Chemical Engineering Commons^™

Elucidation Of Chiral Recognition Mechanisms Of Solutes By Amylose Tris[(S)-Alpha-Methylbenzylcarbamate] Sorbent, Hung-Wei Tsui

Open Access Dissertations

Enantioselective separations of chiral molecules are important in various chemical fields, such as pharmaceuticals and agrochemicals industries. Polysaccharide-based sorbents have been widely used in chiral liquid chromatography. The recognition mechanisms which determine their enantioselectivities are not completely understood.

In this dissertation, the chiral recognition mechanisms of a widely used commercial sorbent, amylose tris[(S)-alpha-methylbenzylcarbamate], for benzoin (B) enantiomers were first studied. The HPLC data for benzoin with pure n-hexane as the mobile phase have been obtained. The behavior of sorbent-solute-hexane systems can be interpreted by considering only sorbent solute two-component interactions. Infrared (IR) spectra showed evidence of substantial hydrogen bonding (H-bonding) …

The Effect Of Composition On The Linear And Nonlinear Mechanical Properties Of Particulate Filled Elastomers, Oluwaseyi Ogebule

Open Access Dissertations

Engineering elastomers are materials capable of undergoing large deformation upon load application and recovering upon load removal. From car tires to building vibration isolator systems, elastomers are the most versatile of engineering materials. The inclusion of particulate fillers into elastomers enhances their mechanical properties (modulus, tensile strength, toughness, tear resistance, etc) thereby extending their applicability to more demanding functions. The automotive, healthcare, construction, adhesives and consumer products are some of the many industries that produce finished goods containing elastomeric parts.

Despite the various concepts on reinforcement in filled elastomers, a complete understanding of their linear viscoelastic properties and the nonlinear …

Energy Systems Analysis For A Solar Economy, Dharik Sanchan Mallapragada

Open Access Dissertations

The use of solar energy for human needs faces challenges owing to its relatively low energy intensity and intermittent availability, coupled with the constrained availability of renewable carbon and land resources. This study uses systems analysis tools to identify carbon and energy efficient transformations of solar energy for different purposes, including transportation fuels and grid-scale energy storage. These efforts have been complemented with a feasibility analysis of existing fossil-energy and other hybrid pathways.

In an era of limited fossil resources, liquid fuels from sustainably available (SA) biomass could meet the energy needs of the transportation sector. We present a method …

Spectroscopic And Kinetic Study Of Copper-Exchanged Zeolites For The Selective Catalytic Reduction Of Nox With Ammonia, Shane Adam Bates

Open Access Dissertations

The recent application of metal-exchanged, small-pore zeolites for use in the selective catalytic reduction (SCR) of NO_x with ammonia NH₃ for automotive deNO_x applications has been a great stride in achieving emission standard goals. Copper-exchanged SSZ-13 (Cu-SSZ-13), the small-pore zeolite in this study, has been shown to be very hydrothermally stable and active under conditions presented in the exhaust of the lean-burn diesel engine. In this work, detailed studies were performed to identify many aspects of the active site(s) in Cu-SSZ-13 in order to learn about the standard SCR mechanism.

A series of seven Cu-SSZ-13 samples were …

Atomic Level Study Of Water-Gas Shift Catalysts Via Transmission Electron Microscopy And X-Ray Spectroscopy, Mehmed Cem Akatay

Open Access Dissertations

Water-gas shift (WGS), CO + H₂ O [Special characters omitted.] CO₂ + H₂ (ΔH° = -41 kJ mol ^-1 ), is an industrially important reaction for the production of high purity hydrogen. Commercial Cu/ZnO/Al₂ O₃ catalystsare employed to accelerate this reaction, yet these catalysts suffer from certain drawbacks, including costly regeneration processes and sulfur poisoning. Extensive research is focused on developing new catalysts to replace the current technology. Supported noble metals stand out as promising candidates, yet comprise intricate nanostructures complicating the understanding of their working mechanism.

