Biochemical and Biomolecular Engineering Commons^™

Influence Of Fused Deposition Modeling Process Parameters On The Constitutive Model Of Hyperelastic Thermoplastic Polyurethane, Lucas Gallup, Mohamed Trabia, Brendan O'Toole, Youssef Fahmy

Mechanical Engineering Faculty Research

Thermoplastic polyurethanes (TPUs) are suited for fused deposition modeling (FDM) of parts that require high levels of flexibility and strength. Predicting the deformation of TPU parts produced using FDM may be difficult, especially under large deformations, as their constitutive models depend on the printing process parameters. The lack of understanding led to the absence of constitutive models for TPU parts produced using FDM. This work aims to identify accurate hyperelastic constitutive models. Six groups of uniaxial tensile specimens were produced using FDM. These groups were made with variations in two process parameters, which were infill geometry and extrusion nozzle temperature. …

Determination Of The Kinetic Parameters Of Cholesterol Oxidation Using Cholesterol Oxidase From Streptomyces Sp., Meka Saima Perdani, Heri Hermansyah, Muhamad Sahlan, Dwini Normayulisa Putri, Teguh Pambudi, Anggi Khairina Hanum Hasibuan

Makara Journal of Technology

Cholesterol oxidase (CO) was successfully produced from Streptomyces sp. via the submerged fermentation method, and 69 U/mL enzyme activity was obtained. This study aimed to determine cholesterol oxidation kinetics and the production of CO as a catalyst. The enzyme was diluted to 0.15, 0.075, and 0.00375 U/mL for the oxidation reaction. The substrate was also prepared in three concentrations: 3.23, 6.46, and 12.93 mM. The optimization of conditions for enzymatic cholesterol oxidation was investigated through measurement of the effect of initial cholesterol and enzyme concentrations. Cholesterol concentration was rapidly measured via high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The kinetics of CO were …

Zeolite 13x Particles With Porous Tio2 Coating And Ag2o Nanoparticles As Multi-Functional Filler Materials For Face Masks, Wei Su, Kaiying Wang, Han Yu, Fateme Fayyazbakhsh, Jeremy Watts, Yue-Wern Huang, Jee-Ching Wang, Xinhua Liang

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Adsorbent components in face masks are crucial for protecting individuals exposed to dangerous situations. In this study, one porous TiO₂ layer was deposited on zeolite 13X particles by coating hybrid organic/inorganic titanium alkoxide film via molecular layer deposition (MLD), followed by heat treatment to remove organic components in the MLD film. Various concentrations of Ag₂O nanoparticles were impregnated on the TiO₂-coated 13X particles, offering a wide range of antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral characteristics. The obtained composite particles were characterized using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and thermal gravimetric analysis to study the composition and mass loading of …

Magnetic Resonance Imaging Trackable Pathology-Triggered Polymersomes Toward Enzyme Replacement Theranostics For Gm1 Gangliosidosis, Dorian Foster

All Dissertations

This dissertation investigates the development and optimization of pathology-responsive polymersomes for simultaneous enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) in the treatment of GM1 gangliosidosis (GM1). While therapeutic strategies exist for similar, non-neuropathic lysosomal storage disorders, implementation towards GM1 faces significant challenges due to the blood-brain barrier.

Herein, we developed and characterized a range of low molecular weight hyaluronic acid-b-polylactic acid (HA-PLA) polymersomes (PSs) capable of encapsulating therapeutic enzymes in their hydrophilic core. These polymersomes exhibit pathophysiology-triggered responsiveness, degrading in the presence of acidic conditions, which is characteristic of lysosomes, and enzymes such as hexosaminidase A, which …

Development And Characterization Of Organic Electrocatalysts For Use In Zinc-Air Batteries, Christopher John Merkel

Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The global deployment of solar photovoltaic and wind power is projected by the International Energy Agency as the primary pathway to reduce dependence on fossil fuels. However, these technologies face a critical bottleneck: their inherently intermittent power generation. For “intermittent renewables” to become the dominant source of electrical energy, efficient energy storage systems are essential. Current storage solutions are not viable on a global scale due to material scarcity, safety concerns, and high capital costs. Among emerging technologies, zinc-air batteries (ZABs) have garnered significant interest. ZABs offer a theoretical energy density five times greater than traditional lithium-ion batteries, utilize safe …

