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Virginia Tech
1.
Qian, Chen.
Adsorption of Xyloglucan onto Cellulose and Cellulase onto Self-assembled Monolayers.
Degree: MS, Chemistry, 2012, Virginia Tech
URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10919/42496
► Adsorption of xyloglucan (XG) onto thin desulfated nanocrystalline cellulose (DNC) films was studied by surface plasmon resonance spectroscopy (SPR), quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring…
(more)
▼ Adsorption of xyloglucan (XG) onto thin desulfated nanocrystalline cellulose (DNC) films was studied by surface plasmon resonance spectroscopy (SPR), quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring (QCM-D), and atomic force microscopy (AFM) measurements. These studies were compared to adsorption studies of XG onto thin sulfated nanocrystalline cellulose (SNC) films and regenerated cellulose (RC) films performed by others. Collectively, these studies show the accessible surface area is the key factor for the differences in surface concentrations observed for XG adsorbed onto the three cellulose surfaces. XG penetrated into the porous nanocrystalline cellulose films. In contrast, XG was confined to the surfaces of the smooth, non-porous RC films. Surprisingly surface charge and cellulose morphology played a limited role on XG adsorption.
The effect of the non-ionic surfactant Tween 80 on the adsorption of cellulase onto alkane thiol self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) on gold was also studied. Methyl (-CH3), hydroxyl
(-OH) and carboxyl (-COOH) terminated SAMs were prepared. Adsorption of cellulase onto untreated and Tween 80-treated SAMs were monitored by SPR, QCM-D and AFM. The results indicated cellulase adsorption onto SAM-CH3 and SAM-COOH were driven by strong hydrophobic and electrostatic interactions, however, hydrogen bonding between cellulase and SAM-OH was weak. Tween 80 effectively hindered the adsorption of cellulase onto hydrophobic SAM-CH3 substrates. In contrast, it had almost no effect on the adsorption of cellulase onto SAM-OH and SAM-COOH substrates because of its reversible adsorption on these substrates.
Advisors/Committee Members: Roman, Maren (committeechair), Marand, Hervé L. (committee member), Esker, Alan R. (committeecochair).
Subjects/Keywords: cellulase; self-assembled monolayers; xyloglucan; cellulose thin films; adsorption
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APA (6th Edition):
Qian, C. (2012). Adsorption of Xyloglucan onto Cellulose and Cellulase onto Self-assembled Monolayers. (Masters Thesis). Virginia Tech. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/10919/42496
Chicago Manual of Style (16th Edition):
Qian, Chen. “Adsorption of Xyloglucan onto Cellulose and Cellulase onto Self-assembled Monolayers.” 2012. Masters Thesis, Virginia Tech. Accessed January 16, 2021.
http://hdl.handle.net/10919/42496.
MLA Handbook (7th Edition):
Qian, Chen. “Adsorption of Xyloglucan onto Cellulose and Cellulase onto Self-assembled Monolayers.” 2012. Web. 16 Jan 2021.
Vancouver:
Qian C. Adsorption of Xyloglucan onto Cellulose and Cellulase onto Self-assembled Monolayers. [Internet] [Masters thesis]. Virginia Tech; 2012. [cited 2021 Jan 16].
Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/10919/42496.
Council of Science Editors:
Qian C. Adsorption of Xyloglucan onto Cellulose and Cellulase onto Self-assembled Monolayers. [Masters Thesis]. Virginia Tech; 2012. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/10919/42496

Virginia Tech
2.
Ni, Ying.
Arabinoglucuronoxylan and Arabinoxylan Adsorption onto Regenerated Cellulose Films.
Degree: MS, Chemistry, 2013, Virginia Tech
URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10919/78163
► Cellulose and hemicelluloses have attracted increasing interest as renewable biopolymers because of their abundance. Furthermore, the recognition of biomass as a sustainable and renewable source…
(more)
▼ Cellulose and hemicelluloses have attracted increasing interest as renewable biopolymers because of their abundance. Furthermore, the recognition of biomass as a sustainable and renewable source of biofuels has driven research into the assembly and disassembly of polymers within plant cell walls. Cellulose thin films are useful in the study of interactions between cellulose and hemicelluloses, and quartz crystal microbalances with dissipation monitoring (QCM-D), surface plasmon resonance (SPR) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) are widely used to investigate polymer adsorption/desorption at liquid/solid interfaces.
In this study, smooth trimethylsilyl cellulose (TMSC) films were spincoated onto gold QCM-D sensors and hydrolyzed into ultrathin cellulose films upon exposure to aqueous HCl vapor. The adsorption of arabinoglucuronoxylan (AGX) and arabinoxylan (AX) onto these cellulose surfaces was studied. The effects of structure, molar mass and ionic strength of the solution were considered. Increasing ionic strength increased AGX and AX adsorption onto cellulose. While AGX showed greater adsorption onto cellulose than AX by QCM-D, the trend was reversed in SPR experiments. The combination of QCM-D and SPR data showed a greater amount of water was trapped within the AX films. Both adsorbed AGX and AX films were subsequently visualized by AFM. Images from AFM showed AGX and AX adsorbed as aggregates from water, while AGX and AX adsorbed from CaCl2 yielded smaller xylan particles with more numerous globular structures on the cellulose surfaces. Images from AFM of xylan films on bare gold surfaces also showed layers of uniform aggregates that were consistent with AX and AGX aggregation in solution.
Advisors/Committee Members: Esker, Alan R. (committeechair), Roman, Maren (committee member), Madsen, Louis A. (committee member).
Subjects/Keywords: Arabinoglucuronoxylan; Regenerated cellulose thin films; Arabinoxylan; Adsorption; SPR; QCM-D
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APA (6th Edition):
Ni, Y. (2013). Arabinoglucuronoxylan and Arabinoxylan Adsorption onto Regenerated Cellulose Films. (Masters Thesis). Virginia Tech. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/10919/78163
Chicago Manual of Style (16th Edition):
Ni, Ying. “Arabinoglucuronoxylan and Arabinoxylan Adsorption onto Regenerated Cellulose Films.” 2013. Masters Thesis, Virginia Tech. Accessed January 16, 2021.
http://hdl.handle.net/10919/78163.
MLA Handbook (7th Edition):
Ni, Ying. “Arabinoglucuronoxylan and Arabinoxylan Adsorption onto Regenerated Cellulose Films.” 2013. Web. 16 Jan 2021.
Vancouver:
Ni Y. Arabinoglucuronoxylan and Arabinoxylan Adsorption onto Regenerated Cellulose Films. [Internet] [Masters thesis]. Virginia Tech; 2013. [cited 2021 Jan 16].
Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/10919/78163.
Council of Science Editors:
Ni Y. Arabinoglucuronoxylan and Arabinoxylan Adsorption onto Regenerated Cellulose Films. [Masters Thesis]. Virginia Tech; 2013. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/10919/78163

Virginia Tech
3.
Tan, Xinyi.
Adsorption of Blood Proteins onto Polysaccharide Surfaces.
Degree: MS, Macromolecular Science and Engineering, 2016, Virginia Tech
URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10919/78309
► In this study, surface plasmon resonance (SPR) and quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring (QCM-D) were combined to investigate the adsorption behavior of two platelet…
(more)
▼ In this study, surface plasmon resonance (SPR) and quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring (QCM-D) were combined to investigate the adsorption behavior of two platelet adhesion-related blood proteins, human serum albumin (HSA) and human serum fibrinogen (HSF), on two polysaccharide materials used for hemodialysis membrane applications: regenerated cellulose and cellulose acetate. The study aims to provide insight into the design of novel hemocompatible polysaccharide materials. Information such as real-time adsorption curves, adsorbed amounts, and water contents of the protein layers were obtained and analyzed. The results suggested 1) monolayer adsorption of HSA on both cellulose and cellulose acetate, possibly with different HSA conformations; 2) a multilayer of HSF or some degree of end-on adsorption on both surfaces. The study of HSA adsorption onto cellulose acetate surfaces with different degrees of substitution indicated that the change in content of acetyl groups may not be the main factor governing the adsorbed HSA amount but may affect the conformation of adsorbed HSA molecules.
Advisors/Committee Members: Roman, Maren (committeechair), Edgar, Kevin J. (committee member), Esker, Alan R. (committee member).
Subjects/Keywords: albumin; fibrinogen; cellulose acetate; cellulose; thin films; adsorption
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APA ·
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APA (6th Edition):
Tan, X. (2016). Adsorption of Blood Proteins onto Polysaccharide Surfaces. (Masters Thesis). Virginia Tech. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/10919/78309
Chicago Manual of Style (16th Edition):
Tan, Xinyi. “Adsorption of Blood Proteins onto Polysaccharide Surfaces.” 2016. Masters Thesis, Virginia Tech. Accessed January 16, 2021.
http://hdl.handle.net/10919/78309.
MLA Handbook (7th Edition):
Tan, Xinyi. “Adsorption of Blood Proteins onto Polysaccharide Surfaces.” 2016. Web. 16 Jan 2021.
Vancouver:
Tan X. Adsorption of Blood Proteins onto Polysaccharide Surfaces. [Internet] [Masters thesis]. Virginia Tech; 2016. [cited 2021 Jan 16].
Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/10919/78309.
Council of Science Editors:
Tan X. Adsorption of Blood Proteins onto Polysaccharide Surfaces. [Masters Thesis]. Virginia Tech; 2016. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/10919/78309

Virginia Tech
4.
Wagner, Alec Thomas.
Fundamental Studies of Two Important Atmospheric Oxidants, Ozone and Hydroxyl Radical, Reacting with Model Organic Surfaces.
Degree: MS, Chemistry, 2012, Virginia Tech
URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10919/45093
► Heterogeneous reactions between gas-phase oxidants and particulate-phase organic compounds impact many important atmospheric chemical processes. For example, little is known about the reaction dynamics of…
(more)
▼ Heterogeneous reactions between gas-phase oxidants and particulate-phase organic compounds impact many important atmospheric chemical processes. For example, little is known about the reaction dynamics of gaseous oxidants with organic compounds found in the atmosphere. The first step of the reaction between gaseous ozone and solid pentacene was investigated using Reflection Absorption Infrared Spectroscopy (RAIRS). Ozone was found to add to pentacene non-selectively and form a range of products after heavy ozone exposure. The rate limiting step had an activation energy of 17 kJ/mol, which is consistent with the findings of previous ozone oxidation studies for the cleavage of a carbon-carbon double bond. Unfortunately the products could not be used to distinguish between probable reaction mechanisms.
Hydroxyl radicals (•OH) play a major role processing atmospheric hydrocarbons. Due to their short lifetimes, not much is known about the dynamics of the first steps of •OH reactions. To investigate these reactions, a rotational state-selector was constructed to filter a molecular beam of •OH for reaction dynamics investigations with organic surfaces. The rotational state-selector was designed to leverage the linear Stark effect to pass only suitable molecules in a particular rotational state and block the flow of any other atoms, molecules and ions in a molecular beam. The state-selector was validated and used to positively deflect molecular beams of methyl iodide and D₂O via the linear Stark effect. Future studies with the rotational state-selector will investigate the initial steps of •OH reactions with solid organic compounds.
Advisors/Committee Members: Morris, John R. (committeechair), Tissue, Brian M. (committee member), Esker, Alan R. (committee member).
Subjects/Keywords: Rotational State Selection; Electrostatic Hexapole; Ozone; Hydroxyl Radical; Pentacene; Linear Stark Effect
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APA ·
Chicago ·
MLA ·
Vancouver ·
CSE |
Export
to Zotero / EndNote / Reference
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APA (6th Edition):
Wagner, A. T. (2012). Fundamental Studies of Two Important Atmospheric Oxidants, Ozone and Hydroxyl Radical, Reacting with Model Organic Surfaces. (Masters Thesis). Virginia Tech. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/10919/45093
Chicago Manual of Style (16th Edition):
Wagner, Alec Thomas. “Fundamental Studies of Two Important Atmospheric Oxidants, Ozone and Hydroxyl Radical, Reacting with Model Organic Surfaces.” 2012. Masters Thesis, Virginia Tech. Accessed January 16, 2021.
http://hdl.handle.net/10919/45093.
MLA Handbook (7th Edition):
Wagner, Alec Thomas. “Fundamental Studies of Two Important Atmospheric Oxidants, Ozone and Hydroxyl Radical, Reacting with Model Organic Surfaces.” 2012. Web. 16 Jan 2021.
Vancouver:
Wagner AT. Fundamental Studies of Two Important Atmospheric Oxidants, Ozone and Hydroxyl Radical, Reacting with Model Organic Surfaces. [Internet] [Masters thesis]. Virginia Tech; 2012. [cited 2021 Jan 16].
Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/10919/45093.
Council of Science Editors:
Wagner AT. Fundamental Studies of Two Important Atmospheric Oxidants, Ozone and Hydroxyl Radical, Reacting with Model Organic Surfaces. [Masters Thesis]. Virginia Tech; 2012. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/10919/45093

