Matching Items (3)
Description
This study explores the possibility of two matrices containing metallic particulates to act as smart materials by sensing of strain due to the presence of the conducting particles in the matrix. The first matrix is a regular Portland cement-based one while the second is a novel iron-based, carbonated binder developed at ASU. Four different iron replacement percentages by volume (10%, 20%, 30% and 40%) in a Portland cement matrix were selected, whereas the best performing iron carbonate matrix developed was used. Electrical impedance spectroscopy was used to obtain the characteristic Nyquist plot before and after application of flexural load. Electrical circuit models were used to extract the changes in electrical properties under application of load. Strain sensing behavior was evaluated with respect to application of different stress levels and varying replacement levels of the inclusion. A similar approach was used to study the strain sensing capabilities of novel iron carbonate binder. It was observed that the strain sensing efficiency increased with increasing iron percentage and the resistivity increased with increase in load (or applied stress) for both the matrices. It is also found that the iron carbonate binder is more efficient in strain sensing as it had a higher gage factor when compared to the OPC matrix containing metallic inclusions.
Analytical equations (Maxwell) were used to extract frequency dependent electrical conductivity and permittivity of the cement paste (or the host matrix), interface, inclusion (iron) and voids to develop a generic electro-mechanical coupling model to for the strain sensing behavior. COMSOL Multiphysics 5.2a was used as finite element analysis software to develop the model. A MATLAB formulation was used to generate the microstructure with different volume fractions of inclusions. Material properties were assigned (the frequency dependent electrical parameters) and the coupled structural and electrical physics interface in COMSOL was used to model the strain sensing response. The experimental change in resistance matched well with the simulated values, indicating the applicability of the model to predict the strain sensing response of particulate composite systems.
Analytical equations (Maxwell) were used to extract frequency dependent electrical conductivity and permittivity of the cement paste (or the host matrix), interface, inclusion (iron) and voids to develop a generic electro-mechanical coupling model to for the strain sensing behavior. COMSOL Multiphysics 5.2a was used as finite element analysis software to develop the model. A MATLAB formulation was used to generate the microstructure with different volume fractions of inclusions. Material properties were assigned (the frequency dependent electrical parameters) and the coupled structural and electrical physics interface in COMSOL was used to model the strain sensing response. The experimental change in resistance matched well with the simulated values, indicating the applicability of the model to predict the strain sensing response of particulate composite systems.
ContributorsChowdhury, Swaptik (Author) / Neithalath, Narayanan (Thesis advisor) / Rajan, Subramaniam D. (Committee member) / Hoover, Christian G (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2017
Description
Microfluidics has enabled many biological and biochemical applications such as high-throughput drug testing or point-of-care diagnostics. Dielectrophoresis (DEP) has recently achieved prominence as a powerful microfluidic technique for nanoparticle separation. Novel electric field-assisted insulator-based dielectrophoresis (iDEP) microfluidic devices have been employed to fractionate rod-shaped nanoparticles like Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) and manipulate biomolecules like Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and proteins. This dissertation involves the development of traditional as well as 3D-printed iDEP devices for the manipulation of nm-to-µm scale analytes. First, novel iDEP microfluidic constriction-based sorting devices were developed to introduce inhomogeneous electric field gradients to fractionate SWNTs by length. SWNTs possess length-specific optical and electrical properties, expanding their potential applications for future nanoscale devices. Standard synthesis procedures yield SWNTs in large-length polydispersity and chirality. Thus, an iDEP-based fractionation tool for desired lengths of SWNTs may be beneficial. This dissertation presents the first study of DEP characterization and fractionation of SWNTs using an iDEP microfluidic device. Using this iDEP constriction sorter device, two different length distributions of SWNTs were sorted with a sorting efficiency of >90%. This study provides the fundamentals of fractionating SWNTs by length, which can help separate and purify SWNTs for future nanoscale-based applications. Manipulation of nm-scale analytes requires achieving high electric field gradients in an iDEP microfluidic device, posing one of the significant challenges for DEP applications. Introducing nm-sized constrictions in an iDEP device can help generate a higher electric field gradient. However, this requires cumbersome and expensive fabrication methods. In recent years, 3D printing has drawn tremendous attention in microfluidics, alleviating complications associated with complex fabrication methods. A high-resolution 3D-printed iDEP device was developed and fabricated for iDEP-based manipulation of analytes. A completely 3D-printed device with 2 µm post-gaps was realized, and fluorescent polystyrene (PS) beads, λ-DNA, and phycocyanin protein trapping were demonstrated. Furthermore, a nm-resolution 3D-printed iDEP device was successfully printed. In the future, these high-resolution 3D-printed devices may lead to exploring DEP characteristics of nanoscale analytes like single protein molecules and viruses. The electric field-assisted unique fractionation phenomena in microfluidic platforms will become a critical solution for nanoparticle separation and manipulating biomolecules.
ContributorsRabbani, Mohammad Towshif (Author) / Ros, Alexandra (Thesis advisor) / Stephanopoulos, Nicholas (Committee member) / Buttry, Daniel (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2022
Description
Bridge scour at piers is a major problem for design and for maintaining old infrastructure. The current methods require their own upkeep and there may be better ways to mitigate scour. I looked to the mangrove forests of coastal environments for inspiration and have developed a 2D model to test the efficacy of placing a mangrove-root inspired system to mitigate scour. My model tests the hydrodynamics of the root systems, but there are additional benefits that can be used as bioinspiration in the future (altering the surrounding chemistry and mechanical properties of the soil).Adding a mangrove inspired minipile system to bridge piers changes scour parameters within my 2D COMSOL models. For the volume of material added, the minipiles compare favorably to larger sacrificial piles as they reduce A_wcz and 〖τ'〗_max by similar (or even better) amounts. These two parameters are indicators of scour in the field. Within the minipile experiments, it is more beneficial to place them upstream of the main bridge pier as their own ‘mangrove forest.’ The value of A_wcz and 〖τ'〗_max for complex 2D models of scour is unclear and physical experiments need to be performed. The model geometry is based on the dimensions of the experimental flume to be used in future studies and the model results have not yet been verified through experiments and field trials. Scale effects may be present which cannot be accounted for in the 2D models. Therefore future work should be conducted to test ‘mangrove forest’ minipile systems in 3D space, in flume experiments, and in field trials.
ContributorsEnns, Andrew Carl (Author) / van Paassen, Leon (Thesis advisor) / Tao, Junliang (Thesis advisor) / Kavazanjian, Edward (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2021