Engineering Commons^™

Durable Nanocomposite Face Masks With High Particulate Filtration And Rapid Inactivation Of Coronaviruses, Andrew Gonzalez, Hamada A. Aboubakr, John Brockgreitens, Weixing Hao, Yang Wang, Sagar M. Goyal, Abdennour Abbas

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The COVID-19 pandemic presents a unique challenge to the healthcare community due to the high infectivity rate and need for effective personal protective equipment. Zinc oxide nanoparticles have shown promising antimicrobial properties and are recognized as a safe additive in many food and cosmetic products. This work presents a novel nanocomposite synthesis approach, which allows zinc oxide nanoparticles to be grown within textile and face mask materials, including melt-blown polypropylene and nylon-cotton. The resulting nanocomposite achieves greater than 3 log₁₀ reduction (≥ 99.9%) in coronavirus titer within a contact time of 10 min, by disintegrating the viral envelope. The …

Incorporation Of Zinc In Pre-Alloyed Cuin[Zn]S2/Zns Quantum Dots, Jean Carlos Morales Orocu

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Since the early 2000s heavy-metal-free quantum dots (QDs) such as CuInS2/ZnS have attempted to replace CdSe, their heavy-metal-containing counterparts. CuInS2/ZnS is synthesized in a two-step process that involves the fabrication of CuInS2 (CIS) nanocrystals (NCs) followed by the addition of zinc precursors. Instead of the usual core/shell architecture often exhibited by binary QDs, coating CIS QDs results in alloyed and/or partially alloyed cation-exchange (CATEX) QDs. The effect that zinc has on the properties of CIS NCs was studied by incorporating zinc during the first step of the synthesis. Different In:Cu:Zn ratios were employed in this study, maintaining a constant 4:1 …

Forcespun Polyvinylpyrrolidone/Copper And Polyethylene Oxide/Copper Composite Fibers And Their Use As Antibacterial Agents, Md Toukir Hasan, Ramiro Gonzalez, Ari Alexis Munoz, Luis Materon, Jason Parsons, Mataz Alcoutlabi

Mechanical Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Copper nanoparticles (CuNPs) embedded in polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) and polyethylene oxide (PEO) fiber-matrices were prepared through centrifugal spinning of PVP/ethanol and PEO/aqueous solutions, respectively. The prime focus of the current study is to investigate the antibacterial activity of composite fibers against Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Bacillus cereus (B. cereus) bacteria. During the fiber formation, the centrifugal spinning parameters such as spinneret rotational speed, spinneret to collector distance, and relative humidity were carefully chosen to obtain long and continuous fibers. The structural and morphological analyses of both composite fibers were investigated using scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, …

Fine Points For Broad Bumps: The Extension Of Rietveld Refinement For Benchtop Powder Xrd Analysis Of Ultra-Small Supported Nanoparticles, Jeremiah W. Lipp

Theses and Dissertations

The goal of this work is to demonstrate the capabilities of benchtop Bragg diffraction in characterizing ultra-small (< 2nm) nanoparticles. To this end we have established a method for accurately separating the background, adjusting for relevant intensity effects, and analyzing the results with Rietveld refinement. This method is applied to the characterization of six silica-supported “noble” metals under ambient conditions: Pt, Pd, Ir, Rh, Ru, and Au. Surprisingly, Bragg diffraction is capable of shining light on this difficult-to-characterize size region – revealing the propensity of these metal nanoparticles to oxidize at room temperature. Preliminary findings for future work are also discussed: extending our method to crystalline supports and fluorescent samples.