In this study, the structure of the supported …

Molecular Dynamics At Constant Pressure: Allowing The System To Control Volume Fluctuations Via A “Shell” Particle, Mark J. Uline, David S. Corti

School of Chemical Engineering Faculty Publications

Since most experimental observations are performed at constant temperature and pressure, the isothermal-isobaric (NPT) ensemble has been widely used in molecular simulations. Nevertheless, the NPT ensemble has only recently been placed on a rigorous foundation. The proper formulation of the NPT ensemble requires a “shell” particle to uniquely identify the volume of the system, thereby avoiding the redundant counting of configurations. Here, we review our recent work in incorporating a shell particle into molecular dynamics simulation algorithms to generate the correct NPT ensemble averages. Unlike previous methods, a piston of unknown mass is no longer needed to control …

Heats Of Combustion For Four Utah Leaf Species, Megan M. Woodhouse, Dr. Thomas Fletcher

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Empirical models have been developed to predict the spread of forest fire models from data about the burning plant species, terrain, and wind conditions. Over the past three years, a research group at Brigham Young University has collected data for ignition temperatures and time to ignition for eight leaf species involved in wildland fires. Four of these species are found in the Southern California chaparral, while the four other species are found in Utah. To further improve the fire models it is desirable to know the heats of combustion for each of the different leaf species. Heats of combustion can …

Characterization Of Variables In Electrical Killing Of Bacteria: Voltage And Current Geometry, Taylor Turner, Dr. William Pitt

Journal of Undergraduate Research

As part of a constant pursuit of better health researchers continuously investigate the role of bacteria in disease and infection. Much research today investigates methods for effectively killing unwanted bacteria in the body. Modern antibiotic medications are the most effective method of accomplishing this, but they have their limits. One particular limit of today’s antibiotics is the ability to eliminate biofilms. Biofilms consist of many layers of bacterial cells growing on top of each other, typically attached to a solid surface. Antibiotics cannot penetrate the layers of biofilms, leaving the lower bacteria untouched after treatment. This problem led us to …

Evaluation Of Three Chemical Coatings On Biomaterial Induced Thromboembolism, Joseph Flinders, Dr. Kenneth Solen

Journal of Undergraduate Research

When blood contacts man-made biomaterials such as those used in artificial organs (e.g. hemodialyzers, oxygenators, etc.) a chain of events occurs that can lead to medical complications as serious as a stroke. These events include proteins (particularly fibrinogen) adhering to the biomaterial’s surface, the accumulation of blood platelets on the fibrinogen to form “Thrombi”, and then the dislodging of the thrombi to form particles (microemboli) that can block downstream arteries or capillaries causing a “stroke” or other cardiovascular event.

Hypothermia-Induced Platelet Aggregation And Fibrinogen Functionality, Adam Broderick, Dr. Ken Solen

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Hypothermia-Induced Platelet Aggregation (HIPA) may pose a significant risk for patients undergoing some surgical procedures. During heart surgery, a patient’s core temperature is typically lowered to reduce tissue damage. Hall et al. (2002) observed that this caused blood platelet aggregation in ~30% of test subjects1 and increases post-operative neurological impairment after hypothermic coronary bypass surgery, possibly through occlusion of small blood vessels by platelet aggregates.2

Antibody-Conjugated Polymeric Micelles That Attach To Specific Cancer Cells, Douglas S. Lewis, Dr. William G. Pitt

Journal of Undergraduate Research

In the past decade, many efforts have been made to improve chemotherapeutic treatments for cancer patients. One of the specific efforts seeks to actively deliver anti-cancer drugs to the target tissue rendering the chemotherapy more efficient and less damaging to nearby uninfected cells.

Quantifying The Relationship Between Platelet Activity And Blood-Materials Interactions, Kenneth Solen

Journal of Undergraduate Research

In clinical practice, variations among patients in the degree of blood-material interaction are evidenced in the fact that physicians have long sought for ways to provide patient-specific treatment1. No clinical screening yet exists to test the level of interaction expected from a given patient. My research attempted to test the hypothesis that a correlation exists between platelet function and blood-material interaction.

