Polymer Chemistry Commons^™

Effects Of Structure Of Mepegn Polymers On Hydroxide Conductivity In Anhydrous Anionic Exchange Membranes, Athan M. Gregory

Honors Theses

Anhydrous hydroxide ion (OH-) conducting polymer electrolytes composed of a 1-methyl-pyrrolidinium (1mp) head group linked to various MePEGn (n = 3, 7, 12) backbones were prepared. We have examined the structure of these anion exchange membranes to observe how the structure of the electrolyte affects the observed ionic conductivity. The structural parameters investigated were polymer length, viscosity, fractional free volume (FFV), and volume fraction of PEG (Vf,PEG), and each polymer varied in these properties. Through a comparison of the conductivity and structural parameters in the MePEGn-based anion electrolytes, we have shown that each of these structural properties weakly affects the …

Synthesis Of Single Chain Polymer Nanoparticle Networks By Reinitiating Raft Polymerization, Dallas Donovan

Honors Theses

Hydrogel materials, which are polymer networks comprised mostly of water, hold significant promise for biomedical applications due to their compatibility with biological systems. Conventional hydrogel materials are often brittle and weak, but most applications in biomedical systems require materials to be strong and tough. The topology of a polymer network dictates its mechanical properties. An important strategy for designing tougher hydrogels is the release of stored length, such as from the unfolding of polyprotein cross-linkers. Inspired by the success of the strategy, we report progress towards a fully synthetic design using single chain nanoparticles (SCNPs) into a hydrogel. SCNPs, which …

Linear Polydicyclopentadiene Copolymers: Synthesis And Thermal Properties, Connor Lewis

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Biomimetic Design Of Mechanochromic Single-Chain Nanoparticle Polymer Networks, Samuel Robinson

Honors Theses

Hydrogels are a class of polymer networks that show promise in many biomedical applications but are typically limited in use due to their brittle nature. Synthesizing hydrogel networks that are comparable to biological materials has long been an area of interest. In this study, we are working to create a polymer network inspired by the muscular protein, titin. Titin can unfold under mechanical tension, releasing stored length, making the muscle material extensible and durable. To mimic this behavior, we propose creating a polymer network with similar stored length using single chain nanoparticles (SCNPs) cross-linked with phenolphthalein (PP) and β-cyclodextrin (β-CD). …

Tailoring The Morphology Of Block Copolymers Via Solvent-Vapor Annealing, Bayleigh Madelin Loving

Honors Theses

Triblock polystyrene-polyisobutylene-polystyrene (PS-PIB-PS) copolymers have widespread applications from thermoplastic elastomers to protective coatings for ballistic applications. The incompatibility between the soft PIB and hard PS phases leads to phase separation and subsequent formation of morphological domains like lamellae and cylinders. The structures are stabilized by physical crosslinks, which can greatly improve the toughness of the triblock systems by preventing chain pullout during tensile deformation. We tailored the morphologies (achieving different morphologies with the same block copolymer) by changing the annealing conditions of the block copolymers. Solvent vapor annealing was used to selectively activate the mobility of a particular block, causing …

Development Of Porous Separators For Lithium-Ion Batteries Via 3d Printing And Thermally Induced Phase Separation, Abraham Enchinton

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Additive manufacturing processes allow the development of custom-shape rechargeable batteries, but research in custom filaments for fused deposition modeling (FDM) of battery separators has remained limited until now. This study discusses the development and optimization of a composite thermoplastic filament feedstock to 3D print separator membranes. A number of post-processing steps - leveraging the thermally induced phase separation (TIPS) of the composite filament - are introduced in tandem with FDM to promote microporosity formation through the removal of the sacrificial diluent phase within 3D printed samples. Three distinct compositions of varying polymer/diluent ratios were developed and thoroughly investigated through thermogravimetric …