Experimental Evaluation Of A Recrosslinkable Co2-Resistant Micro-Sized Preformed Particle Gel For Co2 Sweep Efficiency Improvement In Reservoirs With Super-K Channels, Adel Alotibi, Tao Song, Ali Al Brahim, Baojun Bai, Thomas P. Schuman

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

A recross linkable CO₂-resistant branched preformed particle gel (CO₂-BRPPG) was developed for controlling CO₂ injection conformance, particularly in reservoirs with super-permeable channels. Previous work focused on a millimeter-sized CO₂-BRPPG in open fractures, but its performance in high-permeability channels with pore throat networks remained unexplored. This study used a sand pack model to evaluate a micro-sized CO₂-BRPPG under varying conditions of salinity, gel concentration, and pH. at ambient conditions, the equilibrium swelling ratio (ESR) of the gel reached 76 times its original size. This ratio decreased with increasing salinity but remained stable …

The Design And Implementation Of A Modular Tissue Engineering Test Bed To Pursue An Alternate Pathway Of Cell Culture Based Research, Ryley Patrick Griffin

Theses and Dissertations

The development of a Modular Automated Tissue Engineering Test Bed (MATETB) is the next step in the development of cheap and easily available in vitro cell regulatory systems for both academic and industrial purposes. This project outlined the framework and requirements for a device that could automatically regulate and collect data on a cell culture through the manipulation of its liquid environment. From this framework, a prototype was built. The device would fulfill cell culture needs while collecting data automatically and allowing for live viewing and imaging of cells. The device was comprised of a mechanical skeleton (MS), an environmental …

Boosting The Power Performance Of Microbial Fuel Cells By Using Dual Nanomaterial-Modified Carbon Felt Electrodes, Krishna Thapa, Wenyan Liu, Yuwei Zhang, David J. Westenberg, Yishu Zhou, Risheng Wang

Chemistry Faculty Research & Creative Works

Innovative design enhancements to microbial fuel cells (MFCs) are pivotal for improving their viability as renewable energy sources. This study introduces a dual approach to electrode modification, integrating polyaniline (PANI) and gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) on carbon felt (CF) anodes coupled with a unique cathode composed of DNA origami and chitosan. The synergistic effect of PANI and AuNPs significantly increases the hydrophilicity and conductivity of the anode, leading to a considerable surge in power density. Concurrently, the biocompatible DNA origami and chitosan-functionalized cathode facilitates efficient electron transfer without relying on conventional catalysts. Together, these modifications yield a 52.42% increase in the …

Biocargos: Capture And Release Gels For Room Temperature Cell Storage., Justin Jacobson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Currently, cryovials on dry ice or liquid nitrogen vapor transportation vessels are primary ways utilized to transport mammalian cells from one location to another. Due to the safety concerns of dry ice and liquid nitrogen, associated costly shipping charges, and limitations of proper packaging and labeling of materials, these conventional shipping techniques are unacceptable. It is urgent to develop a safe and environmentally friendly protocol to preserve and ship the biological samples from one place to another. In this research, a method was developed for an ecofriendly and safe protocol to preserve cancer cells. The cell viability of cell line …

Process Development And Techno-Economic Analysis For Combined And Separated Co2 Capture-Electrochemical Utilization, Abdullah Al Moinee, Ali A. Rownaghi, Fateme Rezaei

Chemical and Biochemical Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Combining CO₂ capture and utilization into a single unit operation offers a feasible solution for converting a sustainable feedstock into marketable commodity chemicals, while reducing energy requirements from separated processes. In this research, we developed a process model and performed a techno-economic analysis (TEA) for point-source CO₂ capture and electrochemical-based utilization in light olefins production under both separated and integrated scenarios. CO₂ containing flue gas from a 500 MW power plant was utilized as a feed while CO₂ utilization involved electrochemical reduction reactions to produce light olefins directly from CO₂. A meticulous analysis was …

Atomic Layer Deposition Of Ru Nanoclusters On Ba-Laceox: A Highly Efficient Catalyst For Ammonia Synthesis Under Mild Conditions, Kaiying Wang, Baitang Jin, Xiaoqing He, Xinhua Liang

