Materials Science and Engineering Commons^™

Sample Preparation Techniques For Grain Boundary Characterization Of Annealed Triso-Coated Particles, M. L. Dunzik-Gougar, I. J. Van Rooyen, C. M. Hill, T. Trowbridge, J. Madden, J. Burns

Materials Science and Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Crystallographic information about layers of silicon carbide (SiC) deposited by chemical vapor deposition is essential to understanding layer performance, especially when the the layers are in nonplanar geometries (e.g., spherical). Electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) was used to analyze spherical SiC layers using a different sampling approach that applied focused ion beam (FIB) milling to avoid the negative impacts of traditional sample polishing and address the need for very small samples of irradiated materials for analysis. The mechanical and chemical grinding and polishing of sample surfaces can introduce lattice strain and result in the unequal removal of SiC and the surrounding …

Partial Oxidation Of Surrogate Jet-A Fuel Over Sio2 Supported Moo2, Shreya Shah, Oscar G. Marin-Flores, Chinnathambi Karthik, M. Grant Norton, Su Ha

Materials Science and Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

A SiO₂-supported MoO₂ nanoparticle catalyst was synthesized by a sol-gel method and tested as catalytic material for the partial oxidation of n-dodecane. MoO₂ nanoparticles supported on SiO₂ are °C, which is a typical reforming temperature for n-dodecane. The formation of Mo O Si bonds at the interface between MoO₂ nanoparticles and SiO₂ support appear to be responsible for the enhanced stability to sintering displayed by the nanoparticles. As a result of this particle size stabilization, SiO₂ supported MoO₂ nanoparticles show an improved reforming activity in terms of syngas generation …

Nonlinear Machine Learning And Design Of Reconfigurable Digital Colloids, Andrew W. Long, Carolyn L. Phillips, Eric Jankowski, Andrew L. Ferguson

Materials Science and Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Digital colloids, a cluster of freely rotating “halo" particles tethered to the surface of a central particle, were recently proposed as ultra-high density memory elements for information storage. Rational design of these digital colloids for memory storage applications requires a quantitative understanding of the thermodynamic and kinetic stability of the configurational states within which information is stored. We apply nonlinear machine learning to Brownian dynamics simulations of these digital colloids to extract the low-dimensional intrinsic manifold governing digital colloid morphology, thermodynamics, and kinetics. By modulating the relative size ratio between halo particles and central particles, we investigate the size-dependent configurational …

High-Performance And Flexible Thermoelectric Films By Screen Printing Solution-Processed Nanoplate Crystals, Tony Varghese, Courtney Hollar, Joseph Richardson, Nicholas Kempf, Chao Han, Pasindu Gamarachchi, David Estrada, Yanliang Zhang

Materials Science and Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Screen printing allows for direct conversion of thermoelectric nanocrystals into flexible energy harvesters and coolers. However, obtaining flexible thermoelectric materials with high figure of merit ZT through printing is an exacting challenge due to the difficulties to synthesize high-performance thermoelectric inks and the poor density and electrical conductivity of the printed films. Here, we demonstrate high-performance flexible films and devices by screen printing bismuth telluride based nanocrystal inks synthesized using a microwave-stimulated wet-chemical method. Thermoelectric films of several tens of microns thickness were screen printed onto a flexible polyimide substrate followed by cold compaction and sintering. The n-type films demonstrate …

Controlling The Corrosion And Cathodic Activation Of Magnesium Via Microalloying Additions Of Ge, R. L. Liu, M. F. Hurley, A. Kvryan, G. Williams, J. R. Scully, N. Birbilis

Materials Science and Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

The evolution of corrosion morphology and kinetics for magnesium (Mg) have been demonstrated to be influenced by cathodic activation, which implies that the rate of the cathodic partial reaction is enhanced as a result of anodic dissolution. This phenomenon was recently demonstrated to be moderated by the use of arsenic (As) alloying as a poison for the cathodic reaction, leading to significantly improved corrosion resistance. The pursuit of alternatives to toxic As is important as a means to imparting a technologically safe and effective corrosion control method for Mg (and its alloys). In this work, Mg was microalloyed with germanium …

