Nanoscience and Nanotechnology Commons^™

Generalized Ultrasonic Scattering Model For Arbitrary Transducer Configurations, Andrea P. Arguelles, Joseph A. Turner

Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering: Faculty Publications

Ultrasonic scattering in polycrystalline media is directly tied to microstructural features. As a result, modeling efforts of scattering from microstructure have been abundant. The inclusion of beam modeling for the ultrasonic transducers greatly simplified the ability to perform quantitative, fully calibrated experiments. In this article, a theoretical scattering model is generalized to allow for arbitrary source and receiver configurations, while accounting for beam behavior through the total propagation path. This extension elucidates the importance and potential of out-of-plane scattering modes in the context of microstructure characterization. The scattering coefficient is explicitly written for the case of statistical isotropy and ellipsoidal …

Anomalous Stranski-Krastanov Growth Of (111)-Oriented Quantum Dots With Tunable Wetting Layer Thickness, Christopher F. Schuck, Simon K. Roy, Trent Garrett, Paul J. Simmonds

Materials Science and Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Driven by tensile strain, GaAs quantum dots (QDs) self-assemble on In_0.52Al_0.48As(111)A surfaces lattice-matched to InP substrates. In this study, we show that the tensile-strained self-assembly process for these GaAs(111)A QDs unexpectedly deviates from the well-known Stranski-Krastanov (SK) growth mode. Traditionally, QDs formed via the SK growth mode form on top of a flat wetting layer (WL) whose thickness is fixed. The inability to tune WL thickness has inhibited researchers’ attempts to fully control QD-WL interactions in these hybrid 0D-2D quantum systems. In contrast, using microscopy, spectroscopy, and computational modeling, we demonstrate that for GaAs(111)A QDs, we …

Generalized Ultrasonic Scattering Model For Arbitrary Transducer Configurations, Andrea P. Arguelles, Joseph A. Turner

Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering: Faculty Publications

Ultrasonic scattering in polycrystalline media is directly tied to microstructural features. As a result, modeling efforts of scattering from microstructure have been abundant. The inclusion of beam modeling for the ultrasonic transducers greatly simplified the ability to perform quantitative, fully calibrated experiments. In this article, a theoretical scattering model is generalized to allow for arbitrary source and receiver configurations, while accounting for beam behavior through the total propagation path. This extension elucidates the importance and potential of out-of-plane scattering modes in the context of microstructure characterization. The scattering coefficient is explicitly written for the case of statistical isotropy and ellipsoidal …

Synthesis Of Cellulose Nanocrystal-Gold Nanoparticle Hybrid System For Surface Plasmon-Enhanced Property, Mahshid Iraniparast

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) have been brought to the forefront of various applications, ranging from theranostics, to organic photovoltaics, to biosensing owing to their localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) property. However, this property needs to be improved in order to allow for high sensitivity and quantitative detection of biomolecules. Hybrids of AuNPs with low-dielectric cellulose nanocrystal (CNCs) would yield enhancement of the LSPR property, which is driven by the confinement of electron oscillation at their interfaces. This study proposed a seed-mediated growth method to synthesize hybrids of CNCs-AuNPs. Sulfate groups on the surface of CNCs served as the sites for the …

Optimized Production And Evaluation Of Cellulose Nanocrystals Derived From Pre-Extracted Kraft Pulp Of Different Wood Species, Gurshagan Kandhola

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Production of nanocellulose from a variety of naturally abundant, locally available and industrially significant wood species provides an opportunity for diversifying the portfolio of traditional pulp and paper industries. The U.S. has a prolific forest products industry with a well-established infrastructure that could be utilized for optimized and customized production of cellulose nanomaterials. However, to achieve that, it is important to a) understand how biorefining strategies for complete fractionation of biomass affect the downstream processing of pulp into nanocellulose, b) maximize the yields of cellulose nanocrystals and nanofibers (CNCs and CNFs) from pretreated raw materials, and c) evaluate if the …

