Projects
Professional and Educational Projects
Observing the Bioactive and Antimicrobial Properties of MnO2-doped Bioactive Glasses
Abstract
Manganese's importance in the human body has been well documented throughout time because it is an essential mineral in the bone building and wound healing processes. Its role in helping the body form connective tissue, bones and clotting factors exacerbates its importance within human bodies. Furthermore, MnSOD, an enzyme in which manganese is a component of, acts as a powerful antioxidant through its protection of cellular membranes. Due to this and many other functions, its presence in the bone, liver, pancreas, and kidney cells ensures enough of the substance is throughout the body. Therefore, it is important that individuals have sufficient levels of manganese within their bodies. Unfortunately, through genetic or other means, there is a population of individuals who are unable to maintain ideal Mn levels within their bodies. Injections, dietary changes, medication, and other medical treatments have been used to administer aid to these individuals, but researcher persist in seeking more efficient methods of combating this problem. Although bone mineral density and formation can be increased by manganese supplements, this relationship is not strong enough to make a definitive statement about the correlation between manganese levels within the the human body and the presence of osteoporosis. Furthermore, increased levels of manganese within the human body have led to numerous central nervous system (CNS) ailments. Mn-doped doped bioactive glasses (BGs) release Mn2+ ions into the body and are mesoporous in nature. They have also been observed forming a hydroxyapatite (HA) layer in simulated body fluid (SBF), which portrays their bioactive natures. This knowledge of Mn2+ ions' positive effects within the body and the possibility of controlling manganese levels make Mn-doped BGs a viable option for tissue engineering. The goal of this study were to observe the effects doping the base S53P4 BG composition with MnO2 would have on the material's cytotoxic and antimicrobial properties while maintaining its physical properties. Cytotoxic natures of the Mn-doped glasses increased from the parent S53P4 composition, yet their corresponding antimicrobial properties improved upon the S53P4 composition while maintaining the material's hardness value.
Cytotoxicity levels of Ag and the 0-8% MnO2 batches of BG after a 1-day MTT assay on L929 cells. BG extracts were tested when they were 2 and 7 days old.
Comparison of BG batches' mean and median Vickers microhardness values.
Optical microscopy image of 8 wt% MnO2 concentration sample.
Antimicrobial properties of Ag and MnO2-doped BG solutions (Ag, 0-8% MnO2 from left to right for both rows) against gram-negative E.coli (top row) and gram-positive S.aureus (bottom row).
Design of a Tri-leaflet Mechanical Heart Valve (MHV)
About
This project entailed working in SolidWorks to design the device and assign material properties. A tri-leaflet design was selected over the bi-leaflet model to minimize the absorbed force the device experiences. Thinner leaflets and arched supports as opposed to a straighter design were theorized to lead to decreased force magnitudes. Therefore, improved fatigue testing observations are likely to follow and lead to an increase in average lifespan. Next, a MATLAB script was written to simulate the the hemodynamic flow the valve would experience to observe regions with greater magnitudes of stress. These results were then used to optimize the design, assess design viability, and produce extensions similar technologies.
Front and back view of MHV in SolidWorks workspace.
Angled viewpoints of MHV in SolidWorks workspace.
Characterization of Thermoplastic and Thermoset Polymers
Abstract
Thermoplastic and thermoset polymers are essential in manufacturing processes and everyday life. Thermoplastic materials can be reheated after reaching their melting point without significant material degradation. They are also able to have their surfaces finished relatively easily and tend to be recyclable. Thermoset polymer, though, are harder to finish and make poor recycling candidates. However, they are also more resistant to to high temperatures than thermoplastic polymers but can only be remodeled one time after reaching their melting point. Reheating a thermoset polymer to its melting point after it has been remodeled will result in its material degrading. Various thermoplastic and thermoset polymer samples underwent tests in this procedure to observe the characteristics of each type of material. They consisted of thermal conductivity testing, pin on disk wear testing, tensile testing, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and thermogravimetric analyzation (TGA). These tests revealed information like the coefficient of friction, specific heat capacity, and phase transitions which aided in the polymers' characterization and identification of their manufacturing value.
