Polymer and Organic Materials Commons^™

Novel Thermal Coating For High-Speed Airplanes, Abinash Satapathy, Lakshay Battu, Liam Watson, Nazanin Rajabi

Symposium of Student Scholars

In comparison to various other materials, Carbon Fiber, specifically Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymers (CFRP), is pre-eminent amongst other materials for use on aeronautical systems. Due to its high specific strength (strength-to-weight ratio), CFRP is prominent for carrying heavy loads while maintaining a lightweight build. However, when influenced by heat resulting from air resistance, CFRP is known to undergo serious degradation that would significantly decrease the effectiveness of the polymers. To prevent this degradation and maintain the strength of the CFRP, thermal protective layers (TPLs) are designed to shield the CFRP from heat exposure. This research is focused on the examination …

Machine Learning Assisted Discovery Of Shape Memory Polymers And Their Thermomechanical Modeling, Cheng Yan

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

As a new class of smart materials, shape memory polymer (SMP) is gaining great attention in both academia and industry. One challenge is that the chemical space is huge, while the human intelligence is limited, so that discovery of new SMPs becomes more and more difficult. In this dissertation, by adopting a series of machine learning (ML) methods, two frameworks are established for discovering new thermoset shape memory polymers (TSMPs). Specifically, one of them is performed by a combination of four methods, i.e., the most recently proposed linear notation BigSMILES, supplementing existing dataset by reasonable approximation, a mixed dimension (1D …

Rational Design Of Flexible And Stretchable Electronics Based On 3d Printing, Yuanhang Yang

Theses and Dissertations

Flexible and stretchable electronics have been considered as the key component for the next generation of flexible devices. There are many approaches to prepare the devices, such as dip coating, spin coating, Mayer bar coating, filtration and transfer, and printing, etc. The effectiveness of these methods has been proven, but some drawbacks cannot be ignored, such as lacking pattern control, labor consuming, requiring complex pretreatment, wasting conductive materials, etc.

In this investigation, we propose to adopt 3D printing technology to design flexible and stretchable electronics. The objective is to rationally design flexible and stretchable sensors, simplify the preparation process, form …

Lateral-Torsional Instability And Biaxial Bending Of Imperfect Frp I-Beams, Jodi Knorowski, Stella B. Bondi, Zia Razzaq

Civil & Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications

This paper presents the outcome of a theoretical and experimental study of the behavior of Fiber Reinforced Polymer (FRP) I-beams exposed to lateral-torsional instability or when subjected to biaxial bending. Laboratory experiments involved the application of vertical and horizontal static loads to a 4 x 4 x ¼ in. I-beam with various lengths and the resulting deflections were recorded. Governing biaxial flexure and torsion differential equations were modified to account for the presence of initial imperfections and subsequently solved using a central finite-difference scheme. The theoretical predictions of the beam behavior were found to be in good agreement with what …

Optimization In The Application Of Varnishes Barrier On Cartonboard Packaging, Andre Ramalheiro De Andrade, Maria Isabel Rodrigues Phd, Eduardo Luiz Machado Phd

Journal of Applied Packaging Research

In this work adjustments in the rotogravure printing process are proposed to the varnish water vapor transmission rate (WVTR) aiming to obtain results smaller than 20g/m²/24h. One case study was used for the propositions for improvements, where focused on varnish application process in a gravure printer for an eight-printing unit cartonboard packaging, maximum printing speed of 175 m/min and a 285 g/m² weight cartonboard. The possible variables that influenced the WVTR result were selected from the technical expertise of the people involved in the project, the analysis in the printing process with the application of directed trials using experimental designs …

Development And Characterization Of Composite Membranes For Use In Countercurrent Solvent Extraction, Lydia Neves Rodrigues

Dissertations

Porous membranes having a particular wetting characteristic, hydrophobic or hydrophilic, are used for nondispersive membrane solvent extraction (MSX) where two immiscible phases flow on two sides of the membrane. The aqueous-organic phase interface across which solvent extraction/back extraction occurs remains immobilized on one surface of the membrane. This process requires the pressure of the phase not present in membrane pores to be either equal to or higher than that of the phase present in membrane pores; the excess phase pressure should not exceed a breakthrough pressure. In countercurrent MSX with significant flow pressure drop in each phase, this often poses …