Virginia Tech
5.
Yang, Sha.
Crystallization, Melting Behavior, Physical Properties, and Physical Aging of Ethylene/1-Octene Copolymers.
Degree: MS, Chemistry, 2011, Virginia Tech
URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10919/72985
► The time dependence of the physical properties of ethylene/1-octene (EO)-copolymers after primary crystallization is investigated by calorimetry, density, and creep measurements. The temporal evolution of…
(more)
▼ The time dependence of the physical properties of ethylene/1-octene (EO)-copolymers after primary crystallization is investigated by calorimetry, density, and creep measurements.
The temporal evolution of the multiple melting of EO-copolymers is monitored by differential scanning calorimetry. The low temperature endotherm displays an evolution similar to that observed for the enthalpy recovery in glasses after physical aging. Using this analogy, a calorimetry-aging rate is defined, which quantifies the change in the low endotherm temperature with time. Similarly a density-aging rate is defined from the evolution of density with time.
A non-classical creep behavior is observed for short aging times, consistent with crystallization-induced shrinkage. The change in crystallinity during aging leads to a change in the shape of the relaxation spectrum. Hence, analysis of creep data cannot be carried out using Struik's superposition method. For both short and long aging times, the creep rate exhibits a dependence on copolymer composition similar to those associated with the calorimetry- and the density-aging rates, suggesting a common origin for the evolution of the low endotherm, the creep behavior and the bulk density.
The calorimetry, density, and creep data are reexamined based on the following assumptions: First, a single population of small crystals is formed during crystallization at low temperature; Second, these small crystals increase in stability under isothermal conditions, easily melt and recrystallize during heating and serve as efficient thermo-reversible cross-links to increase the conformational constraints in the residual amorphous fraction. These assumptions appear to be consistent with all observations made to date.
Advisors/Committee Members: Marand, Hervé L. (committeechair), Esker, Alan R. (committee member), Wilkes, Garth L. (committee member).
Subjects/Keywords: crystallization; ethylene/1-octene copolymers; melting; physical aging
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APA ·
Chicago ·
MLA ·
Vancouver ·
CSE |
Export
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APA (6th Edition):
Yang, S. (2011). Crystallization, Melting Behavior, Physical Properties, and Physical Aging of Ethylene/1-Octene Copolymers. (Masters Thesis). Virginia Tech. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/10919/72985
Chicago Manual of Style (16th Edition):
Yang, Sha. “Crystallization, Melting Behavior, Physical Properties, and Physical Aging of Ethylene/1-Octene Copolymers.” 2011. Masters Thesis, Virginia Tech. Accessed January 16, 2021.
http://hdl.handle.net/10919/72985.
MLA Handbook (7th Edition):
Yang, Sha. “Crystallization, Melting Behavior, Physical Properties, and Physical Aging of Ethylene/1-Octene Copolymers.” 2011. Web. 16 Jan 2021.
Vancouver:
Yang S. Crystallization, Melting Behavior, Physical Properties, and Physical Aging of Ethylene/1-Octene Copolymers. [Internet] [Masters thesis]. Virginia Tech; 2011. [cited 2021 Jan 16].
Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/10919/72985.
Council of Science Editors:
Yang S. Crystallization, Melting Behavior, Physical Properties, and Physical Aging of Ethylene/1-Octene Copolymers. [Masters Thesis]. Virginia Tech; 2011. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/10919/72985
6.
Wang, Guanyu.
The Dynamics of Gas-Surface Energy Transfer in Collisions of Diatomic Gases with Organic Surfaces.
Degree: MS, Chemistry, 2015, Virginia Tech
URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10919/51179
► Understanding interfacial interactions at the molecular level is important for interpreting and predicting the dynamics and mechanisms of all chemistry processes. A thorough understanding of…
(more)
▼ Understanding interfacial interactions at the molecular level is important for interpreting and predicting the dynamics and mechanisms of all chemistry processes. A thorough understanding of the interaction dynamics and energy transfer between gas molecules and surfaces is essential for the study of various chemical reactions. The collisions of diatomic molecules on organic surfaces are crucial to the study of atmospheric chemistry. Molecular beam scattering experiments performed in ultra-high vacuum chambers provide insight into the dynamics of gas-surface interactions.
Many questions remain to be answered in the study of gas-surface interfacial chemistry. For example, what affects the energy transfer between gas molecules and surfaces? How do intermolecular forces affect the interfacial interaction dynamics? We have approached these questions by scattering diatomic gas molecules from functionalized self-assembled monolayers (SAMs). Our results indicate that the intermolecular forces between gas molecules and surfaces play an important role in the energy transfer processes. Moreover, the stronger the intermolecular forces, the more often the incident molecules come into thermal equilibrium with the surface. Furthermore, most of the previous approaches toward understanding gas-surface interaction dynamics considered the interactions as independent incidents. By scattering O2, N2, CO and NO on both CH3- and OH- terminated SAM, we found a correlation between the gas-surface interactions and a bulk property, solubility. Both being strongly affected by intermolecular forces, the gas-surface energy transfer and solubility of gases in surface-similar solvents (water for OH-SAM, n-hexane for CH3-SAM) have a positive correlation. This correlation facilitates the understanding of interfacial dynamics at the molecular level, and helps predict the outcome of the similar-size gas collisions on surfaces.
Advisors/Committee Members: Morris, John R. (committeechair), Esker, Alan R. (committee member), Tissue, Brian M. (committee member).
Subjects/Keywords: Self-assembled monolayers; Molecular beam; Ultra-high vacuum; Energy transfer; Solubility
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APA ·
Chicago ·
MLA ·
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Export
to Zotero / EndNote / Reference
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APA (6th Edition):
Wang, G. (2015). The Dynamics of Gas-Surface Energy Transfer in Collisions of Diatomic Gases with Organic Surfaces. (Masters Thesis). Virginia Tech. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/10919/51179
Chicago Manual of Style (16th Edition):
Wang, Guanyu. “The Dynamics of Gas-Surface Energy Transfer in Collisions of Diatomic Gases with Organic Surfaces.” 2015. Masters Thesis, Virginia Tech. Accessed January 16, 2021.
http://hdl.handle.net/10919/51179.
MLA Handbook (7th Edition):
Wang, Guanyu. “The Dynamics of Gas-Surface Energy Transfer in Collisions of Diatomic Gases with Organic Surfaces.” 2015. Web. 16 Jan 2021.
Vancouver:
Wang G. The Dynamics of Gas-Surface Energy Transfer in Collisions of Diatomic Gases with Organic Surfaces. [Internet] [Masters thesis]. Virginia Tech; 2015. [cited 2021 Jan 16].
Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/10919/51179.
Council of Science Editors:
Wang G. The Dynamics of Gas-Surface Energy Transfer in Collisions of Diatomic Gases with Organic Surfaces. [Masters Thesis]. Virginia Tech; 2015. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/10919/51179

Virginia Tech
7.
Wang, Guanyu.
Interfacial Energy Transfer in Small Hydrocarbon Collisions with Organic Surfaces and the Decomposition of Chemical Warfare Agent Simulants within Metal-Organic Frameworks.
Degree: PhD, Chemistry, 2019, Virginia Tech
URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10919/100746
► A molecular-level understanding of gas-surface energy exchange and reaction mechanisms will aid in the prediction of the environmental fate of pollutants and enable advances toward…
(more)
▼ A molecular-level understanding of gas-surface energy exchange and reaction mechanisms will aid in the prediction of the environmental fate of pollutants and enable advances toward catalysts for the decomposition of toxic compounds. To this end, molecular beam scattering experiments performed in an ultra-high vacuum environment have provided key insights into the initial collision and outcome of critical interfacial processes on model systems.
Results from these surface science experiments show that, upon gas-surface collisions, energy transfer depends, in subtle ways, on both the properties of the gas molecules and surfaces. Specifically, model organic surfaces, comprised of long-chain methyl- and hydroxyl-terminated self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) have been employed to test how an interfacial hydrogen bonding network may affect the ability of a gas-phase compound to thermally accommodate (typically, the first step in a reaction) with the surfaces. Results indeed show that small organic compounds transfer less energy to the interconnected hydroxyl-terminated SAM (OH-SAM) than to the organic surface with methyl groups at the interface. However, the dynamics also appear to depend on the polarizability of the impinging gas-phase molecule. The π electrons in the double bond of ethene (C2H4) and the triple bond in ethyne (C2H2) appear to act as hydrogen bond acceptors when the molecules collide with the OH-SAM. The molecular beam scattering studies have demonstrated that these weak attractive forces facilitate energy transfer. A positive correlation between energy transfer and solubilities for analogous solute-solvent combinations was observed for the CH3-SAM (TD fractions: C2H6 > C2H4 > C2H2), but not for the OH-SAM (TD fractions: C2H6 > C2H2 > C2H4). The extent of energy transfer between ethane, ethene, and ethyne and the CH3-SAM appears to be determined by the degrees of freedom or rigidity of the impinging compound, while gas-surface attractive forces play a more decisive role in controlling the scattering dynamics at the OH-SAM.
Beyond fundamental studies of energy transfer, this thesis provides detailed surface-science-based studies of the mechanisms involved in the uptake and decomposition of chemical warfare agent (CWA) simulants on or within metal-organic frameworks (MOFs). The work presented here represents the first such study reported in with traditional surface-science based methods have been applied to the study of MOF chemistry. The mechanism and kinetics of interactions between dimethyl methylphosphonate (DMMP) or dimethyl chlorophosphate (DMCP), key CWA simulants, and Zr6-based metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have been investigated with in situ infrared spectroscopy (IR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), and DFT calculations. DMMP and DMCP were found to adsorb molecularly (physisorption) to the MOFs through the formation of hydrogen bonds between the phosphoryl oxygen and the free hydroxyl groups associated with Zr6 nodes or dangling -COH groups on the surface…
Advisors/Committee Members: Morris, John R. (committeechair), Troya, Diego (committee member), Tissue, Brian M. (committee member), Esker, Alan R. (committee member).
Subjects/Keywords: Self-assembled monolayer; Molecular beam; Ultra-high vacuum; Energy transfer; Nerve agent simulant; Metal organic framework
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❌
APA ·
Chicago ·
MLA ·
Vancouver ·
CSE |
Export
to Zotero / EndNote / Reference
Manager
APA (6th Edition):
Wang, G. (2019). Interfacial Energy Transfer in Small Hydrocarbon Collisions with Organic Surfaces and the Decomposition of Chemical Warfare Agent Simulants within Metal-Organic Frameworks. (Doctoral Dissertation). Virginia Tech. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/10919/100746
Chicago Manual of Style (16th Edition):
Wang, Guanyu. “Interfacial Energy Transfer in Small Hydrocarbon Collisions with Organic Surfaces and the Decomposition of Chemical Warfare Agent Simulants within Metal-Organic Frameworks.” 2019. Doctoral Dissertation, Virginia Tech. Accessed January 16, 2021.
http://hdl.handle.net/10919/100746.
MLA Handbook (7th Edition):
Wang, Guanyu. “Interfacial Energy Transfer in Small Hydrocarbon Collisions with Organic Surfaces and the Decomposition of Chemical Warfare Agent Simulants within Metal-Organic Frameworks.” 2019. Web. 16 Jan 2021.
Vancouver:
Wang G. Interfacial Energy Transfer in Small Hydrocarbon Collisions with Organic Surfaces and the Decomposition of Chemical Warfare Agent Simulants within Metal-Organic Frameworks. [Internet] [Doctoral dissertation]. Virginia Tech; 2019. [cited 2021 Jan 16].
Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/10919/100746.
Council of Science Editors:
Wang G. Interfacial Energy Transfer in Small Hydrocarbon Collisions with Organic Surfaces and the Decomposition of Chemical Warfare Agent Simulants within Metal-Organic Frameworks. [Doctoral Dissertation]. Virginia Tech; 2019. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/10919/100746

Virginia Tech
8.
Wang, Chao.
Renewable Natural Polymer Thin Films and Their Interactions with Biomacromolecules.
Degree: PhD, Chemistry, 2014, Virginia Tech
URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10919/64909
► Natural polymers from renewable resources have attracted increasing interest as candidates for renewable energy and functional materials. In this work, the interactions between natural polymer…
(more)
▼ Natural polymers from renewable resources have attracted increasing interest as candidates for renewable energy and functional materials. In this work, the interactions between natural polymer thin films and biomacromolecules were studied via surface analysis techniques, such as a quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring (QCM-D), surface plasmon resonance (SPR) and atomic force microscopy (AFM).
Chitinase activity on regenerated chitin (RChitin) films was studied by QCM-D and AFM. The optimal temperature and pH for chitinase activity on surfaces determined by QCM-D and AFM were consistent with bulk solution studies in the literature. Results from QCM-D also indicated that chitinase showed higher activity on fully acetylated chitin than highly deacetylated chitosan.
Nanocrystalline chitin (Chitin NC) thin films were prepared by spincoating a nanocrystalline chitin colloidal suspension onto solid surfaces. Solvent exchange experiments via QCM-D with H2O/D2O revealed that Chitin NC films had more water than RChitin films of similar thickness. Results from QCM-D demonstrated that Chitin NC films had high bovine serum albumin loading capacity, and chitinase not only degraded, but also caused swelling of the chitin nanocrystals.
Adsorption of human serum albumin (HSA) and fibrinogen (HFN) onto bare gold, regenerated cellulose (RC) and RChitin thin films was studied by SPR and QCM-D. Studies by SPR indicated that HSA and HFN formed close-packed monolayers on gold surfaces and sub-monolayers on polysaccharide surfaces, and the adsorption affinity of HSA for polysaccharide surfaces was greater than that of HFN. Results from QCM-D and SPR showed that the protein layers on polysaccharide surfaces had more associated water than proteins on gold surfaces.
The dehydrogenative polymerization of monolignols catalyzed by physically immobilized horseradish peroxidase was investigated using QCM-D and AFM. Results from QCM-D and AFM showed that coniferyl and p-coumaryl alcohol underwent polymerization directly, whereas sinapyl alcohol required the addition of a nucleophile for polymerization. Studies by QCM-D and AFM also indicated that the surface-initiated polymerization was greatly affected by the support surface, monolignol concentration, hydrogen peroxide concentration and temperature.
Thin films of dehydrogenative polymer (DHP), kraft (KL), organosolv (OL) and milled wood (MWL) lignins were used to study the enzymatic degradation of lignin mediated by lignin peroxidase (LiP) and manganese peroxidase (MnP). Results from QCM-D showed that the initial rates for degradation catalyzed by LiP increased in the order: KL < OL < MWL < guaiacyl DHP (G-DHP) < p-hydroxyphenyl DHP (H-DHP). In contrast, manganese peroxidase only degraded DHP films with a faster initial rate for G-DHP than H-DHP.
Adsorption of hemicelluloses onto KL, OL and MWL thin films was studied by QCM-D and SPR. Results from QCM-D showed that hemicelluloses with different structures displayed very different adsorption…
Advisors/Committee Members: Esker, Alan R. (committeechair), Gibson, Harry W. (committee member), Edgar, Kevin J. (committee member), Turner, S. Richard (committee member).
Subjects/Keywords: Chitin; Lignin; Cellulose; Hemicelluloses; Proteins; Thin Films; Enzymatic Degradation; Adsorption; Quartz Crystal Microbalance with Dissipation Monitoring; Surface Plasmon Resonance; Atomic Force Microscopy
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❌
APA ·
Chicago ·
MLA ·
Vancouver ·
CSE |
Export
to Zotero / EndNote / Reference
Manager
APA (6th Edition):
Wang, C. (2014). Renewable Natural Polymer Thin Films and Their Interactions with Biomacromolecules. (Doctoral Dissertation). Virginia Tech. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/10919/64909
Chicago Manual of Style (16th Edition):
Wang, Chao. “Renewable Natural Polymer Thin Films and Their Interactions with Biomacromolecules.” 2014. Doctoral Dissertation, Virginia Tech. Accessed January 16, 2021.
http://hdl.handle.net/10919/64909.
MLA Handbook (7th Edition):
Wang, Chao. “Renewable Natural Polymer Thin Films and Their Interactions with Biomacromolecules.” 2014. Web. 16 Jan 2021.
Vancouver:
Wang C. Renewable Natural Polymer Thin Films and Their Interactions with Biomacromolecules. [Internet] [Doctoral dissertation]. Virginia Tech; 2014. [cited 2021 Jan 16].
Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/10919/64909.
Council of Science Editors:
Wang C. Renewable Natural Polymer Thin Films and Their Interactions with Biomacromolecules. [Doctoral Dissertation]. Virginia Tech; 2014. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/10919/64909

