Chemical Engineering Commons^™

Magnetic Resonance Imaging Trackable Pathology-Triggered Polymersomes Toward Enzyme Replacement Theranostics For Gm1 Gangliosidosis, Dorian Foster

All Dissertations

This dissertation investigates the development and optimization of pathology-responsive polymersomes for simultaneous enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) in the treatment of GM1 gangliosidosis (GM1). While therapeutic strategies exist for similar, non-neuropathic lysosomal storage disorders, implementation towards GM1 faces significant challenges due to the blood-brain barrier.

Herein, we developed and characterized a range of low molecular weight hyaluronic acid-b-polylactic acid (HA-PLA) polymersomes (PSs) capable of encapsulating therapeutic enzymes in their hydrophilic core. These polymersomes exhibit pathophysiology-triggered responsiveness, degrading in the presence of acidic conditions, which is characteristic of lysosomes, and enzymes such as hexosaminidase A, which …

Experimental Evaluation Of A Recrosslinkable Co2-Resistant Micro-Sized Preformed Particle Gel For Co2 Sweep Efficiency Improvement In Reservoirs With Super-K Channels, Adel Alotibi, Tao Song, Ali Al Brahim, Baojun Bai, Thomas P. Schuman

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

A recross linkable CO₂-resistant branched preformed particle gel (CO₂-BRPPG) was developed for controlling CO₂ injection conformance, particularly in reservoirs with super-permeable channels. Previous work focused on a millimeter-sized CO₂-BRPPG in open fractures, but its performance in high-permeability channels with pore throat networks remained unexplored. This study used a sand pack model to evaluate a micro-sized CO₂-BRPPG under varying conditions of salinity, gel concentration, and pH. at ambient conditions, the equilibrium swelling ratio (ESR) of the gel reached 76 times its original size. This ratio decreased with increasing salinity but remained stable …

Wind Tunnel Investigation Of The Along-Wind Dispersion In Finite-Duration Neutrally Buoyant Gas Releases, Daniel Williams

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This thesis investigates the along-wind dispersion of hazardous gas releases within a turbulent boundary layer using controlled experiments in an ultra-low-speed wind tunnel, recognizing the limitations of numerical modeling and field tests. This study utilizes a neutrally buoyant gas mixture and dual Flame Ionization Detectors (FIDs) to capture representative, repeatable data on gas cloud behavior over finite durations. Ensemble averaging of 65 trials across varying release durations and downwind distances provided detailed insights into gas dispersion and the distinct time phases within finite-duration releases. Analysis revealed that along-wind dispersion coefficients depend on turbulence and vertical wind shear, with normalized coefficients …

Mechanical Properties And Microstructural Investigation Of Aa2024-T6 Reinforced With Al2o3 And Sic Metal Matrix Composites, Hassan Raza Channar, Barkat Ullah, Muhammad Shoaib Naseem, Javed Akhter, Arshad Mehmood, Muhammad Aamir

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Aluminium metal matrix composites (AMMCs) using alumina (Al2O3) and silicon carbide (SiC) as reinforcement elements are gaining significant interest in various applications because of their excellent properties. In this study, Al2O3/SiC with compositions (0.5 wt.%, 1.5 wt.%, and 2.5 wt.% for each) were used as reinforcement elements in an aluminium alloy (AA2024-T6). The samples prepared were AA2024-T6 + (0.5Al2O3/0.5SiC), AA2024-T6 + (1.5Al2O3/1.5SiC), and AA2024-T6 + (2.5Al2O3/2.5SiC) using a stir-casting technique. The experimental study included density calculation mechanical properties, such as tensile strength, compressive strength and hardness. The study also included a microstructure examination of the fracture surface of the tensile …

Using Nano-Ities For Detection Of Metal Ions In Complex Aqueous Solutions, Mohammed Muzammil Nishar Ahmed

Theses and Dissertations

Recent urbanization has induced a rapid increase in heavy metal exposure to humans. The exploitation of heavy metals for economic gains coupled with poor and economically infeasible recycling methods have led to poor management of heavy metal wastes, which has opened up several pathways for heavy metals to enter the human body. Such heavy metals target many vital organs, but the early symptoms are common and difficult to diagnose. Severe symptoms appear in later stages and are very expensive to treat and the damage caused to the health are not typically reversable in such later stages. To counter this issue, …

Fabrication And Performance Of Scalable Bio-Engineered Porous Layers For Efficient Co2 Capture, Mary Sharon Rose Bondugula

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation addresses the critical challenge of mitigating climate change by advancing CO2 capture technologies. As global CO2 emissions continue to rise, effective methods for capturing and separating CO2 from industrial processes are essential to combat climate change. Existing CO2 capture systems, such as Pressure Swing Adsorption (PSA) and Temperature Swing Adsorption (TSA), often rely on packed bed designs that face limitations, including poor heat and mass transfer, slow gas diffusion, and low thermal conductivity, reducing their efficiency. To overcome these challenges, this dissertation explores innovative solutions by developing advanced adsorbent coatings and scalable bed configurations.

