Materials Science and Engineering Commons^™

Toward Understanding Commercial Additives For Zincate Electrogalvanizing, Margaret Scott

Masters Theses

"Cyanide zinc electrogalvanizing has been used for many years to produce high quality and uniform zinc coatings. Due to toxicity concerns, a significant amount of research has occurred to remove the use of cyanide while still producing a similar deposit. One of the resulting plating chemistries is the alkaline zincate bath.

Alkaline zincate plating has the advantages of low startup cost, low toxicity, and low corrosion rate. Despite these advantages, alkaline bath conditions do not produce acceptable zinc deposits without the use of plating additives, which can promote lustrous, smooth deposits. This research aims to: (1) generate fundamental electrochemical data …

The Effects Of Rigid Polyurethane Foam As A Confinement Material On Breaching Charge Detonations, Nathan Franz Paerschke-O'Brien

Masters Theses

"The effects of a rigid polyurethane foam used as a confinement material on four types of breaching explosives were tested, focusing on the changes in shockwave peak pressures, detonation load compression forces, and brisance cratering abilities. The Plate Dent testing procedure was modified to incorporate a load cell force sensor, and two air overpressure sensors were included adjacent to the blast to quantify each test result. The testing variables focused on the polyurethane foam cure times and thickness volumes around the breaching explosives to determine the breaching charges' optimal energy output capabilities when confined by the foam material. The rigid …

New Horizons For Processing And Utilizing Red Mud, M. Archambo

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Red mud is an industrial slurry waste that is produced as a byproduct of the Bayer process for alumina. The waste is generated in large quantities, up to a ratio of 2:1 against the valued product alumina. Red mud exhibits many chemical and physical properties that categorize it as a hazardous material. Due to the addition of sodium hydroxide in processing, the pH is typically at values close to 13. Small particle size discourages separation from water for disposal, so drying red mud happens over many years.

The pH of red mud can be reduced with inexpensive reagents. Carbon dioxide …

Multi-Level Analysis Of Atomic Layer Deposition Barrier Coatings On Additively Manufactured Plastics For High Vacuum Applications, Nupur Bihari

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

While hardware innovations in micro/nano electronics and photonics are heavily patented, the rise of the open-source movement has significantly shifted focus to the importance of obtaining low-cost, functional and easily modifiable research equipment. This thesis provides a foundation of open source development of equipment to aid in the micro/nano electronics and photonics fields.

First, the massive acceptance of the open source Arduino microcontroller has aided in the development of control systems with a wide variety of uses. Here it is used for the development of an open-source dual axis gimbal system. This system is used to characterize optoelectronic properties of …

Studying The Effects Of Initial Crack Angle On The Crack Propagation In Graphene Nano-Ribbon Through Molecular Dynamics Simulations, Vijay Kumar Pathak

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

In this research, we have worked on the brittle fracture of graphene nano-ribbon to explore the behavior of crack propagation at different crack angles. We have performed classical Molecular Dynamics simulations using LAMMPS at ten different crack angles between 0 degrees and 45 degrees, in an increment of 5 degrees to observe the parameters that dominate the crack path. The graphene nanoribbon is loaded in the zigzag direction by pulling it in the armchair direction with a pre-existing crack in the center. We have used OVITO for the visualization of the simulation. AIREBO potential is employed in this work because …

The Effects Of Molybdenum, Chromium, And Niobium On Gray Iron For Brake Rotor Applications, Matthew Hasbrouck

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Brake rotor composition and microstructure must be optimized for thermal and mechanical performance to avoid thermal-mechanical cracking, excessive wear, and to reduce noise. Niobium is an element that increases the strength and wear resistance of gray iron; however, the interaction of niobium with other common alloying elements (chromium and molybdenum) is not well understood. Thirteen gray cast iron alloys were produced with varying levels of carbon equivalent (CE), Cr, Mo, and Nb. Bars with four different diameters (8, 14, 22, and 30 mm) were cast from each alloy and microstructural and physical properties such as graphite flake morphology, pearlite spacing, …

Role Of Eta Phase Evolution On Creep Properties Of Nickel Base Superalloys Used In Advanced Electric Power Generation Plants, Ninad Mohale

