Engineering Commons^™

Detection Of 2,4,6-Trinitrotoluene Using A Colorimetric Gold Nanoparticle Air Cassette Filter, Andrea I. Ferrer Vega

Master of Science in Forensic Science Directed Research Projects

Trinitrotoluene (TNT) is an explosive commonly used during military and terrorist activities. Current methods to identify this compound require sampling, transport and analysis at a forensic lab using analytical instrumentation. However, on-site detection is needed to assist efforts to prevent detonation. Gold nanoparticles have been used as sensors throughout the years due to their versatility and surface enhanced Raman scattering properties in the presence of an analyte and low limits of detection. By taking advantage of the Meisenheimer complex that TNT forms in the presence of amines, it is possible to determine its presence at picogram levels. Subsequently, adhering amine …

Simulation Of Particle Transport In A Multi-Component Flow With A High Viscosity Ratio Driven By Slender Structures, Michael Roeing-Donna

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Simulating particle transport in multi-component fluid flows driven by slender structures is important but challenging, especially when dealing with large viscosity ratios. In this thesis, a general multi-physics model is introduced to handle multi-component fluid flows, slender beating structures, immersed particles/droplets, and their interactions. This multi-physics model has been validated with analytical solutions and other published experimental and numerical results for the mean mucous velocity. The validated model is used to study particle transport in nasal mucous layer, the interplay between cilia and fluid flow. The model shows that mucous-pericilairy layer interface and mucous-air interface remain a constant height throughout …

Development Of Prototype Rf Front-End Electronics For Linear Accelerator Beam Position Monitoring System, Edward Matthew Siebert

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Beam Position Monitoring (BPM) systems are utilized extensively in particle accelerator facilities as a diagnostic tool to ascertain quantitative aspects of an accelerated charge-beam such as spatial position and intensity of the beam as it is accelerated to greater velocities and levels of kinetic energy within said accelerating machine. A critical aspect of a BPM system is the Radio Frequency Front End (RFFE) electronic circuitry that receives the incoming raw BPM signal and performs signal-conditioning such that its frequency spectrum is transformed from radio frequency (RF) to non-RF and digitization of the transformed signal by downstream components can successfully occur. …

Experimental Exploration Of Shared Magnetic Phases Between Diverse Systems Of Iron-Pnictide Superconductors, Ryan Scott Stadel

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

The exciting field of iron-pnictide superconductors offers unique opportunities for studying the relationship between magnetism and unconventional superconductivity. This is vital to developing an understanding of the microscopic origin of high-temperature superconductivity, which is itself an important step in harnessing such a potentially revolutionary technology.

Polycrystalline and crystalline samples are synthesized over a diverse collection of related iron-pnictide systems including (Ca,Sr,Ba)1-xNaxFe2As2, Ba(Fe1-xCox)2As2 (122s), and LaFeAs1-xPxO, and TbFeAs1-xPxO (1111s). These compounds are characterized through various types of neutron and x-ray diffraction on multiple instruments, as well as muon spin resonance, and magnetic susceptibility measurements.

A thorough investigation into the conditions under …

Modeling Study Of Electrocoagulation System For Treating Wastewater, Swachwa Dey

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Effective treatment of wastewater from households, communities, and industries is vital to preserve our environment. Chemical treatment to add coagulants into the wastewater is the most popular treatment method, but due to the high operating cost and secondary contamination issue, a novel method to solve those issues is required. In this study, we revisited the electro-coagulation (EC) system which has promising features of low system/operating cost and environment friendly process. EC was actively developed once, but due to the low efficiency and scaling-up issues, it could not be fully utilized. In this study, physics-based mathematical model was developed to elucidate …

Particle Swarm Optimization And Ant Colony Optimization For Bi-Objective Optimization For A Single Batch Processing Machine, Sajith Gopinathan

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

This research studies the scheduling of jobs with unequal ready times, unequal processing times, and unequal sizes on a single batch processing machine, with the objectives of minimizing makespan and maximum tardiness. For the batch process, the jobs are required to be grouped into batches and further these batches are scheduled on the machine to minimize the objectives, without violating the machine capacity. The problem under study can be denoted as 1|p-batch, sj, rj| Cmax,Tmax in the standard three-field notation. A thorough review of literature pertinent to the field of research has been conducted and two new approaches have been …

