Engineering Commons^™

Adaptable Videogame Platform For Interactive Upper Extremity Rehabilitation, Sally M. Jensen

Theses

The primary objective of this work is to design a recreational rehabilitation videogame platform for customizing motivating games that interactively encourage purposeful upper extremity gross motor movements. Virtual reality (VR) technology is a popular application for rehabilitation therapies but there is a constant need for more accessible and affordable systems. We have developed a recreational VR game platform can be used as an independent therapy supplement without laboratory equipment and is inexpensive, motivating, and adaptable. The behaviors and interactive features can be easily modified and customized based on players' limitations or progress.

A real-time method of capturing hand movements using …

Titanium Nitride As An Electrode Material For High Charge Density Applications, Mustafa Khan Patan

Theses

Present day neural prostheses require electrodes with high current densities. Traditional electrodes are not capable of delivering such high current densities. Titanium nitride as an electrode material and other techniques like reactive ion etching, platinization of titanium were studied in this thesis towards improving charge density of electrodes.

Titanium nitride (TiN) was sputtered in a custom designed pattern of electrodes with silicon as substrate, at a deposition rate of 2 A /sec. Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) analysis of TiN film showed a smooth surface for a film thickness of 1 μm. X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) analysis of the film showed the …

Catalysis Of Nano Tio2 For Horseradish Peroxidase, Ya-Qi Zhu, Hai Wu, Hiu Liu, Jie Ma

Journal of Electrochemistry

Horseradish peroxidase immobilized on the surface of titanium dioxide nanoparticles and nanotube modified glassy carbon electrode.The HRP direct electron transfer reaction was compared between TiO₂ nanoparticles and nanotube GC electrode.The results demonstrated that the HRP on TiO₂ nanotube /GC electrode could catalyze electron exchange reaction between electroactivity center of HRP and electrode.And the research of antibody labeled HRP provides a selected signal for antibody-antigen immunoassay.

Electrochemical Reduction Of Coals And The Oxygenic Functional Simulacrums Of Coals, Juan Lin, Zhao Wei

Journal of Electrochemistry

Electrochemical reduction of coals and the oxygenic functional simulacrums of coals has been studied.In this process,tetrabutylammonium was used as supporting electrolyte.The coal and the deoxidized coal were extracted by methanol.Qualitative analysis of the deoxidized products and the extractives was carried out on gas chromatograph-mass spectrometer.The deoxidized products of the oxygenic functional simulacrums of coals were analysed quantitatively with gas chromatograph spectrometer.The results show that the oxygenic functional groups on the coals surface decrease and the translation ratios of the oxygenic functional simulacrums of coals need further increase after electrochemical reduction,.The electrochemical tests show simultaneously the kinetics equations of every related …

Study On The Electricity Capability Of Ru((0.4-X))IrXTi(0.6)/Ti Electrode, Ling-Li Wang, Qiao Peng

Journal of Electrochemistry

The metal oxide anode of Ru_(0.4-x)Ir_xTi_0.6 has been prepared by thermal decomposition.The results indicate that,when the percent of IrO₂ is 10%,the electrode has low chlorine potential,high oxygen potential and excellent catalyze selectivity;strengthen life is long with IrO₂ content increased from 1.0h to 97h.It shows that the electrode anti-oxide corrosion perform is improved and intensifying life is long with addition of IrO₂.The film and reaction resistance are all fall with the addition of IrO₂.The addition of IrO₂ is in favor of thin crystal and makes the film more roughness.

