Physical interaction between two bulk media occurs mainly at the surface interface. The surface properties of materials therefore dictate how a system will respond to different influences, while being just a fraction of the entire volume. Alteration of a surface can therefore have a significant effect on a system. In this thesis the functionalization of surfaces via covalent attachment of short chained molecules was undertaken to manipulate surface-surface interactions for different outcomes. The separation and purification of bulk media of impurities has always been undertaken. Many different processes exist, however the removal of impurities from dynamic or open systems remains a problem. The use of filtration technologies remains the best option in this type of system. In filtration technology membranes are employed to selectively remove one or more elements from another generally under a driving force. The selectivity of a membrane has either traditionally relied on either physical attributes such as pore size or chemical attributes such as charge, van der Waals etc. In this thesis we propose the use of organically functionalized ceramic nanoparticles alumoxanes to act as a coating of the side walls of the fibers of a base bulk fabric material Nomex © . The side chain of cysteic acid has been found to be extremely hydrophilic due in part to its Zwitter ionic properties. The use of hydrophilic cysteic acid alumoxane was used as part of a composite membrane to screening hydrocarbons. Doping of this membrane with cysteic acid ferroxane the iron analogue of alumoxane was used as a membrane to screen MS2 bacteriophage.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:RICE/oai:scholarship.rice.edu:1911/70336 |
| Date | January 2012 |
| Contributors | Barron, Andrew R. |
| Source Sets | Rice University |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis, Text |
| Format | 111 p., application/pdf |
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