Engineering Science and Materials Commons^™

Electrooxidation Of Carbon Monoxide On Pd Thin Film-Coated Au Electrodes: Film Thickness Dependence, Yuqing Yang, Shouzhong Zou

Journal of Electrochemistry

The adsorption and electrooxidation of CO on Pd-coated Au electrodes were studied by cyclic voltammetry and surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) . It is found that CO oxidation activity is film thickness dependent. Cyclic voltammograms (CVs) showed that CO oxidation peak potential shifted positively with the increase of the Pd thickness. SERS showed a redshift of the C—O stretching frequency with increasing Pd film thickness. These observations were explained by the dband theory. The strain effect strengthens CO adsorption and stabilizes adsorbed CO,while the ligand effect weakens CO adsorption and eases its oxidation. The ligand effect overpowers the strain effect.

Multi-Electron Redox Materials For High Energy Density Electrodes, Xin-Ping Ai, Han-Xi Yang

Journal of Electrochemistry

Various new energy technologies being developed require electrochemical energy batteries to have a real breakthrough in energy density and rate capability,which imposes a great challenge for electrochemists and materials chemists. Multi-electron redox reactions seem to open a promising avenue to create new batteries with dramatically enhanced energy densities. This paper describes simply our research works on the multi-electron redox systems,including metal boride anode,lithium alloying compounds and electrochemical conversion materials, and also discusses the problems hindering these systems for battery applications.

In Situ Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering Spectroscopic Study Of Sulfur Adsorption On Polycrystalline Platinum Electrode Surface, Bolian Xu, In-Su Park, Ying Li, De-Jun Chen, Yuye J. Tong

Journal of Electrochemistry

The paper reports the first in situ surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) spectroelectrochemistry study of sulfur adsorption and electro-oxidation on highly roughened polycrystalline Pt surface in both acidic and basic supporting electrolytes. The SERS spectra were taken at a constant electrode potential after accumulative electro-oxidation CVs of the Pt electrode with pre-adsorbed sulfur species and at different electrode potentials that were varied stepwise of the Pt electrode immersed in sulfur-containing electrolytes without pre-adsorbed sulfur species. In both cases,a dominant vibrational band at 299 cm^-1 in acidic electrolyte but at 310 cm^-1 in basic electrolyte was observed,which was assigned …

Preliminary Investigation Of Iron Protoporphyrin Sams On Platinum Electrodes By Surface Enhanced Vibrational Spectroscopies, Min Ma, Yao-Yue Yang, Han-Xuan Zhang, Wen-Bin Cai

Journal of Electrochemistry

In situ SERS and ATR-SEIRAS were applied to investigate the electrochemical and structural properties of iron protoporphyrin IX (FePP) self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) on Pt electrodes in 0. 1 mol· L -1 HClO₄. The potential dependent SERS spectra of the FePP SAM on a roughened Pt electrode with the enhancement factor of ca. 40 were acquired with the excitation line of 514 nm. Analyses of SERS data over the potential region from 0. 5 to -0. 3 V enabled to obtain potential dependent adsorption isotherms,from which the formal redox potential could be estimated to be ca. -0. 2 V. …

Solid State Nmr Studies Of Lithium Manganese Silicate As Positive Electrode Materials For Li-Ion Batteries, Hu Cheng, Zi-Geng Liu, Yi-Xiao Li, Zhong Chen, Yong Yang

Journal of Electrochemistry

The Li₂MnSiO₄ cathode material for lithium ion batteries was synthesized by sol-gel assisted hydrothermal method. XRD,FTIR and SS-NMR were used to study the phase,structure and morphology of obtained samples. Electrochemical performance of cathode material was tested. The results show that the main phase of sample prepared was Li₂MnSiO₄,whereas a small amount of impurities (Li₂CO₃) were existed. The Li₂MnSiO₄ cathode material gave an initial discharging capacity of about 190 mAh·g ^-1. But this capacity faded rapidly during the cycling process due to the decomposition of Li …

Comparative Study Of Nanoporous Pt, Ptru And Ptruir Catalysts Using Electrochemical Ftir Spectroscopy, M. Amussen Robert, Holt-Hindle Peter, Nigro Samantha, Aicheng Chen

