Engineering Commons^™

Mesoscale Computational Studies Of Thin-Film Bijels, Joseph M. Carmack

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Bijels are a relatively new class of soft materials that have many potential applications in the technology areas of energy, medicine, and environmental sustainability. They are formed by the arrest of binary liquid spinodal decomposition by a dispersion of solid colloidal nanoparticles. This dissertation presents an in-depth simulation study of Bijels constrained to thin-film geometries and in the presence of electric fields. We validate the computational model by comparing simulation results with previous computational modeling and experimental research. In the absence of suspended particles, we demonstrate that the model accurately captures the rich kinetics associated with diffusion-based surface-directed spinodal decomposition. …

Surface Area And Electrocatalytic Properties Of Feni Nanoparticles For The Oxygen Evolution Reaction (Oer), James Burrow

Chemical Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

Iron-nickel bimetallic electrocatalysts have recently emerged as some of the best candidates for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) in alkaline electrolyte. Understanding the effects of composition and morphology of iron-nickel nanoparticles is crucial for optimization and enhanced electrocatalyst performance. Both physical surface area and electrochemical surface area (ECSA) are functions of morphology. In this study, four different iron-nickel nanoparticle catalysts were synthesized. The catalysts were varied based on morphology (alloy versus core-shell) and composition (low, medium, and high stabilizer concentration). Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface area analysis was conducted on three of the synthesized iron-nickel nanoparticles using a physisorption analyzer while electrochemical …

Plga-Modified Nanoparticles For The Treatment Of Hypo-Vascularized Hpv-Related Cervical Cancers., Lee B. Sims

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

A major challenge associated with delivery of active agents in the female reproductive tract (FRT) is the ability of agents to efficiently diffuse through the cervicovaginal mucosa (CVM) and reach the underlying sub-epithelial immune cell layer and vasculature. A variety of drug delivery vehicles have been employed to improve the delivery of agents across the CVM and offer the capability to increase the longevity and retention of active agents to treat infections of the female reproductive tract. Nanoparticles (NPs) have been shown to improve retention, diffusion, and cell-specific targeting via specific surface modifications, relative to other delivery platforms. In particular, …

Investigating Initial Interactions Between Silver Nanoparticles And Wastewater, Casey Gibson

Biological and Agricultural Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

The use of nanoparticles (NPs) has increased exponentially in the last 15-20 years, especially in the consumer market. NPs are currently found in over 1800 commercial products, including cosmetics, clothing, packaging, and toys. As a result, NPs can enter the environment via wastewater (WW) streams, leading to new challenges in WW treatment. This study focuses on the initial fate of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) in WW. The AgNP interaction including aggregation and dissolution in both synthetic and real WW were studied. Real WW was collected from the primary-clarifier, secondary-clarifier, and effluent WW streams at two local WW treatment plants (Westside and …

Silane Modulation Of Protein Conformation And Self-Assembly, Abul Bashar Mohammad Giasuddin

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This research focused on development of nanoparticle- based therapeutics against amyloid fibrils. Amyloid fibrils are associated with various diseases such as Parkinson’s, Huntington’s, mad cow disease, Alzheimer’s, and cataracts. Amyloid fibrils develop when proteins change their shape from a native form to a pathogenic “misfolded” form. The misfolded proteins have the ability to recruit more native proteins into the pathogenic forms, which self-assemble into amyloid fibrils that are hallmarks of the various protein-misfolding diseases listed above. Amyloid fibrils are highly resistant to degradation, which may contribute to the symptoms of amyloid diseases. Synthetic drugs, natural compounds, and antibodies are widely …

Supramolecular Aptamer Nano-Constructs For Receptor-Mediated Targeting And Light-Triggered Release Of Chemotherapeutics Into Cancer Cells, Deepak K. Prusty, Volker Adam, Reza M. Zadegan, Stephan Irsen, Michael Famulok

