Engineering Science and Materials Commons^™

The Pneumatic Leg Extension, David G. Sedano

All Undergraduate Projects

In recent years, reaching altitudes that are higher than your normal-height has evolved from pure amusement to an “in-demand” necessity out in the field. Means of achieving greater than normal height range from wooden poles to aluminum stilts. The era of ladders and other extension methods are slowly fading away. There are many designs in the market that focus on different factors to make a stilt. As other designs focus on one or two enhancements, the pneumatic leg extension’s objective is to improve all aspects of the stilt. This radical new design differs greatly from traditional stilt designs. The pneumatic …

Me-Em 2015-16 Annual Report, Department Of Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics, Michigan Technological University

Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Annual Reports

Table of Contents

• Alumni: Leading with Simulation
• Education: Simulating the Future
• Faculty: Advancing Simulation
• Graduate Seminar Series
• Enrollment & Degrees
• Graduates
• Department News
• Faculty & Staff
• Alumni
• Donors
• Contracts & Grants
• Patents & Publications

Multi-Use Fireline Handtool, Bruce W. Bernard Jr

All Undergraduate Projects

A wildland firefighter is a valuable resource to protecting public lands and managing fuels. The many hand tools used by firefighters aid in their ability to complete any required tasks effectively. Several of the tools available are specially purposed for individually grubbing, scraping, or liming. A small squad of firefighters could become a more effective resource if the tools they carried could perform several of these purposes as one single tool. To improve the effectiveness of an individual on the fireline a multi-use hand tool was designed to include an axe for liming and a heavy duty scraper for grubbing …

Case Studies Of Cavity And External Wall Insulation Retrofitted Under The Irish Home Energy Saving Scheme: Technical Analysis And Occupant Perspectives, Aimee Byrne, Gerard Byrne, Garrett O'Donnell, Anthony Robinson

Articles

The residential sector represents 27% of primary energy consumption in Ireland. This paper examines the case study of the Irish government’s national grant scheme to encourage energy efficiency retrofit in private housing. That is the Home Energy Saving (HES) Scheme, later rebranded the Better Energy: Homes (BEH) Scheme. The methodology involved monitoring several homes immediately before and after retrofit alongside discussions with occupants. The examination focused on specific measures commonly introduced through the HES/BEH programme − cavity and external wall insulation. It has been found that a significant decrease in heat loss through the walls was measured in all cases. …

Temperature-Dependent Helium Ion-Beam Mixing In An Amorphous Sioc/Crystalline Fe Composite, Qing Su, Lloyd Price, Lin Shao, Michael Nastasi

Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering: Faculty Publications

Temperature dependent He-irradiation-induced ion-beam mixing between amorphous silicon oxycarbide (SiOC) and crystalline Fe was examined with a transmission electron microscope (TEM) and via Rutherford backscattering spectrometry (RBS). The Fe marker layer (7.2 ± 0.8 nm) was placed in between two amorphous SiOC layers (200 nm). The amount of ion-beam mixing after 298, 473, 673, 873, and 1073 K irradiation was investigated. Both TEM and RBS results showed no ion-beam mixing between Fe and SiOC after 473 and 673 K irradiation and a very trivial amount of ion-beam mixing (~2 nm) after 298 K irradiation. At irradiation temperatures higher than 873 …

Active Stiffening Of F-Actin Network Dominated By Structural Transition Of Actin Filaments Into Bundles, Shengmao Lin, Xinwei Han, Gary C.P. Tsui, David Hui, Linxia Gu

Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering: Faculty Publications

Molecular motor regulated active contractile force is key for cells sensing and responding to their mechanical environment, which leads to characteristic structures and functions of cells. The F-actin network demonstrates a two-order of magnitude increase in its modulus due to contractility; however, the mechanism for this active stiffening remains unclear. Two widely acknowledged hypotheses are that active stiffening of F-actin network is caused by (1) the nonlinear force-extension behavior of cross-linkers, and (2) the loading mode being switched from bending to stretching dominated regime. Direct evidence supporting either theory is lacking. Here we examined these hypotheses and showed that a …

Advanced Metrology And Diagnostic Loss Analytics For Crystalline Silicon Photovoltaics., Eric Schneller

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Characterization plays a key role in developing a comprehensive understanding of the structure and performance of photovoltaic devices. High quality characterization methods enable researchers to assess material choices and processing steps, ultimately giving way to improved device performance and reduced manufacturing costs. In this work, several aspects of advanced metrology for crystalline silicon photovoltaic are investigated including in-line applications for manufacturing, off-line applications for research and development, and module/system level applications to evaluate long-term reliability. A frame work was developed to assess the cost and potential value of metrology within a manufacturing line. This framework has been published to an …

