Other Chemical Engineering Commons^™

Self-Assembly Interactions In Magnetite-Coated Cellulose Nanocrystals: Implications For Magnetic Hyperthermia Applications, Mohammad J. Hasan, Erin L. Mcneill, Kishore Chand, Juganta Roy, Monishita Deb, Katherine Schlaak, Sydney Herzog, Yvonne Sun, Sarah Watzman, Esteban E. Ureña-Benavides, Erick S. Vasquez-Guardado

Chemical and Materials Engineering Faculty Publications

Magnetic cellulose nanocrystal (MCNC) nanocomposites are promising sustainable and biocompatible platforms for magnetic hyperthermia; however, the molecular mechanisms governing Fe3O4 adsorption and deposition onto CNCs remain poorly understood. Here, sulfated (S-CNC) and TEMPO-oxidized CNCs (T-CNC) were used to prepare nanocomposites at 1:2 and 1:4 CNC:Fe3O4 mass ratios, enabling a systematic evaluation of how surface chemistry and nanoparticle loading dictate interfacial interactions and magneto-colloidal behavior. Bare magnetite nanoparticles were 21 ± 5 nm by TEM but grew to 144 ± 18 in the DLS measurement at pH 7. The S-CNC nanocomposites had hydrodynamic sizes between 144 and 210 nm, not much …

Aqueous Iron Electrowinning: From Electrolyte Engineering To The Unexplored Potential Of Acetate Systems, Chodwell N. Verenga

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Iron electrowinning and electrodeposition sit at the intersection of classical metallurgy and developing sustainable manufacturing. With the iron and steel industry responsible for 7 - 9% of global CO₂ emissions, low-temperature electrochemical pathways for iron production have garnered significant research interest. This review examines the fundamental electrochemical principles governing iron deposition, the thermodynamic constraints imposed by the iron-water system, and the kinetic challenges posed by the parasitic hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). The three key electrolyte systems are objectively evaluated: acidic sulfate and chloride electrolytes, alkaline suspension electrolytes and water-in-salt electrolytes. Their operating parameters, faradaic efficiencies, energy consumption and deposit characteristics …

Mechanical Fractionation Of Wheat Middlings For Application In Pyrolysis And Animal Feed, Okwudili I. Obiakor

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Wheat middlings are grain byproducts that are underused for bioenergy production despite having a high lignocellulose content. Its use as a feedstock for catalytic pyrolysis depends on effective and sustainable fractionation to enhance efficiency and product yield. This study tested mechanical pre-fractionation (sieving and air classification) to reduce ash content of certain fractions to < 1% for catalytic pyrolysis and enrich nutrient levels of other fractions for feed applications. Wheat middlings were separated into 11 fractions using screen sizes from 106 µm to 1651 µm, and the composition of each fraction was characterized (ash, protein, structural carbohydrates, lignin, starch, and simple sugars). For cyclone separation, a full factorial design was used to study the effect of air velocity (15,18, 20 m/s) and feed rate (33, 35, 38 kg/h) on the amount of material collected in the underflow and overflow, and the composition of these fractions was characterized. Sieving showed a pronounced segregation of ash content, from 4.5% to 6.5% in wheat middlings fractions, with 5.7% being the lowest for coarse fractions which has higher lignocellulose content, and 4.5% in the fine fraction (150-212 µm). The same defined enrichment was observed in all nutrients except for protein. Starch enrichment zone were defined in the fine fractions (212 µm and below), for structural carbohydrates and lignin in the coarse fractions (600 µm and above), and for ash in coarse fractions (1180-1651 µm). In contrast, protein content was not significantly different between various fractions (p value=0.787). The fiber rich fraction (> 600 µm), suitable for pyrolysis, which have a composite ash value of 6.0% can be sorted and mixed with intermediate fractions to reduce ash to 5.3% and the remaining fractions rich in digestible nutrients used for animal feed formulation. Compared to sieving, cyclone separations did not …

Deep Learning Approaches For Voltammetric Analysis Of Coffee, Ryan Koes

Honors Theses

This thesis investigates deep learning approaches for voltammetric analysis of brewed coffee using a low-cost electrochemical system and screen-printed electrodes (SPEs). Traditional analytical methods, such as high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), provide precise quantification of key compounds but require expensive instrumentation and specialized expertise, limiting accessibility. While SPEs offer a more accessible alternative, they yielded poor results with traditional processing; however, when combined with a neural network, the system proved more effective. In experiments with 132 coffee samples, mean errors for caffeine, CGA, and TDS predictions were 52.98 ppm, 70.48 ppm, and 0.08%, respectively. These findings …

