Ceramic Materials Commons^™

Ground Testing Of A Magnetic-Electrostatic Separation System For Lunar Regolith Beneficiation, Peter Bachle, Charles Wood, Jeffrey Smith, Fateme Rezaei, David Bayless, William Schonberg, Daoru Han

Materials Science and Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The separation of lunar regolith by mineral composition and size category is useful forin-situ resource utilization (ISRU). The research presented herein discusses the designing and development of equipment that has the potential to separate lunar regolith into aluminum, iron-titanium, and magnesium-iron ores. Along with the metal ore separation, this equipment shows the potential to separate regolith by size categories. The combined effect of these separation methods generates output that is valuable to subsequent use in metal and oxygen extraction, additive manufacturing, and regolith sintering processes. The designed equipment uses a dual-strength magnet system with N42 and N52 neodymium magnets for …

Zrc Particle Size Effect On The Mechanical Properties Of Spark Plasma Sintered 60–40 Vol% Zrc–Mo Cermets, Nathaniel Blatt, Jeremy Watts, Brian Taylor, Jhonathan Rosales, Gregory Hilmas

Materials Science and Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Cermet's of 60 vol% ZrC and 40 vol% Mo with different starting ZrC particle sizes were spark plasma sintered to full density at 1950 °C. Elastic moduli, Vickers hardness and fracture toughness were measured at room temperature and flexural strength was measured up to 1600 °C. Young's modulus was 365 ± 5 GPa, shear modulus was 149 ± 2 GPa, Poisson's ratio was 0.22 ± 0.01, and no significant difference was observed for the moduli with respect to the starting ZrC particle size. Room temperature flexural strength was affected by the ZrC particle size, measured as ∼524 and ∼598 MPa …

Advances In Magnetic Nanoparticles For Molecular Medicine, Xiaoyue Yang, Sarah E. Kubican, Zhongchao Yi, Sheng Tong

Markey Cancer Center Faculty Publications

Magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) are highly versatile nanomaterials in nanomedicine, owing to their diverse magnetic properties, which can be tailored through variations in size, shape, composition, and exposure to inductive magnetic fields. Over four decades of research have led to the clinical approval or ongoing trials of several MNP formulations, fueling continued innovation. Beyond traditional applications in drug delivery, imaging, and cancer hyperthermia, MNPs have increasingly advanced into molecular medicine. Under external magnetic fields, MNPs can generate mechano- or thermal stimuli to modulate individual molecules or cells deep within tissue, offering precise, remote control of biological processes at cellular and molecular …

The Structure, Properties And Dissolution Behaviors Of Phosphate Glasses, Han Zhang

Doctoral Dissertations

The poor chemical durability remains a critical challenge for the application of phosphate glasses. This study investigates the compositional influences on the structure, properties and chemical durability of Li2O-ZnO-P₂O₅ glasses. Their structural characteristics were analyzed utilizing high-performance liquid chromatography, Raman spectroscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The incorporation of (Li2O+ZnO) in LZeq glasses depolymerizes the phosphate network. In LZ40P and LZ45P glasses, Li⁺ initially replaces Zn²⁺ associated with non-bridging oxygens (NBOs) in Q² tetrahedra. Once the substitution in Q² is complete, further Li⁺ incorporation leads to the replacement of Zn²⁺ in Q^{1 …}

Advancing Temperature Monitoring Of The Bottom Anode In A Direct Current Electric Arc Furnace Operations With Distributed Optical Fiber Sensors., Ogbole Collins Inalegwu, Rony Kumer Saha, Yeshwanth Reddy Mekala, Farhan Mumtaz, Nicholas Dionise, Zane Voss, Jeffrey D. Smith, Ronald J. O'Malley, Rex E. Gerald, Jie Huang

