Year: 2024, 2024
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>There is a `universal' picture of a charged domain wall (CDW) in theoretical work, often depicted as residing in an infinite thickness film, charge neutral, and with no bias voltage applied. However, in experiment CDWs are shown with none of these assumptions. CDWs are produced in thin or ultra-thin films, the CDW is not charge neutral, and a bias voltage is being applied. We look… more Year: 2024, 2024
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Name(s): Creator (cre): Fisher, Kyle S., Thesis advisor (ths): Vreugdenhil, Andrew, Degree committee member (dgc): Slepkov, Aaron, Degree committee member (dgc): Gaspari, Franco, Degree committee member (dgc): Ponnurangam, Sathish, Degree granting institution (dgg): Trent University Abstract: <p>This thesis describes the preparation, optimization, functionalization, and characterization of activated carbon materials sourced from a petroleum coke feedstock for the tailored removal of heavy metal species in contaminated waters. The goal of this work is to develop an understanding of the mechanisms that drive adsorption of heavy metals onto activated carbon surfaces. By determining… more Year: 2024, 2024
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>Microwave resonances in isolated water-based spheres, dimers, and trimers are explored using simulations conducted with COMSOL Multiphysics. The study centers on morphology-dependent resonances (MDRs) and hotspot characteristics in cm-sized objects at microwave frequencies. Monomers subjected to microwave radiation exhibit four distinct resonant modes at specific sizes characterized by… more Year: 2024, 2024
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Name(s): Creator (cre): Brick, Kasandra Julie Anne, Thesis advisor (ths): Keske, Eric C, Degree committee member (dgc): Maly, Kenneth, Degree committee member (dgc): Zenkina, Olena, Degree committee member (dgc): Vreugdenhil, Andrew, Degree granting institution (dgg): Trent University Abstract: <p>The synthesis of biaryls through transition metal catalyzed cross-coupling reactions has been instrumental for synthetic organic chemists. The Hiyama reaction, which features organosilicon derived cross-coupling partners with aryl chlorides, remains relatively underdeveloped compared to other cross-coupling reactions. In this thesis, it is demonstrated that bench stable Palladium N-… more Year: 2023, 2023
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Name(s): Creator (cre): Cornell, Brennan, Thesis advisor (ths): Atkinson, William, Degree committee member (dgc): Bradac, Carlo, Degree committee member (dgc): de Haan, Hendrick, Degree committee member (dgc): Rubel, Oleg, Degree granting institution (dgg): Trent University Abstract: <p>In electron-doped ferroelectrics, the free electrons can become concentrated along the domain walls which act like a conducting surface. We consider the impact of free electrons occupying the t2g orbitals on the domain walls of an electron-doped perovskite ferroelectric. We build an analytical model based on Landau-Ginzburg-Devonshire theory, and a trio of tight-binding Hamiltonians for… more Year: 2023, 2023
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>Coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (CARS) microscopy is a label-free chemical imaging modality that uses CARS as a contrast mechanism to spatially resolve materials based on their molecular vibrational spectra. Due to the presence of a non resonant background that obfuscates the chemical information contained in CARS spectra, CARS images suffer from poor contrast and cannot be readily… more Year: 2023, 2023
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>In this work, a deep learning approach proposed by Valensise et al. [3] for extracting Raman resonant spectra from measured broadband CARS spectra was explored to see how effective it is at removing NRB from our experimentally measured "spectral-focusing"-based approach to CARS. A large dataset of realistic simulated CARS spectra was used to train a model capable of performing… more Year: 2023, 2023
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>The generation of polymer brushes by surface-initiated polymerization techniques has become a powerful tool for the creation of hybrid materials. Governed by the type and amount of polymer used in the modification, the chemical and physical properties of a surface can be tailored by polymer grafting. In this study, a commonly used polymer flocculant, polyacrylamide (PAM), was grafted… more Year: 2021, 2021
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>Connecting academia to industry is one important way to advance towards meeting the United Nations (UN) Sustainability Goals (SDGs).1 Sustainability can be applied to all industrial sectors with the SDGs being implemented by 2030.2 This research contributes to the SDGs by investigating a way to remediate an industrial waste stream in the egg-breaking industry. If adopted, this would… more Year: 2021, 2021
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Name(s): Creator (cre): Scotland, Kevin, Thesis advisor (ths): Vreugdenhil, Andrew J, Degree committee member (dgc): Zenkina, Olena, Degree committee member (dgc): Parnis, Mark, Degree committee member (dgc): Zelisko, Paul, Degree committee member (dgc): Atkinson, Bill, Degree granting institution (dgg): Trent University Abstract: <p>This thesis describes the synthesis, application and evaluation of a UV crosslinked 3-methacryloxypropyltrimethoxysilane-derived coating formulation. This is a two-component sol-gel system with 3-methacryloxypropyltrimethoxysilane (MaPTMS) and tetraethoxysilane (TEOS). Herein we show that if we change the co-solvent required for solubilizing MaPTMS from the more common methanol and… more Year: 2021, 2021
