Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons

Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Nanomaterials

Discipline
Institution
Publication Year
Publication
Publication Type
File Type

Articles 1 - 30 of 112

Full-Text Articles in Physical Sciences and Mathematics

Manufacturing Of A Flexible Piezoelectric Nanogenerator By Functionalizing Polyvinylidene Fluoride With Lithium Tantalate And Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes For Energy Harvesting And Sensing Applications, Islam Uddin Shipu Aug 2023

Manufacturing Of A Flexible Piezoelectric Nanogenerator By Functionalizing Polyvinylidene Fluoride With Lithium Tantalate And Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes For Energy Harvesting And Sensing Applications, Islam Uddin Shipu

Theses and Dissertations

Mechanical energy is one of the readily accessible green energy sources that could be employed to meet the small-scale energy requirement. In order to capture mechanical energy, power the next generation of electronic gadgets, and health monitoring flexible piezoelectric nanogenerators made of light weight polymers and carbon nanotubes have drawn a lot of attention. Lithium tantalate (LiTaO3), a ferroelectric substance, was prepared here and utilized to create a flexible piezoelectric nanogenerator (FPNG). A compact piezoelectric nanogenerator that successfully transfers mechanical energy into electricity was then created using lightweight polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT), and LiTaO3 nanoparticles. To create …


The Application Of Transition Metal Sulfide Nanomaterials And Their Composite Nanomaterials In The Electrocatalytic Reduction Of Co2: A Review, Jason Parsons, Mataz Alcoutlabi Feb 2023

The Application Of Transition Metal Sulfide Nanomaterials And Their Composite Nanomaterials In The Electrocatalytic Reduction Of Co2: A Review, Jason Parsons, Mataz Alcoutlabi

Chemistry Faculty Publications and Presentations

Electrocatalysis has become an important topic in various areas of research, including chemical catalysis, environmental research, and chemical engineering. There have been a multitude of different catalysts used in the electrocatalytic reduction of CO2, which include large classes of materials such as transition metal oxide nanoparticles (TMO), transition metal nanoparticles (TMNp), carbon-based nanomaterials, and transition metal sulfides (TMS), as well as porphyrins and phthalocyanine molecules. This review is focused on the CO2 reduction reaction (CO2RR) and the main products produced using TMS nanomaterials. The main reaction products of the CO2RR include carbon monoxide (CO), formate/formic acid (HCOO−/HCOOH), methanol (CH3OH), ethanol …


Advances In Bioelectrode Design For Developing Electrochemical Biosensors, Nabajyoti Kalita, Sudarshan Gogoi, Shelley D. Minteer, Pranab Goswami Jan 2023

Advances In Bioelectrode Design For Developing Electrochemical Biosensors, Nabajyoti Kalita, Sudarshan Gogoi, Shelley D. Minteer, Pranab Goswami

Chemistry Faculty Research & Creative Works

The critical performance factors such as selectivity, sensitivity, operational and storage stability, and response time of electrochemical biosensors are governed mainly by the function of their key component, the bioelectrode. Suitable design and fabrication strategies of the bioelectrode interface are essential for realizing the requisite performance of the biosensors for their practical utility. A multifaceted attempt to achieve this goal is visible from the vast literature exploring effective strategies for preparing, immobilizing, and stabilizing biorecognition elements on the electrode surface and efficient transduction of biochemical signals into electrical ones (i.e., current, voltage, and impedance) through the bioelectrode interface with the …


Expanding The Scope Of Clickable Azide-Functionalized Nanoclusters To Include Au144, Johanna A. De Jong Nov 2022

Expanding The Scope Of Clickable Azide-Functionalized Nanoclusters To Include Au144, Johanna A. De Jong

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Thiolate-protected Au144 nanoclusters (NCs) are an intriguing member of the gold NC family. Their geometric structure, distinct electrochemical features, and susceptibility to structural rearrangement under the duress of ligand exchange have been studied. However, there are currently no established protocols for surface modification or tuning of their ligand shells post synthesis. Here, the direct synthesis of three regioisomers of azide-modified Au144 NCs with 60 azide moieties, i.e., Au144(SC2H4C6H4-N3)60, is reported, in which the azide functionality is located at the ortho-, meta-, or …


Nanotechnology As Building Materials And Its Impact On The Quality Of Residential Buildings, Shekha Alrasheed, Hatem El Shafie Oct 2022

Nanotechnology As Building Materials And Its Impact On The Quality Of Residential Buildings, Shekha Alrasheed, Hatem El Shafie

