Polymer Science Commons^™

Strengthening Kidney Dialysis One Membrane At A Time: Enhancing Tempo-Oxidized Nanocellulose And Ionic Liquid Membrane Strength Through The Variation Of Cosolvents, Bailey M. Butler

Chemical Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

Chronic kidney disease occurs when the kidneys lose the ability to effectively filter the blood, which causes waste build up. End-stage kidney disease (ESKD) is the most severe case of kidney disease and requires either dialysis or a kidney transplant. Hemodialysis, the most common form of dialysis, is an extremely time-intensive and physically burdensome process that is currently limited by membrane performance. The polysulfone (PSf) membranes that are widely used for dialysis today have many limitations, including fouling, toxin rejection, and essential protein loss. Recently, new membranes made from TEMPO-Oxidized nanocellulose dissolved in 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate (EMIM-Ac) have shown promising characteristics, …

Polymer Charge Effects On Scaling In Membrane Distillation, Lucia Milans Del Bosch

Chemical Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

This research evaluates the effectiveness of polymeric inhibitors at suppressing scaling during direct contact membrane distillation (DCMD). Anionic polyacrylic acid (PAA), neutral polyethylene glycol (PEG), and cationic polyethyleneimine (PEI), were investigated. Experiments were conducted using both hypersaline single-salt and multi-component mixed-salt feeds to determine how the presence of different ions influences performance. Results from single-salt experiments showed that PAA and PEG effectively maintained permeate flux through chelation and steric hindrance, respectively, while PEI caused rapid membrane failure due to interfacial aggregation and pore wetting. In complex mixed-salt solutions, PEG was the additive, maintaining a steady flux with only a 7.33% …

Cationic Polymer-Grafted Magnetic Nanoparticles For Enhanced Removal Of Anionic Dyes From Wastewater, Joia A. Traver

Chemical Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

Water scarcity and pollution are escalating global challenges, with textile industry wastewater often enriched with toxic dyes posing significant risks to environmental and human health. These contaminants increase turbidity, reduce dissolved oxygen levels, and ultimately impair aquatic ecosystems. This thesis focuses on the remediation of dye-contaminated water using nanoscale polymeric adsorbents. Methyl orange, a common anionic dye widely used in textile and leather industries, was selected as the model contaminant due to its terminal sulfonate group, which enables strong electrostatic and hydrogen-bonding interactions with cationic functional materials.

In this work, magnetic nanoparticles grafted with cationic polymers were synthesized and evaluated …

Electrochemical And Mechanical Evaluation Of Cellulose Acetate Electrolyte Films As A Function Of Polyetherimide And Polyethylene Glycol Additives For Supercapacitor Applications, Chase E. Golden

Chemical Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

Polymer electrolytes for supercapacitor applications require a balance between mechanical robustness and electrochemical performance. In this study, cellulose acetate (CA) films were modified with additives such as polyetherimide (PEI) and polyethylene glycol (PEG) to test how compositional changes influence mechanical performance, ionic conductivity, and electrochemical charge storage. Films were cast using phase inversion, soaked in a 1 M NaCl aqueous solution, and characterized using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), cyclic voltammetry (CV), and tensile testing. Films were also evaluated based on fluid uptake for insight into electrolyte retention.

Characterizations show that the addition of PEI increased ionic …

Multifunctional Pvdf Ionogels With Magnetic Nanoparticles For Electroactive And Magnetic Actuation, Alfredo Carrillo Valverde

Chemical Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

The fast development of compact and multifunctional electronics has driven interest in smart materials capable of responding to multiple stimuli. Ionogels, polymers that have been swollen with ionic liquids (IL), offer several favorable electrochemical and thermal properties due to their intrinsic ion conductivity, wide electrochemical window, non-flammability, and high thermal stability. However, their poor mechanical properties (e.g., modulus and strength) limit their use in applications. In this work, multifunctional PVDF ionogel composites were made by blending magnetically responsive iron oxide nanoparticles (Fe₃O₄ MNPs) into the polymer matrix. The influence of MNP concentration (9-21 wt%) on composition, ionic …

Biomass Derived Lignin Polymer Modification For Sustainable Chemical Engineering Applications, Samantha Glidewell, Keisha Walters

Chemical Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

Lignin is an abundant naturally occurring plant-based polymer that is branched, highly unsaturated, and rich in aliphatic and aromatic hydroxyl groups. Lignin is a significant byproduct of the wood pulp and paper industries; however, it has yet to be widely utilized in commercial applications due to its non-linear structure, broad range of molecular weights, hydrophobicity, high rigidity, and brittleness. Recent investigations into modifying lignin to broaden its potential uses have shown promising results. This thesis explores different modification techniques of the naturally occurring hardwood lignin polymer for specific applications in areas of water treatment and polyurethane (PU) production. The first …

Lignin Copolymer Property Prediction Using Machine Learning, Collin Larsen

Chemical Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

Lignin, an abundant biopolymer, is a waste byproduct of the paper and pulp industry. Despite its renewable nature and potential applicability in various products, such as plastics and composites, the development of lignin-based materials has been impeded by the cumbersome, Edisonian process of trial and error. This research proposes a novel approach to forecasting the properties of lignin-based copolymers by utilizing a recurrent neural network (RNN) based on the Keras models previously created by Tao et al. Example units of modified lignin were synthesized via esterification and amination functional group modifications. To increase the efficiency and accuracy of the prediction …

