Digital Commons Network^™

Addressing Strain And Porosity Changes Of Battery Electrodes Due To Reversible Expansion Through Dem Simulations, Hunter Teel, Taylor R. Garrick, Srikant Srinivasan, Fengkun Wang, Yangbing Zeng, Sirivatch Shimpalee

Faculty Publications

In this work, discrete element method (DEM) simulations were used to probe changes in electrode porosity, electrode strain, and the resultant pressure changes for composite electrodes comprised of active material and binder particles. Through the results acquired by these simulations, three cases that are representative of two limiting cases for electrode operation, and one case for realistic electrode face pressure during operation were captured and the implications on design and performance are discussed. Predicting changes in the porosity is a unique insight that is difficult if not impossible to capture experimentally but is important for predicting changes in electrochemical performance …

Continuing Education For Directors Of Public Companies, Jennifer O'Hare

Faculty Publications

Directors of public companies are responsible for overseeing complex organizations in a rapidly changing business environment, but they are not required to engage in continuing education. This creates a danger that directors will not have the knowledge they need to meet the significant demands of overseeing public companies. To address this, public companies should adopt mandatory continuing education policies for their boards, and the Securities and Exchange Commission should require public companies to disclose basic information about their continuing education programs in their proxy statements.

This is the first scholarly article to address the issue of mandatory continuing education for …

Conceptualizing Space Environmental Sustainability, Weiwei Mo, Brad L. Kinsey, John Vickers, Henry Helvajian, Ioana Cozmuta, Marissa Herron, Ajay Malshe

Faculty Publications

Recent advancements have significantly enhanced the capabilities for in-space servicing, assembly, and manufacturing (ISAM), to develop infrastructure in orbit and on the surface of celestial bodies. This progress is a departure from the traditional sustainability paradigm focused solely on Earth, highlighting the urgent need to define and operationalize the concept of “space sustainability” along with the development of an evaluation framework. The expansion of human activity into space, particularly in low-earth orbit, cis-lunar space, and beyond, underscores the critical importance of considering sustainability implications. Leveraging space resources offers economic growth and sustainable development opportunities, while reducing pressure on Earth’s ecosystems. …

Conceptualizing Space Environmental Sustainability, Weiwei Mo, Brad L. Kinsey, John Vickers, Henry Helvajian, Ioana Cozmuta, Marissa Herron, Ajay Malshe

Faculty Publications

Recent advancements have significantly enhanced the capabilities for in-space servicing, assembly, and manufacturing (ISAM), to develop infrastructure in orbit and on the surface of celestial bodies. This progress is a departure from the traditional sustainability paradigm focused solely on Earth, highlighting the urgent need to define and operationalize the concept of “space sustainability” along with the development of an evaluation framework. The expansion of human activity into space, particularly in low-earth orbit, cis-lunar space, and beyond, underscores the critical importance of considering sustainability implications. Leveraging space resources offers economic growth and sustainable development opportunities, while reducing pressure on Earth’s ecosystems. …

Improvement Of Single-Crystal Structures Of Very Heavy Element Compounds By Refining Anomalous Dispersion Parameters, Florian Meurer, Gregory Morrison, Birgit Hischa, Hans Conrad Zur Loye, Christoph Hennig, Michael Bodensteiner

Faculty Publications

Refining the anomalous dispersion parameters of the four uranium compounds NaUF5, NaU2F9, Cs2(UO2)TiO4, and Cs2(UO2)Ti2O6 gave insights into the crystallographic model improvement of very heavy atoms. We found that the values for the dispersive and absorptive parts, f′ and f″, closely followed the X-ray absorption spectra on their L3, L2, and L1 edges. The obtained values are sensitive to the chemical environment at each crystallographically independent position. An incorrect treatment of the anomalous dispersion correction can lead to a wrong crystallographic model. The above-mentioned, already published structures were improved by this process. General guidelines were given for the crystal structure …

Utilisation Of The Site Assessment Energy Indices For Aquaculture In Exposed Waters: Biology, Technology, Operations And Maintenance, Kevin G. Heasman, Tyler Sclodnick, Nils Goseberg, Nicholas Scott, Michael Chambers, Tobias Dewhurst, Samuel Rickerich, Heidi Moe Føre, Bela H. Buck