Study On The Characteristics Of Vb(12) Modified Electrode By Electropolymerization, Hui-Ting Lian, Wen-Ji Wang

Journal of Electrochemistry

Preparation of the VB₁₂ modified electrode and its electrochemical characteristics were studied.The results showed that the VB₁₂ after electroactivated is able to electopolymerize on the GC by cyclic voltammetry(CV)in the DMSO solution.Differential pulse voltmmetry(DPV)showed that the VB₁₂ catalyzed the oxidation of NO₂^-,SO₃^2-and NH₂NH₂.The catalytic peak for NO₂^-on the modified electrode was observed at 0.76V(vs.SCE),but on the unmodified GC which at 1.0V.The catalytic currents increased linearly with the concentration of NO₂^-from 1.6×10^-6 to 4.3×10^-4 mol·L^-1 with a correlation coefficient …

Determination Of Ddopamine And Ascorbate On Gold Nanoparticle And 4,4-Bis (Methanethiol) Biphenyl (Mtp) Self-Assembled Monolayer Modified Gold Electrode, Hai-Yan Wang, Peng Liu, Ye Wang, Bao-Kang Jin

Journal of Electrochemistry

A new approach to construct an ampermetric biosensor was described.The 4,4-bis(methanethiol)biphenyl(MTP)is adsorbed on to a bare gold electrode to make self-assembled monolayers(MTP/Au SAMs).Then electrodeposited 2mg/mL HAuCl₄ at-200 mV,NG/MTP/Au electrode was prepared.When a differential pulse voltammetric(DPV)technique was used,the peak separation between DA and AA is 155 mV.Hence,the selective determination of dopamine(DA)and ascorbate(AA)in the binary mixture system can be performed.Under the chosen conditions,the peak currents are correspondent linearly to the concentrations of DA and AA in the range of 5.0×10^-7~1×10^-4 mol·L^-1 and 3.5×10^-6~1.0×10^-3mol·L^-1,respectively.The correlation coefficients were 0.998.The detection limit were 1.5×10 …

Corrosion Electrochemical Behavior Of Aluminum Flake Pigmented Water-Borne Epoxy Coating On Carbon Steel In Nacl Solution, Li-Li Xue, Li-Kun Xu, Qing-Fen Li, Hong-Qing Song, Wen-Juan Zhou, Guang-Zhang Chen

Journal of Electrochemistry

The corrosion electrochemical behavior of a water-borne epoxy coating pigmented with aluminum flake on carbon steel with artificial scratch defect was studied in 3.5% NaCl solution using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy(EIS)and scanning vibrating electrode technique(SVET).The results indicated that the defect presented anodic electroactivity at the initial stage of immersion,which extended gradually with time from the scratch into the neighboring coating,lowering the coating impedance.With further immersion,however,the electroactivity of the coating/steel interface decreased significantly due to the self-repairing of the corrosion products,causing an obvious increase of the coating impedance.In the later period of immersion,more scattered electroactive areas appeared under the coating because of …

Template Synthesis And Electrochemical Studies Of Ag(Core)Au(Shell) Nanowires, Li Ling, Ya-Xian Yuan, Min-Min Xu, Jian-Lin Yao, Ren-Ao Gu

Journal of Electrochemistry

Agcore Aushell nanowires with different thicknesses were prepared by combining template synthesis and chemical reduction method,and characterized by SEM and cyclic voltammetry(CV).The CV results revealed that the AgcoreAushell nanowires with pinhole were transferred to pinhole free structure after several potential scans.By using thiophenol(TP)and p-aminothiophenol(PATP)as probe,the surface enhanced Raman scattering(SERS)effect was investigated on the core-shell nanowires.The results indicated that AgcoreAushell nanowires could be served as a potential SERS substrate,and the difference in the spectral feature of PATP adsorbed onto Au and Ag nanowires enable us to diagnose the pinhole effect of core-shell nanowires by SERS.

Electricity Generation From A Microbial Fuel Cell Employing Desulfovibrio Salexigens, Ping Ding, Hai-Bo Shao, Guang-Zhou Liu, Dong-Xia Duan, Ting Ma, Si-Jun Chen, Jian-Ming Wang, Jian-Qing Zhang

Journal of Electrochemistry

A microbial fuel cell of laboratory scale employing Desulfovibrio salexigens in lactate based seawater substrate was proposed.Electricity was continuously harvested after inoculation.During 20 days of fermentation/discharge,COD values of the substrate decreased by 61.7%,in which 9.81% was converted to electricity.