Journal of Electrochemistry

In recent years much effort has been put towards developing efficient Pt-based electrocatalysts for applications in fuel cells. With the rising cost of precious metals such as Pt,the need to enhance the activity and to decrease the load of catalysts is prominent. Herein we report on the synthesis and comparative study of nanoporous Pt,PtRu and PtRuIr electrocatalysts. The nanoporous electrodes were fabricated using a hydrothermal method and characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) ,energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) ,X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) . The electrocatalytic activity of the fabricated nanopo- rous materials was evaluated using both CO …

Studies Of Oxidation Processes Of Adsorbed And Solution Co On Pt(110) Electrode By Cyclic Voltammetry And In Situ Ftirs, Li Tian, Jun-Tao Li, Jin-Yu Ye, Chun-Hua Zhen, Shi-Gang Sun

Journal of Electrochemistry

The oxidation processes of adsorbed CO (COad) and solution phase CO (COsol) on Pt(110) electrode were investigated by cyclic voltammetry and in-situ FTIR spectroscopy. It has revealed that in comparison with COad on Pt(110) in a CO-free solution,the oxidation current peak of COsol in a CO-saturated solution is positively shifted ca. 168 mV,and the peak current density has been increased by 6. 70 times. Linear adsorbed CO (COL) is determined by in-situ FTIR spectroscopy as the main species,which is uniformly distributed on Pt (110) surface. In a CO-free solution,the onset potential of COL is measured by in-situ FTIRS ca. 0. …

Non-Contact Spatially Constrained Optical Scanning Methods Applied For Depth, Width And Gap Measurements, Konda Reddy Thotti Reddy

All Theses

The thesis presents the non-contact laser projection based systems utilized for quantifying the feature dimensions like width, depth and air gaps. Laser diode, Charge coupled device (CCD) and post-processing software using image processing tools are the major components of the non-contact measurement systems. The study involves two methods where the first method comprises of active laser-based triangulation and morphological edge detection for depth and width measurement applications. The second method uses edge detection technique and Dynamic Field of View (DFOV) for gap detection and tracking. Using the developed techniques, the case studies are conducted with smooth plastic fenders with induced …

Diffuse Ultrasonic Scattering In Advanced Composites, Christer Stenström

Department of Engineering Mechanics: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Non destructive testing (NDT) is a noninvasive technique used for characterization and inspection of the integrity of objects. NDT is an important tool for research, manufacturing monitoring and in-service inspections. Ultrasonic testing is the most used NDT technique, which for advanced composites can identify several types of defects, like delamination and interlaminar cracks. Diffuse ultrasonics has shown to be able to extract information at the microscale of metals and therefore it is believed it can be used for advanced composites to extract microstructural information, i.e. at the level of fibers.

In this thesis, diffuse ultrasonic methods, together with spatial variance …

Ultracapacitor Heavy Hybrid Vehicle: Model Predictive Control Using Future Information To Improve Fuel Consumption, Seneca Schepmann

All Theses

This research is concerned with the improvement in the fuel economy of heavy transport vehicles through the use of high power ultracapacitors in a mild hybrid electric vehicle platform. Previous work has shown the potential for up to 15% improvement on a hybrid SUV platform, but preliminary simulations have shown the potential improvement for larger vehicles is much higher.
Based on vehicle modeling information from the high fidelity, forward-looking modeling and simulation program Powertrain Systems Analysis Toolkit (PSAT), a mild parallel heavy ultracapacitor hybrid electric vehicle model is developed and validated to known vehicle performance measures. The vehicle is hybridized …

Combined Musculo-Skeletal Multi-Body Dynamics/Finite Element Analysis Of Several Ergonomics And Bio-Mechanics Problems, Xin Xie

All Theses

Within this thesis, two ergonomics (i.e. seating comfort and long-distance driving fatigue problems) and two structural bio-mechanics (i.e. femur-fracture fixation and radius-fracture fixation) problems are investigated using musculo-skeletal multi-body dynamics and finite element computational analyses.
Within the seating comfort problem analyzed, a complete-body finite element model is constructed and used to assess the effect of seat geometry and seating posture on the feel of comfort experienced by a seated human.
Within the long-distance driving fatigue problem, musculo-skeletal analysis is employed to assess the extent of fatigue experienced by a driver through the evaluation of level of activity of his/her various …

