Matching Items (7)
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- All Subjects: Sustainability
- All Subjects: Silicon
Description
The objective for Under the Camper Shell was to build a prototype of a full living environment within the confines of a pickup truck bed and camper shell. The total volume available to work with is approximately 85ft3. This full living environment entails functioning systems for essential modern living, providing shelter and spaces for cooking, sleeping, eating, and sanitation. The project proved to be very challenging from the start. First, the livable space is extremely small, being only tall enough for one to sit up straight. The truck and camper shell were both borrowed items, so no modifications were allowed for either, e.g. drilling holes for mounting. The idea was to create a system that could be easily removed, transforming it from a camper to a utility truck. The systems developed for the living environment would be modular and transformative so to accommodate for different necessities when packing. The goal was to create a low-water system with sustainability in mind. Insulating the space was the largest challenge and the most rewarding, using body heat to warm the space and insulate from the elements. Comfort systems were made of high density foam cushions in sections to allow folding and stacking for different functions (sleeping, lounging, and sitting). Sanitation is necessary for healthy living and regular human function. A composting toilet was used for the design, lending to low-water usage and is sustainable over time. Saw dust would be necessary for its function, but upon composting, the unit will generate sufficient amounts of heat to act as a space heater. Showering serves the functions of exfoliation and ridding of bacteria, both of which bath wipes can accomplish, limiting massive volumes of water storage and waste. Storage systems were also designed for modularity. Hooks were installed the length of the bed for hanging or securing items as necessary. Some are available for hanging bags. A cabinetry rail also runs the length of the bed to allow movement of hard storage to accommodate different scenarios. The cooking method is called "sous-vide", a method of cooking food in air-tight bags submerged in hot water. The water is reusable for cooking and no dishes are necessary for serving. Overall, the prototype fulfilled its function as a full living environment with few improvements necessary for future use.
ContributorsLimsirichai, Pimwadee (Author) / Foy, Joseph (Thesis director) / Parrish, Kristen (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Materials Science and Engineering Program (Contributor) / School of Sustainability (Contributor)
Created2014-12
Description
Dry and steam NanoBonding™ are conceived and researched to bond Si-based surfaces, via nucleation and growth of a two-dimensional SiOxHy or hydrated SiOxHy interphase connecting surfaces at the nanoscale across macroscopic domains. The motivation is to create strong, long lasting, hermetically bonded sensors with their electronics for the development of an artificial pancreas and to bond solar cells to glass panels for robust photovoltaic technology. The first step in NanoBonding™ is to synthesize smooth surfaces with 20 nm wide atomic terraces via a precursor phase, ß-cSiO2 on Si(100) and oxygen-deficient SiOx on the silica using the Herbots-Atluri process and Entrepix’s spin etching. Smooth precursor phases act as geometric and chemical template to nucleate and grow macroscopic contacting domains where cross bridging occurs via arrays of molecular strands in the hydrated SiOxHy interphase. Steam pressurization is found to catalyze NanoBonding™ consistently, eliminating the need for direct mechanical compression that limits the size and shape of wafers to be bonded in turn, reducing the cost of processing. Total surface energy measurements via 3 Liquids Contact Angle Analysis (3L CAA) enables accurate quantitative analysis of the total surface energy and each of its components. 3L CAA at each step in the process shows that surface energy drops to 42.4 ± 0.6 mJ/m2 from 57.5 ± 1.4 mJ/m2 after the Herbots-Atluri clean of an “As Received” wafer. 3L CAA after steam pressurization Nanobonding™ shows almost complete elimination from 13.8 mJ/m2 ± 1.0 to 0.002 ±- 0.0002 mJ/m2 in the contribution of acceptors to the total free surface energy, and an increase from 0.2 ± .03 to 23.8± 1.6 mJ/m2 in the contribution of donors. This is consistent with an increase in hydroxylation of the ß-cSiO2 surface as a consistent precursor phase for cross-bridging. This research optimizes the use of glycerin, water, and α-bromo-naphtalene in the use of 3L CAA to effectively quantify the components of total free surface energy which helps to better understand the most consistent method for NanoBonding™.
ContributorsBennett-Kennett, Ross Buchanan (Author) / Culbertson, Robert (Thesis director) / Herbots, Nicole (Committee member) / Foy, Joseph (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Materials Science and Engineering Program (Contributor) / Department of Physics (Contributor) / School of Historical, Philosophical and Religious Studies (Contributor)
Created2013-05
Description
Proposed and tested were three different methods to deposit important layers of Silicon heterojunction solar cells (SHJs). If there were a shortage of Silver, Aluminum could be substituted for the contacts. If there were a shortage of Indium, Yttrium Zinc Oxide could be substituted. To improve the solar cell, the p and n type layers can be grown with hydrogenated nanocrystallline Silicon (nc-Si:H). 40% and 50% nc-Si:H has shown a maximum absorbance reduction of 5 times compared to hydrogenated amorphous Silicon (a-Si). The substitutions offer alternatives which increase the total possible amount of solar cell production, advancing toward completion of the Terrawatt challenge.
