Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Purification Of Sodium Sulfate By Crystallization, Perla Teresita Torres

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Sodium sulfate can be recovered from a dilute solution by concentrating it by conventional water treatment techniques like reverse osmosis and electrodialysis; however, those processes also concentrate impurities like arsenic. The sodium sulfate would have commercial use if it can be recovered in an arsenic-free form. This study demonstrated that sodium sulfate could be separated from impurities using slow cooling crystallization in a novel apparatus developed and designed during the experimentation. This device is called a heat exchanger crystallizer and allows slow cooling crystallization in order to grow pure crystals of sodium sulfate decahydrate. Crystals grown in the heat exchanger …

Recovering Magnesium Hydroxide And Sodium Chloride From Zero Discharge Desalination Concentrate Streams, Alemayehu Asfaw Yetayew

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

UTEP and Veolia Water Solutions & Technologies have been demonstrating and commercializing the Zero Discharge Desalination (ZDD) technology as part of a three year project sponsored by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. ZDD is able to achieve up to 98% recovery by desalinating brackish groundwater. ZDD is typically comprised of a reverse osmosis (RO) or nanofiltration (NF) system and a unique variation of electrodialysis called electrodialysis metathesis (EDM). The ZDD technology increases the yield of fresh water from water supplies that contain enough CaSO4 to cause precipitation problems when the water is treated with RO or NF alone. The EDM …

Santa Clara Magazine, Volume 54 Number 3, Winter 2013, Santa Clara University

Santa Clara Magazine

16 - TO CATCH A THIEF by Vince Beiser. Mathematician George Mohler has helped equip police in Santa Cruz and L.A. with an algorithm that predicts where crimes might happen next. Is this the future of policing?

22 - HOW TO PREVENT A BONFIRE OF THE HUMANITIES by Michael S. Malone '75, MBA '77. A veteran chronicler of Silicon Valley looks at why the high-tech industry needs-and wants-folks who know how to tell a story.

26 - A POEM, A PRAYER, AND A MARTINI FOR THE RHINO Two conversations with Chancellor William J. Rewak, S.J.-who's just published his first collection …

Screening For Elder Mistreatment Among Older Adults Seeking Legal Assistance Services, Sheryl M. Strasser, Megan Smith, Scott Weaver, Shimin Zheng, Yan Cao

ETSU Faculty Works

Introduction: The aging population is a rapidly growing demographic in the United States. Isolation, limited autonomy, and declining physical and mental health render many older adults vulnerable to elder mistreatment (EM). The purpose of this study was to assess the prevalence and correlates of EM among a sample of older adults using legal assistance services in Atlanta, Georgia.

Methods: Researchers administered surveys to consenting older adults (aged 60þ) in 5 metro Atlanta community centers that hosted legal assistance information sessions as part of the Elderly Legal Assistance Program. The surveys screened for risk factors and prevalence of EM risk using …

Understanding Place, Bucknell Center For Sustainability And The Environment

Sponsored Events -- Materials

Promotional flyer advertising the Understanding Place Speaker Series presented by the Bucknell Center for Sustainability and the Environment under the leadership of Director Brandn Green. Talks were held throughout the academic year 2013-2014 and featured lectures by local and regional faculty. Green's efforts resulted in co-editing a special issue in the Journal for Environmental Studies and Sciences. Green's introduction and articles by Bucknell faculty authors expand on the concepts cultivated throughout the series.

Oddification Of The Cohomology Of Type A Springer Varieties, Heather M. Russell, Aaron D. Lauda

Department of Math & Statistics Faculty Publications

We identify the ring of odd symmetric functions introduced by Ellis and Khovanov as the space of skew polynomials fixed by a natural action of the Hecke algebra at q = −1. This allows us to define graded modules over the Hecke algebra at q = −1 that are ‘odd’ analogs of the cohomology of type A Springer varieties. The graded module associated to the full flag variety corresponds to the quotient of the skew polynomial ring by the left ideal of nonconstant odd symmetric functions. The top degree component of the odd cohomology of Springer varieties is identifiedwith the …

