Materials Science and Engineering Commons^™

Carbon Supported Octahedral Ptni Nanoparticles (Oct-Ptni/C) As A Cathode Catalyst For Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells (Pemfcs) With Improved Activity And Durability, Zi-Wei Feng, Hai-Zhong Chen, Xiao Duan, Ling Tang, Yun-Kun Zhao, Long Huang

Journal of Electrochemistry

Proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) are considered as a promising renewable power source. However, the massive commercial application of PEMFCs has been greatly hindered by their high expense and less-satisfied performance mainly due to the sluggish oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) kinetics even on state-of-the-art Pt catalyst. Octahedral PtNi nanoparticles (oct-PtNi NPs) with excellent ORR activity in a half-cell have been widely studied, while their performance in membrane electrode assembly (MEA) has much less reported. Herein, we investigated the MEA performance using the carbon supported oct-PtNi NPs (oct-PtNi/C) as the cathode catalyst. Under the mild acid washing condition, the surface …

Biomineralization Of Low Temperature Plasma(Ltp) Modified Polymeric Biomaterials And Scaffolds, John Patrick Bradford

ETDs from 2020-2029

Bio-integration, specifically osseo-integration of bone implants and scaffolds, are vital for the success of implants and bone tissue engineering (BTE). Calcification can be defined as the deposition of calcium compounds as either calcium phosphate(CaP) minerals consisting of hydroxyapatite(HAP) or CaP salts. The significance of the variety of phases of CaP is that mature bone matrix is composed of 65% CaP mineral. Many investigators have attempted to model the natural matrix by producing materials containing calcium phosphate in both amorphous CaP or in the more crystalline HAP form, with biomaterials (both synthetic and biological). Biomimetic CaP formation is a sign of …

Assessing The Student Awareness To Age Friendly Design: The Case Of Ain Shams University- Architecture Students, Shorouk Saleh Ali Kabel, Samah Mohamed Elsayed Atteia Elkhateb, Rowaida M. O. Mohamed Rashed, Wesam M. El-Bardisy

HBRC Journal

With Egypt’s rapid urbanization and projected demographic shift, where individuals aged 60 and above are expected to constitute more than 15% of the population by 2050, addressing the needs of older adults in urban design has become increasingly urgent. Despite global recognition of the importance of age-friendly design, its integration into Egyptian architectural education remains limited, particularly concerning accessibility, safety, and inclusivity.

This study evaluates the level of awareness of Age-Friendly Design (AFD) principles among architecture students at Ain Shams University using a mixed-methods approach. Quantitative data were collected through an online questionnaire assessing students’ familiarity with the concept, while …

Performance-Based Seismic Design And Retrofitting Via Drift And Strain Criteria, Tharwat A. Sakr, Hanaa E. Abd-El-Mottaleb, Shrouk S. Kamel

HBRC Journal

In recent decades, the demand for seismic code updates has significantly increased. Performance-based seismic design (PBSD) is a modern approach to earthquake-resistant building construction. By using this technique, the designers can establish performance targets that satisfy the owner. Most codes rely on strength design that utilizes a design response spectrum, highlighting serviceability without addressing performance levels. In this paper, an appraisal for the incorporation of PBSD into the Egyptian Code is proposed using nonlinear static and dynamic analysis. At first, response spectrum charts for 72, 475, and 2475 years return periods (RP) were developed based on the Egyptian seismicity information. …

Place Personality And User Behaviour: Insights From Cairo’S Streets, Sara Sabahy, Zeina Elzein, Doaa Abouelmagd

HBRC Journal

A place’s personality is beyond the sum of its characteristics. It’s how people perceive it on a human level, hoping for a better understanding and seeking connection. This study aims to understand how people connect with public spaces to enhance the quality of urban life.