Stabilizing Nanostructured Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Cathode With Atomic Layer Deposition, Yunhui Gong, Diego Palacio, Xueyan Song, Rajankumar L. Patel, Xinhua Liang

Chemical and Biochemical Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

We demonstrate that the highly active but unstable nanostructured intermediate-temperature solid oxide fuel cell cathode, La_0.6Sr_0.4CoO_3-δ (LSCo), can retain its high oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) activity with exceptional stability for 4000 h at 700 C by overcoating its surfaces with a conformal layer of nanoscale ZrO₂ films through atomic layer deposition (ALD). The benefits from the presence of the nanoscale ALD-ZrO₂ overcoats are remarkable: a factor of 19 and 18 reduction in polarization area-specific resistance and degradation rate over the pristine sample, respectively. The unique multifunctionality of the ALD-derived nanoscaled ZrO₂ overcoats, …

Tumor Drug Concentration Due To Ultrasonic Drug Delivery, Bryant Staples, Dr. William Pitt

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The tri-block copolymer, Pluronic P105, has been found to be an ideal ultrasonically activated drug delivery vehicle because it forms micelles with hydrophobic polypropylene oxide cores that sequester hydrophobic drugs (Fig. 1). These micelles release their contents upon the application of low frequency ultrasound [1] such that drugs can be released specifically at the ultrasonicated region (Fig. 2). Such ultrasonically controlled release has been effective against cancer cells in vitro [2] and in vivo [3].

Synthesis Of A Polymeric Micelle That Can Target And Attach To Specific Tissues, Douglas S. Lewis, Dr. William Pitt

Journal of Undergraduate Research

In the past decade, many efforts have been made to improve chemotherapeutic treatments for cancer patients. One of the specific efforts seeks to actively deliver anti-cancer drugs to the target tissue rendering the chemotherapy more efficient and less damaging to nearby uninfected cells.

Effect Of Water Concentration During Polymerization Of A Hydrogel On Swelling And Mechanical Properties, Justin J. Baker, Dr. William Pitt

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Hydrogels are polymers that absorb water and thus swell in the presence of water and/or body fluids. Hydrogels have been used in many drug-delivery and medical applications.1 One such application is to apply a thin coating of a hydrogel to the outer surface of a hearing aid to eliminate acoustic feedback. Acoustic feedback is the high-pitched squeal caused by an incomplete seal between the hearing aid and the surface of the ear canal. This incomplete seal allows amplified sound to escape and be re-amplified by the hearing aid. By coating a hearing aid with a hydrogel, the humidity and oils …

Peo-Ppo-Pla: An Anti-Cancer Drug Carrier Subtitle (If Applicable), James Lattin, Dr. William Pitt

Journal of Undergraduate Research

For over a decade ultrasound enhanced drug delivery systems have been under development. These systems often use polymeric molecules that form micelles. In aqueous solutions (such as blood), a spherical micelle is formed as the hydrophilic ends of the molecules interact with the solution and the hydrophobic ends are pushed to the inside of the sphere where they can interact with each other.

Bioremediation Of Contaminated Groundwater Development Of Bio-Wall Technology, Lyn Bobincheck, Dr. W. Vincent Wilding

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Contaminated groundwater results from uncontrolled release of wastes such as fuel and industrial solvents. This contamination is cleaned up through several methods including bioremediation. Current methods of bioremediation include traditional pump and treat, bioventing, and bio-walls. Bio-walls are a new, promising technology described by several researchers.1,2 The purpose of this research was to determine the state of the art bio-wall technology, and to present a bio-wall design which optimizes necessary parameters for bioremediation.

Computer Modeling And Mapping Of Ultrasound Intensity In Human Tissues For Gene And Drug Delivery, Spencer Smith, Dr. William Pitt

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Over the past years ultrasound has been used extensively in medical treatments. It is now being developed and tested in localized drug and gene delivery. One of the main applications for drug delivery is treating cancer.

