Chemical Engineering Commons^™

Hydration Repulsion Effects Of The Formation Of Supported Lipid Bylayers, Selver Ahmed, Rajesh Raman Madathingal, Stephanie L. Wunder, Yanjing Chen, Geoffrey D. Bothun

Chemical, Biomolecular, and Materials Engineering Faculty Publications

When zwitterionic lipids fuse onto substrates such as silica (SiO₂), the water of hydration between the two approaching surfaces must be removed, giving rise to an effective hydration repulsion. Removal of water around the polar headgroups of the lipid and the silanols (SiOH) of SiO₂ allows supported lipid bilayer (SLB) formation, although an interstitial water layer remains between the lipid and surface. The importance of hydration repulsion in SLB formation is demonstrated by monitoring fusion of zwitterionic lipids onto silica (SiO2) nanoparticles heat treated to control the silanol group (SiOH) density and thus the amount of bound …

Multicomponent Folate-Targeted Magnetoliposomes: Design, Characterization, And Cellular Uptake, Geoffrey D. Bothun, Alline Lelis, Yanjing Chen, Kyle Scully, Linnea E. Anderson, Matthew A. Stoner

Chemical, Biomolecular, and Materials Engineering Faculty Publications

Folate-targeted cationic magnetoliposomes (FTMLs) have been prepared with coencapsulated doxorubicin (DOX) and anionic superparamagnetic iron oxide (SPIO) nanoparticles (NPs) with 5 nm γ-Fe₂O₃ cores and 16 nm hydrodynamic diameters. NP encapsulation (89%) was confirmed by cryogenic transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and the presence of the oppositely charged NPs did not cause liposome aggregation. The FTMLs had an average diameter of 174 ± 53 nm and existed as unilamellar and cup-shaped liposomes, which was attributed to dissimilar lipid packing parameters and the presence of PEG-lipids. A 3-fold increase in DOX release was achieved over 2 hours when the …

A Novel Biodiesel And Glycerol Carbonate Production Plant, Nghi T. Nguyen, Yaşar Demirel

Yaşar Demirel Publications

Crude glycerol is the byproduct of biodiesel production plant and the economic value of glycerol may affect the profitability of the biodiesel production plant. As the production rate of bioglycerol increases, its market values drop considerably. Therefore, conversion of bioglycerol into value-added products can reduce the overall cost, hence, leading to a more economical biodiesel production plant. In a direct carboxylation reaction, CO₂ reacts with glycerol to produce glycerol carbonate and water. This study presents a direct comparison of the economic analysis of the conventional biodiesel production plant and the possible next generation biodiesel-glycerol carbonate production plant. At the …

Using Thermally Coupled Reactive Distillation Columns In Biodiesel Production, Nghi Nguyen, Yaşar Demirel

Yaşar Demirel Publications

Production of ethyl dodecanoate (biodiesel) using lauric acid and methanol with a solid acid catalyst of sulfated zirconia is studied by using two distillation sequences. In the first sequence, the methanol recovery column follows the reactive distillation column. In the second sequence, the reactive distillation and methanol recovery columns are thermally coupled. Thermally coupled distillation sequences may consume less energy by allowing interconnecting vapor and liquid streams between the two columns to elminate reboiler or condenser or both. Here we study the thermally coupled side-stripper reactive distillation and eliminate the condenser of the reactive distillation column. Both the sequences are …

Investigation Of Microbubble/Droplet Formation In Cross-Flow And Co-Flow Micro Devices, Tom J. John

Doctoral Dissertations

The primary goal of the work presented in this dissertation is to generate microbubbles of a diameter of less than 15μm inside micro channels. In order to achieve this detailed understanding, the facts and limitations behind the generation of microbubbles inside a micro channel are determined from existing literature. The major limitations of the current bubble/droplet generators are found to be the bubble confinement effect, the merging of bubbles, the difficulty in determining bubble diameter and the need for smaller channels to generate smaller bubbles. A device eliminating these drawbacks is conceptualized, and its feasibility is studied using COMSOL® and …

The Impact Of Driving Conditions On Phev Battery Performance, Nathan Christensen, John Patten, Steven Srivastava, Gary P. Nola

Green Manufacturing Research Journal

The battery performance of a modified Prius with a 5 kWh plug-in battery was documented for a year to determine the impact of environmental conditions and user attributes on vehicle performance.  Both fuel economy and pure electrical efficiency were compared to ambient temperature.  The fuel economy has a positive relationship with ambient temperature until approximately 70˚F where the efficiency begins to drop.  Electrical performance has a positive linear relationship with ambient temperature.  With the emergence of electric vehicles (EVs) and PHEVs from a variety of automotive manufacturers, information on EV and PHEV performance for consumers will become more important.

