Other Chemical Engineering Commons^™

Production Of Ethanol From Cereal Food Fines Using Dilute-Acid Hydrolysis, Andrew Edward Arnett

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Cereal food fines are a leftover by-product from breakfast cereal processing that is typically sold as animal feed or used as a pet food ingredient; however this product could be of greater value as a feedstock for the production of fuel ethanol via fermentation. In order for this material to be fermented it has to be broken down in to simple sugars using hydrolysis. One method of hydrolysis is called dilute-acid hydrolysis, whereby low concentrations of acid are added to the feedstock to facilitate the breaking of chemical bonds. This study investigates the effect of different concentrations of acid to …

Influence Of Carbon Nanofillers On The Curing Kinetics Of Epoxy-Amine Resin, Luigi Vertuccio, Salvatore Russo, Marialuigia Raimondo, Khalid Lafdi, Liberata Guadagno

Chemical and Materials Engineering Faculty Publications

The cure kinetics of an epoxy resin based on the tetrafunctional epoxy precursor N,N′-tetraglycidyl methylene dianiline-(TGMDA) hardened with 4,4-diaminodiphenyl sulfone is investigated. The influence of carbon nanofillers (carbon nanotubes, carbon nanofibers, and graphene based nanoparticles) on the cure kinetic is studied. Kinetic analysis is performed by dynamic and isothermal differential scanning calorimetry (DSC).

In dynamic experiments, the activation energy was computed using an advanced isoconversional method while under isothermal conditions, the Kamal’s model of diffusion control was applied to simulate the systems throughout the curing process. The isothermal analysis shows that the introduction of the diluent decreases, …

The Role Of Biological Fluid And Dynamic Flow In The Behavior And Cellular Interactions Of Gold Nanoparticles, Emily K. Breitner, Saber M. Hussain, Kristen K. Comfort

Chemical and Materials Engineering Faculty Publications

Background: Due to their distinctive physicochemical properties, nanoparticles (NPs) have proven to be extremely advantageous for product and application development, but are also capable of inducing detrimental outcomes in biological systems. Standard in vitro methodologies are currently the primary means for evaluating NP safety, as vast quantities of particles exist that require appraisal. However, cell-based models are plagued by the fact that they are not representative of complex physiological systems. The need for a more accurate exposure model is highlighted by the fact that NP behavior and subsequent bioresponses are highly dependent upon their surroundings. Therefore, standard in vitro models …

Optimal Surfactant Selection For Chemical Enhanced Oil Recovery In Low Temperature, Low Salinity, High Hardness Reservoirs, Christian D. White, Ryan A. Mulvenna, Rituraj Borgohain, Cliff Johnston, Bryan Boudouris

The Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) Symposium

Based on the environmental properties of a crude oil reservoir, only 20-30 % of oil product can be recovered using primary and secondary extraction methods. The remaining stranded oil can only be recovered via various enhanced oil recovery methods. Chemical enhanced oil recovery (EOR) uses specialty chemicals to extract trapped oil in rock layers by generating in-situ microemulsion in the presence of reservoir brine and oil. In this case study, phase behavior tests are conducted for microemulsion formation between the surfactant solution and the oil. The phase behavior tests model reservoirs with low temperature and low salinity. In order to …

Molecular Precursors In Aqueous Solution For Cigse Solar Cells, Bethany L. Mcilrath, Rakesh Agrawal, Mark J. Koeper

The Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) Symposium

Thin film solar cells are one of the most promising alternatives to traditional silicon based solar cells. Copper, indium, gallium, and sufur/selenium (CIGS) act as the absorber layer in one type of thin films. CIGS films are preferable to silicon because they can have wider applications, such as flexible solar cells. The highest efficiency CIGS solar cells have been made using either expensive vacuum equipment or highly toxic chemicals. This study investigates non-toxic molecular precursor solutions deposited by spray coating. Stoichiometric amounts of CIGS are dissolved in ammonium thioglycolate and ammonium hydroxide to create the molecular precursor solution. This solution …

Processing Methods And Storage Conditions On Chocolate And Coffee Powder Flow Properties, Sunland L. Gong, Andrea Della Bella, Teresa M. Carvajal

The Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) Symposium

Powders are widely used in a countless number of industries, and are crucial to the quality control of products in areas such as pharmaceuticals and food. Particle physicochemical properties (morphology, solid state – crystalline, amorphous or both) are important factors for powder flow, which in turn can have significant impact on the stability, performance, and presentation of powders. Different processing methods as well as storage conditions such as relative humidity (RH) can drastically affect powder flow. Due to the widespread use of chocolate and coffee powder around the world, and their importance to the food industry, this work investigates two …

Dissolution Of Chalcogens In Amine Thiol Solvents For Use In Nanoparticles, Gaurav A. Mittal, Caleb K. Miskin, Rakesh Agrawal

The Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) Symposium

Lead chalcogenide quantum dots have been shown to be ideal materials for solar cells due to their tunable band gap. Developing a dissolution procedure for chalcogens will help lower the production cost of the solar cells produced by the associated nanoparticles. Dissolution was performed in both aqueous and nonaqueous solutions. Precursors for sulfur and selnium were dissolved in both the aqueous solution of ammonium thioglycolate and ammonium hydroxide and in combinations of amines and thiols. Precursors for tellurium were dissolved in ethylenediamine and different thiols. Lead telluride forms larger microparticles that can be suitable for thermoelectric devices. The optimum solutions …

Carbon Dioxide Sequestration To Form Calcium Carbonate Nanoparticles, Krista E. Stump, Michael T. Harris

The Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) Symposium

The emission of carbon dioxide caused by burning fossil fuels is one of the leading sources of global warming. Reducing the amount of CO₂ released into the atmosphere through carbon sequestration can mitigate this problem. One method of carbon sequestration is the use of a carbon dioxide scrubber. Once captured, CO₂ can be used to create a valuable chemical commodity such as calcium carbonate nanoparticles. To create CaCO₃ particles in the 50-100 nanometer range, a chemical additive is necessary to limit particle size. The study used a laboratory scale carbon dioxide scrubber to react CO₂ with …

Mechanical Dispersion Of A Semi-Solid Binder In A Wet Granulation Process, Justin W. Perry, James D. Litster, Nathan J. Davis

The Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) Symposium

High viscosity surfactant pastes have recently gained popularity in the production of high efficiency laundry detergents due to their ability to increase surfactant loading in granules. When using high viscosity semi-solid binders a unique challenge is presented because it forces granules to be formed primarily by mechanical dispersion; a relatively poorly understood process. Developing mechanistic models of this process will enhance knowledge of mechanical dispersion processes and improve process development for granules produced using this method. Experiments to determine the effect of three process parameters; paste temperature, impeller RPM, and time were carried out in a lab-scale granulator. Binder temperature …

Economic And Sustainability Aspects Of Chemical Process Industries By Thermodynamics Analysis, Mahdi H. Alhajji

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

Economics and sustainability improvements of some chemical processes are assessed after the retrofits suggested by thermodynamic analysis and energy analyzer. The main objective is to explore the scope of reducing the energy consumption and CO₂ emissions for a more sustainable operation in chemical process industries. Thermodynamic analysis is carried out by applying the thermal analysis capability of ‘Column Targeting Tool’ to address the ‘energy intensity,’ and/or the ‘Energy Analyzer’ to design and improve the performance of the heat exchanger network system for process heat integration. CTT is based on the ‘Practical Near-Minimum Thermodynamic Condition’ representing a close to practical …

Swelling-Etching Characterization Of Copper (I) Oxide - Pdms For The Development Of Micro/Nano - Particles Composite Mems Corrosion Sensor, Abdoul Kader Maiga

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The primary objective for this thesis is to contribute to the understanding of the oxide removal process for a corrosion sensing device. The goal for designing such a device is for monitoring corrosion on metallic structures. The sensing material (6.35mm x 1mm discs) of the device is composed of copper (I) oxide particles mixed in some polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS). The PDMS, “housing,” is meant for controlling the oxidation rate through the sensing material. A solvent was used to facilitate the etchant diffusion through the PDMS matrix. Toluene and acetic acid were the ideal solvent and etchant, respectively, for carrying out the …

Electromagnetic Induction By Ferrofluid In An Oscillating Heating Pipe, John Gabriel Monroe, Erick S. Vasquez, Zachary S. Aspin, Keisha B. Walters, Matthew J. Berg, Scott M. Thompson

Chemical and Materials Engineering Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Analysis Of Particle Transport And Deposition Of Micron-Sized Particles In A 90° Bend Using A Two-Fluid Eulerian–Eulerian Approach, Erick S. Vasquez, Keisha B. Walters, D. Keith Walters

Chemical and Materials Engineering Faculty Publications

Two-phase flows involving dispersed particle and droplet phases are common in a variety of natural and industrial processes, such as aerosols, blood flow, emulsions, and gas-catalyst systems. For sufficiently dilute particle/aerosol phases, a simplified one-way coupling is often assumed, in which the continuous primary phase is unaffected by the presence of the dispersed secondary phase and standard CFD methods can be applied. To predict the transport and deposition of the particle phase, typically a Lagrangian particle-tracking or Eulerian one-fluid/two-phase drift-flux approach is used. Here, a full two-fluid Eulerian modeling approach is presented for coarse particles (>1 μm), in which …

Minimizing Sheet Resistance Of Organic Photovoltaic Cell Top Contact Electrode Layer: Silver Nanowire Concentration Vs. Conductive Polymer Doping Concentration, Caitlyn Cook

