Other Chemical Engineering Commons^™

Design, Analysis, And Optimization Of A Process To Produce Dimethyl Ether From Methanol, Thomas Mathwig

Honors Theses

The company that the engineering team works for is facing a contract loss with one of its customers of methanol. To avoid economic losses, a process has been proposed for converting the unused methanol to dimethyl ether (DME) through a dehydration reaction. After a preliminary simulation of the base case and optimization of the distillation column, an Equivalent Annual Operating Cost (EAOC) of $140,000 was calculated for the column. The EAOC was the sum of the annualized capital investment and the annual operating cost. Determining the process to be worth pursuing, a Toller was brought in to provide rental equipment …

Detection And Aggregation Of Listeria Monocytogenes Using Polyclonal Antibody Gold-Coated Magnetic Nanoshells Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy Substrates, Robert T. Busch, Farzia Karim, Yvonne Sun, H. Christopher Fry, Yuzi Liu, Chenglong Zhao, Erick S. Vasquez

Chemical and Materials Engineering Faculty Publications

Magnetic nanoshells with tailored surface chemistry can enhance bacterial detection and separation technologies. This work demonstrated a simple technique to detect, capture, and aggregate bacteria with the aid of end-functionalized polyclonal antibody gold-coated magnetic nanoshells (pAb-Lis-AuMNs) as surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) probes. Listeria monocytogenes were used as the pathogenic bacteria and the pAb-Lis-AuMNs, 300 nm diameter, were used as probes allowing facile magnetic separation and aggregation. An optimized covalent bioconjugation procedure between the magnetic nanoshells and the polyclonal antibody was performed at pH six via a carbodiimide crosslinking reaction. Spectroscopic and morphological characterization techniques confirmed the fabrication of stable pAb-Lis-AuMNs. …

Sorption-Spectrometric Determination Of Nickel By Monoammonium Salt Of Glycirrizic Acid, Ugilay Abdurakhmanova, Khabibjon Kushiev

CHEMISTRY AND CHEMICAL ENGINEERING

The aim of this work is to develop a sensitive, selective and rapid method for the determination of nickel ions using the monoammonium salt of glycyrrhizic acid as an analytical reagent. There obtained IR spectra of the nickel diglycyrrhizinate complex. A simple and express spectral method for determination of the nickel ion is presented. The optimal conditions for the determination of the nickel ion are found. Under optimal conditions, a gradual graph was drawn up, which is linear in the concentration range for nickel of 20.0–40.0 μg/25 ml, the composition of the complex of nickel with the monoammonium salt …

The Role Of The 2,7-Dinitroso-1,8-Dihydroxynaphthalene-3,6-Disulfonic Acid Reagent In Determining The Thorium Ion (Iv), Nigora Qutlimurotova, Salohiddin Mahmadoliyev, Khabibullo Todjimukhamedov

CHEMISTRY AND CHEMICAL ENGINEERING

The aim is to develop a method for the amperometric determination of thorium (IV) ion with 2,7-dinitroso-1,8-dihydroxynaphthalene-3,6-disulfoxyl reagent. Methods of amperometric determination of thorium by solution of 2,7-dinitrozo-1,8-dihydroxynaphthalene-3,6-disulfonic acid on different acid-base properties of background electrolytes and buffer mixtures are considered. The half-wave potential of new reagent was found by logarithmic analysis equal 0.72 V at pH 2.82, which once again indicates on the irreversibility of the process of electrooxidation of the studied organic reagent in used acid-base medias. The conditions for amperometric titration of thorium are optimized, and the influence of outside accompanying metals on the shape of curves …

Graphical Design And Analysis Of Mass Exchange Networks Using Composition Driving Forces, Nessren Mohamed Farrag, Dina Ahmed Kamel, Ayat Ossama Ghallab, Mamdouh Ayad Gadalla, Mai Kamal Fouad