Centrifugal Spinning And Characterization Of Co3o4 Coated Carbon Fibers, J. Ayala, D. Ramirez, Elizabeth M. Fletes, Helia Magali Morales, Jason Parsons, Mataz Alcoutlabi

Mechanical Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Centrifugally spun polyacrylonitrile (PAN) microfibers surface-coated with Co3O4 nanoparticles (NPs) were prepared as precursors to produce coated Co3O4 carbon-composite fibers. The Co3O4/C composite fibers were obtained through a staged heating process during which the Co3O4PAN precursor fibers were stabilized over four hours at 200 °C, and subsequently the stabilized fibers were carbonized for six hours at 600 °C. The synthesis process presented in this work provides an effective strategy for the fabrication of surface coated-fiber materials, including composite fibers with good structure and morphology. The characterization of the Co3O4/C composite fibers was performed using SEM, EDS, XPS, XRD …

Heteroacene-Based Amphiphile As A Molecular Scaffold For Bioimaging Probes, Tharindu A. Ranathunge, Mahesh Loku Yaddehige, Jordan H. Varma, Cameron Smith, Jay Nguyen, Iyanuoluwani Owolabi, Wojciech Kolodziejczyk, Nathan I. Hammer, Glake Hill, Alex Flynt, Davita L. Watkins

Faculty and Student Publications

The challenges faced with current fluorescence imaging agents have motivated us to study two nanostructures based on a hydrophobic dye, 6H-pyrrolo[3,2-b:4,5-b’]bis [1,4]benzothiazine (TRPZ). TRPZ is a heteroacene with a rigid, pi-conjugated structure, multiple reactive sites, and unique spectroscopic properties. Here we coupled TRPZ to a tert-butyl carbamate (BOC) protected 2,2-bis(hydroxymethyl)propanoic acid (bisMPA) dendron via azide-alkyne Huisgen cycloaddition. Deprotection of the protected amine groups on the dendron afforded a cationic terminated amphiphile, TRPZ-bisMPA. TRPZ-bisMPA was nanoprecipitated into water to obtain nanoparticles (NPs) with a hydrodynamic radius that was comparison, TRPZ-PG was encapsulated in pluronic-F127 (Mw = 12 kD), a polymer surfactant …

Amorphous Silica Based Biomaterials For Musculoskeletal Tissue Regeneration Applications, Kamal Awad

Material Science and Engineering Dissertations

Musculoskeletal (MSK) injury includes any injuries that affect the bones, muscles, ligaments, tendons, or nerves. Open bone fracture is one of the common types of MSK traumatic injuries which results in not only bone fracture but also damage/loss of associated muscles, nerve, vasculature, endothelium, periosteum, fascia, and connective tissue. Surgical procedures and biological interventions are required to fix the broken bone, and muscle transfer is performed to compensate the skeletal muscle defects. Current treatments include fixative metal implants and regenerative biopolymer scaffolds, then muscle flap procedures to cover the bone. Yet, these treatments are inadequate because the used materials do …

Nanoparticles For Targeted Drug Delivery To Cancer Stem Cells: A Review Of Recent Advances, Yavuz Nuri Ertas, Keyvan Abedu Dorcheh, Ali Akbari, Esmaiel Jabbari

Faculty Publications

Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are a subpopulation of cells that can initiate, self-renew, and sustain tumor growth. CSCs are responsible for tumor metastasis, recurrence, and drug resistance in cancer therapy. CSCs reside within a niche maintained by multiple unique factors in the microenvironment. These factors include hypoxia, excessive levels of angiogenesis, a change of mitochondrial activity from aerobic aspiration to aerobic glycolysis, an upregulated expression of CSC biomarkers and stem cell signaling, and an elevated synthesis of the cytochromes P450 family of enzymes responsible for drug clearance. Antibodies and ligands targeting the unique factors that maintain the niche are utilized …

Nanoparticles For Targeted Drug Delivery To Cancer Stem Cells: A Review Of Recent Advances, Yavuz Nuri Ertas, Keyvan Abedi Dorcheh, Ali Akbari, Esmaiel Jabbari

Faculty Publications

Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are a subpopulation of cells that can initiate, self-renew, and sustain tumor growth. CSCs are responsible for tumor metastasis, recurrence, and drug resistance in cancer therapy. CSCs reside within a niche maintained by multiple unique factors in the microenvironment. These factors include hypoxia, excessive levels of angiogenesis, a change of mitochondrial activity from aerobic aspiration to aerobic glycolysis, an upregulated expression of CSC biomarkers and stem cell signaling, and an elevated synthesis of the cytochromes P450 family of enzymes responsible for drug clearance. Antibodies and ligands targeting the unique factors that maintain the niche are utilized …