Thermal conductivities, diffusions, specific heat capacities, and coefficients of friction of the tested resin casts.
Epoxy coefficient of friction.
Copper coefficient of friction.
Graphite coefficient of friction.
Silicon carbide coefficient of friction.
Tensile test results from four polypropylene samples manufactured differently
DSC data for epoxy.
DSC data for polypropylene.
TGA data for epoxy.
TGA data for polypropylene.
Finite Element Analysis of Aluminum Samples with Varying Contours
Abstract
Finite element analysis (FEA) is an integral aspect of the materials fabrication process. It permits engineers to design and analyze materials' mechanical properties in a virtual interface without expending excessive resources to conduct physical tests in laboratories. These tests include but are not limited to analyses of materials deformation, contact, and failure. This procedure will examined how tensile testing, hardness testing, and fracture toughness testing can be simulated using FEA through the Complete Abaqus Environment interface. Although initial parameters were input for samples' yield strengths, Poisson's ratios, and Young's moduli, there are often slight deviations from these values during concluding analyses. Nevertheless, this method represents an efficient mechanism of collecting data about materials' properties and examining how alterations in the program's input values affect material performance.
Plot contour of tensile test for aluminum dogbone.
Plot contour of hardness test for copper cube.
Plot contour of fracture toughness test for steel component.
Observing the Physical, Mechanical, and Chemical Effects of Doping a Glass System with Boron Oxide
Abstract
Glass plays an integral role as a material in society. Not only does it have structural and aesthetic uses in the form of windows, mirrors, and doors, but it also has practical uses too. These include but are not limited to prescription lenses, appliances/ electronics, radiation protection, scientific instruments, and therapeutic treatments. There are various composition of glasses that are suited towards particular purposes. To do this, the elements and compounds that are compiled in a glass in addition to the heat treatment work to affect its overall physical, mechanical, and chemical properties. Glasses designed for use in environments with extreme heat consist of various compounds that will increase its heat resistance. Similarly, the addition of stabilizers like calcium carbonate serve to increase the overall strength of a glass. This procedure observed the effects varying the percentage of boron oxide in a glass system will affect its material properties. To measure these changes, hardness testing, chemical testing, optical microscopy (OM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were implemented to characterize the glass samples.
OM image of pre-treated 50% boron oxide concentration.
OM image of post-treated 50% boron oxide concentration.
Compositional data of treated and untreated 50% boron oxide obtained through EDS.
Compositional data of treated and untreated 60% boron oxide obtained through EDS.
Compositional data of treated and untreated 70% boron oxide obtained through EDS.
CAD Model of Human Artery through MATLAB and On Shape
About
The model of this human artery began as a quantitative table of measurements from an excel file containing a patient's arterial blood flow though a given artery length. This assignment required the modeling of the artery from which the original data was given. After creating a code to read in the original arterial flow data and determine the artery's dimensions, On Shape, a computer assisted design (CAD) software was used to model the artery. Furthermore, if any of the original patient data displayed the presence of arterial disease, the CAD model of the artery can permit medical professionals to pinpoint the location of the troublesome arterial region.
Snapshot of code written to read and translate original data into artery dimensions to be modeled later.
Completed Model of Patient Artery.
COVID-19 Data Analysis through MATLAB
About
This project analyzed the deaths and reported cases of COVID-19 within 183 countries from January 22, 2020 to April 5, 2020. The goal of this project was to analyze the growth of this pandemic disease and observe how its spread varied between countries. Of the data collected from this project, some of the most important observations involved deaths/reported cases per 1,000,000 people, percentage change in deaths/ reported cases, and proportion of deaths/reported cases out of the world. To obtain this data, various codes were written in MATLAB to identify and group relevant data together. These groupings permitted conclusions to be drawn and correlations between each nation's response to the pandemic is modeled in the data.
Comparison of select nations' daily mortality rate from COVID 19 to that of the world.
Although other countries had greater volumes of deaths, this statistic is important to determine how human mortality is related to a nation's pandemic policy, environmental factors, or other variables.
The benefit of this statistic is that models the rates at which COVID-19 spread throughout these countries and how these rates could be related to a countries' pandemic policies.