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Articles 1 - 30 of 81
Full-Text Articles in Physical Sciences and Mathematics
Global Minimum Search For The Largest Ge Cage Stabilized By A Single Interstitial Metal Atom, Alexis Kiefer
Global Minimum Search For The Largest Ge Cage Stabilized By A Single Interstitial Metal Atom, Alexis Kiefer
Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects
Recent joint experimental and theoretical studies showed that the largest Ge cage-like cluster features 14 Ge atoms that encapsulate a single transition metal atom in the [Nb@Ge14]3- cluster. The next larger experimentally confirmed Ge cluster exhibiting a cage-like geometry was found to be viable only when stabilized by two transition metal atoms in the [Co2@Ge16]4- cluster. So, as of now, it is not clear whether a cage-like cluster made out of 15 Ge atom stabilized by a single transition metal is viable. Hence, the aim of this project is to find the …
The Affect Of Dha Concentration On Lipid Membrane Fluidity, Elise Rezabeck
The Affect Of Dha Concentration On Lipid Membrane Fluidity, Elise Rezabeck
Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects
My proposed project will be creating large unilaminar vesicles with varying concentrations of DHA in the vesicles. The diffusion in and out of these vesicles will be tracked by using singular lipid molecules. These singular lipid molecules will be tagged with fluorescence and viewed using an internal reflection fluorescence microscope. The data collected over the course of this project will then be analyzed using Matlab. The result of the project will be to find the specific lipid diffusion constant of these unilaminar vesicles. The relationship between the concentration of DHA and lipid diffusion and membrane fluidity will be found as …
Wetting Transition Of Texturized Surfaces, Jenna Stephens
Wetting Transition Of Texturized Surfaces, Jenna Stephens
Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects
Building on previous research, this project aims to continue the investigation of the wettability of various liquids on a uniform, texturized surface. Different surface energies can impact the wettability of a surface. The surface can be hydrophilic, hydrophobic, or in between. The goal of this project is to research how features of texturized surfaces affect the wetting transition of water, oil, and a mixture of both. Additionally, this project aims to improve the quality of the 3D printed surfaces. The surfaces that will be studied are constructed using UV cured resin 3D printing and are made up of an array …
How Akron Affects The Water Quality Of The Cuyahoga River, Allyson Darst
How Akron Affects The Water Quality Of The Cuyahoga River, Allyson Darst
Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects
The purpose of this study was to analyze whether the city of Akron had negative effects on the Cuyahoga river, and determine if the Cuyahoga River was naturally able to remediate these effects downstream. The pollutants measured in this study include hardness, bromine, residual chlorine, iron, copper, lead, nitrate, nitrite, ammonium chloride, total chlorine, fluoride, carbonate, pH, total alkalinity and cyanuric acid. This study was done using water testing strips (JNW Direct) to test the water at four different locations along the Cuyahoga River downstream (North) of Akron. This study found that the city of Akron does have a negative …
Intergranular And Pitting Corrosion Mechanisms Of Sensitized Aluminum Alloy Aa5083, Clayton Egleston
Intergranular And Pitting Corrosion Mechanisms Of Sensitized Aluminum Alloy Aa5083, Clayton Egleston
Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects
The motivation and objectives of this project is to examine the mechanisms of intergranular corrosion (IGC) and pitting corrosion of sensitized AA5083. In this regard, different characterization techniques were used, including optical analysis of microstructure, cyclic potentiodynamic polarization with Tafel fitting, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy with electrical equivalent circuit (EEC) fitting, and potentiostatic current transient monitoring. The transition from IGC to pitting corrosion occurs when the grain boundaries become saturated with the β-phase (Mg2Al3). It was found that AA5083 becomes more vulnerable to pitting corrosion as the degree of sensitization increases.