Virginia Tech
9.
Sheth, Swapnil Suhas.
Self-Consistency of the Lauritzen-Hoffman and Strobl Models of Polymer Crystallization Evaluated for Poly(ε-caprolactone) Fractions and Effect of Composition on the Phenomenon of Concurrent Crystallization in Polyethylene Blends.
Degree: PhD, Chemistry, 2013, Virginia Tech
URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10919/23904
► Narrow molecular weight fractions of Poly(ε-caprolactone) were successfully obtained using the successive precipitation fractionation technique with toluene/n-heptane as a solvent/nonsolvent pair. Calorimetric studies of the…
(more)
▼ Narrow molecular weight fractions of Poly(ε-caprolactone) were successfully obtained using the successive precipitation fractionation technique with toluene/n-heptane as a solvent/nonsolvent pair. Calorimetric studies of the melting behavior of fractions that were crystallized either isothermally or under constant cooling rate conditions suggested that the isothermal crystallization of the samples should be used for a proper evaluation of the molecular weight dependence of the observed melting temperature and degree of crystallinity in PCL. The molecular weight and temperature dependence of the spherulitic growth rate of fractions was studied in the context of the Lauritzen-Hoffman two-phase model and the Strobl three-phase model of polymer crystallization. The zero-growth rate temperatures, determined from spherulitic growth rates using four different methods, are consistent with each other and increase with chain length. The concomitant increase in the apparent secondary nucleation constant was attributed to two factors. First, for longer chains there is an increase in the probability that crystalline stems belong to loose chain-folds, hence, an increase in fold surface free energy. It is speculated that the increase in loose folding and resulting decrease in crystallinity with increasing chain length are associated with the ester group registration requirement in PCL crystals. The second contribution to the apparent nucleation constant arises
from chain friction associated with segmental transport across the melt/crystal interface. These factors were responsible for the much stronger chain length dependence of spherulitic growth rates at fixed undercooling observed here with PCL than previously reported for PE and PEO. In the case of PCL, the scaling exponent associated with the chain length dependence of spherulitic growth rates exceeds the upper theoretical bound of 2 predicted from the Brochard-DeGennes chain pullout model. Observation that zero-growth and equilibrium melting temperature values are identical with each other within the uncertainty of their determinations casts serious doubt on the validity of Strobl three-phase model.
A novel method is proposed to determine the Porod constant necessary to extrapolate the small angle X-ray scattering intensity data to large scattering vectors. The one-dimensional correlation function determined using this Porod constant yielded the values of lamellar crystal thickness, which were similar to these estimated using the Hosemann-Bagchi Paracrystalline Lattice model. The temperature dependence of the lamellar crystal thickness was consistent with both LH and the Strobl model of polymer crystallization. However, in contrast to the predictions of Strobl’s model, the value of the mesomorph-to-crystal equilibrium transition temperature was very close to the zero-growth temperature. Moreover, the lateral block sizes (obtained using wide angle X-ray diffraction) and the lamellar thicknesses were not found to be controlled by the mesomorph-to-crystal equilibrium…
Advisors/Committee Members: Marand, Hervé L. (committeechair), Moore, Robert Bowen (committee member), Esker, Alan R. (committee member), Turner, S. Richard (committee member).
Subjects/Keywords: Polymer Crystallization; Poly(ε-caprolactone); Lauritzen-Hoffman Model; Strobl Model; Fractionation; Spherulite Growth Rate; Brochard-deGennes Theory; Lamellar Thickness; X-ray Scattering; Concurrent Crystallization; Co-crystallization
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APA ·
Chicago ·
MLA ·
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APA (6th Edition):
Sheth, S. S. (2013). Self-Consistency of the Lauritzen-Hoffman and Strobl Models of Polymer Crystallization Evaluated for Poly(ε-caprolactone) Fractions and Effect of Composition on the Phenomenon of Concurrent Crystallization in Polyethylene Blends. (Doctoral Dissertation). Virginia Tech. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/10919/23904
Chicago Manual of Style (16th Edition):
Sheth, Swapnil Suhas. “Self-Consistency of the Lauritzen-Hoffman and Strobl Models of Polymer Crystallization Evaluated for Poly(ε-caprolactone) Fractions and Effect of Composition on the Phenomenon of Concurrent Crystallization in Polyethylene Blends.” 2013. Doctoral Dissertation, Virginia Tech. Accessed January 16, 2021.
http://hdl.handle.net/10919/23904.
MLA Handbook (7th Edition):
Sheth, Swapnil Suhas. “Self-Consistency of the Lauritzen-Hoffman and Strobl Models of Polymer Crystallization Evaluated for Poly(ε-caprolactone) Fractions and Effect of Composition on the Phenomenon of Concurrent Crystallization in Polyethylene Blends.” 2013. Web. 16 Jan 2021.
Vancouver:
Sheth SS. Self-Consistency of the Lauritzen-Hoffman and Strobl Models of Polymer Crystallization Evaluated for Poly(ε-caprolactone) Fractions and Effect of Composition on the Phenomenon of Concurrent Crystallization in Polyethylene Blends. [Internet] [Doctoral dissertation]. Virginia Tech; 2013. [cited 2021 Jan 16].
Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/10919/23904.
Council of Science Editors:
Sheth SS. Self-Consistency of the Lauritzen-Hoffman and Strobl Models of Polymer Crystallization Evaluated for Poly(ε-caprolactone) Fractions and Effect of Composition on the Phenomenon of Concurrent Crystallization in Polyethylene Blends. [Doctoral Dissertation]. Virginia Tech; 2013. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/10919/23904

Virginia Tech
10.
Gao, Chengzhe.
Regioselective chlorination of cellulose esters.
Degree: MS, Chemistry, 2018, Virginia Tech
URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10919/96548
► Chemical modification of cellulose has been of growing interest, owing to the abundance and processing challenges of natural cellulose. To date, etherification and esterification are…
(more)
▼ Chemical modification of cellulose has been of growing interest, owing to the abundance and processing challenges of natural cellulose. To date, etherification and esterification are the most effective strategies to modify physicochemical properties of cellulose and append new functionalities. However, they typically require relatively harsh conditions, thus limiting introduction of new functional groups. An alternative strategy to synthesize novel cellulose derivatives is to append a good leaving group to cellulose backbone, followed by nucleophilic substitution reaction. Though tosylation and bromination of cellulose are frequently used, they have drawbacks such as chemo- and regioselectivity issues, high cost, and difficulty in purification. We have successfully developed a method to chemo- and regioselectively chlorinate cellulose esters using MsCl. Compared to bromination of cellulose typically used, this chlorination method has many advantages, including low cost of reagents and ease of separation. The chlorinated cellulose esters are useful intermediates for appending new functionalities by displacement reactions. We have synthesized a library of cellulose ester derivatives by this chlorination/nucleophilic substitution strategy, including cationic and anionic cellulose ester derivatives. These cellulose ester derivatives possess great potentialiii for various applications, including amorphous solid dispersion, tight junction opening, anionic drug delivery, and gas separation membranes.
Advisors/Committee Members: Edgar, Kevin J. (committeechair), Matson, John (committee member), Esker, Alan R. (committee member), Turner, S. Richard (committee member).
Subjects/Keywords: Cellulose; Cellulose Ester; Chlorination; Regioselectivity; Nucleophilic Substitution; Polyelectrolyte
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APA ·
Chicago ·
MLA ·
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APA (6th Edition):
Gao, C. (2018). Regioselective chlorination of cellulose esters. (Masters Thesis). Virginia Tech. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/10919/96548
Chicago Manual of Style (16th Edition):
Gao, Chengzhe. “Regioselective chlorination of cellulose esters.” 2018. Masters Thesis, Virginia Tech. Accessed January 16, 2021.
http://hdl.handle.net/10919/96548.
MLA Handbook (7th Edition):
Gao, Chengzhe. “Regioselective chlorination of cellulose esters.” 2018. Web. 16 Jan 2021.
Vancouver:
Gao C. Regioselective chlorination of cellulose esters. [Internet] [Masters thesis]. Virginia Tech; 2018. [cited 2021 Jan 16].
Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/10919/96548.
Council of Science Editors:
Gao C. Regioselective chlorination of cellulose esters. [Masters Thesis]. Virginia Tech; 2018. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/10919/96548

Virginia Tech
11.
Savage, Alice.
Synthesis and Solution Properties of Semi-rigid Polyelectrolytes and Polyampholytes.
Degree: PhD, Chemistry, 2014, Virginia Tech
URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10919/50820
► The incorporation of substituted stilbenes in copolymers affects the resulting solution properties and their controlled radical polymerizations. Substituted stilbene monomers readily polymerize in an alternating…
(more)
▼ The incorporation of substituted stilbenes in copolymers affects the resulting solution properties and their controlled radical polymerizations. Substituted stilbene monomers readily polymerize in an alternating fashion with acceptor comonomers such as maleic anhydride and maleimide. These sterically crowded polymer backbones are classified as semi-rigid. As this is an uncommon category of polymer backbone rigidity, examples of semi-rigid and rigid polyzwitterions in the literature were reviewed as well as stilbene-containing semi-rigid polymers. Using a deprotection strategy, anionic polyelectrolytes and polyampholytes of stilbene-maleic anhydride copolymers were synthesized and characterized by first synthesizing organic-soluble polymer precursors. Solution shear rheology and statistical segment length measurements reveal that carboxylated polyanions containing stilbene and maleic acid remain semi-rigid in aqueous solutions. It was found that these semi-rigid polyanions exhibited excellent anti-HIV activity possibly due to their more extended polymer chains. This was the first time that intrinsic polymer rigidity was introduced as a possible design parameter for microbicidal applications. Reversible addition fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization techniques were used to copolymerize 4-diethylaminostilbene with maleic anhydride. These new semi-rigid copolymers were incorporated into double hydrophilic block copolymers (DHBCS) containing semi-rigid and flexible segments. The subsequent solutions properties of these DHBCs were evaluated with respect to pH and salt responsiveness. Notably, the DHBCs exhibited a "like-charge" attraction as ionic strength increased which was attributed to the semi-rigid character of the polyampholyte block copolymer.
Advisors/Committee Members: Turner, S. Richard (committeechair), Long, Timothy E. (committee member), Davis, Richey M. (committee member), Esker, Alan R. (committee member).
Subjects/Keywords: Semi-rigid; polyelectrolytes; alternating copolymers; polyampholytes
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APA ·
Chicago ·
MLA ·
Vancouver ·
CSE |
Export
to Zotero / EndNote / Reference
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APA (6th Edition):
Savage, A. (2014). Synthesis and Solution Properties of Semi-rigid Polyelectrolytes and Polyampholytes. (Doctoral Dissertation). Virginia Tech. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/10919/50820
Chicago Manual of Style (16th Edition):
Savage, Alice. “Synthesis and Solution Properties of Semi-rigid Polyelectrolytes and Polyampholytes.” 2014. Doctoral Dissertation, Virginia Tech. Accessed January 16, 2021.
http://hdl.handle.net/10919/50820.
MLA Handbook (7th Edition):
Savage, Alice. “Synthesis and Solution Properties of Semi-rigid Polyelectrolytes and Polyampholytes.” 2014. Web. 16 Jan 2021.
Vancouver:
Savage A. Synthesis and Solution Properties of Semi-rigid Polyelectrolytes and Polyampholytes. [Internet] [Doctoral dissertation]. Virginia Tech; 2014. [cited 2021 Jan 16].
Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/10919/50820.
Council of Science Editors:
Savage A. Synthesis and Solution Properties of Semi-rigid Polyelectrolytes and Polyampholytes. [Doctoral Dissertation]. Virginia Tech; 2014. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/10919/50820

Virginia Tech
12.
Zhou, Xu.
Synthesis and Characterization of Nanoporous Copolymers with Potential Gas Storage Applications.
Degree: PhD, Chemistry, 2013, Virginia Tech
URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10919/51669
► Nanoporous organic polymers, including hypercrosslinked polymers (HCPs), covalent organic frameworks (COFs), polymers of intrinsic microporosity (PIMs), and conjugated microporous polymers (CMPs) etc., are considered good…
(more)
▼ Nanoporous organic polymers, including hypercrosslinked polymers (HCPs), covalent organic frameworks (COFs), polymers of intrinsic microporosity (PIMs), and conjugated microporous polymers (CMPs) etc., are considered good candidates for potential gas storage and gas separation applications.
Porosities and surface areas of a series of semirigid alternating copolymers, which contained tert-butyl carboxylate-functionalized stilbene or tert-butyl carboxylate-functionalized styrene, and maleic anhydride or tert-butyl carboxylate-functionalized phenyl maleimide, were investigated using nitrogen sorption/desorption isotherms at 77 K and molecular simulations. These alternating copolymers were found to have Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface areas in the range of 20-40 m2/g. Surface areas of these alternating copolymers increased as the steric crowding of the polymer backbone increased, which was the result of introducing extra phenyl rings and/or N-phenyl substituent maleimide units. Surface areas were found to increase as the persistence length increased.
A series of HCPs containing functionalized stilbene and N-substituted phenyl maleimide were synthesized via free radical suspension polymerization. The incorporation of these functionalized, chain stiffening, Tg enhancing comonomers raised the Tgs of precursor polymers before they were crosslinked. Surface areas of these HCPs, obtained from nitrogen adsorption/desorption isotherms at 77 K, were up to 1058 m2/g. However, the surface areas of these HCPs were systematically lower than the controls. The high rigidity of the polymer backbone, which was the result of incorporating Tg enhancing comonomer, likely affected the chain mobility of the precursor polymer, decreased the efficiency of post-crosslinking reactions, and thus resulted in lower surface areas.
Amine-functionalized styrene/stilbene polymers were prepared via free radical polymerization or post-modification. Amine-containing silica-based sorbents were prepared using the impregnation method. Sorption of CO2 by these materials was tested using TGA and compared with control samples. Both high amine content and certain levels of surface area were found to be important for a sorbent to achieve high CO2 uptake. Highest CO2 uptake (12 wt%) under our testing condition in these materials was achieved by an amine-containing silica sorbent.
Advisors/Committee Members: Turner, S. Richard (committeechair), Gibson, Harry W. (committee member), Gandour, Richard D. (committee member), Esker, Alan R. (committee member).
Subjects/Keywords: nanoporous polymer; semirigid alternating copolymer; gas sorption; surface area; functionalized stilbene; functionalized maleimide; hypercrosslinked polymer; suspension polymerization; free radical polymerization; mesoporous silica; CO2 capture
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❌
APA ·
Chicago ·
MLA ·
Vancouver ·
CSE |
Export
to Zotero / EndNote / Reference
Manager
APA (6th Edition):
Zhou, X. (2013). Synthesis and Characterization of Nanoporous Copolymers with Potential Gas Storage Applications. (Doctoral Dissertation). Virginia Tech. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/10919/51669
Chicago Manual of Style (16th Edition):
Zhou, Xu. “Synthesis and Characterization of Nanoporous Copolymers with Potential Gas Storage Applications.” 2013. Doctoral Dissertation, Virginia Tech. Accessed January 16, 2021.
http://hdl.handle.net/10919/51669.
MLA Handbook (7th Edition):
Zhou, Xu. “Synthesis and Characterization of Nanoporous Copolymers with Potential Gas Storage Applications.” 2013. Web. 16 Jan 2021.
Vancouver:
Zhou X. Synthesis and Characterization of Nanoporous Copolymers with Potential Gas Storage Applications. [Internet] [Doctoral dissertation]. Virginia Tech; 2013. [cited 2021 Jan 16].
Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/10919/51669.
Council of Science Editors:
Zhou X. Synthesis and Characterization of Nanoporous Copolymers with Potential Gas Storage Applications. [Doctoral Dissertation]. Virginia Tech; 2013. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/10919/51669