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Advanced fossil energy power generation plants require materials that withstand high temperatures and corrosive environments. One such material that is used in steam turbines is Nimonic 263. It is a nickel-base superalloy that is principally strengthened by gamma primephase (Ni₃(Ti, Al)) and has an L1₂structure. At extended times and at turbine operating temperatures however, eta (Ni₃Ti) phase is known to form at the expense of gamma prime. Eta has a complex DO₂₄structure and is the stable phase between 750°C and 900°C, but with slow kinetics of formation. Little is understood about eta …

Atomistic Monte Carlo Simulation Study Of Phase Transitions In Metal Alloys, Xiaoxu Guo

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

The atomic-scale Monte Carlo simulation study focuses on the intrinsic behaviors of a defect-free crystal that undergoes a cubic-to-tetragonal martensitic transformation. The quasi-spin variable associated with the lattice sites characterizes the local unit cells of the orientation variants of the ground-state martensite phase, which interact with each other through long-range elastic interactions. It is shown that the diffuse scattering in the premartensitic austenite state results from the spatial correlation of the atomic-scale heterogeneous lattice displacements and manifests the displacement short-range ordering. The effects of temperature, elastic anisotropy, and shear modulus softening on the diffuse scattering and displacement short-range ordering are …

Analyzing Variation In Dispersoid Formation In Aluminum Alloys By Minor Changes In Homogenization Temperature, Brendan Treanore

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

The homogenization of billets in the aluminum extrusion industry is a critical step that removes chemical segregation from casting, dissolves low melting point phases, forms nanoscale dispersoid phases, and promotes the beta to alpha transformation of iron particles in the matrix. With ever increasing use of aluminum extrusion in the automotive industry there is a constant need for increased efficiency and consistency in processing of extruded aluminum. The work in this thesis explores the effects of 10°C differences in the homogenization temperature on the formation of dispersoids in 6082 alloys used in the automotive industry. The role of dispersoids is …

Dual-Functional Phosphorene Nanocomposite Membranes For The Treatment Of Perfluorinated Water: An Investigation Of Perfluorooctanoic Acid Removal Via Filtration Combined With Ultraviolet Irradiation Or Oxygenation, Joyner Eke, Lillian Banks, M. Abdul Mottaleb, Andrew J. Morris, Olga V. Tsyusko, Isabel C. Escobar

Internal Medicine Faculty Publications

Nanomaterials with tunable properties show promise because of their size-dependent electronic structure and controllable physical properties. The purpose of this research was to develop and validate environmentally safe nanomaterial-based approach for treatment of drinking water including removal and degradation of per- and polyfluorinated chemicals (PFAS). PFAS are surfactant chemicals with broad uses that are now recognized as contaminants with a significant risk to human health. They are commonly used in household and industrial products. They are extremely persistent in the environment because they possess both hydrophobic fluorine-saturated carbon chains and hydrophilic functional groups, along with being oleophobic. Traditional drinking water …

Data-Driven Discovery Of Material States In Composites Under Fatigue Loads, Muthu Ram Prabhu Elenchezhian, Vamsee Vadlamudi, Rassel Raihan, Kenneth Reifsnider

Institute of Predictive Performance Methodologies (IPPM-UTARI)-Archive

Our community has a widespread knowledge on the damage tolerance and durability of the composites, developed over the past few decades by various experimental and computational efforts. Several methods have been used to understand the damage behavior and henceforth predict the material states such as residual strength (damage tolerance) and life (durability) of these material systems. Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) and Broadband Dielectric Spectroscopy (BbDS) are such methods, which have been proven to identify the damage states in composites. Our previous work using BbDS method has proven to serve as precursor to identify the damage levels, indicating the beginning of …

Ordinary Differential Equations With Machine Learning For Prediction Of Smart Composite Fracture Toughness, Relebohile George Qhobosheane, Muthu Ram Prabhu Elenchezhian, Vamsee Vadlamudi, Kenneth Reifsnider, Rassel Raihan

Institute of Predictive Performance Methodologies (IPPM-UTARI)-Archive

This work in on the development of an ordinary differential equation (ODE) model coupled with statistical methods for the prediction of fracture toughness of a magnetostrictive, piezoelectric smart self-sensing Fiber Reinforced Polymer (FRP) composite. The smart composite with sensing properties encompasses Terfenol-D alloy nanoparticles and Single Walled Carbon NanoTubes (SWCNT). To explore various configurations the of nanoparticle constituents’ effect on fracture toughness within the FRP composite, the ODE model developed within a finite element analysis (FEA) environment is considered to attain fracture observations across the solution space. The acquired FEA data is then used to feed the machine-learning (ML) algorithms …