Degumming Of Hemp Fibers Using Combined Microwave Energy And Deep Eutectic Solvent, Bulbul Ahmed

LSU Master's Theses

Hemp is considered as one of the sustainable agricultural fiber materials. Degumming or surface modification of hemp bast is needed to produce single fibers for ensuing textile and industrial applications. The traditional degumming process necessitates a high amount of alkali, which causes detrimental environmental pollution. This study offers a new method to degum hemp fibers with reduced use of harmful alkali and precious water resources. In this work, hemp bast fibers were degummed by using combined microwave energy and deep eutectic solvent (DES). The properties of hemp fibers manufactured by this method were investigated and compared with the traditional alkali …

Phase-Field Modeling Of The Polymer Membrane Formation Process For Micro- And Ultra-Filtration, Michael Rosario Cervellere

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Porous polymer membrane filters are widely used in separation and filtration process. Micro- and ultra-filtration membranes are commonly used in biopharmaceutical applications such as filtering viruses and separating proteins from a carrier solution. The formation of these membrane filters via phase inversion is a complex and interconnected process where varying casting conditions can have a wide variety of effects on the final membrane morphol- ogy. Tailoring membrane filters for specific performance characteristics is a tedious and time consuming process. The time and length scales of membrane formation make it extremely difficult to experimentally observe membrane formation. Modeling the membrane formation …

Development Of A Marine Biodegradable Target Balloon, Blake Samuel Robinson, Arash Sam Akhavi, David Leonardo Albarran-Martinez

Materials Engineering

The US Navy utilizes PVC target balloons, known as Killer Tomatoes, that are inflated onboard a naval vessel then deployed into the ocean to calibrate a variety of weaponry. The Navy has requested the investigation of biodegradable polymers to replace the PVC in attempts to reduce ocean waste that is generated from the leftover PVC material. After communicating with American Pacific Plastic Fabricators (APPF), the current manufacturer of the Killer Tomatoes, we gained an understanding of the manufacturing process and the material requirements that would allow a new material to be integrated into their current process. Two proprietary, trial polymers …

Valorization Of Xylan In Agroforestry Waste Streams, Harrison Appiah

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Valorization of Xylan in Agroforestry Waste Streams.

Harrison Appiah

Microwave-assisted deep eutectic solvent and gamma-valerolactone metallic chloride catalyzed conversion of xylan to furfural were investigated using a 2x3 factorial experimental design at two levels of percent microwave power, reaction time, and catalyst concentration. The levels of each factor studied were (20%, 60% microwave power, 2, 4 minutes, and 10, 20mg) respectively. The effect of three metallic chloride catalysts (LiCl, FeCl3.6H20, CuCl2) on the conversion of xylan to furfural was also investigated. The gamma-valerolactone-ferric chloride sent system exhibited the highest mean yield of furfural (56.50%). The next highest furfural yield of …

Determination Of Hydrogel Degradation By Passive Mechanical Testing, Avery Rosh-Gorsky

Honors Theses

This paper details a new technique to measure the mechanical properties of ETTMP PEGDA hydrogels using Hertz Contact Theory and simultaneously analyze both the model drug release and gel erosion in situ. This method involves curing a drug loaded hydrogel in a standard cuvette and placing a glass bead and phosphate buffer solution (PBS). Over time, the cross-linked network of the hydrogel breaks down, and, as a result, the ball sinks into the hydrogel. This method provides a macroscopic and inexpensive way to continuously and passively measure properties of the hydrogel as the hydrogel degrades. By plotting both the …

Quality Assurance Of Lightweight Structures Via Phase-Based Motion Estimation, Ikenna E. Ifekaonwu

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

In recent years, lightweight structures have become mature and adopted in various applications. The importance of quality assurance cannot be overemphasized hence extensive research has been conducted to assess the quality of lightweight structures. This study investigates a novel process that exploits motion magnification to investigate the damage characteristics of lightweight mission-critical parts. The goal is to assure the structural integrity of 3D printed structures and composite structures by determining the inherent defects present in the part by exploiting their vibration characteristics. The minuscule vibration of the structure was recorded with the aid of a high-speed digital camera, and the …

Development Of An Injectable Methylcellulose Hydrogel System For Nucleus Pulposus Repair And Regeneration, Nada A. Haq-Siddiqi

