering, but was virtually inactive. This suggests that the active site for the hydrochlorination reaction involves the carbon surface.

The stabilization of carbon supported gold nanoparticles in the HCl-rich reaction environment was …

Microstructure And Rheology Of Carbon Nanotubes At Air-Water Interfaces, Charles D. Young

Honors Scholar Theses

This work characterizes the material properties of carbon nanotubes at air-water interfaces for potential use in creating stable emulsions. Properties such as length, aspect ratio, contact angle, microstructural ordering, surface pressure, compression and shear elastic moduli, stresses, surface viscosities and non-linearity are explored. Challenges such as deviation from a classical analysis of monolayers are encountered in the form of aggregation, mechanical contributions, and interface relaxation. These factors are taken into account to explain experimental measurements and trends. Ultimately, existing models for more homogeneous systems are resolved with observations to offer insight and areas of promise moving forward.

Low-Temperature Artificial Maturation Studies Of Type Ii And Type Iii Kerogens: Implications For Biogenic Gas Production, Albert Willy Nguena Kamga

Chemistry & Biochemistry Theses & Dissertations

Ancient organic matter (OM) in shales and coals, known mainly as Type II and Type III OM are known to produce both biogenic, thermogenic gas and oil. In this dissertation, mild artificial maturation, via closed system pyrolysis, is employed to determine the thermal reactivity of Type II and Type III OM beyond diagenesis. We select three Type II kerogens: i) Type II kerogen isolated from recent cores (3.3 Ma, Ro = 0.28) recovered from an upwelling basin in Namibia, Africa referred to as ODP Sediment, ii) Type II-S isolated from sediments (150 Ma, Ro = 0.38) recovered from an outcrop …