Materials Science and Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Platforms for targeted drug-delivery must simultaneously exhibit serum stability, efficient directed cell internalization, and triggered drug release. Here, using lipid-mediated self-assembly of aptamers, we combine multiple structural motifs into a single nanoconstruct that targets hepatocyte growth factor receptor (cMet). The nanocarrier consists of lipidated versions of a cMet-binding aptamer and a separate lipidated GC-rich DNA hairpin motif loaded with intercalated doxorubicin. Multiple 2′,6′-dimethylazobenzene moieties are incorporated into the doxorubicin-binding motif to trigger the release of the chemotherapeutics by photoisomerization. The lipidated DNA scaffolds self-assemble into spherical hybrid-nanoconstructs that specifically bind cMet. The combined features of the nanocarriers increase serum nuclease …

Engineered Nanomaterials And Human Health: Part 1. Preparation, Functionalization And Characterization (Iupac Technical Report), Vladimir Gubala, Linda J. Johnston, Harald Friedrich Krug, Colin J. Moore, Christopher K. Ober, Michael Schwenk, Michel R. Vert

Reports

Research on engineered nanomaterials (ENM) has progressed rapidly from the very early stages of studying their unique, size-dependent physicochemical properties and commercial exploration to the development of products that influence our everyday lives. We have previously reviewed various methods for synthesis, surface functionalization, and analytical characterization of ENM in a publication titled 'Engineered Nanomaterials: Preparation, Functionalization and Characterization'. In this second, inter-linked document, we first provide an overview of important applications of ENM in products relevant to human healthcare and consumer goods, such as food, textiles, and cosmetics. We then highlight the challenges for the design and development of new …

New Wellbore-Integrity Classification For Gas Migration Problems And New Cement Formulations Using Graphene Nano Platelets To Prevent Gas Migration Through Cement, Mohammed Mousa M. Alkhamis

Masters Theses

"Gas migration, one of the primary problems related to the integrity of oil wells, is caused by cement failures. Gas migration can result in costly well repairs and may endanger personal, equipment, and result in severe operational difficulties and environmental issues. The ultimate objectives of this research were to provide a comprehensive review of the problem and to provide a solution to the problem using Graphene Nano Platelets (GNPs).

An intensive review was performed to understand the cement failures. The reasons behind these failures were analyzed and classified with respect to their locations in the wellbore. Recommendations and potential solutions …

Polyhexamethylene Biguanide Release By Chitosan-Heparin Nanoparticles, Jacob Ress

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Chitosan and heparin were used to synthesize nanoparticles using polyelectrolyte complexation. The optimal mixing ratio was determined to be 1:4 by studying the particle characteristics of zeta potential and dynamic light scattering of the ratios 1:2, 1:3, 1:4, 1:5 and 1:6 (chitosan: heparin). The particles were loaded with the antibiotic polyhexamethylene biguanide (PHMB) and the release was measured over 335 hours using the dialysis membrane incubation method and detected via ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopy. Around 80% of the encapsulated PHMB was released over the measured period. The goal of this part of the study was to determine the drug release behavior …

Nanoparticle Orientation To Control Rna Loading And Ligand Display On Extracellular Vesicles For Cancer Regression, Fengmei Pi, Daniel W. Binzel, Tae Jin Lee, Zhefeng Li, Meiyan Sun, Piotr G. Rychahou, Hui Li, Farzin Haque, Shaoying Wang, Carlo M. Croce, Bin Guo, B. Mark Evers, Peixuan Guo

Markey Cancer Center Faculty Publications

Nanotechnology offers many benefits, and here we report an advantage of applying RNA nanotechnology for directional control. The orientation of arrow-shaped RNA was altered to control ligand display on extracellular vesicle membranes for specific cell targeting, or to regulate intracellular trafficking of small interfering RNA (siRNA) or microRNA (miRNA). Placing membrane-anchoring cholesterol at the tail of the arrow results in display of RNA aptamer or folate on the outer surface of the extracellular vesicle. In contrast, placing the cholesterol at the arrowhead results in partial loading of RNA nanoparticles into the extracellular vesicles. Taking advantage of the RNA ligand for …