Chemical Engineering

Pinch analysis is a methodology for minimizing energy and mass consumption in different industries. It has been widely applied for more efficient processes. This study presents a new graphical-approach to analyze and design Mass Integration (MI) and exchange networks that follows Pinch principles to guarantee maximum mass recovery with minimum losses. This technique uses the composition driving forces in network representation as it rules the mass transfer between streams. The proposed approach can be applied on both existing mass networks as well as new ones. This graphical representation a visual descriptive design tool to describe and explain the details of …

Adsorption And Transport Of Colloids At Interface And In Bulk, Jingyun Lee

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Colloids are suspensions of microscopic insoluble particles dispersed in a continuum phase such as liquid or gas. Colloids are found in our everyday life from food and cosmetic industries to pharmaceutical and biomedical applications. Depending on a global minimum of the free-energy landscape, colloidal suspensions can be classified as two major classes: equilibrium or active colloidal system. This Ph.D dissertation presents strategies to engineer equilibrium self-assembled structures and out-of-equilibrium active matter using various interparticle forces.

First, we introduce the means to promote the equilibrium self-assembled structures driven by adsorption of colloids at interface. Typically, adsorption of colloids at interface is …

Gold-Semiconductor Photocatalysts For Water Treatment Under Visible And Ultraviolet Light, Daniel Willis

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Water scarcity threatens the lives of millions of people worldwide. It is imperative to improve the energy efficiency and affordability of water treatment methods to avoid a looming water-energy crisis. To meet this challenge, I have pursued research on the use of sunlight—our most reliable and abundant source of energy—to drive water treatment through photocatalysis. I explored the literature and found gold-semiconductor materials to hold promise for harvesting sunlight and catalyzing the breakdown of waterborne contaminants. Initially, I designed a novel optical cavity with gold (Au) nanoparticles on a zinc oxide / titania (TiO₂) / aluminum film stack …

Fabrication And Characterization Of Electrospun Poly(Acrylonitrile-Co-Methyl Acrylate)/Lignin Nanofibers: Effects Of Lignin Type And Total Polymer Concentration, Suchitha Devadas, Saja M. Nabat Al-Ajrash, Donald A. Klosterman, Kenya A. Crosson, Garry S. Crosson, Erick S. Vasquez

Chemical and Materials Engineering Faculty Publications

Lignin macromolecules are potential precursor materials for producing electrospun nanofibers for composite applications. However, little is known about the effect of lignin type and blend ratios with synthetic polymers. This study analyzed blends of poly(acrylonitrile-co-methyl acrylate) (PAN-MA) with two types of commercially available lignin, low sulfonate (LSL) and alkali, kraft lignin (AL), in DMF solvent. The electrospinning and polymer blend solution conditions were optimized to produce thermally stable, smooth lignin-based nanofibers with total polymer content of up to 20 wt % in solution and a 50/50 blend weight ratio. Microscopy studies revealed that AL blends possess good solubility, miscibility, and …

Emulsion Templating Application For Synthesis Of A Porous Zein Biocompatible Oil Adsorbent, Nathan Holley

LSU Master's Theses

The recovery of spilled oil from water sources using hydrophobic porous absorbent has gained significant interest due to the ease of implementation, large-scale adaptability, and robust nature of the technique. However, the lack of biodegradability of these synthetic adsorbents has caused concern of further contaminating the environment from the generation of microplastic waste that is known to persist and accumulate in the marine food chain and other ecosystems. To mitigate this potential hazard, a new biocompatible alternative is needed to replace the non-degradable synthetic materials currently used. This thesis presents ZEin-based Low Density porous Absorbent (ZELDA), synthesized using a particle …

Magnetically Induced Demulsification Of Water And Castor Oil Dispersions Stabilized By Fe3o4-Coated Cellulose Nanocrystals, Mohammad J. Hasan, Frankie A. Petrie, Ashley E. Johnson, Joshua Peltan, Meredith Gannon, Robert T. Busch, Serhiy O. Leontsev, Erick S. Vasquez, Esteban E. Ureña-Benavides

