Engineering Commons^™

Atom Probe Tomography Investigation Of Gas And Solid Fission Product Superlattice In Neutron Irradiated U-10 Wt.% Mo Fuel, Maalavan Arivu, Andrew Hoffman, Anish Ranjan, Assel Aitkaliyeva, Yaqiao Wu, Brandon Miller, Mukesh Bachhav, Dennis Keiser, Jian Gan, Haiming Wen

Materials Science and Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Body-centered cubic structured γ U-Mo fuels have been developed for high performance research reactors. The formation of Xe gas bubble superlattice (GBS) in irradiated U-Mo fuels reduces the volumetric swelling of the fuels. In this study, atom probe tomography (APT) was used to measure the characteristics of the Xe GBS, including chemical composition, number density, and volume fraction of the gas bubbles, as well as the characteristics of the solid fission products, in neutron irradiated U-10 wt.% Mo fuel. It was found that in the bubbles (∼2 nm in diameter) that form the GBS are enriched with Xe with depletion …

In-Operando Imaging For Mechanistic Insights And Process Optimization In The Biofuel-Driven Combustion Synthesis Of Cement And Precursor Phases, Shubham Agrawal, Jeffrey J. Long, Aditya Kumar, Narayanan Neithalath

Materials Science and Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Biofuel-based combustion synthesis (BCS) is a promising low-carbon pathway for decarbonizing cement production, providing an alternative to the fossil-fuel-driven clinkering process typically conducted at ∼1450 °C. Understanding microscale combustion mechanisms is essential to efficiently transfer biofuel-generated heat to cement precursors for targeted phase formation. Unlike previous studies focusing on macro-scale parameters such as fuel content/type, porosity, and holding temperature, this work provides mechanistic insights into microscale combustion behavior, linking microstructural phenomena with macro-scale processing conditions to guide parameter optimization. In-operando microscale imaging was employed to examine combustion wave propagation, spatio-temporal temperature evolution, and microstructural transformations within reactive pellets. Two combustion …

A Maintenance-Aware Machine Learning Framework For Network-Level Highway Pavement Condition Prediction, Jin Hwan Kim, Guk Gon Song, Youngguk Seo

Faculty Articles

This study develops and validates maintenance-aware machine learning models for predicting the Highway Pavement Condition Index (HPCI) on the Korean expressway network. Multiple regression and tree-based models were trained and tested using the pavement condition surveys archived in the Highway Pavement Management System (HPMS). A stacking regressor that integrates random forest, gradient boosting, and extreme gradient boosting as base learners exhibited the most robust predictions. Performance metrics indicated that the stacking ensemble achieved a mean absolute error of 0.21, a root mean square error of 0.31, and a coefficient of determination exceeding 0.73 on the testing dataset. Also, the residuals …

Interplay Between Phase Instability And Deformation Mechanisms In Beta Titanium Alloys In Aggressive Environments, Benjamin Elbrecht

All Dissertations

Modern designs, such as commercial jet turbines, are reliant on the high temperature performance of their constituent materials. Improvements to the strength-at-temperature of materials are critical to the continued advancement of efficiency and payload capacity in these advanced applications. This dissertation presents studies that progress towards this goal through the construction of a new experimental setup for complex temperature and force profiles that also accurately captures deformation behavior through non-contact measurements. Using this setup, studies into two specialty titanium alloys were executed: discovering the microscopic mechanisms responsible for the macroscale behavior and testing in conditions closely replicating aircraft turbine operating …

The Influence Of Composition On Porosity And Strength In Planetary Analog Saline Ices, Tara C. Tomlinson

Dartmouth College Ph.D Dissertations

This thesis investigates how composition influences the physical structure and mechanical behavior of saline ice, with implications for both terrestrial sea ice and the ice shells of ocean worlds such as Europa and Enceladus. This is done through a multi-pronged approach of both numerical modeling and laboratory experiments. Modeling results re- veal that small-scale parameter variations in porosity, permeability, and permeability fac- tor may produce large discrepancies when extrapolated to planetary scales, underscoring the need for improved experimental constraints on pore connectivity and thermochemical conditions. Laboratory analyses show that while total porosity is relatively uniform with depth, it varies strongly …