Reinforcement Of Elastomers By Reactive Ionic Surfactant, Nicole Vickerman
Reinforcement Of Elastomers By Reactive Ionic Surfactant, Nicole Vickerman
Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects
Elastomers without cross-linking agents or fillers do not have the necessary properties for practical applications in the rubber industry. Elastomers must be reinforced with fillers and/or cross-linking agents to achieve the needs of physical and mechanical properties for commercial products. Sodium octyl 6-mercaptohexyl phosphate (SOMP) and sodium ethyl (6-mercaptohexyl) phosphate (SEMP) were used to investigate the influence of a reactive ionic surfactant and its influence on the physical properties of peroxide crosslinked styrene butadiene rubber (SBR). SEMP and SOMP were both found to be able to be grafted successfully on to the SBR chains within the rubber using extraction testing …
Scale-Up Of Flow-Electrode Capacitive Deionization Method For Hard Water Softening, Noah Henry
Scale-Up Of Flow-Electrode Capacitive Deionization Method For Hard Water Softening, Noah Henry
Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects
This study’s purpose is to further document a capacitive deionization design that could be capable of purifying H2O at a household scale where clean water is otherwise unobtainable in applicable regions of the world. The hypothesis behind this study was continuously larger scaled electrochemical cell-units would increase their water softening capabilities in sustainable fashion. The trend at which performance will scale is currently unknown. The units studied were constructed using graphite plates, anion exchange membranes, cation exchange membranes, and Teflon channels. Three streams, two being CaCl2 solutions in DI H2O (one being concentrated with CaCl …
Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy Analysis Of Corrosion Of Reinforcing Steel In Fly Ash Mortar By Means Of Transmission Line Modeling, Padraig Stack
Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects
Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) is an important non-destructive tool that allows for a deeper understanding of the electrochemical processes and mechanisms occurring in an electrochemical cell. Equivalent electrical circuits (EECs) are used to model the impedance data into electrical components, such as resistors and capacitors, on a circuit. Current potentiostat offers software packages that can analyze the frequency response, but the software only supports “simple” EEC that can be written as fixed electrical components in some combination of series and parallel. Park and Macdonald propose a transmission line model (TLM) that does not use lumped-element models, instead, the values of …
Sequential Block Copolymers Of Polyisobutylene And Polyolefins, Manwel Labib
Sequential Block Copolymers Of Polyisobutylene And Polyolefins, Manwel Labib
Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects
A two-step approach will be utilized to synthesize random polyolefin multiblock-copolymers. This strategy takes advantage of a,w-terminated telechelic polyolefins. Polypropylene (iPP)/polyethylene (PE) are picked because of their strength, and polyisobutylene (PIB) because of its hemocompatibility. This copolymer is theorized to make for robust bio-inert plastic, which can be used for surgical mesh implants.
The Influence Of Hydrogen Peroxide On The Enrichment Of Fe(Iii) Reducing Bacteria From Acid Mine Drainage, Susami Seth
The Influence Of Hydrogen Peroxide On The Enrichment Of Fe(Iii) Reducing Bacteria From Acid Mine Drainage, Susami Seth
Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects
It is hypothesized that the ocean of Europa, a Jupiter moon, hosts bacteria on its oceanic floor. Understanding how Fe(III) reducing bacteria (FeRB) from AMD utilize organic materials within its surrounding environment outlines how FeRB could thrive and tolerate extreme conditions. FeRB are known to tolerate metals and highly reactive oxidants species (ROS), but in this experiment, H2O2 was the experimental factor to further test FeRB tolerance. H2O2 is a common ROS and is damaging to living material such as proteins, DNA, and RNA. A range of H2O2 concentrations were fed …
Synthesis Of Rna Nucleotides Under Probable Prebiotic Conditions, Ryan Stimson
Synthesis Of Rna Nucleotides Under Probable Prebiotic Conditions, Ryan Stimson
Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects
RNA being composed of multiple covalently linked nucleotides is thought to have been a precursor to life circa 4.3-3.8 billion years ago. Non-enzymatically formed adenosine monophosphate (AMP), more specifically, is a vitally important subtopic of the self-assembly of the first RNA sequence. The goal of this study was to synthesize AMP non-enzymatically under benign conditions that are likely to have existed on early Earth. In this experiment, 3’,5’-cAMP was successfully formed using wet-dry cycles at 80°C paired with the minerals zeolite beta, hydroxyapatite, and aerosil 300 in the presence of adenosine, urea, and pyrophosphate. A nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometer was …
Quantifying Confinement Of Chain Dynamics For Chains Tethered To Self-Assembling Crystalline Nanodomains Using Neutron Spin Echo Spectroscopy, Logan Benninghoff