Interactions And Phenomena Between Disodium Cromoglycate And Polyelectrolytes, Brandon Tipton

Chemical Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

The interactions between polyelectrolytes and oppositely charged macroions have been widely studied, but few reports have been made on the interaction between chromonic mesogens and polyelectrolytes. Here, we report on the formation of liquid crystalline coacervates achieved by the liquid-liquid phase separation of an aqueous solution of negatively charged liquid crystal and polycations. As well as the occurrence of tactoids that form in the absence of these interactions. The liquid crystal that is experimented with is disodium cromoglycate, better known as DSCG. This acts as a negative charge that is paired with a variety of positively charged polyelectrolytes. The first …

Isolation And Production Of Tandem Collagen Binding Domain From Clostridial Collagenase Colg And Developments In C1q Reagent Production For Future Molecule Characterization Work, Stephanie Beitle

Chemical Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

This thesis covers a two part project: the production methods to create a double collagen binding domain molecule with a growth factor for wound healing applications and the development of a new in-house production method for isolating C1q from bovine blood. The wound healing molecule was created using transformation, sonication, and purification before being tested via electrophoresis SDS page and Western blots to confirm the molecule’s presence. The C1q in-house production method utilizes an ultrafiltration flow cell rather than dialysis at a critical point in the process, allowing for researchers to not only be able to use a single small …

Synthesis And Phase Transition Characterization Of Liquid Crystal Membranes With Slit-Like Pores, Isaac Hopwood

Chemical Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

Membranes with slit-like pores have been of interest for some time due to their ability to reject smaller particles than traditional cylindrical-pored membranes at the same fluid flux. However, using liquid crystals as a template for this sort of membrane has not been thoroughly investigated. In this study, the liquid crystal mixture of RM257 (2-Methyl-1,4-phenylene bis(4-(3-(acryloyloxy)propoxy)benzoate)) and 5CB (4-Cyano-4'-pentylbiphenyl) for the purpose of manufacturing membranes with slit-like pores, the phase transition behavior of this LC mixture at various mole fractions of RM257, and the impact of mole fraction of RM257 in the liquid crystal (LC) mixture and membrane manufacturing conditions …

Quantification Of Slit-Like Pores Through Using Liquid Crystals As A Template, Dominique Savage

Chemical Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

The purpose of this research is to manufacture a membrane with slit-like pores to achieve particle filtration. Slit-like pore membranes are preferred over conventional membranes with cylindrical pores since slit-like pores have two length scales that can be manipulated to better control cut off and flux through the membrane. This project focuses on manufacturing slit-like pore membranes through the use of two liquid crystals, 1,4-bis[4-(6-acryloyloxyhexyloxy)benzoyloxy]-2-methylbenzene (RM257) and 4-Cyano-4′-pentylbiphenyl (5CB). This method for making slit-like pores has not been widely investigated nor has the morphology of the membrane pores and mechanical properties of such a membrane been addressed. It was found …

Promotion Of Human Schwann Cell Proliferation Using Heparin/Collagen Coated Nerve Conduits, John Magness

Chemical Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

Often in the aftermath of an injury or surgery, the sense of touch and muscle control is lost in the affected area as nerves are damaged or severed and fail to grow back completely. The regeneration of the nerve cells can be promoted by treating the nerves with nerve conduits. Nerve conduits are hollow cylinders of bio-compatible materials that can be surgically implanted to the disconnected nerve to promote and direct the growth of nerves. The objectives of this research are to investigate the ability of nerve conduits treated with layer-by-layer coatings to promote the growth of Schwann cells, to …

A Proposed Process And Economic Analysis For A Manufacturing Facility For Nylon 6,6, Perry Doles

Chemical Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

The global nylon market is a multi-billion-dollar industry that has been thriving in recent years due to advances in the process technology and its flexibility as a material. Nylon 6,6 is a versatile material with uses in many industries because of its ability manipulated into many forms. It is commonly used in applications that require heat resistance, chemical resistance, and high mechanical strength. It is commonly used in luggage, car parts, carpets, and many other plastic products that require the properties that nylon 6,6 exhibits. The versatility and demand for nylon 6,6 make it an attractive process for many potential …

An Industrial Process For The Production Of Nylon 6 6 Through The Step-Growth Reaction Of Adipic Acid And Hexamethylenediamine, David Wallace Jacobson

Chemical Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

A continuous, two stage, four reactor system process is presented here for the proposed purpose of nylon 6 6 manufacture at the rate of 85 million lbs per year. Report components include: process descriptions, simulation methods and results, economic analysis, EH&S considerations, process control descriptions, and a general recommendation for how to proceed with plans enclosed. The general design of the plant is a two stage system composed of one PFR used for the formation of nylon salt and low molecular weight nylon chains, followed by three CSTR’s used for increasing nylon molecular weight. The overall process has been found …