Effects Of Temperature And Nitrogen Depletion On Biodiesel Production Under Saline Conditions By A Mixed Algal Community, Sarah J. Kintner

Nanoscience and Microsystems ETDs

The overall objective addressed in this research was to gain a better understanding of how native mixed cultures of phototrophic microorganisms from a saline system may be used for biodiesel production. Laboratory batch reactors were grown under variable temperatures and nitrogen concentrations with original inoculum from a hypersaline pond in central New Mexico. Growth at 40 C° led to lower lipid production, lower nitrate consumption, and less diverse communities than growth at 20° C. All communities were dominated by the cyanobacteria Plectonema except the in second experiment, where they were only 30% of the culture. In a second experiment with …

Ultrasonic Wave Propagation In Copper/Graphene Metal Matrix Composites, Casey Lindbloom

Mechanical Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

Emerging metallic composite materials implanted with graphene sheets are showing immense promise, with benefits being observed with regards to mechanical, thermal, and electrical material properties. This research aims to investigate the effects on ultrasonic wave propagation in Copper/Graphene Metal Matrix Composites (Cu/Gr MMCs) with varying graphene arrangements inspired from nacre and bone nanoscale material distributions. To accomplish this, the molecular dynamics (MD) method is utilized to simulate nanoscale wave propagation on a set of Cu/Gr MMCs with differing graphene arrangements and volume percentages ranging up to 4.56%. The computational model results are then analyzed to determine the variation in energy …

In Silico Sequence Optimization For The Reproducible Generation Of Dna Structures, Michael D. Tobiason

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Biologically, deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) molecules have been used for information storage for more than 3 billion years. Today, modern synthesis tools have made it possible to use synthetic DNA molecules as a material for engineering nanoscale structures. These self-assembling structures are capable of both resolutions as fine as 4 angstroms and executing programed dynamic behavior. Numerous approaches for creating structures from DNA have been proposed and validated, however it remains commonplace for engineered systems to exhibit unexpected behaviors such as low formation yields, poor performance, or total failure. It is plausible that at least some of these behaviors arise due …

Studies Of Initial Growth Of Gan On Inn, Alaa Alnami

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

III-nitride materials have recently attracted much attention for applications in both the microelectronics and optoelectronics. For optoelectronic devices, III-nitride materials with tunable energy band gaps can be used as the active region of devices to enhance the absorption or emission. A such material is indium nitride (InN), which along with gallium nitride (GaN) and aluminum nitride (AlN) embody the very real promise of forming the basis of a broad spectrum, a high efficiency solar cell. One of the remaining complications in incorporating InN into a solar cell design is the effects of the high temperature growth of the GaN crystal …

Quantitative Study Of The Antimicrobial Effects Of Silver On The Motility Of Escherichia Coli, Benjamin Russell

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In recent decades, the number of antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections has grown to become a serious global threat. This rise can be attributed to the widespread misuse of antibiotics and the lack of newly developed drugs to fight resistant organisms. Novel bactericidal substances have, therefore, garnered significant research interest. Silver, due to its powerful antimicrobial effects, is one such substance. Silver is typically most effective in cationic form; however, advancements in nanotechnology have paved the way for the controlled fabrication of nano-silver. Silver nanoparticles have been shown to have increased antibacterial potency for a variety of reasons, including the release of …

Gamma-Ray Radiation Effects In Graphene-Based Transistors With H-Bn Nanometer Film Substrates, E. J. Cazalas, Michael R. Hogsed, S. R. Vangala, Michael R. Snure, John W. Mcclory