Faculty Publications

When moving from a very sheltered aquaculture site to a very exposed oceanic aquaculture site, the energy increases proportionally in a continuum. Lojek et al. (in review) considered the primary influential parameters (water current, wave height, wave period, wavelength and water depth) which influence the species, structure, technology, methods, and operational aspects of any aquaculture endeavour and investigated six possible indices which cover these variables. Added to advanced computer modelling, assisted by detailed and constant environmental monitoring, it may be possible to refine site selection, structure selection and design, species selection, equipment and logistic requirements and health and safety requirements. …

Quantifying The Impact Of Microstructure Variation On Charging Capability In Lithium-Ion Batteries, Hunter Teel, Taylor R. Garrick, Mitchell A. Sepe, Joseph S. Lopata, Srikant Srinivasan, Fengkun Wang, Yangbing Zeng, Sirivatch Shimpalee

Faculty Publications

Through the use of electrochemical simulations, variation in the local onset of lithium plating can be predicted and used to set charging guidelines to reduce the risk of lithium plating. The pseudo-two-dimensional (P2D) model is typically used for capturing this behavior; however, it only provides a global lithium plating onset estimate and does not consider the local variation. With material properties translated to an average continuum value, the P2D model can simulate rapid charge and capture global onset of lithium plating. However, this model lacks the ability to resolve localized behaviors across individual components due to local non-uniformities. Our three-dimensional …

Trends In Hot Carrier Distribution For Disordered Noble-Transition Metal Alloys, Eklavya Thareja, Kevin M. Mcpeak, Phillip T. Sprunger, Ilya Vekhter, William A. Shelton

Faculty Publications

We developed and tested an approach for predicting trends for efficient hot carrier generation among disordered metal alloys. We provide a simple argument for the importance of indirect transitions in the presence of disorder, thus justifying the use of joint density of states (JDOS)-like quantities for exploring these trends. We introduce a new JDOS-like quantity, JDOSK , which heuristically accounts for longer lifetimes of quasiparticles close to the Fermi energy. To demonstrate the efficacy of this new quantity, we apply it to the study of Cu50X50 where X = Ag, Au, Pd and Y50Pd50 where Y = Au, Ni. We …

Photoactivated Cyclic Polyphthalaldehyde Microcapsules For Payload Delivery, Youngsu Shin, Jared M. Schwartz, Anthony C. Engler, Brad Jones, Oleg Davydovich, Paul A. Kohl

Faculty Publications

Microcapsules with a cyclic polyphthalaldehyde (cPPA) shell and oil core were fabricated by an emulsification process. The low ceiling temperature cPPA shell was made phototriggerable by incorporating a photoacid generator (PAG). Photoactivation of the PAG created a strong acid which catalyzed cPPA depolymerization, resulting in the release of the core payload, as quantified by 1H NMR. The high molecular weight cPPA (197 kDa) yielded uniform spherical microcapsules. The core diameter was 24.8 times greater than the cPPA shell thickness (2.4 to 21.6 μm). Nonionic bis(cyclohexylsulfonyl)diazomethane (BCSD) and N-hydroxynaphthalimide triflate (HNT) PAGs were used as the PAG in the microcapsule shells. …

Multiscale Characterization Of Dislocation Development During Cyclic Bending Under Tension In Commercially Pure Titanium, Nathan Miller, Nicholas Pitkin, Talukder Musfika Tasnim Oishi, Desmond Mensah, Marko Knezevic, Michael Miles, David Fullwood

Faculty Publications

Continuous bending under tension (CBT) has been shown to increase room temperature elongation-to-failure in various sheet metals beyond that of simple tension. A greater understanding of deformation mechanisms in CBT would allow for its elongation-enhancing effects to be more fully exploited, creating potential for new forming strategies. CBT-induced cyclic bending/unbending stresses combined with applied macroscopic tensile stresses create complex through-thickness stress profiles, where differing hardening behavior is expected near the surfaces compared with the middle of the sheet. This work uses high resolution electron backscatter diffraction characterization of geometrically necessary dislocation density together with X-ray diffraction-based evaluations of total dislocation …