Infrared Thermography And Ultrasonic Inspection Of Adhesive Bonded Structures, Overview And Validity, Suhas Vedula

All Theses

The work focuses on establishing a relationship between two different techniques of Nondestructive testing, namely Infrared Thermography and Ultrasonic Inspection. The integration of the two testing techniques is done with an expectation to achieve accurate characterization and determination of internal defects in adhesive bonded structures.
Experiments are done on sandwich samples with defects using various ultrasonic testing methods like pulse-echo and immersion techniques. The results thus obtained are documented and location of the defects is marked. The same samples are then tested using Infrared thermography to visualize the defects.
The results obtained by both the methods are compared to check …

Automation Of Non-Destructive Testing Techiniques Used For Finding Defects, Bhanu Singh

All Theses

This master thesis focuses on the automation and fusion of non-destructive testing methods. The research includes the fusion of non-destructive testing methods done with infrared micro-bolometer and ultrasonic transducers. A control system which utilized mechanical, electrical, electronic systems and computer aided technologies was developed. Conveyor belt system, PLC (programmable logic controller), XYZ mechanism and different sensors were utilized to automate the process of capturing images and a communication link was set up between thermal camera and system that controls the ultrasonic testing apparatus, to integrate the two techniques. The test results from the thermal camera were utilized in ultrasonic testing. …

Induction Assisted Thermography For Inspection Of Micro Defects On Sheet Metals, Sree Pamidi

All Theses

The work focuses on Induction assisted Thermography as a non-contact and non-destructive method of Inspecting micro defects on sheet metals used for making automotive body panels. Induction heating as a source of excitation to elevate the temperatures of sheet metals for uniform heating and detect ability of the defect is the main objective of the study.
Experiments are done on sheet metal samples with defects using excitation techniques like Pulse and Electromagnetic Induction. The thermal images obtained from the infrared camera are used to quantitatively analyze the detect ability of defects on sheet metals. The limitations of using Pulse technique …

Determination Of Higher Order Coefficients For A Crack Parallel To An Interface, Venkata Lakshman Kolluru

All Theses

A general method based on the singular integral equations is developed to
computationally determine the higher order coefficients in mixed mode fracture
mechanics. These 'k' and 'T' coefficients are defined with respect to a polar coordinate
system centered at a crack tip, and give asymptotic expressions for stresses and
displacements according to the William's eigenfunction expansions,
(r, ) (2r) k f (n, ) k f (n, ) IIk
ij
II
n
Ik
ij
I
n
n 0
2
1
n
ij      



1
(0, ) (2 ) ( , ) ( , …

Friction Measurement In Precision Glass Molding, Peiman Mosaddegh

All Dissertations

Extensive growth of state-of-the-art technologies has created a demand for high quality lenses and has driven the industry toward an inexpensive process for manufacturing of aspheric glass lenses called Precision Glass Molding (PGM). Finite Element Analysis (FEA) has been used to predict the right mold geometry. Having a realistic simulation to predict mold geometry depends on the correct model of material behavior and friction coefficient at elevated temperature.
Finding the static and dynamic coefficient of friction experimentally between two flat surfaces at elevated temperature is the subject of this research. The equipment used in this study was originally designed for …

Parametric Instabilities For Vibratory Energy Harvesting Under Harmonic, Time-Varying Frequency, And Random Excitations, Christopher Stabler

All Theses

This effort investigates and evaluates the prospect of using parametric instabilities for vibratory energy harvesting. To that end, we consider a parametrically-excited piezoelectric cantilever beam and study its performance as an energy harvester under i) fixed-frequency harmonic excitations, ii) time-varying frequency excitations, and iii) band-limited Gaussian noise. In the case of fixed-frequency excitations, we use the Method of Multiple Scales to obtain approximate analytical expressions for the steady-state response amplitude and instantaneous output power in the vicinity of the first principle parametric resonance. We show that the electromechanical coupling and load resistance play an important role in determining the output …

Electromechanical Modeling And Analysis Of A Self-Excited Micro-Power Generator, Amin Bibo