Mansoura Engineering Journal

A modern technology called "nanotechnology" has emerged that seeks to environmental design through the use of new technologies and advanced scientific methods in the construction of contemporary architectural edifices. The research problem is the underutilization of nanotechnology in building materials for residential buildings due to the lack of knowledge of the benefits and cost of this technology. The importance of the study lies in the use of building materials based on nanotechnology with new properties and high performance that address the problems in current building materials so as to apply sustainability standards and provide efficiency for residential buildings to suit …


Understanding Rapid Intercalation Materials One Parameter At A Time, Wessel Van Den Bergh, Morgan Stefik Jun 2022

Understanding Rapid Intercalation Materials One Parameter At A Time, Wessel Van Den Bergh, Morgan Stefik

Faculty Publications

Demand for fast, energy-dense storage drives the research into nanoscale intercalation materials. Nanomaterials accelerate kinetics and can modify reaction path thermodynamics, intercalant solubility, and reversibility. The discovery of intercalation pseudocapacitance has opened questions about their fundamental operating principles. For example, are their capacitor-like current responses caused by storing energy in special near-surface regions or rather is this response due to normal intercalation limited by a slower faradaic surface-reaction? This review highlights emerging methods combining tailored nanomaterials with the process of elimination to disambiguate cause-and-effect at the nanoscale. This method is applied to multiple intercalation pseudocapacitive materials showing that the timescales …


3d Flow Field Measurements Outside Nanopores, Jeffrey Mc Hugh, Alice L. Thorneywork, Kurt Andresen, Ulrich F. Keyser Apr 2022

3d Flow Field Measurements Outside Nanopores, Jeffrey Mc Hugh, Alice L. Thorneywork, Kurt Andresen, Ulrich F. Keyser

Physics and Astronomy Faculty Publications

We demonstrate a non-stereoscopic, video-based particle tracking system with optical tweezers to study fluid flow in 3D in the vicinity of glass nanopores. In particular, we used the quadrant interpolation algorithm to extend our video-based particle tracking to displacements out of the trapping plane of the tweezers. This permitted the study of flow from nanopores oriented at an angle to the trapping plane, enabling the mounting of nanopores on a micromanipulator with which it was then possible to automate the mapping procedure. Mapping of the voltage driven flow in 3D volumes outside nanopores revealed polarity dependent flow fields. This is …


Tailored Nanomaterials For Advancing Fast-Charge Research, Wessel Van Den Bergh Apr 2022

Tailored Nanomaterials For Advancing Fast-Charge Research, Wessel Van Den Bergh

Theses and Dissertations

The demand for fast, energy-dense storage has driven research into nanoscale intercalation materials. Nanoscale materials not only accelerate kinetics but also can modify reaction path thermodynamics, intercalant solubility, and diffusivity. Pioneering works have revealed such nanoscale changes, often without the need to separately probe each fundamental transport process. While electrodes can be designed to have one transport processes dominant, there remain opportunities to better understand energy-dense designs with multiple concomitant transport constraints. The contents herein highlight emerging an method using tailored, energy-dense nanomaterials and the process of elimination to clearly correlate architectural features to performance. For example, this method revealed …


Virus Detection Using Bio-Based Analysis Systems: A Review Of Biorecognition Strategies, Nur Meli̇s Kiliç, Di̇lek Odaci Demi̇rkol Jan 2022

Virus Detection Using Bio-Based Analysis Systems: A Review Of Biorecognition Strategies, Nur Meli̇s Kiliç, Di̇lek Odaci Demi̇rkol

Turkish Journal of Chemistry

Infectious illnesses are on the rise in today's world, with serious consequences for animals, plants, and humans. Several infections, including the human immunodeficiency virus, affect a large number of individuals in various countries, particularly in the poorer portions of contemporary society, and continue to cause a variety of health problems. Viruses are tiny parasitic organisms. They are infectious agents that can only reproduce within a live cell of an organism. Viruses may infect any living organism. For clinical pointof- care applications, early detections for harmful agents such as bacteria, viruses are critical. The possibility of worldwide epidemics as a result …


