Salt-induced diffusiophoresis is the migration of a charged nanoparticle in water, induced by an imposed directional gradient of salt concentration. This transport phenomenon has emerged as a valuable tool for particle manipulation inside porous materials and microfluidics. Micelles represent a common example of nanoparticles with the crucial ability of hosting small guest molecules. Thus, micelle diffusiophoresis is important in the manipulation of small molecules. Micelle diffusiophoresis depends on micelle Brownian mobility or diffusion coefficient. This transport parameter describes the intrinsic ability of a micelle to randomly move (diffuse) in water. The poster reports diffusion-coefficient measurements carried out on aqueous solutions of the surfactant, hexadecylpyridinium chloride (CPC), in the presence of aqueous NaCl by dynamic light scattering. The effect of surfactant and salt concentrations on the diffusion coefficient of CPC micelles is discussed. These data are used to characterize salt-induced diffusiophoresis of charged micelles.

In this work, a single-layer tungsten oxide (WO₃) film on fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) coated glass was successfully prepared by the dip-coating method, followed by thermal treatment at 450°C. The structure and electrochemical properties of the WO₃ film were then determined via UV-Vis spectroscopy, IR absorption, surface profilometry, and XRD analysis. The result suggests that the films have consistent thickness and uniformity, with future investigations needed to explore how they interact with the addition of a nickel oxide layer and bismuth vanadate layer determined by electrochemical measurements such as cyclic voltammetry, chronoamperometry under light and dark conditions. WO₃ electrode can be used as the base layer to make FTO-WO₃-Bismuth Van(BiVO₄)-Nickel Oxide (NiO) electrode ,which has the potential to improve the photochemical performance in photoelectrochemical cells.

Copper plays particularly important roles in tumor growth and metastasis, making it a new target for anti-cancer therapies. The goal of this project is to exploit the pathways that cancer uses for proliferation as a target to inhibit cancer cell growth. To achieve this, tetra-aza macrocyclic small molecules will be used to sequester copper from the copper metabolizing pathways, recently we have discovered these molecules have high affinity for copper, water solubility, low toxicity, available in gram-quantities, and well-characterized. Our lead compound will be evaluated for anticancer activity on normal and breast cancer cells. This project also seeks to examine the pharmacological properties of the lead compound and explore of our compound on cooper pathways that leads to oxidative stress and inflammation.

Density Functional Theory (DFT) is a method for simulating molecules by approximating their electron densities, with various functionals available to model these systems. M11plus is one such functional, a range-separated hybrid meta functional that combines long-range non-local Hartree–Fock exchange with the non-local Rung 3.5 correlation, which has demonstrated effectiveness across a broad range of chemical databases. This work implements the M11plus functional into the PySCF open-source Python library and reparametrizes necessary fitting constants.

Silicon is a fundamental material in modern technology, with common applications including solar panels and numerous electronic devices. While high-purity silicon is necessary for these industries to ensure optimal electrical properties, biomedical applications such as drug delivery can tolerate alternative synthetic methods that prioritize sustainability and cost-effectiveness. This research focuses on developing an environmentally friendly approach to producing high-surface-area porous silicon using self-propagating high-temperature synthesis (SHS). This method utilizes silicon dioxide (SiO₂) as the silicon source, magnesium (Mg) as a reducing agent, and sodium chloride (NaCl) as a reaction moderator. The exothermic reaction between SiO₂ and Mg rapidly generates the heat necessary to facilitate silicon production, while NaCl helps regulate temperature, maintain porosity, and control grain growth. Unlike traditional silicon production processes that require high thermal energy input and costly purification steps, this SHS-based approach is designed to be scalable and accessible, particularly in resource-limited settings.
In a typical reaction, the Mg and SiO₂ reactants are exposed to a finite voltage (~12V) for a fixed amount of time (minutes) to initiate the reaction. After synthesis, the crude silicon product undergoes purification by dissolving the magnesium oxide (MgO) byproduct in hydrochloric acid, leaving behind high-purity silicon. This study aims to optimize reaction parameters (magnitude of voltage and duration) to maximize silicon yield and structural integrity while minimizing environmental impact. X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) is employed as the primary characterization technique to evaluate crystallinity and purity. The combination of a low-energy, cost-effective synthesis process and naturally derived raw materials positions this method as a promising green alternative for producing porous silicon. Its potential for drug delivery applications, particularly in developing regions with limited access to advanced manufacturing infrastructure, further underscores its significance in the field of biomaterials and sustainable materials science.