The Impact Of Volunteering At A Girls Outreach Activity On Community Formation, Donna C. Llewellyn, Janet Callahan, Amy J. Moll, Catherine Rose Bates

Materials Science and Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

This paper is focused on exploring the motivation for volunteering at an engineering outreach activity. The outreach activity itself involved a two day, overnight experience for 9th and 10th grade girls that started in 2005, and which has been held annually since that time. The outreach event takes place in Boise, Idaho, and at the time of its onset was the only outreach or camp activity in the state focused on girls or young women. Across ten years, 510 total girls have participated, with approximately 85% of them coming from the immediate metropolitan area. The program was developed with a …

Microgalvanic Corrosion Behavior Of Cu-Ag Active Braze Alloys Investigated With Skpfm, Armen Kvryan, Kari Livingston, Corey M. Efaw, Kyle Knori, Brian J. Jaques, Paul H. Davis, Darryl P. Butt, Michael F. Hurley

Materials Science and Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

The nature of microgalvanic couple driven corrosion of brazed joints was investigated. 316L stainless steel samples were joined using Cu-Ag-Ti and Cu-Ag-In-Ti braze alloys. Phase and elemental composition across each braze and parent metal interface was characterized and scanning Kelvin probe force microscopy (SKPFM) was used to map the Volta potential differences. Co-localization of SKPFM with Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS) measurements enabled spatially resolved correlation of potential differences with composition and subsequent galvanic corrosion behavior. Following exposure to the aggressive solution, corrosion damage morphology was characterized to determine the mode of attack and likely initiation areas. When exposed to 0.6 …

Listening And Negotiation, Janet Callahan, Mary E. Besterfield-Sacre, Jenna P. Carpenter, Kim Lascola Needy, Cheryl B. Schrader

Materials Science and Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Negotiation is an important skill for faculty at all stages of their career, but one that research suggests is often uncomfortable for women faculty to employ. This paper focuses on the topic of negotiation, with an emphasis on providing practical ideas and strategies relevant to academic professionals at both entry-level and mid-career who find that they need to negotiate a career opportunity. The paper will review negotiation basics, as well as discuss what can be negotiated, how one might proceed to discuss these, and how listening is critical to negotiation. By viewing negotiation as a "wise agreement"¹ that seeks …

Support Model For Transfer Students Utilizing The Stem Scholarship Program, Lynn Olson, Amy J. Moll, Doug Bullock, Amit Jain, Janet Callahan

Materials Science and Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

This paper describes how the College of Engineering at Boise State University utilized a National Science Foundation S-STEM award from 2011 to 2016 to support transfer students in their path toward graduation. The need for this support was a result of both Boise State University College of Engineering’s transition from a 2-year pre-engineering program to the establishment of Bachelors of Science in Engineering Degree programs in 1997 as well as the establishment of the College of Western Idaho as a regional community college in 2007. Both of these factors led to an increase in the numbers of incoming engineering students …

Revealing Student Misconceptions And Instructor Blind Spots With Muddiest Point Formative Feedback, Cindy Waters, Stephen J. Krause, Janet Callahan, Barry Dupen, Mary B. Vollaro, Peggie Weeks

Materials Science and Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Of interest to all engineering disciplines, well-designed formative feedback has the potential to enhance both instructor teaching and student learning. Delivering fundamental courses year after year, can ultimately lead faculty to use stale notes or slides from past years. This approach may save time, but does not meet the shifting needs of our students who have high expectations from their instructors. One simple method to improve teaching is to employ muddiest point reflections. Muddiest point reflections involve simply asking students to anonymously reflect on what was “muddy”, i.e. confusing, during class and to rank their level of confusion which not …