The Impact Of People Interests In Evaluating The Open Public Spaces' Quality In The City Centre, Hasan Hadi, Adil Al-Saidi, Haitham Alshamari

HBRC Journal

The quality of open public spaces in city centres significantly affects people's satisfaction and responses to their built environment. The significance of these areas allow people to assess their performance. this paper addresses the issue of People's interests that affect their evaluation of public urban spaces in city centres. The research applied an ontological methodology that is people's experiences determine the spatial quality of the public spaces in city centres. In order to discover and assess the seven value variables, it recommended diagnosing a random sample of users as a group (A) and (B). The urban space in the historic …

Optimized Bombax Ceiba/Jute Hybrid Epoxy Composites For Enhanced Thermal Insulation Performance, Shadman Ahmed Khan, Naeem Ahmmed, Md Tanvir Hossain, Abdullah Ibn Asheque, Md Ariful Islam, Md Abdul Kader, Md Sohel Rana, Sakib Masud

Michigan Tech Publications

The development of sustainable hybrid natural-fiber composites provides a practical way toward lightweight materials with tailored mechanical and thermal performance. In this study, Bombax ceiba (BC)/jute hybrid epoxy composites were fabricated using a stacked preform followed by compression molding, and the effect of fiber blending ratio on mechanical, thermal, and microstructural properties was systematically investigated. Three compositions-40/60, 50/50, and 60/40 BC/jute by weight-were evaluated. Mechanical testing showed that the J50 composite, with a balanced fiber ratio, exhibited superior flexural strength and impact resistance, indicating effective hybrid synergy and improved stress transfer between fibers and the matrix. Thermogravimetric analysis showed that …

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 …

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 …

Low-Velocity Impact Behavior Of Reinforced Commodity And High-Performance Thermoplastic Composites, Yubo Ma

Research & Creative Achievement Day

The low velocity impact behavior and compression after impact performance of glass fiber reinforced polyethylene terephthalate glycol (GF/PETG), glass fiber reinforced amorphous polyethylene terephthalate (GF/PETa), and carbon fiber reinforced polyether ether ketone (CF/PEEK) thermoplastic composites were investigated to compare impact resistance across different material properties and cost levels. Quasi-isotropic laminates were fabricated by compression molding and subjected to drop weight impact at energy levels of 10, 15, and 20 J/mm, followed by compression after impact testing in accordance with ASTM D7136M and D7137 standards. Impact force response, energy absorption characteristics, and damage development were evaluated to assess material behavior under …

Growing Large Single And Multi-Crystals From Alum Powder, Owen Paulson, Mayra G. Aguilar, Owen T. Maloney, Kole C. Koehler

Research & Creative Achievement Day

Crystal growth science is used to replicate the growth of crystals that form in nature. Channels of hot fluid with concentrations of minerals created the crystals found as gemstones. At low concentrations, no crystal grows. At high concentrations, a multitude of crystals grow. At the ideal concentration, a single, clear crystal grows. Four solution concentrations were used to create seed crystals. Those Alum seed crystals were attached to a string and suspended in various concentrations of Alum solution to find concentrations that create no crystal, a single crystal, and a multi-crystal.

Growing Alum Crystals, Todd Carroll, Daniela Gutierrez Rubio, Kevin Dang, Samuel J. Whempner

Research & Creative Achievement Day

One of the easiest crystal growth experiments uses Alum powder to dissolve in water. The dissolved material slowly forms with seed crystals to create larger crystals. As the dissolved material is depleted, more is added to continue the crystal growth. Four different concentrations were used for seed crystal growth. Those crystals were attached to a string and hung in a bath of Alum solution. Different strategies were used to grow crystals and in some cases dissolve crystals.

Growing Alum Crystals, Jackson A. Struhar, Alexis M. Freiboth, Ana N. Schneider

Research & Creative Achievement Day

Alum, also known as Potash, is used to can pickles. Alum powder was used to create seed crystals. The seed crystal was hung in a jar submerged in distilled water with alum powder dissolved to attempt to grow an Alum crystal over the Spring semester. Three different concentrations were used to determine changes associated with crystal growth and quality. Numerous strategies were employed throughout the semester as growth methods worked and did not work.