Pyrolysis Kinetics Of A Green River Oil Shale Using A Pressurized Tga, James L. Hillier, Thomas H. Fletcher

Faculty Publications

Crushed samples of Green River Oil Shale and its kerogen extract were pyrolyzed at heating rates from 1 to 10 K/min at pressures of 1 and 40 bar and temperatures up to 1000 C. Two to four mass release peaks were observed with the major two corresponding to kerogen pyrolysis and carbonate decomposition. The transient pyrolysis data were fit with a first-order model and a Distributed Activation Energy Model (DAEM). An F-test was used to determine confidence regions and compare the kinetic parameters among the oil shale and demineralized samples, between the two pressure levels, and between the models. The …

Diffuse-Charge Dynamics Of Ionic Liquids In Electrochemical Systems, Hui Zhao

Mechanical Engineering Faculty Research

We employ a continuum theory of solvent-free ionic liquids accounting for both short-range electrostatic correlations and steric effects (finite ion size) [Bazant et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 106, 046102 (2011)] to study the response of a model microelectrochemical cell to a step voltage. The model problem consists of a 1-1 symmetric ionic liquid between two parallel blocking electrodes, neglecting any transverse transport phenomena. Matched asymptotic expansions in the limit of thin double layers are applied to analyze the resulting one-dimensional equations and study the overall charge-time relation in the weakly nonlinear regime. One important conclusion is that our …

Thermoelectric Properties Of ZnXInYOX+1.5y Films, Otto J. Gregory, Matin Amani

Chemical, Biomolecular, and Materials Engineering Faculty Publications

Ceramic thin film thermocouples are being developed to replace noble metal thermocouples operating within the harsh environments of advanced turbine engines used for power generation and propulsion. Seebeck coefficients as large as 158 V/°C were determined for indium oxide (In₂O₃) at 950°C and 256 V/°C for zinc oxide ZnO at 1250°C relative to platinum reference electrodes. Because these Seebeck coefficients are appreciably larger than those for metallic thermocouples, alloys in the system indium zinc oxide Zn_xIn_yO_x+1.5y were investigated by cosputtering from high purity ZnO and In₂O₃ targets. Thermocouple …

Co2 Adsorption On Solid Sorbents, Bingyu Li

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Sorbent-based CO2 capture technology is considered as one of the potential scientific techniques for mitigating greenhouse gas emission. Major advantages of sorbent based adsorption are its low regeneration energy coupled with the elimination of corrosion and equipment degradation characteristic of amine based solvent CO2 capture systems which are the preferred industrial methods. Different CO2 capture configurations, processes, and operational parameters for different sorbents were revieand summarized. Efficient industrial applications for CO2 capture require that solid sorbents possess an adsorption capacity between 1000-2000µmol/g or more together with a long-term regeneration capacity. Economical consideration necessitates that the cost of CO2 sequestration be …

Fourier Transform Emission Spectroscopy Of Yh And Yd: Observation Of New A¹Δ And B¹Π Electronic States, R. S. Ram, G. Li, P. F. Bernath

Chemistry & Biochemistry Faculty Publications

The emission spectra of YH and YD molecules have been investigated in the 3600–12 000 cm⁻¹ region using a Fourier transform spectrometer. Molecules were formed in an yttrium hollow cathode lamp operated with a continuous flow of a mixture of Ne and Ar gases, and YH and YD were observed together in the same spectra. A group of bands observed near 1 μm have been identified as 0-0 and 1-1 bands of the A¹Δ-X¹Σ⁺ and B¹Π-X¹Σ⁺ transitions of YH and the 0-0 bands of the same two transitions …

Understanding And Improving Lithium Ion Batteries Through Mathematical Modeling And Experiments, Rutooj D. Deshpande

Theses and Dissertations--Chemical and Materials Engineering

There is an intense, worldwide effort to develop durable lithium ion batteries with high energy and power densities for a wide range of applications, including electric and hybrid electric vehicles. For improvement of battery technology understanding the capacity fading mechanism in batteries is of utmost importance. Novel electrode material and improved electrode designs are needed for high energy- high power batteries with less capacity fading. Furthermore, for applications such as automotive applications, precise cycle-life prediction of batteries is necessary.

One of the critical challenges in advancing lithium ion battery technologies is fracture and decrepitation of the electrodes as a result …

Mathematical Modeling Of Clostridium Thermocellum’S Metabolic Responses To Environmental Perturbation, Bless Adotey

Theses and Dissertations--Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering

Clostridium thermocellum is a thermophilic anaerobe that is capable of producing ethanol directly from lignocellulosic compounds, however this organism suffers from low ethanol tolerance and low ethanol yields. In vivo mathematical modeling studies based on steady state traditional metabolic flux analysis, metabolic control analysis, transient and steady states’ flux spectrum analysis (FSA) were conducted on C. thermocellum’s central metabolism. The models were developed in Matrix Laboratory software ( MATLAB^® (The Language of Technical Computing), R2008b, Version 7.7.0.471)) based on known stoichiometry from C. thermocellum pathway and known physical constraints. Growth on cellobiose from Metabolic flux analysis (MFA) and Metabolic …

New Media Icc Profiles Construction And Concerns, Reem El Asaleh

Dissertations

With the advent of the modern digital technology, users can now capture an image and reproduce it between different media, such as display it on LCD monitor or tablet computer, print it on desktop printer or send it to a printing press. The challenge has been then to maintain the accuracy of image colors during this reproduction, which has led to the development of Color Management Systems. Using these systems, the color reproduction across-media will be accomplished using device ICC profiles that describe each device’s color characterization data in a standardized format based on International Color Consortium (ICC) specifications.