The Effect Of Nanostructures In Aluminum Alloys Processed Using Additive Manufacturing On Microstructural Evolution And Mechanical Performance Behavior, Rachel Boillat, Sriram Praneeth Isanaka, Frank W. Liou

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

This paper reviews the status of nanoparticle technology as it relates to the additive manufacturing (AM) of aluminum-based alloys. A broad overview of common AM processes is given. Additive manufacturing is a promising field for the advancement of manufacturing due to its ability to yield near-net-shaped components that require minimal post-processing prior to end-use. AM also allows for the fabrication of prototypes as well as economical small batch production. Aluminum alloys processed via AM would be very beneficial to the manufacturing industry due to their high strength to weight ratio; however, many of the conventional alloy compositions have been shown …

Development Of Biomaterials For Drug Delivery, Raquel De Castro

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Drug delivery systems (DDS) have highly evolved in the last decades with the development of hydrogels and nanoparticles. However, high systemic uptake, side effects, low bioavailability, and encapsulation efficiency continue to be a major hurdle faced by such DDSs.

Nanoparticles and hydrogels can be specifically designed for targeted DDSs to mitigate some of the problems. This dissertation aimed to design two DDSs for ocular drug delivery and one for cancer treatment. The first project sought to develop chitosan nanoparticles (Cs-NP) using PEGDA as a copolymer to encapsulate gentamicin (GtS) for ocular drug delivery. Cs-NPs contain positive charges that can interact …

Thermal Testing And Characterization Of Nanoparticles Synthesized For Biological Treatment, Tonie Butler

Mechanical Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

The overall goal of this research project is to synthesize iron core, silica capped nanoparticles that, when they are exposed to a particular magnetic field, will react by increasing in temperature and emitting substantial thermal output. They will be injected into the human body for biological benefit by targeted thermal radiation. Once in the human body, ideally, they will be able to target a specific area, and then a magnetic field will be applied to induce thermal output through the process of hyperthermia. As the nanoparticles emit heat, they will mimic the natural bodily behavior seen by way of hyperthermia, …

A Method For Orientation Of Cellulose Nano Fibers For Addition Of Biological Nanoparticles And Tissue Integration, Joshua Hamilton

Honors College

The University of Maine is one of the world’s leading producers of cellulose nanofibers (CNF). This material has the power to revitalize the Maine paper industry. This has led to an abundance of labs on campus researching applications for the material. Active research activities at the University of Maine include industrial applications such as filtration, biodegradable packaging, building materials and niche health care applications. Niche health care applications include wicking pads for point of care diagnostics and tunable biomaterials ranging from dressings to implantable bone-like materials. Medical applications require an analysis of the biocompatibility of CNF.CNF is biocompatible in general: …

Analysis Of Photodetector Based On Zinc Oxide And Cesium Lead Bromide Heterostructure With Interdigital Metallization, Tanveer Ahmed Siddique

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In this thesis, photodetector based on the zinc oxide and cesium lead bromide hetero structure were fabricated and characterized. Zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles were synthesized using solution processing and cesium lead bromide (CsPbBr3) thin film was synthesized using two step deposition method. Three phonon modes were obtained by the Raman spectroscopy of ZnO nanoparticles. X-ray diffraction spectra of ZnO exhibits five exciton peaks which denotes that the synthesized ZnO structure was of good crystallinity with wurtzite hexagonal phase. The absorbance spectrum of ZnO shows the bandgap (Eg) in the order of 3.5 eV that aligns with reported results. The photoluminescence …

Study Of Particle Size Effect On The Performance Of Tio2 Nanoparticles As Lubricant Additives On Vegetable Oil-Based Nanolubricants, Dario F. Rodriguez

Theses and Dissertations

Recently there has been an increase in concern regarding the use of petroleum-based lubricants. This has created an interest in readily available biodegradable lubricants such as vegetable oils. This work evaluates the rheological and tribological performance of grapeseed, and sunflower oils altered with 5, 18, and 40 nanometer titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticles at differing concentrations. Block-on-ring tests were performed using the ASTM G-077-05 standard procedure. The effect of nanoparticle size and concentration and shear rate on the viscosity were evaluated and the experimental data was compared to conventional models. Roughness tests were performed on the wear scar of the blocks …