Performance Of Gfrp-Confined Rubberized Engineered Cementitious Composite Columns, Mahmoud T. Nawar, Mohamed Selim, Mahmoud Zaglal, Ayman El-Zohairy

Faculty Publications

In coastal regions, the deterioration of structures and bridges due to environmental conditions and corrosion is a significant concern. To combat these issues, the use of corrosion-resistant materials like fiber-reinforced polymers (FRPs) materials, engineered cementitious composites (ECCs), and rubberized ECCs (RECC) shows promise as normal concrete (NC) alternatives by providing increased ductility and energy absorption properties. The effectiveness of confining concrete columns using GFRP tubes with ECC/RECC was assessed in this research by evaluating their performance through compression and push-out tests. The study explored key parameters such as GFRP tube thickness and the presence of shear connectors along the tube …

Building A Simplistic Automatic Extruder: Instrument Development Opportunities For The Laboratory, Stefanie Klisch, Dylan Gilbert, Emma Breaux, Aliyah Dalier, Sudipta Gupta, Bruno Jakobi, Gerald J. Schneider

Faculty Publications

This work presents an automatic extruder as a research experience for undergraduate students. The system offers a user-friendly approach to preparing vesicles, such as liposomes or polymersomes, with a defined size and polydispersity─properties crucial for research in biology and macromolecules. It comprises two syringe pumps connected by a membrane filter. The setup is controlled by software. Compared to manual extrusion, this automated system provides advantages, such as precisely controlled variables. The project describes a tool to enhance undergraduate learning in science and engineering laboratories. Building an automatic extruder serves as a simplified model of a complex industrial process. It offers …

Dominant Role Of Grazing And Snow Cover Variability On Vegetation Shifts In The Drylands Of Kazakhstan, Venkatesh Kolluru, Ranjeet John, Jiquan Chen, Preethi Konkathi, Srinivas Kolluru, Sakshi Saraf, Geoffrey M. Henebry, Jingfeng Xiao, Khushboo Jain, Maira Kussainova

Faculty Publications

Decomposing the responses of ecosystem structure and function in drylands to changes in human-environmental forcing is a pressing challenge. Though trend detection studies are extensive, these studies often fail to attribute them to potential spatiotemporal drivers. Most attribution studies use a single empirical model or a causal graph that cannot be generalized or extrapolated to larger scales or account for spatial changes and multiple independent processes. Here, we proposed and tested a multi-stage, multi-model framework that detects vegetation trends and attributes them to ten independent social-environmental system (SES) drivers in Kazakhstan (KZ). The time series segmented residual trend analysis showed …

Dominant Role Of Grazing And Snow Cover Variability On Vegetation Shifts In The Drylands Of Kazakhstan, Venkatesh Kolluru, Ranjeet John, Jiquan Chen, Preethi Konkathi, Srinivas Kolluru, Sakshi Saraf, Geoffrey M. Henebry, Jingfeng Xiao, Khushboo Jain, Maira Kussainova

Faculty Publications

Decomposing the responses of ecosystem structure and function in drylands to changes in human-environmental forcing is a pressing challenge. Though trend detection studies are extensive, these studies often fail to attribute them to potential spatiotemporal drivers. Most attribution studies use a single empirical model or a causal graph that cannot be generalized or extrapolated to larger scales or account for spatial changes and multiple independent processes. Here, we proposed and tested a multi-stage, multi-model framework that detects vegetation trends and attributes them to ten independent social-environmental system (SES) drivers in Kazakhstan (KZ). The time series segmented residual trend analysis showed …

Syntheses, Characterizations And Reactions Of Acene-2,3-Dicarbaldehydes, Glen Miller, Qian Liu

