Chemical Engineering Commons^™

Nickel-Catalyzed Α-Arylation Of Α-Cyanoacetates Enabled By Electrochemistry, Zi-Meng Li, Zhang-Jian Li, Anat Milo, Ping Fang, Tian-Sheng Mei

Journal of Electrochemistry

β-Amino acids have a wide range of applications in the field of pharmaceuticals. Utilizing a combination strategy of nickel catalysis and paired electrolysis, a catalytic α-arylation protocol of carbonyl compounds has been developed. This protocol affords various a-aryl-a-cyanoacetates, which can be reduced to high-value-added α-aryl-β-amino acids. The cross-coupling reaction of electron-deficient aryl bromides with a-cyanoacetates achieves the expected products with good yields and functional group compatibility under mild conditions. Excessive electron-richness in initial aryl bromides facilitates the self-coupling of desired products. DFT calculations confirm that the presence of electron-rich aryl substitutions decreases the reduction potentials of the product anions, making …

Synthesis Of Geopolymer Using Coal Fly Ash And Corn Stover, Anu Paneru

Master's Theses

The development of each nation is dependent on its infrastructure, and nations are competing with others in infrastructure, especially in the construction of roadways, since they play a vital role in the economic and social development of the nation. The conventional materials used for road construction are cement and asphalt, which pose significant environmental challenges. This thesis explores the potential of fly ash (FA) and corn stover (CS) in synthesizing geopolymer, as an alternative material for the construction of roads. The study examines the impact of FA and CS percentages and the particle sizes of CS on the compressive strength, …

Communication—The Development Of A Stable And Practical Saturated Reference Electrode For Molten Chloride Salt Systems, J. Marvin Torrie, Ranon Fuller, Devin Rappleye

Faculty Publications

A simply constructed, stable, Ni/Ni²⁺ saturated reference electrode (SRE) has potential to measure thermodynamic behavior of molten chloride salts more reliably. Like the Ag/Ag⁺ reference electrode (RE), the Ni/Ni²⁺ SRE is made of commercially available materials. Initial experiments in molten CaCl2 and LiCl show the Ag/Ag⁺ RE potential drifting two times faster than the SRE. Furthermore, experiments show the replicability of SREs by comparing two Ni/Ni²⁺ SREs with different compositions of NiCl₂ which is supportive of saturated phase behavior.

Recent Progress And Perspectives Of Liquid Organic Hydrogen Carrier Electrochemistry For Energy Applications, Jinyao Tang, Rongxuan Xie, Parsa Pishva, Xiaochen Shen, Yanlin Zhu, Zhenmeng Peng

Faculty Publications

Amidst the global pursuit of clean and sustainable energy, the transition towards a hydrogen economy holds immense promise, yet is encumbered by significant storage challenges. Liquid organic hydrogen carrier (LOHC) electrochemistry emerges as a promising solution to enable efficient and sustainable hydrogen storage, meanwhile broadening the horizons of LOHCs for use as clean, renewable, and intense energy carriers to store and generate electricity. In this perspective, we embark on a review of recent trends and progress in LOHC redox electrochemistry, properties, and applications. We categorize electrochemically active, regenerable LOHCs into alcohols, amines, aromatic compounds, aminoxyl species, and others, based on …

Pet And Polyolefin Plastics Supply Chains In Michigan: Present And Future Systems Analysis Of Environmental And Socio-Economic Impacts, Utkarsh S. Chaudhari, Kamand Sedaghatnia, Barbara K. Reck, Kate Maguire, Anne T. Johnson, David Watkins, Robert M. Handler, Tasmin Hossain, Damon S. Hartley, Vicki S. Thompson, Alejandra Peralta, Jenny L. Apriesnig, David Shonnard

Michigan Tech Publications

Many actions are underway at global, national, and local levels to increase plastics circularity. However, studies evaluating the environmental and socio-economic impacts of such a transition are lacking at regional levels in the United States. In this work, the existing polyethylene terephthalate and polyolefin plastics supply chains in Michigan were compared to a potential future (‘NextCycle’) scenario that looks at increasing Michigan’s overall recycling rate to 45%. Material flow analysis data was combined with environmental and socio-economic metrics to evaluate the sustainability of these supply chains for the modeled scenarios. Overall, the NextCycle scenario for these supply chains achieved a …

