Materials Science and Engineering Commons^™

Study As Form-Of-Life: Meditations On Schooling, Enjoyment, And The Inoperative Life, Bryan K. Weeks

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

The aim of this thesis is to explore what potential that the concept of 'inoperativity' has in the philosophy and theory of education. I will discuss the method of critique used which aims to think through the problems in existing theory rather than discard good thinking when problems are found. The strengths and weaknesses of deschooling and democratic approaches will be at the center of this critique. As a response to the weaknesses of both, the philosophy of Emmanuel Levinas, focusing on the way that interiority and enjoyment are essential concepts for the philosophy of education, as well as Giorgio …

Solution Synthesis And Additive Manufacturing Of Bismuth Telluride Nanoflakes For Flexible Energy Harvesting, Ariel E. Weltner

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Flexible thermoelectric generators (TEGs) are energy harvesting devices which convert temperature differences into electrical power. These devices require no moving parts and offer silent and autonomous operation. The variety of suitable materials covering a broad range of operating temperatures positions TEGs as a promising renewable energy source using waste heat recovery, especially for space and microgravity applications. Conventional manufacturing of flexible electronic and thermoelectric devices requires complicated and relatively expensive processing, which limits the capabilities of in-space manufacturing. Additive manufacturing (AM) expands the use of flexible electronics to new surfaces, applications, and recently, low gravity conditions. Plasma jet printing (PJP) …

Open-Source Workflows For Reproducible Molecular Simulation, Jenny W. Fothergill

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

We apply molecular simulation to predict the equilibrium structure of organic molecular aggregates and how these structures determine material properties, with a focus on software engineering practices for ensuring correctness. Because simulations are implemented in software, there is potential for authentic scientific reproducibility in such work: An entire experimental apparatus (codebase) can be given to another investigator who should be able to use the same processes to find the same answers. Yet in practice, there are many barriers which stand in the way of reproducible molecular simulations that we address through automation, generalization, and software packaging. Collaboration on and application …

Reproducible Prediction Of Organic Semiconductor Properties Through Open Source Software Development, James Rushing

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Semiconducting materials made from carbon-based molecules are potential replacements for inorganic semiconductors, but with lower costs of processing. Devices made from organic semiconductors can be produced at scale by inkjet printing and roll-to-roll manufacturing of these molecules in solution or melt phases. The efficiency of these organic devices is dependent on the structure of the active layer, so controlling the morphology of organic molecules through self-assembly during manufacturing is a key challenge to realizing their utility. Molecular self-assembly depends on the chemical structure of the molecules, how key moieties interact with each other and with any solvent present, and the …

Development Of Smart Wearable Sensory Systems On Flexible And Fabric Platforms For Health Monitoring Applications, Simin Masihi

Dissertations

Wearable sensing technology has recently received an increased attention in both research and commercialization phases and has moved from a vision of science fiction to reality with a wide variety of applications. This incredible growth can be attributed to several factors, such as affordability and ergonomics provided by advances in flexible electronics. The other factors that realized wearable sensing technology include a critical need for more accessible health care services experienced during the recent COVID pandemic, integration to the Internet of Things (IoT), and a growing consumer desire for health awareness. This dissertation presents the fulfillment of three main projects …

Creep Behavior Of A Ti-Based Multi-Principal Element Alloy, Benjamin Elbrecht

All Theses

Abstract

The understanding of microstructural damage mechanisms is the foundation of better understanding existing materials and future material development. There are significant challenges to measuring these damage mechanisms in-situ as continuous observation of the state of the microstructure is difficult or impossible for many experimental setups. This thesis presents a method for measuring grain boundary sliding (GBS) and local strain concentrations in-situ via a Heaviside function based algorithm. GBS is the shearing of two grains along their shared grain boundary and is a common damage mechanism in creep which presents as a discontinuity that can be measured with a Heaviside …

Computational Characterization Of Nonwoven Fibrous Materials: Transport And Wetting Properties, Fang Wang

All Dissertations

Nonwoven fibrous materials represent a platform of flexible material substrates. Nonwovens are widely used in the production of napkins, paper, filters, wound covers and face masks. In addition, for many applications, nonwoven materials interact with fluids. For example, in filtration applications, nonwoven materials are used to clean fluids containing solid particles or emulsified droplets. The filtration performance is affected not only by the geometrical arrangement of fibers in non-woven materials but also wettability of fibers. Understanding the transport properties of nonwoven materials and interactions between the dispersed droplets and solid substrate is crucial for the design and optimization of filter …