Micro/Nano-Structural Examination And Fission Product Identification In Neutron Irradiated Agr-1 Triso Fuel, I. J. Van Rooyen, T. M. Lillo, H. M. Wen, C. M. Hill, T. G. Holesinger, Y. Q. Wu, J. A. Aguiar

Materials Science and Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Advanced electron microscopic and micro-analysis techniques were developed and applied to study irradiation effects and fission-product behavior in selected low-enriched uranium-oxide/uranium-carbide tristructural-isotropic (TRISO)-coated particles from fuel compacts in four capsules irradiated to burnups of 11.2 to 19.6% fissions per initial metal atom (FIMA) consisting of Baseline, Variant 1, and Variant 3 fuel types. Trend analysis shows precipitates were mostly random in their distribution along the perimeter of the inner pyrolytic carbon-silicon carbide (IPyC-SiC) interlayer with only weak association with kernel protrusion and buffer fractures. Pd is dominantly found in most precipitates in both intra and intergranular locations. Nano-sized Ag is …

Integrating Computational Modeling Modules Into Undergraduate Materials Science And Engineering Education, Lan (Samantha) Li

Materials Science and Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

To meet national workforce need, we integrated computational modeling training into undergraduate materials science and engineering (MSE) courses, including Thermodynamics, and Structure of Materials. We also flipped the courses, requiring students to self-study topics outside the class. In the class, the instructors focused on demonstrating real-world materials problems and guiding the students to solve the problems using different computational modeling techniques. Learning the computational modeling concepts within a short period of time was challenging to the students. Another challenge was that the students had various STEM backgrounds, such as MSE, mechanical engineering, and physics. In order to foster student learning, …

Determining Hydrodynamic Forces In Bursting Bubbles Using Dna Nanotube Mechanics, Rizal F. Hariadi, Erik Winfree, Bernard Yurke

Materials Science and Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Quantifying the mechanical forces produced by fluid flows within the ocean is critical to understanding the ocean’s environmental phenomena. Such forces may have been instrumental in the origin of life by driving a primitive form of self-replication through fragmentation. Among the intense sources of hydrodynamic shear encountered in the ocean are breaking waves and the bursting bubbles produced by such waves. On a microscopic scale, one expects the surface-tension–driven flows produced during bubble rupture to exhibit particularly high velocity gradients due to the small size scales and masses involved. However, little work has examined the strength of shear flow rates …

Dna-Mediated Excitonic Upconversion Fret Switching, Donald L. Kellis, Sarah M. Rehn, Brittany L. Cannon, Paul H. Davis, Elton Graugnard, Jeunghoon Lee, Bernard Yurke, William B. Knowlton

Materials Science and Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Excitonics is a rapidly expanding field of nanophotonics in which the harvesting of photons, ensuing creation and transport of excitons via Förster resonant energy transfer (FRET), and subsequent charge separation or photon emission has led to the demonstration of excitonic wires, switches, Boolean logic and light harvesting antennas for many applications. FRET funnels excitons down an energy gradient resulting in energy loss with each step along the pathway. Conversely, excitonic energy upconversion via upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs), although currently inefficient, serves as an energy ratchet to boost the exciton energy. Although FRET-based upconversion has been demonstrated, it suffers from low FRET …

The Decision, Implementation And Assessment Of A Credit-Bearing Activity Class By Faculty In Residence: A Case Study, Janet Callahan, Geoff Harrison, Michael Humphrey, Cala Sielaff, Melissa Wintrow

Materials Science and Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

This case study reports on a programmatic decision to require a credit-bearing course that was made by Faculty in Residence (FIR), including its implementation and results over a two-year period from 2010-2012. The focus is on FIR and on the impact of their decision upon the students enrolled in their Living Learning Communities (LLCs). The credit-bearing course was a Kinesiology Activities class taken by all seven LLCs at Boise State University. Anonymous feedback from students was obtained via end of semester surveys; results were used to improve the course. Survey feedback was analyzed to assess the value students perceived to …

High Temperature Oxidation Kinetics Of Dysprosium Particles, Brian J. Jaques, Darryl P. Butt