Enhancement Of Heat Transfer Coefficient Using Nanofluids For Multi-Stage Flash Desalination (Msf) Plant, Nasser Zouli

Doctoral Dissertations

“The enhancement of thermal conductivity and local heat transfer coefficient, under laminar and turbulent flow regimes, of water-based spherical Al₂O₃, CuO, and Fe₂O₃ nanofluids have been experimentally investigated for the improvement of the thermal desalination processes using a newly developed sophisticated noninvasive heat transfer coefficient probe that is flush mounted on the inner wall surface of the test section. The nanoparticles have been selected because of their superior thermal conductivity and low cost, as well as the magnetic characteristic of Fe₂O₃ nanoparticle since a magnet can collect it and reuse. …

Atomic Layer Deposition Prepared Nanostructured Materials For Various Catalytic Reactions, Xiaofeng Wang

Doctoral Dissertations

"Atomic layer deposition (ALD) has been widely used for thin film coating and metal nanoparticles (NPs) preparation. In this report, the applications of ALD prepared nanostructured materials in catalysis were examined.

Highly dispersed Pt monometallic catalysts with different substrates and multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) supported Pt-Co bimetallic catalysts were synthesized by ALD for selective hydrogenation of α, β-unsaturated aldehydes to unsaturated alcohols (UA). Pt/MWCNTs showed the highest selectivity of UA in selective hydrogenation of citral, as compared to Pt/SiO₂, Pt/ALD-Al₂O₃, and Pt/γ-Al₂O₃. After adding Co, the highest selectivity was achieved …

Understanding Early Amyloid-Ss Aggregation To Engineer Polyacid-Functionalized Nanoparticles As An Inhibitor Design Platform, Nicholas Vander Munnik

Theses and Dissertations

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is characterized by the presence of amyloid-ß (Aß) protein aggregates in the brains of those afflicted. This protein aggregates via a complex pathway to progress from monomers to soluble oligomers and ultimately insoluble fibrils. Due to the dynamic nature of aggregation, it has proven exceedingly difficult to determine the precise interactions that lead to the formation of transient oligomers. A statistical thermodynamic model has been developed to elucidate these interactions. Aß was simulated using fully-atomistic replica exchange molecular dynamics. We use an ensemble of 5 × 105 configurations taken from these simulations as input for a self-consistent …

Investigation Of Thermophysical Properties Of Enhanced Molten Salt Nanofluids For Thermal Energy Storage (Tes) In Concentrated Solar Power (Csp) Systems, Joohyun Seo

Material Science and Engineering Dissertations - Archive

Concentrated solar power (CSP) technologies have a great economical and technical potential for energy production in future. Its incorporation with thermal energy storage (TES) overcomes one of the biggest challenges in most renewable energy technologies, the intermittency of energy supply by natural resources. TES with 15-hour storage capacity is already commercialized to operate a CSP plant for 24 hours a day. When the sunlight is concentrated by mirrors into a small focal point, a heat transfer fluid (HTF) transfers the collected heat to a turbine or an engine to produce electricity and any surplus heat to a TES unit for …

Development Of Plasma Functionalized Nano-Additives For Oils And Study Of Their Tribological Properties, Vinay Sharma

Material Science and Engineering Dissertations - Archive

Lubricants used in motor engines contain various chemical species to help enhance energy efficiency and provide increased longevity. Unfortunately, at the same time, these additives become a source of catalytic poisoning, thus increasing emissions from the tailpipe. With growing concern for the negative impacts of human activities on the environment, regulatory bodies for the automobile lubrication industry have set up strict guidelines for chemical compositions of their end products, including engine oils. This research work is a step towards development of a new class of lubricant additives, which are less harmful to the environment and, simultaneously, also reduce friction and …

Behavior Of Copper Oxide Nanoparticles In Soil Pore Waters As Influenced By Soil Characteristics, Bacteria, And Wheat Roots, Joshua Hortin

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The goal of this project was to study the behavior of copper oxide nanoparticles in soil environments. Copper oxide nanoparticles have antimicrobial properties and may also be used in agricultural settings to provide a source of copper for plant health, but accidental or misapplication of these nanoparticles to soil may be damaging to the plant and its associated bacteria.