Modeling Phase Behavior And Agglomeration In Polymer Systems Incorporating Complex Architectures: From Bottlebrush To Lysozyme, Sidong Tu

All Dissertations

Using computational modeling, we focus on the phase behavior of multicomponent systems incorporating enzyme and bottlebrush polymers where the agglomeration of multiple components occurs. We start with all-atom molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of lysozyme and polyethylene glycol (PEG) based polymer mixture to understand the mechanisms of preservation of lysozyme bioactivity at high temperatures with addition of PEG-derived bottlebrushes. We show that the PEG part of bottlebrushes phase separates at high temperature and shells the access of water to lysozyme, resulting in the preservation of lysozyme secondary structures. We then developed a coarse-grained model using a Dissipative Particle Dynamics approach to …

Modeling Pattern Formation And Morphology Development In Polymer Networks, Yao Xiong

All Dissertations

Topography and morphology have considerable impacts on the functionalities of soft materials in an entire range of applications from smart optics to tissue engineering. Adapting theoretical and computational approaches, we focus on the dynamics of pattern formation and morphology development in polymer networks. This dissertation starts with studying the dynamical control of pattern formation in confined thermo-responsive poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAAm) gel films. The patterns are formed due to mechanical instabilities. We perform a linear stability analysis and identify the limits of this analysis in predicting pattern formation in gels. We then study the restructuring between patterns and hysteresis phenomena …

Subwavelength Engineering Of Silicon Photonic Waveguides, Farhan Bin Tarik

All Dissertations

The dissertation demonstrates subwavelength engineering of silicon photonic waveguides in the form of two different structures or avenues: (i) a novel ultra-low mode area v-groove waveguide to enhance light-matter interaction; and (ii) a nanoscale sidewall crystalline grating performed as physical unclonable function to achieve hardware and information security. With the advancement of modern technology and modern supply chain throughout the globe, silicon photonics is set to lead the global semiconductor foundries, thanks to its abundance in nature and a mature and well-established industry. Since, the silicon waveguide is the heart of silicon photonics, it can be considered as the core …

Quantum-Mechanical Evaluation Of Defects In Uranium-Bearing Materials, Megan Hoover

All Dissertations

Quantum-mechanical calculations using density functional theory with the generalized gradient approximation were employed to investigate the effects dopants have on the uranium dioxide (UO₂) structure. Uraninite is a common U⁴⁺ mineral in the Earth's crust and an important material used to produce energy and medical isotopes. Though the incorporation mechanism remains unclear, divalent cations are known to incorporate into the uranium dioxide system. Three charge-balancing mechanisms were evaluated to achieve a net neutral system, including the substitution of (1) a divalent cation for a tetravalent uranium atom and oxygen atom; (2) two divalent cations for a tetravalent …

Crack Control And Bond Performance Of Alternative Coated Reinforcements In Concrete, Sachin Sreedhara

All Dissertations

Concrete cracking in structures is a ubiquitous problem which can lead to the deterioration of the structure. Other than affecting the strength aspect of a structure, cracking impacts the serviceability criteria as well. Although cracking phenomenon in any structure is highly inevitable, it has to be minimized in order to maintain a structure’s life effectively. Cracking in reinforced concrete structures is related to the bond strength developed between the bar and the concrete. It also depends on an ability of the bar to resist the stresses due to shrinkage to minimize the crack. Another important aspect is the resistance offered …

Study Of Thin Gan/Ingan/Gan Double Graded Structures For Future Photovoltaic Application, Mirsaeid Sarollahi

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Indium gallium nitride (In_x Ga_(1-x) N) materials have displayed great potential for photovoltaic and optoelectronic devices due to their optical and electrical properties. Properties such as direct bandgap, strong bandgap absorption, thermal stability and high radiation resistance qualify them as great materials for photovoltaic devices. The tunable bandgap which absorbs the whole solar spectrum is the most significant feature which became attractive for scientists. The bandgap for these materials varies from 0.7 eV for InN to 3.4 eV for GaN covering from infrared to ultraviolet. In_x Ga_(1-x) N wurtzite crystal is grown on GaN buffer layer by Molecular Beam Epitaxy …

Multi-Technique Characterization Of Superconducting Materials For Particle Accelerator Applications, Junki Makita

Physics Theses & Dissertations

We investigated the performance limitations of superconducting radio-frequency (SRF) cavities and materials using multiple experimental techniques. In particular, this study focuses on understanding the surface properties of nitrogen-doped Nb cavities and superconducting thin films with higher T_c such as Nb₃Sn. The main goal of this work is to use different techniques to better understand each aspect of the complex loss mechanism in superconductors to further improve the already highly efficient SRF cavities.

