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...
Circular dichroism (CD) spectra were obtained for bacteriophage T4 lysozyme and three of its mutants in the presence and absence of colloidal silica nanoparticles. Mutant lysozymes were produced by substitution of the isoleucine at position 3 with tryptophan, cysteine and leucine. Each substitution resulted in an altered structural stability, quantified...
The diffusion of divalent nickel (Ni²⁺) from wet silica gels was investigated.
Silica gel is gaining interest as an encapsulation matrix for biological components.
The transport of biologically relevant species within the gel is determined by the
structural characteristics of the gel, which are in turn governed by synthesis
parameters....
Diatoms are a ubiquitous group of plankton responsible for 20-40% of oceanic
primary production, and a higher fraction of organic matter export to the ocean
interior. Diatoms actively transport dissolved inorganic silicon into their cells, and
through the process of silicification (i.e. biogenic silica production) they build tough
and intricate...
This dataset contains the chemical composition and reactivities of commercially used SCMs such as silica fume, Class-F and Class-C fly ashes, slags, and calcined clays. The dataset also includes the chemical composition and reactivity (where available) for several SCMs that are currently not specified in standard specifications by ASTM or...
Quantifying the mass transport through marine sediments, and the geochemical response to such flow with numerical models has become a common and powerful approach for geochemical data interpretation. In this dissertation, I developed and applied transport-reaction models to unravel complex and interdependent reactions involving carbon, sulfur and silica transformations in...
This thesis is the consequence of a research effort undertaken by the School of Civil and Construction Engineering at Oregon State University and funded by the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) and the Federal Highway Administration
(FHWA). The principal objective of the effort was to reduce the life cycle cost...