A place’s personality extends beyond its physical attributes—it reflects how people emotionally perceive and connect with it. This study investigates the relationship between the perceived personality of urban streets and users’ behaviour to enhance the quality of urban life in Cairo. Focusing on Downtown Cairo and New Cairo, it addresses a gap in destination personality …

Spectroscopic Investigations On Polyvinylidene Fluoride Nanofibers, Parinaz Amaniabdolmalaki, Jui Vitthal Kharade, Alexandro Trevino, Lydia Morales, Karen Lozano, Victoria Padilla, Karen S. Martirosyan, Horacio Vasquez, Mircea Chipara

Physics & Astronomy Faculty Publications

The production of polyvinylidene fluoride nanofibers by force-spinning from polymer solutions was confirmed by electron microscopy. The structural and phase characteristics of the resulting nanofiber mats were examined using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy in Attenuated Total Reflectance mode, Raman spectroscopy, and X-ray Diffraction. Results from all these techniques consistently indicated that both the powder and the mats of polyvinylidene fluoride predominantly contain the α phase, with a small admixture of the β phase. Within experimental errors, no other phases were noticed both in the powder and in the as-obtained mats. The ratios of the areas of the Raman lines at …

Reproducible Semantic Data Management Workflow For Materials Data Science: Generating Knowledge Graphs With Robust Fairifcation Pipelines, Kyle R. Henrikson, Van D. Tran, Meredith Francis, Isabella Giammattei, Quynh D. Tran, Laura S. Bruckman, Erika I. Barcelos, Roger H. French

Student Scholarship

Combining data from multiple sources is crucial for efficient knowledge aggregation in materials data science. FAIR data from ontology and Linked Data principles enable this. Semantic data management streamlines data exchange and aggregation, ensuring information is available and extractable. FAIRLinked and GraphDB provide solutions for consolidating, hosting, and extracting meaningful insight from multimodal data.

Rheology-Guided Spinnability In Emulsion Forcespinning Of Water-In-Oil Nanofibers: Influence Of Surfactants And Internal Phase Concentration, Saptasree Bose, Alexandra Salinas, Evelyn Torres, Jose Ramirez, Elizabeth Gamez, Michelle A. Calabrese, Karen Lozano, Victoria Padilla

Mechanical Engineering Faculty Publications

This study explores the emulsion Forcespinning (FS) approach for fabricating nanofibers with a hydrophilic phase encapsulated within a hydrophobic polymer matrix. Key factors influencing fiber production and morphology, including the concentration of the internal water phase and the presence of ionic and nonionic surfactants, were systematically investigated. Additionally, the centrifugal spinnability of the emulsions was assessed using environmentally controlled dripping-onto-substrate (DoS) rheometry, correlating the observed extensional flow behavior and emulsion extensibility with fiber spinnability. The nanofibers were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. These findings offer critical …

Areosense, Josephine Turney

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The AeroSense growing system is designed to make indoor aeroponic gardening easy and accessible for everyone. By combining sensors, automation, and AI, the system can monitor and adjust humidity, lighting, and nutrient levels to help plants thrive without requiring expert knowledge. The goal is to create a self-regulating garden that takes the guesswork out of growing fresh herbs and vegetables at home. The project involves building a working aeroponic prototype equipped with misters, pumps, and environmental sensors, all managed by a Raspberry Pi. Using computer vision and machine learning, AeroSense will be able to assess plant health and respond automatically …

Data Set, R Scripts And Script Outputs For Manuscript: Manufacturing Systems: Characteristics And Dynamics, Alan J. Fitzmorris

Graduate Research Data

This file repository contains fifteen computer-generated datasets, two naturally occurring datasets, nineteen shipbuilding shop datasets, and sixty-one concrete plant datasets.  Each data set contains subdirectories associated with various aspects of the data analysis, including stationarity analysis, dynamic system analysis, and complexity analysis.  In each case, applicable R scripts are included.  The text file entitled “Directory_and_File_Names” depicts the directory structure and associated file names for a total of 225 directories encompassing 8008 files.

