Polymer Science Commons^™

Elucidating The Impact Of Casting Solvent On Vanadium Ion Transport In Solution-Cast Ionomer Biocomposites Containing Lignin, Zhongyu Wang

All Theses

This paper attempts to investigate the influence of solvent choice to the Nafion-lignin proton exchange membranes that used in the vanadium redox flow batteries. The influence of two different solvents: DMF and DMSO were investigated in this paper. Results show that when using DMSO as solvent, Nafion-lignin membranes' vanadium ion cross over can be greatly reduced in comparing with membranes prepared from DMF. Also, membranes prepared from DMSO also show higher water uptake ability and lower ion exchange capacity than the membranes prepared from DMF. This paper has also investigated the influence of lignin type to the membranes. Results show …

Biomass Derived Lignin Polymer Modification For Sustainable Chemical Engineering Applications, Samantha Glidewell, Keisha Walters

Chemical Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

Lignin is an abundant naturally occurring plant-based polymer that is branched, highly unsaturated, and rich in aliphatic and aromatic hydroxyl groups. Lignin is a significant byproduct of the wood pulp and paper industries; however, it has yet to be widely utilized in commercial applications due to its non-linear structure, broad range of molecular weights, hydrophobicity, high rigidity, and brittleness. Recent investigations into modifying lignin to broaden its potential uses have shown promising results. This thesis explores different modification techniques of the naturally occurring hardwood lignin polymer for specific applications in areas of water treatment and polyurethane (PU) production. The first …

Green Chemistry Design Of Epoxies From Biomass For Circular Economy, Kavya Ganesan

All Dissertations

The commercial epoxies market in automobiles has been growing mainly in terms of usage as automotive coatings and lightweight composite structures manufacturing. Most of these commercial epoxies are bisphenol-based. Bisphenol-based epoxies are a class of high-performance polymer materials that, when cured, yield thermosets with high mechanical, thermal and chemical resistance properties. Roughly, North America produces around 123 billion pounds of these epoxies which are used in various industrial applications like coatings, composites, structural parts, automotive, electronics, construction etc. These epoxies are mainly manufactured from bisphenol-A (BPA) and epichlorohydrin (EPH). These raw materials are sourced from fossil fuel resources and are …

Characterization Of Tunable And Responsive Functionalized Cellulose Nanofiber (Cnf) Gels With Applications As A 3d Bioprinting Ink, Charles Joseph Jouaneh

Senior Honors Projects

No abstract provided.

Sulfonated Ionomer Composite Membranes For Use In Vanadium Redox Flow Batteries, Xueting Wang

All Dissertations

While vanadium redox flow batteries (VRFBs) have garnered significant attention as a promising scalable energy storage technology, the current membrane material used in this technology, Nafion™, suffers from high cross mixing of vanadium ions in the liquid electrolytes, directly impacting battery performance properties such as the voltage and coulombic efficiencies, as well as resulting in a reduction in the overall battery lifetime. The use of ionomer nancomposites has proven to be one promising route of directly addressing the issue of high ion crossover, though the mechanism by which the nanoparticles act to reduce crossover remains in open question. Herein, the …

Study Of Reactive Distillation Equipment For Eterification Process, Abbos Elmanov, Abdulaziz Bakhtiyorov, Adham Norkobilov, Olimjon Maksudov, Zarif Oripov

CHEMISTRY AND CHEMICAL ENGINEERING

The purpose of this work is to study the chemical technological processes for eterification processes, and the reactive distillation unit, which carries out the reaction and separation process in one device, was chosen as the object of research. А reаctive distillаtion system is exаmined to produce for the production of Ethyl Acetate (EtAc) viа eterificаtion of acetic acid (HAc) with ethаnol. Optimizаtion methods using sensitivity analysis аre аlso conducted. Cаlculаtion of vаpor liquid equilibrium of the mixture system is done using UNIFАC model. Heat integration from the distillate stream of the column to the acid feed stream and from bottom …

Research On 3d Printing Resin Exposure Properties And Its Application On Centrifugal Microfluidic Platform Based On Fluorescence Detection, Zheng Qiao

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation encapsulates significant advancements in the field of SLA 3D printing and centrifugal microfluidics. Central to the research is the development of a novel mathematical model for predicting trapped resin thickness in SLA 3D printing, a groundbreaking contribution that addresses a critical aspect of printing intricate structures. This model, the first to establish a mathematical relationship for resin thickness, is rooted in a comprehensive study of the resin curing process. The research leverages the concept of 'critical dosage' for resin curing, leading to a more refined and theoretically grounded approach for calculating curing thickness. Experimentation further validates the model, …

Thermal Frontal Polymerization – Applications In Coatings And Composites, Maria Martinez

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Thermal frontal polymerization has long been used as a method to cure composites and coatings. However, this is the first time these applications have been used without the use of a catalyst, for the case of composites and coatings.

