Dna Based Carbon Nanotube Porphyrin Nanohybrids Molecular Recognization And Regeneration,
2013
Purdue University
Dna Based Carbon Nanotube Porphyrin Nanohybrids Molecular Recognization And Regeneration, Molly M. Riccitelli, Hanyu Zhang, Jong Hyun Choi
The Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) Symposium
In the search to improve solar cells, scientists are exploring new materials that will provide better current transfer. One material that has emerged as a strong contender is the single walled carbon nanotube (SWNT). Current DNA-SWNT based films combined with chromophores have poor operational lifetimes compared to commercial solar cells. Once exposed to light the chromophore begins to degrade, eventually rendering the solar cell unusable. To solve this problem, we used a method involving multiple steps. First we found which DNA sequences formed structures around the SWNT that could hold the most chromophores by using a spectrophotometer to test the …
Synthesis And Characterization Of Nucleic Acid-Functionalized Nanomaterials,
2013
Purdue University
Synthesis And Characterization Of Nucleic Acid-Functionalized Nanomaterials, Brianna S. Carroll, Jong Hyun Choi
The Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) Symposium
Motor proteins such as kinesin move along microtubules in order to transport cellular cargos throughout the cell by obtaining energy from RNA hydrolysis which allows the cell to complete the tasks needed to stay alive. In this work, we developed synthetic molecular motors using DNA enzymes (DNAzyme) and fluorescent nanomaterials which mimic the functions and structures of motor proteins. A DNAzyme-capped CdS nanoparticle and a RNA-functionalized single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT) were used as a walker and a track in the motor platform, respectively. As a walking mechanism, the DNAzyme cleaved the RNA substrates in the presence of metal cations. The …
Mems Lab Simulation Tool,
2013
Purdue University
Mems Lab Simulation Tool, Oluwatosin D. Adeosun, Sambit Palit, Ankit Jain, Muhammad A. Alam
The Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) Symposium
MEMS actuators have multiple design applications. Understanding their behavior as well as the ability to predict their actuation characteristics and voltage response is important when designing these actuators. In order to know these devices will behave, designers have to solve multiple analytical equations and experiments that can be very time consuming. Over the course of the summer a tool was created on nanoHUB that will allow users to enter information about a MEMS actuator and provide the voltage response of the actuator. To create the tool, scaling equations were first provided for various geometry configurations and the equations were next …
Design Of A Novel Actuation System For Variable Displacement Gear Machine,
2013
Purdue University
Design Of A Novel Actuation System For Variable Displacement Gear Machine, Mark W. Mahuren, Andrea Vacca
The Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) Symposium
External spur gear pumps are exceedingly useful components in common hydraulic systems. The main issue with external gear pumps is that all current models are limited to only fixed-displacement. This means that for every revolution of the gears inside the pump, a set amount of fluid will always be displaced. Consequently, external gear pumps are limited in their use because they can only operate at full throttle causing inefficiencies when reduced displacement is needed. The successful procurement of a variable displacement gear pump will allow a more efficient use of hydraulic systems, such as in the displacement controlled systems used …
Effect Of Compression On The Transmission Loss Of Porous Material,
2013
Purdue University
Effect Of Compression On The Transmission Loss Of Porous Material, Yingchao Yang, J Stuart Bolton
The Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) Symposium
Porous materials are commonly applied in sound absorption in different places. Transmission loss, one of the vital parameters determining the performance of the material, will change when the material is compressed. Usually the compression that might affect the properties to the greatest extent are normal compression and the deformation can be simplified as 1D compression model. In order to verify the prediction, some formulas taking several parameters (porosity, tortuosity, flow resistivity and characteristic lengths) into account are applied and also the Johnson et al’s model of limp structure. Dynamic density of limp model and bulk modulus are thus obtained and …
Semi-Active Structural Control Of A 2-Story Shear Building,
2013
Purdue University
Semi-Active Structural Control Of A 2-Story Shear Building, Alana K. Wilbee, Shirley Dyke
The Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) Symposium
With continuing urban development across the world, it is becoming ever more important to provide increased structural safety against events such as earthquakes and strong winds. The field of structural control has recently been growing to meet these challenges through the use of semi-active control methods, such as the Magnetorheological (MR) Damper. However, due to the non-linearity of the device, the knowledge base surrounding the MR Damper and its various control algorithms still needs to be strengthened before large-scale implementation of this control method can occur. To address these issues, this study will examine a two story benchmark structure using …
Experimental Study Of Co2 Recycling Using Metal-Oxide Enhanced Coconut Char Gasification: Catalytic Effect Of Potassium Carbonate On Gasification,
2013
Purdue University
Experimental Study Of Co2 Recycling Using Metal-Oxide Enhanced Coconut Char Gasification: Catalytic Effect Of Potassium Carbonate On Gasification, Mengqi Gao, Indraneel Sircar, Jay P. Gore
The Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) Symposium
