Chemical Engineering Commons^™

Calculation Of Elastic Constants Of Bulk Metallic Glasses From Indentation Tests, Zhitong Xu, Ming Liu, Fuqian Yang

Chemical and Materials Engineering Faculty Publications

One of the challenges in the applications of instrumented indentation is to simultaneously measure elastic modulus and Poisson’s ratio of homogeneous, isotropic materials. This work proposes empirical equations for simultaneous calculation of elastic modulus and Poisson’s ratio of bulk metallic glasses (BMGs) from the ratio of the short diagonal length to the long diagonal length and the area of the Knoop imprint. The parameters pre- sented in the empirical equations are determined first by Knoop microhardness tests of 24 BMGs, whose elastic moduli and Poisson’s ratios are measured by resonant ultrasound spectroscopy. These empirical equations are further validated by the …

“Zero” Porosity High Loading Nmc622 Positive Electrodes For Li-Ion Batteries, Haidar Y. Alolaywi, Kubra Uzun, Yang-Tse Cheng

Chemical and Materials Engineering Faculty Publications

LiNi0.6 Mn0.2Co0.2 O 2 (NMC622) is a widely used positive electrode material for lithium-ion batteries, including electric vehicles. In this work, we investigated the effects of porosity, ranging from “zero” to the typical 35%, on the electrochemical behavior of high- loading NMC622 electrodes. Although it is well known that the energy density of the electrode increases with increasing areal capacity and decreasing porosity, NMC-positive electrodes with exceedingly low porosity (e.g., near zero) and high loading (e.g., 4 mAh cm−2 ) have not been investigated. Here, we report an intriguing observation that the “zero porosity” NMC electrode can have higher capacity …

Oxygen Fugacity Of Global Ocean Island Basalts, Lori N. Willhite, Ricardo Arevalo, Philip Piccoli, John C. Lassiter, Devin Rand, Matthew G. Jackson, James M.D. Day, Robert W. Nicklas, Marek Locmelis, Thomas J. Ireland, Igor S. Puchtel

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Mantle plumes contain heterogenous chemical components and sample variable depths of the mantle, enabling glimpses into the compositional structure of Earth's interior. In this study, we evaluated ocean island basalts (OIB) from nine plume locations to provide a global and systematic assessment of the relationship between fO₂ and He-Sr-Nd-Pb-W-Os isotopic compositions. Ocean island basalts from the Pacific (Austral Islands, Hawaii, Mangaia, Samoa, Pitcairn), Atlantic (Azores, Canary Islands, St. Helena), and Indian Oceans (La Réunion) reveal that fO₂ in OIB is heterogeneous both within and among hotspots. Taken together with previous studies, global OIB have elevated and heterogenous fO …

Evaluation Of Novel Preformed Particle Gel System For Conformance Control In Mature Oil Reservoirs, Abdulaziz Almakimi, Ahmed Ben Ali, Ibnelwaleed A. Hussein, Baojun Bai

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

To address challenges associated with excessive water production in mature oil reservoirs, this study introduces a carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC)-based material as a novel preformed particle gel (PPG) designed to plug excessive water pathways and redistribute the subsequent injected water toward unswept zones. Through microwave-assisted grafting copolymerization of CMC with acrylamide (AM), we successfully generated multi-sized dry particles within the range of 250–800 µm. Comprehensive analyses, including Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), have confirmed the chemical composition and morphology of the resulting carboxymethyl cellulose-grafted crosslinked polyacrylamide (CMC/PAMBA). Swelling kinetics and rheology tests were conducted to confirm the …

Mantle Flow And Olivine Fabric Transition In The Myanmar Continental Subduction Zone, Enbo Fan, Yinshuang Ai, Stephen S. Gao, Yumei He, Kelly H. Liu, Mingming Jiang, Guangbing Hou, Shun Yang, Chit Thet Mon, Myo Thant, Kyaing Sein

