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Description
Membrane-based technology for gas separations is currently at an emerging stage of advancement and adoption for environmental and industrial applications due to its substantial advantages like lower energy and operating costs over the conventional gas separation technologies. Unfortunately, the available polymeric (or organic) membranes suffer a trade-off between permeance and selectivity. Mixed matrix membranes (MMMs) containing two-dimensional (2D) metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) as fillers are a highly sought approach to redress this trade-off given their enhanced gas permeabilities and selectivities compared to the pure polymeric membrane. These MMMs are increasingly gaining attention by researchers due to their unique properties and wide small- and large-scale gas separation applications. However, straightforward and scalable methods for the synthesis of MOFs nanosheets have thus far been persistently elusive. This study reports the single-phase preparation, and characterization of MMMs with 2D MOFs nanosheets as fillers. The prepared MOF and the polymer matrix form the ‘dense’ MMMs which exhibit increased gas diffusion resistance, and thus improved separation abilities. The single-phase approach was more successful than the bi-phase at synthesizing the MOFs. The influence of sonication power and time on the characteristics and performance of the membranes are examined and discussed. Increasing the sonication power from 50% to 100% reduces the pore size. Additionally, the ultimate effect on the selectivity and permeance of the MMMs with different single gases is reported. Analysis of results with various gas mixers indicates further performance improvements in these MMMs could be achieved by increasing sonication time and tuning suitable membrane thicknesses. Reported results reveal that MMMs are excellent candidates for next-generation gas mixture separations, with potential applications in CO2 capture and storage, hydrogen recovery, alkene recovery from alkanes, and natural gas purification.
ContributorsNkuutu, John (Author) / Mu, Bin (Thesis director) / Shan, Bohan (Committee member) / Chemical Engineering Program (Contributor) / School of Sustainability (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2019-05
Description
Microplastics are defined as small pieces of plastics that are less than five millimeters in size. These microplastics can vary in their appearance, are known to be harmful to aquatic life and can threaten life cycles of marine organisms because of their chemical make-up and the toxic additives used in their manufacture. Although small in size, it is hypothesized that microplastics can serve as an example of how human activities can alter ecosystems near and far. To investigate the implications and determine the potential impact of microplastics on a protected atoll’s ecosystems, red-footed booby (Sula sula) guano samples from six locations on Palmyra Atoll were acquired from North Carolina State University via The Nature Conservancy and were inspected for the presence of microplastics. Each of the guano samples were weighed and prepared via wet oxidation. Microplastic fibers were detected via stereoscope microscopy and analyzed for chemical composition via Raman spectroscopy. All six sampling locations within Palmyra Atoll contained microplastic fibers identified as polyethylene terephthalate, with North-South Causeway and Eastern Island having the highest average number of microplastic fibers found per gram of guano sample (n = 0.611). These data provide evidence that seabirds can serve as vectors for the spread of microplastic pollution. This research lends context to the widespread impact of plastic pollution and states possible implications of its presence in delicate ecosystems.
ContributorsAnderson, Alyssa Cerise (Author) / Lisenbee, Cayle (Thesis director) / Halden, Rolf (Committee member) / Rolsky, Charles (Committee member) / College of Health Solutions (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2019-05
Description
This project report contains the design of a low-cost structural model of a residential structure in the City of Phoenix, AZ. The structural unit will be part of a residential area in Ahwatukee Foothills Village located just south of South Mountain. The residential structure is 3600 square feet and consists of three bedrooms (including the master bedroom), two bathrooms (including the master bathroom), a 2-car garage, laundry room, kitchen, dining room, and a living room. There are two elevation options (A & B) for the roof framing plan. Elevation A includes a straight forward truss package consisting of two truss designs with no hip or girder trusses. Elevation B includes a more complex truss package which includes girder trusses, hip trusses, and corner jacks. Within both elevations, the trusses run perpendicular to the ridge of the structure as displayed in the Architectural Floor Plan (see Figure 4) with the exception of the hip trusses and corner jacks in Elevation B.
The design objective is to meet all safety specifications while minimizing the total cost of members and member connections. The design also aims to streamline the construction time and resources by using standard member cross section dimensions. This residential building report is carried out in accordance with the City of Phoenix standards and follows the ASCE7-10 code for the dead and live load combinations and wind pressures. This report also references the National Design Specifications (NDS) 2005 for the column design. HT Consulting Group is excited to create a safe and sustainable development for the residents within Ahwatukee Foothills Village.
The design objective is to meet all safety specifications while minimizing the total cost of members and member connections. The design also aims to streamline the construction time and resources by using standard member cross section dimensions. This residential building report is carried out in accordance with the City of Phoenix standards and follows the ASCE7-10 code for the dead and live load combinations and wind pressures. This report also references the National Design Specifications (NDS) 2005 for the column design. HT Consulting Group is excited to create a safe and sustainable development for the residents within Ahwatukee Foothills Village.