Quantification Of The Effect Of Degassing On The Microstructure, Chemistry And Estimated Strength Of Nanocrystalline Aa5083 Powder, Clara Hofmeister

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Degassing is a critical heat treatment process in aluminum powder metallurgy, where powders are subjected to high temperature in vacuum to remove volatile gaseous species absorbed in and adsorbed on powders. For cryomilled aluminum alloy powders with nanoscale features, degassing can cause accelerated microstructural and chemical changes including removal of volatiles, grain growth, dislocation annihilation, and formation of dispersoids. These changes can significantly alter the mechanical behavior of consolidated components based on their contributions to strength. In this study, cryomilled AA5083 (0.4 wt.% Mn; 4.5 wt.% Mg; minor Si, Fe, Cu, Cr, Zn, Ti; balance Al) powders were degassed at …

Preliminary Investigation Into The Rate Of Carbonation Of Concrete Blocks Under Normal Production Yard Conditions, Aimee Byrne, Eanna Nolan

Conference papers

The release of CO2 from calcination during the manufacture of cement can be partially or fully offset by the CO2 it naturally absorbs during its lifetime. This paper reports results from a preliminary investigation into the rate of carbonation in concrete blocks stacked in a production yard over a period of 6 months. The blocks were stacked in a normal manner under natural exposure conditions. Carbonation progress was determined by splitting the blocks and spraying the freshly exposed surface with a phenolphthalein solution at intervals over the test period. It was found that the rate of the carbonation front progression …

Synthesis, Device Fabrication, And Characterization Of Two-Dimensional Molybdenum Disulfide, Gustavo Alberto Lara Saenz

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The miniaturization of electronic devices according to Moore's Law has been propelled by the continuous demand for faster and smaller devices which continue to advance technology. One recent contribution to this trend was the isolation and characterization of one atom thick of graphite, known as graphene, which led to the Nobel Prize in physics in 2010 being awarded to Andre Geim and Konstantin Novoselov. Graphene and its related nanocarbon derivatives have exceptional mechanical, thermal, optical and electronic properties, making them a potential candidate for electronics and optoelectronics applications. However, this material has no intrinsic bandgap and complicated processes are required …

Improving The Engineering Properties Of Pla For 3d Printing And Beyond, Carmen R. Rocha

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Additive manufacturing (AM), now more commonly known as 3D printing, has been classified as efficient, fast, and practical in the prototyping sector of product development. In the work presented here, we will use one of the AM techniques known as Material extrusion 3D printing (ME3DP), which has all the advantages of AM. However, one of the biggest challenges facing ME3DP technologies is the limitation of the range of materials used by this technique. Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) and poly-lactic acid (PLA) are currently the most common thermoplastics materials used in ME3DP because of their ability to melt and be reprocessed. …

Microstructural Investigation Of Vintage Pipeline Steels Highly Susceptible To Stress Corrosion Cracking, Monica Adriana Torres

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The use of pipelines for the transmission of gas offers not only efficiency, but a number of economic advantages. Nevertheless, pipelines are subject to aggressive operating conditions and environments which can lead to in-service degradation [1] and thus to failures. These failures can have catastrophic consequences, such as environmental damage and loss of life [2]. One of the most dangerous threats to pipeline integrity is stress corrosion cracking (SCC). Despite the substantial progress that has been achieved in the field, due to the complex nature of this phenomenon there is still not a complete understanding of this form of external …

Implementation Of New System For Oxygen Generation And Carbon Dioxide Removal, Angelo Peter Karavolos

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

This research effort develops an integrated system for CO2 removal and O2 production. A unique material, dodeca-tungsto-phosphoric acid (H3PO4W12O3; henceforth referred to as DTPA) is mixed with tetra-ethyl-ortho-silicate Si(OC2H5)4 or TEOS. This mixture exhibits unique properties of heat absorption and high electrical conductivity. In the system described herein, the DTPA resides within a cross linked arrangement of TEOS. The DTPA furnishes a source of O2, while the TEOS furnishes structural support for the large DTPA crystals. In addition, the large amount of H2O within the crystal also adsorbs CO2. It can also be cross-linked with other polymers such as polycarbonate, …

Vascularization In Interconnected 3d Printed Ti-6al-4v Foams With Hydrogel Matrix For Biomedical Bone Replacement Implants, Victor Correa

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Abstract:

Vascularization or angiogenesis on newly implanted metal orthopedic implants has remained a challenge in the field of tissue engineering. In this research, an interconnected foam structure of Ti-6Al-4V was micro-fabricated by Electron Beam Melting (EBM) technique. The foam in question has a density of 1.77g/cm3 with 60% porosity and a tensile strength of 18GPa. An Extracellular Matrix based hydrogel was added as an aqueous matrix to the foam in question. Hypoxia mimetic stress has been closely related to many wound healing biomedical applications as it increases survival and proliferation molecular signals. To that end, increased expression of Hypoxia-Inducible Factor-1α …