Nitrogen doping applied to a Nb SRF cavity significantly improves the quality factor Q₀ compared to a conventional Nb cavity, at an expense of …

Role Of Structural Hierarchy In Multiscale Material Systems, Siavash Sattar

Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Theses & Dissertations

Multiscale material systems derive their effective mechanical properties through a hierarchical organization of their structural elements and components. The hierarchy of a material is related to its effective properties, material processing, and composition. The hierarchy can be defined as an identifiable structural component with a specific size scale, such as the individual fibers collimated into platelets arranged randomly and producing a complex composite system or the lamellar structure in freeze-casted ceramic with the variation of in-plane orientation. In this study, the role of the structural hierarchy on the effective mechanical response and failure behavior of three complex material systems was …

A Comparison Of Uniaxial Compressive Response And Inelastic Deformation Mechanisms In Freeze Cast Alumina-Epoxy Composites Without And With Rigid Confinement, Tareq Aljuhari

Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Theses & Dissertations

Cellular ceramics have an array of improved mechanical properties that make them incredibly desired for different applications such as armor systems, aircraft structures, automobiles bumpers, and biomedical implants. It is also desirable that porous architecture could be shaped into bulk complicated shapes and easy to scale-up with low manufacturing cost. Despite several efficient techniques to fabricate cellular ceramics, some limitations are preventing us from meeting the high demand of the after mentioned applications. For that, freeze casting, also called ice-templating, is technique of solidifying an aqueous ceramic suspension under the effect of unidirectional temperature gradient. In this study, Ice-templated porous …

Manufacturing And Characterization Of Continuous Nanofiber-Reinforced Composites, Lucas Barry

Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Fiber-reinforced composite laminates are some of the most advanced structural materials available. However, delamination remains a critical challenge due to its prevalence in structures and ability to cause catastrophic failure. Recently, high-temperature composites are at the forefront of polymer-matrix composites research, but they are prone to microcracking followed by delamination. Nanoreinforcement of interfaces by continuous nanofibers has been proposed earlier at UNL and produced increased interlaminar fracture resistance in conventional advanced composites. However, no studies have yet been conducted on emerging high-temperature composites. Also, there is insufficient information on the translatability of observed modes I and II interlaminar fracture toughness …

Passive Prosthetic Ankle Design Based On Indonesian Anthropometry, Wahyu Dwi Lestari

Journal of Mechanical Engineering Science and Technology (JMEST)

Foot prosthesis is a replacement for the foot to overcome activity limitations due to disease, birth defects, accidents, or amputations. Many foot prosthetics have been developed in recent years to treat patients. However, prostheses on the market today have drawbacks, including their high price, lack of comfort, stiff ankles, and low durability. The main objective of this study is to develop an existing ankle-foot prosthesis design that approximates the resemblance of a human foot according to the anthropometry of Asians, especially Indonesians. This study contains the design of a prosthetic foot with a skin design model and a support core. …

Surface Quality Of Fe, Ni And Cr Added Hyper-Eutectic Al-Si Automotive Alloys Under Up-Milling And Down-Milling Operation, Akib Abdullah Khan, Mashiur Rahman Shoummo, Mohammad Salim Kaiser

Journal of Mechanical Engineering Science and Technology (JMEST)

Effect of the elements Fe, Ni, and Cr on the surface quality under machining of hyper-eutectic aluminiumbased Al-Si automotive alloys has been carried out as the elements improve the properties of this alloy. Machining is done on a horizontal type milling machine using a high-speed steel slab milling cutter in dry condition. Only the cutting speed varies throughout the experiment, while the machining feed and depth of cut remain fixed. The experimental results show that the addition of these alloying elements increases the roughness and hardness specially due to formation of Fe-rich intermetallic ��-����5��������. However, the needle-like ��-����5�������� has been …

