Materials Science and Engineering Commons^™

Recent Advances In Bioceramics, Fundamental Properties And Future Perspective In Biomedical Applications ‒ A Review, Ayesha Younas, Muhammad Umar Aslam Khan, Mohd Faizal Binte Abdullah, Lobat Tayebi, Shuanghu Wang, Abdalla Abdal-Hay, Yichi Xu

Electrical & Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

Bioceramics are important biomaterials in biomedical engineering because of their biocompatibility, bioactivity, osteoconductivity, and structural resemblance to actual bone tissue. In recent years, materials science and nanotechnology have enabled the use of bioceramics in bone regeneration, dental restoration, tissue engineering, drug delivery systems, and implantable medical devices. This comprehensive review covers advances in bioceramics, including calcium phosphates, hydroxyapatite (HAp), tricalcium phosphate, bioactive glasses, zirconia, alumina, and multifunctional ceramic nanocomposites. Priority is given to techniques such as additive manufacturing, 3D printing, sol-gel processing, electrospinning, and nanostructuring to improve mechanical strength, porosity, bioactivity, and cell interactions. Recent advances include ion doping, surface …

Application Of A Hyaluronic Acid-Based Lotions Containing Hydroxyapatite Nano-Particles Approach For Treatment Of Initial Dental Caries, Zahra Gharavi, Zahra Namazi, Fatemehsadat Pishbin, Helia Givian, Maryam Torshabi, Farhood Najafi, Parisa Amdjadi

Electrical & Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

This study evaluated the remineralization potential of a ceramic–polyelectrolyte system, based on a novel combination of hydroxyapatite nanoparticles (HAp NPs) and a hyaluronic acid (HY) matrix, for dental enamel, a tissue that remains challenging to repair in clinical dentistry. Nano-Hydroxyapatite (nanoHAp) powder was synthesized and characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), dynamic light scattering (DLS), and zeta potential analysis to confirm their crystalline structure, functional groups, morphology, particle size distribution, and colloidal stability. HY-based suspensions (remineralizing lotions) containing 5, 10, and 12 wt% of the synthesized nanoHAp particles were formulated via a …

Effect Of Graphene Oxide On The Upconversion Photoluminescence Behavior Of Er/Yb Co-Doped Pvdf-Go Composite Nanofibers, Saptasree Bose, Jack Ryan Summers, Bhupendra B. Srivastava, Karen Lozano, Victoria Padilla-Gainza

Mechanical Engineering Faculty Publications

Upconversion photoluminescence (UCPL) materials, particularly rare-earth (RE) doped nanoparticles, have garnered significant attention due to their ability to convert near-infrared (NIR) excitation into visible emission, offering benefits such as high photostability, long lifetimes, low autofluorescence, and deep tissue penetration. Among various platforms, polymer-based one-dimensional (1D) nanofibers with in-situ lanthanide doping remain relatively unexplored, despite their superior mechanical flexibility, processability, and potential for improved luminescence performance. In this study, we report the fabrication and UCPL quenching behavior of Er3+/Yb3+ co-doped polyvinylidene difluoride (PVDF) nanofibers incorporated with graphene oxide (GO), synthesized for the first time using the scalable Forcespinning® technique. PVDF, a …

High Temperature Creep Deformation Mechanism Of Fe28.2ni18.8mn32.9al14.1cr6 High Entropy Alloy And Its Modified Alloys, Edwin S. Jiang, I. Baker

Dartmouth College Ph.D Dissertations

Fe28.2Ni18.8Mn32.9Al14.1Cr6 eutectic high entropy alloy exhibits a good combination of room-temperature and high temperature properties, including tensile strength, ductility, and corrosion resistance, making it a promising candidate for structural applications in extreme environments. However, the creep deformation behavior of this alloy— and high-entropy alloys (HEAs) in general—remains insufficiently understood. This dissertation systematically investigates the high-temperature creep deformation mechanisms of Fe28.2Ni18.8Mn32.9Al14.1Cr6 and its derivatives.