Effects Of Surface Characteristics On Mechanical And Dielectric Properties Of Adhesively Bonded Carbon Fiber Composites, Minhazur Rahman, Gayathri Kola, Monjur Morshed Rabby, Muthu Ram Prabhu Elenchezhian, Relebohile George Qhobosheane, Vamsee Vadlamudi

Institute of Predictive Performance Methodologies (IPPM-UTARI)-Archive

The rapid rise of fiber reinforced composite usage in aircraft, spacecraft and automobile industries made the proper comprehension of repair and joining of these materials a crucial aspect. Adhesive bonding is one of the most advantageous and desirable joining and repair technique for fiber reinforced composites. However, the heterogeneity of fiber reinforced composites and the complex interfacial nature of the adhesive bonds, makes most non-destructive evaluation and assessment techniques ineffective to assess the state of the bond. Different manufacturing and surface preparation techniques impart different surface characteristics to the adherends, hence proper understanding of the state of bonds is dependent …

Developments Of Advanced Cathodes And Stabilized Zinc Anodes For High-Performance Aqueous Zinc-Ion Batteries, Xiujuan Chen

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Aqueous rechargeable zinc-ion batteries (ZIBs) have attracted considerable attention as one of the most promising energy storage systems for the grid-scale application owing to the natural merits of metallic Zn, including a high theoretical capacity, suitable redox potential, low cost, high safety, and eco-friendliness. However, the existing aqueous ZIBs are far from satisfying the requirements of practical applications. Significant challenges hindering the further development of ZIBs come from the low utilization and poor cycling stability of cathodes and limited reversibility of Zn anodes associated with dendrite growth, corrosion, and passivation. To date, enormous efforts have been devoted to developing high-performance …

Development Of Synthetic Coal Char Simulant For Microwave Conversion Studies: A Computationally-Driven Approach, Kevin A. Hager

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Recent experimental demonstration of new reaction windows for coal char/methane reactions that are less energy-intensive, provides innovation for modular reactors. However, the correlation of the exact mechanism for the enhancement of these reaction windows is not certain. This study investigates the simplification of these experimental studies by developing a well-characterized coal char simulant. The approach involves using a computational approach to screen macroscopic composition to replicate the dielectric and compositional response of actual char. This study is focused on PRB coal char. A discrete element method (DEM) technique was used to simulate the packing of coal chars to give the …

Static And Dynamic Analysis Of Composite Plates Using The Monna Finite Element, Mohamed Emadeldin Omar Abdelhadi

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Composite materials are replacing metals in many fields due to their favorable qualities such as strength-to-weight ratio, fatigue characteristics, and corrosion resistance. An efficient, versatile, and accurate composite plate element applicable to the dynamic analysis of composite plates would help the advancement of composites tremendously.

The objective of this research is to analyze composite plates using the classical laminated plate theory (CLPT), first-order deformation theory (FSDT), and higher-order deformation theory (HSDT) with the applicable finite element modeling (FEM) for each theory. This thesis investigates which theory is more efficient and accurate and evaluates the benefits of using an h-p-version …

Metal Supported Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Using Proton Conducting Electrolyte For Direct Ammonia Utilization, Edwin Vega Hiraldo

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Transportation represents about 27% of global warming greenhouse gas emissions nowadays. To reduce these emissions, fuel cell electric vehicles have been poised to be a new trend to provide zero-emission transportation. Among them, solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) offer efficient, clean energy, especially when powered by carbon-free fuel, such as ammonia. To enable onboard ammonia-fed SOFCs, a metal-supported, proton-conducting SOFC is investigated in this study. The metal support would provide physical robustness for thermal shock during vehicles’ quick start-up and shutdown, reduce internal temperature gradients due to the greater thermal conductivity of the metal, and enable conventional metal joining for …

The Effect Of Tin-, Ticn-, Tialn-, And Tisin Coated Tools On The Surface Defects And Geometric Tolerances Of Holes In Multi-Spindle Drilling Of Al2024 Alloy, Muhammad Aamir, Adrian Davis, William Keeble, Ugur Koklu, Khaled Giasin, Ana Vafadar, Majid Tolouei Rad

