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Your search for ETD Program Chemical Engineering resulted in 11 match(es).

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Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Microscopy of Nafion®-117 Proton Exchange Polymer Membranes: Author: Howe, Daniel Trusler; Date: 2004-12-15; Program: Chemical Engineering; Abstract: As the combustion of fossil fuels for the generation of energy and transportation becomes more expensive, of limited supply, and environmentally unsound, the development of viable fuel cell alternatives becomes more important. A comprehensive understanding of the proton exchange membranes (PEM's) used as electrolytes in certain types of fuel cells will play a major role in bringing the cost and reliability of PEM fuel cell systems down to a competitive level with traditional fossil fuel methods. Magnetic resonance microscopy (MRM) is well suited to the study of these membranes because it is no...; Download File | View full details

Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Microscopy of Staphylococcus epidermidis Biofilms: Author: Gjersing, Erica Lee; Date: 2004-05-15; Program: Chemical Engineering; Abstract: Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) microscopy is well-suited for investigating living systems since it is innocuous and non-invasive. In addition to imaging internal structures of systems, NMR microscopy techniques can be used to obtain information about transport phenomena, such as fluid velocities and diffusion. The goal of this research was to determine the applicability of NMR imaging techniques to studying transport properties in biofilms. Staphylococcus epidermidis biofilms were investigated because of their importance in medical implant infections. NMR experiments were used to image biofi...; Download File | View full details

Spatial Growth Patterns of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Biofilms: Author: Xu, Ruifang; Date: 2004-08-15; Program: Chemical Engineering; Abstract: Biofilms are less susceptible to antimicrobial action compared to their planktonic counterparts. The protective mechanisms are not fully understood. Physiological heterogeneity within biofilms is thought to contribute to the low susceptibility and was therefore studied. Expression of green fluorescent protein (GFP), induction of alkaline phosphatase (APase) by phosphate starvation, and the cell viability assay using the LIVE/DEAD BacLight bacterial viability stain were performed to visualize the spatial patterns of growth and viability within 5-d-old Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms. The capill...; Download File | View full details

Study of Praseodymium Strontium Manganite for the Potential use as a Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Cathode: Author: Pfluge, Matthew Edward; Date: 2005-05-15; Program: Chemical Engineering; Abstract: Extensive research has been performed on solid oxide fuel cell cathodes. These cathodes must be stable in the oxidation environment and have sufficient electrical conductivity and catalytic activity for the oxidant gas reaction at the appropriate operating temperature. Also, the cathode must be Chemically and thermally compatible with the other cell components at room temperature, operating temperatures, and higher fabrication temperatures. Praseodymium strontium manganite (PSM) has shown promising electrical properties with respect to ideal properties of cathodes in solid oxide fuel cells. Va...; Download File | View full details

Spatial Patterns of DNA Replication, Protein Synthesis, and Oxygen Concentration within Bacterial Biofilms Reveal active and Inactive Regions: Author: Rani, Suriani Abdul; Date: 2006-08-15; Program: Chemical Engineering; Abstract: Biofilms harbor both active and inactive cells and it is a challenge to characterize the spatial and population heterogeneity of specific activities within a biofilm. Spatial patterns of DNA replication and protein synthetic activity were imaged by techniques developed using staphylococcal systems. The first technique measures DNA synthetic activity by pulse-labeling with the thymidine analog 5-bromo-2-deoxyuridine (BrdU) followed by immunofluorescent detection of brominated DNA. The second technique makes use of an inducible green fluorescent protein construct that can be used to detect the c...; Download File | View full details