Kinetic Studies Of Liquid Phase Hydrogenation Of Acetylene For Ethylene Production Using A Selective Solvent Over A Commercial Palladium/Alumina Catalyst, Humayun Shariff, Muthanna H. Al-Dahhan

Chemical and Biochemical Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The Kinetics of Selective Hydrogenation of Acetylene in the Liquid Phase over a Commercial 0.5 Wt % Pd/Al2O3 Spherical Catalyst Was Investigated in a Stirred-Tank Basket Reactor. the Liquid Phase Was Acetylene Gas Absorbed in a Selective Solvent, N-Methylpyrrolidone (NMP). the Reactor Was Operated at a Pressure Range of 15-250 Psig with Temperature Varying from 60 to 100 °C using Different Catalyst Loadings to Identify the Suitable Operating Conditions. the Kinetic Experiments Were Conducted in the Absence of External Mass Transfer Resistances with the Liquid Phase in Batch Mode and the Gas Phase Being Continuous. the Initial Rates Varied Linearly …

Recent Progress And Perspectives Of Liquid Organic Hydrogen Carrier Electrochemistry For Energy Applications, Jinyao Tang, Rongxuan Xie, Parsa Pishva, Xiaochen Shen, Yanlin Zhu, Zhenmeng Peng

Faculty Publications

Amidst the global pursuit of clean and sustainable energy, the transition towards a hydrogen economy holds immense promise, yet is encumbered by significant storage challenges. Liquid organic hydrogen carrier (LOHC) electrochemistry emerges as a promising solution to enable efficient and sustainable hydrogen storage, meanwhile broadening the horizons of LOHCs for use as clean, renewable, and intense energy carriers to store and generate electricity. In this perspective, we embark on a review of recent trends and progress in LOHC redox electrochemistry, properties, and applications. We categorize electrochemically active, regenerable LOHCs into alcohols, amines, aromatic compounds, aminoxyl species, and others, based on …

A Rechargeable Metal-Co2 Battery Using Lower-Cost Materials, Chris Fetrow

Nanoscience and Microsystems ETDs

High energy density, low-cost chemical conversion batteries are widely studied for their potential application to applications in which current battery technologies are unsuitable replacements for fossil fuel-powered systems. The demonstration of rechargeable chemical conversion batteries, and particularly batteries without the fatal flaw of high overpotential due to the difficulties inherent to chemical conversion reactions, is of great interest to further both this aim. In this work, a secondary Al-CO2 battery was demonstrated using a homogeneous aluminum iodide redox mediator to enable the battery’s discharge and charge at a high energy density and a low overpotential of 0.05 Volts. The operation …

Development Of Agar-Based Preformed Particle Gel For Water Control In High-Salinity Reservoirs, Ahmed Ben Ali, Reem Elaf, Abdulaziz A. Almakimi, Mohammed Saad, Ibnelwaleed A. Hussein, Baojun Bai

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Oil Extraction Faces Challenges in Cost and Complexity Due to Excessive Water Production, Leading to Diminished Hydrocarbon Recovery. Preformed Particle Gels (PPGs) Hold Promise for Enhancing Oil Recovery and Sealing High-Permeability or Fractured Zones. However, Current PPGs Encounter Limitations in High-Temperature Reservoirs, Including Salt Sensitivity and Potential Hazards. to Address These Issues, We Propose Eco-Friendly PPGs Utilizing Agar Polysaccharides. Agar Backbones Grafted with Acrylamide (AM) and AM/N,N′-Methylenebis(AM) (MBA) Via Microwave-Assisted Techniques Resulted in Polyacrylamide Grafted Agar (Ag/PAM) and Cross-Linked Polyacrylamide Grafted Agar (Ag/PAMBA). Various Sizes (75 Μm to 1.18 Mm) Were Prepared to Accommodate Diverse Reservoir Porosities and Ensure Effective …