Imu-Based Estimation Of Body Posture In Commercial Fishing, Umme Kawsar Alam

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), work-related musculoskeletaldisorders (WMSDs) account for 33% of all occupational injuries and illnesses in the U.S. In addition, one of the most strenuous occupations in which musculoskeletal disorders are common is known to be commercial fishing. The first step to address this issue is to precisely measure the working postures of workers so that the relation between WMSDs and nonneutral working postures can be systematically investigated. Although the inertial measurement unit (IMU) has recently gained attention in posture measurement due to its portability, it is highly limited to the use as an …

Quantification Of Climate Variability And Extreme Events In The Great Plains, Angelinah Ntsieng Rasoeu

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Climate variability and extreme events continue to worsen resulting in significant impacts to society and the environment. Quantifying precipitation variability, streamflow, and extreme events at local scale is crucial for local planning and management due to spatial and temporal precipitation variability which influences streamflow and thus, water resources. This study uses statistical tools to analyze 1895-2019 (125 years) of historical precipitation data to examine how long-term precipitation varies annually, seasonally, and monthly, and create climate classifications. The results show that annual precipitation is increasing linearly over time ranging from 13.2 in (1976) to 43.1 in (2010) and 5 climate classes …

Lightweight Encryption Based Security Package For Wireless Body Area Network, Sangwon Shin

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

As the demand of individual health monitoring rose, Wireless Body Area Networks (WBAN) are becoming highly distinctive within health applications. Nowadays, WBAN is much easier to access then what it used to be. However, due to WBAN’s limitation, properly sophisticated security protocols do not exist. As WBAN devices deal with sensitive data and could be used as a threat to the owner of the data or their family, securing individual devices is highly important. Despite the importance in securing data, existing WBAN security methods are focused on providing light weight security methods. This led to most security methods for WBAN …

Assessing The Effectiveness Of Cfd To Solve An Inverse Problem Of Thermal Profiles For The Protodune-Sp Neutrino Detector, Cecilia Anne Streff

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) is a branch of fluid mechanics which is employed to numerically solve complex fluid, heat transfer, and multiphysics problems. Traditionally, CFD techniques are used to solve “forward” problems—using some known information of a system as inputs to a representative model to predict experimental measurements or expected system behavior. The work presented here demonstrates how CFD may be used to solve an “inverse” problem—given limited experimental data and some model, predict (previously unidentified) “input” system (or system model) parameters. The case study for this research uses a validated CFD modeling approach of the liquid argon (LAr) region …

An Overview Of Pulsed Power System Design And Applications, Joshua John Zaiter

Senior Honors Theses

Pulsed power is the delivery of energy to a load in very short time frames. By reducing the time component, massive instantaneous power magnitudes are achieved, scaling up to the high terawatt range in some modern applications. The study of general system design and its applications have great academic merit. By analyzing the structure and breakdown of such a system, uses in various fields have been discovered, including cancer treatment and manufacturing. Liberty hopes to gain access to this research field by replicating two existing systems (with permission) and conducting tests to aid in societal progress. Results of high voltage …

Assessing Heart Rate Using Consumer Technology Association Standards, Joel D. Reece, Jennifer A. Bunn, Minsoo Choi, James W. Navalta

Kinesiology and Nutrition Sciences Faculty Research

It is difficult for developers, researchers, and consumers to compare results among emerging wearable technology without using a uniform set of standards. This study evaluated the accuracy of commercially available wearable technology heart rate (HR) monitors using the Consumer Technology Association (CTA) standards. Participants (N = 23) simultaneously wore a Polar chest strap (criterion measure), Jabra Elite earbuds, Scosche Rhythm 24 armband, Apple Watch 4, and Garmin Forerunner 735 XT during sitting, activities of daily living, walking, jogging, running, and cycling, totaling 57 min of monitored activity. The Apple Watch mean bias was within ±1 bpm, and mean absolute percent …

