2010 WSU Annual CGRS Abstracts
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Item Synthesis of highly ordered Titanium dioxide nanotubes: Impact of process parameters(2010-03-25) Khan, Shifath Ikram; Asmatulu, RamazanHighly ordered arrays of Titanium dioxide nanotubes were synthesized from Titanium foil using the electrochemical anodization process in an etching solution consisting of Ammonium Flouride (NH4F) and Ethylene Glycol. TiO2 nanotubes have shown great potential in applications such as the new generation solar cells called the Dye Sensitized Solar Cells (DSSC). We examined the possibility of fabricating nanotubes of different lengths by varying the anodization parameters. The lengths and diameters of the synthesized TiO2were found to be governed by two main process parameters, current density and etching solution composition. The etching process was carried out in two different configurations. First, 55volts DC was used to drive the etching process. The anodic current in this case was found to be between 0.07 to 0.01 amperes. Secondly, 55 volts DC with 5 volts AC was employed to carry out the etching process. The average anodic current was found to be higher in the second case. The recorded anodic current was between 0.1 to 0.01 amperes. The characterization of the synthesized TiO2 was carried out using the Atomic Force Microscope (AFM).Item The implications of gendering childhood obesity PSAs(2010-03-25) O’Neal, Pamela K.; Ballard-Reisch, DeborahThe percentage of overweight and obese children is at or above 30% in 30 U.S. states [1], including Kansas which ranks 22nd with 31% of its children rated as overweight or obese [1]. Nationally, 15.1 % of girls vs. 16.4% of boys are overweight [1]. Due to the recent rise in the number of overweight and obese children, organizations throughout the U.S. have allocated millions of dollars for prevention efforts with the intention of lowering rates [2]. Most recently, Michelle Obama has introduced “Let’s Move”, a campaign whose goal is to eliminate childhood obesity in a generation [3]. One of the strategies organizations and campaigns like “Let’s Move”, employ is Public Service Announcements (PSAs). In marketing, gender is one of the leading variables often employed to tailor messages to audiences [4]. Because campaigns typically utilize PSAs and because they are often tailored to females or males specifically, it becomes crucial to examine the messages PSAs disseminate to their audiences. The Constant Comparative Method [5] was used to compare and contrast through content analysis, a criterion based sample of 20 childhood obesity PSAs found on YouTube and the 10 PSAs found on the “Let's Move” website. Analyses indicate that PSAs on YouTube, are gender biased, using twice as many male voiceovers as female voiceovers. 2) Males are more likely to be featured in PSAs than females. The PSAs on the “Let’s Move” website are even worse. It is critical to effective strategies for managing childhood obesity that PSA messages be either gender targeted or gender neutral.Item Biomimetic solar cells(2010-03-25) Subbaiyan, Navaneetha K.; D’Souza, FrancisEco friendly energy resources are becoming important due to the predicted oil depletion and soared CO2 emission. Of available alternatives, solar energy finds special attention due to its vast availability and high power density of 1000 watts per square meter. Various mechanisms have been carefully employed to harvest the solar power including semiconductor silicon based photovoltaic, inorganic/organic dye sensitized or bulk heterojunction solar devices. Some of the latter devices utilize donor-acceptor supramolecular systems designed based on natural photosynthesis. Here, self-assembly of energy donor and acceptor is proved to be an important criterion. In the present study, we demonstrate an elegant method of self-assembly to modify TiO2 surface using coordinating ligands followed by immobilization of a variety of photosensitizers and dyads. This method, in addition of testing the photoelectrochemical behavior of simple zinc tetrapyrroles also allows us to introduce fairly complex structures involving more than one donor and/or acceptor entities. As will be demonstrated, of all macrocycles studied, a biomimetic zinc porphyrin-ferrocene dyad markedly improves the current-voltage performance of the photoelectrochemical cell due to an electron transfer-hole migration mechanism. Incident photon-to-current efficiency value up to 37%, highest value reported for this type of devices is obtained for the electrode modified with the dyad, highlighting the importance of photocells built based on biomimetic principles for efficient harvesting of solar energy.Item Ecological perspectives of Latino/Hispanic families in a rural school community(2010-03-25) Grant, Natalie S.; Callis, Larry D.; Siemens, Douglas T.; Stout, Lance D.; Bennett, JoImmigration waves from Mexico, Central and Latin America have changed demographic landscapes and in some communities, native Spanish speaking people are the majority. In schools across the U.S., growing numbers of students need English language resources and cultural supports from their schools to break the cycles associate with being the least educated ethnic group in the country. This changing ecology creates the need for understanding Hispanic/Latino populations. This study seeks to understand the worlds that the Hispanic/Latino families negotiate as they move through the interconnected ecologies of their existence: family systems, cultural norms, communities, church and school. Through qualitative methodology, researchers gathered oral narratives and cultural data from families in a rural Midwestern community to understand how Latino/Hispanic parents support their children in schools and define their relationship to their children’s education.Item A fully Bayesian approach for sample size determination(2010-03-25) Safaie, NasserThe sample size determination has a significant role in the design and analysis of many engineering problems and data sampling projects. There are a number of sampling techniques that can be utilized to quantify the impact of engineering efforts and verify their effect on performance of a process. These include both traditional as well as Bayesian techniques and only some of them consider the economical aspect. The objective of this paper is to offer an economic Bayesian approach for determination of sample size. Utilizing the sequential sampling, this method shows whether the changes were successful to affect on process performance or not. Illustrative example depicts that the economic Bayesian approach calculates a smaller sample size compared to traditional methods