Quantifying Confinement Of Chain Dynamics For Chains Tethered To Self-Assembling Crystalline Nanodomains Using Neutron Spin Echo Spectroscopy, Logan Benninghoff
Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects
Polyisobutylene (PIB) rubbers can be reinforced with crystalline β-alanine nanodomains. Progress has been made in understanding the morphology of the nanodomains, but the dynamics of the PIB molecule chains attached to the surface of the nanodomains and in the matrix are not well understood. It is possible to observe the motion of these PIB chains using Neutron Spin Echo (NSE) experiments, since the experimental technique can give data for smaller timescales. Data collection for reinforced rubber samples has already been performed, but the data still need to be analyzed. For my honors project I will be comparing the data to …
Proto-Rna Synthesis Using Glycerol And Phosphate Anion, Noah Parker
Proto-Rna Synthesis Using Glycerol And Phosphate Anion, Noah Parker
Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects
Nucleic acids are important molecules for all life, serving as the primary molecules for information storage and reproduction. RNA has long been thought to be the molecule that initiated protein synthesis. However, RNA has recently been thought to be too complex to synthesize prebiotically. Through a 1:1 mole ratio condensation of glycerol and phosphoric acid, I generated glycerol-phosphate oligomers that resemble a primitive form of the carbon-phosphate backbone of RNA. 75 mmol MgCl2 was added to some samples to see if the Mg cation could stabilize the reaction intermediates and further promote longer proto-RNA oligomers. These samples were all heated …
Continuing The Metalation And Ring Closure Of Biliazine, Joshua Villers
Continuing The Metalation And Ring Closure Of Biliazine, Joshua Villers
Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects
Continuing previous research conducted by Dr. Ziegler and his Graduate Students in which different metals were selected to metalate the compound Biliazine as well as finding metals that could be used to close the ring system in Biliazine.
Molecular Recognition Of Pet Depolymerization Products And Beta-Cyclodextrin, Thomas Palisin
Molecular Recognition Of Pet Depolymerization Products And Beta-Cyclodextrin, Thomas Palisin
Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects
Using molecular recognition techniques to determine the binding constant of the host-guest relationships of the depolymerization products of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and cyclodextrin species. The main method of data collection used was florescence spectroscopy. Using a titration method and measuring the florescence intensity, a nonlinear regression was used to determine the binding constant.
Synthesis Of Novel Porphyrin Derived Molecules For The Study Of Self Assembly And Photophysical Properties, Alex Nguyen
Synthesis Of Novel Porphyrin Derived Molecules For The Study Of Self Assembly And Photophysical Properties, Alex Nguyen
Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects
The photochemical capabilities of self-assembling porphyrins holds the potential to eliminate the use of fossil fuels. Porphyrins have the ability to absorb solar energy to excite its electrons within the highly conjugated π system of the porphyrin ring. The excited electron can then be donated thus creating a charge separated state between the porphyrin donor and the electron acceptor. With self-assembly of porphyrin monomers into a supramolecular structure, this charge separated state can be emphasized and prolonged so the energy potential generated can be harvested. Here, the synthesis of porphyrin derivatives substituted with biologically found molecules is described. The lysine …
The Effects Of Increasing Positively Charged Metal Ions Within Synovial Fluid, Kandisi Anyabwile
The Effects Of Increasing Positively Charged Metal Ions Within Synovial Fluid, Kandisi Anyabwile
Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects
Osteoarthritis is a degenerative joint disease that affects 10% of men and 13% of women over age of 60. It is the degradation of the cartilage between two bones; obesity, age, overuse, or injury are major contributors to the development of this disease. The joint is incapsulated by the synovial sac filled with a viscous solution that aids in lubrication referred to as synovial fluid. If the synovial sac is ruptured due to injury, positive ions (K+, Na+, Ca2+, and Fe3+) may affect viscoelastic properties within the sac. The purpose of this …
Synthesis Of Bio-Based Polymer Products, Joshua Sukie
Synthesis Of Bio-Based Polymer Products, Joshua Sukie
Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects
The project covers the synthesis of two bio-based polymers. One aspect of the research investigates the synthesis of materials for use in vegetable oil-based UV-curable coating, and the subsequent polymerization of the materials into a coating film. The second aspect of the research follows the synthesis of a functionalized cellulose material for use as a reinforcer in a vegetable oil-based composite. Both products are subsequently analyzed by various methods.
