Faculty Research Poster Session and Research Fair Proceedings
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Browsing Faculty Research Poster Session and Research Fair Proceedings by Author "Bhattacharia, Sanjoy"
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Item Additive Manufacturing of 316L Steel: Investigation of Thermal Stability and Crystalline Properties(2022-03-03) Bognich, Gabrielle; McGaugh, Jay; Aria, Saman; Jackson, Matt; Jones, Steve; Howell, Nathan; Bhattacharia, SanjoyAdditive Manufacturing (AM) technology is a growing industry in the world of engineering. Similar to 3D printing, AM technology allows designers to create metal parts without the limitation of geometric restrictions of traditional methods, like machining. AM can be applied in industries such as biomedical and aerospace. The AM research conducted at West Texas A&M University (WTAMU) uses laser technology for powder-bed infusion (PBLF) using an SLM 125 to print 316L stainless steel parts. Although AM offers a wide variety of application, AM technology cannot produce consistent parts due to unknown factors that create defects in the part and impact the resultant material properties. In this study, a thermal analysis was conducted on printed 316 L Stainless Steel samples using a Differential Scanning Calorimeter (DSC) and Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA) to record phase change, melting points, other transitions like oxidation and decomposition and mass loss/gain. Thermal analysis demonstrated a comparative thermal stability of the printed steel. Additionally, the samples were analyzed with an X-Ray Powder Diffraction (XRD) machine for crystallinity of printed steel and a baseline elemental analysis. Results of the XRD analysis indicate the printed material is not entirely crystalline in structure and further analysis is needed to develop a standard XRD profile for AM 316L Stainless Steel. The findings of this study indicate the PBLF process changes the thermal properties of power material and the need for future studies to understand the impacts of material properties.Item Engineering of a Microfluidic Platform for Investigation of Immersion Freezing in the Atmosphere(2024-03-07) Bithi, Swastika; Das, Pronab; Aria, Saman; Devadoss, Timothy; Bhattacharia, Sanjoy; Hiranuma, NarukiThe West Texas A&M University Microfluidic Static Droplet Array (WT-MFSDA) platform was developed for studying atmospheric ice nucleation, specifically immersion freezing. It combines a microfluidic device with interconnected droplet parking traps and a unique hand pipetting method to create an array of nanoliter-sized droplets containing ice-nucleating particles (INPs). A commercialized cooling unit facilitates the visualization and characterization of freezing events in individual droplets. Each droplet is carefully isolated and covered with a thin mineral oil film, enhancing measurement reliability by eliminating artifacts due to surface contact, mass transfer, and evaporation. The WT-MFSDA platform allows simulation and investigation of immersion freezing in water and INP-involved suspensions at temperatures below -35 °C, with cooling rates relevant to atmospheric cloud updraft velocities. Temperature uncertainty is controlled within ± 0.3 °C. Platform performance is verified using well-known bulk powder INP surrogates, such as illite NX, Snomax, and microcrystalline cellulose. The results from nanoliter freezing assays in WT-MFSDA are compared and validated against other freezing assays and published data. A calorimetry analysis of single droplet freezing is conducted to understand thermodynamics, kinetics, and exothermic energy release during the liquid-to-solid phase transition. Future plans include testing freezing properties of high-latitude soil dust samples from the North Slope of Alaska region using WT-MFSDA and integrating research and teaching activities by training students, and expanding laboratory exercises to classrooms. The advanced ice nucleation capabilities of WT-MFSDA enable enhanced science teaching in atmospheric ice nucleation research.Item Material Characterization of Cotton Gin Waste Biochar for Use in Panhandle Soils(2022-03-03) Howell, Nathan; Bhattacharia, Sanjoy; Bednarz, Craig; Aria, Saman; Garcia, OmarCotton gin waste (CGW) is a large quantity byproduct from cotton fiber and cotton seed oil production in the Texas Panhandle (700 lbmass/bale, 1.7 million tonnes/year of CGW) and many large cotton growing regions globally. As there is little economic value for CGW, it is can be churned into soils to increase organic carbon, composted, fed as a low nutrition supplement for animals, burned or gasified for energy/heat, or simply landfilled as a waste. In general, most “beneficial†uses are more properly described a more elaborate form of disposal. We sought to examine CGW for biochar production (CGW-BC) on a small scale with an eventual application for soil amendment. As a soil amendment, many plant-based biochars have the potential advantage of acting as slow release fertilizers, aiding soil health, increasing soil water holding capacity (WHC), increasing long-term soil organic matter, and sequestering carbon which would other be mineralized to CO2 in a short timeframe. Biochar is highly variable in its production yield and quality according to production and post-production decisions. Using previous experience with cotton seed waste biochar, we determined to produce sixteen (16) CGW-BC variants according to the two temperatures (450°C, 600°C), four pyrolysis times (10, 20, 40, 60 min), and two types of post-treatment (crush-sieve with mild acid wash, crush-sieve with DI wash only, 2 x 4 x 2 = 16). We made all CGW-BC in small batches of approximately 15 g dry initial dry mass which results in nominal final mass of 5 g dry mass biochar. We then examined these biochar variants using the material characterization techniques that will have import for CGW-BC use in soil—XRD, SEM-EDS, TGA and surface characterization by a Micromeritics 3Flex physisorption analyzer. The use of XRD reveals the amorphous nature of biochar, and the SEM-EDS reveals surface morphology and the predominant presence of carbon (>75%) and TGA data demonstrates the thermal stability of biochar. The use of the 3Flex allows us to use multiple adsorptive gases. We used CO2 at a range of low relative pressure (P/Po = 0.00-0.30) and cold temperature (T = 0°C) to determine total and pore-size dependent surface area (m2/g biochar) and volumes (cm3/g biochar) in biochar at the micropore scale of 3.30-7.70 Å. We also used water vapor isotherms (adsorption-desorption) to examine the potential for attraction and retention of water when CGW-BC is deployed in soil environments. The results of this work are on-going. The current range of total micropore surface areas found are on the order of 200-400 m2/g, a relatively high surface area considering the modest amount of energy and materially used to create the biochar. On-going work will suggest the general performance of biochar when added to soils and will provide more optimal conditions for producing biochar according to that which has the lowest bulk density, greater surface area, increased microporosity, or enhanced mineral/nutrient solid phase concentrations. This early work in CGW-BC material characterization will provide promising candidates for inclusion in soil+biochar mix and incubation experiments in root and non-root systems.Item Thermal Stability and Degradation of Batteries(2022-03-03) Pal, Anirban; Bhattacharia, SanjoyLi-ion batteries often run the risk of explosion via thermal runaway caused by internal short circuits. Such internal short circuits can be caused by mechanical, electrical or thermal means. Another cause of concern is the ageing of the battery that can limit its capacity, performance, lifespan and safety. In this work, we wish to investigate the thermal stability and degradation of batteries using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), battery analyzer and computer simulations. Specifically, the goal is study two aspects of commercial Li-ion coin cell batteries: (a) kinetics and mechanisms of thermal runaway mechanisms in coin-cell batteries, (b) degradation of battery components across various cycling rates and temperatures.