Optimizing The Fluorescent Quantum Yield Of Carbon Dots, Megan B. Prado Jan 2022

Optimizing The Fluorescent Quantum Yield Of Carbon Dots, Megan B. Prado

MSU Graduate Theses

Carbon dots (CDs) are a subclass of carbon nanomaterials that exhibit unique properties of fluorescence, photostability, low toxicity, and biocompatibility. These unique properties have enabled numerous applications including biosensing, heavy-metal detection, and pH-sensing, among others. Their optical properties can be modified via doping to produce increasingly fluorescent CDs after appropriate purification. Herein, doped CDs were synthesized in four bottom-up methods for comparison using sucrose or citric acid as carbon precursors. Varying hetero-atom dopants (N, S, B) were used in differing molar ratios. The pH-dependent fluorescence and fluorescent quantum yield (QY) were measured for each sample. Characterization was conducted using Fourier-Transform …


Toxic Effects Of Silver Ions On Early Developing Zebrafish Embryos Distinguished From Silver Nanoparticles, Martha S. Johnson, Preeyaporn Songkiatisak, Pavan Kumar Cherukuri, Xiao-Hong Nancy Xu Jan 2022

Toxic Effects Of Silver Ions On Early Developing Zebrafish Embryos Distinguished From Silver Nanoparticles, Martha S. Johnson, Preeyaporn Songkiatisak, Pavan Kumar Cherukuri, Xiao-Hong Nancy Xu

Chemistry & Biochemistry Faculty Publications

Currently, effects of nanomaterials and their ions, such as silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) and silver ions (Ag+), on living organisms are not yet fully understood. One of the vital questions is whether nanomaterials have distinctive effects on living organisms from any other conventional chemicals (e.g., their ions), owing to their unique physicochemical properties. Due to various experimental protocols, studies of this crucial question have been inconclusive, which hinders rational design of effective regulatory guidelines for safely handling NPs. In this study, we chronically exposed early developing zebrafish embryos (cleavage-stage, 2 hours post-fertilization, hpf) to a dilution series of …


Rational Design Of Multifunctional Nanocatalysts For Environmental Remediation And Energy Conversion Technologies, Md Ariful Ahsan Dec 2021

Rational Design Of Multifunctional Nanocatalysts For Environmental Remediation And Energy Conversion Technologies, Md Ariful Ahsan

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The discovery of efficient and sustainable carbon-based nanotechnologies to solve both the scarcity of drinking water and global energy crisis has become a paramount task in the last decades. Owed to the fast population growth and industrialization of the modern society, access to potable water and clean energy technologies is becoming very hard around the globe. Water pollutants have become a serious threat to the environment and ecology because of their toxic nature. Parallelly, the current hydrocarbon-based fuel industries are generating high levels of contamination across the planet, making imperative the development of cleaner energy technologies. In this regard, the …


Design, Synthesis, And Catalytic Application Of Crystalline Porous Nanomaterials, Zainab Abdullah Almansaf Dec 2021

Design, Synthesis, And Catalytic Application Of Crystalline Porous Nanomaterials, Zainab Abdullah Almansaf

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Chapter 1: COFs (covalent organic frameworks) are a new type of microporous crystalline polymer connected by organic units via strong covalent bonds. Due to their well-defined crystalline structures and excellent chemical and thermal stabilities, COF materials are considered promising candidates in applications such as gas adsorption, catalysis, and energy storage.Chapter 2: A new covalent organic framework (COF) based on imine bonds was assembled from 2-(4-formylphenyl)-5-formylpyridine and 1,3,6,8-tetrakis(4-aminophenyl)pyrene, which showed an interesting dual-pore structure with high crystallinity. Postmetallation of the COF with Pt occurred selectively at the N donor (imine and pyridyl) in the larger pores. The metalated COF served as …


Chitosan Graphene Composite Fabrication And Characterization For Treatment Of Harmful Algal Blooms And Toxins, Sarah Zetterholm Oct 2021

Chitosan Graphene Composite Fabrication And Characterization For Treatment Of Harmful Algal Blooms And Toxins, Sarah Zetterholm

Master's Theses

Chitosan graphene composites were fabricated and characterized as a management strategy for harmful algal blooms (HABs) caused by various species of cyanobacteria. These chitosan graphene materials were compared to previously studied chitosan graphene-oxide composites in both material properties and HAB treatment. In previous studies, adsorption of the cyanobacteria onto the surface of the composite materials has been observed. Investigations of the pure materials for these composites are also included in this study to determine whether removal is a result of charge interactions with the composite, or as an inherent property of the graphene or graphene oxide. Initial results suggest that …


Investigations On The Surface Chemistry Of Colloidal Quantum Dots Towards Fluorescent Biological Probes, John Hardin Dunlap Oct 2021

Investigations On The Surface Chemistry Of Colloidal Quantum Dots Towards Fluorescent Biological Probes, John Hardin Dunlap