Faculty Publications

Radiation effects on graphene field effect transistors (GFETs) with hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) thin film substrates are investigated using 60Co gamma-ray radiation. This study examines the radiation response using many samples with varying h-BN film thicknesses (1.6 and 20 nm thickness) and graphene channel lengths (5 and 10 μm). These samples were exposed to a total ionizing dose of approximately 1 Mrad(Si). I-V measurements were taken at fixed time intervals between irradiations and postirradiation. Dirac point voltage and current are extracted from the I-V measurements, as well as mobility, Dirac voltage hysteresis, and the total number of GFETs that remain …

Optical Angular Scatterometry: In-Line Approach For Roll-2-Roll And Nano-Imprint Fabrication Systems, Juan Jose Faria-Briceno

Electrical and Computer Engineering ETDs

As critical dimensions continue to shrink and structures become more complex, metrology processes are challenging to implement during in-line nanomanufacturing. Non-destructive, non-contact, and high-speed conditions are required to achieve proper metrology processes during in-line manufacturing. Optical scatterometry is a nanoscale metrology tool widely used in integrated circuit manufacturing for characterization and quality control. However, most applications of optical scatterometry operate off-line. A high-speed, in-line, non-contact, non-destructive scatterometry angular system has been demonstrated in this work to scan pattern surfaces during real-time nano-fabrication.

Our system has demonstrated scanning capabilities using flat, 1D and 2D complex structures. The flat surface samples consist …

Novel Silica Filled Deep Eutectic Solvent Based Nanofluids For Energy Transportation, Changhui Liu, Hui Fang, Xinjian Liu, Ben Xu, Zhonghao Rao

School of Integrative Biological & Chemical Sciences (Formerly Dept. of Chemistry)

Liquid range of nanofluids is a crucial parameter as it intensively determines their application temperature scope. Meanwhile, improved thermal conductivity and stability are of great significances and comprise the main fundamental research topics of nanofluids. In this work, 2- butoxy-3,4-dihydropyran (DP), produced from a convenient one-pot three-component reaction in water, was employed as dual lipophilic brusher and metal nanoparticle anchor. It was found that DP was able to enhance the dispersing ability and thermal conductivity of SiO2 nanoparticle filled deep eutectic solvent (DES) based nanofluids simultaneously. The key to the success of this protocol mainly relies on the electrophilic property …

Novel Silica Filled Deep Eutectic Solvent Based Nanofluids For Energy Transportation, Changhui Liu, Hui Fang, Xinjian Liu, Ben Xu, Zhonghao Rao

Mechanical Engineering Faculty Publications

Liquid range of nanofluids is a crucial parameter as it intensively determines their application temperature scope. Meanwhile, improved thermal conductivity and stability are of great significances and comprise the main fundamental research topics of nanofluids. In this work, 2-butoxy-3,4-dihydropyran (DP), produced from a convenient one-pot three-component reaction in water, was employed as dual lipophilic brusher and metal nanoparticle anchor. It was found that DP was able to enhance the dispersing ability and thermal conductivity of SiO2 nanoparticle filled deep eutectic solvent (DES) based nanofluids simultaneously. The key to the success of this protocol mainly relies on the electrophilic property and …

Multi-Scale Modeling Of The Lamellar Unit Of Arterial Media, Hozhabr Mozafari, Lulu Wang, Yuguo Lei, Linxia Gu

Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering: Faculty Publications

The heterogeneity of the lamellar unit (LU) of arterial media plays an important role in the biomechanics of artery. Current two-component (fibrous component and a homogenous matrix) constitutive model is inappropriate for capturing the micro-structural variations in the LU, such as contraction/relaxation of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs), fragmentation of the elastin layer, and deposition/disruption of the collagen network. In this work, we developed a representative volume element (RVE) model with detailed micro-configurations, i.e., VSMCs at various phenotypes, collagen fibers, and elastin laminate embedded in the ground substance. The fiber architecture was generated based on its volume fraction and orientations. …

Near-Field And Far-Field Microscopic And Spectroscopic Characterizations Of Coupled Plasmonic, Excitonic And Polymeric Materials, Chih-Feng Wang

