Add my thesis

content/academia/thesis.md

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+---
+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.