ICC …

Boron And Rare Earth Oxide Composite Nanoparticles For Enhancement Of Combustion, Jacob Hanberry

LSU Master's Theses

Metallic fuels are of interest as additives in bio-fuel combustion because of their high heating values, and this thesis deals with the experimental investigation of boron nanoparticles and their effect on ethanol combustion. Two grades of boron nanoparticles were commercially purchased and modified to obtain different physical characteristics, by ball milling and sintering. Also, a mixture of rare-earth oxide (CeO2, La2O3, and Gd2O3) nanoparticles was synthesized and added to the boron nanoparticles in varying amounts to form composite mixtures. The effects of rare-earth oxides on boron combustion were investigated using these composites. Particle characterizations were carried out by X-ray diffraction, …

Modeling Small Molecule Elution From A Hydrogel Using A Microfluidic Technique, Stephanie Evans

Master’s Theses

Drug release from a fluid-contacting biomaterial is simulated using a microfluidic device with channels defined by solute-loaded hydrogel. In order to mimic a drug delivery device, a solution of poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate (PEG-DA), solute, and photoinitiator is cured inside a microfluidic device with a channel through the center ofthe hydrogel. As water is pumped through the channel, solute diffuses out of the hydrogel and into the water. Channel sizes within the devices range from 300 µm to 1000 µm to simulate vessels within the body. The properties of the PEG hydrogel were characterizedby the extent of crosslinking, the swelling ratio, …

Investigation Of The Hygroscopic And Morphological Properties Of Atmospheric Aerosols, Laura Cook

Master’s Theses

The first objective of this thesis was to examine the hygroscopic and morphological nature of various substances through the use of an Environmental Scanning Electron Microscope (ESEM). The hygroscopic growth and changes in morphology for pure-component aerosols were studied for particles greater than 2 µm in size. Hygroscopic growth was observed through changes in relative humidity (RH) and hygroscopic growth curves were created. The second objective of this thesis, the hygroscopic growth of multi-component aerosol mixtures, was studied using Hygroscopic Tandem Differential Mobility Analysis(HTDMA). The size distribution for an aerosol stream was determined before and after the stream was subjected …

Synthesis And Surface Modification Of Cdse And Cds Quantum Dots Exhibiting High Quantum Yield, Jeweliet Yost

Master’s Theses

The thesis investigates the effect of surface treatment with various reducing and oxidizing agents on the quantum yield (QY) of CdSe and CdS quantum dots (QDs). The QDs, as synthesized by the organometallic method, contained defect sites on their surface that trapped photons and prevented their radiative recombination, therefore resulting in adecreased QY. To passivate these defect sites and enhance the QY, the QDs were treated with various reducing and oxidizing agents, including: sodium borohydride (NaBH4), calcium hydride (CaH2), hydrazine (N2H4), benzoyl peroxide (C14H10O4), and tert-butylhydroperoxide (C4H10O2). It was hypothesized that the reducing/oxidizing agents reduced the ligands on the QD …

An Investigation Of Two Ceramic Electron Conductors For Use In Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Anodes, Ian Hasson

Master’s Theses

Conducted work with two potential alternatives to Ni, La0.8Sr0.2Cr0.5Mn0.5 (LSCM) and Sr doped LaVO3 (LSV) to serve as the electron conductor in the anode of solid oxide fuel cells SOFCs.

Developing A Tool To Characterize The Ultradian Rhythm In Diploid Saccharomyces Cervisiae Using The Reporter Gene Green Fluorescent Protein, Imran Chiragh

LSU Master's Theses

Biological rhythms control many temporal behaviors of organism, such as the sleep cycle, hearts rhythms, seasonal animal migrations etc. Understanding these rhythms would provide insight into the temporal process of living organisms. Saccharomyces cerevisiae, a budding yeast, is an ideal model organism to study biological rhythms in eukaryotic cells because of its sequenced genome and discerned processes. By characterizing the biological rhythm in budding yeast, insight can be gained into more complex organisms. Previous studies have exhibited oscillatory behavior of oxygen consumption and determined that deletion of the GTS1 gene dissipates this rhythm. However, to further understand the specific behavior …