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Full-Text Articles in Engineering

Synthesis And Characterization Of Polymer Brushes For Controlled Adsorption Of Proteins, Olha Hoy Dec 2008

Synthesis And Characterization Of Polymer Brushes For Controlled Adsorption Of Proteins, Olha Hoy

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Performance of biomedical devices to a large extent depends on the interactions between the device surface and the biological liquids/protein molecules. To achieve controllable interactions between the device and biomolecules and still retain the required mechanical strength on the whole, modification of the surface is often done.
In the present study surface properties were modified through a polymer brush approach. After the modification, surfaces gain tunability toward protein adsorption. Mixed polymer brushes consisting of protein repelling and protein attractive components were used, with a 'grafting to' method employed for the synthesis of polymer layers. First, poly(ethylene glycol), the protein repelling …


'Fabrication And Characterization Of Polymer Blends And Composites Derived From Biopolymers', Suraj Sharma Dec 2008

'Fabrication And Characterization Of Polymer Blends And Composites Derived From Biopolymers', Suraj Sharma

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This research focuses on fabricating blends and composites from natural polymers especially from proteins and natural epoxy, and describing the properties of plastics made from them. Specifically, plastic samples from partially denatured feathermeal and bloodmeal proteins, derived from the animal co-products (rendering) industry, were successfully produced through a compression molding process. The modulus (stiffness) of the material obtained was found to be comparable with that of commercial synthetic materials, such as polystyrene, but was found to have lower toughness characteristics, which is a common phenomenon among plastics produced from animal and plant proteins. Therefore, this study explored blending methods for …


Synthesis And Characterization Of Macromolecular Layers Grafted To Polymer Surfaces, Oleksandr Burtovyy Dec 2008

Synthesis And Characterization Of Macromolecular Layers Grafted To Polymer Surfaces, Oleksandr Burtovyy

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The composition and behavior of surfaces and interfaces play a pivotal role in dictating the overall efficiency of the majority of polymeric materials and devices. Surface properties of the materials can be altered using surface modification techniques. It is necessary to highlight that successful methods of surface modification should affect only the upper layer of the polymer material without changing bulk properties. The processes must introduce new functionalities to the surface, optimize surface roughness, lubrication, hydrophobicity, hydrophilicity, adhesion, conductivity, and/or biocompatibility.
Research presented in this dissertation is dedicated to the synthesis, characterization, and application of thin macromolecular layers anchored to …


High Temperature Wetting And Multilayer Adsorption In Oxide Systems, Haijun Qian Aug 2008

High Temperature Wetting And Multilayer Adsorption In Oxide Systems, Haijun Qian

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The primary objective of this thesis research is to greatly advance the knowledge of the formation mechanism and thermodynamic stability of a unique class of surficial amorphous films (SAFs) and analogous intergranular films (IGFs) via critical experiments and modeling. These quasi-liquid IGFs and SAFs films exhibit the following distinct characteristics: 1) self-regulating (equilibrium) thicknesses on the order of 1 nm, 2) structures and compositions that are neither found nor stable as bulk phases, and 3) thermodynamic stability below the bulk solidus lines.
The first part of this study examines anisotropic wetting of ZnO single crystals by Bi2O3-rich liquid with and …


Inferring Mechanical Resonances In Micro - And Nanocantilevers Using The Harmonic Detection Of Resonance (Hdr) Method To Develop A Novel Sensing Platform, Gayatri Keskar Aug 2008

Inferring Mechanical Resonances In Micro - And Nanocantilevers Using The Harmonic Detection Of Resonance (Hdr) Method To Develop A Novel Sensing Platform, Gayatri Keskar

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During the past two decades, advances in microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) have spurred efforts worldwide to develop sensing platforms based on smart microcantilevers. A microcantilever beam is one of the simplest MEMS structures which forms the basis for portable, fast and highly sensitive schemes that are capable of measuring small deflections in static or dynamic response due to changes in external parameters such as mass, pressure, charge, etc.
In this dissertation, I mainly focus on MEMS sensors with transducers in the form of microcantilevers. Variations in the microcantilever's response such as resonant frequency, amplitude, phase and quality factor when exposed to …


Thermal And Structual Properties Of Candidate Moldable Glass Types, Scott Gaylord Aug 2008

Thermal And Structual Properties Of Candidate Moldable Glass Types, Scott Gaylord

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This thesis contains results of our efforts to develop a method for defining key glass material properties that must be known and modeled for the design and experimental validation of a precision glass molding (PGM) process for optical glasses. Viscosity, calorimetric, and thermal expansion properties of two commercial glass types N-BK7 and P-SK57 of SCHOTT were characterized to establish a proof-of-concept protocol for the experimental determination of meaningful material properties. Experimental results were determined in order to be incorporated into a computational model predicting final glass size and shape following a molding cycle. Experimental methods were confirmed on the two …


Some Problems In Statistical Mechanics With Applications To Materials Science, Ethan Ballard Aug 2008

Some Problems In Statistical Mechanics With Applications To Materials Science, Ethan Ballard

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In this work, some problems in statistical mechanics related to condensed matter physics and of general interst in materials science, physics, chemistry and polymer science are considered. In chapters 1-4, the work by E.M. Lifshitz on the group-theoretical refinements of the Landau theory of phase transitions is brought to completion. Based on mathematical results obtained by Yamabe, Osgood, Phillips, Sarnak, and Kholodenko analytical results for determinants were developed which allows for prediction of the symmetry of the phase after a phase transition provided that the symmetry prior to the phase transition is known. Numerical results are presented which are in …


