Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Nanoparticles And The Environment: Biopolymer Grafted Cellulose And Screen-Printed Carbon Nanotube Composites, Dominique Henry Porcincula

Master's Theses

A host of environmental issues will define the state of the environment in the 21^st century, with plastic pollution and water shortages among them. While solutions to these problems require large-scale, multipronged solutions, one way we can address them is through material innovation and the use of nanoparticles.

In the first project, we address the issue of plastic pollution by creating nanocomposites of biodegradable polymers (PLA and PCL) with cellulose nanofibrils. Here, PLA and PCL are grafted from the surface of cellulose nanofibrils via ring-opening polymerization of cyclic ester monomers. Polymer-grafted cellulose (PGC) is characterized with structural analysis, solubility …

Covalent Adaptable Networks For Wood Coatings, Jachin Boaz Clarke

Materials Engineering

Wood swells and shrinks causing problems with seasonal humidity. Applying thick coatings of reactive finishes based on cross-linked polyurethane, epoxy, or polyesters can slow moisture-vapor exchange. However, the use of thick coatings leads to cracking and crazing sooner than thin finishes. This research proposes the addition of 3.3 mol % triazabicyclodecene, a conventionally used covalent adaptable network catalyst, in a commercially available polyester-based wood coating. The self-healing of the wood coating is tested using DMA stress relaxation and compression molding. The result from DMA renders inconclusive and compression molding indicates the novel wood coating oxidizes at elevated temperatures. The wood …