So, I’ve hit a bit of a speed bump with my research so far. My PI wants me to use cellulose to form the ceramic pipes for our device. The problem I’ve encountered is that the cellulose is burning and making the whole structure very brittle. I’ve been drying the clay more and using multiple layers, which is yielding better results. However, I’ve yet to produce a good sample that includes the cellulose. I did make a complete clay pipe to produce a visual of what our sample is supposed to look like.
My mentor wants to take my project in another direction. He thinks focusing on removing the metal content in water would be more feasible in this six weeks as opposed to the anti-microbial approach. I’ve been reading about magnetite and chitosan so that we can talk to Dr. Noveron about shifting the project’s direction.
The following pictures show a meeting, some samples, and a happy accident trying to evaporate some water in the clay using a vacuum oven.
Good morning Frank,
Could you please upload the pictures again?
It seems that they couldn’t been uploaded correctly.
You know what they say “A picture worth a thousand words”.
Keep it on!
Done!
Have you guys decided on changing directions? Is this a change you are looking forward to?
Are you heating to get them to dry…is that why the cellulose is burning? I wonder if they can be dried without heating, or with slower heating. I don’t think you explained the burning problem very much and why it is happening.
Hi Frank,
Have you solved your cellulose issue? I had students work with chitosan a few years back. It is a shrimp shell extract. Supposed to be antimicrobial.