Impacts Of Migratory Sandhill Cranes (Grus Canadensis) On Microbial Water Quality In The Central Platte River, Nebraska, Usa, Jason R. Vogel, Dale W. Griffin, Hon S. Ip, Nicholas J. Ashbolt, Matthew T. Moser, Jingrang Lu, Mary K. Beitz, Hodon Ryu, Jorge W. Santo Domingo

United States Geological Survey: Staff Publications

Wild birds have been shown to be significant sources of numerous types of pathogens that are relevant to humans and agriculture. The presence of large numbers of migratory birds in such a sensitive and important ecosystem as the Platte River in central Nebraska, USA, could potentially serve a significant source of birdderived pathogens in the water/sediment and riverine environment. In 2009 and 2010, a study was completed to investigate the potential water-quality impacts of Sandhill Cranes and Snow Geese on the microbial water quality of the central Platte River during their spring migration period. Fecal material, river-bottom sediment, and water …

Estimating Greenhouse Gas Emissions From A Waste Lagoon, Arturo I. Quintanar, Rezaul Mamood, Nanh Lovanh, Justin M. Rawley, Evi Becerra-Acosta, John H. Loughrin

High Plains Regional Climate Center: Personnel Publications

A cost-effective approach was used to investigate the relationship between emission of the greenhouse gases (GHG), namely, CO₂, CH₄, and N₂O and energy fluxes from a swine waste lagoon. Energy fluxes were calculated using the Penman method. The energy fluxes showed a diurnal pattern as expected of such fluxes. We found that air temperature and latent energy, lagoon surface temperature and solar radiation, as well as air temperature and wind speed can be used to predict for CO₂, CH₄, and N₂O emissions, respectively. Comparison of observed and predicted …

Climate Change: What Does It Mean For Nebraska?, Martha D. Shulski, Natalie A. Umphlett, Tapan B. Pathak, Kenneth G. Hubbard

High Plains Regional Climate Center: Personnel Publications

Because Nebraska’s location on the North American continent is far removed from large bodies of water, Nebraskans experience a strong continental type climate. As such, residents do not benefit from the moderating influence of the ocean, and temperatures can have wide swings from day to day and season to season. Typical characteristics for a continental climate at this latitude are large temperature variability with warm summers dominated by convective thunderstorms, and cold winters influenced by snow and wind from mid-latitude cyclones.

Regional Climate Trends And Scenarios For The U.S. National Climate Assessment Part 4. Climate Of The U.S. Great Plains, Kenneth E. Kunkel, Laura E. Stevens, Scott E. Stevens, Liqiang Sun, Emily Janssen, Donald Wuebbles, Michael C. Kruk, Devin Thomas, Martha Shulski, Natalie A. Umphlett, Kenneth G. Hubbard, Kevin Robbins, Luigi Romolo, Adnan Akyuz, Tapan B. Pathak, Tony R. Bergantino, J. Greg Dobson

High Plains Regional Climate Center: Personnel Publications

This document is one of series of regional climate descriptions designed to provide input that can be used in the development of the National Climate Assessment (NCA). As part of a sustained assessment approach, it is intended that these documents will be updated as new and well-vetted model results are available and as new climate scenario needs become clear. It is also hoped that these documents (and associated data and resources) are of direct benefit to decision makers and communities seeking to use this information in developing adaptation plans.

There are nine reports in this series, one each for eight …

The Mathematics Teacher Educator’S Reflection On Edtpa: The Basics And The Complexity Of Georgia’S Implementation, Lynn Stallings, Woong Lim

Proceedings of the Annual Meeting of the Georgia Association of Mathematics Teacher Educators

Beginning in fall 2015, Georgia will require that all teacher candidates pass the edTPA, a performance-based assessment, as a requirement for initial certification. With the potential to impact teacher preparation programs in a profound way, the questions and issues related to the implementation of edTPA merit some critical reflection. In this article, we introduce the brief history of the instrument and review the basics of edTPA with a particular interest in middle grades mathematics. Furthermore, drawing upon our experience with edTPA during a pilot program and the extensive knowledge base of edTPA rubrics and scoring process, we present issues related …

The Biology And Taxonomy Of Head And Body Lice— Implications For Louse-Borne Disease Prevention, Denise L. Bonilla, Lance A. Durden, Marina E. Eremeeva, Gregory A. Dasch