Biomass gasification is an important process in the production of bio-derived fuels and renewable energy. Biomass gasification with CO2 is an endothermic process requiring high temperatures, resulting in low process-efficiency. Metals found in the ash in biomass feedstock have shown rate-promoting effects on the C-CO2 reaction and have motivated the study of low-temperature catalytic gasification. The present study investigates the catalytic effects of potassium (K) on the biomass gasification reactivity of a coconut-derived char (>99.9% carbon) within the temperature range of 600 – 1000 oC. A wet-impregnation technique is used to prepare K-treated chars. Gasification of …
Kinetic Monte Carlo Simulations,
2013
Purdue University
Kinetic Monte Carlo Simulations, Jingyuan Liang, R. Edwin García, Ding-Wen (Tony) Chung, David Ely
The Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) Symposium
Kinetic Monte Carlo (kMC) is a set of scientific libraries designed to deploy kMC simulations intended to simulate the time evolution of some processes occurring in nature. kMC is currently allows the user to intuitively generate single component crystal lattices to simulate, post process, and visualize the kinetic Monte Carlo-based atomistic evolution of materials. kMC provides an interface to the Stochastic Parallel PARticle Kinetic Simulator (SPPARKS) [1] and is specifically designed to simulate individual atomic deposition (condensation) and dissolution (evaporation) events, while simultaneously tracking the surface and bulk crystallographic anisotropic diffusion. The main goal of this project is to create …
Advancement Of Legged Locomotion Models By Including Nonlinear Damping,
2013
Rutgers University - New Brunswick/Piscataway
Advancement Of Legged Locomotion Models By Including Nonlinear Damping, Ian Abraham, Zhuohua H. Shen, Justin E. Seipel
The Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) Symposium
Accurately predicting human locomotion has been a goal of various mathematical models. Early canonical models of locomotion were developed to predict the basic features of ground reaction forces (GRF). More recently, modified hip actuated and leg damped locomotion models have been developed to better predict the stability and robustness of human and animal locomotion. Such improvements have resulted in the loss of the characteristic GRF predicted by earlier models. Historically, GRF are among the most common measures to experimentally study human locomotion. Thus, it is important to develop new mathematical models that predict both accurate stability of motion, as well …
Improvement On Cylinder-To-Cylinder Variation In Pcci Engines Using Variable Start Of Injection And Exhaust Valve Closing Timings,
2013
University of Iceland
Improvement On Cylinder-To-Cylinder Variation In Pcci Engines Using Variable Start Of Injection And Exhaust Valve Closing Timings, Aðalsteinn Axelsson, Greg Shaver
The Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) Symposium
Premixed charge compression ignition (PCCI) is widely considered to be a possible method of meeting increasingly strict emissions regulations in internal combustion engines. PCCI can reduce harmful emissions substantially and at the same time increase efficiency relative to conventional combustion modes. Because of the nature of PCCI, changes in in-cylinder conditions have a greater impact than in conventional diesel engines. Therefore cylinder to cylinder variations are amplified which leads to problems such as misfire and decreased efficiency in cylinders with increased ignition delay and lower apparent heat release rate (AHRR) amplitudes. Two possible methods to counteract this effect in diesel …
Crane Shaking Platform Design,
2013
Purdue University
Crane Shaking Platform Design, Bixing Yan, Andrea Vacca
The Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) Symposium
Most of the control methodology of Mobile hydraulic crane is not as energy efficient as people think or want, and the desire to innovate novel, energy-efficient control strategy is the target of most hydraulic experts. To develop or test the control method under real road and off-road conditions, a platform that could simulate the movement and vibration of the crane truck is desired. To design and build the multi-operation platform, a design process includes brain storming, design selection, FEA (Fundamental Element Analysis), mechanical sizing, hydraulic sizing and Bill of Material is required and preferred. After going through all the steps …
The Stability And Control Of The Single Track Vehicles,
2013
Purdue University
The Stability And Control Of The Single Track Vehicles, Shyngys Karimov, Martin Corless
The Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) Symposium
Bicycles, motorcycles and scooters are all examples of the single track vehicles. The dynamics of the single track vehicle involve many degrees of freedom and various modes which govern its performance, making a complicated and interesting research topic. Motorcycle in motion can roll, yaw, and steer about the steering axis. It has three main modes which determine the motion and stability of it, they are weave, capsize, and wobble. The motorcycle performance is limited by the behavior of its modes, and if even one of the modes becomes unstable, the vehicle will roll over, and crash. The goal of this …
Combustion Measurement Of Counter Flow Diffusion Flame Under High Pressure Using Coherant Anti-Stokes Raman Scattering (Cars) Thermometry,
2013
Purdue University
Combustion Measurement Of Counter Flow Diffusion Flame Under High Pressure Using Coherant Anti-Stokes Raman Scattering (Cars) Thermometry, Xianan Huang, Robert P. Lucht
The Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) Symposium
H2-air combustion is widely employed in power generation systems and high speed propulsion systems which are high-pressure environments. Therefore, it is imperative to perform diagnostics in order to understand behaviors of H2-air flames under high pressure to improve the design of systems such as those mentioned previously. In order to perform measurements at high pressure, a facility has been constructed for stabilizing steady-state, laminar counterflow diffusion flames (CFDFs). Both, qualitative and quantitative measurements will be performed in this high-pressure facility. Numerical simulations of high pressure, H2-air flame structure are also being performed using COSILAB …
