Engineering Science and Materials Commons^™

Oxidation Of Titanium In Alpha-Calf Serum Solution, Ali Stait Ismailoglu

Masters Theses

Titanium and its alloys have been used extensively in orthopedic implants mainly because of its excellent biocompatibility. This biocompatibility is attributed to its surface oxide film (3-7 nm thickness) that forms immediately upon exposure of titanium to air. In the research, the oxidation of Ti-6Al-4V in alpha-calf serum solution was studied. Four different immersion times were tested. Characterization of surface topography and its chemical composition was examined using Atomic force microscopy (AFM), Fourier transform-infrared radiation (FT-IR), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The AFM results clearly show the gradual change that occurred in the samples topography which is associated with more-rounded …

Microstrain Pattern Analysis Of The Canine Patellar Tendon Following A Tibial Plateau Leveling Osteotomy, Joshua Paul Stapleton

Masters Theses

This study investigates the change in strain patterns of the canine patellar tendon following a Tibial Plateau Leveling Osteotomy (TPLO). The TPLO is a procedure used to minimize anterior tibial translation in canines following a cranial cruciate rupture. A noted clinical deficiency randomly seen with the TPLO is an inflammation of the patellar tendon. In some instances, the inflammation results in material damage resulting in a calcification of the tendon and in worst cases, a fracture of the patella.

In order to investigate the strain patterns, four fresh frozen canine cadaver stifles were used. The cadavers were mounted for stabilization …

Multiple View 3d Reconstruction Of Micro- To Nano-Scopic Specimens, Matthew Alan Schultz

Masters Theses

Range images and 3D modeling are often utilized on large scale specimens, but have been somewhat overlooked on the microscopic scale. This thesis concentrates on overcoming some of the difficulties of capturing images and creating both 3D models and 2D range images on this scale. During the scope of this thesis we take a deeper look into the optical mechanics of the laser scanning confocal microscope (LSCM) and scanning electron microscope (SEM) to understand the formation of the images and use that information to create our algorithms. With the use of the LSCM we can obtain a stack of 2D …

Finite Element Nonlinear Dynamic Response Analysis Of The Human Knee Joint, T. Wayne Pfeiler

Masters Theses

Objective. To develop a detailed non-linear 3-D dynamic finite element model of the knee joint and perform preliminary analysis simulating different loading conditions to confirm reasonable function of the model.

Design. Using ANSYS, a finite element model of the human knee was created and tested.

Background. Finite element models of the knee have been developed in previous studies. However, no study has generated a detailed tissue level model, or performed dynamic testing on a model.

Methods. Initial cartilage and ligament geometry was received from a previous study. A finite element mesh including bone was created. The model was constrained to …

Development Of A Methodology To Evaluate Environmental Implications Of Lean Implementation, Pamuk Teparakul

Masters Theses

While much research has confirmed the effectiveness of lean manufacturing in improving manufacturing productivity, far less work has focused on the impact of lean implementation on the different measures of environmental performance. More notably, there remains much to be understood about the complex relationship between lean manufacturing principles and their overall environmental impacts.

The purpose of this research is to develop a multi-phase methodology to assist practitioners in evaluating overall environmental impacts associated with implementation of various lean manufacturing principles. This knowledge would then allow practitioners to design and analyze manufacturing systems for both productivity and environmental concerns. A case …

Structure And Spectroscopy Of Polymer Ultra Thin Films And Nanocomposites, Ramesh Chandra Kattumenu

Masters Theses

This research involves the study of structure and properties of polymer composite thin films. The intrinsic relation between the morphology and thickness of polymer thin films is the main idea behind this research. Polymer films with thickness in the range of 3nm to 600nm (comparable with the characteristic molecular length scale - radius of gyration) are studied for changes in morphology with temperature and thickness using Atomic Force Microscopy and Raman spectroscopy. The study of very thin polymer films using Force Modulation technique with AFM and Surface Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy showed that polymers could be characterized with these techniques at …