A Cracking Methodology To Assess Fracture And Fatigue Properties Of Asphalt Concrete Mixtures Using Overlay Tester, Victor M. Garcia

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Several highway agencies have either implemented or considered implementing performance tests to predict the cracking potential of asphalt concrete (AC) mixtures in the laboratory setting. One such test, the Overlay Tester (OT) test, measures the number of cycles to failure of the AC specimens by simulating the opening and closing of the cracks induced by daily temperature variations and high tensile strain generated by the traffic load. The variability of the OT test results is expressed as a major concern in reliably characterizing the cracking potential of the AC mixes.

The performance of the OT test, in general, and current …

Liquid-Phase Exfoliation Of Two-Dimensional Graphite For Ink-Jet Printing, Monica Michel

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Over the last decade, the study of two-dimensional (2D) materials has seen an incredible growth due to their unique thermal, mechanical and electronic properties. Solution phase manufacturing offers a way in which they can be produced at large scale by creating dispersions from the exfoliated material. Once created, different options for assembling devices exist. One technique for large scale manufacturing of materials in this form is ink-jet printing, which is a form of additive manufacturing that has proven to be attractive for the printed electronics industry. One challenge that ink-jet printing still faces is the shortage of inks with appropriate …

Wettability Of Magnesium Based Alloys, Victor Manuel Ornelas

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The premise of this project was to determine the wettability behavior of Mg-based alloys using three different liquids. Contact angle measurements were carried out along with utilizing the Zisman method for obtaining values for the critical surface tension. Adhesion energy values were also found through the use of the Young-Dupre equation. This project utilized the Mg-based alloy Mg-2Zn-2Gd with supplemented α-Minimum Essential Medium (MEM), Phosphate Buffer Saline solution (PBS), and distilled water. These three liquids are commonly used in cell cultivation and protein adsorption studies. Supplemented α-MEM consisted of α-MEM, fetal bovine serum, and penicillin-streptomycin. Mg-2Zn-2Gd was used because of …

Investigation Of Ti-6al-4v Alloy Response To Atmospheric Re-Entry Exposure, Jessica Lynn Buckner

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Ti-6Al-4V is a widely used aerospace alloy for its high strength-to-weight ratio and high operating temperature properties. Despite widespread use, titanium and its alloys have been shown to ignite in oxygen and nitrogen rich test streams. The reactivity of titanium is attributed to the high solubility for oxygen that increases with temperature, accelerating the oxidation rate and resulting in a combustion reaction. When introduced to the monatomic oxygen rich and high enthalpy re-entry environment, Ti-6Al-4V X-link components from the space shuttle Columbia exhibited accelerated oxidation and combustion behavior. Ti-6Al-4V metal plates tested in the simulated re-entry environment of an arc-jet …

Urea Pre-Treatment Of N2-Annealed Transition Metal Oxides For Low Cost And Efficient Counter Electrodes In Dye-Sensitized Solar Cell, Hytham Elbohy

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Photovoltaic cells have shown great promise as an alternative to fossil fuel-based energy sources. Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) have shown potential as low-cost replacement to silicon solar cells owing to their reduced material costs and simple fabrication techniques. Platinum (Pt) was used as a catalyst in the counter electrode for DSSCs. Metal oxides have been used as an alternative material to Pt. The introduction of oxygen vacancies inside metal oxides helps to facilitate electron transport to the electrolyte to enhance the reduction process of triiodide ions. Annealing n-type metal oxides under a reducing agent gas such as hydrogen (H2) at …

Low Temperature Solution-Processed Sb:Sno2 Nanocrystals For Efficient Planar Perovskite Solar Cells, Yang Bai, Yanjun Fang, Yehao Deng, Qi Wang, Jingjing Zhao, Xiaopeng Zheng, Yang Zhang, Jinsong Huang

Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering: Faculty Publications

Inorganic metal oxide electron-transport layers (ETLs) have the potential to yield perovskite solar cells with improved stability, but generally need high temperature to form conductive and defect-less forms, which is not compatible with the fabrication of flexible and tandem solar cells. Here, we demonstrate a facile strategy for developing efficient inorganic ETLs by doping SnO₂ nanocrystals (NCs) with a small amount of Sb using a low-temperature solution-processed method. The electrical conductivity was remarkably enhanced by Sb-doping, which increased the carrier concentration in Sb:SnO₂ NCs. Moreover, the upward shift of the Fermi level owing to doping results in improved …