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The bottom anode in the Direct Current Electric Arc Furnace (DC EAF) is critical for completing the electrical circuit necessary for sustaining the arc within the furnace. For pin-type bottom anodes, monitoring of the temperature of select pins instrumented with thermocouples is performed to track bottom wear in the EAF and inform the operator when the furnace should be removed from service. This work presents the results from a plant trial using distributed temperature monitoring of bottom anode pins in a 165-ton DC EAF over a two-month service period utilizing two optical fiber sensing techniques: fiber Bragg grating (FBG) and …

Investigating The Effects Of Fly Ash On The Properties Of Silica-Deficient High Alumina Materials, Sai Akshay Ponduru

Doctoral Dissertations

This research is made up of five studies mainly focused on attaining sustainability in high alumina cements like calcium aluminate cement (CAC) and calcium sulfoaluminate belite cements (CSAB) by partially replacing them with additives and supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) like fly ash (FA). The first study focused on understanding the reaction kinetics of CAC and FA binders at different replacement levels (i.e. between 10%-to-50% by mass) and their effect on mechanical properties. It was also shown that the reactive nature of FAs can be determined by calculating a single parameter called number of constraints (nc) derived from topological constraint theory. …

Dual-Bed Radioiodine Capture From Complex Gas Streams With Zeolites: Regeneration And Reuse Of Primary Sorbent Beds For Sustainable Waste Management, Krista Carlson, Brian J. Riley, Joshua Turner, David C. Cantu, Dev Chidambaram, Charmayne Lonergan, Jeffrey D. Rimer

Materials Science and Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

No abstract provided.

Degradation Of Radioactive Waste Encapsulation Of Bao−Feox−P2o5 Glass Evaluated From Electrical Conductivity, Kazuki Mitsui, Nobuyasu Nishioka, Hiromichi Takebe, Richard K. Brow, Akira Saitoh

Materials Science and Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

We report on the electrical conductivity of barium iron phosphate glass, a candidate for radioactive waste encapsulating glass. The glass composition has been optimized for slow dissolution in hot water because the precipitation of a stable hydration layer of FeO(OH) on the glass surface enhances the water durability of the glass. The mechanism of electrical conductivity of the glass is assumed to be an electron hopping between the electronic energy levels of Fe (II) and Fe (III) ions, obeying the electron carrier generation of Fe (II) → Fe (III) + e−. The electrical conductivity of the base glass was ∼3.2 …

Evaluation Of Processing Conditions For The Reduction Of Electrochemical Salt Waste Using Phosphate-Based Dechlorination, Harmony Werth, Jade Beland, Paige Murray, Dave Liang, Laurel Sharpless, Jonathan Evarts, Charmayne Lonergan, Brian J. Riley, Michael Simpson, Krista Carlson

Materials Science and Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Electrochemical processing of used nuclear fuel in molten chloride salts generates complex radioactive salt waste. Dechlorination of waste salt using phosphate compounds at elevated temperatures (∼600 °C) reduces the volume of material for disposal while evolving gaseous chlorine compounds that could be used to transform metallic uranium into UCl3. In this study, the effects of processing temperature, environment (air or argon), and H3PO4 precursor-to-chlorine ratio on the dechlorination efficacy of a simple alkali salt mixture (SSM) and a salt waste simulant (ERV3) were evaluated. For both salts, the highest chlorine release was concurrent with the water boiling. For the SSM, …

Discrimination Of Temperature And Strain By Characterizing Two Femtosecond Laser-Written Coincident Sapphire Fiber Bragg Gratings For Harsh Environment Applications, Farhan Mumtaz, Bohong Zhang, Koustav Dey, Jeffrey D. Smith, Ronald J. O'Malley, Jie Huang

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

In this study, two co-incident sapphire fiber Bragg gratings (SFBGs) were successfully inscribed utilizing a femtosecond (fs) laser to achieve a high fringe contrast interferogram. These two SFBGs employ a unique configuration, one parallel to the center axis, called p-SFBG, and the other forming an angle from the center-axis, called a-SFBG, allowing for simultaneous strain and temperature measurements with low crosstalk. As a proof of concept, p-SFBG and a-SFBG using line-by-line method are characterized, which are shorter in length (i.e., 1.5 mm), producing reflectivity of ~3dB. This effort demonstrates the use of two coincident SFBGs forming an angle of 2.29° …

