Engineering Commons^™

High Octane Gasoline Using Renewable Aromatic Hydrocarbons, Wayne Seames, Malhar Khambete, Nahid Khatibi, Shelby Amsley-Benzie, Evguenii Kozliak, Darrin Muggli, Brian Tande

Chemical Engineering Faculty Publications

Background:

The replacement of leaded high octane aviation gasoline with an unleaded renewable alternative would decrease the emissions of lead and fossil-derived carbon into the atmosphere. Replacement has been limited by the requirement of a very high octane number in many existing general aviation aircraft engines.

Method:

Two separate process pathways were developed that generate an unleaded octane fuel with a motor octane number >96 from triglyceride oils (TGs), such as crop oils and algae oil. A series of experiments coupled with process simulations was used to verify the feasibility of both pathways and to provide preliminary laboratory scale data …

A Carbon Nanotube Optical Reporter Maps Endolysosomal Lipid Flux, Jena V. Prakrit, Daniel E. Roxbury, Thomas V. Galassi, Leila Akkari, Christopher P. Horoszko, David B. Iaea, Januka Budhathoki-Uprety, Nina Pipalia, Abigail S. Haka, Jackson D. Harvey, Jeetain Mittal, Frederick R. Maxfield, Johanna A. Joyce, Daniel A. Heller

Chemical Engineering Faculty Publications

Lipid accumulation within the lumen of endolysosomal vesicles is observed in various pathologies including atherosclerosis, liver disease, neurological disorders, lysosomal storage disorders, and cancer. Current methods cannot measure lipid flux specifically within the lysosomal lumen of live cells. We developed an optical reporter, composed of a photoluminescent carbon nanotube of a single chirality, that responds to lipid accumulation via modulation of the nanotube’s optical band gap. The engineered nanomaterial, composed of short, single-stranded DNA and a single nanotube chirality, localizes exclusively to the lumen of endolysosomal organelles without adversely affecting cell viability or proliferation or organelle morphology, integrity, or function. …

Development And Physicochemical Characterization Of Acetalated Dextran Aerosol Particle Systems For Deep Lung Delivery, Zimeng Wang, Sweta K. Gupta, Samantha A. Meenach

Chemical Engineering Faculty Publications

Biocompatible, biodegradable polymers are commonly used as excipients to improve the drug delivery properties of aerosol formulations, in which acetalated dextran (Ac-Dex) exhibits promising potential as a polymer in various therapeutic applications. Despite this promise, there is no comprehensive study on the use of Ac-Dex as an excipient for dry powder aerosol formulations. In this study, we developed and characterized pulmonary drug delivery aerosol microparticle systems based on spray-dried Ac-Dex with capabilities of (1) delivering therapeutics to the deep lung, (2) targeting the particles to a desired location within the lungs, and (3) releasing the therapeutics in a controlled fashion. …

Fully Compositional Multi-Scale Reservoir Simulation Of Various Co2 Sequestration Mechanisms, Denis V. Voskov, Heath Henley, Angelo Lucia

Chemical Engineering Faculty Publications

A multi-scale reservoir simulation framework for large-scale, multiphase flow with mineral precipitation in CO₂-brine systems is proposed. The novel aspects of this reservoir modeling and simulation framework are centered around the seminal coupling of rigorous reactive transport with full compositional modeling and consist of (1) thermal, multi-phase flow tightly coupled to complex phase behavior, (2) the use of the Gibbs-Helmholtz Constrained (GHC) equation of state, (3) the presence of multiple homogeneous/heterogeneous chemical reactions, (4) the inclusion of mineral precipitation/dissolution, and (5) the presence of homogeneous/heterogeneous formations. The proposed modeling and simulation framework is implemented using the ADGPRS/GFLASH system. …

Dna–Carbon Nanotube Complexation Affinity And Photoluminescence Modulation Are Independent, Prakrit V. Jena, Mohammad M. Safaee, Daniel A. Heller, Daniel E. Roxbury

Chemical Engineering Faculty Publications

Short single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) has emerged as the natural polymer of choice for noncovalently functionalizing photoluminescent single-walled carbon nanotubes. In addition, specific empirically identified DNA sequences can be used to separate single species (chiralities) of nanotubes, with an exceptionally high purity. Currently, only limited general principles exist for designing DNA–nanotube hybrids amenable to separation processes, due in part to an incomplete understanding of the fundamental interactions between a DNA sequence and a specific nanotube structure, whereas even less is known in the design of nanotube-based sensors with determined optical properties. We therefore developed a combined experimental and analysis platform on …

Progress Toward Applications Of Carbon Nanotube Photoluminescence, Prakrit V. Jena, Thomas V. Galassi, Daniel E. Roxbury, Daniel A. Heller

Chemical Engineering Faculty Publications

In the fifteen years following the discovery of single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT) photoluminescence, investigators have made significant progress in their understanding of the phenomenon and toward the development of applications. The intrinsic potential of semiconducting carbon nanotubes – a family of bright, photostable near infrared (NIR) fluorophores (900–2100 nm) with tunable properties, has motivated their use as optical probes and sensors. In this perspective, we highlight the advances made in the synthesis, processing, modification, separation, and metrology of carbon nanotubes in the context of applications of their photoluminescence.

Single Nanotube Spectral Imaging To Determine Molar Concentrations Of Isolated Carbon Nanotube Species, Thomas V. Galassi, Prakrit V. Jena, Daniel E. Roxbury, Daniel A. Heller

Chemical Engineering Faculty Publications

Electronic and biological applications of carbon nanotubes can be highly dependent on the species (chirality) of nanotube, purity, and concentration. Existing bulk methods, such as absorbance spectroscopy, can quantify sp² carbon based on spectral bands, but nanotube length distribution, defects, and carbonaceous impurities can complicate quantification of individual particles. We present a general method to relate the optical density of a photoluminescent nanotube sample to the number of individual nanotubes. By acquiring 3-dimensional images of nanotubes embedded in a gel matrix with a reducing environment, we quantified all emissive nanotubes in a volume. Via spectral imaging, we assessed structural …

Development And Validation Of A Kinetic Model For Enzymatic Hydrolysis Using Candida Rugosa Lipase, Ammar Jamie, Ali Alshami, Zuhair O. Maliabari, Muataz A. Ateih

Chemical Engineering Faculty Publications

Biochemical processing involving enzymatic catalysis of hydrolysis reactions of oils and fats must overcome significant technological barriers before the full benefits of the technology can be realized. Owing to their selectivity and mild reaction conditions, lipases are becoming increasingly important as biocatalysts provided that their kinetics and optimum reaction conditions are well-understood. In this study we report on the development and validation of a kinetic model for the degradation of oils using Candida rugosa lipase, from which a better understanding of the influence of different reaction conditions on hydrolysis kinetics is elucidated. Variations of reaction temperature, mixing speed, enzyme loading …