Dissolved soil organic matter that is present in soil pore waters dissolved nanoparticles, but did not dissolve the expected amounts from a geochemical model because the geochemical model did not take into account surface chemistry or coating of the nanoparticles by …

Green Synthesis Of Copper Oxide Nanoparticles In Aqueous Medium As A Potential Efficient Catalyst For Catalysis Applications, Hany A. Elazab Dr

Chemical Engineering

In this research, we have developed a reliable green method for the synthesis of copper oxide nanoparticles as a potential efficient catalyst for several catalysis applications. In our experimental approach, microwave-assisted synthesis technique was used in order to perform chemical reduction of copper salt using hydrazine hydrate as a strong reducing agent. The prepared catalyst was characterized using various techniques showing the formation of well dispersed copper oxide nanoparticles. The synthesized Copper oxide catalyst shows many advantages including the use of environmentally benign solvent systems,

Assessment Of Nanocomposites Vs. Amorphous Solid Dispersions For Dissolution Enhancement Of Bcs Class Ii Drugs, Meng Li

Dissertations

Nanoparticle-based formulations (nanocomposites) and amorphous solid dispersions, shortly ASDs, are two major pharmaceutical formulation platforms used for the bioavailability enhancement of poorly water-soluble drugs. While they both have several advantages-disadvantages, a scientific comparative assessment of their drug release performance and dissolution mechanisms at different drug doses is not available. With the goal of addressing this issue, the dissertation aims to achieve three major objectives: (1) develop a processing-formulation understanding of wet media milling process for fast-efficient production of drug nanoparticles in stable nanosuspension form, (2) elucidate the impact of various classes dispersants on drug release rate and mechanisms during the …

Theory And Applications Of Plasmonically Active Spherical And Core-Shell Nanoparticles, Mohammad Habibur Rahaman

Student Theses and Dissertations

Optical properties of metal nanoparticles and core-shell nanoparticles are related to their plasmon response. Plasmonic resonance is the collective oscillations of conduction electrons in metal. The core-shell nanoparticles represent unique geometry and plasmonic resonance can be tuned either by changing the distance between core-shell nanoparticle or by changing their core to shell ratio. This work focuses on the theoretical design of single and multiple core-shell nanoparticles for exploring the resonance properties of core-shell nanoparticles using scattering theory. The results provide new and tunable optical properties of core-shell nanoparticles that solid single or multiple metal nanoparticles can not demonstrate. We have …

Novel Synthesis Of Cigs Nanoparticles For Scalable, Benign Inks For Solution Processed Solar Cells, Jacob Fields, Ryan Ellis, Rakesh Agrawal

The Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) Symposium

One potential production route to high efficiency, low cost, photovoltaics (PVs) which was explored is Copper Indium Gallium Sulfide (CIGS) nanocrystal inks for solution processed PVs. A common CIGS nanocrystal ink synthesis utilizes ligands—molecules attached to the particle surface—for colloidal stability, size control, and shape control. It is desirable to devise a novel synthesis which will incorporate a ligand that allows suspensions in more benign solvents than current methods—a desirable characteristic for large scale production. In order to develop the aforementioned synthesis of CIGS nanoparticles, an optimization study of synthesis parameters was performed. Selection of an appropriate solvent, and sulfur …