Virginia Tech
13.
Zhang, Wei.
Biopolymer Structure Analysis and Saccharification of Glycerol Thermal Processed Biomass.
Degree: PhD, Macromolecular Science and Engineering, 2015, Virginia Tech
URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10919/71830
► Glycerol thermal processing (GTP) is studied as a novel biomass pretreatment method in this research with the purposes to facilitate biopolymer fractionation and biomass saccharification.…
(more)
▼ Glycerol thermal processing (GTP) is studied as a novel biomass pretreatment method in this research with the purposes to facilitate biopolymer fractionation and biomass saccharification. This approach is performed by treating sweet gum particles on polymer processing equipment at high temperatures and short times in the presence of anhydrous glycerol. Nine severity conditions are studied to assess the impact of time and temperature during the processing on biopolymer structure and conversion.
The GTP pretreatment results in the disruption of cell wall networks by increasing the removal of side-chain sugars and lignin-carbohydrate linkages based on severity conditions. After pretreatment, 41% of the lignin and 68% of the xylan is recovered in a dry powdered form by subsequent extractions without additional catalysts, leaving a relatively pure cellulose fraction, 84% glucan, as found in chemical pulps.
Lignin structural analysis indicated GTP processing resulted in extensive degradation of B-aryl ether bonds through the C-y elimination, followed by abundant phenolic hydroxyl liberation. At the same time, condensation occurred in the GTP lignin, providing relatively high molecular weight, near to that of the enzymatic mild acidolysis lignin. Better thermal stability was observed for this GTP lignin. In addition to lignin, xylan was successfully isolated as another polymer stream after GTP pretreatment. The recovered water insoluble xylan (WIX) was predominant alkali soluble fraction with a maximum purity of 84% and comparable molecular weight to xylan isolated from non-pretreated fibers. Additionally, the narrow molecular weight distribution of recovered WIX, was arisen from the pre-extraction of low molecular weight water-soluble xylan.
Additionally, a 20-fold increase of the ultimate enzymatic saccharification for GTP pretreated biomass was observed even with significant amounts of lignin and xylan remaining on the non-extracted fiber. The shear and heat processing caused a disintegrated cell wall structure with formation of biomass debris and release of cellulose fibrils, enhancing surface area and most likely porosity. These structural changes were responsible for the improved biomass digestibility. Additionally, no significant inhibitory compounds for saccharification are produced during GTP processing, even at high temperatures. While lignin extraction did not promote improvement in hydrolysis rates, further xylan extraction greatly increases the initial enzymatic hydrolysis rate and final level of saccharification.
The serial of studies fully demonstrate glycerol thermal processing as a novel pretreatment method to enhance biomass saccharification for biofuel production, as well as facilitate biopolymer fractionation. Moreover, the study shows the impact of thermally introduced structural changes to wood biopolymers when heated in anhydrous environments in the presence of hydrogen bonding solvent.
Advisors/Committee Members: Renneckar, Scott Harold (committeechair), Goodell, Barry (committee member), Barone, Justin R. (committee member), Frazier, Charles E. (committee member), Esker, Alan R. (committee member).
Subjects/Keywords: glycerol thermal processing; lignin; xylan; biomass saccharification; structural analysis
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APA ·
Chicago ·
MLA ·
Vancouver ·
CSE |
Export
to Zotero / EndNote / Reference
Manager
APA (6th Edition):
Zhang, W. (2015). Biopolymer Structure Analysis and Saccharification of Glycerol Thermal Processed Biomass. (Doctoral Dissertation). Virginia Tech. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/10919/71830
Chicago Manual of Style (16th Edition):
Zhang, Wei. “Biopolymer Structure Analysis and Saccharification of Glycerol Thermal Processed Biomass.” 2015. Doctoral Dissertation, Virginia Tech. Accessed January 16, 2021.
http://hdl.handle.net/10919/71830.
MLA Handbook (7th Edition):
Zhang, Wei. “Biopolymer Structure Analysis and Saccharification of Glycerol Thermal Processed Biomass.” 2015. Web. 16 Jan 2021.
Vancouver:
Zhang W. Biopolymer Structure Analysis and Saccharification of Glycerol Thermal Processed Biomass. [Internet] [Doctoral dissertation]. Virginia Tech; 2015. [cited 2021 Jan 16].
Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/10919/71830.
Council of Science Editors:
Zhang W. Biopolymer Structure Analysis and Saccharification of Glycerol Thermal Processed Biomass. [Doctoral Dissertation]. Virginia Tech; 2015. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/10919/71830

Virginia Tech
14.
Zhang, Xiao.
Adsorption of Biomacromolecules onto Polysaccharide Surfaces.
Degree: PhD, Chemistry, 2014, Virginia Tech
URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10919/52574
► Plant cell wall polysaccharides are abundant natural polymers making them potential sources for sustainable and biodegradable materials. Interfacial behavior, including adsorption and enzymatic degradation, of…
(more)
▼ Plant cell wall polysaccharides are abundant natural polymers making them potential sources for sustainable and biodegradable materials. Interfacial behavior, including adsorption and enzymatic degradation, of several plant cell wall polysaccharides and their derivatives were studied with a quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring (QCM-D), surface plasmon resonance (SPR) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). Xyloglucan adsorption isotherms were obtained to probe how cellulose-hemicellulose interactions were affected by the type of cellulose substrate and molar mass of xyloglucan. Xyloglucan as small as a heptasaccharide still adsorbed irreversibly onto cellulose. Carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) adsorption onto cellulose and viscoelastic properties and water contents of the adsorbed CMC layers were obtained from a combination of QCM-D and SPR data. The CMC samples formed hydrated and viscoelastic layers compared to the relatively rigid xyloglucan layer. Pectin model surfaces were prepared by pectin adsorption from citric phosphate buffer onto gold substrates. These pectin model surfaces were used for subsequent interaction studies with xyloglucan and enzymatic degradation behavior. There is a strong correlation between the degree of esterification (DE) and film resistance to degradation with the high DE being the most susceptible to degradation. The adsorption of two mixed linkage glucans (MLG), barley and lichen MLG, onto regenerated cellulose (RC) surfaces in the absence and presence of other matrix polysaccharides was studied. Viscoelastic properties of the resulting layer were compared as a function of the proprotion of '-(1''3) linkages with lichen MLG forming softer gel-like layers on RC. The lichen MLG layers were further used for enzymatic degradation studies with respect to enzyme concentration, temperature, pH and ionic strength. These studies show that polymer adsorption is a promising strategy to modify material surfaces and provides fundamental understanding of interactions and biodegradation of cell wall polysaccharides at solid/liquid interfaces.
Advisors/Committee Members: Esker, Alan R. (committeechair), Marand, Herve (committee member), Roman, Maren (committee member), Edgar, Kevin J. (committee member), Madsen, Louis A. (committee member).
Subjects/Keywords: Quartz Crystal Microbalance with Dissipation Monitoring; Surface Plasmon Resonance; Cellulose; Carboxymethyl Cellulose; Pectin and Mixed Linkage Glucans
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❌
APA ·
Chicago ·
MLA ·
Vancouver ·
CSE |
Export
to Zotero / EndNote / Reference
Manager
APA (6th Edition):
Zhang, X. (2014). Adsorption of Biomacromolecules onto Polysaccharide Surfaces. (Doctoral Dissertation). Virginia Tech. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/10919/52574
Chicago Manual of Style (16th Edition):
Zhang, Xiao. “Adsorption of Biomacromolecules onto Polysaccharide Surfaces.” 2014. Doctoral Dissertation, Virginia Tech. Accessed January 16, 2021.
http://hdl.handle.net/10919/52574.
MLA Handbook (7th Edition):
Zhang, Xiao. “Adsorption of Biomacromolecules onto Polysaccharide Surfaces.” 2014. Web. 16 Jan 2021.
Vancouver:
Zhang X. Adsorption of Biomacromolecules onto Polysaccharide Surfaces. [Internet] [Doctoral dissertation]. Virginia Tech; 2014. [cited 2021 Jan 16].
Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/10919/52574.
Council of Science Editors:
Zhang X. Adsorption of Biomacromolecules onto Polysaccharide Surfaces. [Doctoral Dissertation]. Virginia Tech; 2014. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/10919/52574

Virginia Tech
15.
Liu, Yang.
Synthesis and Characterization of Polyhedral Oligomeric Silsesquioxane (POSS) Based Amphiphiles.
Degree: PhD, Chemistry, 2011, Virginia Tech
URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10919/77182
► Polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxanes (POSS) have attracted substantial academic interest for many years as hybrid materials and nanofillers for controlling thermal and mechanical properties, and providing…
(more)
▼ Polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxanes (POSS) have attracted substantial academic interest for many years as hybrid materials and nanofillers for controlling thermal and mechanical properties, and providing thermal and chemical resistance while retaining ease of processing. A natural extension of these studies has been POSS-based amphiphiles and thin film coatings. Studies at the air/water (A/W) interface have shown that trisilanol-POSS derivatives are amphiphilic and form uniform Langmuir films, whereas closed-cage POSS derivatives are hydrophobic and aggregate.
In previous work, a triester (POSS-triester) and a triacid (POSS-triacid) were synthesized from PSS-(3-hydroxypropyl)-heptaisobutyl (POSS-OH) and Weisocyanate and fully characterized by surface pressure – area per molecule (Π-A) isotherm and Brewster angle microscopy (BAM) studies at the A/W interface. The results indicated that POSS-triester is surface active forming a liquid expanded (LE) monolayer, whereas POSS-triacid forms a liquid condensed (LC) monolayer that is only weakly affected by pH. A face-on conformation was proposed and examined to understand the packing of POSS-based amphiphilic molecules at the A/W interface. The face-on/vertex-on comparison is rarely discussed for Langmuir monolayers at the A/W interface.
In this thesis, three other POSS-based esters were synthesized from POSS-OH and aminopropylisobutyl-POSS (POSS-NH₂) using Weisocyanate and a similar isocyanate containing two tert-butyl protected carboxylic acids. The synthesized materials are characterized by Π-A isotherm and BAM. For POSS-OH based diester (PAlDE) and POSS-NH2 based diester (PAmDE), LE/LC phase transitions were observed in Π-A isotherms over part of the experimentally accessible temperature range and were attributed to a change from a vertex-on to face-on conformation. Apparent BAM images confirmed LC islands coexisted with the LE phase. The experimentally observed dynamic estimates of the critical temperatures (Tc) were estimated from a two-dimensional Clausius-Clapeyron analysis and were consistent with the temperature dependence of the Π-A isotherms. These LE/LC phase transitions are the first observed for POSS amphiphiles.
Advisors/Committee Members: Esker, Alan R. (committeechair), Marand, Hervé L. (committee member), Gandour, Richard D. (committee member), Morris, John R. (committee member).
Subjects/Keywords: Π–A isotherms; air/water (A/W) interface; Brewster angle microscopy (BAM); POSS; Langmuir films
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❌
APA ·
Chicago ·
MLA ·
Vancouver ·
CSE |
Export
to Zotero / EndNote / Reference
Manager
APA (6th Edition):
Liu, Y. (2011). Synthesis and Characterization of Polyhedral Oligomeric Silsesquioxane (POSS) Based Amphiphiles. (Doctoral Dissertation). Virginia Tech. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/10919/77182
Chicago Manual of Style (16th Edition):
Liu, Yang. “Synthesis and Characterization of Polyhedral Oligomeric Silsesquioxane (POSS) Based Amphiphiles.” 2011. Doctoral Dissertation, Virginia Tech. Accessed January 16, 2021.
http://hdl.handle.net/10919/77182.
MLA Handbook (7th Edition):
Liu, Yang. “Synthesis and Characterization of Polyhedral Oligomeric Silsesquioxane (POSS) Based Amphiphiles.” 2011. Web. 16 Jan 2021.
Vancouver:
Liu Y. Synthesis and Characterization of Polyhedral Oligomeric Silsesquioxane (POSS) Based Amphiphiles. [Internet] [Doctoral dissertation]. Virginia Tech; 2011. [cited 2021 Jan 16].
Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/10919/77182.
Council of Science Editors:
Liu Y. Synthesis and Characterization of Polyhedral Oligomeric Silsesquioxane (POSS) Based Amphiphiles. [Doctoral Dissertation]. Virginia Tech; 2011. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/10919/77182

Virginia Tech
16.
Kittle, Joshua Daniel.
Characterization of Cellulose and Chitin Thin Films and Their Interactions with Bio-based Polymers.
Degree: PhD, Chemistry, 2012, Virginia Tech
URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10919/26806
► As the two most abundant natural polymers on earth, cellulose and chitin have attracted increasing attention as a source of renewable energy and functional materials.…
(more)
▼ As the two most abundant natural polymers on earth, cellulose and chitin have attracted increasing attention as a source of renewable energy and functional materials. Thin films of cellulose and chitin are useful for studying interactions of these materials with other natural and synthetic molecules via techniques such as quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring (QCM-D) and surface plasmon resonance (SPR). Because of the difficulty of extracting native cellulose, regenerated cellulose (RC), sulfated nanocrystalline cellulose (SNC), and desulfated nanocrystalline cellulose (DNC) thin films are often studied in its place.
In this work, QCM-D solvent exchange studies showed that water contents of RC, SNC and DNC films were proportional to the film thickness (d). Accessibility and degradation of the films was further analyzed via substrate exposure to cellulase. Cellulase adsorption onto RC films was independent of d, whereas cellulase adsorption onto SNC and DNC films increased with d. Enhanced access to guest molecules for SNC and DNC films relative to RC films revealed they are more porous. The porosity of these cellulose films aided in understanding the observed differences of xyloglucan (XG) adsorption onto their surfaces.
Xyloglucan adsorption onto RC, SNC, and DNC was studied by QCM-D and SPR. The amount of adsorbed XG increased in the order RC < SNC < DNC. XG adsorption onto RC films was independent of d, whereas XG adsorption was weakly dependent upon d for SNC films and strongly dependent upon d for DNC films. However, XG adsorbed onto "monolayer" thin films of RC, SNC, and DNC in approximately the same amount. These results suggested that the morphology and surface charge of the cellulose substrate had a limited effect upon XG adsorption and that accessible surface area of the cellulose film may be the factor leading to apparent differences in XG adsorption for different surfaces.
The porosity and surface charge of SNC films presented a unique opportunity to examine polyelectrolyte adsorption and subsequent dewatering of the SNC substrate. The adsorption of a series of cationically derivatized dextran (cDex) polyelectrolytes with various degrees of substitution (DS) onto SNC was studied using QCM-D and SPR. As the hydrophobic character of the cDex samples increased, the water content of the adsorbed cDex layer decreased. For cDex with the greatest hydrophobic content, nearly 50% by mass of the initial water present in the porous SNC film was removed upon cDex adsorption. This study indicated that the water content of the film could be tailored by controlling the DS and hydrophobic character of the polyelectrolyte.
This work also presents the first report of smooth, homogeneous, ultrathin chitin films, opening the door to surface studies of binding interactions, adsorption kinetics, and enzymatic degradation. The chitin films were formed by spincoating trimethylsilyl chitin onto gold or silica substrates, followed by regeneration to a chitin film. The utility of these chitin films as…
Advisors/Committee Members: Esker, Alan R. (committeechair), Troya, Diego (committee member), Morris, John R. (committee member), Madsen, Louis A. (committee member).
Subjects/Keywords: Chitin; Cellulose; Surface Plasmon Resonance; Quartz Crystal Microbalance; Xyloglucan; Dextran
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APA (6th Edition):
Kittle, J. D. (2012). Characterization of Cellulose and Chitin Thin Films and Their Interactions with Bio-based Polymers. (Doctoral Dissertation). Virginia Tech. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/10919/26806
Chicago Manual of Style (16th Edition):
Kittle, Joshua Daniel. “Characterization of Cellulose and Chitin Thin Films and Their Interactions with Bio-based Polymers.” 2012. Doctoral Dissertation, Virginia Tech. Accessed January 16, 2021.
http://hdl.handle.net/10919/26806.
MLA Handbook (7th Edition):
Kittle, Joshua Daniel. “Characterization of Cellulose and Chitin Thin Films and Their Interactions with Bio-based Polymers.” 2012. Web. 16 Jan 2021.
Vancouver:
Kittle JD. Characterization of Cellulose and Chitin Thin Films and Their Interactions with Bio-based Polymers. [Internet] [Doctoral dissertation]. Virginia Tech; 2012. [cited 2021 Jan 16].
Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/10919/26806.
Council of Science Editors:
Kittle JD. Characterization of Cellulose and Chitin Thin Films and Their Interactions with Bio-based Polymers. [Doctoral Dissertation]. Virginia Tech; 2012. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/10919/26806