All Theses

Micro-power generators (MPGs) are compact, scalable, and low-maintenance energy harvesting devices that capture and transform wasted ambient energy into electricity.
Such devices, which are currently being researched as a possible replacement for batteries, can act as a power source to maintain and allow autonomous operations of
remote low-power consumption sensors. This thesis introduces a novel MPG which transforms wind energy into electricity via wind-induced self-excited oscillations
of piezoelectric cantilever beams. The operation concept of the device is simple: similar to music-playing harmonica that create tones via oscillations of reeds when
subjected to air blow, the proposed device uses flow-induced self-excited …

Fuzzy Logic Approach To Stability Control, Jeffery Anderson

All Theses

Traditional Electronic Stability Control (ESC) for automobiles is usually accomplished through the use of estimated vehicle dynamics from simplified models. Starting with the conventional two degree-of-freedom vehicle model, one can estimate the vehicle states from the driver steering input. From this estimate, vehicle sideslip angle can be found and this is generally used with a threshold value to initiate a control action. The input/output relationship of the model depends heavily on the accuracy of the parameters used and various means to correct model inaccuracies. Specifically, these models depend on the tire cornering stiffness which is prone to change with age …

Modeling And Optimization Of A Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicle, Venkat Vijay Kishore Turlapati

All Theses

Today, the world is faced with a situation where new technologies have to be developed to decrease the dependence on natural non-renewable resources. Each day, as the demand for non-renewable resources increases, it puts great pressure on the scientific fraternity to develop new technologies that are aimed at reducing this dependence.
Today's road traffic plays a major part in the energy consumption worldwide. Hence it is imperative that we develop environmentally friendly solutions to this problem that arises in the transportation sector. Hybrid vehicle is one of the alternatives that can be seen as a viable solution to this energy …

Design Method Development For The Design Of Traction Systems, Avinash Kolla

All Theses

The objective of this research is to develop a design method for rapid exploration of traction concepts primarily for off-road vehicles. Different approaches available to achieve this objective are discussed and compared, such as computational, analytical, and physical methods. Computational approaches are based on simulations performed using Finite Element Method (FEM), Discrete Element Method (DEM), and combined Finite Element-Discrete Element (FE-DE) methods. Analytical approaches are based on closed form mathematical models developed by previous researchers based on the theory of plasticity. Physical approaches include fabrication and testing of prototypes at different levels of abstraction. This thesis compares these different approaches …

Development Of A Finite Element Model To Predict The Behavior Of A Prototype Wheel On Lunar Soil, Marisa Orr

All Dissertations

The All-Terrain Hex-Limbed Extra-Terrestrial Explorer (ATHLETE) is a mobile lunar lander under development by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's Lunar Architecture Team. While previous lunar missions have lasted only a few days, the ATHLETE is designed to last for 10 years, which will enable a sustained U.S. presence on the moon and exploration of the more treacherous regions which are not suitable for landing. Because the ATHLETE will carry entire astronaut habitats, its six wheels must be carefully designed to support a large load on soft lunar soil efficiently.
The purpose of this thesis is to develop a finite …

Modeling Of Cell Transfer And Process-Induced Cell Damage In Laser-Assisted Cell Direct Writing, Wei Wang

All Dissertations

Laser-assisted cell direct-write technique has been obtaining more and more attention in different biomaterial direct writing applications. A typical laser-assisted cell direct-write process can be divided into two main stages: the cell droplet ejection and cell droplet landing. The objective of this study is to model the cell mechanical profile during the cell droplet ejection and cell landing and further model the cell damage.
The possible cell damage during the droplet ejection process in laser-assisted cell direct writing may come from two different sources: the phase explosion-induced bubble expansion and the thermoelastic stress wave. The bubble expansion-induced stress wave is …

Characterization, Modeling, And Consequences Of The Development During Plastic Flow Of Large Anisotropy In The Wave-Speeds, Quentin Fichot

Department of Engineering Mechanics: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

There is a substantial change in the anisotropy of some glassy polymers when they are subjected to large plastic deformations. The most pronounced case probably is seen in polycarbonate (PC), which is a tough thermoplastic used for many structural applications, including as a protective transparent armor for such applications as bulletproof glass. This development of anisotropy in the elastic response can be of the same order as the applied strains, and, therefore, becomes important in problems that show substantial plastic flow. In spite of this, this characteristic of glassy polymers has not been included in the current models. We propose …