Mechanistic Investigation Of Ring-Opening Polymerization Of Polycaprolactone Using Tin(Ii) Catalysts: Ligand Effects And Biomedical Applications, Eva-Larue M. Barber

Honors Scholar Theses

This research explores the mechanistic aspects of ring-opening polymerization (ROP) of ε-caprolactone (CL) to produce polycaprolactone (PCL), a biodegradable polymer widely used in biomedical applications. The study investigates how light exposure and catalyst concentration influence polymerization efficiency, using tin(II) 2-ethylhexanoate [Sn(Oct)₂] as the catalyst in a non-polar toluene solvent at 90 °C. Reactions were conducted under either ambient light or black light bulb (BLB) illumination, with monomer-to-catalyst ratios of 1:1 and 200:1.

Proton nuclear magnetic resonance (¹H NMR) spectroscopy was used to analyze conversion efficiency by tracking the disappearance of monomer signals and appearance of characteristic PCL peaks. Results revealed …

Assessment Of H2s-Induced Cracking Susceptibility In Steam Line Pipes And Weld Zones During Geothermal Well Construction, Riene Kaelamanda Pragitta, Yudha Pratesa

Journal of Materials Exploration and Findings

The susceptibility of steam line pipes, especially in the HAZ (heat-affected zone) and weldment areas, to hydrogen sulfide in the geothermal industry is crucial to understand from the early stages, particularly during construction. The combination of tensile stress from residual stresses after welding and metallurgical phase transformation makes the joint areas vulnerable to sulfide stress cracking. This condition becomes even more extreme when the equipment operates during the well stimulation phase. This research assesses the severity of H₂S-induced cracking using NACE MR0175 and ISO 15156-1 standards, focusing on the effects of pH and partial pressure of H₂S (p_{H₂S …}

Expanding Tailored Nanomaterials With Precise Spatial And Morphological Control, Mengxue Zhang

Theses and Dissertations

Multicomponent nanocomposites with precise spatial control are important for diverse fields spanning from energy conversion to optoelectronics and catalysis. Traditional methods using hydrophilic interactions alone are limited to random mixtures when multiple nanoparticle (NP) types are combined. To improve capabilities, a new strategy for polymer micelle design combining orthogonal hydrophilic (H) and fluorophobic (F) interactions to independently control two distinct NP populations was developed.

Initial research aimed at understanding F-interaction adjustments, which further enabled the switchability of FNP distribution states (dispersion vs aggregation) within polymer films through immersion annealing. Next, dual-NP assembly was examined using a diblock poly (H-b-F) where …

Computational Analysis Of Proton Conductivity Factors In Grotthuss-Style Mechanisms, Brock Dyer

Physics and Astronomy Honors Papers

The mechanism and fundamental molecular properties involved in proton conduction are discussed. Four calculable properties are presented: the proton affinity, binding energy (between protonated and neutral forms), intramolecular tautomerization barrier, and proton hopping barrier. An overview of the computational methods used in this thesis, including an introduction to the many-body Schrödinger equation and Density Functional Theory, as well as a look at Plane-Wave Density Functional Theory and Gaussian-Type Orbital Density Functional Theory are presented. 4,5-dimethyl-[1,2,3]-triazole is used as a model system, with 10 variations being generated with varying amounts and positions of fluorine substitution on the methyl groups. Preliminary calculations …

Effects Of High Temperature Compaction On 3d Printed Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer Composites, John D. Barber

Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Theses & Dissertations

The aim of this dissertation was to study the effects of hot temperature compaction (HTC) upon the polymorphism and the mechanical behavior of an additively manufactured (AM), carbon fiber reinforced polyamide (PA6). Different pressure and temperature levels during HTC were tested to determine the overall effect upon the mechanical behavior and the material crystalline composition. Treated, carbon fiber reinforced PA6 samples were analyzed using differential scanning calorimetry, x-ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis, scanning electron microscopy, double cantilever beam testing and three-point bending testing. When considered with respect to as-printed samples, an HTC temperature of 190°C combined with 80 psi pressure resulted …