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Name(s): Creator (cre): Cole, Ryan, Thesis advisor (ths): Slepkov, Aaron D, Degree committee member (dgc): Atkinson, Bill, Degree committee member (dgc): Vreugdenhil, Andrew, Degree committee member (dgc): Tamblyn, Isaac, Degree granting institution (dgg): Trent University Abstract: <p>Spectral-focusing-based coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (SF-CARS) microscopy is a powerful imaging technique that involves temporally and spectrally stretching ultrashort laser pulses and controlling their frequency-time characteristics. However, a broader and more detailed understanding of the frequency-time characteristics of the laser pulses and signals involved, how they are… more Year: 2020, 2020
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>The human cornea is required to exhibit specific material properties to maintain its regular shape under typical intraocular pressures which then allow for its correct optical functionality. In this thesis, the basis of continuum solid mechanics and the finite element method are introduced. We use finite element modelling to simulate the extension of an effective-1d, linear-elastic bar,… more Year: 2019, 2019
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>Activated Carbon (AC) is commonly produced by gasification, but there has been increasing interest in chemical activation due to its lower activation temperatures and higher yields. Phosphoric acid, in particular, succeeds in both these areas. Phosphoric acid activated carbon (PAC) can be environmentally sustainable, and economically favourable, when the phosphoric acid used in the… more Year: 2019, 2019
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Name(s): Creator (cre): Porquez, Jeremy, Thesis advisor (ths): Slepkov, Aaron D, Degree committee member (dgc): Wortis, Rachel, Degree committee member (dgc): Gaspari, Franco, Degree committee member (dgc): Côté, Daniel, Degree granting institution (dgg): Trent University Abstract: <p>I have developed and improved a coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (CARS) microscope based on the spectral focusing (SF) technique. The CARS microscope uses an 800 nm oscillator and a photonic crystal fibre module to generate the supercontinuum Stokes. The photonic crystal fibre was originally designed to generate light beyond 945 nm which is useful for CARS microscopy in the CH/OH… more Year: 2019, 2019
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Name(s): Creator (cre): Kallikragas, Dimitrios Theofanis, Thesis advisor (ths): Svishchev, Igor M, Degree committee member (dgc): Atkinson, Bill, Degree committee member (dgc): Kisch, Joey, Degree committee member (dgc): Chkrebtii, Anatoli, Degree granting institution (dgg): Trent University Abstract: <p>Supercritical water (SCW) exhibits unique properties that differentiates it from its low temperature behaviour. Hydrogen bonding is dramatically reduced, there is no phase boundary between liquid and gaseous states, heat capacity increases, and there is a drastic reduction of the dielectric constant. Efforts are underway for researchers to harness these properties in the applications of… more Year: 2019, 2019
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>We build a theoretical model for exploring the electronic properties of the two-dimensional (2D) electron gas that forms at the interface between insulating SrTiO3 (STO) and a number of perovskite materials including LaTiO3, LaAlO3, and GdTiO3. The model treats conduction electrons within a tight-binding approximation, and the dielectric polarization via a Landau-Devonshire free energy… more Year: 2019, 2019
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>In 2004 it was discovered that a two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) forms at the interface between lanthanum aluminate (LAO) and strontium titanate (STO). This 2DEG exhibits a variety of electronic and magnetic phenomena, motivating intense research into its applicability to electronic devices. Over the years several models have been developed in theoretical exploration of this system.… more Year: 2019, 2019
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>S. Johri and R. Bhatt developed a real-space renormalization group approach aimed at extracting the localized single-particle eigenstates of the Anderson model from a large system by identifying clusters of resonant site potentials. E. Campbell generalized this real-space renormalization group approach using standard perturbation theory. Both approaches were intended to approximate the… more Year: 2017, 2017
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>Many of the most interesting electronic behaviours currently being studied are associated with strong correlations. In addition, many of these materials are disordered either intrinsically or due to doping. Solving interacting systems exactly is extremely computationally expensive, and approximate techniques developed for strongly correlated systems are not easily adapted to include… more Year: 2017, 2017
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Name(s): Creator (cre): Stotesbury, Theresa E., Thesis advisor (ths): Wilson, Paul, Thesis advisor (ths): Vreugdenhil, Andrew, Degree committee member (dgc): Illes, Mike, Degree committee member (dgc): Easton, Brad, Degree granting institution (dgg): Trent University Abstract: <p>The research and development of synthetic blood substitutes is a reported need within the forensic community. This work contributes to the growing body of knowledge in bloodstain pattern analysis by offering a materials science approach to designing, producing and testing synthetic forensic blood substitutes. A key deliverable from this research is the creation of a robust silicon-based… more
