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Full-Text Articles in Engineering

Synthesis, Self-Assembly And High-Pressure Properties Of Nanoparticles And Hybrid Nanocomposites, Lingyao Meng Jul 2020

Synthesis, Self-Assembly And High-Pressure Properties Of Nanoparticles And Hybrid Nanocomposites, Lingyao Meng

Nanoscience and Microsystems ETDs

Nanoparticles have gained significant scientific interests owing to their unique structural dimensions, size- and shape-tunable properties, and numerous fascinating applications, from opto-electronics, sensor devices, to energy, environmental, and medical fields. Furthermore, the synergistic integration of other materials, including organic polymers, with nanoparticles provides new opportunities and strategies to obtain nanocomposites with superior properties and functionalities. While there is already significant research on the synthesis and characterizations of nanoparticles and hybrid nanocomposites, some research questions, such as how to design and control the interfacial morphology in polymer/nanoparticle hybrid nanocomposites, how to synthesize metal- organic framework (MOF) nanoparticles in well-defined and uniform …


Metabolon-Inspired Design Of Multi-Modal Catalytic Cascade, Madelaine Seow Chavez Apr 2019

Metabolon-Inspired Design Of Multi-Modal Catalytic Cascade, Madelaine Seow Chavez

Chemical and Biological Engineering ETDs

Developing hybrid catalytic systems has been researched for the past decade in an effort to efficiently incorporate catalysts of different modalities in catalytic cascades. It has become imperative to design a cascade system where the catalysts are spatially organized to control the delivery of precursors, intermediates, and products. In this work, we have shown that a molecular catalyst, biocatalyst, and metallic catalyst can be co-localized using a carbonaceous support to create a hybrid catalytic system and complete the oxidation of oxalic acid to create a microchemical reactor. The molecular, pyrene-TEMPO catalyst oxidizes glyoxalic acid to oxalic acid. The enzyme oxalate …


Engineering Viscoelastic Behavior Of Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer Composites With Nanoparticles For Controlling Deployment Of Aerospace Structures, Mark Scherbarth Nov 2018

Engineering Viscoelastic Behavior Of Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer Composites With Nanoparticles For Controlling Deployment Of Aerospace Structures, Mark Scherbarth

Mechanical Engineering ETDs

The United States Air Force is focused on reducing mass and power consumption of spacecraft to increase their capabilities for space missions. Low mass and power consumption can be achieved by using composites with low density and high stiffness and utilizing few satellite components. One way to achieve reduced mass is by eliminating attendant deployment mechanisms consuming valuable power and mass allocations on spacecraft with deployable structures. Secondary systems are typically used to assist deployable space structures to ensure 100% success. A passively deployed space structure would be of great value to the Department of Defense and the commercial marketplace. …


Electrochemical Fabrication Of Energetic Thin Films, Jonathan J. Coleman Nov 2016

Electrochemical Fabrication Of Energetic Thin Films, Jonathan J. Coleman

Chemical and Biological Engineering ETDs

Current thermal battery heat sources suffer from slow reaction propagation rates and require extreme care when handling to protect from inadvertent ignition sources. Nanostructured intermetallic heat sources are strong candidates for improved heat sources as they have high enthalpy of reaction, are highly conductive before and after firing and are completely gasless reactions. Current fabrication methods of these heat sources rely on a PVD multistep layering process that is time and capital intensive, and cost prohibiting to their use. The composition and nanostructuring these films require can be provided with electrochemical codeposition, where the two components (aluminum and nickel) are …


The Electroreduction Of Carbon Dioxide On Porous Copper Nanoparticles, Monica Alisa Padilla Jun 2015

The Electroreduction Of Carbon Dioxide On Porous Copper Nanoparticles, Monica Alisa Padilla

Chemical and Biological Engineering ETDs

Copper nanoparticles of porous, controlled structure were synthesized using the sacrificial support method (SSM). The precursor weight percent (wt%) of copper (Cu) and fumed silica (EH-5) was varied to determine the optimum ratio for this material. The precursors were reduced at i) 350°C in a 7% H2 atmosphere and ii) at 250°C in a 100% H2 atmosphere. The specific surface areas of the nanoparticles was measured by Brunauer-Emmett-Teller N2 absorption. The morphologies and widths of the nanoparticles were confirmed by imaging the nanoparticles by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The bulk composition of the nanoparticles was determined by X-ray diffraction (XRD). …