Chemical and Materials Engineering Faculty Publications

Superparamagnetic iron oxide (Fe3O4) nanoparticle (NP) coated cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) were synthesized and used to prepare emulsions with magnetically controlled stability. Magnetite NPs were deposited onto the surface of wood pulp CNCs (WCNCs) and bacterial CNCs (BCNCs) by a one-step coprecipitation method. The effect of the CNC to Fe3O4 mass ratio (1:1, 1:2, and 1:4) was varied to optimize the colloidal, magnetic and emulsifying properties of the hybrid NPs. TEM images showed that the 1:4 ratios lead to greater coverage of Fe3O4 than lower Fe3O4 loadings (1:1, and 1:2). The CNCs and Fe3O4 appeared to interact via hydrogen bonding between …

Recycling Of Cullet, Waste Clay Bricks And Wastes Resulted From Wheat And Sugarcane Cultivations In The Manufacture Of Fired Clay Bricks, Mai H. Roushdy

Chemical Engineering

The agriculture wastes are considered as a big environmental problem. The main purpose of this research is to determine the possibility of producing fired clay bricks from a mixture of agriculture wastes in addition to other wastes. The first type of wastes is the cullet while the second type is the wastes is the waste clay bricks (Homra) and the third is an agricultural residue obtained from wheat and sugarcane cultivation. The first step of the experimental work is performing XRF and sieve analysis for raw materials. Brick samples with Cubic shape with dimensions 50 × 50 × 50 mm3 …

An Investigation Of The Airborne Particulate Matter Related Health Hazards Present In Makerspaces, Justin Keller

Honors Theses

Airborne particulate matter poses several health hazards ranging from pulmonary inflammation to cardiovascular disease. Particulate matter is produced through many fabrication processes common to makerspaces, such as 3D printing and laser cutting. The danger of these particles is worsened when makerspaces are retrofitted into spaces not designed with good ventilation or safety controls, such as libraries and public schools. This thesis evaluates the relationship between makerspaces and hazardous particle generation with both continuous and motion sensor controlled ventilation, showing that the latter creates unsafe working conditions. Both observational and controlled studies were conducted in Bucknell’s Mooney Lab makerspace monitoring particle …

Molecular To Macroscopic Understanding Of Chloroaluminate Anion Intercalation In Rechargeable Aluminum-Graphite Batteries, Jeffrey Xu

Dissertations and Theses

Today’s global energy challenges pose an urgent need to electrify transportation and better store intermittent renewable energy sources (e.g., solar and wind energy). For such large-scale battery applications, aluminum batteries are a promising “beyond lithium-ion” technology due to the high volumetric capacity, earth abundance, low-cost, and inherent safety of aluminum metal. However, there are very few compatible positive electrode materials that exhibit high energy density and cycling stability, in part due to the challenges of electrochemically intercalating highly charged Al³⁺ cations. Recently, graphite has been demonstrated as a promising positive electrode material in non-aqueous rechargeable aluminum batteries, which store …

Information Architecture For A Chemical Modeling Knowledge Graph, Adam R. Luxon

Theses and Dissertations

Machine learning models for chemical property predictions are high dimension design challenges spanning multiple disciplines. Free and open-source software libraries have streamlined the model implementation process, but the design complexity remains. In order better navigate and understand the machine learning design space, model information needs to be organized and contextualized. In this work, instances of chemical property models and their associated parameters were stored in a Neo4j property graph database. Machine learning model instances were created with permutations of dataset, learning algorithm, molecular featurization, data scaling, data splitting, hyperparameters, and hyperparameter optimization techniques. The resulting graph contains over 83,000 nodes …

The Extraction Of Waxes And Lipids From Sorghum Using Green And Renewable Solvents Followed By Conversion To Biofuels Using Gamma-Valerolactone Pretreatment, Marissa Gallmeyer

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Plant matter contains waxes and lipids that can be extracted and used or sold as a value-added product prior to conversion of the remaining plant material to biofuels. Wax and lipid extraction of plant materials is currently performed using volatile, non-renewable hydrocarbons, primarily hexane, which is produced from fossil fuels and can pose a health and safety hazard. The purpose of this study is to compare the amount and characteristics of waxes extracted by hexane with those extracted using organic solvents that are less toxic and can be produced from renewable sources.