Virginia Tech
17.
Jiang, Feng.
Effects of the Non-ionic Surfactant Tween 80 on the Enzymatic Hydrolysis of Model Cellulose and Lignocellulosic Substrates.
Degree: PhD, Macromolecular Science and Engineering, 2011, Virginia Tech
URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10919/77223
► Non-ionic surfactants are known to enhance the biochemical conversion of lignocellulosic (LC) biomass to bioethanol. Their mechanisms of action, however, are incompletely understood. This research…
(more)
▼ Non-ionic surfactants are known to enhance the biochemical conversion of lignocellulosic (LC) biomass to bioethanol. Their mechanisms of action, however, are incompletely understood. This research was conducted to elucidate the effects of the non-ionic surfactant Tween 80 on the enzymatic hydrolysis of cellulose and LC substrates. Model cellulose substrates were prepared from cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) obtained by sulfuric acid hydrolysis of wood pulp. Two methods were developed for the removal of the sulfate groups on the CNCs, resulting from the use of sulfuric acid in their preparation. The effect of sulfate groups, which may be introduced into LC biomass during pretreatment with sulfuric acid, on the enzymatic hydrolysis of cellulose was studied with model cellulose substrates prepared from CNCs with different sulfate group densities. Adsorption of cellulases onto sulfated substrates increased with increasing sulfate group density but their rate of hydrolysis decreased. The decrease indicated an inhibitory effect of sulfate groups on the enzymatic hydrolysis of cellulose, possibly due to non-productive binding of the cellulases onto the substrates through electrostatic interactions instead of their cellulose binding domains. The effect of Tween 80 on the adsorption of cellulases onto lignin, often present as residual lignin in pretreated biomass, was studied with model lignin substrates, prepared from kraft lignin, organosolv lignin, and milled wood lignin. Cellulases appeared to adsorb onto the lignin substrates via both hydrophobic and polar interactions. Tween 80 molecules on the lignin substrates seemed to hinder cellulase adsorption via hydrophobic interactions and reduced the adsorption rate. Finally, the effects of lignin and Tween 80 on the enzymatic hydrolysis of cellulose and LC substrates were studied. Lignin hindered both the adsorption of cellulases onto the substrates and the enzymatic hydrolysis of the substrates. Tween 80 was found to form surfactant–protein complexes with cellulases in solution without compromising cellulase activity. Either substrate-adsorbed or in solution, Tween 80 had no effect on the hydrolysis of cellulose by cellulases. Substrate-adsorbed Tween 80 increased the apparent enzymatic hydrolysis rates of LC substrates but the ability of Tween 80 to increase their apparent hydrolysis rate depended strongly on their structural properties and the chemical properties of the lignin. Hence, Tween 80 may be able to mitigate the inhibitory effect of lignin on the enzymatic hydrolysis of pretreated biomass.
Advisors/Committee Members: Roman, Maren (committeechair), Frazier, Charles E. (committee member), Edgar, Kevin J. (committee member), Esker, Alan R. (committee member), Renneckar, Scott H. (committee member).
Subjects/Keywords: biomass; adsorption; bioethanol; cellulases; lignin; cellulose nanocrystals
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APA ·
Chicago ·
MLA ·
Vancouver ·
CSE |
Export
to Zotero / EndNote / Reference
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APA (6th Edition):
Jiang, F. (2011). Effects of the Non-ionic Surfactant Tween 80 on the Enzymatic Hydrolysis of Model Cellulose and Lignocellulosic Substrates. (Doctoral Dissertation). Virginia Tech. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/10919/77223
Chicago Manual of Style (16th Edition):
Jiang, Feng. “Effects of the Non-ionic Surfactant Tween 80 on the Enzymatic Hydrolysis of Model Cellulose and Lignocellulosic Substrates.” 2011. Doctoral Dissertation, Virginia Tech. Accessed January 16, 2021.
http://hdl.handle.net/10919/77223.
MLA Handbook (7th Edition):
Jiang, Feng. “Effects of the Non-ionic Surfactant Tween 80 on the Enzymatic Hydrolysis of Model Cellulose and Lignocellulosic Substrates.” 2011. Web. 16 Jan 2021.
Vancouver:
Jiang F. Effects of the Non-ionic Surfactant Tween 80 on the Enzymatic Hydrolysis of Model Cellulose and Lignocellulosic Substrates. [Internet] [Doctoral dissertation]. Virginia Tech; 2011. [cited 2021 Jan 16].
Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/10919/77223.
Council of Science Editors:
Jiang F. Effects of the Non-ionic Surfactant Tween 80 on the Enzymatic Hydrolysis of Model Cellulose and Lignocellulosic Substrates. [Doctoral Dissertation]. Virginia Tech; 2011. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/10919/77223

Virginia Tech
18.
Sim, Jae Hyun.
Studies of Interactions Between Rod-like Celulose Nanocrystals and Xylan and Pullulan Derivatives: A Light Scattering Study.
Degree: PhD, Chemistry, 2013, Virginia Tech
URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10919/19215
► Interactions between polysaccharide derivatives and rod-like cellulose nanocrystals were studied by light scattering. Two replicates of cellulose nanocrystals (DOE-2-12A and DOE-2-12B) were probed with polarized…
(more)
▼ Interactions between polysaccharide derivatives and rod-like cellulose nanocrystals were studied by light scattering. Two replicates of cellulose nanocrystals (DOE-2-12A and DOE-2-12B) were probed with polarized and depolarized dynamic light scattering. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy experiments showed sulfate groups on cellulose nanocrystals. Decay rates from polarized dynamic light scattering experiments exhibited a significantly smaller angular dependence for both samples. However, DOE-2-12B showed a smaller angular dependence than DOE-2-12A. Lengths and diameters of DOE-2-12A and DOE-2-12B obtained by Broersma\'s formula were 229 " 19 and 19 " 7 nm and 240 " 18 and 22 " 6 nm, respectively. The resultant length and diameter of DOE-2-12B were comparable to those for cellulose whiskers obtained from cotton. Adsorption of pullulan 4-chlorocinnamate (P4CC03) onto cellulose nanocrystals (DOE-2-12B) was also studied by UV-Vis spectroscopy, zeta-potential measurements, and polarized and depolarized dynamic light scattering. UV-Vis spectroscopy of the P4CC03/water binary system and in situ light scattering showed UV crosslinking of pullulan 4-chlorocinnamate occurred in binary and ternary systems but led to different aggregation behavior in the two ternary systems: PreX where P4CC03 crosslinking occurred prior to the addition of cellulose nanocrystals and Rxn where cellulose nanocrystals were present during UV exposure. These studies showed P4CC03 adsorbed onto cellulose nanocrystals and UV induced crosslinking occurred at the surface of the cellulose nanocrystals. Zeta-potential measurements also showed that P4CC03 adsorbed onto cellulose nanocrystals. Finally, adsorption of 2-hydroxypropyltrimethylammonium xylans (HPMAXs) of degree of molar substitution MS = 0.34 onto rod-like cellulose nanocrystals (DOE-2-12Bs) were probed with zeta-potential measurements and polarized and depolarized dynamic light scattering. Zeta-potential changes of HPMAX/water, HPMAX/DOE-2-12B/water, and DOE-2-12B/water systems showed HPMAX adsorption onto DOE-2-12Bs. Intensity autocorrelation functions from Hv and Vv mode exhibited partial heterodyning. Decay time distributions of the binary and ternary systems showed that aggregates existed in the binary system but disappeared in the ternary system. These observations revealed that HPMAX adsorbed onto a fraction of the cellulose nanocrystals in the ternary system at low concentrations of HPMAX. Decreasing translational and rotational diffusion coefficients with increasing HPMAX concentration indicated HPMAX adsorption onto cellulose nanocrystals. A significant HPMAX concentration dependence of the ratio of rotational diffusion coefficient to translational diffusion coefficient showed strong adsorptive interactions between HPMAX and DOE-2-12B. These studies showed there were interactions between polysaccharides and cellulose nanocrystals even in very dilute solutions. Also, it was shown that probe diffusion studies with rod-like cellulose nanocrystals is a promising strategy for…
Advisors/Committee Members: Esker, Alan R. (committeechair), Troya, Diego (committee member), Gibson, Harry W. (committee member), Madsen, Louis A. (committee member).
Subjects/Keywords: Light Scattering; Cellulose Nanocrystal; Pullulan; Xylan
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APA ·
Chicago ·
MLA ·
Vancouver ·
CSE |
Export
to Zotero / EndNote / Reference
Manager
APA (6th Edition):
Sim, J. H. (2013). Studies of Interactions Between Rod-like Celulose Nanocrystals and Xylan and Pullulan Derivatives: A Light Scattering Study. (Doctoral Dissertation). Virginia Tech. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/10919/19215
Chicago Manual of Style (16th Edition):
Sim, Jae Hyun. “Studies of Interactions Between Rod-like Celulose Nanocrystals and Xylan and Pullulan Derivatives: A Light Scattering Study.” 2013. Doctoral Dissertation, Virginia Tech. Accessed January 16, 2021.
http://hdl.handle.net/10919/19215.
MLA Handbook (7th Edition):
Sim, Jae Hyun. “Studies of Interactions Between Rod-like Celulose Nanocrystals and Xylan and Pullulan Derivatives: A Light Scattering Study.” 2013. Web. 16 Jan 2021.
Vancouver:
Sim JH. Studies of Interactions Between Rod-like Celulose Nanocrystals and Xylan and Pullulan Derivatives: A Light Scattering Study. [Internet] [Doctoral dissertation]. Virginia Tech; 2013. [cited 2021 Jan 16].
Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/10919/19215.
Council of Science Editors:
Sim JH. Studies of Interactions Between Rod-like Celulose Nanocrystals and Xylan and Pullulan Derivatives: A Light Scattering Study. [Doctoral Dissertation]. Virginia Tech; 2013. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/10919/19215

Virginia Tech
19.
Wan, Guigui.
Mechanisms of biogenic formaldehyde generation in wood.
Degree: PhD, Macromolecular Science and Engineering, 2017, Virginia Tech
URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10919/84503
► This work addresses biogenic formaldehyde (CH₂O) generated by wood during the manufacture of non-structural wood-based composites, from which CH₂O emissions are regulated. The target for…
(more)
▼ This work addresses biogenic formaldehyde (CH₂O) generated by wood during the manufacture of non-structural wood-based composites, from which CH₂O emissions are regulated. The target for regulation has been anthropogenic CH₂O released from hydrolytically unstable amino resins like urea-formaldehyde. However, current regulations (the Formaldehyde Standards for Composite Wood Products Act, signed into law in 2010 and implemented in 2016) restrict allowable emissions to such low levels that biogenic CH₂O may affect regulation compliance. The industry has met the latest regulations with new amino resin technologies. Nevertheless persistent anecdotal reports suggest that biogenic CH₂O complicates regulation compliance. This work represents an industry/university cooperation to seek a more thorough understanding of biogenic CH₂O, to begin documentation of biogenic CH₂O levels in wood, and to study the conditions and chemical mechanisms of its formation.
Efforts began by establishing CH₂O analysis using the fluorimetric acetylacetone determination. A custom 12-liter chamber with controlled temperature and relative humidity, and "ultrapure" nitrogen (N₂) ventilation was created to measure CH₂O emissions from flakes sampled from four
Virginia pine (Pinus virginiana) trees. Emissions from never-heated specimens varied significantly among the four trees, ranging from 0.02 – 0.19 µg CH₂O/m³g dry wood. Heating (200°C, 1 hour), followed by chamber equilibration, resulted in significantly increased emissions on the order of 50%. Sequential heating, followed by chamber equilibration (in other words, heat/equilibrate/measure emission/repeat), resulted in declining emissions suggesting that a finite chemical source of CH₂O was being depleted by the sequential heat treatment. Flake specimens were stored in the open laboratory, and over 2-3 months laboratory storage, initially high emitting specimens gradually emitted less CH₂O, and initially low emitters gradually emitted more CH₂O. Concerns over laboratory contamination were perhaps allayed when background levels of laboratory CH₂O were determined to be similar to the background levels in the ultrapure N₂ used to ventilate the chamber. Measurement of emissions was abandoned, and thereafter a simple water extraction technique (~ 94% CH₂O recovery) was used to measure the CH₂O content of never-heated and heated wood specimens, where the difference was identified as CH₂O generated due to heating.
Increment cores from living
Virginia pine (Pinus virginiana), yellow-poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera), and radiata pine (Pinus radiata) trees were used to measure CH₂O content and CH₂O generation due to heating (200°C, 10 min). Significant variations within and between trees of the same species were observed. Tissue types (juvenile/mature, heartwood/sapwood) sometimes correlated to higher CH₂O contents and greater heat-generation potential; but sometimes not depending upon species. Heating increased CH₂O levels 3-60 fold. Heating with high moisture levels caused greater CH₂O generation than…
Advisors/Committee Members: Frazier, Charles E. (committeechair), Renneckar, Scott Harold (committee member), Esker, Alan R. (committee member), Roman, Maren (committee member), Goodell, Barry (committee member).
Subjects/Keywords: wood; biogenic formaldehyde; polymer; lignin; extractives
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❌
APA ·
Chicago ·
MLA ·
Vancouver ·
CSE |
Export
to Zotero / EndNote / Reference
Manager
APA (6th Edition):
Wan, G. (2017). Mechanisms of biogenic formaldehyde generation in wood. (Doctoral Dissertation). Virginia Tech. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/10919/84503
Chicago Manual of Style (16th Edition):
Wan, Guigui. “Mechanisms of biogenic formaldehyde generation in wood.” 2017. Doctoral Dissertation, Virginia Tech. Accessed January 16, 2021.
http://hdl.handle.net/10919/84503.
MLA Handbook (7th Edition):
Wan, Guigui. “Mechanisms of biogenic formaldehyde generation in wood.” 2017. Web. 16 Jan 2021.
Vancouver:
Wan G. Mechanisms of biogenic formaldehyde generation in wood. [Internet] [Doctoral dissertation]. Virginia Tech; 2017. [cited 2021 Jan 16].
Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/10919/84503.
Council of Science Editors:
Wan G. Mechanisms of biogenic formaldehyde generation in wood. [Doctoral Dissertation]. Virginia Tech; 2017. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/10919/84503

