Department of Chemical Engineering Graduate Theses
Recent Submissions
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A Rechargeable Zn-Cu Battery Using a Selective Cation Exchange Membrane
The Daniell cell (Zn-Cu battery) offers several potential advantages over current battery technologies, but is held back by the problems of copper ion (Cu2+) crossover. We resolved this through employing a selective cation ... -
Enzyme Degradable Networks Prepared from a Poly(trimethylene Carbonate)-Peptide Biohybrid
The main objective of this thesis was to develop a biohybrid network with appropriate mechanical properties for a range of soft connective tissue engineering applications that could be degraded solely by the action of the ... -
Stochastic Sampled-data Model Predictive Control for Nonlinear Systems
Stochastic Model Predictive Control (SMPC) has been the focus of intense research in the last years. The objective of SMPC is to design control systems corrupted by stochastic noise. Existing solutions include the ... -
An Injectable Hydrophobic Delivery Formulation Based on Poly(Trimethylene Carbonate) for Therapeutic Angiogenesis
The aim of this thesis was to determine the feasibility of an injectable delivery formulation based on low molecular weight poly(trimethylene carbonate) (PTMC) for localized delivery of vascular endothelial growth factor ... -
Multistep Kinetic Models for Oxygen Reduction Reaction and Platinum Dissolution in Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cell
Oxygen electrochemistry on platinum comprises of three well-known phenomena - oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), platinum oxide growth and reduction during cyclic voltammetry (CV) and logarithmic growth of oxides potentiostatically ... -
Hydrolytically Degradable Cationic Flocculants For Improved Water Recovery From Mature Fine Tailings
Oil sands mining operations in Canada produce large volumes of waste tailings that are difficult to dewater using commercial polyacrylamide-based flocculants. Recently, a novel hydrolytically-degradable polymer was synthesized ... -
Reference Electrode Development in Polymer Electrolyte Membrane (PEM) Electrolyzer Assembly for Novel Investigation of Electrodes
Polymer electrolyte membrane electrolyzers (PEMEs) are the key to integrating renewable energy generation with energy storage to reduce greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to global climate change. The commercialization ... -
The Characterization of a Weakly Basic Chemisorbent Polyacrylamide Hydrogel for its Applicability to Downstream Succinic Acid Recovery
Commercial bioproduction of succinic acid has been stimulated by its use as a precursor in the synthesis of commodity chemicals, and the benefits of bioproduction compared to traditional chemical synthesis. However, ... -
Peroxide-initiated Modification of Polylactic acid (PLA) and Poly(3-hydroxyalkanoates) (PHAs) in the Presence of Allylic and Acrylic Coagents
This thesis investigates the fundamentals of modification of polylactic acid (PLA) and poly(3-hydroxyalkanoates) (PHAs), focusing on improving the understanding of the reactivity of these ... -
Free Radical-Mediated Reactive Extrusion of Commodity Polymers
The objective of this thesis is to improve the melt and solid-state properties of poly (propylene) (PP) and poly(lactide) (PLA) by reactive extrusion. Peroxide-mediated melt-state reactive extrusion in the presence of ... -
Modification of Poly(methyl methacrylate) Surfaces with Azobenzene Groups to Develop a Photoresponsive Surface
Photoswitchable surfaces can be used to reversibly control surface wettability, adsorptivity, and protein adhesion to influence cell interactions at the surface. Control over protein adsorption and cell adhesion is useful ... -
Surface Modification of Cellulose Nanocrystals with CO2-Responsive Polymers via Reversible Deactivation Radical Polymerization
Cellulose is the most abundant natural polymer on Earth. From cellulose, cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) can be obtained through various hydrolysis processes. There is interest in grafting different types of polymers onto CNC ... -
Graphene Nanoplatelet Production Through Non-Ionic Surfactant-Assisted Exfoliation of Graphite
Liquid phase exfoliation of graphite is performed using ultrasonication and shear exfoliation to produce graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs). Ultrasonication is performed using a tip sonicator under power loads ranging from ... -
Mathematical Modelling for Carbon Dioxide Removal from Flue Gas Using Micron-size Water Droplets
Numerous technologies have been developed to reduce the amount of CO2 released to the environment via combustion processes. A promising process named the C-3 process uses micron size water droplets to remove contaminants ... -
Cloud-Based Model Predictive Control: Establishing a Fully Distributed Architecture for Nonlinear MPC
Over the last two decades, distributed model predictive control (MPC) has become an increasingly popular research topic. Distributed MPC constitutes a valuable tool, providing computationally efficient optimal control ... -
Preparation and Characterization of Hydrophobic Graphene-Based Thin Films
Since the ``Scotch tape" discovery of graphene synthesis over a decade ago there has been significant interest in the industrial scale-up of graphene production, with the understanding that the material's exceptional ... -
Development of a Microinjection Platform for the Examination of Host-Biomaterial Interactions in Zebrafish Embryos
Current approaches in biomaterial development require a series of in vitro and in vivo assays to identify and optimize candidate materials. Current in vitro assays have low labor requirements and are relatively cheap ... -
Radical Polymerization of Bio-Renewable Butyrolactone Monomers
In this study, a bio-derived monomer, -methyl--methylene--butyrolactone (MeMBL) was saponified with sodium hydroxide (NaOH) to make the water-soluble monomer sodium 4-hydroxy-4-methyl-2-methylene butanoate (SHMeMB), ... -
Production of Multi-Purpose Bio-Solid Feedstock for Oxidation in Cement Calciner using Microalgae
The concentration of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere is rising and its impact (e.g. climate change) is established among the scientific community. Fuel switching in commercial sectors (e.g. cement plants) is one ... -
Polypropylene Thermosets by Functional Nitroxyl-Mediated Radical Crosslinking
New chemistry for preparing polypropylene (PP) thermosets is described, wherein radical degradation suffered during conventional peroxide treatment is overcome using a nitroxyl additive bearing a polymerizable functional ...
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