Digital Commons Network^™

Electrochemical Reduction Of Carbon Dioxide Using A Tethered Catalyst System Prepared Through Click Chemistry, Iaroslavna Kovalenko

Departmental Honors & Graduate Capstone Projects

One way to electrochemically reduce CO₂ is to use modified electrode surfaces with bound transition-metal electrocatalysts. Optimal conditions for modifying copper surfaces with (2-azidoethyl) phosphonic acid in acetone have been identified for forming a self-assembled monolayer (SAM) via the tethering by aggregation and growth (T-BAG) method. The subsequently formed phosphonate film on the copper surfaces protects the modified electrodes from oxidation or side reactions on the copper. A copper-catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition (CuAAC) click reaction between the terminal azide group on the phosphonate and a synthesized terpyridine ligand with the necessary terminal alkyne substituent has been successfully carried out on …

Three Essays In Political Economy, Thomas Ryan Johnson

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

Markets, institutions, and borders shape political behavior. Geography influences why markets form, how institutions flourish, and where nations draw borders. As a consequence, empirical studies of political behavior frequently struggle to disentangle spatial effects from quantities of interest. This dissertation makes a methodological advancement in this problem area and conducts a spatial study with these concerns in mind. The dissertation studies bias in spatial regressions, how natural disasters impact political participation, and the political economy of espionage. It introduces a flexible machine learning methodology to mitigate bias in spatial regressions, it identifies spatial and demographic factors associated with changes to …

Cultivating The Dream In African American Men Through Black Excellence And Success, Sylvia Lawan Branch

LMU Theses and Dissertations

Achieving Black Excellence has been a goal for African American men for several decades; yet this movement has been hindered by social, emotional, and discriminatory life experiences from early childhood through adulthood. Black Excellence has been a phrase used in recent years to highlight achievements for African American men in wealth, mental health, well-being, fatherhood, and academic achievement. The main objective of this dissertation was to define and examine dimensions of Black Excellence among African American men, including elements that contributed to personal fulfillment and broader social impact. To determine recommendations to achieve Black Excellence (Scott, 2017), 10 semistructured interviews …

Wavetable Modification In Frequency Domain: Fourier Analysis With Matlab Implementation, Caleb Kortens

Senior Honors Theses

One of the challenges in creating computer generated music is producing life-like sounds. Music produced through computer synthesis can often sound thin and synthetic rather than vibrant and energetic. Wavetable synthesis is a method of waveform generation that uses a wavetable, which is a set of single period waves, or frames, that have varying characteristics. This method allows a synthesizer to transition between waveforms to produce a sound with time varying tone and harmonic characteristics. This adds life and movement to computer generated sounds. Wavetable synthesis is often used to imitate actual instruments, but unique wavetables can be created that …

Theoretical Study Of Electronic Properties Of Functionalized Monolayers: Cu, Ag, Au, And Pt Atomic Wires On Graphene, H-Bn Monolayer, Silicene, And Phosphorene, Mythreyee T. Aasuri, Mukesh K. Choudhary, Narender Kumar, Ravindra Pandey

Michigan Tech Publications

The structural and electronic properties of graphene, h-BN monolayer, silicene, and phosphorene monolayers functionalized with Cu, Ag, Au, and Pt atomic wires were investigated using van der Waals─corrected density functional theory. These atomic wires form stable, functionalized monolayers that exhibit physisorption on planar monolayers and chemisorption on nonplanar ones. This results in either linear or bent configurations of the atomic wires, depending on the interface strength, leading to distinct electronic states. A weaker interface induces metal-induced gap states near the Fermi level, whereas a stronger interface results in covalently hybridized states farther from the Fermi level. Analysis of the electron …

Students Receive Prestigious National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowships, Beth Potier, Brooks Payette, Derek Edry

UNH Today Archive

No abstract provided.

Moving Biology Education Forward, Mark Wanner

UNH Today Archive

No abstract provided.

Improved Simulation, Bayesian Estimation, Phase Activation, And Non-Cartesian Reconstruction In Fmri, John Bodenschatz

Dissertations (1934 -)

In fMRI it is desirable to obtain images with high contrast and low noise at a high spatio-temporal resolution. Doing so allows for a more reliable assessment of capturing brain dynamics in higher detail. Many techniques have been employed and tested to collect more images per unit of time and/or increase spatial resolution, while maintaining a high quality image. This has been done using in-plane and through-plane acceleration with promising results (SENSE, GRAPPA, CAIPIRINHA, CAIPIVAT). Following a description of work done towards a unified fMRI simulation software package, this dissertation will present work towards three methods to enhance fMRI time …