Virginia Tech
20.
McCord, Jennifer Phipps.
Protein Engineering for Biomedicine and Beyond.
Degree: PhD, Chemistry, 2019, Virginia Tech
URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10919/90787
► Many applications in medicine and research require molecular sensors that bind their target tightly and selectively, even in complex mixtures. Mammalian antibodies are the best-studied…
(more)
▼ Many applications in medicine and research require molecular sensors that bind their target tightly and selectively, even in complex mixtures. Mammalian antibodies are the best-studied examples of these sensors, but problems with the stability, expense, and selectivity of these antibodies have led to the development of alternatives. In the search for better sensors, repeat proteins have emerged as one promising class, as repeat proteins are relatively simple to design while being able to bind specifically and selectively to their targets. However, a drawback of commonly used designed repeat proteins is that their targets are typically restricted to proteins, while many targets of biomedical interest are sugars, such as those that are responsible for blood types. Repeat proteins from the immune system, on the other hand, bind targets of many different types. We looked at the unusual immune system of a freshwater polyp as inspiration to design a new repeat protein to recognize nonprotein targets. My second research project focused on binding cellulose, as it is the most abundant and inexpensive source of biological matter and therefore is widely considered a possible source for liquid fuel. However, processing costs have kept cellulose-based fuels from competing commercially with biofuel made from corn and other starchy plants. One strategy to lower costs relies on using helper proteins to reduce the amount of enzyme needed to break down the cellulose, as enzymes are the most expensive part of processing. We designed such a protein for this function to be more stable than natural proteins currently used. The resulting designed protein binds to multiple cellulose structures. Designing a protein from scratch also allows us to study small changes to the binding site, allowing us to better understand how these proteins bind to different cellulose-based materials in nature and how to apply their use to industrial applications. Biomaterials made from natural human hair keratin have mechanical and biochemical properties that make them ideal for tissue engineering and wound healing applications. However, the process by which these proteins are extracted from hair leads to some protein degradation and brings with it byproducts from hair, which can cause unfavorable immune responses. Making these proteins synthetically allows us to have pure starting material, and lets us add new features to the proteins, which translates into materials better tailored for their applications. We discuss here one example, in which we added a cell-binding motif to a keratin protein sequence.
Advisors/Committee Members: Grove, Tijana (committeechair), Etzkorn, Felicia A. (committee member), Van Dyke, Mark (committee member), Esker, Alan R. (committee member).
Subjects/Keywords: protein engineering; consensus design; repeat proteins; cellulose binding module; keratin
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APA ·
Chicago ·
MLA ·
Vancouver ·
CSE |
Export
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Manager
APA (6th Edition):
McCord, J. P. (2019). Protein Engineering for Biomedicine and Beyond. (Doctoral Dissertation). Virginia Tech. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/10919/90787
Chicago Manual of Style (16th Edition):
McCord, Jennifer Phipps. “Protein Engineering for Biomedicine and Beyond.” 2019. Doctoral Dissertation, Virginia Tech. Accessed January 16, 2021.
http://hdl.handle.net/10919/90787.
MLA Handbook (7th Edition):
McCord, Jennifer Phipps. “Protein Engineering for Biomedicine and Beyond.” 2019. Web. 16 Jan 2021.
Vancouver:
McCord JP. Protein Engineering for Biomedicine and Beyond. [Internet] [Doctoral dissertation]. Virginia Tech; 2019. [cited 2021 Jan 16].
Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/10919/90787.
Council of Science Editors:
McCord JP. Protein Engineering for Biomedicine and Beyond. [Doctoral Dissertation]. Virginia Tech; 2019. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/10919/90787

Virginia Tech
21.
Kumar, Ashutosh.
Towards a Reduced-Scaling Method for Calculating Coupled Cluster Response Properties.
Degree: PhD, Chemistry, 2018, Virginia Tech
URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10919/83846
► One of the central problems limiting the application of accurate {em ab initio} methods to large molecular systems is their high computational costs, i.e., their…
(more)
▼ One of the central problems limiting the application of accurate {em ab initio} methods to large molecular systems is their high computational costs, i.e., their computing and storage requirements exhibit polynomial scaling with the size of the system. For example, the coupled cluster singles and doubles method with the perturbative inclusion of triples: the CCSD(T) model, which is considered to be the ``gold standard'' of quantum chemistry scales as {cal O}(N
7) in its canonical formulation, where N is a measure of the system size. However, the steep scaling associated with these methods is unphysical since the property of dynamic electron correlation or dispersion (for insulators) is local in nature and decays as
R-6 power of distance. Different reduced-scaling techniques which attempt to exploit this inherent sparsity in the wavefunction have been used in conjunction with the coupled cluster theory to calculate ground-state properties of molecular systems with hundreds of heavy atoms in reasonable computational time. However, efforts towards extension of these methods for describing response properties like polarizabilities, optical rotations, etc., which are related to the derivative of the wavefunction with respect to external electric or/and magnetic fields, have been fairly limited and conventional reduced-scaling algorithms have been shown to yield large and often erratic deviations from the full canonical results. Accurate simulation of response properties like optical rotation is highly desirable
as it can help the experimental chemists in understanding the structure-activity relationship
of different chiral drug candidates. In this work, we identify the reasons behind the unsatisfactory performance of the pair natural orbital (PNO) based reduced-scaling approach for calculating linear response properties at the coupled cluster level of theory and propose novel modifications, which we refer to as PNO++, (A. Kumar and T. D. Crawford. Perturbed Pair Natural Orbitals for Coupled-Cluster Linear-Response Theory. 2018, {em manuscript in preparation}) that can provide the necessary accuracy at significantly lower computational costs. The motivation behind the PNO++ approach came from our works on the (frozen) virtual natural orbitals (FVNO), which can be seen as a precursor to the concept of PNOs (A. Kumar and T. D. Crawford. Frozen Virtual Natural Orbitals for Coupled-Cluster Linear-Response Theory. {em J. Phys. Chem. A}, 2017, 121(3), pp 708 716) and the improved FVNO++ method (A. Kumar and T. D. Crawford. Perturbed Natural Orbitals for Coupled-Cluster Linear-Response Theory. 2018, {em manuscript in preparation}). The essence of these modified schemes (FVNO++ and PNO++) lie in finding suitable field perturbed one-electron densities to construct ``perturbation aware" virtual spaces which, by construction, are much more compact for describing response properties, making them ideal for applications on large molecular systems.
Advisors/Committee Members: Crawford, T. Daniel (committeechair), Esker, Alan R. (committee member), Valeyev, Eduard Faritovich (committee member), Troya, Diego (committee member).
Subjects/Keywords: Coupled Cluster; Reduced-Scaling; Response Properties
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APA ·
Chicago ·
MLA ·
Vancouver ·
CSE |
Export
to Zotero / EndNote / Reference
Manager
APA (6th Edition):
Kumar, A. (2018). Towards a Reduced-Scaling Method for Calculating Coupled Cluster Response Properties. (Doctoral Dissertation). Virginia Tech. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/10919/83846
Chicago Manual of Style (16th Edition):
Kumar, Ashutosh. “Towards a Reduced-Scaling Method for Calculating Coupled Cluster Response Properties.” 2018. Doctoral Dissertation, Virginia Tech. Accessed January 16, 2021.
http://hdl.handle.net/10919/83846.
MLA Handbook (7th Edition):
Kumar, Ashutosh. “Towards a Reduced-Scaling Method for Calculating Coupled Cluster Response Properties.” 2018. Web. 16 Jan 2021.
Vancouver:
Kumar A. Towards a Reduced-Scaling Method for Calculating Coupled Cluster Response Properties. [Internet] [Doctoral dissertation]. Virginia Tech; 2018. [cited 2021 Jan 16].
Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/10919/83846.
Council of Science Editors:
Kumar A. Towards a Reduced-Scaling Method for Calculating Coupled Cluster Response Properties. [Doctoral Dissertation]. Virginia Tech; 2018. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/10919/83846

Virginia Tech
22.
Hudson, Amanda Gayle.
Characterization of Intermolecular Interactions in Nanostructured Materials.
Degree: PhD, Chemistry, 2015, Virginia Tech
URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10919/77855
► Advanced analytical techniques were utilized to investigate the intermolecular forces in several nanostructured materials. Techniques including, but not limited to, isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC), variable…
(more)
▼ Advanced analytical techniques were utilized to investigate the intermolecular forces in several nanostructured materials. Techniques including, but not limited to, isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC), variable temperature Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, and ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) thermal curves were used to study the fundamental interactions present in various nanomaterials, and to further probe the influence of these interactions on the overall behavior of the material. The areas of focus included self-assembly of surfactant micelles, polycation complexation of DNA, and temperature-dependent hydrogen bonding in polymeric systems.
ITC was successfully used to determine the low critical micelle concentration (CMC) for a novel gemini surfactant with limited water solubility. CMCs were measured at decreasing methanol molar fractions (xMeOH) in water and the resulting linear relationship between CMC and methanol concentration was used to mathematically extrapolate to a predicted CMC at xMeOH = 0. Using this technique, the CMC value for the novel gemini surfactant was predicted to be 0.037 ± 0.004 mM. This extrapolation technique was also validated with surfactant standards.
ITC was also used to investigate the binding thermodynamics of polyplex formation with polycations and DNA. The imidazolium-containing and trehalose-based polycations were both found to have endothermic, entropically driven binding with DNA, while the adenine-containing polycation exhibited exothermic DNA binding. In addition, ITC was also used to confirm the stoichiometric binding ratio of linear polyethylenimine and DNA polyplexes as determined by a novel NMR method. Dynamic light scattering (DLS) and zeta potential measurements were also performed to determine the size and surface charge of polyplexes. Circular dichroism (CD) and FTIR spectroscopies provided information regarding the structural changes that may occur in the DNA upon complexation with polymers. UV-Vis thermal curves indicated that polyplexes exhibit a greater thermal stability than DNA by itself.
Variable temperature FTIR spectroscopy was used to quantitatively compare the hydrogen bonding behavior of multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT)-polyurethane composites. Spectra were collected from 35 to 185 deg C for samples containing various weight percent loadings of MWCNTs with different hydrogen bonding surface functionalities. Peak fitting analysis was performed in the carbonyl-stretching region for each sample, and the hydrogen-bonding index (Rindex) was reported. Rindex values were used to quantitatively compare all of the composite samples in regards to temperature effects, weight percent loadings of MWCNTs, and the different functionalizations. In general, higher weight percent loadings of the MWCNTs resulted in greater Rindex values and increased hydrogen bond dissociation temperatures. In addition, at 5 and 10 wt% loadings the initial Rindex values displayed a trend that tracked well with the increasing hydrogen bonding capacity of…
Advisors/Committee Members: Moore, Robert Bowen (committeechair), Esker, Alan R. (committee member), Grove, Tijana (committee member), McNair, Harold M. (committee member).
Subjects/Keywords: isothermal titration calorimetry; variable temperature FTIR; surfactant; polymeric gene delivery; hydrogen bonding
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APA ·
Chicago ·
MLA ·
Vancouver ·
CSE |
Export
to Zotero / EndNote / Reference
Manager
APA (6th Edition):
Hudson, A. G. (2015). Characterization of Intermolecular Interactions in Nanostructured Materials. (Doctoral Dissertation). Virginia Tech. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/10919/77855
Chicago Manual of Style (16th Edition):
Hudson, Amanda Gayle. “Characterization of Intermolecular Interactions in Nanostructured Materials.” 2015. Doctoral Dissertation, Virginia Tech. Accessed January 16, 2021.
http://hdl.handle.net/10919/77855.
MLA Handbook (7th Edition):
Hudson, Amanda Gayle. “Characterization of Intermolecular Interactions in Nanostructured Materials.” 2015. Web. 16 Jan 2021.
Vancouver:
Hudson AG. Characterization of Intermolecular Interactions in Nanostructured Materials. [Internet] [Doctoral dissertation]. Virginia Tech; 2015. [cited 2021 Jan 16].
Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/10919/77855.
Council of Science Editors:
Hudson AG. Characterization of Intermolecular Interactions in Nanostructured Materials. [Doctoral Dissertation]. Virginia Tech; 2015. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/10919/77855

Virginia Tech
23.
Pan, Lei.
Surface and Hydrodynamic Forces in Wetting Films.
Degree: PhD, Mining Engineering, 2013, Virginia Tech
URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10919/51538
► The process of froth flotation relies on using air bubbles to collect desired mineral particles dispersed in aqueous media on the surface, while leaving undesirous…
(more)
▼ The process of froth flotation relies on using air bubbles to collect desired mineral particles dispersed in aqueous media on the surface, while leaving undesirous mineral particles behind. For a particle to be collected on the surface of a bubble, the thin liquid films (or wetting films) of water formed in between must rupture. According to the Frumkin-Derjaguin isotherm, it is necessary that wetting films can rupture when the disjoining pressures are negative. However, the negative disjoining pressures are difficult to measure due to the instability and short lifetimes of the films.
In the present work, two new methods of determining negative disjoining pressures have been developed. One is to use the modified thin film pressure balance (TFPB) technique, and the other is to directly determine the interaction forces using the force apparatus for deformable surfaces (FADS) developed in the present work. The former is designed to obtain spatiotemporal profiles of unstable wetting films by recording the optical interference patterns. The kinetic information derived from the spatiotemporal profiles were then used to determine the disjoining pressures using an analytical expression derived in the present work on the basis of the Reynolds lubrication theory. The technique has been used to study the effects of surface hydrophobicity, electrolyte (Al3+ ions) concentration, and bubble size on the stability of wetting films. Further, the geometric mean combining rule has been tested to see if the disjoining pressures of the wetting films can be predicted from the disjoining pressures of the colloid films formed between two hydrophobic surfaces and the disjoining pressures of the foam films formed between two air bubbles.
The FADS is capable of directly measuring the interaction forces between air bubble and solid surface, and simultaneously monitoring the bubble deformation. The results were analyzed using the Reynolds lubrication theory and the extended DLVO theory to determine both the hydrodynamic and disjoining pressures. The FADS was used to study the effects of surface hydrophobicity and approach speeds. The results show that hydrophobic force is the major driving force for the bubble-particle interactions occurring in flotation.
Advisors/Committee Members: Yoon, Roe-Hoan (committeechair), Luttrell, Gerald H. (committee member), Jung, Sunghwan (committee member), Adel, Gregory T. (committee member), Esker, Alan R. (committee member).
Subjects/Keywords: wetting film; hydrophobic force; hydrodynamic force; force apparatus for deformable surfaces (FADS); Frumkin-Derjaguin isotherm
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APA ·
Chicago ·
MLA ·
Vancouver ·
CSE |
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APA (6th Edition):
Pan, L. (2013). Surface and Hydrodynamic Forces in Wetting Films. (Doctoral Dissertation). Virginia Tech. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/10919/51538
Chicago Manual of Style (16th Edition):
Pan, Lei. “Surface and Hydrodynamic Forces in Wetting Films.” 2013. Doctoral Dissertation, Virginia Tech. Accessed January 16, 2021.
http://hdl.handle.net/10919/51538.
MLA Handbook (7th Edition):
Pan, Lei. “Surface and Hydrodynamic Forces in Wetting Films.” 2013. Web. 16 Jan 2021.
Vancouver:
Pan L. Surface and Hydrodynamic Forces in Wetting Films. [Internet] [Doctoral dissertation]. Virginia Tech; 2013. [cited 2021 Jan 16].
Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/10919/51538.
Council of Science Editors:
Pan L. Surface and Hydrodynamic Forces in Wetting Films. [Doctoral Dissertation]. Virginia Tech; 2013. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/10919/51538