Morphology Control Of One-Dimensional Gallium Nitride Nanostructures By Modulating The Crystallinity Of Sacrificial Gallium Oxide Templates, Yun Taek Ko, Mijeong Park, Jingyeong Park, Jaeyun Moon, Yong Ho Choa, Young In Lee

Mechanical Engineering Faculty Research

In this study, we demonstrated a method of controllably synthesizing one-dimensional nanostructures having a dense or a hollow structure using fibrous sacrificial templates with tunable crystallinity. The fibrous ga2o3 templates were prepared by calcining the polymer/gallium precursor nanofiber synthesized by an electrospinning process, and their crystallinity was varied by controlling the calcination temperature from 500oC to 900oC. gaN nanostructures were transformed by nitriding the ga2o3 nanofibers using NH3 gas. All of the transformed gaN nanostructures maintained a one-dimensional structure well and exhibited a diameter of about 50 nm, but their morphology was clearly distinguished according to the crystallinity of the …

Direct Energy Deposition Of Mo Powder Prepared By Electrode Induction Melting Gas Atomization, Goo Won Roh, Eun Soo Park, Jaeyun Moon, Hojun Lee, Jongmin Byun

Mechanical Engineering Faculty Research

Molybdenum (Mo) is used to form a barrier layer for metal wiring in displays or semiconductor devices. Recently, researches have been continuously attempted to fabricate Mo sputtering targets through additive manufacturing. in this study, spherical Mo powders with an average particle size of about 37 um were manufactured by electrode induction melting gas atomization. Subsequently, Mo layer with a thickness of 0.25 mm was formed by direct energy deposition in which the scan speed was set as a variable. According to the change of the scan speed, pores or cracks were found in the Mo deposition layer. Mo layer deposited …

Effect Of Heat Treatment On Microstructure And Hardness Of A Worn Rail Repaired Using Laser Powder Deposition, Ershad Mortazavian, Zhiyong Wang, Hualiang Teng

Mechanical Engineering Faculty Research

The frequent replacement of worn rails on tracks brings an immense economic burden on the railroad industry, and also causes significant interruptions to railroad operation. Restoration of worn rails via laser powder deposition (LPD) can considerably reduce the associated maintenance costs. This study was focused on the use of LPD to repair the worn profile of a standard U.S. rail. The microstructure of the 304L stainless steel deposits with a minimum hardness of 85 HRB was composed of austenite, δ-ferrite, and sigma. Micropores were dispersed throughout the deposit, and microcracks were found at the rail-deposition interface. The pearlitic rail substrate …

Warm Unit Rod Movement Stand For Proton Improvement Project Ii, Christopher Shohei Becker

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Fermilab is responsible for many experiments involving proton acceleration and requires a significant upgrade to its linear accelerator infrastructure to meet the needs of the 21st century high energy physics. The Proton Improvement Project II (PIP II) is a plan to allow Fermilab to maintain its title of most intense accelerator by doubling the output of its proton beam to 800 MeV. An array of high frequency cryomodules generate the beam but are limited in total manufacturing lengths. To connect the multiple devices, a combination of magnets and ion vacuum pumps at room temperature -- therefore called warm units -- …

Workshop Outcomes Report: 1st International Workshop On Seismic Resilience Of Arctic Infrastructure And Social Systems, Majid Ghayoomi, Katharine Duderstadt, Alexander Kholodov, Alexander Shiklomanov, Matthew Turner, Elham Ajorlou

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Reducing Environmental Impacts Of Natural Gas Compressor Stations And Applicability Of The Current Regulatory Framework, Scotty Joel Moates

All ETDs from UAB

The natural gas pipeline system is an integral part of the energy structure and critical to meeting energy demand in the United States. Natural gas compressor stations are the heart of the natural gas pipeline industry. Compressor stations compress the gas coming into the station and increase the pressure of the gas to ensure movement down the pipeline at the right operating pressure. This compression process is performed through natural-gas fire engines, such as reciprocating engines and turbines. Natural gas compressor station operations are subject to a wide range of environmental regulations. These regulations seek to mitigate the environmental impacts …

Impact Evaluation Of Major Hurricanes On Designated Southeast Coast Counties Of Usa Using Multivariate Analysis And Forecasting, Mukti Patel

