TO: Texas Hazardous Waste Research Center
FROM: Investigators: Sidney Lin
Institution: Lamar University
Contact Information: 409-880-2314
SUBJECT: Final Report
PROJECT NUMBER: 513LUB0020H
PROJECT TITLE: Detection of Nitrogen Oxides in Automobile Exhaust by Nanoceramic Sensor
PROJECT PERIOD: 9/1/2013 – 7/15/2015
DATE: 11/13/2015
Project Description
This two-year project is to establish the capability of manufacturing a fast-response high-accuracy sensor for nitrogen oxides (NOx) detection using chemically stable high-surface-area ceramic nanowires. Finite element analysis is employed to study the electric field generated for the electrospinning process. The first year deliverable was a custom made electrospinning system for ceramic nanowires preparation. The second year deliverable was a two dimensional mathematic model to analyze the electric field for an electrospinning process. In addition to the PI, one graduate student and two undergraduate students worked for this project.
Accomplishments
Equipment
The most important equipment for this project, a high voltage power supply (Figure 1) to provide necessary electric field for the electrospinning process has been purchased and installed. The integration of this power supply and syringe pump (Figure 2) that will deliver the reactant solution has been set up as proposed in the proposal.
(a) (b)
Figure 1. (a) The front view of the high voltage power supply, (b) The back panel of the high voltage power supply.
(a) (b)
Figure 2. (a) The syringe pump that will be used to control the delivery rate of reactant solutions, (b) Various sizes of syringes that will used to deliver the reactant solutions.
Mathematical Model
A two dimensional finite element analysis was employed to study the electric field when ejection needle location and the distance between the needle and collector plates are changed. A mathematical model has been set up to allow us to evaluate and estimate the path of the spun nanowires. Figures 3-5 are examples of calculated results of corresponding electric field inside a zero charge box when collector plate width, distance between the needle and the collector plate, and the location of collector plate change.
(a) (b)
(c) (d)
Figure 3. Electric fields generated when different collector plate widths are used when the distance between the collector plate and needle= 4.5 cm. (a) 5 cm, (b) 4 cm, (c) 3 cm, and (d) 2 cm.
(a) (b)
(c) (d)
Figure 4. Electric fields generated when different distances between the needle and collector plates are used when the collector plate width= 5 cm. (a) y= 6.5 cm, (b) 5.5 cm, (c) 4.5 cm, and (d) 0.5 cm.
(a) (b)
(c) (d)
Figure 5. Electric fields generated when different collector plate locations are used when the collector plate width= 5 cm. (a) centered, (b) 0.5 cm toward the right, (c) 1 cm toward the right, and (d) 1.5 cm toward the left.
Personnel
One Ph.D. student, one M.S. student and two undergraduate students were recruited to conduct this project. The PI used one full summer month in both years 2014 and 2015 to conduct experiments, train students to operate the experimental setup, and teach the students using the COMSOL MultiPhysics program to build the mathematic model. The PI attended the 3rd International Conference on Electrospinning in San Francisco to collect information and build up network with researchers in the electrospinning research for future collaboration.
3