Detecting And Repairing Conflicting Constraints In Co-Trained Physics-Informed Neural Networks For Composite Curing Processes, Cooper J. Evans

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Composite materials have become a critical component of modern manufacturing, especially in the automotive and aerospace industries. The curing process for these composites has been modeled using a variety of partial differential equations representing the heat transfer and composite curing kinetics. Optimizing the applied temperature profile is critical for maximizing the efficiency and capacity of composite part manufacturers. Constraints must be placed on the inputs and outputs of the model, including but not limited to, the applied temperature profile, part temperature, and final degree of cure. Conflicting sets of constraints are easy to unknowingly impose due to the highly coupled …

Raw Data For The Manuscript "Silicon-Stabilized Three-Dimensional Covalent Networks In High Entropy Diborides", Michael Yeung, Reza Mohammadi

Chemistry Department Faculty Scholarship

Abstract for data:

Raw data for the journal publication, Silicon-stabilized three-dimensional covalent networks in high entropy diborides. ReadMe file provided.

Abstract for Journal publication: 

High entropy ceramics offer a pathway to stabilize unconventional chemistries beyond traditional alloying rules. We report the incorporation of silicon into an AlB₂-type high entropy diboride, Cr_0.2Nb_0.2Si_0.2Ta_0.2Ti_0.2B₂, despite silicon violating classical Hume-Rothery rules for alloying. Arc melting produced a phase-pure, chemically homogeneous structure, as confirmed by powder X-ray diffraction (pXRD) and scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM–EDS). Silicon occupies …

Stiffening Of Soft Silicone Upon Deep Uv Treatment As Characterized Using Nanoindentation, Amanda Wilder, Zaria Booth, Caden Obermeyer, Saika Sharmin, Venkat Maruthamuthu

Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Faculty Publications

Silicones are elastomers that have a wide variety of uses, including biomedical applications such as the coating of biomedical devices and as implants. Soft silicones with mechanical properties similar to those of biological tissues have particularly gained use as substrates for cell culture in mechanobiology studies. In this context, it would be desirable to be able to alter their surface mechanical properties with a relatively simple physical treatment. While deep ultraviolet (deep UV) or ultraviolet C (UV-C) treatment has been previously used as a surface treatment method for stiffer silicones formulations, the effect of this treatment on soft silicones relevant …

Charge‐Governed Mechanistic Evaluation Of Aav2 Clarification Via Functionalized Flat Sheet And Hollow Fiber Deconstructed Depth Filters, Mara Baughman‐Leach, Mattie Brock, Malgorzata Chwatko, Dibakar Bhattacharyya

Chemical and Materials Engineering Faculty Publications

The expansion of adeno-associated virus (AAV)-based therapeutics has increased the demand for efficient clarification. In this study, a functionalized deconstructed depth filtration platform was developed to dissect how membrane–virus charge, modulated by pH, influences separation. Three charge regimes, positive (pH 4), neutral (pH 6), and negative (pH 8) between the membranes and AAVs, were examined. The flat-sheet system, composed of sequential 1.2, 0.8, 0.45, and 0.1 µm membranes, enabled the first layer-by-layer analysis of depth filtration behavior. This revealed that Stage 1 and Stage 4 dominate clarification. Remarkably, substantial DNA capture (> 75%) was observed even in the largest-pore stage, …

Creep-Recovery Behavior Of Copper Springs At Low Stresses, Ming-Yen Tsai, Shou-Yi Chang, Yi-Chia Chou, Jyun-Lin Hu, Yulin Zhang, Fuqian Yang, Sanboh Lee

Chemical and Materials Engineering Faculty Publications

Copper springs, unlike conventional wires, endure complex stress states such as torsion and bending under sustained thermal and mechanical loads. This study examines the time-dependent creep-recovery behavior of copper springs under low tensile forces at temperatures ranging from 523 K to 623 K, focusing on springs with spring indexes (ratio of mean spring diameter to wire diameter) of 6.4, 8.5, and 9.6. The non-linear Burgers model with a Kelvin solid effectively captures the deformation response and mirrors dislocation nucleation and annihilation kinetics. SEM and TEM imaging reveal that low-angle grain boundaries (LAGBs) act as both dislocation sources and sinks. The …