Advancing Simultaneous Extraction And Sequential Single-Particle Icp-Ms Analysis For Metallic Nanoparticle Mixtures In Plant Tissues, Lei Xu, Xingmao Ma, John Yang, Joel G. Burken, Paul Ki-Souk Nam, Honglan Shi, Hu Yang

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Engineered Nanoparticles (ENPs) Have Been Increasingly Used in Agricultural Operations, leading to an Urgent Need for Robust Methods to Analyze Co-Occurring ENPs in Plant Tissues. in Response, This Study Advanced the Simultaneous Extraction of Coexisting Silver, Cerium Oxide, and Copper Oxide ENPs in Lettuce Shoots and Roots using Macerozyme R-10 and Analyzed Them by Single-Particle Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS). Additionally, the Standard Stock Suspensions of the ENPs Were Stabilized with Citrate, and the Long-Term Stability (Up to 5 Months) Was Examined for the First Time. the Method Performance Results Displayed Satisfactory Accuracies and Precisions and Achieved Low Particle Concentration …

Development Of An Experimentally Validated Computational Fluid Dynamics Model For A Pbi Membrane-Based Anhydrous Hcl Electrolyzer, Kris Likit-Anurak, Hunter R. Teel, Ishwor Karki, Ben I. Howard, Brian C. Benicewicz, Sirivatch Shimpalee, Benjamin H. Meekins

Faculty Publications

We report the development of an experimentally-validated computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model for simulation of an anhydrous HCl electrolyzer. The experimental data from 3 membrane variants was used to provide kinetic and membrane parameters for the model. The model not only accurately simulates overall electrolyzer performance, but it also provides key insights into the transport phenomena within the electrolyzer. The model allows simulation of experimental parameters like high HCl flowrates and increased cell pressure that pose a high safety risk to researchers. The model shows hotspots in the temperature distribution that will need to be addressed by flow field modification …

Air Quality Assessment On Local And Hyperlocal Scales, Zhiyao Li

McKelvey School of Engineering Graduate Student Theses & Dissertations

Air quality monitoring across local and hyperlocal scales has attracted increased attention from both the public and research community. There are several approaches such as passive samplers and low-cost air quality sensors, depending on the pollutant and measurement objectives. Local and hyperlocal air pollutant measurements help to characterize local emission sources such as traffic and industry, including separating these signals from large scale influences (e.g., urban and regional scales), and better understand how land use types and meteorology influence pollutant spatiotemporal patterns. Low-cost sensors (LCS) are now a popular approach to monitor several criteria pollutants (e.g., particulate matter (PM), ozone, …

Analysis Of The Effect Of Different Surface Preparation Methods On Corrosion Resistance And Adhesion Strength Of Astm A36 Steel Substrate With Surface Tolerant Epoxy Paint As Coating Material, Irwan Wijaya Santoso, Daffa Aqila, Rini Riastuti, Rizal Tresna Ramadhani

Journal of Materials Exploration and Findings

In the industrial world, to extend the service life of materials, protection methods are carried out to slow down the material's corrosion rate. The protection method that is often used is the coating method. The coating method is a protection method by coating the substrate material using a coating material to prevent contact between the substrate material and the environment. In this research, the substrate material used is ASTM A36 steel and the coating material used is Surface Tolerant Epoxy paint. The independent variable used in this study lies in the surface preparation method which consists of: solvent cleaning, hand …

Localized Sustained Release Of Copper Enhances Antitumor Effects Of Disulfiram In Head And Neck Cancer, Juan Wang, Boxuan Li, Remy C. Cooper, Da Huang, Hu Yang

Chemical and Biochemical Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Drug Repurposing Uses Approved Drugs as Candidate Anticancer Therapeutics, Harnesses Previous Research and Development Efforts, and Benefits from Available Clinically Suitable Formulations and Evidence of Patient Tolerability. in This Work, the Drug Used Clinically to Treat Chronic Alcoholism, Disulfiram (DSF), Was Studied for its Antitumor Efficacy in a Copper-Dependent Manner. the Combination of DSF and Copper Could Achieve a Tumor Cell Growth Inhibition Effect Comparable to Those of 5-Fluorouracil and Taxol on Head and Neck Cancer Cells. Both Bulk Dendrimer Hydrogel and Microsized Dendrimer Hydrogel Particles Were Utilized for the Localized Sustained Release of Copper in the Tumor Site. the …

