Journal of Undergraduate Research

Taylor Turner and Dr. William Pitt, Chemical Engineering Previously it has been shown that antibiotic killing of bacteria, especially biofilms, can be enhanced by various non-invasive treatments. Low-level electric current has been shown to increase killing of Streptococcus gordonii biofilms when applied during treatment with gentamicin.1 Others have partially tested the feasibility of electrically killing […]

Larry Baxter, Greg Hatch ABSTRACT Experiments on the deposition of fume (submicron) and particles produced during black liquor combustion indicate that deposit mass accumulation increases linearly with time and is independent of temperature gradient – results that are inconsistent with the classical explanation of thermophoresis as a driving force. Temperature-controlled, cylindrical probes in cross flow […]

Eric Halpenny and Dr. Larry Baxter, Chemical Engineering Aerosols are small (sub-micron) particles formed mainly in combustion processes by the vaporization and subsequent re-condensation of volatile, inorganic compounds. Cloud formation is an example of an aerosol process. However, unlike clouds, most aerosol-generating processes produce negative effects on both the process that forms them and the […]

Michael M. Choi and Dr. Larry Baxter, Chemical Engineering Black liquor is a recycled byproduct formed during the pulping of wood in the papermaking industry. In this process, cellulose is used to form paper fibers while lignin is combined with water and chemical used for the extraction to form black liquor. Black liquor is burned […]

Bradley C. Bundy and Dr. Larry Lin Baxter / Hugh Bradley Hales, Chemical Engineering Oil is one of the most important commodities we have. It provides energy, transportation, and chemicals to provide a better life for mankind. However, it is a depleting recourse that is getting harder and harder to find and recover. Simulation techniques […]

Megan M. Woodhouse and Dr. Thomas Fletcher, Chemical Engineering Empirical models have been developed to predict the spread of forest fire models from data about the burning plant species, terrain, and wind conditions. Over the past three years, a research group at Brigham Young University has collected data for ignition temperatures and time to ignition […]

Taylor Turner and Dr. William Pitt Chemical Engineering Introduction As part of a constant pursuit of better health researchers continuously investigate the role of bacteria in disease and infection. Much research today investigates methods for effectively killing unwanted bacteria in the body. Modern antibiotic medications are the most effective method of accomplishing this, but they […]

Douglas S. Lewis and Dr. William G. Pitt, Chemical Engineering Introduction In the past decade, many efforts have been made to improve chemotherapeutic treatments for cancer patients. One of the specific efforts seeks to actively deliver anti-cancer drugs to the target tissue rendering the chemotherapy more efficient and less damaging to nearby uninfected cells. The […]

Joseph Flinders and Dr. Kenneth Solen, Chemical Engineering Department When blood contacts man-made biomaterials such as those used in artificial organs (e.g. hemodialyzers, oxygenators, etc.) a chain of events occurs that can lead to medical complications as serious as a stroke. These events include proteins (particularly fibrinogen) adhering to the biomaterial’s surface, the accumulation of […]

Adam Broderick and Dr. Ken Solen, Chemical Engineering Hypothermia-Induced Platelet Aggregation (HIPA) may pose a significant risk for patients undergoing some surgical procedures. During heart surgery, a patient’s core temperature is typically lowered to reduce tissue damage. Hall et al. (2002) observed that this caused blood platelet aggregation in ~30% of test subjects1 and increases […]