Chemical Engineering Commons^™

Supercritical Co2 Technology For Biomass Extraction: Review, Bahare Nozari, Ron Kander

School of Design and Engineering Papers

Supercritical carbon dioxide extraction is increasingly recognized as a green and efficient alternative to conventional solvent-based techniques for valorizing plant biomass. This review provides a comprehensive overview of recent advances in a scCO₂ extraction method, focusing on its advantages in isolating high-value compounds from agricultural feedstocks. The unique physicochemical properties of scCO₂, combining gas-like diffusivity with liquid-like solvating power, enable selective extraction under mild and tunable conditions, which preserves the integrity of thermally sensitive molecules. In addition, scCO₂ reduces energy consumption, eliminates toxic solvent residues, and offers greater extraction precision than traditional methods. These features have …

Highly Adaptable Dendrimer Gel Nanoparticles With Dual Targeting Of Upar And Ribonucleotide Reductase R2 For Better Retention And Improved Therapeutic Outcomes In Triple-Negative Breast Cancer, Hsin Yin Chuang, Da Huang, Lin Qi, Vidit Singh, Anna Chernatynskaya, Yue-Wern Huang, Hu Yang

Biological Sciences Faculty Research & Creative Works

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) accounts for approximately 15% of breast cancers and lacks estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2), rendering it unresponsive to hormonal or anti-HER2 therapies. Due to its poor prognosis and limited treatment options, there is an urgent need for targeted therapies. In this study, we developed highly adaptable polyamidoamine (PAMAM) dendrimer-based gel nanoparticles with dual-targeting capabilities against urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor (uPAR) and ribonucleotide reductase R2 (R2). These nanoparticles were designed to target both TNBC cells and cancer-associated stromal cells by leveraging uPA-uPAR interactions and delivering the antisense oligonucleotide …

Simulation Of Multi-Receiver Solar Power Tower By Enhancement Of Solarpilot Software And A Review Of Absorber Coating Materials For The Receivers, Yasser Mirza Baig

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Central receiver concentrating solar power (CSP) towers offer significant potential for cost-effective renewable electricity but face increasing optical losses with larger heliostat fields. This thesis introduces enhancements to NREL’s SolarPILOT software through a Python-based API named CoPylot, which enables comprehensive optimization of heliostat field layouts for multi-receiver systems. The enhanced methodology incorporates per-heliostat ray tracing, receiver orientation optimization (tilt angle β), and an incidence-angle-dependent absorptance (α(θ)) model to evaluate optical performance, thermal losses, and techno-economic metrics within an integrated simulation framework.

A case study for Daggett, California demonstrates that transitioning from a baseline single-receiver system (180 m tower, 5×5 m …

Low-Cost, High-Performance Electrodes For Pgm-Free Aem Water Electrolyzers: Structural Optimization Of Nimo-Based Cathodes, Mahmoud Amirsalehi, Noor Ul Hassan, Venkata Sai Sriram Mosali, Ian Street, Marjanul Manjum, Saheed Adewale Lateef, Jasmine Bohannon, Sam Mckinney, Ashutosh G. Divekar, Paul A. Kohl, Mustain E. William

Faculty Publications

Water electrolysis technologies for hydrogen production are receiving significant attention due to a drastic reduction in the cost of renewable energy sources in recent years. Though traditional alkaline and proton exchange membrane water electrolyzers are receiving the most commercial attention, the anion exchange membrane water electrolyzer (AEMEL) has the potential to be much lower in cost. AEMELs have recently shown remarkable progress in terms of performance and durability. However, they are still mostly operated with expensive platinum group metal (PGM) catalysts on both the anode and cathode. To achieve low cost, either PGM-free or ultra-low loading PGM catalysts are needed. …

Eliminating Assay Background Of A Low-Cost, Colorimetric Glutamine Biosensor By Engineering An Alternative Formulation Of Cell-Free Protein Synthesis, Joseph P. Talley, Tyler J. Free, Tyler P. Green, Dallin M. Chipman, Bradley Charles Bundy

Faculty Publications

Glutamine is an essential biomolecule that plays a pivotal role in many diseases, such as cancer, where it can serve as fuel for rapid proliferation. Treatments for these diseases can be monitored and optimized through the detection of glutamine, though standard glutamine detection procedures are costly and require complex instrumentation. Cell-free protein synthesis (CFPS) has recently enabled a paper-based, colorimetric glutamine sensor that carries the potential to increase test accessibility while dramatically reducing consumer cost to enable at-home, rapid treatment monitoring. Test sensitivity remained limited by residual assay background, thus motivating this work where CFPS reactions traditionally formulated with glutamate …

