Theiss Research 4 articles published in JoVE Chemistry A Synthetic Methodology for Preparing Impregnated and Grafted Amine-Based Silica Composites for Carbon Capture Charlotte M. Wentz1,2, Zois Tsinas1,3, Amanda L. Forster1 1Material Measurement Laboratory, National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), 2University of Maryland, 3Theiss Research This work aims to facilitate the development of standardized techniques for impregnating or grafting aminated compounds onto silica substrates, which are often broadly described in the literature. Specific amounts of solvent, substrate, amines, and the values of other important experimental parameters will be discussed in detail. Engineering Solution Blow Spinning of Polymeric Nano-Composite Fibers for Personal Protective Equipment Zois Tsinas1,2, Ran Tao1,3, Amanda L. Forster1 1Material Measurement Laboratory, National Institute of Standards and Technology, 2Theiss Research, 3Department of Chemical Engineering, Texas Tech University The primary goal of this study is to describe a protocol to prepare polymeric fiber mats with consistent morphology via solution blow spinning (SBS). We aim to use SBS to develop novel, tunable, flexible polymeric fiber nanocomposites for various applications, including protective materials, by incorporating nanoparticles in a polymer-elastomer matrix. Engineering Cutting Procedures, Tensile Testing, and Ageing of Flexible Unidirectional Composite Laminates Amy Engelbrecht-Wiggans1,2, Ajay Krishnamurthy1,2, Faraz Burni1,3, William Osborn1, Amanda L. Forster1 1Material Measurement Laboratory, National Institute of Standards and Technology, 2Theiss Research, 3Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering Department, University of Maryland The goal of the study was to develop protocols to prepare consistent specimens for accurate mechanical testing of high-strength aramid or ultra-high-molar-mass polyethylene-based flexible unidirectional composite laminate materials and to describe protocols for performing artificial ageing on these materials. Chemistry Disentangling High Strength Copolymer Aramid Fibers to Enable the Determination of Their Mechanical Properties Amanda L. Forster1, Viviana Rodriguez Cardenas1, Ajay Krishnamurthy1,2, Zois Tsinas3, Amy Engelbrecht-Wiggans1,2, Nolan Gonzalez1 1Material Measurement Laboratory, National Institute of Standards and Technology, 2Theiss Research, 3University of Maryland The primary goal of the study is to develop a protocol to prepare consistent specimens for accurate mechanical testing of high strength copolymer aramid fibers, by removing a coating and disentangling the individual fiber strands without introducing significant chemical or physical degradation.