Environmental Health Sciences Faculty Publications

Sucking lice (Phthiraptera: Anoplura) are obligate blood-feeding ectoparasites of placental mammals including humans. Worldwide, more than 550 species have been described and many are specific to a particular host species of mammal [1]. Three taxa uniquely parasitize humans: the head louse, body louse, and crab (pubic) louse. The body louse, in particular, has epidemiological importance because it is a vector of the causative agents of three important human diseases: epidemic typhus, trench fever, and louse-borne relapsing fever. Since the advent of antibiotics and more effective body louse control measures in the 1940s, these diseases have markedly diminished in incidence. However, …

Chemometric Applications To A Complex Classification Problem: Forensic Fire Debris Analysis, Erin Waddell

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Fire debris analysis currently relies on visual pattern recognition of the total ion chromatograms, extracted ion profiles, and target compound chromatograms to identify the presence of an ignitable liquid. This procedure is described in the ASTM International E1618-10 standard method. For large data sets, this methodology can be time consuming and is a subjective method, the accuracy of which is dependent upon the skill and experience of the analyst. This research aimed to develop an automated classification method for large data sets and investigated the use of the total ion spectrum (TIS). The TIS is calculated by taking an average …

2-(10′,10′-Dimethyl-3′-Sulfanylidene-4′- Azatricyclo[5.2.1.01,5]Decan-2′-Yl)-10,10-Dimethyl-4- Azatricyclo[5.2.1.01,5]Decane-3-Thione, Ashley Walker, Craig M. Forsyth, Patrick Perlmutter

Australian Institute for Innovative Materials - Papers

The title compound, C₂₈H₄₀N₂O₂S₂, was obtained as a minor product from an anti-aldol reaction between the corresponding N-propionyl­thiol­actam and benzaldehyde. The asymmetric unit contains one half-molecule, which is completed by inversion symmetry. The molecule displays a nearly eclipsed conformation along the central C-C bond with a C-C-C-C- torsion angle of 20.4 (3)°.

Tubular Graphitic-C 3 N 4 : A Prospective Material For Energy Storage And Green Photocatalysis, Muhammad Nawaz Tahir, Chuanbao Cao, Faheem K. Butt, Faryal Idrees, Nasir Mahmood, Zulfiqar Ali, Imran Aslam, M Tanveer, Muhammad Rizwan, Tariq Mahmood

Australian Institute for Innovative Materials - Papers

We have established a facile and scaleable approach to fabricate tubular graphitic-C3N4 using melamine. The construction of the unique tubular morphology is a result of the pre-treatment of melamine with HNO3. Herein, for the first time, we have explored the electrochemical properties of g-C3N4 as an electrode material for supercapacitors. Tubular g-C3N4 has significant advantages due to its distinctive morphology, high surface area (182.61 m² g^-1) and combination of carbon with nitrogen. Therefore, tubular g-C3N4 demonstrated a good specific capacitance of 233 F g^-1 at a current density of 0.2 A g^-1 in 6 M …

Polyamide 6/Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes Nanocomposites With Modified Morphology And Thermal Properties, Nasir Mahmood, Mohammad Islam, Asad Hameed, Shaukat Saeed

Australian Institute for Innovative Materials - Papers

Pure polyamide 6 (PA6) and polyamide 6/carbon nanotube (PA6/CNT) composite samples with 0.5 weight percent loading of pristine or functionalized CNTs were made using a solution mixing technique. Modification of nanotube surface as a result of chemical functionalization was confirmed through the presence of lattice defects as examined under high-resolution transmission electron microscope and absorption bands characteristic of carboxylic, sulfonic and amine chemical groups. Microstructural examination of the cryogenically fractured surfaces revealed qualitative information regarding CNT dispersion within PA6 matrix and interfacial strength. X-ray diffraction studies indicated formation of thermodynamically more stable α-phase crystals. Thermogravimetric analysis revealed that CNT incorporation …

Variation Of Pinning Mechanism And Enhancement Of Critical Current Density In Mgb2 Bulk Containing Self-Generated Coherent Mgb4 Impurity, Qi Cai, Yongchang Liu, Zongqing Ma, Huijun Li, Liming Yu