Creep mechanisms and associated microstructural changes were examined across a wide range of strain rates using strain-rate jump and constant-stress tests. Two dominant regimes were identified: dislocation glide/solute-drag at low strain rates, and dislocation climb at high …

Engineering Disorder, Defects, And Electrical Transport For High-Performance Thermoelectric Fe2val Heusler Alloys, James Russell Taylor Iv

Dartmouth College Ph.D Dissertations

Fe₂VAl is a promising low-temperature thermoelectric material for waste-heat energy conversion because it is easily processed and comprised of earth-abundant, non-toxic, and low-cost elements. However, viability for applications faces two major challenges: high thermal conductivity and low p-type Seebeck coefficients. This primarily experimental work aims to address these issues through extrinsic and self-doping, point-defect and disorder generation through thermal and electrical processing, disordered and metastable phase composition quantification, and comparison of transport measurements to modeled electronic features.

An accessible phase quantification method was developed for bulk Fe₂VAl using laboratory X-ray diffraction equipment to compare thermoelectric properties …

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 …

Using A Record Player Inspired Probe System To Investigate Adhesion And Friction Of Tire Rubber At Micrometer Length Scales, Kyle J. Galigher, Brendan Schmitt

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

We will be using the principles behind how a record player turns physical grooves into electrical signals to develop a device that can be used to measure the surface of tires. The device will be capable of measuring the surface roughness of rubber samples from both new and worn tires, in order to compare the differences between them. It will be operable at varying speeds, and will produce electrical signals that correspond to the bumps along the surface of the rubber. The design will be carried out and optimized with the use of SolidWorks modeling, finite element analysis, motion analysis, …

Mitigating Hysteresis In Metal-Coated Fibers Via Optimized Thermal Treatment For Advanced Distributed High-Temperature Sensing Applications, Koustav Dey, Rony Kumer Saha, Bohong Zhang, S. Narasimman, Farhan Mumtaz, Jeffrey D. Smith, Rex E. Gerald, Ronald J. O'Malley, Jie Huang

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Metal-coated optical fibers are widely employed in sensing applications owing to their superior mechanical strength and corrosion resistance. However, their calibration at elevated temperatures is hindered by hysteresis, manifested as discrepancies between heating and cooling cycles, primarily caused by residual strain from mismatched thermal expansion coefficients (TECs) between the metal coating and silica cladding. This research introduces an optimal heat treatment procedure aimed at minimizing the impact of the mismatch in TECs between the cladding and the coating materials that causes the residual strain in gold (Au) and copper (Cu) coated fibers for achieving reliable distributed high temperature sensing up …

Waveguide-Assisted Single-Mode Fiber Bragg Gratings In A Highly Multimode Coreless Fiber Via Femtosecond Laser Inscription For Extreme Temperature Quasi-Distributed Thermal Sensing, Farhan Mumtaz, Koustav Dey, Bohong Zhang, Jeffrey D. Smith, Ronald J. O'Malley, Jie Huang

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

This research reports a potential quasi-distributed thermal mapping optical sensing system for extreme temperatures, leveraging femtosecond (fs) laser inscribed single-mode fiber Bragg gratings (FBGs) and a waveguide within coreless, highly multimode optical fiber, resulting in a single-mode structure. Unlike doped single-mode fibers, coreless fibers composed of silica rods prevent issues associated with dopant migration and ensure data accuracy. The strategic placement of point-by-point FBGs in a cascaded formation on the fs-laser inscribed waveguide facilitates localized multipoint sensing. The long-term stability of the proposed waveguide-assisted FBG system was assessed over 24 hours at elevated temperatures (1000°C), showing no hysteresis during heating …

Distributed Temperature Sensing In The Spray-Cooled Shell Of A 150-Ton Dc Electric Arc Furnace Using Brillouin Optical Fiber Technology, Farhan Mumtaz, Yeshwanth Reddy Mekala, Koustav Dey, Rony Kumer Saha, Ogbole Collins Inalegwu, Manoj Kumar Pullagura, Bohong Zhang, Muhammad Roman, Nicholas Dionise, Zane Voss, Jeffrey D. Smith, Ronald J. O'Malley, Rex E. Gerald, Jie Huang

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

This paper presents the deployment and validation of a Brillouin - distributed temperature sensing (DTS) system for real-time thermal monitoring of the spray-cooled upper shell of a 150-ton direct current Electric Arc Furnace (DC EAF) at Big River Steel Plant, Osceola, AR, USA. A four-channel Brillouin DTS system from OZ Optics was employed, with one active channel instrumented using an in-house-fabricated Brillouin scattering-depressed single-mode optical fiber (SMF28e+). The 60 m optical fiber sensor was fabricated, with 20 m allocated for thermal measurement and 40 m used as lead-in fiber to isolate the interrogator from the furnace environment. The fiber was …

