From dbe2d26ce43c009db2d1b4fbd2c8b83314d7591e Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: "Thomas A. Christensen II" <25492070+MillironX@users.noreply.github.com> Date: Wed, 2 Feb 2022 13:34:04 -0600 Subject: [PATCH] Add my thesis --- content/academia/thesis.md | 41 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 1 file changed, 41 insertions(+) create mode 100644 content/academia/thesis.md diff --git a/content/academia/thesis.md b/content/academia/thesis.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..e883f04 --- /dev/null +++ b/content/academia/thesis.md @@ -0,0 +1,41 @@ +--- +title: "Polyoxometalate Incorporation and Effects on Proton Transport in Hydrogel Polymers" +date: 2020-08-07 +cardImage: library +draft: false +featured: true +keywords: + - bioremediation + - polyoxometalate + - hydrogel polymers + - proton transport + - chemical engineering +type: "Thesis" +authors: + - Christensen, Thomas Allen, II +link: 'https://www.proquest.com/dissertations-theses/polyoxometalate-incorporation-effects-on-proton/docview/2502214356/se-2' +journal: "University of Idaho" +location: "Moscow, Idaho" +--- + +Polyoxometalate clusters embedded into hydrogel biobeads may be able to solve +the challenges posed by free proton generation during remediation of +trichloroethylene by acting as buffers and reducing protons to hydrogen gas. In +this thesis, the challenges posed by systems that contain both diffusion and +reaction processes for protons are considered mathematically, and a computer +simulation to was developed to prove the relationship between diaphragm cell lag +period and reactive capabilities of membranes. Two polyoxometalate compounds, +sodium decavanadate and alumina sulfate, were successfully incorporated into a +poly(vinyl alcohol) hydrogel membrane, and the diffusivity changes associated +with each compound was determined. It was found that the diffusivity of protons +through an unmodified 10% w/v poly(vinyl alcohol) membrane was 1.76 × +10{{< sup -5 >}} cm{{< sup 2 >}} s{{< sup -1 >}}, the diffusivity through a +10%/2% w/w/v poly(vinyl alcohol)/sodium decavanadate membrane was 3.10 × +10{{< sup -6 >}} cm{{< sup 2 >}} s{{< sup -1 >}}, and the diffusivity through +a 10%/2% w/w/v poly(vinyl alcohol)/alumina sulfate membrane was 3.32 × +10{{< sup -7 >}} cm{{< sup 2 >}} s{{< sup -1 >}}. Through analysis of the +diaphragm cell lag period, it was found the incorporation of sodium +decavanadate did not increase the reactivity of a poly(vinyl alcohol) +hydrogel, and incorporation of alumina sulfate lowered the reactivity. These +results indicate that polyoxometalate integration into hydrogel membranes is +feasible, but does not provide any advantage to a bioremediation scenario.