Linear Controller Establishment For Displacement-Control Pump Switching System,
2013
Purdue University
Linear Controller Establishment For Displacement-Control Pump Switching System, Yangqiao Zheng, Monika Ivantysynova
The Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) Symposium
Displacement Controlled (DC) hydraulics system is booming recently due to its high efficiency and accurate controllability, while the surplus numbers of pumps restrains its further development. DC pump switch technique is a promising application to reduce the number of pumps as well as the cost products to promote DC hydraulics technique. It is necessary to support an innovative DC hydraulic pump switching system with a controller which would allow rapid and accurate estimation and adaptation for all the parameters, like pressures and velocities, in the system. Dynamics and Hydraulics characteristics have initially been investigated for a simplified DC pump switching …
Code Optimization For Phase Field Method,
2013
EAFIT University
Code Optimization For Phase Field Method, Sergio Andres Monsalve, Marisol Koslowski
The Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) Symposium
The Phase field model method for studying grain dislocation at atomic level after applying an external force to the materials being tested, enables simulate the behavior of different materials after applying stress. With the appropriate numerical method the simulation could change drastically the complexity of the algorithm. Finding the most accurate and stable numerical method for the phase field model give us a considerable improving in the performance of the code used to simulate the phase field dynamic dislocation in larger and more complex simulations can be performed. We made an statistic comparison between the different methods, comparing stability and …
A New Solid Oxide Molybdenum–Air Redox Battery,
2013
University of South Carolina - Columbia
A New Solid Oxide Molybdenum–Air Redox Battery, Xuan Zhao, Yunhui Gong, Xue Li, Nansheng Xu, Kevin Huang
Faculty Publications
A new type of rechargeable molybdenum–air battery based on the technologies of reversible solid oxide fuel cells and chemical looping is reported in this study. The reversible solid oxide fuel cell serves as the electrical unit to realize the charging and discharging cycles while a pair of Mo/MoO2 redox couple integrated with the reversible solid oxide fuel cell stores electrical energy via an H2–H2O oxygen shuttle. The specific charge of the new battery reaches 1117 A h per kg-Mo at 550°C, which is 45% higher than the non-rechargeable Mo–air battery. The corresponding discharge specific energy is 974 W h per …
Optical Measurements Of Diesel Soot Formation,
2013
Brigham Young University
Optical Measurements Of Diesel Soot Formation, Michael Joseph Richards, Dr. Dale Tree
Journal of Undergraduate Research
The purpose of this project was to aid in the research of Kenth Svensson, PhD. student at BYU. I was able to perform many vital tasks in preparation for data acquisition. The proposal which we submitted named three tasks which were measuring and mapping the temperature gradient within a combustion chamber, mapping the mass of the fuel as a function of injection duration and pressure, and calibrating a CCD camera. A partial summary of Svensson’s research topic and objectives is provided below to help others understand the importance of this research.
Apparatus To Measure The Performance And Manufacturability Of The Multiple-Layer Floating-Opposing Arm Centrifugal Force Clutch,
2013
Brigham Young University
Apparatus To Measure The Performance And Manufacturability Of The Multiple-Layer Floating-Opposing Arm Centrifugal Force Clutch, Derek Wright, Dr. Robert Todd
Journal of Undergraduate Research
Centrifugal force clutches are used around the globe in devices from washing machines to garden tillers. Considering methods of reducing the cost of such clutches, the Utah Center of Excellence for Compliant Mechanism Research developed a fully compliant version, known as the Floating- Opposing Arm Centrifugal Force (FOA) Clutch. Unfortunately, the thickness required for the FOA clutch to perform competitively with comparable clutches makes manufacturing solid FOA clutches slow and costly. To overcome this difficulty, the clutch may be produced as stackable thin layers that sum to the desired performance characteristics. A testing apparatus is required to quantify the performance …
Comparison Of The Variance In The R-Value Calculated Using The Power Law In If Steel To Experimental Measurements,
2013
Brigham Young University
Comparison Of The Variance In The R-Value Calculated Using The Power Law In If Steel To Experimental Measurements, Craig Przybyla, Dr. Brent Adams
Journal of Undergraduate Research
As advances in engineering and technology increasingly require engineers and scientists to work in smaller length scales, they must have a greater understanding about how materials and their properties behave at these scales. This is true particularly in the field of mechanical engineering with the development of MicroElectroMechanical Systems or MEMS. These are tiny mechanical systems that are only measured in micrometers and that can only be seen with the aid of high powered microscopes. In order to build MEMS that are reliable and perform as they should, engineers not only must have an understanding of the material properties of …
Static Stability Of Micro-Air Vehicles,
2013
Brigham Young University
Static Stability Of Micro-Air Vehicles, Stephen Griffiths, Nathan Knoebel, Daniel Reimann, Jon Ostler, Dr. Jerry Bowman
Journal of Undergraduate Research
The purpose of this research was to find the optimal combination of three static stabilityenhancing features: dihedral angle, vertical position of center of gravity, and tail volume ratio.