Australian Institute for Innovative Materials - Papers

Bulk MgB2, with self-generated MgB4 pinning centers, have experienced two-step sintering process, initially at 750°C and then 900-1000°C. On the contrary to the widely accepted point that MgB 4 deteriorates superconductivity, it was found that MgB4 played a significant role in enhancing critical current density. The precipitation pattern of MgB4 was studied from the lattice scale images. It was observed that the initial coherent relation between the MgB 4 and the matrix was destroyed to become semi-coherent and even incoherent as the second-step sintering temperature increased. Owing to the lattice distortion caused by the elastic accommodation of the coherent interface, …

Direct Observation Of Domain Wall Motion And Novel Dielectric Loss In 0.23pb(In1/2nb1/2)O3-0.42pb(Mg1/3 Nb2/3)O3-0.35pbtio3 Crystals, Dabin Lin, Zhenrong Li, Fei Li, Shujun Zhang

Australian Institute for Innovative Materials - Papers

Domain wall motion was directly observed at temperatures near to the monoclinic-to-tetragonal phase transition temperature (TM-T) in [001]-oriented 0.23Pb(In1/2Nb1/2)O3-0. 42Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3-0.35PbTiO3 (0.23PIN-0.42PMN-0.35PT) single crystals using a polarizing light microscope, and evident 90°and 180°domain switches were observed near the Curie temperature (TC). Two dielectric loss anomalies were observed at temperatures near TM-T in the [001]-oriented PIN-PMN-PT single crystals, while an additional dielectric loss peak was found at temperatures a few degrees below TC, which was associated with domain wall motion. Based on the domain structure observations, a domain switching mechanism was proposed to explain the novel dielectric loss peak at several degrees …

The Detailed Characterization Of Electrochemically Switchable Molecular Assemblies On Silicon Electrodes, Simone Ciampi, Michael James, Moinul H. Choudhury, Nadim A. Darwish, J Justin Gooding

Australian Institute for Innovative Materials - Papers

In this paper we explore a multi-step synthetic strategy toward fabrication of monolayer-modified Si(100) electrodes that can be electrochemically switched. The synthetic scheme is modular and benefits from an established intramolecular lactonization scheme of benzoquinone analogs. A redox-tagged pendant group can be released from the surface such as to allow for in situ monitoring of the switch process. We show that this model system can be used to elucidate chemical and structural events for a surface dynamic system that is rapidly gaining popularity. The influence of polarization times, overpotentials and semiconductor doping type on the kinetic of the switch event …

Inkjet Printed Conductive Polymer-Based Beam-Splitters For Terahertz Applications, Benjamin S-Y Ung, Bo Weng, Roderick L. Shepherd, Derek Abbott, Christopher Fumeaux

Australian Institute for Innovative Materials - Papers

Terahertz beam-splitters are fabricated from conductive polymers inkjet printed onto an acetate film substrate. The principle is a significant evolution of the recently proposed ultra-thin beam-splitter realized using silver conductive paint. The splitting ratios of the beam-splitters are dependent on the thickness and conductivity of the conductive polymer layer, allowing for any splitting ratio to be achieved accurately from a controlled printing process. As the processing technology of conductive polymers matures, this approach will allow for low cost and accurate fabrication of THz beam-splitters with a predefined near frequency-independent splitting ratio, in contrast to the commonly used float zone silicon …

Fluidic Automation Of Nitrate And Nitrite Bioassays In Whole Blood By Dissolvable-Film Based Centrifugo-Pneumatic Actuation, Charles E. Nwankire, Di-Sien S. Chan, Jennifer Gaughran, Robert Burger, Robert A. Gorkin Iii, Jens Ducree

Australian Institute for Innovative Materials - Papers

This paper demonstrates the full centrifugal microfluidic integration and automation of all liquid handling steps of a 7-step fluorescence-linked immunosorbent assay (FLISA) for quantifying nitrate and nitrite levels in whole blood within about 15 min. The assay protocol encompasses the extraction of metered plasma, the controlled release of sample and reagents (enzymes, co-factors and fluorescent labels), and incubation and detection steps. Flow control is implemented by a rotationally actuated dissolvable film (DF) valving scheme. In the valves, the burst pressure is primarily determined by the radial position, geometry and volume of the valve chamber and its inlet channel and can …