Design Of Pigments For Use In “Cool” Coatings, Tyler Laughorn
Design Of Pigments For Use In “Cool” Coatings, Tyler Laughorn
Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects
This project was focused on the development and testing of several novel pigments that exhibit high NIR-reflectance and therefore show potential for use in “cool” coatings. A “cool” coating will reflect more solar radiation than other standard coatings, and so a coated structure would require less energy to keep cool. Four sets of pigments were synthesized: Co1-xMgxCr2O4 (teal), Co0.25Mg0.75Cr2-yAlyO4 (blue), Ti1-x-yNixSbyO2 (yellow), and Cr2-xFexO3 (black). NIR and TSR values were then measured …
The Role Of Influenza Infection On Cell Metabolism, Megha Mokkapati
The Role Of Influenza Infection On Cell Metabolism, Megha Mokkapati
Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects
In this particular study global metabolomics LCMS data was analyzed to determine the effect of influenza infection on host metabolic processes. Specifically, wild-type male and female mouse lung samples from mice infected with PR8 (H1N1) or both PR8 and a reinfection of X31 (H3N2) were analyzed. The LC/MS(liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry) based global metabolomics will be performed on the samples using hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography to separate polar analytes from the tissues (Dettmer, Aronov, 2007). Metabolites impacted by influenza infection in all samples will be analyzed to compare male and female mice, as well as differences between PR8 infection and X31 …
Development Of A Method For The Detection And Quantification Of Various Benzodiazepines And Z-Drugs In Human Blood And Qualitative Identification In Urine Samples Using Liquid Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (Lc-Ms/Ms), Haley Michel
Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects
This method developed in the toxicology department at the Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner’s Office (CCMEO) detects 40 benzodiazepines and metabolites along with several z-drugs in blood and urine by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry. A sample amount of 0.5 mL was used to detect analytes in postmortem drug facilitated sexual assault and impaired driving cases. Twenty-nine analytes met criteria for quantification while the remaining 14 were used as qualitative indicators. Bias and precision results for quality controls met criteria, staying within ±15% except for clonazolam and etizolam which were within ±20%. Quantitative reporting criteria which included dilution integrity was met …
Filtration Apparatus Design For Oil-Water Separation Using Membranes And Sponges, Alec Jerger
Filtration Apparatus Design For Oil-Water Separation Using Membranes And Sponges, Alec Jerger
Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects
It can be difficult to separate water and oil emulsions through traditional filtration. Therefore, investigations of filtering using thermo-responsive (TR) polymers, in this case poly(vinyl methyl ether) (PVME), was conducted. It’s hypothesized that below its lower critical solution temperature (LCST), PVME has an affinity for water while oil substances do not. Above the LCST the opposite will be true. To verify this hypothesis, iterations of filtration designs were created to provide optimum control over the parameters to measure flow. The final optimized experimental apparatus was a Chromaflex glass column which was air tight and controlled all parameters besides fluid flow. …
Synthesis, Characterization, And Biological Activity Of Imidazolium Salts, David Weader
Synthesis, Characterization, And Biological Activity Of Imidazolium Salts, David Weader
Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects
Nonmuscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) inflicts thousands of Americans annually, and is typically treated with the immunotherapy BCG. However, due to a BCG shortage, there is a new need for novel treatments of NMIBC. Addressing this issue, several imidazolium salt derivatives were synthesized and characterized with the intent of treatment within the bladder. These imidazolium salts were tested against different human bladder cancer cell lines in vitro to determine their reactivity and cytotoxicity. Among these results are GI50 concentrations for each drug, which is the concentration of drug needed to see growth inhibition in 50% of treated cells. Previous published …
Greener Synthesis Of Chlorophosphazenes, Andrew Mcgee
Greener Synthesis Of Chlorophosphazenes, Andrew Mcgee
Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects
This project will attempt to synthesize chlorophosphazene molecules in the absence of solvents by using mechanochemical techniques in order to create a more environmentally friendly synthesis route. In this pursuit, various parameters will be changed including the milling ball to reagent ratios, the molar ratios of the reactants, and the addition of different catalysts. The products of each reaction will be characterized in order to determine success. This work builds upon existing efforts to utilize mechanochemical techniques in main group chemistry. The output of this project will be a report in ACS style and a poster to be presented for …
Antitumor Properties Of Imidazolium Salts, Jenna Frantz
Antitumor Properties Of Imidazolium Salts, Jenna Frantz
Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects
This is the final write-up for an honors research project for the University of Akron Williams Honors College. Synthesis of novel imidazolium salts was conducted. Following synthesis of imidazolium salts, the stability of the compound was tested at 37°C over a 72-hour period to give preliminary information about drug stability in vivo. 2D NMR was also conducted to confirm the structure of TPP-1. The student wrote an experimental protocol for the use of C57BL/6 mice and performed the online CITI training by the IRB to prepare to work with animals in a study of the antitumor properties of imidazolium salts …
A Comparison Of The Efficacy Of Newly-Synthesized Antimicrobial Polymers And A Preview Into Their Interaction With The Bacterial Cell Membrane., Kailey Christman
A Comparison Of The Efficacy Of Newly-Synthesized Antimicrobial Polymers And A Preview Into Their Interaction With The Bacterial Cell Membrane., Kailey Christman
Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects
Antibiotic-resistant bacteria present an obstacle for physicians and researchers. Over 35,000 people die annually in the U.S. from antibiotic-resistant infections each year. New antibiotics are being developed and studied, and natural products are screened to find potential new antibiotics. In this study, four polymer antibiotics with polyester backbones and peptide functional groups were studied with Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus to determine the polymers’ efficacies on the different bacteria and compare the polymers to each other. Timed fluorescence microscopy experiments were performed to determine how long it takes the antibiotics to compromise the membrane integrity of fluorescently-labelled E. coli. …
Multidimensional Mass Spectrometry Of Chemonic™ Ccg-6 Nonionic Surfactant With Separation By Polarity And Shape, Charles Johnson
Multidimensional Mass Spectrometry Of Chemonic™ Ccg-6 Nonionic Surfactant With Separation By Polarity And Shape, Charles Johnson
Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects
Chemonic™ CCG-6 surfactant is a water-soluble poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) conjugated alkyl glyceride emollient. This surfactant exists as a complex mixture of a glycerol cores conjugated with poly(ethylene glycol) branches (PEGylation) that were partially esterified with caprylic (C8) and capric (C10) acids. These may be esterified on one, two, or all three arms of the glyceride. The architecture of the structures in this mixture was studied using multidimensional mass spectrometry (MS). Mass spectrometry was interfaced with ultra-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) and ion mobility (IM) separation. The mixture was separated by reversed-phase LC, oligomers of the star-branched polymer were separated according to …
The Synthesis Of Ferrocene-Based Ionic Liquids, Stephen Petrochko
The Synthesis Of Ferrocene-Based Ionic Liquids, Stephen Petrochko
Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects
Ionic liquids are compounds which are held together through ionic interactions, and can be classified as salts. However, while most salts have very high melting temperatures, ionic liquids are a class of compounds that can melt at very low temperatures, often at room temperatures. Ionic liquids can have optimal electronic properties for electrochemical applications, particularly for the easy transport of charges. Some new materials are being explored for the development of ionic liquids; one of these materials is ferrocene. Varying the substituents which are attached to ferrocene may produce a material that can be used as an electrolyte in energy …
Chemical Kinetics Using A Smartphone Spectrometer, Mary Greggila
Chemical Kinetics Using A Smartphone Spectrometer, Mary Greggila
Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects
In a time where many high school science classes are lacking in quality laboratory education, there is a need for accessible chemical equipment that enhance teaching fundamental concepts of chemistry with ease and at a low cost. The DualSpec handheld smartphone spectrometer aims to be a quality open-source spectroscopic instrument that can easily be made and used at home by people of any scientific level. This research sought to show that the DualSpec could be used to teach higher level spectroscopic concepts such as those used in chemical kinetics. The DualSpec was compared to a commercial spectrometer using the commonly …
Facial Rhenium Tricarbonyl Complexes With Modified Dii Ligands, Dominick Vitale
Facial Rhenium Tricarbonyl Complexes With Modified Dii Ligands, Dominick Vitale
Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects
Over the course of this semester, promising preliminary research into a novel area of inorganic chemistry has been underway. Multiple different bis(arylimino)isoindolines (BAI), a compound made from the disubstitution of diiminoisoindoline with aryl amines to form planar tridentate ligands, were tested to determine if the structure could be forcefully bent to fit a facial binding mode. It was theorized that the bending of the usually planar chelate would cause an electronic change, destabilizing the orbitals. Different synthetic techniques were explored allowing the formation a new BAI, 1,3-bis(3-pyrazolylimino)isoindoline which was characterized via X-ray crystallography, as well as a few previously characterized …