In designing a solubility based separation process
for solvent recovery of an organosolv pulping process, the
phase behavior of polymeric lignin molecules in alcohol -
water mixed solvent should be known. In this study,
sodium lignin sulfonates (NaLS) samples were fractionated
into three different molecular weight fractions using a
partial...
Nisin, an amphiphilic, antimicrobial peptide, has been shown to integrate into the hydrophobic inner region of poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) brush layers; however, the presence of integrated nisin may compromise the protein repulsive character of the PEO layer. In particular, the introduction of fibrinogen to nisin-loaded brush layers has been observed...
The molecular weight distributions of two high molecular weight (M[subscript w]>>1 million) polyethylene polymers, WSR-308 and WSR-301, were characterized with gel permeation chromatography (GPC) coupled with a multi-angle laser light scattering detector (MALLS). The M[subscript w] of the WSR-308 was found to be 5.10x10⁶ g/mol with a molecular weight range...
The purpose of this thesis was to evaluate orthogonal cutting as a method to determine the fracture toughness of low and high density polyethylene and wood plastic composites. A test fixture was developed to capture normal and tangential cutting forces at variable depth and rake angle. A tool interface method...
Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) polymer has been the material of choice for packaging industry as a result of its excellent mechanical and physical properties. These properties are highly dependent on the microstructure, chemistry, and processing conditions of this material. PET is often oriented in the machine direction (MD), the transverse direction...
The marked increase in surface-to-volume ratio associated with microscale devices for hemodialysis leads to problems with hemocompatibility and blood flow distribution that are more challenging to manage than those encountered at the conventional scale. In this work, stable surface modifications with pendant polyethylene oxide (PEO) chains were produced on polycarbonate...
High density polyethylene (HDPE) is a ubiquitous material with versatile properties. It is produced and used in greater volume than any other thermoplastic. HDPE is often filled with a variety of materials for various applications. Glass fiber and wood flour are two common fillers for HDPE. Recently there has been...
A more quantitative understanding of peptide entrapment and elution from otherwise protein-repellent polyethylene oxide (PEO) brush layers will provide direction for development of new strategies for drug storage and delivery. Here we describe criteria for peptide integration and structural change within the PEO brush, and discuss the reversibility of peptide...
The natural gas industry has become essential in many areas in the United States. Currently there is over 37.5 million miles of natural gas distribution lines. A large majority of these lines are polyethylene pipes. With such a large percentage of polyethylene lines in use gas companies are continually looking...