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Full-Text Articles in Nanoscience and Nanotechnology

Transport Of Water And Ions Through Single-Walled Armchair Carbon Nanotubes: A Molecular Dynamics Study, Michelle Patricia Aranha Dec 2017

Transport Of Water And Ions Through Single-Walled Armchair Carbon Nanotubes: A Molecular Dynamics Study, Michelle Patricia Aranha

Doctoral Dissertations

The narrow hydrophobic interior of a carbon nanotube (CNT) poses a barrier to the transport of water and ions, and yet, unexpectedly, numerous experimental and simulation studies have confirmed fast water transport rates comparable to those seen in biological aquaporin channels. These outstanding features of high water permeability and high solute rejection of even dissolved ions that would typically require a lot of energy for separation in commercial processes makes carbon nanotubes an exciting candidate for desalination membranes. Extending ion exclusion beyond simple mechanical sieving by the inclusion of electrostatics via added functionality to the nanotube bears promise to not …


Structure And Energetics Of Nanoparticles And Ionomer Films In Fuel Cell Catalyst Layers, Qianping He Dec 2013

Structure And Energetics Of Nanoparticles And Ionomer Films In Fuel Cell Catalyst Layers, Qianping He

Doctoral Dissertations

Improving the durability and utilization efficiency of the platinum-on-carbon (Pt/C) catalyst is of vital importance to the commercialization of the polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC). This body of work provides molecular level insights to aid the fulfillment of this goal. Chapter 1 describes the use of molecular dynamics (MD) simulation in an effort to understand the Pt/C degradation issue from the nano-adhesion point of view. The roles of catalyst nanoparticle size, shape, Pt/C surface oxidation and the extent of ionomer film hydration are investigated to study their effects on nano-particle adhesion. It is found that the adhesion force strengthens …


Self-Consistent Multiscale Modeling In The Presence Of Inhomogeneous Fields, Ruichang Xiong, Rebecca L. Empting, Ian C. Morris, David J. Keffer Nov 2009

Self-Consistent Multiscale Modeling In The Presence Of Inhomogeneous Fields, Ruichang Xiong, Rebecca L. Empting, Ian C. Morris, David J. Keffer

Faculty Publications and Other Works -- Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering

Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of a Lennard–Jones fluid in an inhomogeneous external field generate steady-state profiles of density and pressure with nanoscopic heterogeneities. The continuum level of mass, momentum, and energy transport balances is capable of reproducing the MD profiles only when the equation of state for pressure as a function of density is extracted directly from the molecular level of description. We show that the density profile resulting from simulation is consistent with both a molecular-level theoretical prediction from statistical mechanics as well as the solution of the continuum-level set of differential equations describing the conservation of mass and …


Energetic And Entropic Elasticity Of Nonisothermal Flowing Polymers: Experiment, Theory, And Simulation, T. C. Ionescu, B. J. Edwards, David Keffer, V. G. Mavrantzas Jan 2008

Energetic And Entropic Elasticity Of Nonisothermal Flowing Polymers: Experiment, Theory, And Simulation, T. C. Ionescu, B. J. Edwards, David Keffer, V. G. Mavrantzas

Faculty Publications and Other Works -- Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering

The thermodynamical aspects of polymeric liquids subjected to nonisothermal flow are examined from the complementary perspectives of theory, experiment, and simulation. In particular, attention is paid to the energetic effects, in addition to the entropic ones, that occur under conditions of extreme deformation. Comparisons of experimental measurements of the temperature rise generated under elongational flow at high strain rates with macroscopic finite element simulations offer clear evidence of the persistence and importance of energetic effects under severe deformation. The performance of various forms of the temperature equation are evaluated with regard to experiment, and it is concluded that the standard …