Optical Science and Engineering ETDs

The properties of localized surface plasmons (LSP) have been broadly utilized for chemical sensing, surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy, biomedical imaging and photothermal treatments. By exploiting well-established plasmonic effects, the spectroscopic investigation of intriguing quantum phenomena, such as excitonic interband and intersubband (ISB) transitions in semiconductor heterostructures, was examined and extended in both far- and near-field optical measurements. For far-field characterization, we used colloidal plasmonic Au nanorods (AuNRs) to increase the quantum efficiency of InGaAs/GaAs single quantum well. By analyzing the temperature-dependent photoluminescence enhancement as a function of GaAs capping layer thickness, we attributed the mechanism of the LSP enhancement to …

Transport Properties And Strength Development Of Blended Cement Mortars Containing Nano-Silica, Ali Akbar Ramezanianpour, Sajjad Mirvalad, Mehrdad Mortezaei

International Conference on Durability of Concrete Structures

In the present study, the mechanical properties and durability of blended cement mortars containing nanosilica and natural pozzolans is investigated. Trass and pumice, two different Iranian natural pozzolan, are used in the experiments. For cement blends preparation, nano-silica replacement levels of 2, 3 and 4% by mass of cement was considered; each mixture contained one of the natural pozzolans with a fixed replacement percentage of 15. The Standard mortar samples were made with w/cm ratio of 0.485; the flow of all mortars ranged from 14 to 16 cm. All prepared mortars’ samples were cured in saturated limewater until the test …

Label-Free Microrna Optical Biosensors, Meimei Lai, Gymama Slaughter

Bioelectrics Publications

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play crucial roles in regulating gene expression. Many studies show that miRNAs have been linked to almost all kinds of disease. In addition, miRNAs are well preserved in a variety of specimens, thereby making them ideal biomarkers for biosensing applications when compared to traditional protein biomarkers. Conventional biosensors for miRNA require fluorescent labeling, which is complicated, time-consuming, laborious, costly, and exhibits low sensitivity. The detection of miRNA remains a big challenge due to their intrinsic properties such as small sizes, low abundance, and high sequence similarity. A label-free biosensor can simplify the assay and enable the direct detection …

Electroosmotic Flow Of Viscoelastic Fluid In A Nanochannel Connecting Two Reservoirs, Lanju Mei, Shizhi Qian

Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Faculty Publications

Electroosmotic flow (EOF) of viscoelastic fluid with Linear Phan-Thien–Tanner (LPTT) constitutive model in a nanochannel connecting two reservoirs is numerically studied. For the first time, the influence of viscoelasticity on the EOF and the ionic conductance in the micro-nanofluidic interconnect system, with consideration of the electrical double layers (EDLs), is investigated. Regardless of the bulk salt concentration, significant enhancement of the flow rate is observed for viscoelastic fluid compared to the Newtonian fluid, due to the shear thinning effect. An increase in the ionic conductance of the nanochannel occurs for the viscoelastic fluid. The enhancement of the ionic conductance is …

Preparation Of Nanostructural Mno-Porous Graphene Hybrid Material By Thermally-Driven Etching Of Mno For Lithium-Air Batteries, Juan Yang, Jun-Wei Lang, Peng Zhang, Bao Liu

Journal of Electrochemistry

In this paper, improving the surface morphology of graphene(GNSs) as designed concept. we describe a MnO/porous-graphene(MnO-PGNSs) was synthesized by a simple site-localized Mn²⁺ on GO (Mn-GO) by charge adsorption and then driving by high-temperature calcination, growing MnO nanoparticles and etching GNSs achieved on step. And Then focus on the key factors of influenced the etch hole formation are analyzed, founded the dispersion of Mn-GO; layer number of GO and calcination temperature also affected the formation of holes. In addition, the MnO-PGNSs as lithium-air battery cathode exhibits high reversible capacity compared with GNSs and PGNs and it is able to …