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

The integrity of machined holes depends on many parameters, some of which are related to the cutting tool (geometry, coating, material). Other influential parameters are related to the machining process variables (spindle speed, feed rate, workpiece material), all of which can affect the quality of the hole and drilling induced damage on its surface. This study investigates the effect of uncoated tools and four types of tool coatings (TiN-, TiCN-, TiAlN-, and TiSiN) on the hole quality and its microstructure. The study analyzed several hole geometrical metrics, namely hole size, circularity, cylindricity, and perpendicularity of an Al2024 aluminum alloy using …

Establishing Independent Tunability Of The Mechanical And Transport Properties Of Polymer Gels, Lucas Rankin

Master’s Theses

Polymer gels can be used in the fabrication of materials for filtering liquid and gaseous media, solid-state electrolytes, and transdermal medical patches. This diverse range of applications primarily relies on the transport and mechanical properties of polymer gels. Both sets of properties have shown excellent tunability, but typically in a coupled fashion. Establishing the independent tunability of the transport and mechanical properties of polymer gels (using simple, cost-effective methods) is paramount if polymer gels are to be used to their full potential. Specifically, block copolymer gels self-assemble into organized nanoscale networks within the gel solvent, which allows for facile control …

Theoretical Analysis Of Experimental Data Of Sodium Diffusion In Oxidized Molybdenum Thin Films, Orlando Ayala, Benjamin Belfore, Tasnuva Ashrafee, John Akwari, Grace Rajan, Shankar Karki, Deewakar Poudel, Sylvain Marsillac

Engineering Technology Faculty Publications

In this work, the diffusion process of sodium (Na) in molybdenum (Mo) thin films while it was deposited on soda lime glass (SLG) was studied. A small amount of oxygen was present in the chamber while the direct-current (DC) magnetron sputtering was used for the deposition. The substrate temperatures were varied to observe its effect. Such molybdenum films, with or without oxidations, are often used in thin film solar cells, either as back contact or as hole transport layers. Secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) was used to quantify the concentration of the species. A grain diffusion mechanistic model incorporating the …

Development Of An Undergraduate Welding Laboratory For Research And Education, Hamid Eisazadeh, Alok K. Verma

Engineering Technology Faculty Publications

The shortage of welders in Hampton Roads area, where many shipyards are located, is becoming severe for shipbuilding in coming years. Many welding engineers graduated from universities located out of state, tend to go back to companies near their home, after receiving couple years of welding experience at Hampton Roads shipyards. Therefore, it is critical to train local welders. In order to address the welding workforce needs of Hampton Roads, the Department of Engineering Technology at Old Dominion University has recently launched an initiative for developing a laboratory for welding processes (LWP) for supporting educational and research activities in its …

Charge Transport, Conductivity And Seebeck Coefficient In Pristine And Tcnq Loaded Preferentially Grown Metal Organic Frameworks, Xin Chen, Kai Zhang, Zeinab Mohammed Hassan, Engelbert Redel, Helmut Baumgart

Electrical & Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

This investigation on Metal-Organic Framework (MOF) HUKUST-1 films focuses on comparing the undoped pristine state and with the case of doping by TCNQ infiltration of the MOF pore structure. We have determined the temperature dependent charge transport and p-type conductivity for HKUST-1 films. Furthermore, the electrical conductivity and the current-voltage characteristics have been characterized in detail. Because the most common forms of MOFs, bulk MOF powders, do not lend themselves easily to electrical characterization investigations, here in this study the electrical measurements were performed on dense, compact surface-anchored metal-organic framework (SURMOF) films. These monolithic, well-defined, and (001) preferentially oriented MOF …

Atmospheric Corrosion Of Galvanically Coupled Aluminum Alloys And Carbon Steel, Mitchell Felde

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Aluminum alloys are a steadily growing material being commonly used in lieu of typical steels. Additional alloying, heat treatment, and other property enhancing processes are expanding the use of these alloys. However, with this expansion, galvanic corrosion is becoming more of an issue in the design stage due to the combination of these alloys with steels. The automotive industry is one industry where the use of aluminum alloys is becoming common practice. Aluminum alloys provide a lightweight aspect over the conventional carbon steel that was used previously. As a result of this transition towards more lightweight materials, galvanic coupling is …

Testing The Effectiveness Of Various Fabrics For Use In Protective Face Coverings, Isaac Daley

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Facemask requirements have been heavily implemented as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The purpose of this study was to test various fabrics that could be used in face coverings and determine which materials are best for reducing virus transmission rates. Of the seven fabrics tested, five were conventional home-use fabrics and the other two were surfaces modified with hydrophobic organosilanes. Wettability and droplet adherence tests were performed on each material. The materials that performed the best were decyltrichlorosilane (DTS) modified cotton, perfluorotrichlorosilane (FTS) modified cotton, and polyester. Contact angles for water droplets on these fabrics were 106°, 93°, and …