Chemical and Biochemical Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Ammonia synthesis has significant implications for global energy and environmental issues, driving the need for highly active catalysts that operate under mild conditions. This study reports the successful deposition of uniform ∼1.0 nm metallic ruthenium (Ru) nanoclusters onto Ba-LaCeO_x particles via atomic layer deposition (ALD). The catalytic performance of the ALD-prepared Ru nanoclusters was assessed for ammonia synthesis and compared with two catalysts produced by conventional incipient wetness impregnation. For the ALD-prepared Ru nanoclusters, a pre-reaction H_2-reduction step induced partial encapsulation of suboxide species on Ru sites due to strong metal-support interactions, limiting Ru nanocluster sintering and …

Carboxymethyl Cellulose-Based Preformed Particle Gels For Water Management In Oil And Gas Reservoirs, Ahmed Ben Ali, Ahmed Hamza, Abdulaziz A. Almakimi, Mohammed Saad, Ibnelwaleed A. Hussein, Baojun Bai

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) based materials have been proposed as preformed particle gels (PPGs) for reducing excessive water production in oil and gas reservoirs. Multi-sized dry particles ranging between 100 and 1180 μm have been synthesized using microwave-assisted grafting copolymerization of CMC and acrylamide (AM)/n,n''-methylene-bisacrylamide (MBA). FTIR and SEM confirmed CMC crosslinked polyacrylamide's chemical structure and morphology (CMC/CPAM). Thermo-gravimetric analysis has demonstrated the thermal stability of dry PPGs up to 309 °C. CMC/CPAM showed slightly high absorbency in brine 2 (TDS = 67.3 g/L) compared to brine 1 (TDS = 33.65 g/L), 1% NaCl, and deionized water, with swelling ratios (SR) …

The Effectiveness Of Certain Biological Additives Considered By-Products Of The Food Industry In Baker’S Yeast Activation, Nataliya E. Kulikova, Antonina G. Chernobrovina, Natalia N. Roeva

CHEMISTRY AND CHEMICAL ENGINEERING

One of the ways to increase the efficiency of the activation process of baking yeast is the use of waste and by-products of the food industry as nutrient media. The goal of the study was to develop ways to activate yeast in a nutrient medium with dietary supplements: potato cell sap, whey and quince pomace powder. We demonstrated the effectiveness of the use of biological additives (potato cell juice, quince pomace powder, whey), which are waste or by-products of the food industry to activate yeast. We have established that incubation in a nutrient medium with dietary supplements has a beneficial …

Glycerol-Free Biodiesel Via Catalytic Interesterification: A Pathway To A Netzero Biodiesel Industry, Nessren Farrag, Omar Youssef Youssef, Esraa Khaled, Omar Aboelazayem

Chemical Engineering

Conventional biodiesel manufacturing uses alcohol as an acyl acceptor, resulting in glycerol as a side product. The increased demand for biodiesel has led to the production of a substantial surplus of glycerol, exceeding the market need. Consequently, glycerol is now being regarded as a byproduct, and in some cases, even as waste. The present study aims to suggest an economically viable and ecologically friendly approach for maintaining the viability of the biodiesel sector. This involves generating an alternative byproduct of higher value, rather than glycerol. Triacetin is produced through the interesterification of triglycerides with methyl acetate, and is a beneficial …

Enhancing Ammonium And Bicarbonate Tolerance In Chlorella Sorokiniana Through Ems-Induced Mutagenesis, Wentao Yang

McKelvey School of Engineering Graduate Student Theses & Dissertations

This study explores the enhancement of ammonium and bicarbonate tolerance in Chlorella sorokiniana via EMS-induced mutagenesis, aimed at improving the microalgae's resilience and growth under high-stress conditions of elevated NH4+ and HCO3 concentrations. By mutating C. sorokiniana using EMS, we developed mutant strains capable of thriving in conditions that are inhibitory to the wild type strain. The successful adaptation of these strains demonstrates a significant increase in biomass production and tolerance to environmental stressors, highlighting the potential of EMS mutagenesis in industrial algal applications for sustainable biofuel production and environmental remediation.

