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Full-Text Articles in Engineering Science and Materials

Hierarchical Carbon Structures With Vertically- Aligned Nanotube Carpets For Oil-Water Separation Under Different Conditions, Kimia Kiaei Jan 2019

Hierarchical Carbon Structures With Vertically- Aligned Nanotube Carpets For Oil-Water Separation Under Different Conditions, Kimia Kiaei

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

The primary purpose of this study is to investigate the role of surface nano-structuring in fluid separation. It is hypothesized that hierarchical carbon structures consisting of aligned carbon nanotube arrays strongly adhered to the surface of porous carbon solids such as fabric and foam, can be used for separation of polar and non-polar fluids by selective wettability of one fluid and rejection of another. The vertically-aligned carbon nanotube arrays, as synthesized, possess super hydrophobicity demonstrated by high water contact angle on their surfaces. On the other hand, they are incredibly oleophilic, showing a high affinity to adsorb oil. These properties …


Deposition Of Nanoparticles Or Thin Films Via Magnetron Sputtering Towards Graphene Surface Functionalization And Device Fabrication, Bridget Jul Larson Jan 2019

Deposition Of Nanoparticles Or Thin Films Via Magnetron Sputtering Towards Graphene Surface Functionalization And Device Fabrication, Bridget Jul Larson

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Graphene, a 2-dimensional single layer of carbon, has high carrier mobility, strength and electrical conductivity. Due to the absence of a band gap and chemical reactivity, pristine graphene has less competitiveness in semiconductors and sensors. Functionalizing graphene is imperative in the development of advanced applications. Among various wet chemical or physical vapor deposition, magnetron sputtering is cost-effective, minimum maintenance, user-friendly, and can be used to rapidly deposit nano-particulates or thin films with less contaminations on any substrates surface. This study is to investigate the morphology evolution of the deposited films using magnetron sputtering and to find appropriate conditions for nanoparticulate …


Multifunctional Nanocomposites Based On Bacterial Cellulose, Qisheng Jiang Dec 2018

Multifunctional Nanocomposites Based On Bacterial Cellulose, Qisheng Jiang

McKelvey School of Engineering Theses & Dissertations

Cellulose is biodegradable, renewable, and abundant in nature thus cellulose (or paper)-based products can be inexpensively produced and recycled. Among cellulosic materials, bacterial nanocellulose (BNC) draws a special research attention due to the inherent three-dimensional nanofibrous structure, excellent mechanical flexibility, high purity and well-defined surface chemistry, and cost-efficient, scalable and environment-friendly synthesis. BNC can be biosynthesized by Gluconacetobacter xylinus, which is the most characterized BNC producer among various microorganisms. BNC is composed of highly pure cellulose nanofibrils, produced from well-defined dextrose through biochemical steps and subsequent self-assembling of the secreted cellulose fibrils which has the dimension ranges from 25 to …


Multifunctional Nanocomposites Based On Bacterial Cellulose, Qisheng Jiang Dec 2018

Multifunctional Nanocomposites Based On Bacterial Cellulose, Qisheng Jiang

McKelvey School of Engineering Theses & Dissertations

Cellulose is biodegradable, renewable, and abundant in nature thus cellulose (or paper)-based products can be inexpensively produced and recycled. Among cellulosic materials, bacterial nanocellulose (BNC) draws a special research attention due to the inherent three-dimensional nanofibrous structure, excellent mechanical flexibility, high purity and well-defined surface chemistry, and cost-efficient, scalable and environment-friendly synthesis. BNC can be biosynthesized by Gluconacetobacter xylinus, which is the most characterized BNC producer among various microorganisms. BNC is composed of highly pure cellulose nanofibrils, produced from well-defined dextrose through biochemical steps and subsequent self-assembling of the secreted cellulose fibrils which has the dimension ranges from 25 to …


Implementation Of New System For Oxygen Generation And Carbon Dioxide Removal, Angelo Peter Karavolos Jan 2016

Implementation Of New System For Oxygen Generation And Carbon Dioxide Removal, Angelo Peter Karavolos

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

This research effort develops an integrated system for CO2 removal and O2 production. A unique material, dodeca-tungsto-phosphoric acid (H3PO4W12O3; henceforth referred to as DTPA) is mixed with tetra-ethyl-ortho-silicate Si(OC2H5)4 or TEOS. This mixture exhibits unique properties of heat absorption and high electrical conductivity. In the system described herein, the DTPA resides within a cross linked arrangement of TEOS. The DTPA furnishes a source of O2, while the TEOS furnishes structural support for the large DTPA crystals. In addition, the large amount of H2O within the crystal also adsorbs CO2. It can also be cross-linked with other polymers such as polycarbonate, …