Boolean Rank Via Monomial Ideals And Neural Ideals, Juliann Marie Geraci

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

This dissertation develops new connections between Boolean matrix factorization, combinatorial neural codes, and commutative algebra. The central goal is to understand how structural and algebraic invariants can be used to measure and bound complexity in discrete data. We begin by studying the Boolean matrix factorization (BMF) problem, which seeks to express a binary matrix as a product over the Boolean semiring with minimal inner dimension, known as the Boolean rank. By interpreting binary matrices as bipartite graphs, we relate Boolean rank to biclique covers and introduce algebraic techniques to study this quantity. We associate to a matrix its edge ideal …

Molecular Catalysts For Electrochemical Nitrogen Activation Toward Sustainable Ammonia Synthesis, Jin-Xiu Han, Hao Xue, Xian-Biao Fu

Journal of Electrochemistry

Homogeneous electrocatalytic nitrogen reduction reaction (NRR) provides a powerful framework to interrogate molecular nitrogen-fixation pathways under mild conditions. By tuning the metal center, ligand architecture, and reaction medium, these systems enable capturing key intermediates and delivering mechanistic insight at the molecular-level resolution. Nevertheless, advances remain constrained by highly reduced operating potentials, intense competition from the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), limited durability in turnover, and inadequate long-term stability.

In this review, we take electron delivery to the molecular active site as the guiding principle for organizing homogeneous electrochemical N₂ activation and transformation. We classify reported systems into direct electron transfer …

Water-Driven Solid Electrolyte Interphase Governs Continuous-Flow Ammonia Electrosynthesis, Peng-Bo Liu, Sheng-Liang Zhai, Ji Huang, Zhong-Shuo Zhang, Jie Zeng, Shao-Feng Li

Journal of Electrochemistry

Flow-cell architectures have emerged as a powerful platform for continuous and stable lithium-mediated nitrogen reduction (Li-NRR), enabling ambient-condition electrochemical ammonia synthesis and offering a promising alternative to Haber-Bosch processes. However, Li-NRR is exceptionally sensitive to trace water, and even minor variations in water content can profoundly alter interfacial chemistry. Here, we systematically investigate how initial water concentration affects Li-NRR performance in a continuous-flow cell. Excess water drives the formation of a thick solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) layer, which may impede nitrogen access to metallic lithium and hinder lithium-ion transport. As a result, the ammonia Faradaic efficiency collapses from ~61% to …

Insertion Of Noble Metal Free Cathodic Catalyst Layer With Fe-N-C Catalyst For Boosted Performance Of Pemfc, Shi Zhou, Muhammad Tariq, Asif Nadeem Tabish, Muhammad Salman, Fan-Di Ning, Muhammad Rayyan Tayyab, Ran-Ran Peng, Meng-Geng Hao, Wen-Mu Li, Xiao-Chun Zhou

Journal of Electrochemistry

Economical Fe-N-C catalysts are considered as promising alternatives to platinum group metal catalysts for proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs). Despite exhibiting robust activity on rotating disk electrodes, their performance within membrane electrode assemblies often experiences limitations, such as decreased O₂ diffusion, high H₂O₂ formation, low proton conduction, and a lower electron transfer number. In this study, key factors, including proton transport, electron conduction, and gas diffusion within air-breathing PEMFCs, have been investigated by adjusting cathode catalyst layer (CCL) compositions. From the experimental results, the optimal peak power density was obtained when the loading of Fe-N-C …

Spartan Daily, April 28, 2026, San Jose State University, School Of Journalism And Mass Communications

Spartan Daily, 2026

Volume 166, Issue 38

Lake Sturgeon (Acipenser Fulvescens) Growth And Longevity Estimated From Adult Capture-Mark-Recapture Data, Edward A. Baker, Scott F. Colborne, Nancy A. Auer, Kim T. Scribner, Douglas L. Larson, Andrew S. Briggs, Ronald M. Bruch, Margaret H. Stadig, Michael C. Donofrio

Michigan Tech Publications

Effective fishery management policy depends on accurate life-history data, particularly for harvested species. Longevity is a core life-history trait that is directly related to annual survival and lifetime reproductive potential, but fish longevity is generally not well documented, particularly for long-lived species. We used capture-mark-recapture data spanning 44 years as an alternative method to estimate sex-specific adult lake sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens) average annual growth and longevity for five populations in the Laurentian Great Lakes. We determined individual fish average annual growth and fit population and sex-specific exponential lines for average annual growth as a function of fish length at initial …

Butte Priority Soils Operable Unit (Bpsou) Final Unreclaimed Sites Field Sampling Plan (Fsp) Package #7: Ur-01, Ur-12, Ur-03, Ur-04, Ur-15, And Ur-17 Amendment, Mike Mcanulty

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Cognition Is Not Content: A Structural Account Of Processing Conditions, Griselda Poe

Publications and Research

Human cognition has been described in terms of content. This description becomes insufficient once artificial systems make output observable apart from subject attribution, intention, and relational context. Under this contrast condition, what becomes visible is a layered structure in which output, reconstruction, evaluation, and termination do not necessarily coincide. The same input may register as complete under one processing condition while remaining unresolved under another. This separability means that content-based description does not merely omit an additional variable: it can mislocate a processing difference as a difference in meaning, personality, intention, ability, or attitude. This is not a proposal for …

Academic Senate - Agenda, 04/28/2026, Academic Senate

Academic Senate Agendas

No abstract provided.