Microscopic Insights On Shear Rheology Of Polyampholyte Ionomers Via Molecular Simulations, Kyle Vonscio

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Ionomers are polymers that contain a small fraction of charged groups. The ionic attraction of charged groups allows ionomers to act similarly to crosslinked polymers. Depending on the strength of electrostatic interactions and structure of the ionomers, different dynamics and rheological responses can be observed. With moderate attraction between ions, these noncovalent crosslinks can be broken when heated, allowing ionomers to flow and show the strength of a crosslinked network at low temperatures. Nonequilibrium molecular dynamics (NEMD) simulations will be performed under shear in the xy-plane and the macroscopic rheology and conformation of the polyampholyte ionomer will be determined. The …

Determining Critical Micelle Concentrations Of Standard Surfactants And Rhamnolipids, Kathryn E. Kunz

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

My proposed project will study the critical micelle concentration (CMC) of rhamnolipids using the pendant-drop and drop-weight methods. First, the critical micelle concentrations of ionic and nonionic common surfactants will be tested. Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate (SDS) will be used as an ionic surfactant and Tween 20 will be used as a nonionic surfactant. The critical micelle concentrations will be determined using the pendant-drop and drop-weight methods. The experimental results from the standard surfactants compared to their accepted values will be tested to assist with determining a more suitable approach. Completing the tests will provide a better understanding of critical micelle …

Effects Of Hofmeister Ions On Lower Critical Solution Temperatures Of Poly(N-Isopropylacrylamide) And Poly(Vinyl Methyl Ether), Joseph Joaquin

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The goal of this study is to compare how four different Hofmeister anions (Cl-, SCN-, F-, and I-) affect the Lower Critical Solution temperature (LCST) on two thermo-responsive polymers: poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (pNIPAAM) and poly(vinyl methyl ether) (PVME). pNIPAAm is commonly used in the environmental applications such as monitoring, oil-water separations, or antifouling materials, and in medical industry from drug delivery to tissue engineering. When pNIPAAM or PVME reaches a temperature above their LCST, they become hydrophobic, and the polymer chains coiled, leading to their aqueous solutions turn opaque. PVME exhibits a similar LCST as that of pNIPAAM, so it can be …

Analysis Of Sessile Drop And Captive Bubble Contact Angle Measurements On Metallic And Hydrophobic Surfaces, Jack H. Darnell

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Contact angle measurements are widely used to characterize surface wettability and determine changes in surface energy, yet the choice of measurement technique can significantly influence the results. This study compares the sessile drop and captive bubble methods for measuring contact angles of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) solutions on carbon steel, stainless steel, and a hydrophobic wafer. Additionally, the time‑dependent wetting behavior of water, SDS, polysorbate 20 (commercial name Tween 20), and rhamnolipids on a hydrophobic wafer was evaluated over a five‑minute period. Results show that the sessile drop method consistently produced higher contact angles than the captive bubble method on …

Effects Of Coupling Agents On An Epoxy Coating And Consequent Corrosion Resistance Of Carbon Steel, Breck A. Mooney

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

This project will include the determination of how coupling agents affect corrosion resistance on select carbon steel when combined with a polymer coating. This research will explore 2 different silane coupling agents: 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES) and 3-glycidoxypropyl-trimethoxysilane (GPTMS). 1 polymer coating, Bispenol A diglicidyl ether (BADGE), will be explored as well. These coatings will be applied to select carbon steels in various ratios to determine their effects on corrosion.