Theses and Dissertations

Colloidal semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) have garnered significant interest as promising materials for biological applications due to their improved photostability and narrow, tunable photoluminescence properties compared to organic fluorophores. To facilitate their utility as fluorescent bioimaging probes, QDs must undergo post-synthetic modifications to exchange their native hydrophobic ligands from synthesis with hydrophilic ones that enable colloidal dispersions in aqueous environments. Many examples exist that demonstrate surface modifications for water-soluble QDs and their efficacy in biological systems, however, there is a need to develop a more thorough understanding of how hydrophilic ligands coordinate to QD surfaces in order to develop more …


Design And Development Of 2d Functional Semiconductor Nanocrystals, Andrew Hunter Davis Aug 2021

Design And Development Of 2d Functional Semiconductor Nanocrystals, Andrew Hunter Davis

Dissertations - ALL

Anisotropic nanocrystals (NCs) have become of keen interest in recent years, especially for applications in optoelectronic devices due to their directionally oriented emissions, narrow emission spectra, and suitable morphologies for device integration. Of the desired anisotropic NCs, two-dimensional (2D) NCs are of profound interest, due to their impressive optical and electronic properties as well as their prospective advantages towards applications in layered optoelectronic devices, such as solar cells. However, 2D NCs face many challenges, including limited synthetic derivation, as well as decreased stability and optical response, due to their large surface-to-volume ratio and reactive planar surface increasing surface defect state …


Nanoorthogonal Surface Modifications Of Gold Nanoparticles And Nanoclusters Through Strain-Promoted Cycloaddition Chemistry, Praveen N. Gunawardene Jul 2021

Nanoorthogonal Surface Modifications Of Gold Nanoparticles And Nanoclusters Through Strain-Promoted Cycloaddition Chemistry, Praveen N. Gunawardene

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

This thesis explores the preparation of thiolated gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) and thiolated gold nanoclusters (AuNCs) capable of undergoing post-assembly surface modifications using two common “bioorthogonal” click reactions: the strain-promoted alkyne-azide cycloaddition (SPAAC) reaction (which occurs between a strained-alkyne and an azide) and the strain-promoted alkyne-nitrone cycloaddition (SPANC) reaction (which occurs between a strained-alkyne and a nitrone). Due to their rapid and modifiable reaction kinetics, high chemoselectivity, and stability of the reactive partners, these reactions were originally designed to tether functional substrates to biologically sensitive biomolecules, without altering their structure or perturb the biologically sensitive environments in which they …


Plasmonic Metallic And Semiconductor Nanomaterials, Mengqi Sun Jul 2021

Plasmonic Metallic And Semiconductor Nanomaterials, Mengqi Sun

Theses and Dissertations

The earliest account of localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) has to date back to the ancient age of Rome in 400 A.D. The famous glass of Lycurgus cup told the story of unique light-and-matter interaction at the nanoscale that confines the electromagnetic field resonance at its surface and therefore allows LSPR feature to noticeably arise. The conventional metallic LSPR nanomaterials, like Au and Ag nanoparticles attract constant attentions due to their synthetic simplicity, chemical robustness, and visible spectral response. Its ability to generate sensitive dielectric sensing of the surroundings, strong electromagnetic field and active charge carriers upon optical excitation triggered …


Light-Directed Growth Of Semiconductor Nanomaterials By Photoelectrodeposition, Chu Qin Jan 2021

Light-Directed Growth Of Semiconductor Nanomaterials By Photoelectrodeposition, Chu Qin

Arts & Sciences Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In this work, the chemical and physical properties of semiconductor microcrystals and metastable polymorphs were transformed through photoexcitation during electrochemical synthesis. Interfacial charge transfer using photogenerated carriers were used to successfully control the growth of metal oxide semiconductors and change their morphology, composition improve their catalytic activity. The main material systems studied in this thesis are electrodeposited copper oxide (Cu2O) and manganese oxide (MnOx) semiconductor films. Illumination can direct the shape transformation of Cu2O crystals at the nanoscale by facet-selective charge transfer. During photoelectrodeposition on Cu2O microcrystals with well-developed facets, light mediates the deposition of copper metal selectively on the …


Fundamental Transport Properties In Silicon Quantum Structures, Nazban M. Darukhanawalla Jan 2021

Fundamental Transport Properties In Silicon Quantum Structures, Nazban M. Darukhanawalla