Materials Science and Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Rare earth elements have been recognized as critical materials for the advancement of many strategic and green technologies. Recently, the United States Department of Energy has invested many millions of dollars to enhance, protect, and forecast their production and management. The work presented here attempts to clarify the limited and contradictory literature on the oxidation behavior of the rare earth metal, dysprosium. Dysprosium particles were isothermally oxidized from 500 to 1000 °C in N₂–(2%, 20%, and 50%) O₂ and Ar–20% O₂ using simultaneous thermal analysis techniques. Two distinct oxidation regions were identified at each isothermal temperature …

Stability And Decomposition Of Ca-Substituted Lanthanum Ferrite In Reducing Atmospheres, Patrick M. Price, Darryl P. Butt

Materials Science and Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Calcium-substituted lanthanum ferrites (La_1–xCa_xFeO_3–δ x = 0, 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4) were synthesized in air and subsequently decomposed in reducing atmospheres. The partial pressure of oxygen (P_O2) was controlled by varying the H₂/H₂O ratio by bubbling hydrogen/argon mixtures through water baths at controlled temperatures. Three regions of mass loss were identified as the P_O2 was reduced, two of which were determined to be associated with decomposition reactions. Calcium was shown to decrease the thermal stability of the perovskite compound, but rather …

Carbon Dioxide Sorption In A Nanoporous Octahedral Molecular Sieve, Izaak Williamson, Eric B. Nelson, Lan Li

Materials Science and Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

We have performed first-principles density functional theory calculations, incorporated with van der Waals interactions, to study CO₂ adsorption and diffusion in nanoporous solid – OMS-2 (Octahedral Molecular Sieve). We found the charge, type, and mobility of a cation, accommodated in a porous OMS-2 material for structural stability, can affect not only the OMS-2 structural features but also CO₂ sorption performance. This paper targets K⁺, Na⁺, and Ba²⁺ cations. First-principles energetics and electronic structure calculations indicate that Ba²⁺ has the strongest interaction with the OMS-2 porous surface due to valence electrons donation to …

Atom Probe Study Of Irradiation-Enhanced Α′ Precipitation In Neutron-Irradiated Fe–Cr Model Alloys, Yaqiao Wu

Materials Science and Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Atom probe tomography (APT) was performed to study the effects of Cr concentrations, irradiation doses and irradiation temperatures on α′ phase formation in Fe–Cr model alloys (10–16 at.%) irradiated at 300 and 450 °C to 0.01, 0.1 and 1 dpa. For 1 dpa specimens, α′ precipitates with an average radius of 1.0–1.3 nm were observed. The precipitate density varied significantly from 1.1 × 10²³ to 2.7 × 10²⁴ 1/m³, depending on Cr concentrations and irradiation temperatures. The volume fraction of α′ phase in 1 dpa specimens qualitatively agreed with the phase diagram prediction. For 0.01 dpa …

On The Fe Enrichment During Anodic Polarization Of Mg And Its Impact On Hydrogen Evolution, D. Lysne, S. Thomas, M. F. Hurley, N. Birbilis

Materials Science and Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Iron (Fe) is an unintentional impurity present in pure magnesium (Mg) and Mg alloys, albeit nominally in low and innocuous concentrations (< 100 ppmw). Since Fe, like most metals, is more noble than Mg, the presence of Fe impurities can serve as cathodic sites within the Mg matrix. During anodic polarization of Mg, incongruent dissolution can lead to undissolved Fe impurities accumulating upon the Mg surface, permitting an increase in the overall rate of hydrogen evolution. The experimental manifestation of the incongruent dissolution of Mg, has not yet been clarified, wherein, the extent and efficiency of Fe enrichment during anodic polarization is not known, and also the increase in the hydrogen evolution rate due to Fe enrichment has not been quantified. In this work, Mg specimens with Fe concentration between 40 to 13,000 ppmw were examined in 0.1 M NaCl to obtain a quantitative relation between the Fe concentration and the rate of cathodic hydrogen evolution. These base-line alloys were then anodically polarized to facilitate surface Fe enrichment, and subsequently again cathodically polarized to determine the impact of prior dissolution and Fe enrichment on the subsequent hydrogen evolution. A simple model to predict Fe enrichment was used to analyze the electrochemical data and predict the extent and efficiency of Fe enrichment.