Growing Large Alum Crystals, Wyatt N. Laborde, Will Gunderson, Kyle R. Behrens

Research & Creative Achievement Day

Alum forms a colorless cubic crystal that can grow to the size of a small apple over the span of 2-3 months of growth in a concentrated solution. Many different seed crystal solutions were used to obtain large clear seed crystals. The best seed crystal was attached to a string and suspended in various concentrations of Alum solution to allow for the seed crystal to grow into a large crystal. By monitoring the weight of the crystal, the solution concentration was adjusted for optimum growth.

Design And Fabrication Of A Composite Torpedo Baseball Bat, Peyton A. Lee, Carter Mathison, Jaden J. Schwantz, Noah Misukanis, Cole V. Stalberger

Research & Creative Achievement Day

Observing current trends in Major League Baseball, there has been increasing interest in torpedo-style wood bats due to their unique weight distribution. Unlike traditional bat geometries, the torpedo design shifts more weight toward the hands, improving balance and allowing for greater control throughout the swing. This project applies the same concept using composite materials so that high school and college players can also have access to this design innovation. The proposed bat is constructed from carbon fiber reinforced polymer with an epoxy resin to create a lightweight and durable structure. The design aims to maintain the performance benefits of the …

Cast In Steel: Horseman's Axe, Sam A. Morris

Create@State

Cast in Steel is a competition between universities across North America started by the Steel Founders Society of America. The competition is centered around giving students the opportunity to learn about casting and the steel industry in general. A prompt of a weapon or tool with some level of historical significance is given to all the teams. The prompt for the 2026 Arkansas State University team, was a Horseman’s Axe. The team designed their rendition of a horseman’s axe, worked with Southern Cast Products as their local industry parter, and fabricated a finished axe to represent Arkansas State University as …

Techno-Enviro-Economic Analysis Of Precipitated Calcium Carbonate Production From Carbon Dioxide In Cement Industry Flue Gas And Calcium Hydroxide, Natalia Debora Panggabean, Widodo Wahyu Purwanto

Journal of Materials Exploration and Findings

CCUS is a technological solution to reduce emissions from the cement industry, which is the second largest CO2-intensive industry. This study aims to analyze technical, economic, and environmental performance of Precipitated Calcium Carbonate (PCC) synthesis in cement industry flue gas. The process simulation includes the CO2 capture system from cement plant, CO2 captured used as feedstock for PCC synthesis process through its reaction with calcium hydroxide. The simulation was carried out using ASPEN Plus software. Technical analysis was performed to determine the CO2 capture efficiency and PCC synthesis efficiency. Economic analysis was conducted to calculate CO2 capture cost and production …

Feasibility Analysis Of Thermal Oxidizer To Determine Remaining Life Using Fitness- For-Service Level 3 Method, Yudhi Yudistirawan, Donanta Dhaneswara, Wahyuaji Narottama Putra, Gama Widyaputra, Dewi Kurnia Suci, Agung Putra Mahardhika

Journal of Materials Exploration and Findings

An aged thermal oxidizer (TOX) in the oil and gas industry necessitates a comprehensive evaluation to ensure its continued safe operation. This study presents a Remaining Life Assessment (RLA) and a Fitness for Service (FFS) evaluation for the four main components of the TOX, in accordance with API 510, API 579/ASME FFS-1, and ASME BPVC Section VIII Div-1 standards. The investigation includes the determination of maximum stress and maximum temperature required to assess the operational viability of the reactor. The four components are radiant, convection, transition, and stack sections—were modeled using the finite element method (FEM). Following the geometric modeling, …

Risk Identification Of Green Hydrogen Supply Chain In Ammonia Industry In Indonesia Using Delphi And Topsis Methods, Ananda Priatama, Sheila Tobing

Journal of Materials Exploration and Findings

The development of green hydrogen in Indonesia, while promising for supporting industrial decarbonization, remains in its early stages and faces various challenges across technical, economic, and regulatory domains. This study aims to identify and prioritize the risks linked to green hydrogen supply chain in Indonesia, particularly for applications in the ammonia industry. A set of 49 potential risk factors was initially compiled through literature review and prior studies. The Delphi method was employed with a panel of experts to validate these risks, ultimately refining the list to 27 critical risk factors. Subsequently, the Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to …