Solid-State Crystallization Of Zeolites And Their Use In Plastic Upcycling Applications, Yixin Liao

Doctoral Dissertations

Plastics have been an irreplaceable component of modern technology as well as everyday life. They have brought much convenience to us with their characteristics of great malleability, durability, and stability. The versatile and low-cost nature of plastics also enables their wide engagement in many modern industries including automobile, medical, communication as well as aerospace. Polyethylene (“PE”), made from polymerization of ethylene, is one of the most widely used plastics in the world. Being cheap, flexible, and long-lasting, they are extensively used in the packaging industry, especially for plastic bags and other sorts of containers. However, the durability of plastics, on …

Photo-Enhanced Output In Memdiode Devices Based On Hybrid Materials Open Access, Jacob Lee, Prabir Patra, Judy Fan

Physics Faculty Research

The discovery of photo-enhanced outputs in the fabricated memdiodes based on metal halide-embedded polymeric hybrid composites has meaningful and practical implications. The two-terminal devices exhibit typical rectifying characteristics, similar to a standard pn junction diode, with unusual photo-enhanced charge transportation and hysteresis behaviors. The MDs consist of an active layer of blended organic–inorganic hybrid material [a mixture of CuCl2 and polyethylene glycol (PEG)] deposited on a layer of pure polymer (polymethyl methacrylate) and, in turn, on a rigid substrate (ITO glass or Si wafer). It is found that the photoinduced current increases hundreds of times in magnitude on the ITO …

Tailor-Designed Oxalic Acid-Crosslinked Poly(Vinyl Alcohol)/Chitosan Biodegradable Films For Active Food Packaging Applications, Reem Hazem Fathy Anwar Elaasar

Theses and Dissertations

Food packaging plastic waste is posing great threats to ecosystems, human health, and the planet's overall sustainability; therefore, research has been directed towards the fabrication of biodegradable food packaging materials. In this study, active and biodegradable oxalic acid (OA) crosslinked poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA)/chitosan (CS) composite films of different weight ratios were synthesized via the solvent casting technique and their food packaging properties were investigated. Owing to its water resistance and antibacterial superiority, the composite film with the ratio of OA chemically crosslinked PVA/CS 80:20 was elected to be coated with green tea extract (GTE) to ameliorate its antibacterial and antioxidant …

Biobased Acrylate Composites With Enhanced Strength For Additive Manufacturing, Nicole Wagner, Joseph Mcwherter

Engineering Faculty Articles and Research

With the expanding use of polymers in additive manufacturing, sustainable resins for use in vat photopolymerization are required to reduce their environmental impact. One promising approach to achieve this is to incorporate biobased fillers that replace the acrylates in photopolymer resins as ‘green’ alternatives. In this study, photopolymer composites consisting of a methacrylate resin with varying calcium carbonate powder content between 0 and 50 wt.% were investigated. A digital light processing technique was used to fabricate tensile test specimens for mechanical testing. Good printability, dimensional accuracy, and good interlayer adhesion were observed for composite resin formulations that incorporated calcium carbonate …

Effect Of Single Screw Extrusion Process Parameters On Gel Formation And Properties In Polycaprolactone Films, Kitthanya Ritthichai

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

This research focuses on the production of polycaprolactone (PCL) films using the commercial grade CAPA 6800 through a continuous single-screw extrusion process. This method serves as an alternative to conventional solution-based film fabrication that requires solvents and chemical reagents. The effects of processing temperature (80–120 °C), screw design (mixing screw and plain screw), and extruder-barrel cooling system (water-cooled and air-cooled) on film quality, gel formation, thermal properties, and mechanical properties of PCL films were investigated. Based on the processing of high-purity PCL pellets, the results indicate that the processing temperature, screw design, and barrel-cooling system did not affect the chemical …