Dissertations and Theses

Low back pain is the most common cause of disability in the world and is often caused by degeneration or injury of the intervertebral disc (IVD). The IVD is a complex, fibrocartilaginous tissue that allows for the wide range of spinal mobility. Disc degeneration is a progressive condition believed to begin in the central, gelatinous nucleus pulposus (NP) region of the tissue, for which there are few preventative therapies. Current therapeutic strategies include pain management and exercise, or surgical intervention such as spinal fusion, none of which address the underlying cause of degeneration. With an increasingly aging population, the socioeconomic …

Development Of Light Actuated Chemical Delivery Platform On A 2-D Array Of Micropore Structure, Hojjat Rostami Azmand, Hojjat Rostami Azmand

Dissertations and Theses

Localized chemical delivery plays an essential role in the fundamental information transfers within biological systems. Thus, the ability to mimic the natural chemical signal modulation would provide significant contributions to understand the functional signaling pathway of biological cells and develop new prosthetic devices for neurological disorders. In this paper, we demonstrate a light-controlled hydrogel platform that can be used for localized chemical delivery in a high spatial resolution. By utilizing the photothermal behavior of graphene-hydrogel composites confined within micron-sized fluidic channels, patterned light illumination creates the parallel and independent actuation of chemical release in a group of fluidic ports. The …

Adhesion And Deformation Mechanisms Of Polydopamine And Polytetrafluoroethylene: A Multiscale Computational Study, Matthew Brownell

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Polydopamine (PDA) has been shown to bond via covalent bonding, van der Waals forces, and hydrogen bonding and is known to adhere strongly to almost any material. The application of PDA between a substrate and a PTFE surface coating has resulted in low friction and a greatly reduced wear rate. Previous research probing the capabilities and limitations of PDA/PTFE films have studied the wear and mechanical properties of the film, but the overall adhesive and deformation mechanisms remain unclear.

In this research, we investigate the tribological properties of PDA and PTFE molecules and composites from the atomic to the microscale …

Fly Ash Based Geopolymer For High Temperature And High Compressive Strength Applications In Aggressive Environment, Aaryan Manoj Nair, Akm S. Rahman

Publications and Research

Geopolymers are the results of geosynthetic reactions between aluminosilicates and strong bases. This results in chemical bonds between aluminum (Al), Silicon (Si)and oxygen (O) composing polymer rings in tetrahedral coordination. These bonds give them widespread useful applications such as high heat bearing ceramics, and base construction material whilst being far more environmentally conscious. The purpose of the experiment is to examine the effect of Silicon Carbide whisker and inorganic glass particles on thermal and mechanical properties of Geopolymers. This study will help understand the effect of various compositions and concentrations of SiO₂ in mechanical strength. In this experiment, the …

Fabrication, Characterization And Applications Of Highly Conductive Wet-Spun Pedot:Pss Fibers, Ruben Sarabia Riquelme

Theses and Dissertations--Chemical and Materials Engineering

Smart electronic textiles cross conventional uses to include functionalities such as light emission, health monitoring, climate control, sensing, storage and conversion of energy, etc. New fibers and yarns that are electrically conductive and mechanically robust are needed as fundamental building blocks for these next generation textiles.

Conjugated polymers are promising candidates in the field of electronic textiles because they are made of earth-abundant, inexpensive elements, have good mechanical properties and flexibility, and can be processed using low-cost large-scale solution processing methods. Currently, the main method to fabricate electrically conductive fibers or yarns from conjugated polymers is the deposition of the …

Multiscale Modeling Of Carbon Fibers/Graphene Nanoplatelets/Epoxy Hybrid Composites For Aerospace Applications, Hashim Al Mahmud

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Significant research effort has been dedicated for decades to improve the mechanical properties of aerospace polymer-based composite materials. Lightweight epoxy-based composite materials have increasingly replaced the comparatively heavy and expensive metal alloys used in aeronautical and aerospace structural components. In particular, carbon fibers (CF)/graphene nanoplatelets (GNP)/epoxy hybrid composites can be used for this purpose owing to their high specific stiffness and strength. Therefore, this work has been completed to design, predict, and optimize the effective mechanical properties of CF/GNP/epoxy composite materials at different length scales using a multiscale modeling approach. The work-flow of modeling involves a first step of using …