A Sustainable Approach To Tensile Property Enhancement In Sand Casting Via Metal Chip–Sand Composite Molds, Maaruf Isyaku, Danjuma Saleh Yawas, Mathew Olatunde Afolayan, Terva Ause

Journal of Materials Exploration and Findings

The present work focuses on the study of the effect of adding different weight percentages and particle sizes of various metal chips to foundry sand on the tensile strength of aluminum alloy castings, utilizing Taguchi's optimization methodology and regression analysis. Characterization techniques such as X-ray fluorescence (XRF), thermogravimetry, and SEM were also used. The XRF analysis identified aluminum (76.61%), silicon (17.49%), and magnesium (1.28%) as the major elements in the aluminum alloy engine block. For the foundry sand, silicon (89.51%), phosphorus (7.41%), and potassium (1.7%) were found. In contrast, the major constituents in cast iron included iron (88.3%), carbon (3.7%), …

Assessing Passenger Electric Vehicle Growth Strategies And Their Impacts On Electricity Demand Load And Co2 Emissions In Aceh Province To Achieve Net Zero Emission Target By 2060, Taufik Hidayat, Widodo Wahyu Purwanto

Journal of Materials Exploration and Findings

The electrification of the transport sector is a crucial pathway for achieving Indonesia’s Net Zero Emissions (NZE) target by 2060. This study assesses the potential impact of passenger electric vehicle (EV) penetration on electricity demand and CO2 emissions in Aceh Province through a scenario-based modelling approach. Two policy-aligned scenarios are assessed: a low-penetration (LP) scenario and a high-penetration (HP) scenario. Using the Gompertz model and the ASIF framework, total CO2 emissions were projected from 2020 to 2060. Results show that although higher EV penetration reduces direct emissions from internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles, total CO2 emissions increase more significantly under …

Sulfate Attack And Microstructural Study Of Self-Compacting Sand Concrete Incorporating Recycled Concrete, S. Boudali, A.M. Soliman, B. Abdulsalam, S. Poncet, Adel Elsafty

HBRC Journal

This study presents an experimental investigation of the microstructure of Self-Compacting Sand Concrete (SCSC) containing recycled concrete aggregates (RCA) and fine recycled concrete powder (FRCP) under a sulfate attack. SCSC specimens were submerged and stored for one year in a sodium sulfate solution. The microstructure of SCSC was investigated using quantitative X-ray diffraction and SEM analysis performed on samples taken from both the core and surface of the specimens. Also, the impact of different percentages and sizes of recycled aggregates (i.e., varying from nano- up to micro-sized aggregates) on the microstructural properties of SCSC exposed to sulfate attack was evaluated. …

Electrophoretic Deposition Of Chitosan-Based Coatings On Magnesium Alloys For Implant Applications: A Review, M. H. Payampur, D. Azimi, W. W. Milligan, M. Razzaghi, H. R. Bakhsheshi-Rad, J. Drelich

Michigan Tech Publications

Magnesium (Mg) alloys are highly promising materials for biomedical applications due to their excellent mechanical properties and biocompatibility. However, their rapid corrosion in physiological environments remains a significant barrier to their use in implantable devices. Surface modification techniques, particularly chitosan (CS)-based coatings, have shown considerable potential in addressing these challenges. CS, as a biopolymer, not only reduces the corrosion rate of Mg alloys but also enhances their biological performance. Electrophoretic deposition (EPD) is a highly versatile technique that enables the uniform deposition of CS and CS-composite coatings on Mg alloys. This review provides a comprehensive analysis of depositing CS and …

Quantitative Phase-Field Modeling Of Nonequilibrium Microstructural Evolution In Rapid Solidification For Additive Manufacturing, Leiji Li, Fei Xiao, Ying Zhou, Xiaorong Cai, Chongfeng Zhang, Jinzhong Gao, Xiaopeng Shen, Tianchi Zhu, Sihan Wang, Yijia Gu, Xuejun Jin

Materials Science and Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Fusion-based metal additive manufacturing (AM) relies on layer-by-layer deposition and rapid solidification, where the material transitions swiftly from liquid to solid. A key phenomenon during this process is solute trapping, a nonequilibrium effect governed by a velocity-dependent partition coefficient, which critically influences microstructure kinetics, morphology, and phase formation. In this study, we employ a recently proposed quantitative phase field (PF) model to systematically explore solute trapping, solute drag, and their impacts on pattern formation during rapid solidification at AM-relevant velocities, in both one and two dimensions. Our simulations reveal a growth mode transition from planar to cellular to dendritic, and …