Conductive Agnw/Tempo Cnf Thin Film, David Flewelling

Honors College

Cellulose is a strong, readily available biologically sourced polymer with a wide potential for applications in many fields. Its high degree of biodegradability makes it an excellent candidate for environmentally friendly sensors, but it is necessary to devise a method by which to render it conductive. Silver nanowires are highly conductive nanoparticles with many potential applications in sensing, as well as being on a similar order-of-magnitude in size as cellulose derivatives, which makes them a prime candidate for use in this application. Methods of casting cellulose nanofibrils (CNF), cellulose nanocrystals (CNC), and TEMPO-Oxidized CNF (TEMPO CNF) films were explored, and …

Analysis Of Data To Evaluate The Performance Of Air Filters Used For Filtering Nanoscale Particles Generated By Smoke, Pascal J. Wagemaker

Honors College Theses

The main goal of this research project is to determine the effectiveness of commercially available air filters and to compare different kinds of commercially available air filters in certain categories. With recent record-breaking wildfires and the Covid-19 pandemic, research on the effects and features of nanoparticles has become increasingly important. Inhalation of nanoparticles in smoke can result in severe health effects on humans, affecting especially the respiratory system. As nanoparticles can pass through cell membranes, absorption occurs rapidly and affects many different parts and functions of the human body. While air filters are an effective method of reducing small-sized particles …

Time-Domain Measurement Of Magnetization Dynamics In Ferrofluids, Brian Egenriether

Theses and Dissertations

Time-domain measurements are made on a magnetite-based (Fe3O4) ferrofluid using an inductive technique. The constituent particles are 5.8% by volume, polydisperse, and have a nominal diameter of 10nm with a ~1nm-thick anionic hydrophobic coating. The ferrofluid is placed in a sealed channel on a coplanar waveguide (CPW) situated in an adjustable external magnetic bias field. A fast-rising step current in the CPW quickly reorients the local magnetic field above the signal trace causing the particles’ moments to align in the new field configuration. This changing magnetization induces a voltage in the CPW that is detected by a sampling oscilloscope. Precessional …

Impact Of Particle Surface Charge Heterogeneity On Deposition Onto Flat Surfaces And Transport In Porous Media, Thompson Delon

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Biological and non-biological natural colloids are anisotropic and ubiquitously exist in groundwater. Previously in colloid transport modelling, colloids are assumed to be homogenous for simplification, whether in shape or surface charge. More research has been done to incorporate surface heterogeneity in the transport experiment, i.e., surface charge heterogeneity on collector in column experiment. However, few studies have been done on surface heterogeneity on colloids themselves.

In this dissertation, Janus particles with different surface charge was developed to model surface heterogeneity on colloids. The interaction energy between Janus particle and flat surfaces was analyzed through DLVO simulation. It was discovered that …

Volcanic Emissions And Atmospheric Pollution: A Study Of Nanoparticles, Erika M. Trejos, Luis F. O. Silva, James C. Hower, Eriko M. M. Flores, Carlos Mario González, Jorge E. Pachón, Beatriz H. Aristizábal

Center for Applied Energy Research Faculty and Staff Publications

The influence of emissions of an active volcano on the composition of nanoparticles and ultrafine road dust was identified in an urban area of the Andes. Although many cities are close to active volcanoes, few studies have evaluated their influence in road dust composition. Air quality in urban areas is significantly affected by non-exhaust emissions (e.g. road dust, brake wear, tire wear), however, natural sources such as volcanoes also impact the chemical composition of the particles. In this study, elements from volcanic emissions such as Si > Al > Fe > Ca > K > Mg, and Si—Al with K were identified as complex hydrates. …

Copper Oxide Nanoparticle Diameter Mediates Serum-Sensitive Toxicity In Beas-2b Cells, Angie S. Morris, Brittany E. Givens, Aaron Silva, Aliasger K. Salem