Growth and Characterization of Sulfolobus Turreted Icosahedral Virus: Author: Thorisdottir, Hulda Bjorg; Date: 2006-12-15; Program: Chemical Engineering; Abstract: Sulfolobus turreted icosahedral virus (STIV) and its infection cycle in Sulfolobus solfataricus P2 (S. solfataricus P2) was studied. A method to quantify the virus quickly was developed and optimized. The host-virus relationship between STIV and S. solfataricus P2 was studied and the transcripts of the virus were identified. Cultures of S. solfataricus P2 were grown and infected with STIV. Cultures were infected with different amounts of the virus, at various temperatures and pHs, and virus production was monitored. ELISA protocol was developed to quantify the virus. Southern blots were perfor...; Download File | View full details

Kinetics of Salt Formation Using Terephthalic Acid and N-methyl-2-pyrrolidinone: Author: Chou, Tai-Li; Date: 2004-05-15; Program: Chemical Engineering; Abstract: Terephthalic acid (TA) is used as a raw material for producing polyesters. As the global demand for polyesters increases at a rate of 7% per year on average for the last few years and next 10-year forecast, the demand of TA also increases. The global production exceeded 27 million tons for the year 2003, and will be in excess of 30 million tons for the year 2004. Therefore improving the production or purification process for terephthalic acid becomes more and more important. A new purification method using N-methyl-2-pyrrolidinone (NMP) as solvent was recently developed. In this process, the s...; Download File | View full details

Microbial Diversity and Zinc Toxicity to Pseudomonas sp. from Coeur d' Alene River Sediment: Author: Barua, Sutapa; Date: 2007-08-15; Program: Chemical Engineering; Abstract: Coeur d'Alene River (CDAR) in northern Idaho is one of the metal contaminated rivers in US. The sediments of the river are enriched with As, Cd, Cu, Pb, and Zn which are toxic metals to humans and animals. It is hypothesized that microorganisms living in this river sediment can remove the metals and thus detoxify their environment. The objective of this work is to investigate the microbial communities existing in CDAR sediment using 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene sequencing and 16S rRNA gene microarray (PhyloChip) analysis. According to our phylogenetic analysis, the CDAR clones fell into 13 di...; Download File | View full details

Chemical Sensors and Instrumentation Powered by Microbial Fuel Cells: Author: Angathevar Veluchamy, Raaja Raajan; Date: 2007-12-15; Program: Chemical Engineering; Abstract: The use of microbial fuel cells to power electronic devices is inhibited by their low voltage and current outputs, therefore they cannot be used directly to power electronic devices without appropriate power management. The goal of the thesis is to power Chemical sensors but currently there are no available sensor circuitries which can be operated at the low potential and current delivered by a microbial fuel cell. In this thesis, novel sensor circuitry and power management circuitry have been developed. The sensor circuitry can be programmed to operate any generic amperometric sensor and the ...; Download File | View full details

Establishment of ureolytic biofilms and their influence on the permeability of pulse-flow porous media column systems: Author: Wheeler, Laura Allison; Date: 2008-12-15; Program: Chemical Engineering; Abstract: As the population of the world has increased, energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions have increased as well. One possible way to reduce the amount of greenhouse gases emitted into the atmosphere is through the geologic sequestration of carbon dioxide. During geologic sequestration, supercritical carbon dioxide is injected into different types of underground formations. Inherent cracks in these formations may lead to the upward leakage of CO2, and a controllable engineered strategy is needed to reduce this potential leakage. Currently, biomineralization has been used in many different ...; Download File | View full details

Determination of critical micelle concentration of an amphiphilic siderophore: Author: Mousseau, Kenneth Scott; Date: 2009-08-15; Program: Chemical Engineering; Abstract: The sodachelins are a group of six amphiphilic siderophores produced by a halophilic bacterium. Amphiphilic siderophores, such as the sodachelins, are important in the solubilization and sequestration of iron related to microbial metabolism and are also unique in their ability to form micelle and vesicular structures. This professional paper describes siderophore importance in iron bioavailability, siderophore chemistry and biological function and a thermodynamic analysis of forces that drive micellization and vesicle formation. A description of experiments conducted to isolate, separate and p...; Download File | View full details

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