Economic And Environmental Impact Of Recovering And Upgrading Lignin Via The Alpha Process On An Ethanol Biorefinery, Daniel G. Kulas, Robert Handler, Graham Tindall, Bronson Lynn, Mark Thies, David Shonnard

Michigan Tech Publications

Lignin valorization is limited by both impurities and broad molecular weight (MW) distributions. The Aqueous Lignin Purification using Hot Agents (ALPHA) process exploits the novel liquid–liquid equilibrium that exists between lignin and hot, one-phase solutions of aqueous renewable solvents to simultaneously purify and fractionate raw bulk lignins. Our analysis considered the valorization of lignin recovered from two ethanol biorefinery waste streams, black liquor and lignin cake. By applying sequential ALPHA stages, distinct lignin fractions of controlled MW and purity were isolated suitable for producing carbon fibers, polyurethane foams (PUF), and activated carbons (ACs). Surprisingly, only a single extraction stage was …

Atp8b1 Regulates Pip2 Localization And Cleavage Of Pyroptotic Executioner Gasdermin D, Nilam Bhandari, Ashutosh Prince, Mariam R. Khan, Alicia Traughbera, Kalash Neupane, Shuhui W. Lorkowski, Gregory Brubaker, Elif G. Ertugral, Chandrasekhar R. Kothapalli

Chemical & Biomedical Engineering Faculty Publications

Mutations in ATP8B1 cause progressive familial intrahepatic cholestasis, with symptoms including pruritus, pancreatitis, fat malabsorption, intestinal inflammation, and failure to thrive. High-throughput studies showed interconnection between ATP8B1 and phosphoinositide (PIPs), but the mechanism linking ATP8B1, lipid metabolism, and inflammation remains unclear. Atp8b1G308V/G308V mouse model, unbiased RNAseq, high-resolution-stimulation emission depltion (STED)-microscopy, and Crispr-Cas9 generated ATP8B1-/- knockouts in hepatocytes/monocytes/macrophages were used to determine role of ATP8B1 in phosphatidylinositol,4-5-bisphosphate (PIP2) trafficking and inflammation. Human ATP8B1, purified from Sf9 insect cells and reconstituted in proteoliposomes, was used to test cell-free PIP2 flip. Various in-vitro techniques were used for testing direct interaction between PIP2 and …

Investigating Solvent Effects On Crystallization Kinetics, Ibrahim Joel

Theses and Dissertations

The use of crystallization for separation is not a recent phenomenon. However, the development of efficient crystallization processes is continually being challenged by the complexity and high cost of new drug substances, coupled with stringent regulatory requirements, which add to the uncertainty surrounding drug launches by pharmaceutical enterprises. Accurate characterization of crystallization kinetics is a key step in crystallizer design, which can be influenced by several factors, including process conditions, scale, and the measurement techniques used for tracking particle evolution. These factors often lead to inconsistencies between kinetic studies, hindering rapid implementation within industrial contexts. This thesis presents a case …

Minimum Ghg Emissions And Energy Consumption Of U.S. Pet And Polyolefin Packaging Supply Chains In A Circular Economy, Utkarsh S. Chaudhari, Abhishek Patil, Tasmin Hossain, David Watkins, Damon S. Hartley, Barbara K. Reck, Robert Handler, Anne T. Johnson, Vicki S. Thompson, David Shonnard

Michigan Tech Publications

There is a wide agreement on the urgency of transforming linear management of plastics towards a circular economy model. However, no clear pathways exist as to required recycling technologies involved and system-wide environmental impacts. This study explores such pathways in the U.S. for the most commonly used packaging plastics through a combination of mechanical and emerging advanced recycling technologies. A system optimization model aimed at minimizing environmental impacts was developed to determine optimal end-of-life (EOL) management and locations of existing and emerging U.S. recycling infrastructures. Our study includes material flows from virgin resin production through semi-manufacturing processes to existing EOL …

Investigation Of Retention And Dehydration Of Preformed Particle Gel For Conformance Control In Fractured Carbonates, Abdulaziz A. Almakimi, Abdullah O. Almansour, Junchen Liu, Baojun Bai, Ibnelwaleed A. Hussein