The Research Of Several Electrodes For Spe Water Electrolysis, Jian-Bo Meng, Ge Sang, Yan Xue, Wei Cao, Xiao-Qiu Ye

Journal of Electrochemistry

Performances of the IrRu/Nafion 117/PbAg,IrRu/Nafion 117/Ni,IrRu/Nafion 117/TiNi,Ag/Nafion 117/Ni and C/Nafion 117/PtRu for the SPE water electrolysis have been investigated.The order of the electrocatalysis activity for the anodic electrodes as mentioned above is IrRu>Ag>C,and that of cathodic electrode is Ni>PbAg>TiNi.While the stability of TiNi was much better than Ni,and that of PbAg is best.Moreover,the current efficiency was raised with the increase of current density.

Study On The Contribution Of Cobalt Additives To Foam Nickel Electrodes, Xiao-Feng Li, Tong-Chi Xia, Shao-Peng Yi, Xiu-Juan Gu, Yu-Lin Song

Journal of Electrochemistry

Two incorporation ways of the cobalt additives into foam nickel electrodes,i.e.the co-precipitated and admixed method are used.The results of X-ray diffraction(XRD),cyclic voltammetry,electrochemical impedance spectrum(EIS)and galvanostatic charge-discharge curves show that(Ⅰ)there is a decrease in intensity and increase in half peak breadths of the diffraction peaks of Ni(OH)₂ with co-precipitated cobalt additive;(Ⅱ)the electrochemical activity of nickel hydroxide can be improved by both incorporation ways and the effect of admixed CoO is more notable;(Ⅲ)β-CoOOH derived from admixed CoO is not stable at lower potential,thus results in an irreversible capacity loss of nickel-metal-hydride(Ni-MH)battery after imposed overdischarged-state storage.

Self Assemblying Kinetics Of Sodium Steareate At Castor Oil/Water Interface, Yong-Chun Zhu, Li-Na Tang, Hong-Guo Ji

Journal of Electrochemistry

The self assembly membrane(SAM)formation kinetics of sodium stearate at castor oil/water interface was studied by cyclic voltammetrry.At caster oil coated graphite-epoxy solid electrode surface,the SAM grows according to the Gaussian growth function with a rate constant of km=0.0006292(0.0000294)s^-1,and maximum particle size at t0=3127s.The SAM of sodium stearate controls the growth and particle size of the deposited copper nano particles well,and forms a composite membrane of the SAM and copper nano particle.The growth mechanism of copper particle at oiled electrode or SAM modified oiled electrode is spherical growth,while it is the semi-spherical growth at bared graphite-epoxy solid phase electrode.Compared …

Determination Of Tetracyclines Based On The Flow-Through Electrochemical Detection Cell With Nickel Electrode, Dan-Mei Pan, Rong-Zong Hu, Dong-Ping Wei, Hao-Dong Ding

Journal of Electrochemistry

The electrochemical responses to tetracycline at the nickel electrode in alkaline solution were compared with that of gold and glassy carbon electrode by voltammetry.The electrocatalytic oxidation characteristics of tetracycline at nickel electrode were discussed.Subsequently a flow-through amperometric detection cell with nickel as the working electrode was designed to detect tetracycline,oxytetracycline,and doxycycline.Standard calibration graphs for the tetracyclines yielded linear ranges of 0.1~15 mg/L.Detection limits(S/N=3)of 35,45 and 43 μg/L were obtained for tetracycline,oxytetracycline and doxycycline,respectively.The system was applied for the determination of the three antibiotics in single-component drug formulations.

Study On The Electrogeneration And Properties Of Superoxide Ion In Aprotic Media By Using Carbon Nanotubes Powder Microelectrode, Ying-Liang Wei, Chen Shao, Hui Feng

Journal of Electrochemistry

Multi-wall carbon nanotubes are filled in the cavity at the tip of a microelectrode to form a carbon nanotubes powder microelectrode(CNTs-PME).The CNTs-PME is used to study the electrochemical reduction of oxygen in aprotic media.It is a nearly reversible redox process of the O₂/O₂^- couple at the CNTs-PME in the dimethyl sulfoxide(DMSO)solution.The heterogeneous electron transfer rate constant(ks)can be measured by steady-state voltammogram and the result is 9.8 10^-3cm /s.As a weak oxidant,the reaction of O₂^- with epinephrine was studied by cyclic voltammetry.Additionally,the reaction of O₂^- with benzoic acid was also discussed …