Carbon Removal And Optoelectronic Property Tuning In Copper Arsenic Sulfide Thin Films Through Ligand Exchange And Alloying, Louis R. Schroeder, Scott Mcclary, Rakesh Agrawal

The Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) Symposium

Solution processed thin film solar cells are attractive alternatives to conventional energy sources due to low waste generation, flexibility in substrate choice, and scalability. The novel semiconductor Cu3AsS4 in the enargite phase has a near ideal band gap of 1.4 eV and has earth abundant constituent elements; yet single-junction solar cells have yielded low efficiencies due to a secondary carbonaceous phase present, among other issues. This carbonaceous phase may be eliminated by exchanging the carbonaceous ligands with molecular metal chalcogenides. To characterize the ligand exchanged particles, UV-Vis-NIR spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and …

Thermal Measurement And Optimization Of Materials And Processes In A Li-Ion Cell, Vivek Vishwakarma

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Dissertations - Archive

Applications of Lithium-ion cells range from consumer electronics to electric cars because of their excellent electrochemical performance and energy density. However, a Li-ion cell also suffers from poor thermal transport characteristics, which reduces performance, causes overheating and thermal runaway. This work contributes towards thermal characterization of key Li-ion battery materials and identifies and improves the rate-limiting, material-level thermal conduction process in a Li-ion cell. Among the various materials within a Li-ion cell, the separator is expected to have the lowest thermal conductivity. In this work, we have carried out first-ever measurements of thermal conductivity and heat capacity of the separator …

Intravenous Administration Of Iron Oxide Nanoparticles In The Chicken Model, Huong Thi Ngoc Le

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

To be used in health care, the safety and effectiveness of nanoparticles needs to be tested in a living organism. The objective of this project was to develop the chicken as a convenient animal model to examine tissue targeting of intravenously (i.v.)-injected iron oxide (IO) nanoparticles. In Experiment 1, different doses of IO-COOH were i.v. injected into chickens; blood was collected at 0, 5, 15, 30, and 60 minutes post-injection; liver, spleen, lung, and kidney were collected after the last blood collection. For Experiment 2, IO-COOH and IO-PEG were i.v. injected into chickens; blood and the organs were collected at …

Real-Time Atomistic Observation Of Structural Phase Transformations In Individual Hafnia Nanorods, Bethany M. Hudak, Sean W. Depner, Gregory R. Waetzig, Anjana Talapatra, Raymundo Arroyave, Sarbajit Banerjee, Beth S. Guiton

Chemistry Faculty Publications

High-temperature phases of hafnium dioxide have exceptionally high dielectric constants and large bandgaps, but quenching them to room temperature remains a challenge. Scaling the bulk form to nanocrystals, while successful in stabilizing the tetragonal phase of isomorphous ZrO₂, has produced nanorods with a twinned version of the room temperature monoclinic phase in HfO₂. Here we use in situ heating in a scanning transmission electron microscope to observe the transformation of an HfO₂ nanorod from monoclinic to tetragonal, with a transformation temperature suppressed by over 1000°C from bulk. When the nanorod is annealed, we observe with …

Enhancement Of Heat Transfer Coefficient Using Fe₂O₃-Water Nanofluids, Nasser Zouli, S. A. M. Mohammed, Muthanna H. Al-Dahhan

Chemical and Biochemical Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

In this work, we developed a local heat transfer probe that can measure the heat transfer coefficient to study the effect of the nanofluid with various concentrations and size of nanoparticles on the local heat transfer coefficient in a developed separate effect experimental setup.Water with iron (III) oxide (Fe₂O₃) nanoparticles were used as the nanofluids flowing through the test section. The nanoparticle sizes of the Fe₂O₃ were varying between 20 and 40nm. The concentrations for the different nanoparticle sizes were ranged between 0 and 0.09 % in volume fractions. The results show that use of aqueous Fe₂O₃ nanoparticles can significantly …