Electrospun Shape Memory Fibers For Chronic Wound Surveillance, Avery Gunderson

Theses - ALL

Approximately 6 million patients suffer from chronic wounds each year. These wounds are highly susceptible to infection and subsequent biofilm formation. Biofilms are difficult to dislodge due to their protective extracellular matrix. Antibiotics cannot penetrate the biofilm matrix, so wound healing is often compromised. Current surveillance and treatment options, such as swabbing or dressings, are ineffective and often painful to the patient. Our approach is to employ a bacterial protease-responsive shape memory polymer (SMP) that combats biofilm formation and helps the healing process proceed. To aid in protease penetration and enhance wound dressing comfort, electrospinning can be used to produce …

Systematically Testing The Clustering Properties Of Peptoids For Use In Medical Implants, Steven Matthew Axelsen

Theses - ALL

Peptoids are peptidomimetics, in which the side chains are carried by the backbone nitrogen atoms instead of the alpha carbon, resulting in N-substituted glycine repeat units. The cationic peptoids have antimicrobial properties and can be sequestered into anionic hydrogels as coatings on implantable devices to prevent infection. In a recent study, our lab investigated the self-assembly of short peptoids with 6 to 12 repeat units. We showed that peptoids can cluster into large aggregates or remain as individual molecules depending on the net charge and nature of the sidechains. This study also demonstrated that the complexation of peptoids with microgels …

Investigation Of Hydropathy Of Proteins, Lipid-Modified Proteins, And Self-Defensive Biomaterials, Jingjing Ji

Dissertations - ALL

Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations serve as crucial tools for unraveling the underlying physical principles governing the structure and functionality of biological macromolecules. Experimental techniques provide valuable results, but sometimes it is quite difficult to explain phenomena at atomic and molecular levels. MD simulations investigate physical motion of atoms and molecules over microsecond time scale and compute the equilibrium properties. In this work, I investigated the hydropathy of proteins, lipid-modified proteins, and self-defensive biomaterials with atomistic MD simulations and coarse-grained (CG) MD simulations. The method, Protocol for Assigning a Residue's Character on a Hydropathy (PARCH) scale, is developed to characterize and …

Homomeric Tight Junction Strand Assembly Of Claudin Proteins, Patrick Matthew Marsch

Dissertations - ALL

Tight junctions, a form of cell junction, are utilized throughout the animal kingdom in one way or another. Tasked with facilitating a critical blockade between toxins and vital tissues while also allowing small crucial molecules to pass, the tight junction provides an important line of defense against disease. To build this barrier, various proteins with self-assemble within a cell membrane to then zipper with another cell membrane. The strand-like architecture and size & charge selective pore channels created within the barrier are chiefly governed by the claudin family of proteins. Without claudins present, the tight junction cannot form, and toxic …

Synthesis And Design Of High-Silica Pd-Containing Zeolites For The Catalytic Combustion Of Methane, Jingzhi Liu

Dissertations - ALL

Greenhouse gases, notably carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), and nitrous oxide (N2O), are principal contributors to global warming, leading to an incremental rise in Earth's atmospheric temperature. The escalation of these gases, primarily from fossil fuel combustion, deforestation, and industrial processes, enhances the radiative forcing mechanism, thereby trapping excessive solar heat within the atmosphere. Scientific inquiries into the spectral absorption properties and life span of these gases emphasize their varying impacts on Earth's thermal equilibrium. For instance, CO2, with its extensive atmospheric residency, brings a prolonged thermal influence, whereas CH4, while being the cleanest burning fossil fuel that generates far …

Insight Into The Application Of Engineered Phenol Polymer Nanocomposites For Geothermal Well Applications To Modify Fracture Permeability, Fatemeh Hamidi