Faculty Publications

Here, we report improved syntheses, detailed characterizations and reactions of a series of acene-2,3- dicarbaldehydes including tetracene-2,3-dicarbaldehyde. DFT calculations corroborate and complement the experimental results. Tetracene-2,3-dicarbaldehyde and the benchmark organic semiconductor pentacene have isoelectronic p-systems and similar HOMO–LUMO gaps. Tetracene-2,3-dicarbaldehyde is soluble in a host of organic solvents (e.g., DMF, toluene, THF, chloroform, dichloromethane) and shows excellent photooxidative resistance in solution phases exposed to light and air. Further, it is readily sublimed from the solid-state without decomposition, and can be functionalized using different chemistries. We have demonstrated the utility of acene-2,3-dicarbaldehydes as reactants in the syntheses of novel diaryl-2,3-acenedimethanols and …

Experimental And Fe Investigations Of Backfill Cover On Large-Diameter Grp Pipes, Abdulmuttalib I. Said, Yahya Jabbar Hussein, Mohammed Hazim Mohammed, Abbas A. Allawi

Faculty Publications

This paper presents experimental investigations on buried Glass Reinforced Plastic (GRP) pipes with a diameter of 1400 mm. The tested pipes were buried in dense, gravelly sand and subjected to traffic loads to study the effects of backfill cover on pipe deflection. The experimental program included tests on three GRP pipes with backfill covers of 100 cm, 75 cm, and 50 cm. The maximum traffic loads applied to the pipe–soil system corresponded to Iraqi Truck Type 3 (AASHTO Htype). Vertical deflections of the pipes were monitored during the application of these loads. The experimental results showed that, as the backfill …

Acousto-Dielectric Tweezers Enable Independent Manipulation Of Multiple Particles, Liang Shen, Zhenhua Tian, Kaichun Yang, Joseph Rich, Jinxin Zhang, Jianping Xia, Wesley Collyer, Brandon Lu, Nanjing Hao, Zhichao Pei, Chuyi Chen, Tony Jun Huang

Faculty Publications

Acoustic tweezers have gained substantial interest in biology, engineering, and materials science for their label-free, precise, contactless, and programmable manipulation of small objects. However, acoustic tweezers cannot independently manipulate multiple microparticles simultaneously. This study introduces acousto-dielectric tweezers capable of independently manipulating multiple microparticles and precise control over intercellular distances and cyclical cell pairing and separation for detailed cell-cell interaction analysis. Our acousto-dielectric tweezers leverage the competition between acoustic radiation forces, generated by standing surface acoustic waves (SAWs), and dielectrophoretic (DEP) forces, induced by gradient electric fields. Modulating these fields allows for the precise positioning of individual microparticles at points where …

Effects Of Fluid Slip On Heat Transfer In The Thin Film Region In A Microchannel, Rama S. R. Gorla, John Brewer, Abdeel Roman

Faculty Publications

A theoretical study was undertaken to investigate the influence of interfacial slip on evaporation of a thin liquid film in a microfluidic channel. The disjoining pressure and the capillary force which drive the liquid flow at the liquid-vapor interface in thin film region are adopted. The evaporating thin film region is an extended meniscus beyond the apparent contact line at a liquid/solid interface. Thin film evaporation plays a key role in a highly efficient heat pipe. Slip length was found to affect the heat transfer in the microchannel by altering the thin film geometry.

Enhancing Crossflow Dynamics Through The Gas Injection From Multiple Cylinders, Sahrish B. Naqvi, Sadia Siddiqa, Maciej Matyka, Rama S. R. Gorla, Md. Mamum Molla

Faculty Publications

We investigate unsteady, two-dimensional laminar fluid flow around cylinders, focusing on understanding the impact of injecting methane gas through two diametrically opposite arcs on the cylinder in the crossflow of the second fluid. This study encompasses applications in mixing and dispersion, which are crucial in various technological and natural processes. Our analysis addresses velocity field’s contribution to the spatiotemporal distribution of transported quantities. We observed that mixing induces a transition from laminar to turbulent flow. Depending on the injected-to-crossflow velocity ratios, the wake vortices downstream of cylinder arrays separate from or connect to the injected gas. This phenomenon significantly impacts …

Why Are There So Many Definitions Of Eutrophication?, Alexandrine Pannard, Philippe Souchu, Christian Chauvin, Monique Delabuis, Chantal Gascuel-Odoux, Erik Jeppesen, Morgane Le Moal, Alain Ménesguen, Gilles Pinay, Nancy N. Rabalais, Yves Souchon, Elisabeth M. Gross