The Role Of Crystallographic Relationships Between Alpha(Α) And Beta(Β) Phases On The Elevated Temperature Isothermal Phase Transformation Kinetics In Timetal Lcb (Ti-6.5mo-4.5fe-1.5al), Basak Kokuoz Jul 2008

The Role Of Crystallographic Relationships Between Alpha(Α) And Beta(Β) Phases On The Elevated Temperature Isothermal Phase Transformation Kinetics In Timetal Lcb (Ti-6.5mo-4.5fe-1.5al), Basak Kokuoz

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This investigation has examined the mechanisms controlling the precipitation of various alpha (α) phase morphologies which form during the elevated temperature beta(β)beta(β)+alpha(α) phase transformations in TIMETAL LCB (Ti-6.8Mo-4.5Fe-1.5Al, in wt.%).
Alpha (α) phase precipitation was promoted by aging the TIMETAL LCB specimens in the α+β two phase region. The temperature range considered was between 700-745oC.The specimens were isothermally aged for successively increasing times, starting at 30 seconds until the equilibrium microstructure was achieved. Solution treated and aged TIMETAL LCB specimens were investigated using x-ray diffraction (XRD), optical (OM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), electron backscattered diffraction (EBSD) and quantitative image …


Protein Interactions With Mixed Poly(Ethylene Glycol)/Polyacrylic Acid Brushes, Zhenqing Li Jun 2008

Protein Interactions With Mixed Poly(Ethylene Glycol)/Polyacrylic Acid Brushes, Zhenqing Li

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Tethered polymer chains that are grafted to a solid substrate by one chain end (polymer brushes) may be distinguished from other anchored polymer layers by the relatively high grafting densities gained. Potential uses of polymer brushes for interfacial modification to regulate interactions between proteins and substrates, such as drug delivery and protein separation, are widely recognized. Therefore, it is important to investigate interactions between proteins and surfaces modified with a polymer brush.
In this study, the 'grafting-to' method has been used to graft mixed poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) and polyacrylic acid (PAA) brushes onto poly(glycidyl methacrylate) (PGMA)-modified silicon wafers/glass slides to …


Surface Functionalized Colloidal Particles And Polymer Synthesis For Led Based Applications, Zachary Hunt May 2008

Surface Functionalized Colloidal Particles And Polymer Synthesis For Led Based Applications, Zachary Hunt

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Over the last decade atom transfer radical polymerization, ATRP, has become a commonplace route by which tailored polymers can be synthesized. The advent of this polymerization mechanism has enabled the controlled synthesis of block and multi-block polymer systems that maintain a terminal bromine functionality that adds further versatility to the synthesized polymers.
Additionally, in the last few years 'click' chemistry has come to light as an efficient method of selectively linking molecules under mild conditions (e.g. room temperature and aqueous systems). In particular, the copper(I)-catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition (CuAAC) reaction has become more and more popular, and provides another route by …


Renewable Resource Lactide Derived Materials: Scaled-Up Synthesis, Characterization And Applications, Akhilesh Singh May 2008

Renewable Resource Lactide Derived Materials: Scaled-Up Synthesis, Characterization And Applications, Akhilesh Singh

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Renewable resource monomer, lactide, derived copolymers and terpolymers were synthesized on a few hundred gram scale with specialty/commodity co-monomers such as perfluoropolyether and bisphenol A derivatives. The modifications resulted in improved properties such as surface energy, crystallization, and glass transition temperature of the polylactide.
Ring-opening polymerizations of L-lactide were performed using different block length perfluoropolyethers as macro-initiators and tin octoate as the catalyst. The resultant polylactide-perfluoropolyether-polylactide block copolymers were characterized by various analytical and microscopic techniques such as differential scanning calorimetry, thermogravimetric analysis, nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, dynamic mechanical analysis, wide-angle x-ray diffraction spectroscopy, polarized optical microscopy, etc.
The incorporation …


Incorporation Of Polydiacetylene Sensors Into Commercial Polymers, Jennifer Kauffman May 2008

Incorporation Of Polydiacetylene Sensors Into Commercial Polymers, Jennifer Kauffman

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Polydiacetylenes (PDAs) exhibit a chromatic response to solvents, temperature, strain and other environmental perturbations. When formed in a solid-state polymerization, the backbone of the polymer is planar and continuous π-overlap is observed. However, when the PDA backbone is distorted by an outside force the extended conjugation is interrupted and an optical shift from blue to red occurs. By exploiting the PDAs properties within polymer systems, smart fibers and films have been created that enhance the original intention of the host. Under this umbrella, a strain sensitive polydiacetylene-polyurethane blend was created using 3 and 4-butoxycarbonylmethylurethane PDA and a medical grade polyurethane, …


Synthesis And Dielectric Properties Of Nanocrystalline Barium Titanate And Silver/Barium Titanate Particles, Hiroki Maie May 2008

Synthesis And Dielectric Properties Of Nanocrystalline Barium Titanate And Silver/Barium Titanate Particles, Hiroki Maie

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The increasing needs for further functionality, higher performance, and miniaturization of electronic devices have highly demanded down-size and volume-efficiency of electronic components such as multilayer ceramic capacitors (MLCCs). To meet this demand, the use of high dielectric constant material with nanometer size and spherical shape is considered as requirements. Embedded capacitors are an important emerging technology for meeting the performance and functionality requirements of next-generation electronic devices. One major obstacle for implementing this technology is the scarcity of dielectric materials with appropriate dielectric and mechanical properties was mainly discussed

Considering these backgrounds, this research is devoted to synthesis of high …