Hydriding And Dehydriding Properties Of Mg/Mg(1.8)La(0.2)Ni Nanocomposites, Hong-Liang Sun, Yan-Yan Zhang, Hai-Chang Zhang, Hua-Bin Yang, Zuo-Xiang Zhou

Journal of Electrochemistry

Mg_{-x %}Mg_1.8La_0.2Ni(x=10,20 and 30)nanocomposites have been synthesized by high-energy ball milling method.Results of the X-ray diffraction(XRD),transmission electron microscopy(TEM)and selected area electron diffraction(SAED)tests were showed that each composite had a nanocrystalline/amorphous structure,which was beneficial for the improvement of the hydriding and dehydriding properties of Mg.The hydrogen absorption temperature decreased and the hydrogen sorption kinetics were improved.Under the conditions of 423 K and the hydrogen pressure of 2.5MPa,each composite could reach the maximum hydriding capacity within 50 s.

Square Wave Stripping Voltammetric Behaviors Of Actinomycin D On Glod Electrode And Its Application, Qing-Tao Zhu, Fang Liao, Xiao-Ying He

Journal of Electrochemistry

The electrochemical behaviors of Actinomycin D(ACTD)at glod electrode were investigated by square wave stripping voltammeter in the KH₂PO₄-Na₂HPO₄ buffer solution(pH=5.90).The sensitive oxidation peak of ACTD was observed and the potential peak for ACTD is-0.17 V(vs.SCE).The Experimental parameters,such as pH value,amplitude,accumulation potential and time were optimized,and a direct electroanalytical method for determining ACTD was developed.The peak currents were proportional to the concentration of ACTD in the range of 0.1μmol·L^-1～10.0μmol·L^-1,and the linear regression coefficient equaled 0.9991.The detection limit for ACTD was 1.0×10^-8mol·L^-1.

Voltammetric Behavior And Electrocatalytic Properties Of Hemoglobin At Glassy Carbon Electrode Modified With Lauric Acid, Xin-Rui Miao, Xu-Hong Zhang, Ying Xie

Journal of Electrochemistry

The electrochemical behavior of hemoglobin at glassy carbon(GC)electrode modified with Lauric Acid was studied.In the potential of +0.6～-0.7 V(vs.Ag/AgCl),an irreversible cathodic peak was observed at-0.3 V at the scan rate of 20 mV·s^-1.In the medium of 0.02 mol·L^-1 KH₂PO₄-Na₂HPO₄(pH 7.0),ip increased with the increasing concentration of Hb and the value of pH.The peak currents were proportional to the concentrations of hemoglobin in the range of 1.00×10^-8～5.00×10^-9 mol·L^-1 and 1.92×10^-6～2.06×10^-7 mol·L^-1.The data was analyzed in details by simulating in order to …

Modification Of Electrolytic Manganese Dioxide, Shu-Rong Ding, Xin-Hai Li, Zhi-Xing Wang, Hua-Jun Guo

Journal of Electrochemistry

The EMD samples coated with CMD-Bi compound were prepared by liquid-phase surface treatment method.XRD and SEM research indicated that the modified manganese dioxide, i.e, EMD/CMD-Bi, could keep γ-MnO₂ crystal structure of EMD and had more pores on its surface with an obvious floccule layer.Electrochemical test indicated that the second electron reduction peak current increased by 1.5 times and the discharge capacity increased by 40.8% and 78.3% respectively than that of pure EMD electrode under the condition of-0.8 V(vs.Hg/HgO) cut-off voltage at 30.8 mA/g and 102.7 mA/g current density.