Effect Of Variation Of Sic Mass Fraction On Mechanical Properties Of Al-Sic Composite Using Stir Casting Method, Sumarji Sumarji, Naufal Fardio Albajili, Mahros Darsin, Rahma Rei Sakura, Andi Sanata

Journal of Mechanical Engineering Science and Technology (JMEST)

Al-SiC is a composite composed of AA6061 as a matrix and SiC as a reinforcement particle. The variation of mass added will affect the mechanical properties of the composite because Al-SiC is hardenable, which means that its mechanical properties can be improved by adding the reinforcement component. However, an excessive portion of SiC leads to a decrease in mechanical properties. The purpose of this study was to find the optimal composition of the addition of SiC into the aluminium matrix to gain maximum tensile strength and hardness. The mass fraction variation that would be used in this composite was the …

Effect Of Homogenization Pressure On Bacterial Cellulose Membrane Characteristic Made From Pineapple Peel Waste, Muhamad Muhajir, Heru Suryanto, Yanuar Rohmat Aji Pradana, Uun Yanuhar

Journal of Mechanical Engineering Science and Technology (JMEST)

Many studies were conducted to maintain the environment by reducing the waste, especially pineapple peel waste. This study aims to explore the effect of various pressure of the homogenization process on bacterial cellulose membrane surface morphology and structure produced using extract of pineapple peel waste. The methods include the preparation of pellicle samples from the product of the fermentation process of Acetobacter xylinum using a medium from the extract of pineapple peel waste. Bacterial cellulose pellicles were crushed using a blender. Mashed bacterial cellulose pellicle was homogenized in High-Pressure Homogenizer with pressure variation of 150 bar, 300 bar, 450 bar, …

Machine Vision For The Various Road Surface Type Classification Based On Texture Feature, Susi Marianingsih, Widodo Widodo, Marla Sheilamita S. Pieter, Evanita Veronica Manullang, Hendry Y. Nanlohy

Journal of Mechanical Engineering Science and Technology (JMEST)

The mechanized ability to specify the way surface type is a piece of key enlightenment for autonomous transportation machine navigation like wheelchairs and smart cars. In the present work, the extracted features from the object are getting based on structure and surface evidence using Gray Level Co-occurrence Matrix (GLCM). Furthermore, K-Nearest Neighbor (K-NN) Classifier was built to classify the road surface image into three classes, asphalt, gravel, and pavement. A comparison of KNN and Naïve Bayes (NB) was used in present study. We have constructed a road image dataset of 450 samples from real-world road images in the asphalt, gravel, …

Gasohol Engine Performance With Various Ignition Timing, Hendry Y. Nanlohy, Suyatno Suyatno, Helen Riupassa, Marthina Mini, Trismawati Trismawati, Mebin Panithasan

Journal of Mechanical Engineering Science and Technology (JMEST)

Experimental research has been conducted on the effect of ignition timings on the characteristics and performance of gasohol engines such as power, torque, specific fuel consumption, and thermal efficiency. The fuel used in this research is pure gasoline and a mixture of 50% bioethanol (BE50). The results show that the ignition timing that gives the maximum effect occurs at the top and bottom dead points of 9 degrees for gasoline and 12 degrees for BE50 fuel. Furthermore, the maximum power is obtained at 6,500 rpm, and at an ignition time of 12 degrees BTDC the maximum power generated is 4.63 …

61st Annual Rocky Mountain Conference On Magnetic Resonance

Rocky Mountain Conference on Magnetic Resonance

Final program, abstracts, and information about the 61st annual meeting of the Rocky Mountain Conference on Magnetic Resonance, co-endorsed by the Colorado Section of the American Chemical Society and the Society for Applied Spectroscopy. Held in Copper Mountain, Colorado, July 25-29, 2022.

Flow In Additively Manufactured Super-Rough Channels, Samuel Altland, Xiaowei Zhu, Stephen Mcclain, Robert Kunz, Xiang Yang

Mechanical and Materials Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Metal additive manufacturing has enabled geometrically complex internal cooling channels for turbine and heat exchanger applications, but the process gives rise to large-scale roughness whose size is comparable to the channel height (which is 500 μm). These super-rough channels pose previously unseen challenges for experimental measurements, data interpretation and roughness modelling. First, it is not clear if measurements at a particular streamwise and spanwise location still provide accurate representation of the mean (time- and plane-averaged) flow. Second, we do not know if the logarithmic layer survives. Third, it is unknown how well previously developed rough-wall models work for these large-scale …