Effect Of Process Parameters On Thermal Response Of An Oxy-Fuel Burner/Injector Panel In An Electric Arc Furnace Via Fiber Optic Sensors, Mobashir Ahmed, Rony Kumer Saha, Koustav Dey, Todd Sander, Jie Huang, Ronald J. O'Malley

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Modern oxy-fuel burner/injectors in electric arc furnaces (EAFs) play a critical role in scrap melting, liquid steel refining, and slag foaming. However, varying operational modes, combined with dynamic process conditions, such as arcing and slag behavior, can expose the injector panel surface to intense thermal conditions that can compromise efficiency and safety. Conventional monitoring techniques, including cooling water temperature measurements and thermocouples, fail to capture localized thermal anomalies due to their limited spatial resolution and susceptibility to electromagnetic interference. In this study, four high-resolution Rayleigh backscattering-based fiber optic sensors, interrogated via optical frequency domain reflectometry, were embedded in top and …

Multiphysics Modeling Of Melt Pool Dynamics And Powder Bed Stability In Lpbf Of Inconel 718 For A Circular Cavity, Nayan Pundhir, Oluwapelumi O. Adejumo, Kumbla Chandrashekhara, Joseph W. Newkirk, Heath Misak, Cesar Ortiz Rios

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) is a metal additive manufacturing process in which a concentrated laser beam selectively melts successive powder layers to fabricate components. Final part quality is highly sensitive to process parameters such as hatch spacing, powder bed density, laser power, and scanning speed. In this study, a computational fluid dynamics model employing discrete element method has been developed in FLOW-3D to simulate LPBF of Inconel 718. The modeled powder bed incorporates particle size distribution data obtained from scanning electron microscopy and is evaluated for single-layer, single-track deposition over a circular cavity. The model captured melt pool dynamics …

Recent Insight And Perspective Of Marine-Inspired Biopolymers For Wound Healing Applications - A Review, Muhammad Umar Aslam Khan, Saiqa Yousaf, Abdalla Abdal-Hay, Mohd Faizal Bin Abdullah, Sahar Madani, Muhammad Shahzad Zafar, Goran M. Stojanović, Lobat Tayebi

Electrical & Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

There is an increasing necessity for advanced, sustainable, and biocompatible materials for wound healing as therapeutic and diagnostic products. Marine environments, characterized by high biodiversity, offer an underutilized source of natural resources with enormous potential for creating novel materials for dressings. This review highlights the revolutionary nature of polymeric biomaterials of marine origin, with a focus on polysaccharides, like alginate, chitosan, and carrageenan; proteins, such as collagen and gelatin. These biopolymers are outstanding in their physicochemical properties, such as biodegradability, bioactivity, and modifiable mechanical strength, which enable their use in wound-healing systems. Besides, these biomaterials may be easily chemically and …

Regulation And Localization Of Urease In Sporosarcina Pasteurii: Implications For Coastal Protection, Amar Kosovac

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Coastal erosion is a persistent problem exacerbated by global warming. As the climate changes, the southeastern coast is likely to experience an increased frequency and intensity of storms, which can significantly damage the coastline. The coast is crucial as it serves as a habitat for numerous animals, supports tourism, and underpins infrastructure. Microbially induced calcite precipitation (MICP) is a novel method to enhance erosion resistance in sandy soils using the non-pathogenic bacterium Sporosarcina pasteurii. S. pasteurii produces urease to catalyze urea into bicarbonate, which drives the precipitation of calcium carbonate. Maximal expression of urease is a limiting factor for …

Mechanical Behavior Of Additively Manufactured Ti-6al-4v Eli Parts: Effects Of Laser Parameter Selection, Samuel Lopez

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Additive manufacturing (AM) of TI-6AL‑4V Extra‑Low Interstitial (ELI) enables complex geometries for fatigue‑critical medical device applications, yet fatigue performance remains sensitive to process‑induced defects. This work investigates the effect of laser process parameter selection on the microstructure, mechanical properties, and fatigue behavior of TI- 6AL‑4V ELI fabricated via laser powder bed fusion (L‑PBF) using a Renishaw RenAM system. The influence of laser parameters was isolated by holding powder chemistry, build orientation, scan strategy, sub‑transus annealing, and post‑processing constant between a non‑optimized baseline and an optimized parameter set selected based on tensile performance.