Civil Engineering ETDs

In enhanced geothermal systems, the efficient transfer of heat from the formation to the fluid circulating through the fracture network can be compromised when thermal short-circuiting occurs due to preferential flow through highly conductive fractures. This study introduces a pioneering approach using newly developed phenol polymer nanocomposites as an engineering solution to address the challenges associated with preferential flow in geothermal wells, which can lead to thermal short-circuiting. Multiple phenol polymer nanocomposites were formulated, incorporating aluminum oxide, COOH-functionalized graphitized multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs), and graphene nanoparticles, each with a 0.5 wt.% polymer dosage. This research successfully modified the crosslinking process …

Engineering The Signal Resolution Of A Paper-Based Cell-Free Glutamine Biosensor With Genetic Engineering, Metabolic Engineering, And Process Optimization, Tyler J. Free, Joseph P. Talley, Chad D. Hyer, Catherine J. Millar, Joel S. Griffitts, Bradley Charles Bundy

Faculty Publications

Specialized cancer treatments have the potential to exploit glutamine dependence to increase patient survival rates. Glutamine diagnostics capable of tracking a patient’s response to treatment would enable a personalized treatment dosage to optimize the tradeoff between treatment success and dangerous side effects. Current clinical glutamine testing requires sophisticated and expensive lab-based tests, which are not broadly available on a frequent, individualized basis. To address the need for a low-cost, portable glutamine diagnostic, this work engineers a cell-free glutamine biosensor to overcome assay background and signal-to-noise limitations evident in previously reported studies. The findings from this work culminate in the development …

Process Optimization Of An Ethylbenzene Production Facility Through Integrated Process Simulation And Economic Analysis Methods, Veronica Cunitz

Honors Theses

The following thesis consists of an investigation into the optimization of an ethylbenzene production facility. Aspen Plus software was used to model the production facility and Excel was used to price the facility using Aspen simulation data. This integrated technique was used to optimize the facility based on the Net Present Value (NPV) of the project. The NPV was improved from a base case value of -$23.5 million to a final value of $51.5 million. After this optimization based on NPV, the potential of operating the reactors as isothermal packed bed reactors was investigated. The reactor inlet feed pressure, inlet …

Acoustofluidic Scanning Fluorescence Nanoscopy With A Large Field Of View, Geonsoo Jin, Neil Upreti, Joseph Rich, Jianping Xia, Chenglong Zhao, Tony Jun Huang

Faculty Publications

Large-field nanoscale fluorescence imaging is invaluable for many applications, such as imaging subcellular structures, visualizing protein interactions, and high-resolution tissue imaging. Unfortunately, conventional fluorescence microscopy requires a trade-off between resolution and field of view due to the nature of the optics used to form the image. To overcome this barrier, we developed an acoustofluidic scanning fluorescence nanoscope that simultaneously achieves superior resolution, a large field of view, and strong fluorescent signals. The acoustofluidic scanning fluorescence nanoscope utilizes the superresolution capabilities of microspheres that are controlled by a programmable acoustofluidic device for rapid fluorescence enhancement and imaging. The acoustofluidic scanning fluorescence …

Valorisation Of Water Hyacinth For Different Engineering Applications, Nessren Farrag, Zeinab Elbhnsawi, Omar Aboelazayem

Chemical Engineering

Nature has many elements that can be beneficial or harmful. One of these elements is water hyacinth (WH) which is an aquatic weed found in water bodies such as rivers and lakes and it has an invasive nature due to its rapid growth rate. On the contrary, water hyacinth, despite its classification as an invasive plant species, possesses a multitude of industrial and engineering applications, demonstrating substantial potential for valorisation into various products. Its versatile attributes and widespread availability render water hyacinth a viable resource for deployment across several sectors, including wastewater treatment, bioenergy generation, bioremediation, and sustainable agriculture. The …

The Design And Optimization Of An Ethylbenzene Production Process, Alexander Koons

Honors Theses

Ethylbenzene is a foundational organic compound used as a reactant in styrene production. The objective of this thesis is to present the optimization of the in-house production process of ethylbenzene, aiming to avoid external procurement for the downstream styrene manufacturing facility. The process underlines a strategic approach to enhance the yield and cost efficiency of the production of ethylbenzene. An economic analysis revealed a promising net present value of approximately $57.6 million. This thesis not only proposes a viable route for internal ethylbenzene generation but also discusses optimizing the chemical production processes for enhanced efficiency and sustainability.

