Chemical Engineering Commons^™

Relationship Between Thermal Conductivity And Free Electrons In Metal, Yansong Liu

Senior Theses

An experiment was designed and conducted to explore the relationship between thermal conductivity with free electrons in metal. In the experiment, copper, iron, aluminum, and titanium rods with close diameters were used to carry out the experiment. Each rod was heated up by a heat unit at one end while cooled on the other end with a heat sink to maintain a steady state. DC current was applied to rods in the direction along, as well as against, the heat flow. Thermal conductivities were measured in these two situations for each rod. Results showed electrons do dominate thermal flow inside …

Hydrothermal Synthesis And Structural Investigation Of A Crystalline Uranyl Borosilicate, Kristen A. Pace, Vladislav V. Klepov, Mark D. Smith, Travis Williams, Gregory Morrison, Jochen A. Lauterbach, Scott T. Misture, Hans Conrad Zur Loye

Faculty Publications

The relevance of multidimensional and porous crystalline materials to nuclear waste reme-diation and storage applications has motivated exploratory research focused on materials discovery of compounds, such as actinide mixed-oxoanion phases, which exhibit rich structural chemistry. The novel phase K1.8 Na1.2 [(UO2)BSi4 O12 ] has been synthesized using hydrothermal methods, rep-resenting the first example of a uranyl borosilicate. The three-dimensional structure crystallizes in the orthorhombic space group Cmce with lattice parameters a = 15.5471(19) Å, b = 14.3403(17) Å, c = 11.7315(15) Å, and V = 2615.5(6) Å3, and is composed of UO6 octahedra linked by [BSi4 O12 ]5− chains to …

Gagrank: Software For Glycosaminoglycan Sequence Ranking Using A Bipartite Graph Model, John D. Hogan, Jiandong Wu, Joshua A. Klein, Cheng Lin, Luis Carvalho, Joseph Zaia

Chemical and Biochemical Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The Sulfated Glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) Are Long, Linear Polysaccharide Chains that Are Typically Found as the Glycan Portion of Proteoglycans. These GAGs Are Characterized by Repeating Disaccharide Units with Variable Sulfation and Acetylation Patterns Along the Chain. GAG Length and Modification Patterns Have Profound Impacts on Growth Factor Signaling Mechanisms Central to Numerous Physiological Processes. Electron Activated Dissociation Tandem Mass Spectrometry is a Very Effective Technique for Assigning the Structures of GAG Saccharides; However, Manual Interpretation of the Resulting Complex Tandem Mass Spectra is a Difficult and Time-Consuming Process that Drives the Development of Computational Methods for Accurate and Efficient Sequencing. …

Experimental Study Of Hollow-Core Slab Containing Waste Pet Bottles, Mulia Orientilize, Josia Irwan Rastandi, R. M. Dimas Aries C., Marsha Niken P., Krisna Adi S.S., Abimantrana Abimantrana

Makara Journal of Technology

This study investigated the utilization of plastic-waste concrete as an effort to reduce urban waste problems. The waste plastic bottles were utilized to form the hollows of the hollow-core slabs (HCSs). The bottles were made of polyethylene terephthalate (PET). As a part of green research to reuse waste material, shredded PET was also added to the concrete mixture to improve the HCS strength. The cast-in-site HCS could be constructed without any difficulties. Three parameters were investigated: the effects of void content, shredded PET content, and steel-fiber (SF) content on the HCS ultimate bending capacity (Mu). Fifteen specimens were tested under …

Laboratory-Scale Research Of Non-Catalyzed Supercritical Alcohol Process For Continuous Biodiesel Production, Aso A. Hassan, Joseph D. Smith

Chemical and Biochemical Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

This work investigates the non-catalyzed supercritical methanol (SCM) process for continuous biodiesel production. The lab-scale setup was designed and used for biodiesel production in the temperature range of 520–650 K and 83–380 bar with an oil-to-methanol molar ratio ranging from 1:5 to 1:45. The experiments were performed in the coiled plug flow tubular reactor. The volumetric flow rate of the methanol/oil ranged from 0.1-10 mL/min. This work examines a new reactor technology involving preheating and pre-mixing of the methanol/oil mixture to reduce setup cost and increase biodiesel yield under the same reaction conditions. Work performed showed that FAME’s yield increased …

Polymer Microparticles For Encapsulation And Presentation Of Anti-Inflammatory Agents For Inflammatory Diseases, Christopher Isely

Theses and Dissertations

Inflammatory diseases have a huge economic impact on the healthcare system. Incidence of obesity and muscle atrophy, two high profile inflammatory diseases, continues to increase. Anti-inflammatory agents are potential therapeutics for these diseases. Resveratrol is a polyphenol that has anti-inflammatory effects; however, resveratrol suffers from low bioavailability and hasn’t had impressive clinical results when delivered orally. Mannose is a monosaccharide that also has anti-inflammatory effects, however, effects are highest when mannose is presented on the surface of a support the size of a bacteria. Incorporation of resveratrol and mannose into biodegradable polymer microparticles could be a feasible approach to overcome …