การสังเคราะห์แกรฟีนควอนตัมดอตฐานกรดฮิวมิกและการประยุกต์เป็นสารเคลือบเซนเซอร์ตรวจจับความเครียด, ปริตตา จูฑาภักติ

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

แกรฟีนควอนตัมดอต (GQDs) ถูกสังเคราะห์จากกรดฮิวมิก (HA) ที่เป็นสารตั้งต้นด้วยการใช้หม้อทอดไฟฟ้าด้วยวิธีไฮโดรเทอร์มอล ซึ่งในงานวิจัยนี้มุ่งเน้นการศึกษาตัวแปรที่เกี่ยวข้องกับกระบวนการสังเคราะห์ GQDs ด้วยการเปลี่ยนแปลงอัตราส่วนของกรดฮิวมิกที่ใช้สังเคราะห์และศึกษาผลของตัวโดป จากผลการศึกษาพบว่าตัวโดปที่ใช้ในการะบวนการสังเคราะห์ GQDs ที่เหมาะสมคือ เอทิลีนไดเอมีน (EDA) และจากผลการทดลองแสดงให้เห็นว่า GQDs ที่ใช้ EDA มีความเข้มแสงฟลูออเรสเซนต์สูงสุดที่ 66 หน่วยที่ความยาวคลื่น 467 นาโนเมตร (ช่วงแสงเขียวอมฟ้า) เมื่ออัตราส่วนกรดฮิวมิกต่อเอทิลีนไดอะมีนเท่ากับ 10 : 0.5 (มิลลิกรัม : มิลลิลิตร) ขนาดเฉลี่ยของอนุภาคอยู่ที่ 6.68 นาโนเมตร ซึ่งถูกวิเคราะห์โดยกล้องจุลทรรศน์อิเล็กตรอนแบบส่องผ่าน และการวัดขนาดอนุภาค เทคนิคสเปกตรัมฟลูออเรสเซนซ์ และการดูดกลืนรังสี ตามลำดับ โครงสร้างกราฟิติกของ GQDs ถูกยืนยันด้วยสเปกโทรสโกปีรามาน ดังนั้นในงานวิจัยนี้จึงสนใจที่จะนำ GQDs ที่ใช้ EDA เป็นตัวโดปไปประยุกต์ใช้งานเป็นสารเคลือบเรืองแสงที่นำไปเคลือบลงบนยางซิลิโคนเพื่อนำไปประยุกต์ใช้เป็นสารเคลือบเซนเซอร์ตรวจจับความเครียด พบว่า ความเข้มของแสงฟลูออเรสเซนต์ของสารเคลือบเรืองแสง GQDs มีแนวโน้มลดลงเมื่อเวลาเวลาผ่านไป แต่สามารถหดกลับคืนใกล้เคียงสภาพเดิมเมื่อปล่อยการให้แรง และเมื่อเทียบค่าความเข้มของแสงฟลูออเรสเซนต์ของแต่ละอัตราส่วน พบว่า ที่อัตราส่วนกรดฮิวมิกต่อเอทิลีนไดอะมีนเท่ากับ 50 : 0.5 (มิลลิกรัม : มิลลิลิตร) มีค่าเข้มแสงของแสงฟลูออเรสเซนต์สูงที่สุด

การเตรียมคาร์บอนแบคทีเรียเซลลูโลสและควอนตัมดอตจากน้ำหมึกของหมึกกระดองสำหรับใช้งานตกแต่งสำเร็จสิ่งทอ, มณฑิชา สันติภาพมณฑล