Development Of Experimental And Finite Element Models To Show Size Effects In The Forming Of Thin Sheet Metals, Jeffrey D. Morris

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Abstract

An experimental method was developed that demonstrated the size effects in forming thin sheet metals, and a finite element model was developed to predict the effects demonstrated by the experiment. A universal testing machine (UTM) was used to form aluminum and copper of varying thicknesses (less than 1mm) into a hemispherical dome. A stereolithography additive manufacturing technology was used to fabricate the punch and die from a UV curing resin. There was agreement between the experimental and numerical models. The results showed that geometric size effects were significant for both materials, and these effects increased as the thickness of …

Effects Of Heat Treatment On The Dimensional Stability And Mechanical Properties Of Guadua Bamboo, Kade Schmitz, Skye Dascher, Shalto Dascher

Materials Engineering

Contributing to about 4% of particulate emissions, the construction industry is one of the largest polluters of the environment. In an effort to reduce emissions, BamCore has produced a dual panel wall system made of Guadua bamboo with a Douglas fir veneer. Bamboo is a highly renewable material with a fast growth rate and carbon sequestration abilities. This project investigates how heat treating Guadua bamboo influences its dimensional changes and mechanical properties for building applications. It was found that a dimensional increase in every direction occurred for all samples when exposed to higher relative humidity (50% to 90%), and that …

Design And Control Of Fiber Encapsulation Additive Manufacturing, Matt Saari

Mechanical Engineering Research Theses and Dissertations

This work presents the design, development, and analysis of the Fiber Encapsulation Additive Manufacturing (FEAM) system developed at the Laboratory for Additive Manufacturing Robotics \& Automation at the Lyle School of Engineering at Southern Methodist University. The innovation introduced by FEAM is the ability to insert a continuous fiber of different material into the flowing extrudate. Correctly positioning the fiber feed inside the extrudate while turning the fiber in arbitrary directions is a critical aspect of the technology. This will allow for the full exploitation of the capabilities of the FEAM technology to produce robotic components that actuate and sense. …

Application Of Computational Tools To Spaghetti-Based Truss Bridge Design, Jin Xu, Jiliang Li, Nuri Zeytinoglu, Jinyuan Zhai

ASEE IL-IN Section Conference

Application of Computational Tools to Spaghetti-Based Truss Design

Statics and Strength of Materials are two foundational courses for Mechanical/Civil Engineering. In order to assist students in better understanding and applying concepts to a meaningful design task, SolidWorks and theoretical calculation were used for a spaghetti-bridge design contest with the constraints of given maximum weight and allowable support-material weight. As the first step of this iterative designing process, both extrude feature and structural member were introduced to model planar bridge trusses. Then SolidWorks’ Statics module was used to run FEA analysis of the structural performance in efforts to optimize the …

Mechanical Characterization Of Expanded Polystyrene Spheres Embed Sandwich Composites For Packaging Applications, Maheswaran R, Arockia Reemas S

Journal of Applied Packaging Research

This paper addresses on study of development of new packaging material comprising Expanded Polystyrene Spheres (EPS) embedded epoxy polymer based sandwich composites with aluminium skin. The density of the packing material is controlled by varying the volume of embedded spheres. In this study, the Flexural and Compression performance of Expanded Polystyrene Spheres (EPS) embedded polymer based sandwich composites with aluminium skin are investigated. The EPS volume percent in the core is 25% with epoxy matrix which makes the the density less than 1 g/cm3 for the composite. The fabricated Sandwich Composite are very light weight, the density is less than …

Developing Strategies To Toughen Bio-Inspired Adhesives, Narelli P. Narciso, Samuel Lee Huntington, Jonathan J. Wilker

The Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) Symposium

Mussels and other marine creatures adhere very well in underwater environments, having the ability to withstand the force of the sea. These animals have inspired synthetic biomimetic adhesives for wet systems, presenting potential for biomedical applications. However, most current commercial adhesives tend to be brittle, not resisting repetitive movements. This study assesses toughening strategies to improve the mussel-inspired adhesives’ ductility while maintaining its strength. The strategies included altering the polymer’s chemical structure by changing the percentage of polyethylene glycol (PEG) in the molecule and by adding fillers, such as calcium carbonate, silica and nacre - a calcium carbonate compound found …