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

In the field of silicon photonics, there is an effort to bridge the gap between electrical and optical signals on a single platform, creating a need for Si-based light sources. In this project, Si quantum structures – Si quantum wells and quantum dots in SiO2 were fabricated via solid state precipitation methods. Their properties were studied using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, photoluminescence and I-V measurements. Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy was used for depth analysis in monitoring the Si distribution. Different electrical transport mechanisms were explored to understand how an ensemble of silicon QD’s or a silicon quantum well behaves in an SiO2 …


Optimization Of Simple And Inexpensive Paper-Based Assay For Lead, Kyla Dewittie, Sagar S. Patel Jan 2021

Optimization Of Simple And Inexpensive Paper-Based Assay For Lead, Kyla Dewittie, Sagar S. Patel

Summer Scholarship, Creative Arts and Research Projects (SCARP)

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) guidelines state that lead is a toxic metal that humans should not be exposed to in any amount. Due to corrosion of water pipes, lead can enter drinking water and be consumed by millions of people. As a group, we decided to reduce this issue by creating a simple and inexpensive paper-based test to detect lead(II) in water. The signal for this test results from encapsulating a phenanthroline-based probe in synthesized polymer nanoparticles. This test will display a colorimetric change, turning from yellow to bright orange if lead(II) is present in the water system. In …


Study On Potential Applications And Toxicity Analysis Of Green Synthesized Nanoparticles, Rajni Garg, Priya Rani, Rishav Garg, Nnabuk Okon Eddy Jan 2021

Study On Potential Applications And Toxicity Analysis Of Green Synthesized Nanoparticles, Rajni Garg, Priya Rani, Rishav Garg, Nnabuk Okon Eddy

Turkish Journal of Chemistry

Nanomaterials have garnered the significant interest of scientists owing to their technological as well as medical applications. In particular, metal and metal oxide nanoparticles have gained prominence because of their enhanced performance as compared to their bulk counterparts. Metal-supported nanomaterials are anticipated to make major contributions to solving today's most challenging issues, like energy harvesting and environmental remediation. The incorporation of nanoparticles into sensors has significantly enhanced their precision and selectivity. With the advent of green chemistry, green synthetic techniques have been prioritized for the synthesis of single and multicomponent nanomaterials. In the current review, we have addressed the multidimensional …


Nanomaterials In The Environment, Human Exposure Pathway, And Health Effects: A Review, Arindam Malakar, Sushil R. Kanel, Chittaranjan Ray, Daniel D. Snow, Mallikarjuna N. Nadagouda Jan 2021

Nanomaterials In The Environment, Human Exposure Pathway, And Health Effects: A Review, Arindam Malakar, Sushil R. Kanel, Chittaranjan Ray, Daniel D. Snow, Mallikarjuna N. Nadagouda

Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute: Faculty Publications

Nanomaterials (NMs), both natural and synthetic, are produced, transformed, and exported into our environment daily. Natural NMs annual flux to the environment is around 97% of the total and is significantly higher than synthetic NMs. However, synthetic NMs are considered to have a detrimental effect on the environment. The extensive usage of synthetic NMs in different fields, including chemical, engineering, electronics, and medicine, makes them susceptible to be discharged into the atmosphere, various water sources, soil, and landfill waste. As ever-larger quantities of NMs end up in our environment and start interacting with the biota, it is crucial to understand …


The Rational Synthesis Of Lanthanum Manganite Nanomaterials For Magnetic Refrigeration Applications, Caitlin Hunt Jan 2021

The Rational Synthesis Of Lanthanum Manganite Nanomaterials For Magnetic Refrigeration Applications, Caitlin Hunt

Theses and Dissertations

Refrigeration systems for the cooling of commercial and residential buildings are a major drain on energy resources and source of greenhouse gas emissions. Magnetic refrigeration, which employs the magnetocaloric effect, has the potential to mitigate the energy drain and greenhouse gas emissions for air conditioning. In order to commercialize magnetic refrigerators, a material with a high magnetic entropy change, ΔS, near room temperature which is simple and inexpensive to create is needed.1 Current options for this solid refrigerant are either expensive, difficult to synthesize, or have a ΔS or Tc (the Curie Temperature, where ΔS is maximized) below …


Cytoviva Hyperspectral Imaging For Comparing The Uptake And Transformation Of Agnps And Ag+ In Mitochondria, Kristina Steingass Jan 2021

Cytoviva Hyperspectral Imaging For Comparing The Uptake And Transformation Of Agnps And Ag+ In Mitochondria, Kristina Steingass