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

One of the Major Advances in Mineral Physics and Seismology is the Realization that Different Olivine Fabric Types Are Functions of Temperature, Shear Stress, and Water Content in Oceanic Subducting Systems. the Distribution of Different Olivine Fabric Types and Geodynamic Processes in the Mantle Wedge above a Subducting Continental Slab Remain Poorly Understood. Here, based on Splitting Analysis of Shear Waves Recorded by 46 Stations Recently Deployed in Central Myanmar, We Reveal Trench-Perpendicular Fast Orientations between the 80 and 100 Km Slab Contours Sandwiched between Trench-Parallel Fast Orientations from the Mantle Wedge Tip to the Backarc. the Dramatic Change in …

Descriptive Statistical Analysis Of Experimental Data For Wettability Alteration With Smart Water Flooding In Carbonate Reservoirs, Muhammad Ali Buriro, Mingzhen Wei, Baojun Bai, Ya Yao

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Smart water flooding is a promising eco-friendly method for enhancing oil recovery in carbonate reservoirs. The optimal salinity and ionic composition of the injected water play a critical role in the success of this method. This study advances the field by employing machine learning and data analytics to streamline the determination of these critical parameters, which are traditionally reliant on time-intensive laboratory work. The primary objectives are to utilize data analytics to examine how smart water flooding influences wettability modification, identify key parameter ranges that notably alter the contact angle, and formulate guidelines and screening criteria for successful lab design. …

Lessons Learned From Laboratory Study And Field Application Of Re-Crosslinkable Preformed Particle Gels Rppg For Conformance Control In Mature Oilfields With Conduits/Fractures/Fracture-Like Channels, Baojun Bai, Thomas P. Schuman, David Smith, Tao Song

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

This Paper Surveys the Role of Re-Crosslink able Preformed Particle Gels (RPPG) in Addressing Conformance Challenges within Mature Oilfields. Despite Widespread Preformed Particle Gel (PPG) Application in 15,000+ Wells, their Limitations in Sealing Fractures and Conduits Prevalent in Mature Reservoirs Have Driven the Development of RPPG Formulations. Synthesized in Various Sizes from Micrometer to Millimeter Levels, These Environmentally Friendly RPPGs Are Tailored for Diverse Reservoir Conditions. Findings Showcase the Successful Laboratory-Scale Creation and Upscaling of RPPG Products, Offering Adaptability to Temperatures from 20 to 175°C, Customizable Sizes, Swelling Ratios (5 to 40 Times), and Re-Crosslinking Times Spanning Minutes to Days. …

Electromagnetic Near-Field Scanning With A Spatially Sparse Sampling Strategy Utilizing Kriging-Dmd, Yanming Zhang, Steven Gao, Lijun Jiang

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

This paper proposes a hybrid method for time-resolved electromagnetic near-field scanning, merging model-based (Gaussian processes regression model, a.k.a. Kriging method) and data-driven (dynamic mode decomposition) techniques. Specifically, Latin hypercube sampling enables spatially sparse measurements, followed by dynamic mode decomposition to analyze resulting sparse spatial-temporal data, extracting frequency information and sparse dynamic modes. The Kriging method is then employed for full-state reconstruction. The proposed approach is evaluated using crossed dipole antennas. Results indicate that, even with a spatial subsampling factor of 130, achieving a fully reconstructed field distribution suitable for engineering applications with frequency information extraction is feasible. This hybrid framework …

Improving Insar Accuracy For Slow Deformation And Change Detection With Lidar And Gps, Yusupujiang Aimaiti, Vasit Sagan, Cagri Gul, Jeremy Maurer, Jackson D. Cothren, Carla Klehm, Elizabeth A. Koenig, Nathan Scott

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) uses two or more SAR images over the same region for mapping ground surface displacements through time. InSAR displacements are relative to a reference point due to the 2π phase ambiguity that from unwrapping, and as a result ground control points (GCPs) are often used to calibrate the displacement model and obtain absolute measurements. Errors in InSAR time-series are typically measured with respect to the reference point, but absolute errors are not currently well constrained. To develop absolute error models for InSAR, we generate Sentinel-1 InSAR time-series for Belleville, Illinois and compare time-series with Global …