Investigation Of Subgrid-Scale Mixing And Turbulence-Chemistry Interaction In Turbulent Partially Premixed Flames Using Experimental Data, Jian Cai

All Dissertations

The filtered mass density function (FMDF) of mixture fraction, temperature and species used in large eddy simulation (LES) of turbulent combustion is studied experimentally using line images obtained in turbulent partially premixed methane flames (Sandia flames D and E). Cross-stream filtering is employed to obtain the FMDF and other filtered variables. The mean of the FMDF conditional on the subgrid-scale (SGS) scalar variance at a given location are found to vary from unimodal to bimodal, corresponding to quasi-equilibrium distributed reaction zones and laminar flamelets (including extinguished flamelets), respectively. The conditionally filtered mixture fraction dissipation for small SGS variances has a …

Elements Of Study On Dynamic Materials, Marine Rousseau, Gerard A. Maugin, Mihhail Berezovski

Publications

As a preliminary study to more complex situations of interest in small-scale technology, this paper envisages the elementary propagation properties of elastic waves in one-spatial dimension when some of the properties (mass density, elasticity) may vary suddenly in space or in time, the second case being of course more original. Combination of the two may be of even greater interest. Toward this goal, a critical examination of what happens to solutions at the crossing of pure space-like and time-like material discontinuities is given together with simple solutions for smooth transitions and numerical simulations in the discontinuous case. The effects on …

An Experimental Investigation Of Friction Bit Joining In Az31 Magnesium And Advanced High-Strength Automotive Sheet Steel, Rebecca Gardner

Theses and Dissertations

Friction Bit Joining (FBJ) is a recently developed spot joining technology capable of joining dissimilar metals. A consumable bit cuts through the upper layer of metal to be joined, then friction welds to the lower layer. The bit then snaps off, leaving a flange. This research focuses on FBJ using DP980 or DP590 steel as the lower layer, AZ31 magnesium alloy as the top layer, and 4140 or 4130 steel as the bit material. In order to determine optimal settings for the magnesium/steel joints, experimentation was performed using a purpose-built computer controlled welding machine, varying factors such as rotational speeds, …

Simulation Of Temperature Distributions In Tissue Upon Laser Pulse Irradiation Including Water Mass Transfer, Deepthi Nagulapally

Electrical & Computer Engineering Theses & Dissertations

Lasers, due to their unique characteristics, have tremendous applications in the medical field. Generally all laser applications in hie-medicine involve the propagation of laser energy through tissue. Energy is deposited giving rise to many physical, hie-chemical, and mechanical effects. Among these are dynamical changes in the local temperature distributions within the tissue. Analysis of the temperature changes requires the creation of an appropriate optical transmission and heat flow model that incorporates user specified laser parameters. Here, a numerical simulation model was developed to study both steady state and time dependent temperature distributions due to pulsed laser radiation within user specified …

Natural Fibers And Fiberglass: A Technical And Economic Comparison, Justin Andrew Zsiros

Theses and Dissertations

Natural fibers have received attention in recent years because of their minimal environmental impact, reasonably good properties, and low cost. There is a wide variety of natural fibers suitable for composite applications, the most common of which is flax. Flax has advantages in tensile strength, light weight, and low cost over other natural fibers. As with other natural and synthetic fibers, flax is used to reinforce both thermoset and thermoplastic matrices. When flax is used in thermoplastic matrices, polypropylene and polyethylene are the main resins used. Although at first glance flax may seem to be a cheaper alternative to fiberglass, …

Design, Fabrication, Structural Testing, And Numerical Analysis Of A Small Scale Composite Wing, Jacob David Gaunt, Juan Carlos Flores, Vincent Andrew Perry

Aerospace Engineering

A small scale composite wing based on a design found on an experimental aircraft was designed, constructed, and tested dynamically and statically. The wing was constructed similarly to an experimental aircraft wing. The performed static test was intended to produce pure bending. Strain gages were used to measure strains on the wing structure. The strains were converted to stresses to aid in analysis. The static test results suggested that the wing was actually under torsion. Four structural modes were found from the static test. A finite element analysis model was made to compare experimental results to numerical analytical results. The …