Sub-Nanometer Nanoclusters Of Copper Atop Single-Atom Copper Moieties Toward Electrochemical Co2 Hydrogenation To Methane, Ahmed Badreldin, Mohammad Bilal Minhas, Shengyao Wang, Gabriella Smith, Shaoqin Chen, Shiwen Wu, Carter Racine, Jin Feng, Yun Hang Hu, Tao Li, Ying Li

Michigan Tech Publications

The electrochemical CO2 reduction (eCO2R) offers a compelling route for converting CO2 into value-added fuels and chemicals. Among CO2-derived products, methane (CH4) occupies a distinct position, serving both as a key intermediate for emerging cascade electro-oxidation to oxygenates and as a strategically important extraterrestrial fuel that can be generated in situ from off-planet CO2 resources. Although Cu-based catalysts capable of selectively producing CH4 have been reported, they seldom sustain high selectivity at practically relevant current densities. Here, we created a single-step co-pyrolysis strategy toward generating and anchoring Cu sub-nanometer clusters (CuSNC) atop Cu-Nx single-atom (SA) motifs embedded within N-doped carbon …

Self-Assembly Interactions In Magnetite-Coated Cellulose Nanocrystals: Implications For Magnetic Hyperthermia Applications, Mohammad J. Hasan, Erin L. Mcneill, Kishore Chand, Juganta Roy, Monishita Deb, Katherine Schlaak, Sydney Herzog, Yvonne Sun, Sarah Watzman, Esteban E. Ureña-Benavides, Erick S. Vasquez-Guardado

Chemical and Materials Engineering Faculty Publications

Magnetic cellulose nanocrystal (MCNC) nanocomposites are promising sustainable and biocompatible platforms for magnetic hyperthermia; however, the molecular mechanisms governing Fe3O4 adsorption and deposition onto CNCs remain poorly understood. Here, sulfated (S-CNC) and TEMPO-oxidized CNCs (T-CNC) were used to prepare nanocomposites at 1:2 and 1:4 CNC:Fe3O4 mass ratios, enabling a systematic evaluation of how surface chemistry and nanoparticle loading dictate interfacial interactions and magneto-colloidal behavior. Bare magnetite nanoparticles were 21 ± 5 nm by TEM but grew to 144 ± 18 in the DLS measurement at pH 7. The S-CNC nanocomposites had hydrodynamic sizes between 144 and 210 nm, not much …

Relation Between Swelling Potential And Swelling Pressure For Different Types Of Expansive Clay Of New Cairo, Sherouk Hany Mohamed, Amr Radwan, Mohammed Rabie, Hussein Mostafa

HBRC Journal

The purpose of this paper is to present correlations that may help in predicting swelling pressure (P_S) and swelling potential (SP) for expansive clay, which can contribute to solving engineering problems such as cracking, shifting or other structural damage, that may occur, if the behavior of this type of soil is not taken into consideration. Therefore, in this research, five different samples of expansive clay soils were collected from different site locations in New Cairo, Egypt. Then, these samples were dried, pulverized and passed through sieve No. 40 (0.425 mm). The samples were prepared initially at maximum dry …

Synthesis And Hydrothermal Evaluation Of Poly(Styrene Phosphonate) For Conformance Control In Geothermal Reservoirs, Sara Mccauley

Miners Solving for Tomorrow Research Conference

As atmospheric carbon dioxide levels continue to rise, geothermal energy has emerged as a promising energy alternative to fossil fuels. A barrier to widespread implementation and energy production efficiency is macro-heterogeneity of the rock matrix. Cracks, void spaces, and flow conduits divert fluid flow away from unswept portions of the geothermal reservoir and can cause cooling of the reservoir. Flow heterogeneity has been treated in oil reservoirs by injecting hydrogel particles that travel preferentially to ultra-high permeability zones and selectively block fluid flow in these regions. We are applying polymer hydrogels that withstand hydrothermal conditions of 225 up to 275°C …