Thesis Archives Search
This search engine will let you explore the over 1800 theses written in Honors at The University of Maine since the Program’s inception in 1935. You may search our thesis archives based on any of the fields listed above. If the thesis is available at the Reynolds Library (Thomson Honors Center) or Fogler Library (Special Collections), the information will appear below the bibliographic data. At last count, we had about 1800 theses in the Reynolds Library.
Search Results
CATALYTIC HYDROGENATION OF AMINO ACIDS WITH POLYMER-DERIVED MICROENVIRONMENTS
Author:
Rachel
Karno
Major: Chemical Engineering Graduation Year: 2017 Thesis Advisor: Thomas J. Schwartz
Description of Publication:
Amino acids are organic compounds that can be found all around us in the world in the building blocks of proteins and peptides. One class of compounds which can be synthesized from amino acids are amino alcohols, another critical compound in society. Amino alcohols are key components in agricultural products and pharmaceutical products. Therefore, developing an efficient and cost-effective method for performing this transformation is an important area of research. The currently used industrial process is to reduce petroleum-derived amino acids with NaBH4. However, this process is time-consuming and costly because of the need for an intermediate stage esters and further processing afterwards to produce the amino alcohols. A proposed alternative to NaBH4 is hydrogenation using ruthenium supported on carbon catalyst in the presence of phosphoric acid. The advantage of this reaction over the currently used industrial process is that Ru-catalyzed hydrogenation has been shown to have high selectivity to amino alcohols and can maintain the optical purity, a critical component in the use of amino alcohols in pharmaceuticals. Unfortunately, this process is not currently cost-effective or reproducible on an industrial scale because of the expense of the catalyst and the fact that the acid co-catalyst cannot be recycled, adding to the cost. Our proposed solution was to impregnate the catalyst with a polymer that can created acidic active sites within the catalyst pores, eliminating the need for the acid. By impregnating 2.9 wt% polyacrylate onto a Ru supported by alumina catalyst, we were successful in converting 51.8% of our alanine to alaninol without the addition of any acid co-catalyst. The catalyst can then be filtered out and reused, adding a major economic and environmental advantage for hydrogenation versus the current industrial process.
Location of Publication:
URL to Thesis: https://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/honors/309/
Major: Chemical Engineering Graduation Year: 2017 Thesis Advisor: Thomas J. Schwartz
Description of Publication:
Amino acids are organic compounds that can be found all around us in the world in the building blocks of proteins and peptides. One class of compounds which can be synthesized from amino acids are amino alcohols, another critical compound in society. Amino alcohols are key components in agricultural products and pharmaceutical products. Therefore, developing an efficient and cost-effective method for performing this transformation is an important area of research. The currently used industrial process is to reduce petroleum-derived amino acids with NaBH4. However, this process is time-consuming and costly because of the need for an intermediate stage esters and further processing afterwards to produce the amino alcohols. A proposed alternative to NaBH4 is hydrogenation using ruthenium supported on carbon catalyst in the presence of phosphoric acid. The advantage of this reaction over the currently used industrial process is that Ru-catalyzed hydrogenation has been shown to have high selectivity to amino alcohols and can maintain the optical purity, a critical component in the use of amino alcohols in pharmaceuticals. Unfortunately, this process is not currently cost-effective or reproducible on an industrial scale because of the expense of the catalyst and the fact that the acid co-catalyst cannot be recycled, adding to the cost. Our proposed solution was to impregnate the catalyst with a polymer that can created acidic active sites within the catalyst pores, eliminating the need for the acid. By impregnating 2.9 wt% polyacrylate onto a Ru supported by alumina catalyst, we were successful in converting 51.8% of our alanine to alaninol without the addition of any acid co-catalyst. The catalyst can then be filtered out and reused, adding a major economic and environmental advantage for hydrogenation versus the current industrial process.
Location of Publication:
URL to Thesis: https://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/honors/309/
Cebes’ Tablet: A Translation with Introduction and Notes, by Walter M. Macdougall
Center Stage: Bringing the Performing Arts Into Maine’s Public Classrooms
CHANGES IN CIVIL ENGINEERING AND CONSTRUCTION: A LOOK AT THE BROOKLYN BRIDGE, THEN AND NOW
Changes in Soil Morphology and Iron Distribution as Influenced by Varying Moisture Contents
CHANGING LANDSCAPES AND THE MANAGEMENT OF AMERICAN WOODCOCK (SCOLOPAX MINOR) IN THE NORTHEAST
Characteristics and Motivations of Passengers on Board a Puffin Tour Boat in Maine
Author:
Skye
Howard
Major: Marine Sciences Graduation Year: 2024 Thesis Advisor: Teresa R. Johnson
Description of Publication:
The Atlantic puffin (Fratercula arctica) is a visually attractive seabird found in the North Atlantic Ocean. While research in the Eastern North Atlantic indicates that Puffins attract visitors to areas where the species can be viewed, less is known about visitor interest in Atlantic puffins in the Western North Atlantic. This study helps fill a gap in the literature regarding visitor interest in Atlantic puffins in the Western North Atlantic. The purpose of this study is to provide an understanding of the characteristics of passengers on board a puffin tour boat visiting Petit Manan Island, Maine, and the importance of Atlantic puffins as a trip motivator among these passengers. We used a survey of passengers (n=41) on board a tour boat visiting Petit Manan to gather data related to demographics and the significance of several possible trip motivational factors. Our results indicate that the most important trip motivator among passengers on the tour boat is seeing puffins, and that seeing the landscape and scenery of the area is also an important trip motivator. Our findings have implications for both tour boat companies and Atlantic puffin conservation groups.
Location of Publication:
URL to Thesis: https://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/honors/849/
Major: Marine Sciences Graduation Year: 2024 Thesis Advisor: Teresa R. Johnson
Description of Publication:
The Atlantic puffin (Fratercula arctica) is a visually attractive seabird found in the North Atlantic Ocean. While research in the Eastern North Atlantic indicates that Puffins attract visitors to areas where the species can be viewed, less is known about visitor interest in Atlantic puffins in the Western North Atlantic. This study helps fill a gap in the literature regarding visitor interest in Atlantic puffins in the Western North Atlantic. The purpose of this study is to provide an understanding of the characteristics of passengers on board a puffin tour boat visiting Petit Manan Island, Maine, and the importance of Atlantic puffins as a trip motivator among these passengers. We used a survey of passengers (n=41) on board a tour boat visiting Petit Manan to gather data related to demographics and the significance of several possible trip motivational factors. Our results indicate that the most important trip motivator among passengers on the tour boat is seeing puffins, and that seeing the landscape and scenery of the area is also an important trip motivator. Our findings have implications for both tour boat companies and Atlantic puffin conservation groups.
Location of Publication:
URL to Thesis: https://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/honors/849/