This thesis presents a study of applications and techniques for molecular dynamics simulations. Three studies are presented that are intended to improve our ability to simulate larger systems more realistically. A comparison study of two- and three-body potential models for liquid and amorphous Si0₂ is presented. The structural, vibrational, and...
The adsorption equilibrium and kinetic behavior exhibited
by β-lactoglobulin at silanized silicon surfaces of varying
hydrophobicity were examined using ellipsometry. Adsorption
equilibrium results were used to construct adsorption
isotherms; the adsorbed mass of β-lactoglobulin was observed
to increase with increasing surface hydrophobicity, within a
defined range of hydrophobicity. Adsorption kinetics...
Photobiological hydrogen production from live cells of the cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 encapsulated in silica gel was investigated. Hydrogen is a dense energy carrier with potential to reduce dependence on fossil fuels, provided a renewable and sustainable means of production can be achieved. Under certain conditions, Synechocystis sp. PCC...
Previous research has shown that using fine lightweight aggregate (FLWA) can be a promising strategy to mitigate alkali-silica reaction (ASR) in mortar and concrete. While several possible theories were proposed by researchers, discrepancies in testing methods, materials, and supporting evidence still exist. Therefore, this study was initiated. There are two...
β-lactoglobulin (β-Lg), bovine serum albumin (BSA), α-lactalbumin
(α-Lac), and β-casein were adsorbed onto
silanized silica surfaces of low and high hydrophobicity
for 8 h, and β-Lg and BSA for 1 h. The surfaces were
incubated in buffer for 0, 5, 10, or 15 h and then contacted
with Listeria monocytogenes...
In a search for designed materials that mimic those found in biological systems, combining polymers with inorganic materials in sol-gel chemistry processes has gained momentum in the research world since the 1990's. This work methodically investigated the properties of several related polymer-SiO₂ hybrids prepared by a simple methodology that could...
There is significant interest in the fabrication of nano- and micro-structured silica with spatially ordered features, which exhibit enhanced optoelectronic properties with application to the next generation of display devices, semiconductors, and sensors. Currents methods of fabrication employ top down processes which use extremes of temperature, pressure, and power. There...