ContributorsHerrera-Theut, Joseph James (Author) / Ward, Kristen (Thesis director) / Morgan, John (Committee member) / Civil, Environmental and Sustainable Eng Program (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2019-05
Description
Fossil fuels have been the primary source of energy in the world for many decades. However, they are among the top contributors of the greenhouse gas emissions in the atmosphere. The objective of this research was to produce a more environmentally friendly biofuel from Algae-Helix and Salicornia biomasses. Experiments were conducted using a hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) technique in the HTL reactor to produce biofuel that can potentially replace fossil fuel usage. Hydrothermal Liquefaction is a method used to convert the biomass into the biofuels. HTL experiments on Algae-Helix and Salicornia at 200°C-350°C and 430psi were performed to investigate the effect of temperature on the biocrude yield of the respective biomass used. The effect of the biomass mixture (co-liquefaction) of Salicornia and algae on the amount of biocrude produced was also explored. The biocrude and biochar (by-product) obtained from the hydrothermal liquefaction process were also analyzed using thermogravimetric analyzer (TGA). The maximum biocrude yield for the algae-helix biomass and for the Salicornia biomass were both obtained at 300°C which were 34.63% and 7.65% respectively. The co-liquefaction of the two biomasses by 50:50 provided a maximum yield of 17.26% at 250°C. The co-liquefaction of different ratios explored at 250°C and 300°C concluded that Salicornia to algae-helix ratio of 20:80 produced the highest yields of 22.70% and 31.97%. These results showed that co-liquefaction of biomass if paired well with the optimizing temperature can produce a high biocrude yield. The TGA profiles investigated have shown that salicornia has higher levels of ash content in comparison with the algae-helix. It was then recommended that for a mixture of algae and Salicornia, large-scale biofuel production should be conducted at 250℃ in a 20:80 salicornia to algae biocrude ratio, since it lowers energy needs. The high biochar content left can be recycled to optimize biomass, and prevent wastage.
ContributorsLuboowa, Kato Muhammed (Co-author) / Laideson, Maymary (Co-author) / Deng, Shuguang (Thesis director) / Nielsen, David (Committee member) / Chemical Engineering Program (Contributor) / School of Sustainability (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2019-05
Description
The Innovation Space program is a joint venture among the Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts, Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering and W.P. Carey School of Business in order for transdisciplinary students to develop a product that creates social change. LG was the sponsor for 2018-2019 class with the goal of creating comfortable cooling that is better for the environment. Throughout seven phases, the Sumo team developed three product ideas, selected one product idea, developed a business plan and implementation plan. The Ciel vent system was picked and tested for any assumptions made in the initial business plan. After adjustments were made to the final phase seven business plan, a reflection was completed about the W. P. Carey School of Business and Innovation Space experience.
ContributorsHarris, Madison Nicole (Author) / Rhett, Trujillo (Thesis director) / Craig, Hedges (Committee member) / Department of Finance (Contributor) / Department of Supply Chain Management (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2019-05
Description
In our exponentially expanding world, the knowledge of a group versus that of an individual is more relevant than ever. Social insects have evolved to rely on the information from the collective, and in the case of harvester ants, their choice revolves around the best seeds to collect.
The objective of this experiment is to study a colony’s seed preference following previous exposure to a seed type in the seed harvester ant Pogonomyrmex californicus. It was hypothesized that foragers would demonstrate a measurable preference for the seed type they had previously experienced over the novel seed type. The cuticular hydrocarbon profile is suspected to be an influence in the foragers’ seed selection. Following an incubation period with the designated seed type, a series of preference trials were conducted over the course of two days for two experiments in which each colony fragment was given a seed pile with a 1:1 ratio of niger and sesame, after which any seeds moved off the seed pile were determined to be chosen, as well as if the workers were observed moving the seeds off the pile from the video recordings. Using video recordings, the seed selections of individual foragers were also tracked. The results partially support the hypothesis, however, in some cases, the ants did not collect enough seeds for the preference to be significant, and not all colony fragments had preferences that lined up with what they had previously experienced according to their treatment. Familiarity with the hydrocarbon profile of the seed type the colony had experienced is a possible proximal explanation for why colonies had seed preferences that aligned with their treatment, the seed they were designated to experience. Due to the low quantity of seeds collected during preference trials, seed preference amongst individual foragers remains unclear due to many different foragers selecting a seed during only one trial, with very few foragers returning to forage for seeds over the course of the experiment.
The objective of this experiment is to study a colony’s seed preference following previous exposure to a seed type in the seed harvester ant Pogonomyrmex californicus. It was hypothesized that foragers would demonstrate a measurable preference for the seed type they had previously experienced over the novel seed type. The cuticular hydrocarbon profile is suspected to be an influence in the foragers’ seed selection. Following an incubation period with the designated seed type, a series of preference trials were conducted over the course of two days for two experiments in which each colony fragment was given a seed pile with a 1:1 ratio of niger and sesame, after which any seeds moved off the seed pile were determined to be chosen, as well as if the workers were observed moving the seeds off the pile from the video recordings. Using video recordings, the seed selections of individual foragers were also tracked. The results partially support the hypothesis, however, in some cases, the ants did not collect enough seeds for the preference to be significant, and not all colony fragments had preferences that lined up with what they had previously experienced according to their treatment. Familiarity with the hydrocarbon profile of the seed type the colony had experienced is a possible proximal explanation for why colonies had seed preferences that aligned with their treatment, the seed they were designated to experience. Due to the low quantity of seeds collected during preference trials, seed preference amongst individual foragers remains unclear due to many different foragers selecting a seed during only one trial, with very few foragers returning to forage for seeds over the course of the experiment.