Computer-Aided Molecular Design To Identify More Environmentally Friendly Pfas, Melvin M. Keita

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The goal of this project is to inversely design alternatives to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) using Computer-Aided Molecular Design (CAMD). PFAS, also described as “forever chemicals”, have been used in industry and consumer products since the 1940s. PFAS can be found in drinking water, food, food packaging, waste sites, and other sources. Exposure to different PFAS can lead to increased risks of some cancers, immune effects, and reproductive effects. Pulling from existing data, this project will use quantitative structure-property relationships (QSPRs) to design PFAS alternatives that possess optimal properties to prevent adsorption into drinking water and other potential sources …

Dielectrophoretic Biomarkers For Cancer Detection And Cell Analysis: Integrating Microfluidics And Ai, Raphael Olumide Oladokun

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) carries a five-year survival rate of 13%, driven largely by late-stage diagnosis and the absence of sensitive noninvasive screening tools. Current diagnostic methods lack the sensitivity to detect disease-associated systemic changes at early and precancerous stages, representing a critical clinical gap. This dissertation addresses the central hypothesis that PDAC and its pathological subtypes induce measurable, disease-associated electrophysiological changes in circulating PBMCs that can serve as correlative liquid-biopsy biomarkers. To test this hypothesis, this work asks: can dielectrophoresis (DEP), impedance and zeta potential analysis with AI-assisted classification distinguish benign pancreatic conditions (non-malignant control), precancerous lesions (primarily IPMNs), …

Review And Analysis Of Methods And Techniques For Refining Vegetable Oils, Umidjon Ruziev, Marufjon K. Shodiev

Chemical Technology, Control and Management

This article provides a comparative analysis of the main methods of vegetable oil refining: alkaline (chemical), physical, and combined. It examines the stages of the technological process and the applicability of each method for various types of oils (palm, soybean, cottonseed, sunflower, rapeseed, etc.). Attention is paid to energy consumption at the stages of neutralization, washing, drying, and deodorization, as well as the impact of equipment performance on specific energy consumption. Approximate calculations of the distribution of thermal and electrical energy during the processing of 1 kg of oil are provided. It is noted that physical refining, despite the high …

Advancing Sustainable Co2 Mitigation: Experimental And Computational Analysis Of Thermal Carbon Chitosan Sorbent For Automotive Exhaust Capture, Dalia A. Ali Dr., Amir Ahmed Elgamal Eng., Rania Rushdy Moussa Dr.

Chemical Engineering

This study investigated the efficiency of thermal carbon chitosan (TCCS) sorbent for CO2 capture from vehicle exhaust emissions within a designed adsorption system. TCCS was synthesized and meticulously characterized using a series of analytical techniques, including Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface area analysis, Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Ther- mogravimetric Analysis (TGA), Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDX), and Differential Scanning Calo- rimetry (DSC). The TCCS adsorbent showed high thermal stability and a heating value (HHV) of 23.5 MJ/kg. Adsorption isotherm study demonstrated that the maximum capacity of CO2 adsorption is 0.084 kg.CO2/kg. TCCS, as well …

Experimental Measurement Demonstration Of Initial And Steady-State Heights Of A Co2 Vertical Jet Fountain In Still Air, Brock Mcrae

Chemical Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

Atmospheric releases of heavier-than-air gases pose acute near-field hazards in low wind, yet the near-source behavior of vertical dense-gas jets in still air is sparsely documented. This thesis demonstrates a repeatable laboratory method for measuring the initial and steady-state rise heights of a carbon dioxide (CO₂) jet issued vertically from a floor nozzle in the CHRC ultra-low-speed wind tunnel under still-air conditions. Controlled mixtures (pure CO₂, 50/50 CO₂-air, 25/75 CO₂-air) were released at four flow rates (75, 100, 125, 150 LPM) with five repeats per condition. A fixed camera and tape-measure scale enabled video extraction of jet height using Kinovea …

Predicting Simulation Times For Multiphase Thermal-Hydraulic Models, Andrew Yule, Andrew Taylor

SMU Data Science Review

Addressing the challenge of computationally intensive OLGA

simulations in the oil and gas industry, a machine learning framework is

developed for accurate runtime prediction. A specialized feature extraction

pipeline identifies key parameters—such as simulation time, time step,

number of branches, and section count—from OLGA input files that serve as

high-impact predictors. Multiple predictive models, including regression,

tree-based ensembles, and neural networks, are implemented to validate

accuracy and robustness. Results reveal that prioritizing simulations based on

predicted runtimes optimizes licensing resources and reduces operational

costs, making real-time scheduling more efficient. This research demonstrates

the effectiveness of data-driven runtime prediction in enhancing …

Magnetically Recoverable And Adsorptive Alginate Hydrogel Composite Beads Reinforced With Cellulose Nanocrystals, Corbon M. Moss, Mohammad Jahid Hasan, Monishita Deb, Sarah Watzmann, Esteban Ureña-Benavides, Erick S. Vasquez-Guardado