Chemical and Materials Engineering Faculty Publications

Copper oxide (CuO) nanoparticles (NPs) are abundant in manufacturing processes, but they are an airway irritant. In vitro pulmonary toxicity of CuO NPs has been modeled using cell lines such as human bronchial epithelial cell line BEAS-2B. In 2D in vitro culture, BEAS-2B undergoes squamous differentiation due to the presence of serum. Differentiation is part of the repair process of lung cells in vivo that helps to preserve the epithelial lining of the respiratory tract. Herein, the effects of serum on the hydrodynamic diameter, cellular viability, cellular differentiation, and cellular uptake of 5 and 35 nm CuO NPs are investigated, …

Zein And Lignin-Based Nanoparticles As Delivery Systems: Pesticide Release And Nanoparticle Health Impact On Soybean Plants, Fallon Polette Salinas Gonzalez

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This research examined the effect of biodegradable, polymeric, lignin-based nanoparticles (LNPs, 113.8±3.4, negatively charged) and zein nanoparticles (ZNP, 141.6±3.9, positively charged) on soybean plant health. The LNPs were synthesized from lignin, covalently linked to poly(lactic-co-glycolic) acid by emulsion evaporation. ZNPs were synthesized by nanoprecipitation. Soybeans grown hydroponically were treated with three concentrations (0.02, 0.2, and 2 mg/ml) of NPs at 28 days after germination. The effect of ZNPs and LNPs on plant health was determined through analysis of root and stem length, chlorophyll concentration, dry biomass of roots and stem, as well as carbon, nitrogen, and micronutrient absorption after 1, …

Detection Of 2,4,6-Trinitrotoluene Using A Colorimetric Gold Nanoparticle Air Cassette Filter, Andrea I. Ferrer Vega

Theses and Dissertations

Trinitrotoluene (TNT) is an explosive commonly used during military and terrorist activities. Current methods to identify this compound require sampling, transport and analysis at a forensic lab using analytical instrumentation. However, on-site detection is needed to assist efforts to prevent detonation. Gold nanoparticles have been used as sensors throughout the years due to their versatility and surface enhanced Raman scattering properties in the presence of an analyte and low limits of detection. By taking advantage of the Meisenheimer complex that TNT forms in the presence of amines, it is possible to determine its presence at picogram levels. Subsequently, adhering amine …

Aqueous Fabrication Of Pristine And Oxide Coated Znse Nanoparticles, Nicholas L. Van Zandt

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Semiconducting nanoparticles have received significant attention due to their unique optoelectronic properties. Quantum dots (QDs), a class of spherical nanoparticles, possess a size-dependent bandgap and photoluminescence at visible wavelengths. QDs have many applications including biological labelling, solar cells, chemical impurity detection, and optical glasses. Doping QDs into optical glasses is highly desirable. High-quality QDs can be synthesized via liquid solution methods. However, solution-synthesized QDs often degrade over time and they cannot survive incorporation into a glass melt without protection. In this work, the aqueous synthesis of ZnSe QDs and coating with nanometer silica and alumina protective shells are investigated. The …

Enhancing Emulsion Liquid Membrane System (Elm) Stability And Performance For The Extraction Of Phenol From Wastewater Using Various Nanoparticles, Faris H. Al-Ani, Qusay F. Alsalhy, Muthanna H. Al-Dahhan

Chemical and Biochemical Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Emulation liquid membrane (ELM) technology has recently garnered attention as an efficient alternative for separating pollutants, but it faces the problem of instability during the application, as well as emulsion breaking. With this in mind MgO, Al₂O₃, and three magnetic Fe₂O₃ nanoparticles (of different sizes) were utilized to fabricate a new Pickering ELM system (PELM). The extraction efficiency of phenol from aqueous solution by PELM was studied with different NPs types and with different phenol concentrations (1,000; 500; 100; and 50 ppm). It was found that the type of NPs and concentration of …

Investigation Of Iron-Nickel Based Nanoparticles As Catalysts For Oxygen Evolution Reaction (Oer), Prashant Acharya

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Hydrogen fuel is increasingly seen as an appealing alternative by both the scientific and the industrial communities in the drive towards a clean energy future. Hydrogen, unlike fossil-based fuels, does not release carbon dioxide, a chief component of greenhouse gases, upon combustion. However, more than 95% of the hydrogen in the world is still produced by burning fossil fuels as this method is currently the only economically feasible option at a large industrial scale.