ContributorsNewton, Natalie Nicole (Author) / Fewell, Jennifer (Thesis director) / Steven, Pratt (Committee member) / Ioulia, Bespalova (Committee member) / School of Art (Contributor) / School of Life Sciences (Contributor) / School of International Letters and Cultures (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2019-05
Description
Internal and external emotion recognition is universal knowledge individuals begin to understand in early childhood. Children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) have physiological impairments that affect their social functioning, behavior, and emotion regulation. They often have difficulty revealing true emotions as opposed to mimicked emotions, which can make social connections challenging. In this pilot study, children with high-functioning and low-functioning ASD were observed in their therapy clinic, KidzSPOT Therapy, while watching a four-minute Pixar™ video as pre and post measures. The children were their own control from pre to post-evaluation. The animated characters and situations shown in the Pixar™ videos throughout the study exhibited two specific emotions: happy and sad. For six-weeks at home, children and their caregivers were asked to watch two, four-minute PixarTM videos a week on non-consecutive days and were recorded with cellular devices. Noldus FaceReader™ was used to analyze and determine increased emotional arousal of the children from recordings sent by their caregivers as they watched the videos at home. The Circumplex Model of Affect from the Noldus FaceReader™ analysis exposed the children’s active and inactive responses. The children sought support from their caregivers and therapists as a form of validation and situational understanding. The data did not display evidence of significant correlation between variables and emotional change over the course of the study. There were many limitations to this pilot study resulting in inadequate conclusions for a whole subpopulation. These findings were limited to sample size, participant interest and age-range availability within the clinic.
ContributorsGonzalez, Alereese (Author) / Chisum, Jack (Thesis director) / Brown, Glenn (Committee member) / College of Health Solutions (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2019-05
Description
Many young people from The Gambia have been migrating illegally by routes through the desert to get to Libya and across the Mediterranean Sea to get to Italy. This is called back-way migration. A fair number of articles have been written that focus on the migrants leaving; however, the story that is not being told as often is about the families they leave behind. This thesis seeks to explore the everyday problems that occur to the families left behind and the country at large, as a result of the mass exodus of young people.
ContributorsDaramy, Mohammed K (Author) / Bhattacharjya, Nilanjana (Thesis director) / Shaw-Smith, Lynette (Committee member) / School of Sustainability (Contributor) / School of Life Sciences (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2019-05
Description
Musical expression is not a black and white concept. The ability to express oneself through music and practicing specifically is a benefit only musicians can truly appreciate. But every musician practices, so what determines the unique ability to learn? This is the question that made me interested in why practicing is so important specifically for classical music when learning a piece. For this creative project, I decided to learn and perform the Hindemith Sonata for Violin and Piano No. 4 in C Major while keeping tabs on practice times, habits, and insights. These were all recorded in physical practice logs, which built a reflective practice journal. This reflection allowed me to gain insight on how writing down one’s thoughts influences the understanding of a piece. In addition to practice logs, I researched the origins and developments of the sonata genre and compared the Hindemith sonata to three well-known sonatas by Beethoven, Brahms, and Bartok. This information allowed me to analyze the Hindemith in greater detail and describe my thoughts as I learned and eventually performed the piece. As I practiced, I noticed that reflecting on the practice logs was beginning to help me memorize the piece faster and understand the feelings I wished to transfer to the audience. The logs allowed me to remember specific sections of the piece more easily, and writing about a certain sections after comparing them to sections found in traditional sonatas shed light on some of the tonal decisions made by Hindemith. This paper will inform the reader on the benefits of keeping a reflective practice journal when learning a piece of music as well as the benefits of researching a piece and its relationship to established works in that genre.
ContributorsMeadows, Grayson Michael (Author) / Bhattacharjya, Nilanjana (Thesis director) / Cosand, Patricia (Committee member) / Chemical Engineering Program (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2019-05
Description
The instruction of students in computer science concepts can be enhanced by creating programmable simulations and games. ASU VIPLE, which is a framework used to control simulations, robots, and for IoT applications, can be used as an educational tool. Further, the Unity engine allows the creation of 2D and 3D games. The development of basic minigames in Unity can provide simulations for students to program. One can run the Unity minigame and their corresponding VIPLE script to control them over a network connection as well as locally. The minigames conform to the robot output and robot input interfaces supported by VIPLE. With this goal in mind, a snake game, a space shooter game, and a runner game have been created as Unity simulations, which can be controlled by scripts made using VIPLE. These games represent simulated environments that, with movement output and sensor input, students can program simply and externally from VIPLE to help learn robotics and computer science principles.
ContributorsChristensen, Collin Riley (Author) / Chen, Yinong (Thesis director) / Kobayashi, Yoshihiro (Committee member) / Computer Science and Engineering Program (Contributor) / Computing and Informatics Program (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2019-05