All ETDs from UAB

The study includes four major analyses. Each analysis has its own uniqueness. The Temporal analysis intended to track the economic effect trends of major storms in small counties and large metro regions as well as compare how the percent GDP loss in these locations has affected. The study shows that unfavorable impacts of major storms of the same scale and intensity stood the greatest shift in GDP growth rate percentage along with greatest damage in terms of GDP particularly in the smaller counties during and after major storm event. In addition to that percentage change in population growth rate, personal …

De Novo Generation Of Cardiomyocytes For Regenerative Medicine Treatment, Yawen Tang

All ETDs from UAB

Cardiovascular disease, till now, is still the leading cause of death in the United States. As a consequences of heart attack event, cardiomyocytes death is an irreversible process accompanied with scar formation and loss of heart function. As mammalian cardiomyocytes exit cell cycle shortly after birth, with no replacement of the necrotic cardiomyocytes, the damages caused by heart attack often progress into more severe symptoms such as heart failure. To replenish damaged cardiomyocytes (CMs), many therapies, such as differentiate the induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) into cardiomyocytes and direct reprogram fibroblasts into CMs, have been developed. During this dissertation study, …

Studies On The Influence Of Non-Equilibrium Plasma Irradiation On Polyester Scaffolds: Characterization And Evolution Of New Surface Properties Toward Potential Biomedical Applications, Bernabe Samuel Tucker

All ETDs from UAB

A great need exists for innovative, functional materials. Specifically, functional materials must meet the necessary mechanical and interfacial properties for successful bio-integration for end goals such as medical implants. A gap in the knowledge existed before this work. This work addressed that gap through an experimental approach that employed low-temperature plasma (LTP) processing of fibrous, polyester constructs to produce functional materials. First, atmospheric-pressure plasma processing of electrospun polyester fibers, in a tubular geometry, was reported. Characterization of that system was conducted. Next, the effects of magnetized plasmas were reported. That report was a novel application of magnetized plasma and showed …

Miniaturization Of The Network Analyzer As An Interface Circuit For Wearable Resonance-Based Sensors, Fan Wu

All ETDs from UAB

Readout interface circuits are the essential part of all sensor units. Miniaturing such circuits is a challenging design issue for the future of the Internet of Things, wearable and implantable biomedical devices, sensors for harsh environments, etc. For developing wireless telemetry sensors, Vector Network Analyzer (VNA) is a powerful measurement instrument that can measure scattering parameters (S-Parameters) of single and dual-port networks, as well as Y- and Z-parameters. However, VNAs are expensive and bulky and cannot be carried around, and therefore, they can’t be used as a sensor interface. This thesis aims to design, develop, and implement a miniaturized data …

Microstructural Characterization Of Ternary Eutectic And Near-Eutectic Al-Cu-Mg Alloys, Dominic Ikemefuna Ezemenaka

All ETDs from UAB

As solidification science continues to evolve, better understanding of microstructure evolution opens up a vast range of opportunities for metallic alloys research and development. Traditionally, there is a strong link between materials processing and structure, which in turn influences their properties and performance in service areas. With the present rapid advancement in technology, materials scientists/researchers are faced with the challenge of understanding higher-order eutectic alloys due to their unique properties. In this research work, invariant and off-eutectic Al-Cu-Mg alloys are chosen as models because they have not received considerable research attention in comparison with other ternary eutectic alloys. The experimental …

Fiber Prestressing In Glass Fiber Reinforced Polymer (Gfrp) Composites, Mahmoud Mohamed

All ETDs from UAB

Fiber Reinforced Polymer (FRP) composite have found increasing use in several vital industries and applications, such as transportation, construction, sporting goods, and aircraft. The quality and mechanical properties of FRP composites are significantly influenced by many factors including the manufacturing technique. Introducing the technique of fiber prestressing during the manufacturing process of FRP composites can effectively improve their performance without a considerable additional cost. This study contributes to further investigation and understanding about utilizing the elastic method of fiber prestressing to produce Glass Fiber Reinforced Polymer (GFRP) composites, in the following ways:First, a novel and effective method to manufacture unidirectional …