Nonlocal Electrodynamics Of Normal And Superconducting Films, J I. Vestgarden, P Mikheenko, Y M. Galperin, T H Johansen

Australian Institute for Innovative Materials - Papers

Electrically conducting films in a time-varying transverse applied magnetic field are considered. Their behavior is strongly influenced by the self-field of the induced currents, making the electrodynamics nonlocal, and consequently difficult to analyze both numerically and analytically. We present a formalism which allows many phenomena related to superconducting and Ohmic films to be modeled and analyzed. The formalism is based on the Maxwell equations and a material current-voltage characteristics, linear for normal metals and nonlinear for superconductors, plus a careful account of the boundary conditions. For Ohmic films, we consider the response to a delta function source-field turned on instantly. …

Biofunctionalized Anti-Corrosive Silane Coatings For Magnesium Alloys, Xiao Liu, Zhilian Yue, Tony Romeo, Jan Weber, Torsten Scheuermann, Simon E. Moulton, Gordon G. Wallace

Australian Institute for Innovative Materials - Papers

Biodegradable magnesium alloys are advantageous in various implant applications, as they reduce the risks associated with permanent metallic implants. However, a rapid corrosion rate is usually a hindrance in biomedical applications. Here we report a facile two step procedure to introduce multifunctional, anti-corrosive coatings on Mg alloys, such as AZ31. The first step involves treating the NaOH-activated Mg with bistriethoxysilylethane to immobilize a layer of densely crosslinked silane coating with good corrosion resistance; the second step is to impart amine functionality to the surface by treating the modified Mg with 3-amino-propyltrimethoxysilane. We characterized the two-layer anticorrosive coating of Mg alloy …

Flexible Supercapacitors - Development Of Bendable Carbon Architectures, Zhiqiang Niu, Lili Liu, Peter C. Sherrell, Jun Chen, Xiaodong Chen

Australian Institute for Innovative Materials - Papers

As energy storage devices, Supercapacitors (SCs), also known as electrochemical capacitors, possess high power densities, excellent reversibility and long cycle life. SCs could be applied to diverse fields including electric vehicles, pulse power applications and portable devices. Flexible SCs have attracted significant attention for powering recently developed portable, flexible and wearable electronics. During the past several years, a variety of bendable carbon-based electrode architechtures and flexible SC devices with different designs have been successfully prepared. In this review, we will describe recent developments in the preparation of such bendable carbon-based electrode architechtures and the subsequent design of flexible SC devices. …

Surface Modification Of Polypyrrole/Biopolymer Composites For Controlled Protein And Cellular Adhesion, Paul J. Molino, Binbin Zhang, Gordon G. Wallace, Timothy Hanks

Australian Institute for Innovative Materials - Papers

The ability to control the interaction between proteins and cells with biomaterials is critical for the effective application of materials for a variety of biomedical applications. Herein, the surface modification of the biological dopant dextran sulphate-doped polypyrrole (PPy-DS) with poly(ethylene glycol) to generate a biomaterial interface that is highly resistant to protein and cellular adhesion is described. Thiolated poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG-thiol) was covalently bound to PPy-DS backbone via a thiol-ene reaction. The surface resistance to an extracellular matrix protein fibronectin increased with increasing molecular weight and concentration of PEG-thiol, and was further optimised via increasing the reaction temperature and the …

Scalable One-Step Wet-Spinning Of Graphene Fibers And Yarns From Liquid Crystalline Dispersions Of Graphene Oxide: Towards Multifunctional Textiles, Rouhollah Jalili, Seyed Hamed Aboutalebi, Dorna Esrafilzadeh, Roderick L. Shepherd, Jun Chen, Sima Aminorroaya-Yamini, Konstantin Konstantinov, Andrew I. Minett, Joselito M. Razal, Gordon G. Wallace