Characterization Of Microstructure And Property Evolution In Advanced Cladding And Duct: Materials Exposed To High Dose And Elevated Temperature, Janelle P. Wharry

Materials Science and Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Designing materials for performance in high-radiation fields can be accelerated through a carefully chosen combination of advanced multiscale modeling paired with appropriate experimental validation. The studies reported in this work, the combined efforts of six universities working together as the Consortium on Cladding and Structural Materials, use that approach to focus on improving the scientific basis for the response of ferritic–martensitic steels to irradiation. A combination of modern modeling techniques with controlled experimentation has specifically focused on improving the understanding of radiation-induced segregation, precipitate formation and growth under radiation, the stability of oxide nanoclusters, and the development of dislocation networks …

Oxide Dispersion Strengthened Nickel Based Alloys Via Spark Plasma Sintering, Somayeh Pasebani, Aniket K. Dutt, Jatuporn Burns, Indrajit Charit, Rajiv S. Mishra

Materials Science and Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Oxide dispersion strengthened (ODS) nickel based alloys were developed via mechanical milling and spark plasma sintering (SPS) of Ni–20Cr powder with additional dispersion of 1.2 wt% Y₂O₃ powder. Furthermore, 5 wt% Al₂O₃ was added to Ni–20Cr–1.2Y₂O₃ to provide composite strengthening in the ODS alloy. The effects of milling times, sintering temperature, and sintering dwell time were investigated on both mechanical properties and microstructural evolution. A high number of annealing twins was observed in the sintered microstructure for all the milling times. However, longer milling time contributed to improved hardness and narrower …

Tip-Based Nanofabrication Of Arbitrary Shapes Of Graphene Nanoribbons For Device Applications, Huan Hu, Shouvik Banerjee, David Estrada, Rashid Bashir, William P. King

Materials Science and Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Graphene nanoribbons (GNRs) have promising applications in future nanoelectronics, chemical sensing and electrical interconnects. Although there are quite a few GNR nanofabrication methods reported, a rapid and low-cost fabrication method that is capable of fabricating arbitrary shapes of GNRs with good-quality is still in demand for using GNRs for device applications. In this paper, we present a tip-based nanofabrication method capable of fabricating arbitrary shapes of GNRs. A heated atomic force microscope (AFM) tip deposits polymer nanowires atop a CVD-grown graphene surface. The polymer nanowires serve as an etch mask to define GNRs through one step of oxygen plasma etching …

Reference Diffraction Patterns, Microstructure, And Pore-Size Distribution For The Copper (Ii) Benzene-1,3,5-Tricarboxylate Metal Organic Framework (Cu-Btc) Compounds, L. Li, I. Williamson

Materials Science and Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

No abstract provided.

Creating A Stem Identity: Investment With Return, Janet Callahan, Patricia Pyke, Susan Shadle, R. Eric Landrum

Materials Science and Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Establishing a strong STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) identity at Boise State University, a metropolitan campus with approximately 3,655 undergraduate STEM students and a total undergraduate enrollment of approximately 19,042 (16,136 FTE) has been an important step toward creating a climate conducive to facilitating fundamental change. Examples of such change include building collaborations among faculty within and across departments, establishing the identity of students as part of a community beyond their chosen major, improving the efficiency and effectiveness of university systems, and perhaps most importantly, developing a framework to think deliberately about ways to effect change. This paper is …

Simulation Of The Relaxation Potential Profile Of An Ac-Dc-Ac Test, Kerry N. Allahar, Michael F. Hurley, Erik D. Sapper, Darryl P. Butt