Nanoemulsions Of Non-Toxic Fluorocarbon Liquids Used To Transfect Genes With Applied Ultrasound, Cody L. Martin, Dr. William Pitt

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Gene delivery has been an important topic of medical and scientific research today, due to its potential in aiding the fight against cancer, heart disease and many genetic disorders. By transfecting appropriate genes into diseased cells, specific proteins can be produced that will alleviate problems at the cellular level. In addition, if the gene delivery is done by a targeted non-viral approach, such as ultrasound combined with contrast agent bubbles, the efficiency of transfection always increases. The targeted non-viral approach consists of applying focused ultrasound to a specific tissue in the presence of microbubbles. The application of ultrasound will cause …

Correlating Thomboembolism To Individual Platelet Aggregation Rate, Luke Werrett, Dr. Kenneth Solen

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The objective of this research project was to identify a correlation between a traditional platelet activity test using an aggregometer, and a new test that measures interactions between blood and man-made materials in a simulated blood flow environment. A correlation between these data would give artificial organ recipients and open-heart surgery candidates a more thorough risk analysis of their situation, and indicate the need for caution or additional medication.

The Mechanism Of Gravity Induced, Counter-Current Flow Of Oil And Water In Porous Beds, Kari Cook, Dr. Hugh Hales

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Computerized simulation of the flow in underground petroleum reservoirs is widely used by oil companies to optimize the production of oil and gas. Such simulations are known in the Industry as “reservoir simulation”. They are based on Darcy’s Law, smoothly varying flow potentials, and the assumption that all phases move uniformly through the pore spaces. It seems possible that at low flow rates, such as those resulting when gravitational forces predominate, a different mechanism applies. The more dense phases may move downward in some pores, while the lighter fluids move upward through others. This would result in much more rapid …

A Course Grain Model For Protein-Surface Interactions, Shuai Wei, Thomas A. Knotts Iv

Faculty Publications

The interaction of proteins with surfaces is important in numerous applications in many fields—such as biotechnology, proteomics, sensors, and medicine—but fundamental understanding of how protein stability and structure are affected by surfaces remains incomplete. Over the last several years, molecular simulation using coarse grain models has yielded significant insights, but the formalisms used to represent the surface interactions have been rudimentary. We present a new model for protein surface interactions that incorporates the chemical specificity of both the surface and the residues comprising the protein in the context of a one-bead-per-residue, coarse grain approach that maintains computational efficiency. The model …

A Propane Oven For The Uros Islands, Jeffrey Perry, Dr. Randy Lewis

Journal of Undergraduate Research

High in the Andes Mountains lives a group of Peruvians who spend their lives on the Uros Islands of Lake Titicaca. To purchase supplies at the nearest city, Puno, islanders must take a 20 minute motorboat trip and 10 minute taxi ride. Because trips to the city are infrequent, islanders rarely have the opportunity throughout the week to eat fresh baked breads, meats and desserts. The oven building team from the Global Engineering Outreach Class (GEO) at Brigham Young University decided to design, build and implement a portable oven, heated by propane that could be easily used and manufactured by …

Effects Of Enhanced Oil Recovery On Production Engineers, Elm Coulee Field, Bakken Reservoir, Richland County, Montana, Burt J. Todd, Ph.D., John Evans, Leo Heath, David Reichhardt

Petroleum Engineering

This presentation describes research at Montana Tech to improve oil recovery rates in the Elm Coulee Oil Field in the Bakken Reservoir, Richmond County, Montana. The slides display current recovery rate predictions, enhanced oil recovery methods, reservoir model building and history matching strategies. Recommended development strategies include implementing hydrocarbon gas injection operations to improve current oil recovery rates by more than 75%. The impact of increased production on Production Engineers is also described. The Principal Investigators include John Evans, Leo Heath, David Reichhardt and Burt Todd in the Petroleum Engineering Department.