Final Insufficiently Reclaimed Sites Quality Assurance Project Plan (Qapp), Pioneer Technical Services, Inc.

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Final Unreclaimed Sites Quality Assurance Project Plan (Qapp), Pioneer Technical Services, Inc.

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

The Importance Of Play-Based Learning, Nina Cavanaugh

Masters Projects

Play-based learning is a beneficial tool that can help support development of not only young children but students of all ages and abilities. While research may show that play-based learning has benefits for students’ development, many schools in the United States, including public schools in Macomb County do not have professional development opportunities to educate teachers on play-based learning. This project covers the benefits, theories, and implementation strategies of play-based learning. It explains how play-based learning can be beneficial for students cognitive and academic skills.  It also supports social emotional development, physical development, and language development. Not only does play-based …

Risk Of Alzheimer Dementia After High-Dose Vs Standard-Dose Influenza Vaccination, Avram Samuel Bukhbinder, Yaobin Ling, Lauren Jhin, Elizabeth He, Kristofer Harris, Mya Rodriguez, Jenna Thomas, Gabriela Cruz, Kamal Phelps, Yejin Kim, Luyao Chen, Xiaoqian Jiang, Paul E Schulz

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background and objectives: Previous studies, including large cohort analyses comparing vaccinated and unvaccinated adults, suggest that routine immunizations such as inactivated influenza vaccines (IIVs) may reduce Alzheimer dementia (AD) risk. Whether AD risk differs after high-dose IIV (H-IIV) vs standard-dose IIV (S-IIV) remains unexamined. We hypothesized that AD risk would be lower among adults ≥65 years after H-IIV compared with S-IIV.

Methods: This retrospective cohort study analyzed data spanning 2014-2019 from IQVIA PharMetrics Plus for Academics, a US health care claims database. Eligible participants were ≥65 years with ≥2 years of continuous medical and pharmaceutical coverage and no previous diagnostic …

A Novel Electrochemical Sensor Based On A Pencil Graphite Electrode Modified Mno2 For Detection Of Pb2+ Metal Ion In Water Samples, Rahmi Wahyuni, Trisna Kumala Sari

Baghdad Science Journal

This research aims to develop an ion Pb²⁺ sensor and determine the optimal conditions for testing Pb²⁺ ions using an MnO₂/PGE modified electrode with the voltammetric method. In this study, the Pencil Graphite Electrode (PGE) was modified using MnO₂ through drop-casting. Next, the optimization of the electrode was carried out by varying the supporting electrolyte type, voltammetric technique, and supporting electrolyte concentration. The results showed that the modified electrode (MnO₂/PGE) provided a better response for Pb²⁺ detection compared to the unmodified electrode (PGE). The optimal experimental conditions were found to be 0.1 …

Docking-Based Virtual Screening Of Bisbenzylisoquinoline Derivatives From Stephania Genus Against Hepatocellular Carcinoma, Aulia Syahfitri, Denny Satria, Poppy Anjelisa Zaitun Hasibuan, Jane Melita Keliat, Syukur Berkat Waruwu, Choo Yeun-Mun

Baghdad Science Journal

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common and aggressive subtypes of liver cancer. It has a poor prognosis, a high rate of recurrence and shows limited response to current therapies. In order to combat this condition, the use of natural products as multitarget anticancer agents is gaining momentum. In this study, we investigated the medicinal value of bisbenzylisoquinoline (BBI) alkaloids from the Stephania genus via an integrative in silico approach. Due to their improved pharmacokinetic profiles and expected low toxicity, we chose 11 BBI derivatives. Network pharmacology analysis revealed 334 overlapped targets between the compounds and HCC. Functional …

Complexity Of The Zero Set Of A Matrix Schubert Ideal, Cesar Julian Meza

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

T-varieties are normal varieties equipped with an action of an algebraic torus T. When the action is effective, the complexity of a T-variety X is dim(X)−dim(T). Matrix Schubert varieties, introduced by Fulton in 1992, are T-varieties consisting of n×n matrices satisfying certain constraints on the ranks of their submatrices. In this dissertation, we focus on the complexity of certain torus-fixed affine subvarieties of matrix Schubert varieties. Concretely, given a matrix Schubert variety X_w where w∈S_n, we study the complexity of Y_w obtained by the decomposition X_w = Y_w ×C^k with k as large as possible. Building on results by Escobar–Mészáros …