Materials Science and Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

The relaxation period of the accelerated ac-dc-ac test for coatings is associated with the transient electrochemistry that occurs when the immersed coated system is allowed to return to a stable open-circuit condition after being subjected to a cathodic potential. A mathematical model of the transient electrochemistry that occurs during this relaxation period is presented for coated aluminum. Expressions for the corrosion potential and corrosion current as functions of the local pH at the metal-coating interface were developed using reported experimental results. These expressions enabled the simulation of the transient electrochemistry under the constraint of balanced anodic and cathodic current densities. …

Identification Of Silver And Palladium In Irradiated Triso Coated Particles Of The Agr-1 Experiment, I. J. Van Rooyen, T. M. Lillo, Y. Q. Wu

Materials Science and Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Evidence of the release of certain metallic fission products through intact tristructural isotropic (TRISO) particles has been seen for decades around the world, as well as in the recent AGR-1 experiment at the Idaho National Laboratory (INL). However, understanding the basic mechanism of transport is still lacking. This understanding is important because the TRISO coating is part of the high temperature gas-cooled reactor functional containment and critical for the safety strategy for licensing purposes.

Our approach to identify fission products in irradiated AGR-1 TRISO fuel using scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM), Electron Energy-Loss Spectroscopy (EELS) and Energy Filtered TEM (EFTEM), …

Correlation Between The Microstructure And Mechanical Properties Of Irradiated Fe-9cr Ods, M. Swenson, C. Dolph, J. Wharry

Materials Science and Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

The growing global demand for energy will increasingly call upon fusion reactors and Generation IV nuclear fission reactors to supply safe and reliable energy worldwide. Ferritic/martensitic (F/M) alloys are leading candidates for structural components in these reactors because of their high strength, dimensional stability, and low activation. In novel reactor concepts, these materials will be subject to extreme operating conditions, accumulating doses of irradiation up to a few hundred displacements per atom (dpa) at temperatures as high as 600°C. Oxide dispersion strengthened (ODS) F/M alloys containing a dispersion of Y-Ti-0 nanoclusters have been developed to operate at even higher temperatures.

Enhanced Dna Sensing Via Catalytic Aggregation Of Gold Nanoparticles, Herbert M. Huttanus, Elton Graugnard, Bernard Yurke, William B. Knowlton, Wan Kuang, William L. Hughes, Jeunghoon Lee

Materials Science and Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

A catalytic colorimetric detection scheme that incorporates a DNA-based hybridization chain reaction into gold nanoparticles was designed and tested. While direct aggregation forms an inter-particle linkagefrom only one target DNA strand, catalytic aggregation forms multiple linkages from a single target DNA strand. Gold nanoparticles were functionalized with thiol-modified DNA strands capable of undergoing hybridization chain reactions. The changes in their absorption spectra were measured at different times and target concentrations and compared against direct aggregation. Catalytic aggregation showed a multifold increase in sensitivity at low target concentrations when compared to direct aggregation. Gelelectrophoresis was performed to compare DNA hybridization reactions …

Unification Of The Negative Electrocaloric Effect In Bi1/2Na1/2Tio3-Batio3 Solid Solutions By Ba1/2Sr1/2Tio3 Doping, Sarir Uddin, Guang-Ping Zheng, Yaseen Iqbal, Rick Ubic, Junhe Yang

Materials Science and Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

The microscopic mechanisms of the negative electrocaloric effect (ECE) of the single-phase (1−x)(0.94Bi_1/2Na_1/2TiO₃-0.06BaTiO₃)-xBa_1/2Sr_1/2TiO₃ (BNT-BT-BST) perovskite solid solutions fabricated via the sol-gel technique are explored in this study. Dielectric and mechanical relaxation analyses are employed to investigate the ferroelectric and structural transitions of the samples. The electrocaloric properties of the samples were measured by thermodynamics Maxwell relations. The difference between the depolarization temperature (T_d) and the maximum dielectric constant temperature (T_m) was found to decrease with increasing BST content. Doping with BST stabilized the …