Virginia Tech
24.
Carfagna, Charles Samuel Jr.
Cyclopentadiene as a Platform for Polymer Synthesis and Modification of Macromolecular Systems.
Degree: PhD, Chemistry, 2015, Virginia Tech
URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10919/77870
► Octafluorobiphenylene-linked bis(cyclopentadienone) was prepared bearing one perfluoro-4-tolyl and one tert-butyl substituent on the terminal diene rings. Polymerizations with 1,4- and 1,3-diethynylbenzene afforded linear Diels-Alder polyphenylenes…
(more)
▼ Octafluorobiphenylene-linked bis(cyclopentadienone) was prepared bearing one perfluoro-4-tolyl and one tert-butyl substituent on the terminal diene rings. Polymerizations with 1,4- and 1,3-diethynylbenzene afforded linear Diels-Alder polyphenylenes (DAPPs) having lateral tert-butyl and perfluoro-4-tolyl substituents. The perfluoro-4-tolyl-substituted DAPPs are thermally stable, glassy solids (Tg ~ 230 deg C) that could not be cast into stable films (Mn ~ 10kDa, DPn ~ 10). New compounds perfluoro(1-phenyl-1-octanone) and perfluoro(1,1-diphenyl-1-octanol) were prepared from pentafluorophenylmagnesium bromide and perfluorooctanoyl chloride by nucleophilic acyl substitution and addition reactions.
Diels-Alder reactions of 1,2-bis(nonafluorobiphenyl-4-yl)-4-tert-butylcyclopentadiene (CPD-1) with N-(4-fluorophenyl)maleimide (FMI) were explored as models for cyclopentadiene-maleimide-based Diels-Alder polymerizations. Mixtures of five endo/exo adducts were obtained, dependent upon CPD-1 tautomers present at reaction temperatures. The thermodynamic adduct (B3LYP/6-31G* geometry optimizations) was found to be the exo DA adduct of FMI and 2,3-bis(nonafluorobiphenyl-4-yl)-5-tert-butylcyclopentadiene. Five of the six possible isomers were observed and characterized including two by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Parallel reactions of FMI and 1,2-bis(pentafluorophenyl)-4-tert-butylcyclopentadiene yielded three crystallographically characterized isomers, and with 1H NMR and 19F NMR spectrometry, including 1-D NOE, allowed five isomeric products to be identified.
Diene CPD-1 is reactive toward nucleophiles (such as potassium 4-methylphenoxide) at the 4-positions of the C12F9 groups. Using this reactivity pattern, CPD-1 was polymerized with bis(phenol) A (BPA) and bis(phenol-A-6F) (BPAF) to form linear poly(arylene ethers) (Mn ~35 kDa) containing backbone cyclopentadienes. These polymers are glassy solids (Tg ~ 220 deg C) with good thermal stability (Td ~ 290 deg C), and they form stable, creaseable films cast from chloroform solutions. Treatment with 1.5-5.0% of 1,6-bis(N-maleimido)dodecane in N,N-dimethylacetamide (DMAc) at 165 deg C gave insoluble, solvent-swellable networks confirmed using ATR-FTIR. CPD-1 was also used as a cyclopentadiene-based linking group for chain extension of phenol-terminated methyl-PEEK oligomers (PEEKMOHs) with Mn values of 2, 5, and 10 kDa. These polymers are glassy solids (Tg ~ 156 deg C) with good thermal stability (Td ~ 400 deg C), that form stable, creaseable films from chloroform. Segmented polymers were treated with FMI in NMP, and showed functionalization density of approximately 50% by 19F NMR. Segmented polymers were also cross-linked by reaction of 1,6-bis(N-maleimido)hexane (cyclopentadiene to maleimide functional group ratio of 1:1) in NMP at 140 deg C.
Advisors/Committee Members: Deck, Paul A. (committeechair), Hanson, Brian E. (committee member), Esker, Alan R. (committee member), Gibson, Harry W. (committee member).
Subjects/Keywords: Diels-Alder; cyclopentadiene; maleimide; PEEKMOH; telechelic; step-growth polymerization; polymer functionalization
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APA ·
Chicago ·
MLA ·
Vancouver ·
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APA (6th Edition):
Carfagna, C. S. J. (2015). Cyclopentadiene as a Platform for Polymer Synthesis and Modification of Macromolecular Systems. (Doctoral Dissertation). Virginia Tech. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/10919/77870
Chicago Manual of Style (16th Edition):
Carfagna, Charles Samuel Jr. “Cyclopentadiene as a Platform for Polymer Synthesis and Modification of Macromolecular Systems.” 2015. Doctoral Dissertation, Virginia Tech. Accessed January 16, 2021.
http://hdl.handle.net/10919/77870.
MLA Handbook (7th Edition):
Carfagna, Charles Samuel Jr. “Cyclopentadiene as a Platform for Polymer Synthesis and Modification of Macromolecular Systems.” 2015. Web. 16 Jan 2021.
Vancouver:
Carfagna CSJ. Cyclopentadiene as a Platform for Polymer Synthesis and Modification of Macromolecular Systems. [Internet] [Doctoral dissertation]. Virginia Tech; 2015. [cited 2021 Jan 16].
Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/10919/77870.
Council of Science Editors:
Carfagna CSJ. Cyclopentadiene as a Platform for Polymer Synthesis and Modification of Macromolecular Systems. [Doctoral Dissertation]. Virginia Tech; 2015. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/10919/77870

Virginia Tech
25.
Du, Xiaosong.
Adsorption Studies of Polysaccharides and Phospholipids Onto Cellulose.
Degree: PhD, Chemistry, 2011, Virginia Tech
URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10919/30161
► Interactions between biomolecules and cellulose films at solid/liquid interfaces was studied by surface plasmon resonance spectroscopy (SPR), quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring (QCM-D) and…
(more)
▼ Interactions between biomolecules and cellulose films at solid/liquid interfaces was studied by surface plasmon resonance spectroscopy (SPR), quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring (QCM-D) and in situ atomic force microscopy (AFM) measurements. This dissertation shows the porous character of nanocrystalline cellulose films as the key feature for enhanced adsorption of chemically modified polysaccharides and provides quantitative analysis of polymer supported phospholipid structures as a stable platform for studying membrane-related processes.
Smooth cellulose I films were prepared by spincoating cellulose nanocrystal suspensions onto positively charged self-assembled monolayers on gold. The adsorption of pullulan cinnamate (PC) onto cellulose surfaces increased with increasing degree of cinnamate substitution. The interactions between PCs with higher degree of substitution (DS) and porous nanocrystalline cellulose (NC) films presumably generated looped multilayer PC structures that adsorbed more than twice as much onto NC films than onto regenerated cellulose (RC) films. PC chains not only covered the NC surface but also penetrated into the porous film. The porous features of NC film are responsible for the greater adsorption of polymer chains relative to tightly packed RC films.
Adsorption of phospholipid vesicles onto RC and NC films was also studied. Aggregates of intact vesicle were observed on NC surfaces with high water content ~ 84 % by mass. Phospholipid patches with smooth features were found to assemble onto RC surfaces with a lower degree of hydration ~ 30 % by mass. Vesicle membrane breakage was triggered by a destabilizing agent, LysoPC. The great mass decrease, and changes in dissipation and degree of hydration for phospholipid structures after exposure to LysoPC corresponded to the transformation from vesicles to layered structures. Initial binding of LysoPC micelles to unruptured vesicles was clearly resolved in SPR, whereas the huge mass decrease associated with bound water hides the initial adsorption of LysoPC onto vesicles in QCM-D experiments. The intitial binding of LysoPC micelles onto vesicle membranes lasted for 200 seconds with a maximal increase of 14 % by mass prior to vesicle collapse.
The role of cholesterol in phospholipid interactions with model cellulose surfaces was also considered. Supported vesicle layers over RC surfaces were observed for vesicle membranes containing â ¥ 6.3 % by mole cholesterol, whereas phospholipid or phospholipid with lower cholesterol content formed disconnected lipid islands on RC surfaces. Meanwhile, intact vesicles were always observed on NC surfaces for phospholipid/cholesterol blends regardless of the cholesterol content. The intact vesicles on cellulose surfaces were attributed to the ability of cholesterol to accommodate vesicle deformation.
These studies showed the impact of mesoscale structure of cellulose films on adsorbates. It sheds light on the role of the lignin-carbonhydrate-complex in plant cell wall structure and will…
Advisors/Committee Members: Esker, Alan R. (committeechair), Marand, Hervé L. (committee member), Morris, John R. (committee member), Madsen, Louis A. (committee member).
Subjects/Keywords: Phospholipid Vesicles; Cellulose Film; Atomic Force Microscopy; Surface Plasmon Resonance Spectroscopy; Quartz Crystal Microbalance with Dissipation Moni; Polysaccharide
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APA ·
Chicago ·
MLA ·
Vancouver ·
CSE |
Export
to Zotero / EndNote / Reference
Manager
APA (6th Edition):
Du, X. (2011). Adsorption Studies of Polysaccharides and Phospholipids Onto Cellulose. (Doctoral Dissertation). Virginia Tech. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/10919/30161
Chicago Manual of Style (16th Edition):
Du, Xiaosong. “Adsorption Studies of Polysaccharides and Phospholipids Onto Cellulose.” 2011. Doctoral Dissertation, Virginia Tech. Accessed January 16, 2021.
http://hdl.handle.net/10919/30161.
MLA Handbook (7th Edition):
Du, Xiaosong. “Adsorption Studies of Polysaccharides and Phospholipids Onto Cellulose.” 2011. Web. 16 Jan 2021.
Vancouver:
Du X. Adsorption Studies of Polysaccharides and Phospholipids Onto Cellulose. [Internet] [Doctoral dissertation]. Virginia Tech; 2011. [cited 2021 Jan 16].
Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/10919/30161.
Council of Science Editors:
Du X. Adsorption Studies of Polysaccharides and Phospholipids Onto Cellulose. [Doctoral Dissertation]. Virginia Tech; 2011. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/10919/30161

Virginia Tech
26.
Geng, Xi.
Bioenabled Synthesis of Anisotropic Gold and Silver Nanoparticles.
Degree: PhD, Chemistry, 2017, Virginia Tech
URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10919/86274
► Anisotropic plasmonic noble metallic nanoparticles (APMNs) have received enormous attention due to their distinct geometric features and fascinating physicochemical properties. Owing in large part to…
(more)
▼ Anisotropic plasmonic noble metallic nanoparticles (APMNs) have received enormous attention due to their distinct geometric features and fascinating physicochemical properties. Owing in large part to their tailored localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) and the intensive electromagnetic field at the sharp corners and edges, APMNs are exceptionally well suited for biomedical applications such as biosensing, bioimaging, diagnostics and therapeutics. Although a rich variety of surfactant-assisted colloidal routes have been developed to prepare well-defined APMNs, biomedical applications necessitate tedious and rigorous purification processes for the complete removal of toxic surfactants. In this dissertation, we aim to develop generic bioenabled green synthetic methodologies towards APMNs. By applying a series of thermodynamic, kinetic and seed quality control, a series of APMNs with varied morphologies such as branched nanostars and triangular nanoprisms have been successfully prepared.
We first presented the preparation of gold nanostars (Au NSTs) through a two-step approach utilizing a common Good's buffer, HEPES, as a weak reducing agent. Single crystalline Au NSTs with tunable branches up to 30 nm in length were produced and the halide ions rather than the ionic strength played a significant roles on the length of the branches of Au NSTs. Then consensus sequence tetratricopetide repeat (CTPR) proteins with increasing number of repeats were used as model proteins to probe the effects of concentration as well as the protein shape on the morphology and resulting physicochemical properties of plasmonic gold nanoparticles.
Since the underlying growth mechanism for the biomimetic synthesis of APMNs remains elusive and controversial, the other objective is to elucidate the molecular interactions between inorganic species and biopolymers during the course of NP evolution. Fluorescent quenching and 2D NMR experiments have confirmed the moderate binding affinity of CTPR to the Au(0) and Au(III). We observed that the initial complexation step between gold ions and CTPR3 is ionic strength dependent. Furthermore, we also found that NPs preferentially interact with the negatively charged face of CTPR3 as observed in 2D NMR. Knowledge of binding behavior between biospecies and metal ions/NPs will facilitate rational deign of proteins for biomimetic synthesis of metallic NPs.
A modified seed-mediated synthetic strategy was also developed for the growth of silver nanoprisms with low shape polydispersity, narrow size distribution and tailored plasmonic absorbance. During the seed nucleation step, CTPR proteins are utilized as potent stabilizers to facilitate the formation of planar-twinned Ag seeds. Ag nanoprisms were produced in high yield in a growth solution containing ascorbic acid and CTPR-stabilized Ag seeds. From the time-course UV-Vis and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) studies, we postulate that the growth mechanism is the combination of facet selective lateral growth and thermodynamically driven Ostwald…
Advisors/Committee Members: Grove, Tijana (committeechair), Esker, Alan R. (committee member), Morris, John R. (committee member), Moore, Robert Bowen (committee member).
Subjects/Keywords: plasmonic; localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR); anisotropic nanoparticles; bioenabled synthesis; nanoprisms; nanostars; SERS; repeat protein; lignin.
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APA ·
Chicago ·
MLA ·
Vancouver ·
CSE |
Export
to Zotero / EndNote / Reference
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APA (6th Edition):
Geng, X. (2017). Bioenabled Synthesis of Anisotropic Gold and Silver Nanoparticles. (Doctoral Dissertation). Virginia Tech. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/10919/86274
Chicago Manual of Style (16th Edition):
Geng, Xi. “Bioenabled Synthesis of Anisotropic Gold and Silver Nanoparticles.” 2017. Doctoral Dissertation, Virginia Tech. Accessed January 16, 2021.
http://hdl.handle.net/10919/86274.
MLA Handbook (7th Edition):
Geng, Xi. “Bioenabled Synthesis of Anisotropic Gold and Silver Nanoparticles.” 2017. Web. 16 Jan 2021.
Vancouver:
Geng X. Bioenabled Synthesis of Anisotropic Gold and Silver Nanoparticles. [Internet] [Doctoral dissertation]. Virginia Tech; 2017. [cited 2021 Jan 16].
Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/10919/86274.
Council of Science Editors:
Geng X. Bioenabled Synthesis of Anisotropic Gold and Silver Nanoparticles. [Doctoral Dissertation]. Virginia Tech; 2017. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/10919/86274