Development Of A Decellularized Hydrogel Composite And Its Application In A Novel Model Of Disc-Associated Low Back Pain In Female Sprague Dawley Rats, David Lillyman

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Chronic low back pain is a global socioeconomic crisis compounded by an absence of reliable, curative treatments. The predominant pathology associated with chronic low back pain is degeneration of intervertebral discs in the lumbar spine. During degeneration, nerves can sprout into the intervertebral disc tissue and be chronically subjected to inflammatory and mechanical stimuli, resulting in pain. Pain arising from the intervertebral disc, or disc-associated pain, is a complex, multi-faceted disorder which necessitates valid animal models to screen therapeutics and study pathomechanisms of pain.

While many research teams have created animal models of disc degeneration, the translation of these platforms …

Effect Of Corrosion Inhibitors On Copper Etching To Form Thick Copper Line Of Pcb In Acidic Etching Solution, Xiao-Li Wang, Wei He, Xian-Ming Chen, Hong Zeng, Yuan-Zhang Su, Chong Wang, Gao-Sheng Li, Ben-Xia Huang, Lei Feng, Gao Huang, Yuan-Ming Chen

Journal of Electrochemistry

The chemical compounds of 2-mercaptobenzothiazole (2-MBT), benzotriazole (BTA) and phenoxyethanol (MSDS) as corrosion inhibitors were used to inhibit the copper etching to form the thick copper line of PCB in the acidic etching solution. The inhibition status was characterized with contact angle measurement, electrochemical test and etch factor calculation, while the corrosion morphology of copper surface was studied by scanning electron microscope. The adsorption mechanism of corrosion inhibitors on copper surface is analyzed by molecular dynamics and quantum chemistry calculations. The results indicated that the synergistic function of the two inhibitors could effectively promote their adsorption on the copper surface …

Electrodeposition Mechanism And Process Of A Novel Cyanide-Free Gold Sulfite Bath, Jia-Qiang Yang, Lei Jin, Wei-Qing Li, Zhao-Yun Wang, Fang-Zu Yang, Dong-Ping Zhan, Zhong-Qun Tian

Journal of Electrochemistry

A novel cyanide-free gold sulfite process is introduced in this paper. In the bath, chloauric acid was directly employed as the main salt, and hydroxyethylidene diphosphonic acid (HEDP) was used as the stabilizer and coating grain refiner. The bath stability, the gold coating morphology and the mechanism of gold electrodeposition were studied in detail. The results showed that HEDP could significantly improve the bath stability. Moreover, the grains of the gold coating obtained from the gold sulfite bath without HEDP was rod-like, which grew gradually with the increasing of the deposition time, resulting in that the appearance of the coating …

Electrochemical Deposition Of Copper Pillar Bumps With High Uniformity, Bai-Zhao Tan, Jian-Lun Liang, Zi-Liang Lai, Ji-Ye Luo

Journal of Electrochemistry

Electrochemical deposition of copper pillar bumps (CPBs) is one of the key technologies for the advanced packaging. In this study, the effects of the additive concentration, the electrolyte convection, the current density, and the electroplating system on the uniformity of the CPBs have been systematically investigated. The results showed that the profiles of the CPBs were mainly determined by the additive concentration, the bath convection and the current density, while the heights of the CPBs were mainly affected by the electroplating system. For the CPBs profiles, it was found that the low leveler concentration and high current density would generally …

Investigation Of Through-Hole Copper Electroplating With Methyl Orange As A Special Leveler, Jia-Ying Xu, Shou-Xu Wang, Yuan-Zhang Su, Yong-Jie Du, Guo-Dong Qi, Wei He, Guo-Yun Zhou, Wei-Hua Zhang, Yao Tang, Yu-Yao Luo, Yuan-Ming Chen

Journal of Electrochemistry

Methyl Orange (MO) with two kinds of functional groups can act as both an accelerator and an inhibitor, which has been used as a special leveler to simplify the electroplating additive system in the through-hole (TH) copper electroplating experiments. In this work, the role of MO in TH electroplating is characterized by molecular dynamics simulations and quantum chemical calculations. It is suggested that MO can spontaneously flatten the copper surface and be well adsorbed on the cathode surface, which inhibit the copper electrodeposition on the cathode. Electrochemical behavior of MO was evaluated by galvanostatic measurements (GM) and cyclic voltammetry (CV) …