This research begins by …

Adsorption Of Harmful Algal Bloom Toxins Using Biochar, Cadianne Chambers

Theses and Dissertations

Harmful Algal Bloom (HAB) events involve the proliferation of microalgae which discharge lethal toxins into fresh and brackish water bodies due to anthropogenic and climatic activities. Common examples of HABs include causative organisms such as Cyanobacteria, Pyrodinium bahamense and more. These genera are known to release potent toxins including Microcystins, and Saxitoxins, respectively, which can seriously endanger human and marine health. Ingestion of these toxins can result in several health problems, such as nausea, vomiting, gastroenteritis, skin irritation, liver damage, paralysis, and respiratory arrest. The Great Lakes, Gulf of Maine, Florida’s coasts, Lake Erie, and Lake Okeechobee have all been …

Anti-Solvent Materials Enhanced Structural And Optical Properties On Ambiently Fabricated Perovskite Thin Films, Mohammad Nur-E-Alam, Mohammad Aminul Islam, Yap Boon Kar, Tiong Sieh Kiong, Halina Misran, Mayeen Uddin Khandaker, Yasser Fouad, Manzoore Elahi M. Soudagar, Erdem Cuce

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) hold potential for low-cost, high-efficiency solar energy, but their sensitivity to moisture limits practical application. Current fabrication requires controlled environments, limiting mass production. Researchers aim to develop stable PSCs with longer lifetimes under ambient conditions. In this research work, we investigated the stability of perovskite films and solar cells fabricated and annealed in natural air using four different anti-solvents: toluene, ethyl acetate, diethyl ether, and chlorobenzene. Films (about 300 nm thick) were deposited via single-step spin-coating and subjected to ambient air-atmosphere for up to 30 days. We monitored changes in crystallinity, electrical properties, and optics over …

Surface Interaction Changes In Minerals For Underground Hydrogen Storage: Effects Of Co2 Cushion Gas, Hamid Esfandyari, Alireza Safari, Ali Hashemi, Aliakbar Hassanpouryouzband, Manouchehr Haghighi, Alireza Keshavarz, Abbas Zeinijahromi

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Hydrogen (H2) offers a promising solution for the energy transition but storing it on a large scale at the surface poses significant technical and environmental challenges. Underground formations provide a practical alternative for large-scale H2 storage, yet understanding H2 behavior under various subsurface conditions is crucial for optimizing storage capacity and efficiency, which are influenced by rock properties such as wettability. This study addresses the gap in literature regarding the wettability of different minerals when CO2 was injected with H2 as a cushion gas. We examined the wettability of various mineral rocks in realistic subsurface circumstances. A series of wettability …

The Design And Implementation Of A Modular Tissue Engineering Test Bed To Pursue An Alternate Pathway Of Cell Culture Based Research, Ryley Patrick Griffin

Theses and Dissertations

The development of a Modular Automated Tissue Engineering Test Bed (MATETB) is the next step in the development of cheap and easily available in vitro cell regulatory systems for both academic and industrial purposes. This project outlined the framework and requirements for a device that could automatically regulate and collect data on a cell culture through the manipulation of its liquid environment. From this framework, a prototype was built. The device would fulfill cell culture needs while collecting data automatically and allowing for live viewing and imaging of cells. The device was comprised of a mechanical skeleton (MS), an environmental …

Development And Characterization Of Organic Electrocatalysts For Use In Zinc-Air Batteries, Christopher John Merkel

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

The global deployment of solar photovoltaic and wind power is projected by the International Energy Agency as the primary pathway to reduce dependence on fossil fuels. However, these technologies face a critical bottleneck: their inherently intermittent power generation. For “intermittent renewables” to become the dominant source of electrical energy, efficient energy storage systems are essential. Current storage solutions are not viable on a global scale due to material scarcity, safety concerns, and high capital costs. Among emerging technologies, zinc-air batteries (ZABs) have garnered significant interest. ZABs offer a theoretical energy density five times greater than traditional lithium-ion batteries, utilize safe …

Isolation And Upgrading Of Lignin From Agricultural Sources Using Phase Equilibria, Bronson Lynn

All Dissertations

In the emerging bioeconomy, agricultural residues from our nationwide crop harvests are positioned to be a cornerstone of renewable and sustainable fuels, chemicals, and materials. However, to be economically viable, the basic constituents of this plant matter must be separated and funneled to the appropriate application to maximize value and overall usability.

This work focuses on the component that has, to this point, been largely left behind: lignin. Although it is the most abundant aromatic biopolymer on the planet, making up 15-40% of grasses, hardwoods, and softwoods, the processing involved to isolate usable lignins is too complex and expensive to …

Integrating Sustainability And Food Safety Through Quantitative Microbial Risk Assessment And Life Cycle Assessment Of Low-Moisture Foods, Jessica Bain

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Food safety and sustainability are critical concerns in the food industry. However, these areas are often evaluated separately, leading to an incomplete understanding of the overall impact of food production on human health. This dissertation aims to integrate food safety with sustainability to provide a comprehensive assessment of the impact of low-moisture foods on human health, using the almond processing supply chain as a case study.