Chapter 2 discusses how to optimize cure-on-demand, thin layer coatings, using frontal polymerization. Previously, for the use of curing thin layer coating using thermal FP, it was known to just make the formulation viscous enough, as this would prevent premature quenching caused by heat loss. It was discovered that for a given layer thickness, a minimum viscosity and initiator concentration were …

Quasi-Static And Impact Load Response Of Bfrp-Reinforced Concrete Beams And Post-Terrorist-Attack Sub-Assemblages, José Luis Carrasquillo

Civil & Environmental Engineering Theses & Dissertations

This dissertation presents the outcome of a theoretical and experimental study of Basalt Fiber Reinforced Polymer (BFRP) reinforced concrete beams and post-terrorist-attack subassemblages subjected to either quasi-static or impact load. Both BFRP reinforcement as well as BFRP fabric are used in this investigation. The sub-assemblage consists of an otherwise two-span beam converted to a fixed-end single-span one owing to the loss of a middle column blasted off during the terrorist attack. The simply supported beams are subjected to a midspan quasistatic or an impact load. However, each sub-assemblage is subjected to a quasi-static load up to collapse to simulate the …

Engineering Nanofibers: Laboratory Characterization, Microstructural Analysis, And Image Processing Insights, Sayed Ahmadreza Razian, Mohammad Arjomandi, Kaspars Maleckis

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

Polymer nanofibers have attracted high interest in a wide array of applications, including biomaterial scaffolding, textiles, sensors, reinforcement in composites, and filtration systems. Many of these applications combine nanofibers into non-woven fabrics for better properties and easier manipulation. The properties and performance of nanofiber-based fabrics are affected by various microstructure parameters, including fiber alignment, diameter, and gap sizes between the nanofibers. These structural parameters can be controlled by adjusting various process parameters during manufacturing process, but the exact process parameter-microstructure relationships vary depending on the polymer system and need to be studied individually. The goal of this study is to …

Radiation-Induced Polymerization Of Thermo-Responsive Polymers And Comprehensive Characterization For Improved Performance, Attia Attia, Islam Mohamed Eng., Mohamed El-Deab Prof., Nabila Maziad Prof.

Petroleum Engineering and Gas

Early water breakthrough with high water cut through highly conductive thief zones is a prevalent problem in many water-flooded oil reservoirs. Smart polymers that are sensitive to temperature changes, also known as thermo-responsive polymers, e.g., polyethylene glycol (PEG) have great advantages over conventional polymers that can be exploited to solve the problem of conductive thief zones. Thus, this study aims at designing and synthesizing a thermo-responsive polymer using Gamma Ray Induced radiation with good tolerance against high temperature, and high salinity reservoir conditions with feasible and economic synthesis procedure for application in Egyptian oil reservoirs. That is a combined use …

Synthesis, Characterization, And Performance Assessment Of Reusable And Biodegradable Antimicrobial Polymeric Membranes For Aerosolized Pathogen Inactivation And Filtration, Ebuka Ogbuoji

Theses and Dissertations--Chemical and Materials Engineering

Air filtration technology has proven effective in purifying air by trapping particulates which can cause adverse health effects. High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filters, capable of capturing over 99.99% of PM_0.3, are recommended for critical applications. However, conventional non-woven HEPA filters rely on electrostatic interactions to trap smaller particles, which can deplete over time or after cleaning, reducing filtration efficiency and posing health risks. Additionally, these filters contribute to plastic waste.