Borate-Based Bioactive Glasses Properties: Clinical And Biomedical Applications, Sarah Fakher, David J. Westenberg

Biological Sciences Faculty Research & Creative Works

Borate bioactive glasses (BBGs) constitute the recently produced bioactive glasses (BGs) in the domain of bioactive materials, offering enhanced functionalities over conventional silicate and phosphate BGs. This advancement is primarily characterized by BBGs' rapid yet controllable degradation rates, superior bioactivity, and the ability to swiftly form a hydroxyapatite layer (HAP) upon interaction with physiological fluids. A distinguishing feature of BBGs lies in their customizability; doping with therapeutic metal ions tailors their bioactivity towards specific physiological responses, including promoting angiogenesis, antibacterial activity, and osteogenesis. This versatility of BBGs' applications extends to bone regeneration, wound healing, drug delivery systems, and potentially nerve …

Developing Smart Textiles Encapsulated With Single Walled Carbon Nanotubes For Biomedical Applications, Devleena Chowdhury

Open Access Master's Theses

This thesis investigates the creation of core-shell nanofibers for enhanced wound healing applications using a variety of polymer combinations. Chronic wounds are a major worry in the biomedical sector, and researchers are looking at new materials to help the healing process. The PVDF/PVA core-shell structure with single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) was chosen due to its balanced mechanical strength, high biocompatibility, and DNA-SWCNT complex stability. PVDF is a preferred shell material due to its biocompatibility and water solubility, making it excellent for wound dressings, implanted scaffolds, and sensors that monitor healing.

The study focuses on improving the electrospinning method to produce …

Beneficiation Of Lunar Regolith Simulants Through Electrostatic Sieving And Magnetic Separation, Peter Bachle, Jeffrey Smith, Fateme Rezaei, David Bayless, William Schonberg, Daoru Han

Materials Science and Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

In the light of future development of lunar structures, in-situ feldspar beneficiation is imperative for metal extraction. This research incorporates the tandem use of electrostatic sieving and magnetic separation for collecting a specific size range and mineral composition from lunar soil that optimizes subsequent chemical processing. While earlier works focused on silt-sized particles, this work expands that range up to medium-grained sand with a greater variety of potential lunar regolith compositions. This work shows that a 2.5 kV, 7 Hz to 30Hz frequency, single-phase square wave can lift silt and fine sand for collection. This lifting is successful directly from …

Kinetic Modeling Of Electrostatic Sieving For Lunar Regolith Beneficiation: Case Studies, Easton Ingram, Emmanuela Amen Eze, Jeffrey Smith, Fateme Rezaei, David Bayless, William Schonberg, Daoru Han

Materials Science and Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

A new kinetic particle modeling framework was developed to investigate electrostatic transport of lunar regolith particles with applications to the concept of electrostatic sieving. The new approach is based on kinetic particle dynamics and includes major modules of sampling the particle size distribution, solving electric fields, and tracking motion of charged dust grains. Case studies for a concept of electrostatic sieving were chosen to validate the new model. The simulation achieved similar yields reported in previous works, which served as validation of the model. The new model is computationally efficient and could serve as a design, analysis, and optimization tool.

Magnetic Separation Of Lunar Regolith Simulants With Applications To In Situ Resource Utilization On The Moon, Peter Bachle, Jeffrey Smith, Fateme Rezaei, David Bayless, William Schonberg, Daoru Han

Materials Science and Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The development of in situ resource utilization (ISRU) for metal extraction is imperative as a steppingstone for habitation construction in lunar and non-terrestrial environments. Separation of minerals by chemical composition is important to optimize metal and oxygen liberation from lunar ore. to this effect, devices capable of separating aluminum bearing minerals from iron-bearing minerals from the lunar regolith simulants have been developed. Twenty-eight different simulants have been used in this study. a dual-belt separator was designed to reduce middlings. Para-magnetic minerals were reliably separated using a neodymium N52-magnet-separator system. Effective separation of aluminum-bearing minerals from iron-bearing minerals was greater than …