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Nanomaterials have attracted significant attention in the last decade, with applications in everyday products. Amongst all known nanomaterials in use, silver is the leading metal, present in 531 different types of products, owing to their unique optical, electrical, antimicrobial, and thermal properties. Though silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) come in contact regularly with the general population, there is little known about their toxicity mechanism due to limited techniques for thorough analysis. CytoViva Hyperspectral Imaging (HSI) shows potential for filling these gaps. In this study, borohydride-capped AgNPs with an approximate diameter of 10 nm were synthesized using the modified Creighton method and characterized …


Editorial: Carbon- And Inorganic-Based Nanostructures For Energy Applications, Federico Cesano, M. Jasim Uddin, Yuanbing Mao, Muhammad N. Huda Nov 2020

Editorial: Carbon- And Inorganic-Based Nanostructures For Energy Applications, Federico Cesano, M. Jasim Uddin, Yuanbing Mao, Muhammad N. Huda

Chemistry Faculty Publications and Presentations

No abstract provided.


Pressure Driven Desalination Utilizing Nanomaterials, Fangyou Xie Sep 2020

Pressure Driven Desalination Utilizing Nanomaterials, Fangyou Xie

Master's Theses

Nanomaterials such as graphene oxide and carbon nanotubes, have demonstrated excellent properties for membrane desalination, including decrease of maintenance, increase of flux rate, simple solution casting, and impressive chemical inertness. Here, two projects are studied to investigate nanocarbon based membrane desalination. The first project is to prepare hybrid membranes with amyloid fibrils intercalated with graphene oxide sheets. The addition of protein amyloid fibrils expands the interlayer spacing between graphene oxide nanosheets and introduces additional functional groups in the diffusion pathways, resulting in increase of flux rate and rejection rate for the organic dyes. Amyloid fibrils also provide structural assistance to …


Peo-Ppo-Peo Surfactant Mixtures As Templates For Silicas With Very Large Cylindrical Mesopores At Ambient Temperature And With Helical Mesopores At Sub-Ambient Temperature, Laurance Beaton Sep 2020

Peo-Ppo-Peo Surfactant Mixtures As Templates For Silicas With Very Large Cylindrical Mesopores At Ambient Temperature And With Helical Mesopores At Sub-Ambient Temperature, Laurance Beaton

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

The original research described herein concerns the synthesis of mesoporous silicas through a surfactant-templating method. The approach taken involved the use of a mixed surfactant system of two poly(ethylene oxide)-poly(propylene oxide)-poly(ethylene oxide) surfactants, with one of the copolymers containing a much larger percentage of hydrophobic (PPO) blocks than the employed co-surfactant. Systematic adjustments of experimental parameters initially enabled the preparation of 2-D hexagonally ordered mesoporous silicas (SBA-15) of uncommonly large pore diameter at ambient temperature. Comparable silica was synthesized with and without temperature control. Additional adjustments to experimental parameters, including reduction of the relative amount of framework precursor used in …


Mxenes As Flow Electrodes For Capacitive Deionization Of Wastewater, Naqsh E. Mansoor Aug 2020

Mxenes As Flow Electrodes For Capacitive Deionization Of Wastewater, Naqsh E. Mansoor

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

The energy-water nexus poses an integrated research challenge, while opening up an opportunity space for the development of energy efficient technologies for water remediation. Capacitive Deionization (CDI) is an upcoming reclamation technology that uses a small applied voltage applied across electrodes to electrophoretically remove dissolved ionic impurities from wastewater streams. Similar to a supercapacitor, the ions are stored in the electric double layer of the electrodes. Reversing the polarity of applied voltage enables recovery of the removed ionic impurities, allowing for recycling and reuse. Simultaneous materials recovery and water reclamation makes CDI energy efficient and resource conservative, with potential to …


Spectroscopic Investigations Of Excited Charge Carriers In Ii-Vi Nanoparticles, William Matthew Sanderson May 2020

Spectroscopic Investigations Of Excited Charge Carriers In Ii-Vi Nanoparticles, William Matthew Sanderson

Arts & Sciences Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The large absorption cross sections and the tunability of the energetic spacings between the states in the conduction (CB) and valence band (VB) within a semiconductor nanoparticle (NP) make them promising media for capturing electromagnetic radiation and converting it into charge carriers, or electricity. In photovoltaic devices that incorporate semiconductor NPs, it would be ideal if every photon could be absorbed by a NP and the carriers could be collected with perfect efficiency and without loss of energy. The relaxation pathways of the carriers within the NPs down to the band edge and their fate at the band edge contribute …