Hydrothermal Synthesis And Structural Investigation Of A Crystalline Uranyl Borosilicate, Kristen A. Pace, Vladislav V. Klepov, Mark D. Smith, Travis Williams, Gregory Morrison, Jochen A. Lauterbach, Scott T. Misture, Hans Conrad Zur Loye

Faculty Publications

The relevance of multidimensional and porous crystalline materials to nuclear waste reme-diation and storage applications has motivated exploratory research focused on materials discovery of compounds, such as actinide mixed-oxoanion phases, which exhibit rich structural chemistry. The novel phase K1.8 Na1.2 [(UO2)BSi4 O12 ] has been synthesized using hydrothermal methods, rep-resenting the first example of a uranyl borosilicate. The three-dimensional structure crystallizes in the orthorhombic space group Cmce with lattice parameters a = 15.5471(19) Å, b = 14.3403(17) Å, c = 11.7315(15) Å, and V = 2615.5(6) Å3, and is composed of UO6 octahedra linked by [BSi4 O12 ]5− chains to …

Conversion Of Lignocellulose Biomass From Date Palm Waste To High Value Chemicals, Emmanuel Galiwango

Dissertations

Lignocellulose biomass has gained growing popularity because of its low cost of production compared to food crops, it solves problems of food and energy security, can grow in various climates and land, and it is CO₂ neutral. Date palm trees produce large amounts of fibrous wastes that are good sources of lignocellulose. There are over 40 million date palm trees in UAE and most of their lignocellulosic wastes (i.e., leaves, surface fibers, bunches, etc.) are currently used for low value applications such as compost or electric generation. However, the lignocellulosic components of this waste stream have the potential to …

Experimental And Computational Investigations Of Type Iii Deep Eutectic Solvents For Btx Removal From Light Naphtha, Kyle Mcgaughy

Theses and Dissertations

Light naphtha is a crucial chemical feedstock that is used to make value-added products from plastic to fuels. Whether it is derived from fossil fuels or renewable resources, naphtha typically contains small fraction of aromatic contaminants such as benzene, toluene, and xylene (BTX). Polar solvents such as sulfolane, ethylene glycol, and glycerol are industrially used to separate BTX from naphtha. Each of these solvents has some processing difficulties though, whether it be sulfolane degrading and corroding equipment or ethylene glycol and glycerol not being particularly selective for BTX over light naphtha. Some of the traditional solvents used for naphtha purification …

Improving The Intellectual And Social Development Of Children With Autism: Design Of A Training Center For Autism, Hasti Jalalian

Makara Journal of Technology

Research on the relationship between the role of architecture and the psychology of children with autism, which indicates that appropriate environments for these children can have a significant effect on their healthcare process, has been recently conducted. However, statistics show that autism spectrum disorders are pervasive, and its extent in Iran has been increasing. Moreover, centers that are specifically designed for children with autism are limited, and paradigms are made without considering the mood of these children. Given the role of architecture in designing a suitable space for these children, an investigation that can identify the specific requirements of these …

Numerical Study Of A Buckling Restrained Brace (Brb) In Steel Structures And Comparison With A Convergent Ordinary Brace (Ocb) Under Static And Dynamic Loading, Fatemeh Habibpour

Makara Journal of Technology

Bulk metallic glass (BMG) has good mechanical strength, high hardness, wear resistance, and corrosion resistance with promising application in various industries. However, for the industrial production of BMG, the main issue is how to overcome limitations of joining with other materials. The present study focuses on solder processing at low operating temperature to avoid exceeding the recrystallization temperature. A feasible joining process for BMG was developed using lead-free solders. The BMG surface is pre-plated with copper, nickel, or titanium as a wetting layer. The reaction temperature is set between the glass transition temperature of BMG and the melting point of …

Analysis Of The Interfacial Reaction Between Bulk Metallic Glass Coated Copper, Nickel, And Titanium With Lead-Free Solders, Andromeda Dwi Laksono, Yee-Wen Yen, Rifqi Aulia Tanjung, Teodoro A. Amatosa, Ruki Harwahyu

Makara Journal of Technology

Bulk metallic glass (BMG) has good mechanical strength, high hardness, wear resistance, and corrosion resistance with promising application in various industries. However, for the industrial production of BMG, the main issue is how to overcome limitations of joining with other materials. The present study focuses on solder processing at low operating temperature to avoid exceeding the recrystallization temperature. A feasible joining process for BMG was developed using lead-free solders. The BMG surface is pre-plated with copper, nickel, or titanium as a wetting layer. The reaction temperature is set between the glass transition temperature of BMG and the melting point of …

Design Of Ac Microgrid Topology With Photovoltaic Uncertainties In A Rural Village, Vannak Vai

Makara Journal of Technology

Energy needs are increasing day by day, especially for developing countries, due to population growth and changing lifestyles. A suitable microgrid topology with renewable energy integration is considered to fulfill the people and society’s needs. This paper focuses on the design of AC microgrid topology for a nonelectrified village with the integration of PV uncertainties in both sitting and sizing. The development of an optimal algorithm based on the conductor use minimization and unbalanced load improvement is proposed. The shortest path is proposed to search for the minimum conductor use. Then, the algorithm for improving the unbalanced load with two …