Controlled Synthesis And Utilization Of Metal And Oxide Hybrid Nanoparticles, Cameron Cowgur Crane

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation reports the development of synthetic methods concerning rationally-designed, hybrid, and multifunctional nanomaterials. These methods are based on a wet chemical, solution phase approach that utilizes the knowledge of synthetic organic and inorganic chemistry to generate building blocks in solution for the growth of nanocrystals and hybrid nanostructures. This work builds on the prior knowledge of shape-controlled synthesis of noble metal nanocrystals and expands into the challenging realm of the more reactive first row transition metals. Specifically, a microemulsion sol-gel method was developed to synthesize Au-SiO2 dimers as precursors for the synthesis of segmented heterostructures of noble metals that …

Design Of 3d Macroporous Inverse Opal Tio2 Binary And Ternary Composites Sensitized With Gold Nanoparticles And Cds Quantum Dots For Photocatalysis, Daniel A. Corella

Master of Science in Chemical Sciences Theses

Materials composed of titanium (IV) oxide (TiO₂) have received enormous scientific interest due to titania’s abundance, non-toxicity, and photocatalytic proficiency, however its large band gap limits its applicability under ambient conditions. Various attempts have been made to incorporate titania into composite systems to sensitize it for activity under a broader range of wavelengths. One such method includes utilizing narrow band gap semiconductors to form an electron transfer process analogous to photosynthesis referred to as a Z-scheme. Z-scheme systems can catalyze the decomposition of aqueous pollutants via generation of reactive oxygen species after input of sunlight. This work reports …

Quantitative Understanding Of Nanoparticle Flocculation In Water Treatment, Sungmin Youn

All Engineering Faculty Research

Flocculation is critical in drinking water treatment; in flocculation, the particle size distribution changes from a large number of small particles to a small number of larger particles. Larger particles are effectively removed by settling and filtration processes that follow flocculation. In recent years, manufacturing of engineered nanoparticles has skyrocketed, and these nanoparticles can enter our water supplies, but knowledge of their fate in water treatment is limited. The objective of this research was to update knowledge of flocculation by extending previous work at the microscale to the nanoscale.

Flocculation involves transport of particles to the vicinity of one another …

Synthesis Of Discrete Transition Metal (Ni, Fe, Co, Mn) Phosphide Nanoparticles: Compositional Effect On Catalytic And Magnetic Properties, Da Li

Wayne State University Dissertations

This dissertation research is focused on the synthesis, characterization of binary and ternary transition metal (Ni, Co, Fe, Mn) phosphide nanomaterials and their catalytic and magnetic properties.

A phase-control strategy enabling the arrested-precipitation synthesis of nanoparticles of Ni5P4 and NiP2 is presented. The composition and purity of the product can be tuned by changing key synthetic levers, including the metal precursor, the oleylamine (OAm) and Trioctylphosphine (TOP) concentrations, temperature, time and the presence or absence of a moderate temperature soak step to facilitate formation of Ni and/or Ni-P amorphous nanoparticle intermediates.

New CoxFe2-xP nanoparticles (0 ≤ x ≤ 2), Co2-xMnxP …

Antibody-Nanoparticle Conjugates To Enhance The Sensitivity Of Elisa-Based Detection Methods., Margaret M Billingsley, Rachel S. Riley, Emily S Day

Henry M. Rowan College of Engineering Departmental Research

Accurate antigen detection is imperative for clinicians to diagnose disease, assess treatment success, and predict patient prognosis. The most common technique used for the detection of disease-associated biomarkers is the enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). In an ELISA, primary antibodies are incubated with biological samples containing the biomarker of interest. Then, detectible secondary antibodies conjugated with horseradish peroxidase (HRP) bind the primary antibodies. Upon addition of a color-changing substrate, the samples provide a colorimetric signal that directly correlates to the targeted biomarker concentration. While ELISAs are effective for analyzing samples with high biomarker content, they lack the sensitivity required to …