This dissertation investigated the feasibility of using flat sheet polymeric membranes fabricated via nonsolvent-induced phase separation (NIPS) as reusable and biodegradable alternatives to commercially available non-biodegradable air …

Role Of Nitrogenous Functional Group Identity In Accelerating 1,2,3- Trichloropropane Degradation By Pyrogenic Carbonaceous Matter (Pcm) And Sulfide Using Pcm-Like Polymers, Han Cao, Jingdong Mao, Paul G. Tratnyek, Wenqing Xu

Chemistry & Biochemistry Faculty Publications

Groundwater contamination by 1,2,3-trichloropropane (TCP) poses a unique challenge due to its human toxicity and recalcitrance to degradation. Previous work suggests that nitrogenous functional groups of pyrogenic carbonaceous matter (PCM), such as biochar, are important in accelerating contaminant dechlorination by sulfide. However, the reaction mechanism is unclear due, in part, to PCM's structural complexity. Herein, PCM-like polymers (PLPs) with controlled placement of nitrogenous functional groups [i.e., quaternary ammonium (QA), pyridine, and pyridinium cations (py⁺)] were employed as model systems to investigate PCM-enhanced TCP degradation by sulfide. Our results suggest that both PLP-QA and PLP-py⁺ were highly effective …

Experimental Evaluation Of Mesh Size In Physically Crosslinked Polymer Gels Using Dynamic Light Scattering, Duncan M. Hill

Honors Theses

Block copolymer gels are under consideration as drug delivery patches. Controlling and modeling the transport inside the gel is an important contribution to the successful delivery of pharmaceuticals. The diffusive transport of a solute – such as a therapeutic compound – within the gel can be described by the mesh size of the gel, which is defined as the distance between polymer chains. Existing experimental evaluations of mesh size do not work for block copolymer gels due to differences in the fundamental gel structure. As such, an experimental method of measuring mesh size of block copolymer gels using dynamic light …

Dough Rheology And Its Influence On Sheeting Behavior, Najat Albarakati

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Dough is the starting material for a large number of baked products, including cookies, crackers and bread. In commercial food processing operations, it is desired to obtain the same product and with the same dimensions in a reproducible manner in order to minimize waste. In the case of dough, the flour used, and the nature and amount of ingredients employed depend on the specific product and the market served. This research was aimed at relating cracker dough rheology to sheeting behavior between two counter-rotating rollers. The sheet that is formed is used to punch out the crackers that are then …

Novel Membrane Materials For Nutrient Recovery From Nutrient-Rich Resources, Km Prottoy Shariar Piash

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Global demand for fertilizer production is expanding substantially to meet the food demand of an increasing world population. Anaerobic digestate (AD) of various centralized wastewater facilities contains substantial amounts of ammonium (NH₄⁺) (300-800 mg/L), potassium (K⁺) (13-120 mg/L), and phosphorus (P) (30-100 mg/L)- based nutrients. In addition to reducing energy costs and CO₂ emissions compared to conventional fertilizing raw material manufacturing, recovering nutrients from these waste streams could help mitigate problems such as eutrophication, which otherwise incurs billions of dollars losses to US economy annually. Apart from nutrients, wastewater streams also contain organic pollutants …

Polylactic Acid (Pla) Containing Talc Microparticles And Amorphous Polyhydroxyalkanoates (Aphas) For Improved Barrier And Mechanical Properties In Food Packaging, Mohammed Alfaifi

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Polylactic acid (PLA) is a biobased and compostable polymer that is increasingly being used as an alternative to petroleum-based, non-biodegradable polymers for single-use food packaging due to its environmental benefits. It is also commercially available in large quantities, and it can be processed like polyethylene. However, it has a higher water-vapor permeability (WVP) as compared to polyolefins and polyethylene terephthalate that are the incumbent materials. This results in a competitive disadvantage in employing PLA for packaging baked goods since the shelf life of the food is likely to be reduced. In the past, barrier properties of PLA were improved by …

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 …

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 …

Schaeffler Icvd Coating Machine, Louis Mcgrath

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD) is mutual technology used to deposit thin film through a gaseous phase by vaporizing the solid materials. This conventional process usually requires high thermal stability of the materials, which is not applicable for most of the polymeric materials. Therefore, a novel process, initiated Chemical Vapor Deposition (iCVD) is developed by introducing the gaseous monument and initiator to form the thin film in-situ. By adjusting the free-radical polymerization in the vapor phase, a variety of thin and uniform polymer films can be achieved. Depending on the chemistry, iCVD has many categories. This report explains the design …