Materials Engineering

The top contact electrode layers of nine organic photovoltaic cells were prepared with two varying factors: three Silver nanowire (AgNW) densities deposited on a conductive polymer doped with three concentrations. Silver’s low sheet resistance of 20-Ω/sq is hypothesized to lower the sheet resistance of the anode layer and thus enhance the overall efficiency of the cell. Four-point probe measurements indicated that increasing AgNW density in the top contact electrode layer of an organic photovoltaic cell significantly reduces sheet resistance from 52.2k-Ω/sq to 18.0 Ω/sq. Although an increase in doping concentration of the conductive polymer reduced sheet resistance in low AgNW …

Effects Of Biomass Moisture Content On Volatile Flame Length During Cofiring With Coal, Matthew Pollard

McKelvey School of Engineering Graduate Student Theses & Dissertations

Cofiring biomass with coal can contribute to meeting Renewable Portfolio Standards (RPS) and reduce pollutant emissions. The physical characteristics and composition of biomass can vary significantly, which can affect the combustion characteristics. When cofiring biomass with coal, these differences can impact the structure of the volatile flame, the region where combustion of volatiles dominates. The length and location of the volatile flame is important to flame stability and determines the location and extent of volatile release. This has an effect on pollutant emissions, such as NOx (nitrogen oxides). Previously, the effects of parameters such as cofiring ratio, particle size, and …

Novel Separation Methods Using Electrodialysis/Electrodeionization For Product Recovery And Power Generation, Alexander Miguel Lopez-Rosa

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The use of electrodialytic separations for the purification of products has been a vital technique for the past 50 years in the chemical industry. Originally used for demineralization and desalination, electrodialysis and its counterparts have expanded to assist in product purification, waste and hazard removal, and power generation. This research focused on the development of high purity organic acids purification with low power requirements. Work resulted in the development of a new type of electrodialysis process, specifically the use of ionic liquids as a secondary solvent for the development of dual solvent electrodialysis. Through dual solvent electrodialysis, ions were recovered …

Surface Modifications Of Polymers Via Acidic Solutions, Brittany Stanley, Kenya Wallace

Research Horizons Day Posters

No abstract provided.

Optimization Of Graphene-Based Materials Outperforming Host Epoxy Matrices, Liberata Guadagno, Marialuigia Raimondo, Luigi Vertuccio, Marco Mauro, Gaetano Guerra, Khalid Lafdi, Biagio De Vivo, Patrizia Lamberti, Giovanni Spinelli, Vincenzo Tucci

Chemical and Materials Engineering Faculty Publications

The degree of graphite exfoliation and edge-carboxylated layers can be controlled and balanced to design lightweight materials characterized by both low electrical percolation thresholds (EPT) and improved mechanical properties. So far, this challenging task has been undoubtedly very hard to achieve.

The results presented in this paper highlight the effect of exfoliation degree and the role of edge-carboxylated graphite layers to give self-assembled structures embedded in the polymeric matrix. Graphene layers inside the matrix may serve as building blocks of complex systems that could outperform the host matrix. Improvements in electrical percolation and mechanical performance have been obtained by a …

Computational Multiscale Modeling And Characterization Of Piezoresistivity In Fuzzy Fiber Reinforced Polymer Composites, Xiang Ren, Josh Burton, Gary D. Seidel, Khalid Lafdi

Chemical and Materials Engineering Faculty Publications

In this paper, the piezoresistive response (i.e. the change of resistance under the application of strain) of polymer composites reinforced by a novel material known as fuzzy fibers is characterized by using single tow piezoresistive fragmentation tests and modeled by using a 3D computational multiscale model based on the finite element analysis. In the characterization work, the fuzzy fiber tow is embedded in a dog-bone specimen infused by epoxy, with resistance and displacement measured simultaneously to obtain its piezoresistive response. An approximately linear and stable piezoresistive response is observed within the fuzzy fiber tow region yielding gauge factors on average …

Characterization Of Dimethyl Sulfoxide-Treated Wool And Enhancement Of Reactive Wool Dyeing In Non-Aqueous Medium, Luyi Chen, Bijia Wang, Jiangang Chen, Xinhui Ruan, Yiqi Yang

Department of Textiles, Merchandising and Fashion Design: Faculty Publications

Wool pretreated with dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) was characterized and its dyeing behavior in non-aqueous green solvents was investigated. Reactive dyeing of wool in deep shades is challenging because the mandatory alkaline aftertreatment to match the fastness of mordant dyes inevitably causes damage to wool keratin. The current study showed that the colorfastness-integrity dilemma could be solved by replacing water with organic solvents as the dyeing medium. Covalent fixation is predominantly favored in solvent dyeing so that excellent colorfastness is achievable at any given shade without alkali aftertreatment. Compared with aqueous dyeing, solvent dyeing was found to give 30% higher covalent …