Mean-Shift Object Tracking Algorithm With Systematic Sampling Technique, Yoanes Bandung, Aris Ardiansyah

Makara Journal of Technology

Mean shift is a fast object tracking algorithm that only considers pixels in an object area, hence its relatively small computational load. This algorithm is suitable for use in real-time conditions in terms of execution time. The use of histograms causes this algorithm to be relatively resistant to rotation and changes in object size. However, its resistance to lighting changes is not optimal. This study aims to improve the performance of the algorithm under lighting changes and reduce its processing time. The proposed technique involves the use of sampling techniques to reduce the number of iterations, optimization of candidate search …

Analysis Of Correlation And Mapping Of Chlorophyll-A Concentrations And Sea Surface Temperatures In Coastal Areas Based On Terra Modis Satellite Image Data, Hendrata Wibisana, Bangun Muljo Sukotjo, Umboro Lasminto

Makara Journal of Technology

Ecosystems in aquatic environments are distinct from ecosystems on land. Changes that occur in ecosystems in aquatic environments affect the lives of biota in these waters, including the fish used as a food source in fishing communities in coastal areas. This study aims to determine the role of remote sensing in mapping and analyzing the relationship between the parameters of sea surface temperature and chlorophyll-a concentrations on the coast. The correlation of sea surface temperature with chlorophyll-a concentrations is modeled via linear regression. An analysis of variance test is performed to establish the suitability of the temperature data for the …

Corrosion Rate Prediction In Frp-Concrete Repair, Mohammad A. Khawaja

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Research has proven that wrapping structural elements with fiber-reinforced polymers (FRPs) slows down chloride-induced corrosion rate but does not stop it. Although FRP has been used for corrosion repair for over 40 years, predictive corrosion rate models for FRP-concrete systems are limited in literature. This dissertation presents an oxygen diffusion-based predictive framework to estimate corrosion rate in FRP-concrete systems.

The dissertation has three main components. First, a core framework that is referred to as Khawaja-Sen-Bhethanabotla (KSB) model. In the KSB model, statistical methods were used to extend experimental data on oxygen permeation coefficients. These data were for one and two …

Discovery And Investigation Of Ammonia Decomposition Catalysts, Katherine Mccullough

Theses and Dissertations

Liquid ammonia can be used as a hydrogen transportation and generation source for use in PEM fuel cells. Current Ru catalysts for ammonia decomposition contain high loadings of Ru and require reaction temperatures at or above 550°C to attain equilibrium conversion. For on-site hydrogen generation, it is of interest to combine hydrogen generation from ammonia decomposition directly with PEM fuel cells. For this occur, operating temperatures need to be considerably lowered and effluent concentrations of ammonia need to be minimized to avoid poisoning of the membrane. Therefore, it is of interest to develop a low-cost catalyst that exhibits high activity …

Mitigating Corrosion And Enhancing Energy Density Of Zinc-Based Anodes In Primary And Secondary Aqueous Batteries, Ehsan Faegh

Theses and Dissertations

Today Lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries are the most-emphasized battery technology among the many different battery systems in the market. However, due to their high cost (especially for electric vehicle applications), flammability and toxicity, the development of inexpensive and safer alternative battery chemistries has been the focus of a significant amount of recent research. Among various battery chemistries, Aluminum-based (Al-based) and Zinc-based (Zn-based) batteries have been touted as promising options to compete with Li-ion batteries. However, the practical realization of Al battery chemistries has been difficult over a long period of time (170 years) due to a number of fundamental and intrinsic …

Degradative Processes Of Commercial And Next-Generation Lithium-Ion Battery Materials, Benjamin Ng

Theses and Dissertations

The work embodied in this thesis bridges the gap between modern and next-generation Li-ion batteries (LIBs). First, a detailed study of the complex interfacial interactions (e.g. electrode/electrolyte, particle/particle, particle/solid-electrolyte interphase) in existing LIBs (graphite anode, Li(Ni_0.5Mn_0.3Co_0.2)O_2 cathode) are investigated and then used to develop strategies for safer, more energy-dense, and more durable electrode materials (i.e. tailored hybrid materials). The first portion of this thesis focuses heavily on decoupling the complex thermodynamics, reaction kinetics, and mass transport properties in commercially available LIBs. This thesis includes a detailed investigation into the operating parameter space for LIBs, including temperature (-30^oC to +52^oC), state-of-charge …

Electrodeposition Study Of Alloys For Solar Energy, Corrosion Resistance, And Battery Applications, Thaier Tawfeek Alawadh

Theses

Copper-Zinc-Tin sulphide (CZTS) compound is one of the alloys, which has significantly caught the attention of a considerable number of researchers since the beginning of the century. Consequently, academic laboratories started investigating the alloy in-depth with its various combination due to its valuable applications with high potential usage. The CZTS alloy has a high tendency to replace the current copper indium gallium selenide (CIGS) thin-film solar cell system due to scarcity of CIGS components, and toxic manufacturing procedures compared to CZTS. Nevertheless, CZTS is a new studied compound with exceptionally low photovoltaic empirical efficiency and an inadequate understanding of its …