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

การพัฒนาวัสดุนาโนคาร์บอนและควอนตัมดอต เพื่อประยุกต์ใช้เป็นสารตกแต่งสำเร็จสิ่งทอเพื่อเพิ่มคุณสมบัติพิเศษ คาร์บอนนาโนไฟเบอร์และคาร์บอนควอนตัมดอตเป็นวัสดุนาโนที่มีสมบัติเด่นด้านความแข็งแรง การนำไฟฟ้า และการเรืองแสง ขอบเขตของงานวิจัยนี้ประกอบด้วยการเตรียม คาร์บอนนาโนไฟเบอร์จากแบคทีเรียเซลลูโลส (BC-CNF) และการสังเคราะห์ควอนตัมดอต (QDs) จากน้ำหมึกของหมึกกระดอง ซึ่งเป็นการสังเคราะห์ทางชีวภาพ ในส่วนของการเตรียม BC-CNF ได้มีการดัดแปรงโครงสร้างด้วยปฏิกิริยาซัลโฟเนต เพื่อให้ได้สาร BC-CNF-SO3- ซึ่งผลการวิเคราะห์ยืนยันการเกิดหมู่ฟังก์ชันซัลโฟเนต และอนุภาคในระดับซับไมครอน โดยมีขนาดอนุภาคเฉลี่ย 1.6218 ไมโครเมตร และสามารถกระจายตัวในน้ำได้ดี เมื่อนำ BC-CNF-SO3- มาตกแต่งสำเร็จบนผ้าพอลิเอสเทอร์ พบว่าความสามารถในการดูดซึมน้ำของผ้าเพิ่มขึ้น โดยผ้าที่ใช้ความเข้มข้นร้อยละ 3 ให้ประสิทธิภาพดีที่สุด ด้วยเวลาดูดซึมน้ำเฉลี่ยเพียง 2 วินาทีหลังการซัก ซึ่งแสดงถึงความคงทนต่อการซักที่ดี ในส่วนของการสังเคราะห์ QDs จากน้ำหมึกของหมึกกระดอง พบว่าอนุภาคมีขนาดอยู่ในช่วง 4-6 นาโนเมตร และแสดงความสามารถในการเรืองแสงภายใต้แสงอัลตราไวโอเลต โดยการเติมเอทิลีนไดเอมีน (EDA) ในปริมาณ 2 มิลลิลิตร ให้ค่าความเข้มของการเรืองแสงสูงสุด เมื่อนำ สารละลายควอนตัมดอตจากน้ำหมึกที่สังเคราะห์โดยเติมเอทิลีนไดเอมีน 2 มิลลิลิตร (EDA 2) ที่สังเคราะห์มาตกแต่งสำเร็จบนผ้าไนลอน พบว่าปริมาณ สารละลายควอนตัมดอตจากน้ำหมึกของหมึกกระดองที่สังเคราะห์โดยเติมเอทิลีนไดเอมีน 2 มิลลิลิตร (EDA 2) โดยใช้สารละลายปริมาตร 1 มิลลิลิตร ให้ความเข้มการเรืองแสงสูงสุด โดยก่อนซัก ค่าโดยประมาณ 180–190 a.u. และหลังซัก ค่าโดยประมาณ 110–120 a.u. โดยมีความคงทนต่อการซักดี ผลการวิจัยสรุปได้ว่า การประยุกต์ใช้ในการตกแต่งสำเร็จสิ่งทอ สามารถเพิ่มความสามารถในการดูดซึมน้ำของผ้าพอลิเอสเทอร์ และความสามารถในการเรืองแสงบนผ้าไนลอน

Development And Characterization Of Polysaccharide-Based Controlled Drug Delivery Platforms, Amanda Pepler

Open Access Dissertations

Drug delivery research focuses on overcoming challenges in patient treatment. Most therapeutics are delivered systemically through oral or intravenous routes. However, these administration methods are often inefficient due to therapeutic hydrophobicity, poor bioavailability, and liver metabolic clearance, necessitating frequent dosing. When treatment plans require frequent dosing, patients experience significant fluctuations in therapeutic concentration in the bloodstream, which can increase adverse side effects. These factors contribute to low patient compliance. Therefore, the core focus of drug delivery research is to develop new administration routes for therapeutics. Drug delivery systems (DDS) that can target therapeutics to a localized region offer advantages over …