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Preformed particle gel (PPG) treatment has proved to be among the most effective methods to reduce excessive water production in fractured reservoirs. The blocking ability of PPGs to fractures or fracture-like features is highly dependent on injected gel properties and volume. Gel dehydration during extrusion through fracture is common and has a considerable effect on gel properties, transport, and plugging efficiency. As the gel particles propagate through the fracture, continuous dehydration is often associated and causes the gel to concentrate and require high-pressure gradients to move. Dehydration might be desirable to a certain limit because it can help to form …

Performance Evaluation Of Aminated Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotubes Incorporated With Green Synthesized Iron Nanoparticles For Toxic Dyes Sequestration From Textile Wastewater, Titus Chinedu Egbosiuba, Cynthia Chukwuemeka, Jonah Chukwudi Umeuzuegbu, Nwanneka Chibuzo Mmonwuba, Ugochukwu Ewuzie, Monday Uchenna Okoronkwo, Valentine Chikaodili Anadebe, Saheed Mustapha, Ambali Saka Abdulkareem, Jimoh Oladejo Tijani, Ashish Patel, Virendra Kumar Yadav

Chemical and Biochemical Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

This study evaluates the performance of aminated multi-walled carbon nanotubes (AM-MWCNTs) integrated with zerovalent iron nanoparticles (ZVI) synthesized using cashew leaf (Anacardium occidentale) extract (AM-MWCNTs@ZVI) for the removal of Congo Red (CR) and Methylene Blue (MB) dyes from textile industrial wastewater. The nanocomposite was characterized using FTIR, XRD, BET, HRSEM, and HRTEM analyses, confirming its functional groups, crystalline structure, and enhanced surface area of 1050.4 m²/g. The ecological risk degree of the textile pollutants was assessed to determine the percentage concentrations of crystal violet, Congo red, methyl orange, methylene blue and rhodamine B. Batch adsorption experiments identified optimal …

Reference Correlations For The Density And Viscosity Of Molten Alkali And Alkaline Earth Fluoride Salts, A. Birri, R. Chesser, N. Termini, J. C. Numbers, Kevin Garland, M. A. Rose

Michigan Tech Publications

While there is a significant body of literature pertaining to thermophysical property measurements of molten salts, there is often a wide degree of variability among independent measurements of the same compounds. As such, the scientific community benefits greatly from an unbiased, independent assessment of duplicate datasets, so that reference correlations which describe these thermophysical properties as functions of temperature can be determined and then commonly used by researchers, scientists, and engineers. With regard to molten fluoride compounds, a significant time has elapsed since density and viscosity reference correlations have been determined; Janz conducted the most recent effort, in 1988, to …

Student-Led Video Podcasting In A Chemical Behavior Of Materials Course, Erick Salvador Vasquez

Chemical and Materials Engineering Faculty Publications

Video podcasts, or vodcasts, are a form of podcasting that combines video and audio to deliver various types of educational content effectively. To our knowledge, very few studies have focused on student-produced podcasting for learning technical engineering concepts. This study explores using student-created technical videos in a course on the chemical behavior of materials through three separate assignments. The first assignment centered on sustainability aspects. Students, divided into groups of three, were tasked to review two influential journal articles on plastic waste input into the ocean and metal recycling. Each group had to prepare and deliver a technical script about …

Enhanced Removal Of Microplastic Fibres Using Aluminium And Chitosan-Based Coagulants Assisted With Microbubble Technology, Nimesha Thathsarani, Mehdi Khiadani, Muhammad Rizwan Azhar, Masoumeh Zargar

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Microplastic (MP) pollution has emerged as a threat to drinking water quality, where fibres are the dominant type of MPs found in drinking/wastewater treatment plant influents. The potential of MP removal through conventional treatment has not been vastly studied. Accordingly, this study investigates the removal of MP fibres using two-hybrid methods: coagulation-flocculation followed by sedimentation (CFS); and coagulation-flocculation combined with flotation using microbubbles (CFm) in the presence of two different water matrices, deionised water (DI) containing surfactants and DI water in the presence of humic acid (HA). A typically used Aluminium-based coagulant (AlCl3.6H2O) and a green-based coagulant, Chitosan, were employed …

Chemical Recycling Of Pet Plastic Waste, Charlie Parker, Benjamin Puga, Jake Verschoor

Materials Engineering

The growing accumulation of plastic waste, specifically polyethylene terephthalate (PET), has driven the need for more efficient and scalable chemical recycling methods. This study investigated the methanolysis of PET using zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles as a catalyst and tetrabutylammonium chloride (NBu₄Cl) as an ionic liquid, aiming to reduce methanol consumption while achieving high PET conversion efficiency. ZnO nanoparticles were synthesized via wet chemistry and characterized using Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS), which showed an average particle size of 13.5 nm with a polydispersity index of 0.1556, indicating a moderately-high monodisperse distribution of particles sufficient for reactions. The main conversion product, dimethyl …