Evaluating The Thermoresponsive Properties Of Hydroxypropyl Cellulose Solutions For Smart Window Applications, Adam Reed

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

With HVAC and building energy usage expected to increase, there is a strong need for autonomous thermal management solutions. In particular, there has been a growing interest in thermoresponsive (TR) smart windows that are activated by ambient temperature changes. Most TR smart windows contain a liquid solution between two panes. The goal of this research project was to develop a self-supporting smart window by forming a gel that maintained its TR properties. A gel is less prone to spilling in the case of window breakage. It was also desired to tune the phase transition to occur at environmentally relevant conditions …

Pulse Reverse Current Electrodeposited Tio2 Doped Ni-W Coating, Sydney Hughes

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Nickel-Tungsten (Ni-W) coatings via the pulse reverse current method have been under development as a potential replacement for typical Chromium/Cadmium coatings. To increase the effectiveness of Ni-W as a coating, dopants have been tested to decrease microcracks and pores and increase overall tribological performance. Previous research by Timken Engineered Surfaces Laboratory showed that Ni-W doped with TiO₂ nanoparticles had a positive effect on coating performance. The purpose of this study was to determine the ideal solution parameters (i.e. TiO₂ concentration, pH) to maximize the benefit of the dopant when samples are subjected to tribological testing. Here, solutions of …

Investigation Of Surface Charge Using Faraday Bucket Measurements: Analysis On Electrospun Polyvinylidene Fluoride Fiber Mats, Ryan Kantenwein

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Piezoelectric polymer materials such as polyvinylidene fluoride exhibit beneficial properties for use in personal protective equipment (PPE) against viral contaminants and other foreign microparticles. The electrospinning process of this material allows for surface charge to develop over a controlled surface area. Kynar 761 at 10 wt% demonstrates increased surface charge after withstanding a flow of aerated NaCl particles from a TSI 8130 instrument. Utilizing voltage measurements from a Faraday bucket, 18 wt% Kynar 761 and MG-15 exhibit surface charge when undergoing an electrospinning process; however, Kynar MG-15 displays lower charge values than that of Kynar 761. Several critical factors such …

Increasing The Corrosion Protection Of Aisi 1008 Carbon Steel By Surface Treatment With Unmodified And Benzotriazole Modified Sol-Gel Films, Shane Thomas Kelliher

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The corrosion performance of sol-gel coated AISI 1008 carbon steel was investigated in 3.5 wt% NaCl solutions of pH 7, 9, and 12 using electrochemical measurements. A corrosion inhibitor, benzotriazole (BTA) was added to the sol-gel mixture and tested as a second, modified sol-gel coating. Sol-gel films adhered evenly to metal samples and were characterized by FTIR spectroscopy. Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) showed an increase in polarization resistance from blank to sol-gel coated samples (600-18,800,000 ohms). Cyclic polarization (CPP) curves showed positive hysteresis loops for blank and unmodified sol-gel coated samples which increased at high pH following the backward potential …

Design And Analysis Of One-Piece 10” Carbon Fiber Wheels For Zips Racing Zr20 Formula Sae Racecar, Patrick Kruse, Henry J. Wathen, Jordan J. Hyde, Nicholas D. Dobben, Jordan D. Blake

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Reducing the weight of a vehicle in racing can substantially improve the vehicle dynamics and general performance capabilities. More specifically, the reduction of the unsprung corner weight can provide noticeable performance gains in handling and responsiveness, leading to a quicker, more agile car due to a lower yawing moment of inertia. Unsprung weight reduction also improves the car’s ability to maintain contact between the tires and the road surface for a more consistent grip. In this project we identified the loads that act on the wheel rims according to the data collected from the sensors in the car’s suspension, and …

Tabletop Dome Tester, Dylan Davis

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The project for the dome tester stand is a continuation from a group of four that worked on the stand in Spring of 2020. The project itself is based around the Erichsen Cupping test to test the material properties, in our application specifically, observing the forming limits of strain in deep drawing applications of sheet metal. Testing pieces in varying lengths from 4” x 4” squares to 4” x 0.5” strips to the depth that necking begins on the piece to determine the limit before cracks appear using a hemispherical punch to draw the material sample clamped between two dies. …