Electrochemical Performance Of Li(1-X)MXFepo4 Cathode Materials Synthesized By Polymer Pyrolysis Route, Ting Li, Jiang-Feng Qian, Yu-Liang Cao, Han-Xi Yang, Xin-Ping Ai

Journal of Electrochemistry

Olivine Li_1-xM_xFePO₄(M=Cr³⁺, Mg²⁺, Mn²⁺, Ni²⁺) were synthesized by a polyacrylates-pyrolysis route. The structural and electrochemical properties of the as-synthesized cathode materials were investigated by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and electrochemical charge/discharge cycling. The results indicate that the metallic ions doped at low concentration do not affect the crystalline structure of the material, but considerably improve the rate capability and cycle performance of LiFePO₄ at high rate.

Anisotropic Strain And Phonon Deformation Potentials In Gan, V. Darakchieva, T. Paskova, Mathias Schubert, H. Arwin, P. P. Paskov, B. Monemar, D. Hommel, M. Heuken, J. Off, F. Scholz, B. A. Haskell, P. T. Fini, J. S. Speck, S. Nakamura

Nebraska Center for Materials and Nanoscience: Faculty Publications

We report optical phonon frequency studies in anisotropically strained c-plane- and a-plane-oriented GaN films by generalized infrared spectroscopic ellipsometry and Raman scattering spectroscopy. The anisotropic strain in the films is obtained from high-resolution x-ray diffraction measurements. Experimental evidence for splitting of the GaN E₁(TO), E₁(LO), and E₂ phonons under anisotropic strain in the basal plane is presented, and their phonon deformation potentials c_E1(TO) , c_E1(LO) , and c_E2 are determined. A distinct correlation between anisotropic strain and the A₁(TO) and E₁(LO) …

Mechanisms Causing Ferric Staining In The Secondary Water System Of Brigham City, Utah, Robert Derring Wallace

Theses and Dissertations

Water from Mantua reservoir has, during some years, exhibited reddish-brown staining when used by Brigham City for irrigation. I propose that seasonal fluctuations in the reservoir chemistry create an environment conducive to dissolving iron from the iron-rich sediments, which subsequently precipitate during irrigation, resulting in a staining event. These conditions are produced by chemical and biological decomposition of organic matter, coupled with isolation of the hypolimnetic waters, which results in seasonal low concentrations of dissolved oxygen in these waters. Under these specific circumstances, anaerobic conditions develop creating a geochemical environment that causes iron and manganese reduction from Fe(III) to Fe(II) …

Dynamic Full-Scale Testing Of A Pile Cap With Loose Silty Sand Backfill, Immanuel Kaleoonalani Runnels

Theses and Dissertations

Pile caps are used in foundation design to aid multiple single piles to act as a pile group to resist lateral forces that may cause overturning moments. The pile cap and pile group resist these forces by pile-soil-pile interaction, base and side friction along the pile cap-backfill interface, and passive earth resistance. Passive earth resistance has been neglected in design due to a limited amount of full-scale testing. This research presents the results of a combination of hydraulic actuator and eccentric-mass shaker full-scale testing of a pile cap with loose silty sand backfill to quantify the contribution of the passive …

Rate-Dependent Slip Boundary Conditions For Simple Fluids, Nikolai V. Priezjev

Mechanical and Materials Engineering Faculty Publications

The dynamic behavior of the slip length in a fluid flow confined between atomically smooth surfaces is investigated using molecular dynamics simulations. At weak wall-fluid interactions, the slip length increases nonlinearly with the shear rate provided that the liquid/solid interface forms incommensurable structures. A gradual transition to the linear rate-dependence is observed upon increasing the wall-fluid interaction. We found that the slip length can be well described by a function of a single variable that in turn depends on the in-plane structure factor, contact density and temperature of the first fluid layer near the solid wall. Extensive simulations show that …

Pt-Ru Nanoparticles Supported On Carbon Nanotubes As Methanol Fuel Cell Catalysts, Liang Li, Yangchuan Xing