A Concept Of Producing Aluminum In-Situ On The Moon Through Molten Salt Electrolysis, Jacob N. Ortega, Jeffrey Smith, Fateme Rezaei, David Bayless, William Schonberg, Daniel Stutts, Daoru Han

Materials Science and Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

This paper presents a concept of producing aluminum in-situ on the lunar surface, namely, the Lunar In-Situ Aluminum Production through Molten Salt Electrolysis (LISAP-MSE) method developed at Missouri University of Science and Technology. This paper aims to demonstrate the use of electro-deoxidation to reduce aluminum oxide (i.e., alumina) into aluminum and oxygen gas via electrolysis in a molten salt bath for the production of aluminum on the Moon. It is shown that with a steady supply of hydrogen chloride, this in-situ resource utilization (ISRU) method could supply several necessary materials consumed in the electro-deoxidation process except hydrogen chloride to produce …

Optimized Pi Compound Mixing Strategy, Cecilia Mainzer

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The project focuses on developing an optimal mixing strategy for a polyisoprene (PI) compound at the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company. The aim is to optimize performance objectives of the compound. The project involved research, design iterations, mixing analyses, and performance evaluations, while adhering to engineering codes and standards.

The design process includes analyzing differences between two mixing technologies, intermesh and tangential rotors; altering mixing conditions; and exploring additional polymer systems and coupling technology of the compound.

Validation data confirms that the mixing technology and compound recipe meets all success metrics, including stiffness, hysteresis, adhesion, cure rate, and tear performance …

Alloy Corrosion Resistance Project, Noah Gourley

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

This Honors Research Project aims to determine the material performance of two metal alloys – 316L and Alloy 20CB-3 – in terms of corrosion resistance. The project will answer the following research questions: What effect do phosphoric acid and heptanoic acid solutions have on the passive film of 316L and Alloy 20CB-3 metal alloys? How do the metal alloys resist corrosion under flow conditions of the acids? What is the viability of these alloys to be used in a chemical process involving these acids?

Effects Of Energy Drink Additives On Crayfish Metabolism, Katherine Paltz

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The effects of caffeine and additives commonly found in energy drinks were tested on crayfish to record changes, if any, in their metabolism. Three experimental groups were studied: 1. Caffeine; 2. Caffeine + Glucuronolactone; 3.) Caffeine + Glucuronolactone + Taurine. Caffeine is a common stimulant used to improve mental awareness, headaches, memory, and athletic performance. Glucuronolactone is connected with cardiovascular issues and aggressive behavior. Taurine is said to improve mood and focus. The experiment was performed at two different caffeine levels: 600mg and 1200mg for an initial 1 hour of exposure and 10 hours after exposure used as a pseudo-baseline. …

Wetting Transition Of 3d-Printed Surface Features, Delia Weitzel

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

This project aims to build on the previous research of prior students in the study of the wetting transition of a textured, 3D-printed surface. The surfaces studied will be constructed by a resin printer in the lab and will be composed of an array of uniform, microscopic pillars. Features of the textured surface, such as pillar diameter, pillar spacing, and pillar height, will be varied to study the impact on the wetting transition of water, oil, and a combination of water and oil. The wetting transition is defined as a transition from a state where the surface cavities are occupied …

The Effects Of Relative Humidity And Valency On Water Absorption And Structure In Polyelectrolyte Brushes, Andrea Klima

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The purpose of this project was to understand the relationship between relative humidity, ion valency, and the structure of water on positively (PMETAC) and negatively (PSPMA) charged polyelectrolyte brushes. The polyelectrolyte brushes were synthesized using Activators Regenerated by Electron Transfer Atom Transfer Radical Polymerization (ARGET ATRP) and were soaked in concentrations containing 0.1 M of the target counterion. The brushes were then exposed to humid vapor, and spectra were collected in 5% intervals between 0% and 85% for each counterion. Two trials were completed for each counterion studied to ensure agreement between datasets. In all spectra, peaks appeared for the …