Chemical and Materials Engineering Faculty Publications

The World Health Organization estimates that approximately 1.9 million deaths occur annually due to the consumption of contaminated drinking water, underscoring the urgent need for sustainable, biobased materials for water purification. This study reports the synthesis and characterization of magnetically responsive, alginate-based hydrogels designed for pollutant adsorption and magnetic recovery. Magnetic cellulose nanocrystals (mCNC) were produced by coprecipitating Fe3O4 nanoparticles onto cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) and subsequently embedded into an alginate hydrogel matrix at two loading concentrations (0.1 and 1% w/v). The resulting mCNC–alginate hydrogels, along with CNC–alginate and pure alginate hydrogels as controls, were fabricated in both thin film and …

Upcycling Waste To Wealth: Cuo-Sio₂/Reduced Graphene Nanocomposite From Pomegranate Peels For One-Pot Low-Temperature Conversion Of Waste Oils Into Valuable Fatty Acid Monomers, Attia Attia, Shahenda Mahran Dr., Maria Centeno Prof., Basudeb Saha

Petroleum Engineering and Gas

and hence reduce the price of the fatty acid monomers. This study reports for the first time a novel, environmentally benign, highly active copper oxide-silica oxide/reduced graphene oxide (CuO-SiO2/RGO), heterogeneous nano-catalyst derived from waste pomegranate peels, for the one-pot, low-temperature synthesis of fatty acid monomers from high-acid-value waste vegetable oil (WVO). The synthesised nano-catalyst was extensively characterised using XRD, FT-IR, TEM, SEM, EDX and TGA-DTA. Further, it was utilised to synthesise fatty acidrich oleic phenoxypropyl acrylate (OPA) monomer from high acid value WVO via a single-step reaction.

A Contemporary Approach For Exploring The Influence Of Detoxification And Standardization Of Traditional Metallopharmaceutical Product Pharmacological And Toxicological Aspects, Malarvizhi K

Theses and Dissertations

Polyherbomineral formulation possess unique medicinal properties due to the presence of metals and minerals as integral part, as processed in addition to specific herbals. There is an increased interest in metallopharmaceuticals in clinical and research areas, because of their immense therapeutic efficiency towards multiple diseases and evidence for non-toxic claim. Sivanar Amirtham is one of the polyherbomineral Siddha medicine recommended for the treatment of various respiratory diseases and other ailments including antidote therapy for poisonous bites. The present research work attempted for standardization of Sivanar Amirtham preparation as per the traditional standard protocols (including the detoxification process of raw materials) …

Design And Investigation Of Deep Eutectic Solvent-Assisted Extractive Fermentation Of Biomolecules, Ramya M

Theses and Dissertations

The increasing demand for sustainable and efficient bioprocessing techniques has prompted the development of novel separation strategies integrating bioproduction with downstream processing. Extractive fermentation has emerged as a promising process intensification to overcome product inhibition and enhance productivity by constantly removing target biomolecules from the fermentation medium. Although the extractive fermentation of acids and alcohols has been extensively studied, less attention has been focused on green solvents and their compatibility, phase-forming abilities, and reactor configurations.

Therefore, advancing extractive fermentation technology necessitates comprehensive studies on solvent systems and the development of modified bioreactor configurations to aid future optimization. Initially, 22 DESs …

Improving Particle-Phase Nitrate Measurement In Pm2.5 Filter Sampling: Evaluation Of A Denuder–Nylon Filter Modification In The Spartan Network, Wenyu Liu

McKelvey School of Engineering Graduate Student Theses & Dissertations

Accurate measurement of PM_2.5 composition is of global importance. Evaporation-induced mass loss introduces potential bias in filter-based PM_2.5 measurements, with ammonium nitrate volatilization from Teflon filters being a major contributor to negative mass artifacts. Previous studies have demonstrated that using an acid gas denuder in combination with nylon filters can help recover the nitrate mass. This study evaluates design modifications to the AirPhoton sampling station setup within the globally distributed Surface Particulate Matter Network (SPARTAN) incorporating an additional acid gas denuder upstream and a nylon filter downstream of the existing Teflon filter.

Two co-located AirPhoton Sampling stations were …