Faculty Publications

Because of the first observations in the 1900s of the oligotrophic and eutrophic states of lakes, researchers have been interested in the process that makes lakes become turbid because of high phytoplankton biomass. Definitions of eutrophication have multiplied and diversified since the mid-20th century, more than for any other ecological process. Reasons for the high number of definitions might be that the former ones did not sufficiently describe their causes and/or consequences. Global change is bringing eutrophication more into the spotlight than ever, highlighting the need to find consensus on a common definition, or at least to explain and clarify …

Using Loss-On-Ignition To Estimate Total Nitrogen Content Of Mangrove Soils, Havalend E. Steinmuller, Joshua L. Breithaupt, André S. Rovai, Kevin M. Engelbert, Joseph M. Smoak, Lisa G. Chambers, Kara R. Radabaugh, Ryan P. Moyer, Amanda Chappel, Derrick R. Vaughn, Thomas S. Bianchi, Robert R. Twilley, Paulo R. Pagliosa, Miguel Cifuentes-Jara, Danilo Torres

Faculty Publications

Loss-on-ignition (LOI) has been widely used to estimate soil organic carbon (OC) content for coastal wetland soils, owing to recent interest in ‘blue carbon’ systems. Comparatively less attention has been paid to soil nutrient retention, specifically total nitrogen (TN), despite being a historically limited resource that influences C cycling and aquatic ecosystem health. A single conversion equation is available to estimate soil TN content from LOI, derived from salt marshes. This study investigated the utility of creating TN conversion equations from LOI data for application in mangrove soils to improve global understanding of their role in TN interception and sequestration. …

Magnetic Sensor Compensation Utilizing Factor Graph Estimation, Frederic W. Lathrop, Clark N. Taylor, Aaron Nielsen

Faculty Publications

Recently, there has been significant interest in the ability to navigate without GPS using the magnetic anomaly field of the Earth (magnav). One of the key technical bottlenecks to achieving magnav is obtaining an accurate magnetic sensor calibration, taking into account own-ship and sensor effects. The Tolles-Lawson magnetic calibration method continues to be the industry standard and was developed when airborne magnetic survey aircraft were first employed over 70 years ago. In this paper, we present a magnetic calibration algorithm based on a factor graph optimization using inertial measurements as well as inputs from both a vector and scalar magnetometer. …

Solubilization Of Paclitaxel With Natural Compound Rubusoside Toward Improving Oral Bioavailability In A Rodent Model, Jian Zhang, Jicheng Shu, Rhett W. Stout, Paul S. Russo, Zhijun Liu

Faculty Publications

Paclitaxel, which features low water solubility and permeability, is an efflux pump substrate. The current paclitaxel drugs are given intravenously after resolving the solubility issue. Yet, oral delivery to achieve therapeutic bioavailability is not effective due to low absorption. This study evaluated a natural compound, rubusoside, to improve oral bioavailability in an animal model. Free paclitaxel molecules were processed into nano-micelles formed in water with rubusoside. The particle size of the nano-micelles in water was determined using dynamic light scattering. The oral bioavailability of paclitaxel in nano-micelles was determined against Cremophor/alcohol-solubilized Taxol after oral and intravenous administration to pre-cannulated Sprague …

Activity And Selectivity In The Electrochemical Reduction Of Co2 At Cusnx Electrocatalysts Using A Zero-Gap Membrane Electrode Assembly, Monsuru Dauda, John Hendershot, Mustapha Bello, Junghyun Park, Alvaro Loaiza Orduz, Orhan Kizilkaya, Phillip Sprunger, Anthony Engler, Koffi Yao, Craig Plaisance, John Flake