Water electrolysis shows a lot of potential in both hydrogen generation and in the storage of energy from renewable sources such as wind and sunlight. Likewise, …

A Review Of Enhancement Of Biohydrogen Productions By Chemical Addition Using A Supervised Machine Learning Method, Yiyang Liu, Jinze Liu, Hongzhen He, Shanru Yang, Yixiao Wang, Jin Hu, Huan Jin, Tianxiang Cui, Gang Yang, Yong Sun

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

In this work, the impact of chemical additions, especially nano‐particles (NPs), was quan-titatively analyzed using our constructed artificial neural networks (ANNs)‐response surface methodology (RSM) algorithm. Fe‐based and Ni‐based NPs and ions, including Mg2+, Cu2+, Na+, NH4+, and K+, behave differently towards the response of hydrogen yield (HY) and hydrogen evolution rate (HER). Manipulating the size and concentration of NPs was found to be effective in enhancing the HY for Fe‐based NPs and ions, but not for Ni‐based NPs and ions. An optimal range of particle size (86–120 nm) and Ni‐ion/NP concentration (81–120 mg L−1) existed for HER. Meanwhile, the manipulation …

Inventions Of Scientists, Engineers And Specialists From Different Countries In The Area Of Nanotechnologies. Part Vi, Leonid A. Ivanov, Li D. Xu, Konstantin E. Razumeev, Zhanna V. Pisarenko, Aleksey V. Demenev

Information Technology & Decision Sciences Faculty Publications

Introduction. Advanced technologies impress people's imagination demonstrating the latest achievements (materials, methods, systems, technologies, devices etc.) that dramatically change the world. This, first of all, concerns nanotechnological inventions designed by scientists, engineers and specialists from different countries. Main part. The article provides an abstract overview of inventions of scientists, engineers and specialists from different countries: Russia, USA, China, Kazakhstan, Sweden. The results of the creative activity of scientists, engineers and specialists, including inventions in the field of nanotechnology and nanomaterials allow, when introduced to industry, achieving a significant effect in construction, housing and communal services, and related sectors of the …

Detection Of 2,4,6-Trinitrotoluene Using A Colorimetric Gold Nanoparticle Air Cassette Filter, Andrea I. Ferrer Vega

Master of Science in Forensic Science Directed Research Projects

Trinitrotoluene (TNT) is an explosive commonly used during military and terrorist activities. Current methods to identify this compound require sampling, transport and analysis at a forensic lab using analytical instrumentation. However, on-site detection is needed to assist efforts to prevent detonation. Gold nanoparticles have been used as sensors throughout the years due to their versatility and surface enhanced Raman scattering properties in the presence of an analyte and low limits of detection. By taking advantage of the Meisenheimer complex that TNT forms in the presence of amines, it is possible to determine its presence at picogram levels. Subsequently, adhering amine …

Ionizable Lipid Nanoparticles For In Utero Mrna Delivery., Rachel S. Riley, Meghana V Kashyap, Margaret M Billingsley, Brandon White, Mohamad-Gabriel Alameh, Sourav K Bose, Philip W Zoltick, Hiaying Li, Rui Zhang, Andrew Y Cheng, Drew Weissman, William H Peranteau, Michael J Mitchell

Henry M. Rowan College of Engineering Faculty Scholarship

Clinical advances enable the prenatal diagnosis of genetic diseases that are candidates for gene and enzyme therapies such as messenger RNA (mRNA)-mediated protein replacement. Prenatal mRNA therapies can treat disease before the onset of irreversible pathology with high therapeutic efficacy and safety due to the small fetal size, immature immune system, and abundance of progenitor cells. However, the development of nonviral platforms for prenatal delivery is nascent. We developed a library of ionizable lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) for in utero mRNA delivery to mouse fetuses. We screened LNPs for luciferase mRNA delivery and identified formulations that accumulate within fetal livers, lungs, …