Australian Institute for Innovative Materials - Papers

Key points in the formation of liquid crystalline (LC) dispersions of graphene oxide (GO) and their processability via wet-spinning to produce long lengths of micrometer-dimensional fibers and yarns are addressed. Based on rheological and polarized optical microscopy investigations, a rational relation between GO sheet size and polydispersity, concentration, liquid crystallinity, and spinnability is proposed, leading to an understanding of lyotropic LC behavior and fiber spinnability. The knowledge gained from the straightforward formulation of LC GO "inks" in a range of processable concentrations enables the spinning of continuous conducting, strong, and robust fibers at concentrations as low as 0.075 wt%, eliminating …

Simply Mixed Commercial Red Phosphorus And Carbon Nanotube Composite With Exceptionally Reversible Sodium-Ion Storage, Wei-Jie Li, Shulei Chou, Jia-Zhao Wang, Hua-Kun Liu, S X. Dou

Australian Institute for Innovative Materials - Papers

Recently, sodium ion batteries (SIBs) have been given intense attention because they are the most promising alternative to lithium ion batteries for application in renewable power stations and smart grid, owing to their low cost, their abundant natural resources, and the similar chemistry of sodium and lithium. Elemental phosphorus (P) is the most promising anode materials for SIBs with the highest theoretical capacity of 2596 mA h g-1, but the commercially available red phosphorus cannot react with Na reversibly. Here, we report that simply hand-grinding commercial microsized red phosphorus and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) can deliver a reversible capacity of 1675 …

Hollow Structured Li3vo4 Wrapped With Graphene Nanosheets In Situ Prepared By One-Pot Template-Free Method As An Anode For Lithium-Ion Batteries, Yi Shi, Jia-Zhao Wang, Shulei Chou, David Wexler, Hui-Jun Li, Kiyoshi Ozawa, Hua-Kun Liu, Yu-Ping Wu

Australian Institute for Innovative Materials - Papers

To explore good anode materials of high safety, high reversible capacity, good cycling, and excellent rate capability, a Li3VO4 microbox with wall thickness of 40 nm was prepared by a one-pot and template-free in situ hydrothermal method. In addition, its composite with graphene nanosheets of about six layers of graphene was achieved. Both of them, especially the Li3VO4/graphene nanosheets composite, show superior electrochemical performance to the formerly reported vanadium-based anode materials. The composite shows a reversible capacity of 223 mAh g−1 even at 20C (1C = 400 mAh g−1). After 500 cycles at 10C there is no evident capacity fading.

Cell Attachment And Proliferation On High Conductivity Pedot-Glycol Composites Produced By Vapour Phase Polymerisation, Elise M. Stewart, Manrico Fabretto, Mischa Mueller, Paul J. Molino, Hans J. Griesser, Robert D. Short, Gordon G. Wallace

Australian Institute for Innovative Materials - Papers

High conductivity poly(3,4-ethylene dioxythiophene) (PEDOT) was synthesised using vacuum vapour phase polymerization (VVPP). The process produces PEDOT composites which incorporate glycol within the polymer. To assess biocompatibility, a suite of analytical techniques were utilised in an effort to characterise the level of glycol present and its impact on cell attachment and proliferation. A small decrease in fibroblast cell attachment and proliferation was observed with increasing glycol content within the PEDOT composite. Keratinocyte cell attachment and proliferation by comparison showed an increase. As such, the results herein indicate that cell attachment and proliferation depends on the individual cell lines used and …

Magnetic Field Induced Discontinuous Spin Reorientation In Erfeo3 Single Crystal, Hui Shen, Zhenxiang Cheng, Fang Hong, Jiayue Xu, Shujuan Yuan, Shixun Cao, Xiaolin Wang

Australian Institute for Innovative Materials - Papers

The spin reorientation of ErFeO3 that spontaneously occurs at low temperature has been previously determined to be a process involving the continuous rotation of Fe3þ spins. In this work, the dynamic process of spin reorientation in ErFeO3 single crystal has been investigated by AC susceptibility measurements at various frequencies and static magnetic fields. Interestingly, two completely discontinuous steps are induced by a relatively large static magnetic field due to the variation in the magnetic anisotropy during this process. It provides deeper insights into the intriguing magnetic exchange interactions which dominate the sophisticated magnetic phase transitions in the orthoferrite systems.