ContributorsCarpenter, Joe Victor (Author) / Alford, Terry (Thesis director) / Holman, Zachary (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Chemical Engineering Program (Contributor) / Materials Science and Engineering Program (Contributor)
Created2014-05
Description
Lithium-ion batteries are one of the most widely used energy storage solutions today. As renewable energy sources proliferate to meet growth in worldwide energy consumption, it is important that lithium-ion batteries be improved to help capture this energy for use when the demand arises. One way to boost the performance of lithium-ion batteries is to replace the electrode active materials with materials of higher specific capacity. Silicon is one material that has been widely touted as a potential replacement for the graphite used in commercial anodes with a theoretical capacity of 3500 mAh/g as opposed to graphite's 372 mAh/g. However, bulk silicon is known to pulverize after experiencing large strains during lithiation. Here, silicon clathrates are investigated as a potential structure for accommodation of these strains. Silicon clathrates consist of covalently bonded silicon host cages surrounding a guest alkali or alkaline earth metal ion. Previous work has looked at silicon clathrates for their superconducting and thermoelectric properties. In this study, electrochemical properties of type I and II silicon clathrates with sodium guest ions (NaxSi46 and NaxSi136) and type I silicon clathrates with copper framework substitution and barium guest ions (Ba8CuxSi46-x) are examined. Sodium clathrates showed very high capacities during initial lithiation (>2500 mAh/g), but rapidly lost capacity thereafter. X-ray diffraction after lithiation showed conversion of the clathrate phase to lithium silicide and then to amorphous silicon after delithiation, indicating destruction of the clathrate structure as a possible explanation for the rapid capacity fade. Ba8CuxSi46-x clathrates were found to have their structures completely intact after 50 cycles. However, they had very low reversible capacities (<100 mAh/g) and potentially might not be electrochemically active. Further work is needed to better understand exactly how lithium is inserted into clathrates and if copper impurities detected during wavelength-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy could be inhibiting lithium transport into the clathrates.
ContributorsWagner, Nicholas Adam (Author) / Chan, Candace (Thesis director) / Sieradzki, Karl (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Materials Science and Engineering Program (Contributor)
Created2014-05
Description
Plastics make up a large proportion of solid waste that ends up in landfills and pollute ecosystems, and do not readily decompose. Composites from fungus mycelium are a recent and promising alternative to replace plastics. Mycelium is the root-like fibers from fungi that grow underground. When fed with woody biomass, the mycelium becomes a dense mass. From there, the mycelium is placed in mold to take its shape and grow. Once the growth process is done, the mycelium is baked to end the growth, thus making a mycelium brick. The woody biomass fed into the mycelium can include materials such as sawdust and pistachio shells, which are all cheap feedstock. In comparison to plastics, mycelium bricks are mostly biodegradable and eco-friendly. Mycelium bricks are resistant to water, fire, and mold and are also lightweight, sustainable, and affordable. Mycelium based materials are a viable option to replace less eco-friendly materials. This project aims to explore growth factors of mycelium and incorporate nanomaterials into mycelium bricks to achieve strong and sustainable materials, specifically for packaging materials. The purpose of integrating nanomaterials into mycelium bricks is to add further functionality such as conductivity, and to enhance properties such as mechanical strength.
ContributorsWong, Cindy (Author) / Wang, Qing Hua (Thesis director) / Green, Alexander (Committee member) / Materials Science and Engineering Program (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2019-05
Description
The environment today is facing concerns over accumulation of plastics in landfills as well as excessive CO2 emissions. Containers and packaging take up approximately 15 million tons each year, and accumulations such as the Great Pacific Garbage Patch are entering the oceans. Work has been done to alter and treat polyethylene plastic to be added to cement mixtures. This is done to increase bearing capacity and ductility of concrete in addition to decreasing carbon emissions and plastic waste.
ContributorsWestersund, Susanna (Author) / Hoover, Christian (Thesis director) / Soman, Silpa (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Materials Science and Engineering Program (Contributor) / Civil, Environmental and Sustainable Eng Program (Contributor)
Created2023-05
Description
Our group examined the low rate of clothing utilization in the fashion industry. Fast fashion has contributed to this low rate of utilization, as well as the high amounts of textiles that end up in landfills. Our startup, Patchwork Apparel, was designed to address this problem. Our clothes were made with fabric scraps or donated textiles that would otherwise end up in landfills. The mission of our business was to develop trendy and sustainable apparel that helped to eliminate textile waste while staying on brand with current fashion trends.
ContributorsBolas, Brandon (Author) / Schalla, Freya (Co-author) / Rebe, Breanna (Co-author) / Espinosa, Karly (Co-author) / Byrne, Jared (Thesis director) / Lee, Christopher (Committee member) / Balven, Rachel (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Materials Science and Engineering Program (Contributor)
Created2022-05