Distributed Sapphire Fiber Bragg Grating-Based Thermal Profiling Of Submerged Entry Nozzles, Farhan Mumtaz, Hanok W. Tekle, Bohong Zhang, Xiaodong Li, Sunday Abraham, Bryant Mathis, Jeffrey D. Smith, Ronald J. O'Malley, Jie Huang

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

This article focuses on the application of sapphire fiber Bragg gratings (FBGs) for instrumentation in submerged entry nozzles (SENs) within the steelmaking industry. The SEN is pivotal for transferring molten steel from a tundish to a mold, while preventing the infiltration of oxygen and nitrogen from the surrounding environment. Maintaining optimal flow conditions in the mold is crucial for ensuring casting process stability and maintaining high-quality steel. Sapphire FBG sensors have been instrumented in SENs to enable distributed thermal mapping for monitoring the health of the SEN. The optical sensor comprises three cascaded sapphire FBGs inscribed using femtosecond (FS) laser …

Design And Manufacturing Of Multifunctional Piezoelectric Composites, Huan Zhao

Dartmouth College Ph.D Dissertations

Piezoelectric materials possess a unique ability to convert mechanical energy into electrical signals and have broad industrial applications. However, monolithic piezoelectric materials such as piezoceramics and piezopolymers often suffer from inherent trade-offs among mechanical strength, elasticity, and durability. Piezoelectric composites, typically consisting of a polymer matrix with ceramic reinforcements, offer a solution by combining the advantages of each constituent. Nevertheless, maintaining stable mechanical performance in high-temperature environments remains a significant challenge as conventional polymer matrices usually experience structural degradation.

In this thesis, a novel piezoelectric composite is developed using a preceramic polymer (PCP) matrix with barium titanate (BTO) inclusions. PCPs …

Novel Design And Fabrication Of A High-Speed Transient Heat Flux Sensor For Application To Rotating Detonation Engines, Zachary Todd Tallman

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Rotating detonation engine (RDE) combustion systems have been a topic of interest in the pressure gain combustion community for their benefits over traditional gas turbine engine combustors. However, cooling requirements for these engines are significantly higher and less predictable than those of non-detonating engines. To understand and quantify the high-speed heat transfer dynamics within an RDE, a novel high-frequency heat flux sensor is presented. This study aims to design a robust, single-sided sensor that can withstand the high temperature and harsh environment of an RDE for extended durations. Screen printing is used to deposit a layered, platinum-yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) film …

La2nio4+Δ-Based Solid Oxide Electrolysis Cell (Soecs) Electrodes Enhanced With Complex Perovskite Nanocatalyst Processed By Surfactant-Enabled Infiltration, Cole Samuel Klemstine

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

As the world seeks to reduce its reliance on hydrocarbons, the demand for sustainable hydrogen production methods has become increasingly critical. Hydrogen is a versatile energy carrier that can be produced from various sources, including water, natural gas, and biomass. Replacing the burning of hydrocarbons with hydrogen could significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions, contributing to global climate goals like those set by the US H2NEW program. The joint technologies of solid oxide fuel and electrolysis cells present the ability to both produce and process clean hydrogen to meet these goals. Development into solid oxide fuel cells has been met with …

Microwave-Assisted Reduction Of Critical Metal Oxides From E-Waste Mixture, Kurundu Shavinka Jayasekera

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The efficient recovery of critical metals such as tantalum (Ta), manganese (Mn), gallium (Ga), and indium (In) from electronic waste (e-waste) is essential for resource sustainability and environmental protection. This research uses microwave-assisted treatment to investigate the carbothermal reduction of these four specific metals from their oxides in a simulated e-waste mixture, with carbon black serving as both a microwave coupling and reduction agent. Microwave processing is used specifically because it offers a rapid and energy-efficient alternative to conventional thermal methods, with the benefits of intrinsic heating and selective heating of materials. The first experiments centered on understanding the effects …