Electron Beam Irradiation Effects On Bulk Metals: A Comparative Study Of Polycrystalline Versus Single-Crystalline Structures, A. A. Elmustafa, N. A. Sultana, A. H. Al-Allaq, M. Ojha, Y. S. Mohammed, J. Vennekate, H. Baumgart

Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Faculty Publications

This study investigates the effects of electron beam (e-beam) irradiation on the mechanical and structural properties of eight bulk metallic samples, comprising both polycrystalline (PC) and single-crystalline (SC) forms of Ni, Cr, V, and Ti. These metals were evaluated as potential candidates for beam exit windows in high-power (MW-class) particle accelerators. The primary objective is to identify metals capable of withstanding the conditions of high-power/MW-class e-beam accelerators and serve effectively as exit windows. Selection criteria were based on each metal’s intrinsic properties, power dissipation capability, and irradiation-induced changes in mechanical behavior, including hardness, elastic modulus, and defect density. Comprehensive characterization …

Sulfhydryl-Functionalized Diarylethenes: Synthesis, Photoswitching, And Fluorescent Properties, Pramod Aryal, Jonathan Bietsch, Gowri Sankar Grandhi, Josh Choi, Guijun Wang

Chemistry & Biochemistry Faculty Publications

Sulfhydryl group (SH) plays important roles in reactions with various functional groups, especially in biologically active systems. Photoswitchable diarylethene (DAE) derivatives have demonstrated applications in many research fields. Among the many classes of diarylethene derivatives, thiol derivatives have not been extensively explored. In this study, we systematically synthesized and characterized a series of bis-thiol functionalized dithienylethene derivatives. The thiol groups in this series are attached directly to the thiophene, or through a phenyl or methylene linker. Each series incorporated both dithienyl cyclopentene and hexafluorocyclopentene bridges and total six thiol substituted diarylethenes were synthesized. Among the six sulfhydryl DAE derivatives, four …

Multidentate Surfactant-Dependent Synthesis Of Giant Iridium Superstructures, Ramjee Balasubramanian, Maeren E. Hill

Chemistry & Biochemistry Faculty Publications

Giant superstructures of iridium, comprised of smaller spherical and slightly larger anisotropic nanoparticles, were synthesized by reducing iridium chloride in the presence of resorcinarene, a class of tetrameric macrocyclic polyphenols, with sodium borohydride in ethanol in 30 min under mild conditions. These superstructures were characterized by a range of techniques including TEM, HRTEM, EDS and other spectroscopic methods. The impact of the macrocyclic surfactant, its features and reaction conditions in dictating the formation of giant iridium superstructures was evaluated. The packing density of nanoparticles in these giant iridium superstructures could be altered qualitatively by varying the duration of the reaction, …

The Effect Of Aluminum Substrate Surface Topography And Surface Energy On The Peel Strength Of Polyurethane Coatings, Christopher Ryan Grivers

Open Access Master's Theses

CUI information not included.

Peel Strength Of Polyurethane Coated Marine Metals In Air And In Underwater Environments, Maximillian Hill

Open Access Master's Theses

This study aims to characterize the hydrostatic peel strength of a hyperplastic material on three distinct and widely used marine-grade metals, using a primer. Aluminum 6061, HY-80 steel, and Nickel 400 (commonly known as Monel) are among the more popular metals used in the marine industry due to their unique material properties. To better understand the relationship of these materials and how we might quantify them, a peel test is performed at varying curing temperatures.

Following the investigation into varying curing temperatures, several specific marine environments will be considered. Submersible marine vehicles are designed to operate in a range of …