Year: 2026, 2026
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Name(s): Creator (cre): Carr, Teagan A, Thesis advisor (ths): Vreugdenhil, Andrew J, Degree committee member (dgc): Zenkina, Olena V, Degree committee member (dgc): Katz, Michael J, Degree committee member (dgc): Stewart, Kate, Degree granting institution (dgg): Trent University Abstract: <p>This thesis presents the design, synthesis, and evaluation of activated carbon polyacrylamide (AC-PAM) composites for oil sands tailings remediation, integrating flocculation and adsorption functionalities. Surface-initiated atom transfer radical polymerization (SI-ATRP) was employed to graft high molecular weight PAM brushes onto petroleum coke and commercial activated carbon, with SARA… more Year: 2026, 2026
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Name(s): Creator (cre): Dissanayake Mudiyanselage, Nethma Thejani Dissanayake, Thesis advisor (ths): Vreugdenhil, Andrew J., Degree committee member (dgc): Bradac, Carlo, Degree committee member (dgc): Easton, Brad, Degree committee member (dgc): Ouzilleau, Philippe, Degree committee member (dgc): Vreugdenhil, Andrew J., Degree granting institution (dgg): Trent University Abstract: <p>Petroleum coke (petcoke) is a waste by-product of the upgrading process in the oil refining industry. It has limited utility in other areas of application.1 High carbon content (over 85 wt.%), low ash content, and softness make petcoke a potentially valuable precursor for graphitization, where amorphous carbon can be transformed into graphitic carbon. The synthetic production of graphite… more Year: 2025, 2025
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Name(s): Creator (cre): Reyes, Kyle Matthew Dabu, Thesis advisor (ths): Vreugdenhil, Andrew J, Degree committee member (dgc): Keske, Eric, Degree committee member (dgc): Zenkina, Olena V, Degree committee member (dgc): Adronov, Alex, Degree granting institution (dgg): Trent University Abstract: <p>The oil sands industry is producing large volumes of tailings waste reaching 2 billion cubic meters by 2034 In this study, the industrial standard flocculant, high molecular weight PAM, was grafted from the surface of activated carbon (AC). This material was designed to increase the flocculant's hydrophobicity and density. Different molecular weight PAM was grafted from AC with… more Year: 2025, 2025
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>We study a one-dimensional Fermi-Hubbard model with disorder in charge and spin degrees of freedom. We calculate the time dependence of the entanglement entropy. While previous research on disordered interacting systems has typically focused on systems with either charge or spin, our model enables us to explore the interplay between charge and spin in shaping the behavior of entanglement… more Year: 2025, 2025
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Name(s): Creator (cre): Stone, Dylan, Thesis advisor (ths): Bradac, Carlo, Degree committee member (dgc): Atkinson, Bill, Degree committee member (dgc): Agarwal, Nisha, Degree committee member (dgc): Sadaf, Sharif, Degree granting institution (dgg): Trent University Abstract: <p>With wide applications ranging from quantum communication and metrology to biomedicine, single photon sources in solid-state hosts have become a major area of study. Here, we focus on three applications: nanothermometry, optically detected magnetic resonance (ODMR), and second order autocorrelation. We present novel statistical and machine learning (ML) approaches to extract information… more Year: 2025, 2025
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>This thesis explores the remediation of naphthenic acids (NAs) from oil sands process-affected water (OSPW) using activated carbon (AC) derived from petroleum coke (PC) chemically activated with potassium hydroxide. The research aims to identify the most effective method for the adsorptive removal of NAs by optimizing the use of economically viable KOH quantities and to apply Fourier… more Year: 2025, 2025
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Name(s): Creator (cre): Nasir, Maryam, Thesis advisor (ths): Atkinson, William WA, Degree committee member (dgc): Bradac, Carlo CB, Degree committee member (dgc): de Haan, Hendrick, Degree committee member (dgc): Ramachandran, Ganesh GR, Degree granting institution (dgg): Trent University Abstract: <p> The interplay between electron charge, spin, and ferroelectric polarization is under-explored for conducting ferroelectric domain walls (DWs). DWs are interfaces that separate regions
(domains) within a material that have different orientations of spontaneous polarization.
We investigated the electronic band structure of t2g electrons, confined to 90° charged do
main walls (CDWs) in… more Year: 2025, 2025
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Name(s): Creator (cre): Lim, Meilin, Thesis advisor (ths): Keske, Eric C, Degree committee member (dgc): Vreugdenhil, Andrew J, Degree committee member (dgc): Zenkina, Olena V, Degree committee member (dgc): Singer, Robert D, Degree granting institution (dgg): Trent University Abstract: <p>N-Heterocyclic Carbenes (NHCs) have significantly impacted organometallic chemistry as ligands in transition metal catalysis, offering strong electron-donating properties and high bond dissociation energies. However, their structural versatility is limited by the scarcity of commercial precursors and challenging modification procedures. Furthermore, we have investigated its coordination… 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 Full Text: Simulating Microwave Morphology Dependent Resonances in Aqueous Dimers and Trimers A Thesis Submitted to the Committee of Graduate Studies in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements of the Degree of Master of Science in the Faculty of Arts and Science …
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 Full Text: The Investigation of Heavy Metal Adsorption on Modified Activated Carbon Materials A Thesis submitted to the Committee on Graduate Studies in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctorate in Philosophy in the Faculty of Arts and …
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 Full Text: PALLADIUM N-HETEROCYCLIC CARBENE COMPLEXES IN CROSS-COUPLING REACTIONS: LIGAND AND CATALYST DEVELOPMENT A Thesis Submitted to the Committee of Graduate Studies in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Science in the Faculty …
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 Full Text: Models of Charged Domain Walls A Thesis Submitted to the Committee on Graduate Studies in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Science in the Faculty of Arts and Science. Trent University Peterborough, Ontario, Canada …
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: 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: 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 Full Text: Grafting Polyacrylamide from the Surface of Activated Carbon for Flocculation Applications A Thesis Submitted to the Committee on Graduate Studies in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Science in the Faculty of Arts and …
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 Full Text: Evaluation of Spectral Retrieval Methods for Hyperspectral Coherent Anti-Stokes Raman Scattering Microscopy A Thesis Submitted to the Committee of Graduate Studies in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements of the Degree of Master of Science in the …
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 Full Text: Effect of t2g Orbitals on Domain Walls in Electron-Doped Perovskite Ferroelectrics A Thesis Submitted to the Committee on Graduate Studies in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Science in the Faculty of Arts and Science. …
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 Full Text: Deep learning for removal of non-resonant background in CARS hyperspectroscopy A thesis submitted to the Committee on Graduate Studies in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Science in the Faculty of Art and Science Trent …