Chemical and Biochemical Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Bimetallic Pt - Ru alloy catalysts have been demonstrated to be more active than pure Pt catalysts in the electrooxidation of methanol. We report here a study on Pt - Ru nanoparticle catalysts supported on sonochemically functionalized carbon nanotubes. the catalysts were prepared by directly reducing the corresponding salts, K2PtCl4 and K 2RuCl5, in an ethylene glycol aqueous solution containing dispersed carbon nanotubes. Three catalysts of different Pt to Ru atomic ratios, namely, Pt53Ru47, Pt69Ru31, and Pt77Ru23, were prepared for investigation of the compositional effects, It was shown that highly dispersed bimetallic Pt - Ru alloy nanoparticles with no agglomeration …

Traffic Noise Barrier System: U.S. Patent No. Us 7,220,077 B2, Eric C. Humphries, Stephen D. Barratt, Ronald K. Faller, Keith J. Kurz, Dean L. Sicking

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering: Faculty Publications

A crashworthy traffic noise barrier system for use alongside a path of traffic, the crashworthy traffic noise barrier system comprises a crashworthy longitudinal barrier extending substantially parallel to the path of traffic and a crashworthy traffic noise barrier wall supported by the longitudinal barrier. The crashworthy traffic noise barrier wall includes a plurality of upstanding posts attached to the traffic noise barrier wall, at least one panel supported between each adjacent pair of posts in the plurality of upstanding posts, and at least one longitudinal beam spaced above a top surface of the longitudinal barrier and extending across the plurality …

On-Chip Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering Detection Using Integrated Liquid-Core Waveguides, Aaron R. Hawkins, Evan J. Lunt, Phillip Measor, Leo Seballos, Dongliang Yin, Jin Z. Zhang, Holger Schmidt

Faculty Publications

The authors demonstrate surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) detection on an optofluidic chip. Interconnected solid- and liquid-core antiresonant reflecting optical waveguides (ARROWs) form a planar beam geometry that allows for high mode intensities along microfluidic channels containing molecules optimized for SERS. The excitation power and concentration dependence of SERS from rhodamine 6G (R6G) molecules adsorbed to silver nanoparticles were systematically studied. The data can be described by a model that takes into account the microphotonic structure. Detection sensitivity to a minimum concentration of 30 nM is found, demonstrating the suitability of ARROW-based optofluidic chips for high sensitivity detection with molecular specificity

Large-Displacement Linear-Motion Compliant Mechanisms, Allen B. Mackay

Theses and Dissertations

Linear-motion compliant mechanisms have generally been developed for small displacement applications. The objective of the thesis is to provide a basis for improved large-displacement linear-motion compliant mechanisms (LLCMs). One of the challenges in developing large-displacement compliant mechanisms is the apparent performance tradeoff between displacement and off-axis stiffness. In order to facilitate the evaluation, comparison, and optimization of the performance of LLCMs, this work formulates and presents a set of metrics that evaluates displacement and off-axis stiffness. The metrics are non-dimensionalized and consist of the relevant characteristics that describe mechanism displacement, off-axis stiffness, actuation force, and size. Displacement is normalized by …

An Investigation Of Nonlinear Estimation And System Design For Mechatronic Systems, Tim Hughes

All Theses

This thesis is a collection of two projects in which the author was involved during his master's degree program. The first project involves the estimation of 3D Euclidean coordinates of features from 2D images. A 3D Euclidean position estimation strategy is developed for a static object using a single moving camera whose motion is known. This Euclidean depth estimator has a very simple mathematical structure and is easy to implement. Numerical simulations and experimental results using a mobile robot in an indoor environment are presented to illustrate the performance of the algorithm. The second section describes the design of a …

Evaluation Of Laboratory Durability Tests For Stabilized Aggregate Base Materials, Matthew B. Roper

Theses and Dissertations

The Portland Cement Association commissioned a research project at Brigham Young University to compare selected laboratory durability tests available for assessing stabilized aggregate base materials. The laboratory research associated with this project involved two granular base materials, three stabilizers at three concentration levels each, and three durability tests in a full-factorial experimental design. The granular base materials consisted of an aggregate-reclaimed asphalt pavement blend obtained from Interstate 84 (I-84) and a crushed limestone obtained from U.S. Highway 91 (US-91), while the three stabilizer types included Class C fly ash, lime-fly ash, and Type I/II Portland cement. Specimens were tested for …