Antibiotic-Loaded Dendrimer Hydrogels In Periodontal Bone Regeneration: An In Vitro Release Feasibility Study, Nicholas Yesbeck, Da Huang, Caroline Carrico, Parthasarathy Madurantakam, Hu Yang

Chemical and Biochemical Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The prescription of a course of oral antibiotics following bone grafting procedures is a common practice in clinical periodontics to reduce surgical site infections. The goal of this study is to characterize the release profile of antibiotics via local delivery using dendrimer hydrogels (DH) and to analyze the effect of two different particulate bone allografts on the release of the antibiotics in vitro. DH were synthesized from Poly amidoamine (PAMAM) dendrimer G5 and polyethylene glycol diacrylate, and cefazolin was chosen as the antibiotic. The antibiotic-loaded samples were bathed in PBS and incubated at 37 °C; aliquots were taken (1 h, …

A New Air-Assisted Flare Tip Design For Managing Gas Flare Emissions (Cfd Analysis), Ahmed A. Maaroof, Joseph D. Smith, Mohammed H.S. Zangana

Chemical and Biochemical Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Recently, flares have been considered as a major source of air pollution from the petroleum refining industry. The United Nations has instigated an international effort related to the management of flare emissions to reduce the global warming impact related to flaring. Eliminating or removing the need for gas flares is difficult because these devices are generally used as safety devices to allow the combustion of flammable gases in a controlled fashion which supports safe operation. However, reducing flaring is generally possible using well-designed, efficiently operated flare equipment. In general, flare performance can be enhanced following the API-521 methodology and using …

Consistent Intraocular Pressure Reduction By Solid Drug Nanoparticles In Fixed Combinations For Glaucoma Therapy, Da Huang, Pedro Norat, Lin Qi, Anna Chernatynskaya, James D. Cole, Vimalin Jeyalatha Mani, Lei Xu, Xiaorong Liu, Hu Yang

Chemical and Biochemical Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Efficient topical drug delivery remains a significant challenge in glaucoma management. Although nanoparticle formulations offer considerable promise, their complex preparation processes, co-delivery issues, and batch consistency have hindered their potential. A scalable fabrication strategy is developed here for preparing solid drug nanoparticles (SDNs) with enhanced drug delivery efficiency. Utilizing hydrophobic antiglaucoma drugs brimonidine (BM) and betaxolol (BX), uniform fixed combination BM/BX SDNs are fabricated through a continuous process, improving batch-to-batch consistency for combined glaucoma treatment. With trehalose being used as a lyoprotectant, BM/BX SDNs can be stored as dry powder and easily reconstituted in phosphate buffered saline. Importantly, reconstituted BM/BX …

Production And Characterization Of Bio-Oil From Camelthorn Plant Using Slow Pyrolysis, Attia Attia Prof., Dina Aboelela Dr., Habibatallah Saleh Eng., Yasser Elhenawy Prof., Thokozani Majozi Prof., Mohamed Bassyouni Prof.

Biochemical Engineering

In this study, slow pyrolysis of the camelthorn plant process was conducted to produce bio-oil, biochar, and gas. The pyrolysis process was conducted between 400 and 550 °C under pressure 10 bar using a fixed bed reactor. The pyrolysis products were bio-oil, biogas, and biochar. These products were characterized using Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) model, gas analyzer, chromatographic analysis using GC–MS, and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The GC–MS results demonstrated composition of bio-oil, detecting several organic substances including levoglucosan, furan, acetic acid, phenol, and long-chain hydrocarbon. To further understand the chemical composition of bio-oil, FT-IR spectroscopy was conducted to determine functional groups. …

Investigation Of Heavy Metal Composition And Associated Health Risks From Selected Groundwater Wells In Temeke, Dar-Es-Salaam, Justin M. Jeremiah

Tanzania Journal of Engineering and Technology (TJET)

Water quality continues to be the challenge to residents in Dar es Salaam due to various anthropogenic activities in the city. This study was conducted to assess groundwater quality by determining concentrations of heavy metals. Both probability and Nonprobability sampling techniques were used to collect samples from 40 groundwater wells in 24 wards of Temeke municipal and analysed using Microwave Plasma Atomic Emission Spectrometer (Agilent 4210 MP-AES) at the Geochemistry Laboratory of the University of Dar es Salaam. Results indicated varying heavy metal concentrations ranging from 0.71 ± 0.08 to 6.64 ± 0.21 mg/l for As, 0.02 ± 0.01 to …