Faculty Publications

In this study Cu, Sn, and bimetallic CuSnx nanoparticles were synthesized and evaluated as electrocatalysts for CO2 reduction using zero gap membrane electrode assemblies. Results show bimetallic electrocatalysts with Sn contents above 10% yield formate as a primary product with Faradaic Efficiencies near 70% at 350 mA cm−2. Cu-Snx electrocatalysts with less than 10% Sn yield CO at current densities below 350 mA cm−2 and relatively lower cell potentials. When the low-Sn content bimetallic electrocatalysts were evaluated in alkaline anolytes at 350 mA cm−2, ethanol was recorded as the primary product (FE = 48.5% at Ecell ≥ 3.0 V). We …

An Adaptive Nonlinear Least-Squares Finite Element Method For A Pucci Equation In Two Dimensions, Susanne C. Brenner, Li Yeng Sung, Zhiyu Tan

Faculty Publications

We present an adaptive nonlinear least-squares finite element method for a two dimensional Pucci equation. The efficiency of the method is demonstrated by a numerical experiment.

Boron Neutron Capture Therapy Of Cancer: Where Do We Stand Now?, Rolf F. Barth, Gong Wu, Maria Da Graca H. Vicente, John C. Grecula, Nilendu Gupta

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Response Of The First Polar-2 Prototype To Polarized Beams, Merlin Kole, Nicolas De Angelis, Ana Bacelj, Franck Cadoux, Agnieszka Elwertowska, Johannes Hulsman, Hancheng Li, Grzegorz Łubian, Tomasz Kowalski, Gilles Koziol, Agnieszka Pollo, Nicolas Produit, Dominik Rybka, Adrien Stil, Jianchao Sun, Xin Wu, Kacper Zezuliński, Shuang-Nan Zhang

Faculty Publications

POLAR-2 is a dedicated gamma-ray polarimeter currently foreseen to be launched towards the China Space Station around 2027. The design of the detector is based on the legacy of its predecessor mission POLAR which was launched in 2016. POLAR-2 aims to measure the polarization of the Gamma-ray Burst prompt emission within the 30–800 keV energy range. Thanks to its high sensitivity to gamma-ray polarization, as well as its large effective area, POLAR-2 will provide the most precise measurements of this type to date. Such measurements are key to improve our understanding of the astrophysical processes responsible for Gamma-Ray Bursts. The …

Response Of The First Polar-2 Prototype To Polarized Beams, Merlin Kole, Nicolas De Angelis, Ana Bacelj, Franck Cadoux, Agnieszka Elwertowska, Johannes Hulsman, Hancheng Li, Grzegorz Łubian, Tomasz Kowalski, Gilles Koziol, Agnieszka Pollo, Nicolas Produit, Dominik Rybka, Adrien Stil, Jianchao Sun, Xin Wu, Kacper Zezuliński, Shuang-Nan Zhang

Faculty Publications

POLAR-2 is a dedicated gamma-ray polarimeter currently foreseen to be launched towards the China Space Station around 2027. The design of the detector is based on the legacy of its predecessor mission POLAR which was launched in 2016. POLAR-2 aims to measure the polarization of the Gamma-ray Burst prompt emission within the 30–800 keV energy range. Thanks to its high sensitivity to gamma-ray polarization, as well as its large effective area, POLAR-2 will provide the most precise measurements of this type to date. Such measurements are key to improve our understanding of the astrophysical processes responsible for Gamma-Ray Bursts. The …

Learning Nonlinear Dynamics In Synchronization Of Knowledge-Based Leader-Following Networks, Shimin Wang, Xiangyu Meng, Hongwei Zhang, Frank L. Lewis

Faculty Publications

Knowledge-based leader-following synchronization of heterogeneous nonlinear multi-agent systems is a challenging problem since the leader's dynamic information is unknown to any follower node. This paper proposes a learning-based fully distributed observer for a class of nonlinear leader systems, which can simultaneously learn the leader's dynamics and states. This class of leader dynamics is rather general and does not require a bounded Jacobian matrix. Based on this learning-based distributed observer, we further synthesize an adaptive distributed control law for solving the leader-following synchronization problem of multiple Euler–Lagrange systems subject to an uncertain nonlinear leader system. The results are illustrated by a …

Lipids To The Rescue In Pulmonary Fibrosis: Biosynthesis, Bioenergetics, Or Epigenetics?, Manas Ranjan Gartia, Victor J. Thannickal

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.