Optical microscopy showed the optimized condition exhibited improved …

Development Of A Flexible In Vitro Model System For Studying Biomineralization In Humans And Marine Organisms, Reed J. Harper

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Biomineralization is a process where cells control the supersaturation of ions and spatiotemporal deposition of numerous proteins to guide biomineralization, resulting in hard mineralized tissues with complex structures and novel properties. The mechanisms of this process are not well understood but key components have been identified as critical for biomineralization to occur. The cellular expression of intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) and the subsequent post-translational modification (PTM) play a role in stabilization of mineral precursors, control of morphology and growth, phase/polymorph selection, and composition of mineral formed. Currently in vitro model systems use either synthetic polymers, native proteins extracted from mineralized …

Towards All-Epitaxial Josephson Junctions With High-Temperature Superconductors, Daniela Amalfi Ojeda

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Josephson junctions are fundamental components of superconducting electronics. Although junctions based on conventional superconductors are well established, reproducible devices based on high-temperature superconductors remain challenging. This work investigates the growth, fabrication, and electrical characterization of all-epitaxial DyBa₂Cu₃O₇₋ₓ (DBCO) /SrTiO₃ (STO) /DBCO trilayer heterostructures for potential Josephson junction applications. An initial optimization of YBa₂Cu₃O₇₋ₓ (YBCO) growth produced reproducible films with a zero-resistance critical temperature ( ) of K and a maximum  of 89 K. These growth conditions were adapted to DBCO, resulting in reproducible superconducting films with values of approximately 80 K. DBCO/STO/DBCO trilayers were grown by molecular beam epitaxy and …

Thermomechanical Modeling Of Transpiration Surfaces For Hypersonic Propulsion, Spencer D. Smith

Graduate Studies Theses and Dissertations 2026

Hypersonic flight vehicles are a promising form of high speed passenger transport and efficient space access architectures. However, they are fundamentally a thermally limited technology. High heat fluxes exceeding 10 MW/m2 and gas temperatures between 3000-4000K can be found both within the engine, and on the outer surface. Current conventional engineering materials are non-viable at these conditions. In order to make these materials viable, active cooling strategies could be utilized. One particularly promising type is transpiration cooling, where a coolant is diffused through a porous surface. Although researched heavily in the 1960s, adoption is still minimal. Part of the reason …

Bowtie Antenna-Coupled Bi₂Te₃–Sb₂Te₃ Thermoelectric Detector For Millimeter-Wave Radiation, Rumana Zahir

Graduate Studies Theses and Dissertations 2026

We explore the development of antenna-coupled thermoelectric detectors for long-wavelength radiation using sputtered bismuth telluride (Bi₂Te₃) and antimony telluride (Sb₂Te₃) thin films. Detection in the infrared, millimeter-wave, and terahertz regimes is critical for sensing, imaging, and energy applications; however, many existing detectors rely on cryogenic operation, exhibit narrow spectral response, or require complex material systems. In this work, we investigate the feasibility of reliable, room-temperature long-wavelength detection using microfabricated thermoelectric thin films integrated with antenna structures. A systematic full-factorial experimental approach was employed to determine how sputtering parameters and post-deposition annealing influence …

Machine Learning Modeling Of In-Situ Effective Thermal Conductivities And Ablation Behaviors Of Ceramic Matrix Composites Under Hydrogen Combustion Environments For Gas Turbine Engines, Jayanta Bhusan Deb

Graduate Studies Theses and Dissertations 2026

Through the integration of experimental characterization, machine learning, deep learning, numerical modeling, and physics-informed artificial intelligence, this dissertation explores the thermal performance of polymer-derived ceramic matrix composites (CMCs) for hydrogen combustion environments. The polymer infiltration and pyrolysis (PIP) process was used to create Yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ)-fiber-reinforced ceramic matrix composites, which were then experimentally assessed under hydrogen torch and hydrogen combustion conditions typical of next-generation gas turbine and aerospace propulsion systems. Front- and back-surface temperature measurements were used to continually monitor thermal reactions, and post-test microstructural characterization and numerical simulations were carried out to evaluate material integrity and heat-transfer behavior. To …