Analysis Of The Low-Cycle Fatigue Behavior Of Silicone Rubber For Biomedical Balloons, Chase Cooper

Materials Engineering

The development of a medical drug delivery device that allows for the deployment drugs into the adventitial tissue of blood vessels requires the inflation of a silicone elastomer. The inflated silicone must be able to consistently endure multiple loading cycles without failing so that the device can operate reliably. There are multiple methods of processing the silicone for the device and the goal of this study is to examine the effect of the various processing methods on the characteristics of the silicone. The Dynamic Mechanical Analysis Machine (DMA) is used to model the conditions of the device’s application by performing …

Review Of Challenges And Advances In Modification Of Food Package Headspace Gases, Ziynet Boz, Bruce A. Welt, Jeffrey K. Brecht, William Pelletier, Eric Mclamore, Gregory A. Kiker, Jason E. Butler

Journal of Applied Packaging Research

Modified Atmosphere Packaging (MAP) has been widely used as an effective way to preserve foods. Fresh produce, meat and meat products, seafood, and dairy products can benefit from modified gaseous atmospheres, which are usually achieved by reducing oxygen and increasing carbon dioxide concentrations, within limits, defined by product tolerances. MAP of fresh produce is particularly challenging because products are living and respiring. Respiration rates depend on several factors including temperature, oxygen, and carbon dioxide concentrations. Balancing package permeation with respiration is challenging, often due to limited selection of practical packaging materials. Failing to remain within tolerance limits of products leads …

Tensile Properties And Fatigue Behavior Of Geopolymer Matrix Composites With Carbon Fiber Reinforcement At Elevated Temperature, Steffan M. L. Wilcox

Theses and Dissertations

The tensile stress-strain and tension-tension fatigue of geopolymer matrix composites reinforced with 0/90 carbon fibers was investigated at 23 and 300°C in laboratory air. Geopolymers are inorganic polymeric materials composed of alumina, silica, and alkali metal oxides. Because geopolymers are synthesized as a fluid mixture or particles and liquid, they can be cast into a desired shape, and cured at only slightly elevated temperatures. The relative ease of synthesis and low processing temperatures make geopolymers an attractive choice as a matrix material for composite materials. Geopolymers also offer resistance to heat and oxidizing environments. Currently, geopolymer matrix composites are being …

Design And Analysis Of A 3d-Printed, Thermoplastic Elastomer (Tpe) Spring Element For Use In Corrective Hand Orthotics, Kevin Thomas Richardson

Theses and Dissertations--Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering

This thesis proposes an algorithm that determine the geometry of 3D-printed, custom-designed spring element bands made of thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) for use in a wearable orthotic device to aid in the physical therapy of a human hand exhibiting spasticity after stroke. Each finger of the hand is modeled as a mechanical system consisting of a triple-rod pendulum with nonlinear stiffness at each joint and forces applied at the attachment point of each flexor muscle. The system is assumed quasi-static, which leads to a torque balance between the flexor tendons in the hand, joint stiffness and the design force applied to …

Evaluation Of Large Area Additively Manufactured Fiber Reinforced Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (Abs), Kevin Schnittker

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

To enable the advancement of large-scale additive manufacturing processes, it is necessary to establish and standardize methodologies to characterize the mechanical properties of printed test coupons. Due to the large size of the print beads, conventional test standards are inadequate. The focus of this study was to determine the feasibility of using Digital image correlation (DIC) technology as a key enabler for robust data collection of strain measurements of large 3D printed parts. To incorporate the DIC measurements, a novel method was developed to prepare large 20 wt.% glass filled ABS test coupons for adequate contrast. Through this technique, Poisson's …

Consuming Digital Debris In The Plasticene, Stephen R. Parks

Theses and Dissertations

Claims of customization and control by socio-technical industries are altering the role of consumer and producer. These narratives are often misleading attempts to engage consumers with new forms of technology. By addressing capitalist intent, material, and the reproduction limits of 3-D printed objects’, I observe the aspirational promise of becoming a producer of my own belongings through new networks of production. I am interested in gaining a better understanding of the data consumed that perpetuates hyper-consumptive tendencies for new technological apparatuses. My role as a designer focuses on the resolution of not only the surface of the object through 3-D …