Modified N-Heterocyclic Carbene Catalysts For Polyurethane Synthesis, Charise D. Young

Pomona Senior Theses

Polyurethanes are widely used polymers synthesized from diisocyanate and diol molecules. They are ubiquitous polymeric materials with important industrial applications. Their increasing market value prompts the need for selective and efficient production which can be achieved through N-Heterocyclic carbene (NHC) catalysis. N-heterocyclic carbenes are heterocyclic molecules containing a carbene atom and at least one nitrogen adjacent to the carbene center. The nitrogen substituents on the adjacent nitrogen play an important role in influencing their steric and electronic properties and resultant reactivity.^1,2 There is a lack of a comprehensive understanding of the steric and electronic properties of NHCs and how …

Formation Of Pyramidal Palladium Enhanced By B(C₆F₅)₃ Additive Enabling Selective Alkene Monoisomerization, Paul D. Miller, Trandon A. Bender

Chemistry & Biochemistry Faculty Publications

The addition of a strong Lewis acid, tris(pentafluorophenyl)borane, facilitates the reduction of Pd(cod)Cl₂ with Et₃SiH to form palladium nanoparticles in organic solvents. It was found that these palladium nanoparticles are capable of selective monoisomerization of linear alkenes. This heterogeneous palladium catalyst is tolerant of a wide variety of functional groups, confirmed by substrate and robustness screenings. It is also possible to utilize poly(methylhydro)siloxane, an industrial waste byproduct, as the reductant to enable similar isomerization chemistry.

Polybenzodiazine Aerogels: All-Nitrogen Analogues Of Polybenzoxazines - Synthesis, Characterization, And Their Application In Carbon Dioxide Capture, Vaibhav Edlabadkar

Doctoral Dissertations

"The rapidly risen concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere over recent years contributed to global warming and ocean acidification. Carbon capture is viewed as an essential tool from keeping atmospheric CO₂ levels from rising further. This thesis focuses on the development of new materials for high capacity and selective adsorption of CO₂. One such material was based on a newly synthesized tetrahydroquinazoline (THQ), which was designed as an all-nitrogen analogue of main-stream benzoxazine monomers. THQ solutions in DMF gelled at 100 °C via HCl-catalyzed ring opening polymerization to polybenzodiazine (PBDAZ) wet gels, which were dried in …

Characterization And Optimization Of Sand And Tung Oil-Based Resins For Binder-Jet 3d Printing, Daniel I. Ajiola

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Binder-jet 3D printing as a transformative technology in additive manufacturing, offers the ability to fabricate complex structures with diverse materials. This thesis investigates the use of a sustainable tung oil-based resin to create composites, exploring the potential for an eco-friendly alternative to synthetic binders.

The aim of this research is to develop and characterize a bio-based resin formulation, using tung oil as the primary binder, for application in binder-jet 3D printing with sand as the reinforcement. The resin formulation was prepared by combining tung oil, n-butyl methacrylate, divinylbenzene, and di-tert-butyl peroxide in precise proportions, ensuring a balanced mixture that supports …

Individual And Collective Properties Of Tunable Photochemical Belousov-Zhabotinsky Micro-Reactors, Kudakwashe Benedict Shumba

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Cell-like model chemical systems are powerful tools that can be used to explore the role of intercellular coupling on population level behaviors in communities of biological cells. Firstly, we present a new method for fabricating such micro-reactors using the photosensitive Belousov–Zhabotinsky (BZ) reaction system employed in silica microparticles. These BZ micro-reactors have a tunable response to photochemical coupling, varying from a fully excitatory response to a fully inhibitory response. Their response can be tuned through variations in either the reactive mixture or, on an individual micro-reactor level, by changes in the synthesis temperature used during the fabrication of the silica …