Data-Driven Machine Learning Applications For Predictive Modeling Of Petrochemical And Ecofriendly Systems, Noora Saleh Al Mansoori

Theses

Traditional experimental approaches in industrial processes, such as Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and well-drilling operations, are often constrained by time, cost, and operational limitations. This research explores the application of data-driven Machine Learning (ML)-based predictive modeling to improve efficiency and reduce dependency on resource-intensive experimentation. The study develops ML models for three distinct processes: FTIR intensity prediction of bitumen thermal cracking products, thermal degradation of Medium-Density Fibreboard (MDF) using TGA data, and Rate of Penetration (ROP) prediction in petrochemical industry. Six algorithms: Linear Regression (LinReg), Partial Least Squares Regression (PLSR), Support Vector Regression (SVR), Gradient …

Utilizing Date Fruit Pomace As A Corrosion Green Inhibitor For Non Ferrous Alloys, Sardor Rustam Odilov

Theses

This thesis explores a novel green corrosion inhibitor derived from date fruit pomace extract (DFPE) for the protection of aluminum alloy 3003 in highly corrosive environments, specifically hydrochloric acid (HCl) and natural seawater. The central aim is to promote the sustainable reuse of agro-waste as an effective and eco-friendly alternative to conventional toxic inhibitors, aligning with environmental and industrial safety goals.

A comprehensive methodology was employed, including Soxhlet extraction (using both non-polar n-hexane and polar methanol-water solvents), rotary evaporation, and FTIR analysis to identify the active functional groups responsible for inhibition. Corrosion behavior was systematically evaluated using both mechanical (weight …

Investigation And Prediction Of Excessive Water Production In Bottom Water-Drive Naturally Fractured Reservoirs Using Machine And Deep Learning, Sami Abderraouf Belkhir

Theses

Naturally Fractured Reservoirs (NFRs) are characterized by dual-porosity and dual-permeability systems, posing significant challenges in managing water production due to highly conductive fracture networks that facilitate rapid water migration from bottom aquifers, often bypassing oil stored in the matrix, thus resulting in early water breakthrough and water channeling phenomena. The main objective of this thesis is to develop and validate deep learning and machine learning models to predict water production, water breakthrough time (tbt), and ultimate water cut (WCult) in NFRs, thereby enabling more effective reservoir management strategies. This work also aims to evaluate the sensitivity of water behavior to …

Experimental Evaluation Of Novel Nano Polymer Hybrid Enhanced Oil Recovery In Carbonate Reservoir, Altamish Ahmed Pakeer

Theses

Innovative enhanced oil recovery (EOR) strategies are needed to unlock additional reserves in heterogeneous, oil-wet carbonate reservoirs. This study evaluates hybrid nano-polymer flooding by integrating silica nanoparticles (SiO₂) and single-walled carbon nanotubes (CNT) with novel HPAM polymers (Sav10 and Sav10 VHM) to optimize wettability alteration, rheological parameters, and recovery mechanisms.

A comprehensive experimental approach was employed, where rheological tests assessed viscosity enhancement under varying shear conditions, and wettability alteration was quantified via contact angle measurements using HPAM-SiO₂, HPAM-CNT, Sav10 VHM-SiO₂, and Sav10 VHM-CNT systems. Core floods were performed in three consecutive phases; waterflooding (baseline), standalone nanoparticle flooding, and hybrid nano-polymer …

Effect Of Household Oil Contamination And Agricultural Soil Contamination On Phyllosilicate Nanocatalyst Performance During Pyrolysis Of Polyolefins, Joey Velasquez

Master's Theses

The effect of household oil and agricultural soil contamination on catalyst performance during polyolefin pyrolysis was simulated on mixed virgin plastic pellets by evaluating contamination influence on mixed plastic degradation temperatures. Three phyllosilicate nanocatalysts including Fulcat435, Fulcat22F and Y-Zeolite were evaluated in this work based on a literature review of catalyzed plastic pyrolysis and these catalysts’ ability to lower plastic decomposition temperature by 50 °C – 100 °C. These findings were confirmed in this research through thermogravimetric analysis of a polyolefin mixture and further developed in furnace experiments containing household oil and agricultural contamination. Household oil contamination deactivated each of …