High-Frequency Gold Price Forecasting: Optimizing Multi-Layer Perceptron With Genetic Algorithm, Vrtagic Sabahudin, Fatih Dogan

Materials Science and Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Accurately forecasting gold price actions is critical in financial markets due to gold's role as a safe-haven asset. This paper addresses the challenge of forecasting gold prices by applying a Genetic Algorithm (GA) with a Multi-Layer Perceptron (MLP) model. The research exploits historical financial data from various instruments, including gold futures, Bitcoin, and key currency pairs, to improve prediction accuracy. By optimizing the MLP's hyper parameters through GA, the model efficiently captures complex relationships in high-frequency data, achieving a remarkable R² score of 0.9993. This level of precision demonstrates the model's potential for providing actionable insights for traders and investors. …

Pressureless Sintering Of Sic - Oxide Multiphase Ceramics For Protective Coating Applications, Reilly Boros

All Theses

For hydrogen-fueled combustion, there exists a demand to improve coating materials that are capable of protecting SiC_f/SiC CMC turbine material. Promising coating materials must be able to shield from harsh oxidation while working at extremely high temperatures. The work presented in this thesis aims to expand the understanding of two promising material systems for integrated environmental barrier coating (EBC) – thermal barrier coatings (TBC) by fabricating bulk composite ceramic samples and performing characterization to further understand their sintering behaviors. In this study, a processing procedure to consistently produce dense composite ceramics of PDC SiC – Y₂Si …

Hafnium Oxide Coating To Improve The Oxidation Behavior Of Zirconium Diboride, Jan E. Förster, William G. Fahrenholtz, Gregory E. Hilmas, Ravisankar Naraparaju

Materials Science and Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Hafnium dioxide (HfO₂) coatings were successfully deposited on zirconium diboride (ZrB₂) using reactive magnetron sputtering. After the oxidation at 1500°C or 1600°C, the mutual dissolution of HfO₂ and thermally grown ZrO₂ was observed which has resulted in the formation of a mixed oxide zone. As the enrichment of the mixed oxide zone by ZrO₂ progresses, monoclinic/tetragonal phase transition temperature of ∼1790°C for nominally pure HfO₂ moves towards ∼1500 °C. Finally, the inevitable phase transition from monoclinic to tetragonal structure results in the development of cracks, pores, and gaps within the mixed oxide …

Estimating The Possible Qpos Of M87* From The Parameters Of A Hairy Kerr Black Hole, Orhan Donmez, Fatih Dogan

Materials Science and Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

In this paper, we study the dynamics of the shock cone formed around a hairy Kerr black hole due to Bondi– Hoyle–Lyttleton (BHL) accretion and investigate the quasi-periodic oscillations (QPO) behaviors resulting from the black hole-cone interaction, aiming to predict the QPO frequencies that may occur around the M87∗ black hole. To achieve this, we use the hairy Kerr black hole parameters consistent with the observed shadow parameters of M87∗ as initial conditions in numerical simulations, revealing the structure of the resulting shock cone and QPOs in a strong gravitational field. Numerical calculations show that the deviation of …

Laser Processing Of Multi-Phase Ceramics, Siddhartha Sarkar

All Dissertations

This research explores laser-based processing for multi-phase ceramics, offering a faster, more energy-efficient alternative to conventional ceramic fabrication. Four material systems are explored: silica-titania, alumina-iron, polymer-derived ceramic SiC-gadolinium zirconate, and polymer-derived ceramic SiC-yttrium silicate.

The silica-titania study presents a novel direct CO₂ laser writing approach to fabricating pure silica and silica-titania glasses with exceptional dimensional control and optical transparency, enabling fine spatial resolution, instantaneous consolidation, and eliminating post-heat treatment. Notably, the TiO₂ solubility in the silica network achieved is higher than previously reported, with structures remaining crack-free and transparent up to a specific TiO₂ percentage.

The alumina-iron …