Sorghum samples were extracted separately with hexane, 2-methyltetrahydrofuran …

Pore Microstructure Impacts On Lithium Ion Transport And Rate Capability Of Thick Sintered Electrodes, Ziyang Nie, Rohan Parai, Chen Cai, Charles Michaelis, Jacob M. Lamanna, Daniel S. Hussey, David L. Jacobson, Dipankar Ghosh, Gary M. Koenig Jr.

Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Faculty Publications

Increasing electrode thickness is one route to improve the energy density of lithium-ion battery cells. However, restricted Li⁺ transport in the electrolyte phase through the porous microstructure of thick electrodes limits the ability to achieve high current densities and rates of charge/discharge with these high energy cells. In this work, processing routes to mitigate transport restrictions were pursued. The electrodes used were comprised of only active material sintered together into a porous pellet. For one of the electrodes, comparisons were done between using ice-templating to provide directional porosity and using sacrificial particles during processing to match the geometric density …

Molecular-Level Understanding Of Ionic & Electronic Charge Storage Mechanisms In Rechargeable Aluminum Batteries Using Sold-State Nmr, Ankur Lahanu Jadhav

Dissertations and Theses

Rechargeable aluminum-ion batteries are safe and low-cost alternatives to traditional lithium-ion batteries due to the high volumetric capacity (8040 mAh/cm³) of aluminum. However, very few electrode materials have shown reversible aluminum ion intercalation. Intercalation Al³⁺ ions in these structures leads to poor capacity retention, mainly due to slow solid-state diffusion of the highly charged tri-valent aluminum ions within these crystalline structures. In 2015, aluminum ions were shown to reversibly intercalate/de-intercalate into the Chevrel Mo₆S₈ phase, though the intercalation mechanism is not well understood. Alternatively, molecular chloroaluminate ions within the ionic liquid electrolyte have also …

Assessing The Impact Of Block-Selective Homopolymers On The Diffusion Of Payload Through Polymeric Organogels, Ian Coates

Honors Theses

Styrenic polymer gels have received recent attention for their application in transdermal patches due to their unique properties. Previous research in the pharmaceutical industry has identified that polymeric gels, specifically styrenic gels, have the potential to encompass multiple functions of the transdermal delivery patch including controlling mechanical and delivery properties. To tailor styrenic gels either the gel nanostructure or the drug complex can be controlled. Specifically, this thesis investigated the effect of gel nanostructure in an attempt to control the gel diffusivity and mechanical properties. To control gel nanostructure a phase selective styrene homopolymer was used at varying concentrations. It …

Specifically Adsorbed Ions In Hematite Flotation, Natalia Parra Alvarez

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Specifically adsorbed ions, such as calcium and magnesium in iron ore flotation, are ions that can chemically bind with the mineral surfaces and alter the surface properties. Calcium and magnesium are unavoidable in process water and their concentrations are increasing due to water recirculation and reagent additions. These ions are detrimental to the flotation process. Calcium has always been the main focus in research, yet we found that magnesium is more detrimental in flotation due to its smaller atomic size. Starch adsorption in iron ore flotation is key for the effective depression of hematite. It has been determined by flotation, …

Relating Modified Ergun's Equation To Hindered Settling Correlations, Ryan Zahniser

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Correlations were developed between the Modified Ergun’s and Hindered settling correlations under the condition of dense packing of particles in the bed. As the porosity of the slurry increases, so does the interference between particles in the solution which mimics the behavior of a packed or densely concentrated fluidized bed. The similarity between the two sets of conditions was modeled using mathematical equations to calculate settling velocities and pressure drops by means of the Hindered Settling correlations and Modified Ergun’s equation at porosities ranging from 0.4242 to 0.89. The results showed that a porosity of 0.52 and 0.009 ft particle …