Virginia Tech
27.
Zornjak, Jennifer Anne.
Characterizing Interfacial and Bulk Interactions Between Cellulose Ethers and Bile Salts: Impact on In Vitro Lipid Digestion.
Degree: MSLFS, Food Science and Technology, 2019, Virginia Tech
URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10919/99285
► Elevated levels of lipids and LDL-cholesterol in the blood are significant risk factors associated with developing cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). A potential strategy to combat these…
(more)
▼ Elevated levels of lipids and LDL-cholesterol in the blood are significant risk factors associated with developing cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). A potential strategy to combat these risk factors is decreasing lipid absorption by modulating the digestibility of lipids in the human intestinal tract. Since bile salts (BS) play key roles during this process, lipid digestion could be controlled ultimately by limiting the access of BS to the lipid surface. Cellulose ethers (CEs), surface-active dietary fibers and common food additives, might be promising ingredients to control lipid digestion either by creating surface layers around lipid droplets that hinder adsorption of BS, or by sequestering BS in the aqueous phase. However, the precise mechanisms behind these interactions remain unclear. Surface analysis techniques were used to better understand the mechanisms by which CEs with diverse molecular structure and charge (commercial and novel hydroxypropyl-cellulose (HPC)) interact with BS at the solid surface and in the aqueous phase. The potential of CE-stabilized emulsions to influence lipid digestion was also investigated in vitro. Both CEs show potential in modulating lipid digestion; the potential of the commercial HPC to interfere with lipid digestion may be more related to its ability to sequester BS in solution and form mixed HPC-BS complexes that are not easily removed from the surface, whereas the novel HPC seems more effective at creating strong surface layers that resist displacement by BS. These findings can be exploited in developing strategies to design novel food matrices with improved functional properties to optimize lipid digestion and absorption.
Advisors/Committee Members: Fernandez-Fraguas, Cristina (committeechair), Edgar, Kevin J. (committee member), Neilson, Andrew P. (committee member), Esker, Alan R. (committee member).
Subjects/Keywords: Hydroxypropyl Cellulose; Bile Salts; Lipid Digestion; Quartz Crystal Microbalance with Dissipation Monitoring; Cardiovascular Disease
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APA ·
Chicago ·
MLA ·
Vancouver ·
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Export
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APA (6th Edition):
Zornjak, J. A. (2019). Characterizing Interfacial and Bulk Interactions Between Cellulose Ethers and Bile Salts: Impact on In Vitro Lipid Digestion. (Masters Thesis). Virginia Tech. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/10919/99285
Chicago Manual of Style (16th Edition):
Zornjak, Jennifer Anne. “Characterizing Interfacial and Bulk Interactions Between Cellulose Ethers and Bile Salts: Impact on In Vitro Lipid Digestion.” 2019. Masters Thesis, Virginia Tech. Accessed January 16, 2021.
http://hdl.handle.net/10919/99285.
MLA Handbook (7th Edition):
Zornjak, Jennifer Anne. “Characterizing Interfacial and Bulk Interactions Between Cellulose Ethers and Bile Salts: Impact on In Vitro Lipid Digestion.” 2019. Web. 16 Jan 2021.
Vancouver:
Zornjak JA. Characterizing Interfacial and Bulk Interactions Between Cellulose Ethers and Bile Salts: Impact on In Vitro Lipid Digestion. [Internet] [Masters thesis]. Virginia Tech; 2019. [cited 2021 Jan 16].
Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/10919/99285.
Council of Science Editors:
Zornjak JA. Characterizing Interfacial and Bulk Interactions Between Cellulose Ethers and Bile Salts: Impact on In Vitro Lipid Digestion. [Masters Thesis]. Virginia Tech; 2019. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/10919/99285
28.
Beach, Jeremy.
Preparation and Electrochemical Testing of Flexible Carbon Nanofiber Electrodes from Electrospinning.
Degree: PhD, Chemistry, 2017, Virginia Tech
URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10919/89627
► The purpose of this research project was to determine the processing conditions necessary for preparing flexible carbon nanofiber electrodes by electrospinning and to explore various…
(more)
▼ The purpose of this research project was to determine the processing conditions necessary for preparing flexible carbon nanofiber electrodes by electrospinning and to explore various applications for those electrodes. It was found that by varying only the relative humidity while electrospinning a poly(acrylonitrile) precursor, fragile or flexible freestanding carbon nanofiber electrodes were prepared. The relative humidity during electrospinning controlled the fiber diameter, the bulk porosity of the material, and flexibility of the final carbon electrode. Higher porosity mats electrospun in a high relative humidity environment prevented fiber sintering, which if not minimized, resulted in non-flexible carbon electrodes. Both flexible and fragile electrodes were freestanding, binderless, and collectorless. Additionally, they required no further processing before use and were 100 wt.% active material. When cycled galvanostatically as a lithium ion battery anode, the flexible electrode exhibited a specific capacity of 379 mAH g-1 at the 100th cycle and capacity retention was 97.4% relative to the fifth cycle. When applied as an active material support electrode for lithium ion battery cathodes, the carbon support was successfully utilized with both micron and nano structured active material and cycled for 100 cycles with limited capacity loss. The same electrodes were also found to be a viable replacement for Pt electrode based actuators/artificial muscles. However, this application requires much further research to understand better the required processing and effects of the physical properties of the electrode on actuator performance. In addition to this, the flexible electrodes have a wide variety of other potential applications including, electrochemical storage and conversion devices, chemical sensing, and filtration. The focus of this work was electrochemical storage and conversion devices in the form of lithium ion battery anodes and cathodes as well as ionic polymer composite actuators.
Advisors/Committee Members: Moore, Robert Bowen (committeechair), Ellis, Michael W. (committee member), Esker, Alan R. (committee member), Long, Timothy E. (committee member).
Subjects/Keywords: Electrospinning; Nano; Carbon; Electrode; Batteries
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MLA ·
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Export
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APA (6th Edition):
Beach, J. (2017). Preparation and Electrochemical Testing of Flexible Carbon Nanofiber Electrodes from Electrospinning. (Doctoral Dissertation). Virginia Tech. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/10919/89627
Chicago Manual of Style (16th Edition):
Beach, Jeremy. “Preparation and Electrochemical Testing of Flexible Carbon Nanofiber Electrodes from Electrospinning.” 2017. Doctoral Dissertation, Virginia Tech. Accessed January 16, 2021.
http://hdl.handle.net/10919/89627.
MLA Handbook (7th Edition):
Beach, Jeremy. “Preparation and Electrochemical Testing of Flexible Carbon Nanofiber Electrodes from Electrospinning.” 2017. Web. 16 Jan 2021.
Vancouver:
Beach J. Preparation and Electrochemical Testing of Flexible Carbon Nanofiber Electrodes from Electrospinning. [Internet] [Doctoral dissertation]. Virginia Tech; 2017. [cited 2021 Jan 16].
Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/10919/89627.
Council of Science Editors:
Beach J. Preparation and Electrochemical Testing of Flexible Carbon Nanofiber Electrodes from Electrospinning. [Doctoral Dissertation]. Virginia Tech; 2017. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/10919/89627

Virginia Tech
29.
Pillai, Karthik.
Bio-inspired Cellulose Nanocomposites.
Degree: PhD, Macromolecular Science and Engineering, 2011, Virginia Tech
URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10919/28575
► Natural composites like wood are scale-integrated structures that range from molecular to the macroscopic scale. Inspired by this design, layer-by-layer (LbL) deposition technique was used…
(more)
▼ Natural composites like wood are scale-integrated structures that range from molecular to the macroscopic scale. Inspired by this design, layer-by-layer (LbL) deposition technique was used to create lignocellulosic composites from isolated wood polymers namely cellulose and lignin, with a lamellar architecture. In the first phase of the study, adsorption of alkali lignin onto cationic surfaces was investigated using a quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring (QCM-D). Complete coverage of the cationic surface with alkali lignin occured at low solution concentration; large affinity coefficients were calculated for this system at differing pH levels. Adsorption studies with organosolv lignin in an organic solvent, and spectroscopic analysis of mixtures of cationic polymer with alkali lignin revealed a non-covalent interaction. The work demonstrated how noncovalent interactions could be exploited to molecular organize thin polyphenolic biopolymers on cationic surfaces. The second phase of the study examined the adsorption steps during the LbL assembly process to create novel lignocellulosic composites. LbL assembly was carried out using oxidized nanocellulose (NC) and lignin, along with a cationic polymer poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride) (PDDA). QCM-D was used to follow the sequential adsorption process of the three different polymers. Two viscoelastic models, namely Johannsmann and Voigt, were respectively used to calculate the areal mass and thickness of the adsorbed layers. Atomic force microscopy studies showed a complete coverage of the surface with lignin in all the disposition cycles, however, surface coverage with NC was seen to increase with the number of layers. Free-standing composite films were obtained when the LbL process was carried out for 250 deposition cycles (500 bilayers) on a cellulose acetate substrate, following the dissolution of the substrate in acetone. Scanning electron microscopy of the cryo-fractured cross-sections showed a lamellar structure, and the thickness per adsorption cycle was estimated to be 17 nm. The third phase of the study investigated the effect of LbL ordering of the polymers versus a cast film composed of a blended mixture of the polymers, using dynamic mechanical analysis. A tan ï ¤ peak was observed in the 30 â 40 ºC region for both films, which was observed in the neat NC film. Heating of the samples under a compressive force produced opposite effects in the films, as the LbL films exhibited swelling, whereas the cast films showed densification. The apparent activation energy of this transition (65 â 80 kJ mol-1) in cast films, calculated based on the Arrhenius equation was found to be coincident to those reported for the ï ¢ transition of amorphous cellulose. The peak was seen to disappear in case of LbL films in the second heat, whereas it was recurring in case of cast films of the blended mixture, and neat NC films. Altogether, the together the work details a novel path to integrate an organized lignin and cellulose molecular structure,…
Advisors/Committee Members: Renneckar, Scott Harold (committeechair), Roman, Maren (committee member), Esker, Alan R. (committee member), Frazier, Charles E. (committee member), Edgar, Kevin J. (committee member).
Subjects/Keywords: Nanocellulose; Nanocomposite; Biomimetic; Layer-by-layer (LbL); QCM-D; AFM
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APA ·
Chicago ·
MLA ·
Vancouver ·
CSE |
Export
to Zotero / EndNote / Reference
Manager
APA (6th Edition):
Pillai, K. (2011). Bio-inspired Cellulose Nanocomposites. (Doctoral Dissertation). Virginia Tech. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/10919/28575
Chicago Manual of Style (16th Edition):
Pillai, Karthik. “Bio-inspired Cellulose Nanocomposites.” 2011. Doctoral Dissertation, Virginia Tech. Accessed January 16, 2021.
http://hdl.handle.net/10919/28575.
MLA Handbook (7th Edition):
Pillai, Karthik. “Bio-inspired Cellulose Nanocomposites.” 2011. Web. 16 Jan 2021.
Vancouver:
Pillai K. Bio-inspired Cellulose Nanocomposites. [Internet] [Doctoral dissertation]. Virginia Tech; 2011. [cited 2021 Jan 16].
Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/10919/28575.
Council of Science Editors:
Pillai K. Bio-inspired Cellulose Nanocomposites. [Doctoral Dissertation]. Virginia Tech; 2011. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/10919/28575

Virginia Tech
30.
Schoonover, Daniel Vernon.
The Chemistry of Fullerenes, Polymers, and Host/Guest Interactions.
Degree: PhD, Chemistry, 2015, Virginia Tech
URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10919/72841
► The exploitation of the relationship between the chemical and physical properties of materials is the hallmark of advancing science throughout the world. The basic understanding…
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▼ The exploitation of the relationship between the chemical and physical properties of materials is the hallmark of advancing science throughout the world. The basic understanding of how and why molecules react and interact with each other in different environments allows for the discovery and implementation of new materials and devices that not only advance the state of human life but continually change the planet. The work described in this dissertation generally falls under three diverse categories: functionalization of fullerenes, investigation of host/guest interactions in solution, and the synthesis and characterization of ion containing polymers.
The separation and functionalization of fullerenes is a recent and exciting area of research. The separation methods outlined are intended to increase the availability of endohedral metallofullerenes by decreasing their cost of production. Functionalized fullerene species were achieved through Bingel and Prato reactions to provide materials with novel functional groups. These materials may be further utilized in photovoltaic or other organic electronic devices.
The characterization of noncovalent interactions between different molecules in solution is the focus of supramolecular chemistry. Isothermal Titration Calorimetry stands out as one of the best, among the many methods used to elucidate the characteristics of these systems. The binding of bis- imidazolium and paraquat guests with macrocyclic host molecules has been explored in this work. The measurements of the association constants for these systems will aid in the ongoing synthesis of new host/guest systems.
Ion containing polymers were synthesized and characterized for their use in electroactive devices. Imidazolium containing polymers with bulky anions were synthesized on low glass transition polymer chains. These materials had enhanced ion conductivity and may eventually be used in electronic actuator materials.
Advisors/Committee Members: Gibson, Harry W. (committeechair), Esker, Alan R. (committee member), Gandour, Richard D. (committee member), Dorn, Harry C. (committee member).
Subjects/Keywords: fullerene; endohedral metallofullerene; host/guest; ionomer; polymer; purification; isothermal titration calorimetry; imidazolium; paraquat; cryptand; pseudorotaxane
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APA (6th Edition):
Schoonover, D. V. (2015). The Chemistry of Fullerenes, Polymers, and Host/Guest Interactions. (Doctoral Dissertation). Virginia Tech. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/10919/72841
Chicago Manual of Style (16th Edition):
Schoonover, Daniel Vernon. “The Chemistry of Fullerenes, Polymers, and Host/Guest Interactions.” 2015. Doctoral Dissertation, Virginia Tech. Accessed January 16, 2021.
http://hdl.handle.net/10919/72841.
MLA Handbook (7th Edition):
Schoonover, Daniel Vernon. “The Chemistry of Fullerenes, Polymers, and Host/Guest Interactions.” 2015. Web. 16 Jan 2021.
Vancouver:
Schoonover DV. The Chemistry of Fullerenes, Polymers, and Host/Guest Interactions. [Internet] [Doctoral dissertation]. Virginia Tech; 2015. [cited 2021 Jan 16].
Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/10919/72841.
Council of Science Editors:
Schoonover DV. The Chemistry of Fullerenes, Polymers, and Host/Guest Interactions. [Doctoral Dissertation]. Virginia Tech; 2015. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/10919/72841
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