Slab Flattening Trigger For Isotopic Disturbance And Magmatic Flareup In The Southernmost Sierra Nevada Batholith, California, Alan D. Chapman, Jason B. Saleeby, John Eiler

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The San Emigdio Schist of Southern California permits examination of partial melting and devolatilization processes along a Late Cretaceous shallow subduction zone. Detrital and recrystallized zircon of the structurally highest portions of the schist bracket the depositional age to between ca. 102 and 98 Ma. Zircon oxygen isotope data from both lower-plate schist and upper-plate assemblages of the Sierra Nevada batholith (SNB) reveal a δ18O shift of ̃1.5% between igneous (̃5.5%) and recrystallized (̃7%) domains. These results, taken with previous zircon and whole-rock δ18O measurements, provide evidence for devolatilization and/or partial melting of the schist and fluid ascent through overlying …

Atomic Layer Deposited Highly Dispersed Platinum Nanoparticles Supported On Non-Functionalized Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes For The Hydrogenation Of Xylose To Xylitol, Xinhua Liang, Chengjun Jiang

Chemical and Biochemical Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Highly dispersed platinum nanoparticles were deposited on gram quantities of non-functionalized multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) by atomic layer deposition (ALD) in a fluidized bed reactor at 300°C. (Methylcyclopentadienyl) trimethylplatinum and oxygen were used as precursors. The results of TEM analysis showed that ∼1.3 nm Pt nanoparticles were highly dispersed on non-functionalized MWCNTs. The porous structures of MWCNTs did not change with the deposition of Pt nanoparticles. For comparison, the commercial 3 wt.% Pt/C catalyst was also characterized. The ALD-prepared Pt/MWCNT was used for the hydrogenation of xylose to xylitol. The ALD-prepared Pt/MWCNT showed the best catalytic performance with 100 % …

Automated Methods To Determine Electrospun Fiber Alignment And Diameter Using The Radon Transform, Nicholas J. Schaub, Sean J. Kirkpatrick, Ryan J. Gilbert

Chemical and Biochemical Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Recent evidence demonstrates the ability to change cell function by altering the physical properties of electro spun scaffolds, but many studies still do not characterize electro spun fiber alignment and diameter. To aid in the reporting of these crucial properties, we demonstrate two methods of quantifying electro spun fiber alignment with one method capable of determining electro spun fiber diameter. The first method assesses fiber alignment in a scanning electron microscopy image using the Radon Transform (RT) to calculate the entropy of the fibers in the image. The RT entropy method was more sensitive than a commonly used Fast Fourier …

Modeling The Effect Of Apc Truncation On Destruction Complex Function In Colorectal Cancer Cells, Dipak Barua, William S. Hlavacek

Chemical and Biochemical Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

In colorectal cancer cells, APC, a tumor suppressor protein, is commonly expressed in truncated form. Truncation of APC is believed to disrupt degradation of β-catenin, which is regulated by a multiprotein complex called the destruction complex. The destruction complex comprises APC, Axin, β-catenin, serine/threonine kinases, and other proteins. The kinases CK1α and GSK-3β, which are recruited by Axin, mediate phosphorylation of β-catenin, which initiates its ubiquitination and proteosomal degradation. The mechanism of regulation of β-catenin degradation by the destruction complex and the role of truncation of APC in colorectal cancer are not entirely understood. Through formulation and analysis of a …

Comparison Of A Sio2-Cao-Zno-Sro Glass Polyalkenoate Cement To Commercial Dental Materials: Ion Release, Biocompatibility And Antibacterial Properties, A. W. Wren, A. Coughlan, M. M. Hall, M. J. German, Mark R. Towler

Chemical and Biochemical Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Ion Release and biocompatibility of a CaO-SrO-ZnO-SiO₂ (BT 101) based glass polyalkenoate cement (GPC) was compared against commercial GPCs, Fuji IX and Ketac Molar. The radiopacity (R) was similar for each material, 2.0-2.8. Ion release was evaluated on each material over 1, 7, 30 and 90 days. BT 101 release included Ca (23 mg/L), Sr (23 mg/L) Zn (13 mg/L), Si (203 mg/L). Fuji IX release includes Ca (0.7 mg/L), Al (3 mg/L) Si (26 mg/L), Na (60 mg/L) and P (0.5 mg/L) while Ketac Molar release includes Ca (1 mg/L), Al (0.6 mg/L) Si (23 mg/L), Na (76 …