In addition to conducting life cycle assessments (LCA) of almond processing, wheat flour production, and dried apple processing, this dissertation aims to create a framework to bridge the gap between sustainability and food safety. …

Synthesis, Characterization And Testing Of Graphene-Based Materials For Proton-Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell Catalysts, Hassan Shirzadi Jahromi

Dissertations

The requirement for low cost and efficient catalysts for fuel cells motivated the proposed research on Nitrogen-doped reduced graphene oxide (N-rGO) integrated with transition metal zeolitic imidazolate frameworks (ZIFs). Synthesis, characterization and performance evaluation of the newly synthesized nitrogen-doped graphene oxide-based catalysts for Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells (PEMFCs) constitutes the main objective of this thesis.

The synthesis of N-rGO combined with cobalt, nickel, or iron ZIFs was carried out using wet chemical methods followed by one step pyrolysis at 900°C, resulting in catalysts with highly porous structures and uniform metal nanoparticle distribution. These were characterized for structure, microstructure, composition …

Regulating Cox Conversion Through Catalyst Design And Reaction Energy Input, Ewa Chukwu

All Dissertations

Carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions, primarily from fossil fuel use in energy and chemical production, are the leading driver of global warming. The chemical industry is the third-largest source of these emissions, so reducing its carbon footprint—and ultimately achieving “CO₂ emissions-free” chemical manufacturing—is critical to combating global warming. Thermal catalysis is the workhorse of industrial chemical manufacturing, generating CO₂ emissions from two main sources: the actual chemical transformations of fossil feedstocks and burning of fossil fuels to provide the process heat. Therefore, developing and implementing technologies to mitigate the carbon emissions associated with these emissions sources is essential for decarbonizing the …

Microwave-Assisted Pyrolysis Of Hydrocarbons Using Iron-Based Alumina Catalysts Obtained Via Solution Combustion Synthesis, Zachary Aidan Chanoi

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The demand for hydrogen is growing which makes the development of clean and efficient H2 synthesis technologies imperative. Microwave-assisted, thermocatalytic, dehydrogenation of hydrocarbons has demonstrated the ability to generate H2 with high yield/selectivity and leaving behind valuable solid carbon byproducts. However, this microwave-assisted process is unoptimized which prevents it from being utilized in industry. A critical component of optimization is the development of a catalyst that is catalytically active, a good microwave absorber, and can be regenerated for repeated dehydrogenation cycles. Previous studies that focused on plastic waste decomposition have used iron-based alumina (FeAlxOy) made via solution combustion synthesis (SCS). …

Monitoring Of Laser Soldering Process In Hybrid Additive Manufacturing, Alexander P. Pustinger

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Additive manufacturing (AM) has been a maturing technology that has expanded over the course of the last decade in major advancements especially in accessibility, process monitoring, modeling, and stock material design. As its industry use is growing, the demand for added improvements such as multi-functionality increases, such as with a hybrid system that allows for modification of printed parts with different electrical components like the Foundry Multi-3D system. The system's purpose is to create AM parts with multifunctional electrical components with the vision to expand to other areas of interest in manufacturing such as ISAM. This work explores the use …

Predicting The Rates Of Photocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution Over Cocatalyst-Deposited Tio2 Using Machine Learning With Active Photon Flux As A Unifying Feature, Yousof Haghshenas, Wei Ping Wong, Denny Gunawan, Alireza Khataee, Ramazan Keyikoğlu, Amir Razmjou, Priyank Vijaya Kumar, Cui Ying Toe, Hassan Masood, Rose Amal, Vidhyasaharan Sethu, Wey Yang Teoh

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

An accurate model for predicting TiO2 photocatalytic hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) rates is hereby presented. The model was constructed from a database of 971 entries extracted predominantly from the open literature. A key step that enabled high accuracy lies in the use of active photon flux (AcP, photons with energy equal to and greater than the bandgap energy of the photocatalyst) as the input feature describing the irradiation. The quantification of AcP, besides being a more direct feature describing the photocatalyst excitation, circumvents the use of lamp power ratings and light intensities as ambiguous inputs as they encompass varying degrees …

Journal Of Electrochemistry, The Flagship Journal Of Chinese Chemical Society Electrochemical Committee, Made A Public Appearance At The 22nd National Electrochemical Congress, Editorial Office Of J.Electrochem.

Journal of Electrochemistry

No abstract provided.

The Award Ceremony Of The 2nd Xiamen University Short Video Abstract Contest For Science And Technology Journal Papers Came To A Successful Conclusion, Editorial Office Of J.Electrochem.

Journal of Electrochemistry

No abstract provided.