Synthesis And Analysis Of A Novel Magnetic Surfactant, Donovan Turpin

Honors Theses

Researchers in the University of Mississippi Chemical Engineering Department have suggested that chelation of a large magnetic transition metal, namely dysprosium, into the large polar head group of a surfactant could result in a magnetic surfactant. This project was aimed at synthesizing a surfactant with a large enough head group and negative charge (specifically EDTA) to support this ion and demonstrating that the chelation process was successful. If so, the molecule would ideally be capable of forming micelles which could extract oily substances from water using a strong magnet—possibly applicable to environmental crises like oil spills.

NMR analysis has suggested, …

A Comprehensive Review Of Fischer-Tropsch Synthesis Processes To Produce Sustainable Diesel And Aviation Fuel, Joseph C. Steinagel

Honors College Theses

The greatest threat known to humankind today is global warming. It affects every nation on the planet and the natural order of all living things. Consequently, this ongoing crisis necessitates action to scientifically revolutionize important areas of society, including researching modern adaptations of the transportation industry. In that regard, it has been determined that an effective short-term answer to eliminating carbon emissions is to produce sustainable fuels that run cooperatively with the well-established machines of today. Sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) is one such topic of interest, and the Fischer-Tropsch synthesis process is an effective way of producing SAF. To that …

Liquid-Phase Adsorption Of Dimethyl Methylphosphonate On Poly(Ether Imide) And Its Metal Hydroxide-Integrated Composites, Sukanta K. Mondal, Peter O. Aina, Ali A. Rownaghi, Fateme Rezaei

Chemical and Biochemical Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Understanding the Adsorption Behavior of Dimethyl Methylphosphonate (DMMP), a Key Simulant for Some Nerve Agents, is Crucial for Developing Effective Protective Measures and Ensuring Environmental Safety Against Harmful Chemical Warfare Agents. This Study Systematically Explores the Liquid-Phase Adsorption of DMMP over Branched Poly (Ether Imide) (Ultem) and its Ce (OH)4/Zr (OH)4 Metal Hydroxide Composites. Utilizing UV-Visible (UV-Vis) Spectroscopy, the Adsorption Process Was Monitored over Time to Analyze the Interplay between Various Ultem-Based Composites and DMMP Molecules. Nonreactive Ultem Materials Were Experimentally Identified as Suitable Adsorbents for Liquid-Phase DMMP Capture, Providing a Novel Avenue for Protective Filtration Technologies. It Was Found …

Ionic Conductivity, Li+ Transference Number, And Diffusion Coefficient Of A Solid-State Electrolyte Composite, Lizbeth Zurita

Reviews, Analyses, and Instructional Studies in Electrochemistry (RAISE)

The design of solid-state electrolyte (SSE) composites involves the fundamental study of transport properties, such as ionic conductivity. This transport property is influenced by the transport mechanisms of the charge species inside the composite, such as diffusion and migration. In this work, we perform the measurement of these three parameters through defined techniques. The resulting parameters were: ionic conductivity, the diffusion coefficient, and the Li+ transference number.

Model To Demonstrate Effects Of Mass Transfer And Applied Current In An Electrolytic Cell, George Ankrah

Reviews, Analyses, and Instructional Studies in Electrochemistry (RAISE)

This study investigates the relationship between applied current and resulting cell potential in an electrolytic system, considering the transport of electroactive species. By applying Michael Faraday's laws of electrolysis and the Nernst-Planck equation, the behavior of electroactive species in diffusion-controlled systems with and without stirring is modeled. The plots demonstrate how stirring enhances ion transport and establishes a stable Nernst diffusion layer, affecting the kinetics of electrochemical reactions. Understanding these dynamics is crucial for optimizing electrolysis processes.