Modification Of N95 Respirators: Allaying Deficits In Respiratory Protection Below 300 Nanometers, Adam Nored

All ETDs from UAB

The current growth rate of nanomaterials being used in everyday materials as well as in construction materials is quite large. While this in itself could be quite promising, there is a lack of information known about the risks that materials in the nano size range may have attached to their use. Until a full-scale risk analysis of the nanomaterials is used in the construction industry there is a need for personal protection to be implemented. A known issue with the current PPE exists, in that the N95 personal respirator has some particle collection efficiency issues below 300 nm. Modifications to …

Optimization Of Gelatin-Based Cellular Coating Of Msc For Myocardial Infarction Therapy, Kara Amelle Davis

Theses and Dissertations--Chemical and Materials Engineering

Cardiovascular disease remains the number one threat to American lives. During an acute myocardial infarction (AMI), blood flow is blocked and results in the formation of scar tissue. As the body’s immune system responds, inflammatory signaling causes an increase in both scar tissue size and the patient’s risk for further chronic heart failure. In order to reduce the risk of continued heart disease inflammatory signaling must be reduced. Stem cell therapies have the ability to alter the immune system’s pro-inflammatory signal. However, stem cell retention is limited due to blood flow shear. Gelatin methacrylate (GelMA) based coatings have been shown …

Fabrication Of Nanoporous Materials For Applications Under Extreme Environments, Maria Kosmidou

Theses and Dissertations--Chemical and Materials Engineering

The study of nanoporous materials has become a key aspect of nanotechnology due to their high surface-area-to-volume ratio, arising from the small size ligaments and pores that form the structure. Sensing, catalysis, micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS), medical applications, and materials for radiation environments are some of the applications for which nanoporous materials are considered great candidates. This work, performed at the Ion Beam Laboratory (IBL) at Sandia National Laboratories (SNL), examines the effect of heavy and light ion irradiation exposure on nanoporous Au. Radiation damage accumulation is observed with real-time recording of the creation, migration, and removal of the radiation-induced defects …

Assessment Of A Decentralized Solution For Waste Plastic Management In Developing Regions, Chandniben Ashishkumar Joshi

Theses and Dissertations--Chemical and Materials Engineering

Rapid population growth, urbanization and availability of pre-packaged consumer goods have led to increased generation and consumption of plastic – so much so that it has become ubiquitous in the environment. An affordable, durable, and lightweight material of construction, plastic is used in innumerable products in every country on earth. However, this explosion of consumption coupled with the material’s significantly low degradability have led to serious plastic accumulation challenges, which are now an imminent threat to terrestrial and marine species globally. These challenges are especially acute in developing countries, where capital and infrastructure constraints, poor governmental regulation and lack of …

Electrochemical Performance Of Biomass-Derived Activated Carbon Supercapacitor Under Compression, Yulin Zhang

Theses and Dissertations--Chemical and Materials Engineering

Supercapacitors are important energy storage device of high-power density, fast charge/discharge rate, environmental friendliness and long service life. Currently, flexible supercapacitors have attracted widespread interest in academia and industry. Supercapacitors under the action of external force will inevitably cause structural changes, performance degradation and even loss of energy storage and supply functionalities. As the most abundant renewable resource so far, biomass is an important energy source for human survival and development. Most electrode materials for supercapacitors are porous activated carbons, which can be derived from abundant renewable biomass, contributing to the sustainable development of society and environmental protection. This thesis …

Interactions Of Lignin Dimers With Engineered Surfaces And Model Cell Membranes For Design Of Lignin-Based Materials, Mahsa Moradipour

Theses and Dissertations--Chemical and Materials Engineering

Capitalizing on byproducts of industrial and agricultural economies is among the utmost goals of sustainability. Of particular interest for commercial upgrading is lignin, a phenolic biopolymer found in the cell walls of plants which is the second most abundant biopolymer on Earth after cellulose. Due to its heterogeneous structure, deconstructing lignin to selected small molecules for use as chemicals or advanced materials has been elusive. This work capitalizes on a “bottom up” approach to the synthesis of lignin oligomers of known bond chemistry to better understand their interfacial interactions.

The potential pharmacological mechanism of lignin deconstruction components and their toxicological …