Finiteness Of Torsion Loci And Normal Functions Arising From Cycles On Hadamard Products, Devin Akman

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

The unifying theme of this dissertation is normal functions. In the first chapter, we study an invariant of knot exteriors and similar manifolds called the A-polynomial through the lens of vanishing loci of normal functions. Using a special case of the Zilber-Pink conjecture, proven in the second chapter, we show that only finitely many irreducible Laurent polynomials of bounded overgenus appear as factors of A-polynomials. In the third chapter, we construct normal functions from hypergeometric variations of Hodge structure and compute their regulators. Finally, we determine under which conditions incomplete motivic cohomology cycles on families complete to cycles on their …

Exactly Solving One-Dimensional Models For The Fractional Quantum Hall Effect, Joseph R. Cruise

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

Nearly fifty years after its experimental debut, the quantum hall effect has produced perhaps more unique descriptions than any other subject of condensed matter physics. From topological band theory to non-commutative geometry, topological and conformal field theories, random matrix models and more, each approach captures a subset of the essential features, and compliments the others to produce a beautiful mosaic description. In this thesis, we revisit the fractional quantum hall (FQH) effect from its oldest vantage point, that of the trial wavefunctions and the parent Hamiltonians which stabilize them. Laughlin's observation of the importance of the theory of holomorphic functions …

On Time-Series Analysis By Structured Matrix Decompositions With Applications To Signal Direction-Of-Arrival Estimation, Georgios Ierotheos Orfanidis

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2020 - Present

Modern autonomous systems operating in highly dynamic, non-stationary environments require reliable inference from short, potentially corrupted time-series measurements, where conventional statistical methods relying on large-sample support and stationarity assumptions become fundamentally inapplicable. This dissertation develops a unified, model-free theoretical framework for time-series analysis, with a particular application to signal Direction-of-Arrival (DoA) estimation, grounded in structured matrix decompositions under both the L2-norm and L1-norm formulations.

We first approach the problem from a conventional viewpoint by carrying out standard matrix analysis directly on Hankel-structured representations of time-series data. In this context, we demonstrate that L1-norm decompositions of Hankel matrices offer strong resistance …

Probing Composition Effects On The Intrinsic Energetics Of Proton Transfer In Binary (Hcl)M(H2o)N Clusters, Max R. Tucker, Sarah N. Arradondo, Olivia M. Longsworth, George C. Shields, Gregory S. Tschumper

Chemistry Faculty Research & Creative Works

This work examines the effects on intrinsic energetics as the composition of finite (HCl)_m(H₂O)n cluster families containing at least one water molecule is changed at the molecular level, where m ≥ 2 and m + n = 4 − 6, and the associated (Cl⁻)_x(H₃O⁺)_x(HCl)_m−x(H₂O)_n−x clusters resulting from the dissociation of x HCl fragments via proton transfer (PT). They are collectively labeled m:n, and xPT indicates the degree of dissociation, from 0PT (no dissociation) up to 3PT. More than 1000 unique minima …

A Comparative Study Of Tin Electrorefining In Molten Licl–Kcl–Cacl₂: Experimental Two-Electrode Current Control And Theoretical Three-Electrode Potential Control, Bryant Johnson, George Ankrah, Ander Fuller, Devin Rappleye

Reviews, Analyses, and Instructional Studies in Electrochemistry (RAISE)

Molten salt electrorefining is a mature technology for metal recovery, yet conventional current‑controlled, two‑electrode operation provides limited electrochemical selectivity and restricted insight into electrode‑specific behavior. In this work, a simplified model is developed to compare current‑controlled two‑electrode electrorefining data with a potential‑controlled three‑electrode electrorefining simulation using tin in molten LiCl–KCl–CaCl₂ as a surrogate for plutonium processing. The model examines anodic and cathodic limitations under fixed‑potential operation and evaluates implications for selectivity, efficiency, and runtime relative to experimentally demonstrated two‑electrode performance. Results indicate that independent potential control enables operation closer to thermodynamic selectivity limits, with the potential to suppress impurity oxidation …

Electroanalytical Characterization And Applications Of Two Novel Cells Developed Specifically For Screen-Printed Electrodes, Issa Adeeb Waswas

Thesis/ Dissertation Defenses

The present thesis describes the development and electroanalytical characterization of two novel cells intended to extend the use of screen-printed electrode chips (SPECs) to applications that are not readily accommodated by currently available cell designs. There are two main objectives for this thesis: first, to redesign the previously described universal batch cell (UBC) into an enhanced format with simpler operation, wider applicability, and quantitative hydrodynamic behavior comparable to that of the rotating disc electrode (RDE); and second, to construct a compact eight-channel batch cell for simultaneous voltammetric applications in unstirred solutions. To achieve these objectives, the Enhanced Universal Batch Cell …