AUS Repository (American University of Sharjah)
Not a member yet
2669 research outputs found
Sort by
Experimental design for the optimization of fuel cells polyvinylidene polymer-based membranes for better water management
No full textA Master of Science thesis in Engineering Systems Management by Tallah Magdi Yousif Ahmed entitled, “Experimental design for the optimization of fuel cells polyvinylidene polymer-based membranes for better water management”, submitted in November 2024. Thesis advisor is Dr. Amani Al Othman and thesis co-advisor is Dr. Abdulrahim Shamayleh. Soft copy is available (Thesis, Completion Certificate, Approval Signatures, and AUS Archives Consent Form).College of EngineeringDepartment of Industrial EngineeringMaster of Science in Engineering Systems Management (MSESM
Addressing energy and mobility poverty in the Middle East: lived experience, spatial injustice, and temporary migrants in the United Arab Emirates
No full textEnergy and mobility poverty are often experienced together by vulnerable and disadvantaged segments of society. Effectively addressing these issues requires identifying specific groups within unique contexts and devising context-specific interventions. Based on extensive original research, this study uncovers the energy, mobility and broader socio-economic challenges faced by working class citizens housed in Abu Dhabi's labour camps and how these challenges ultimately impact their quality of life and health. Our investigation focuses on the themes of marginalisation and spatial justice to show how labour camp residents often feel excluded from society and isolate themselves from the city and its activities. In exploring the subject of poverty and vulnerability, we show how low-income and living conditions are intertwined with energy and mobility poverty and, hence, the need for holistic solutions. To remediate these circumstances, we provide a set of policy recommendations, including increased monitoring of labour camp developers to ensure compliance with UAE regulations, guaranteeing that labour camps are part of urban planning and implementing safe soft mobility options so mobility can be achieved without requiring a personal vehicle.UK Industrial Decarbonization Research and Innovation Centre (IDRIC)Khalifa University of Science and Technology “High Impact Grant
INScription: Department of International Studies (INS) Issue #25 (October 31, 2024, Issue 3)
No full textCollege of Arts and SciencesDepartment of International Studie
Surface Functionalized Medium Entropy Alloys for Electrochemical Hydrogen Production
No full textA Doctor of Philosophy Dissertation in Materials Science and Engineering by Shahbaz Ahmad entitled, “Surface Functionalized Medium Entropy Alloys for Electrochemical Hydrogen Production”, submitted in October 2024. Dissertation advisors are Dr. Mehmet Egilmez and Dr. Ali S. Alnaser. Soft copy is available (Dissertation, Completion Certificate, Approval Signatures, and AUS Archives Consent Form).This thesis explores non-precious metal-based electrocatalysts, focusing on medium and high entropy alloys (HEAs) like CoCrNi, CoNiV, and CoNi(Cr/V) for the hydrogen and oxygen evolution reactions (HER and OER). These multi-principal element alloys utilize cost-effective transition metals, known for their robustness, corrosion resistance, and structural stability, and are systematically synthesized and characterized here. Analysis confirmed a stable, single-phase face-centered cubic (FCC) crystal structure in these alloys, while electrochemical testing showed that CoNi(Cr/V) achieved a notable overpotential of 50 mV at 10 mA/cm² and a Tafel slope of 48 mV/dec, highlighting its excellent catalytic performance for HER. To expand on this work, equiatomic thin films of NiCoCr, NiCoV, and NiCo(Cr/V) were created via magnetron sputtering. As bifunctional electrocatalysts, these films exhibited remarkable activity for alkaline water splitting, with the NiCo(Cr/V) film performing comparably to platinum-based catalysts (Pt/C) and showing resilience in both acidic and alkaline conditions. These properties make the NiCo(Cr/V) system a promising candidate for sustainable energy applications. Further, laser structuring applied to NiCo(Cr/V) thin films enhanced the electrochemical performance, with the laser-structured LS-NiCo(Cr/V) samples showing improved HER and OER metrics compared to unstructured samples. This finding highlights the value of laser processing in refining both surface properties and electrocatalytic function in medium entropy alloys.In summary, this research showcases the potential of multi-principal element alloys and surface structuring methods for cost-effective, high-performance electrocatalysts in water splitting applications. These innovations enhance the understanding of electrocatalytic mechanisms and pave the way for practical, sustainable hydrogen production solutions, supporting a shift toward cleaner and economically viable energy systems.College of Arts and SciencesMultidisciplinary ProgramsPhD in Materials Science and Engineering (PhD-MSE
Developing Power-Law Fluid Flow in The Entrance Region of a Parallel Plate Channel
No full textA Master of Science thesis in Chemical Engineering by Sadia Rehman entitled, “Developing Power-Law Fluid Flow in The Entrance Region of a Parallel Plate Channel”, submitted in March 2024. Thesis advisor is Dr. Rachid Chebbi. Soft copy is available (Thesis, Completion Certificate, Approval Signatures, and AUS Archives Consent Form).Non-Newtonian fluids are used in different processes including heat exchangers, extrusion processes and chemical production. Numerous significant industrial fluids exhibit non-Newtonian properties. Many non-Newtonian fluids are modelled as power-law fluids. Research on the laminar flow of power-law fluids in the entrance region of parallel plates has been conducted by previous investigators using a variety of methods. The main objective of this research is to model power-law fluid flow in the entrance region of parallel plate channels using the inlet-filled region concept. The problem is solved using a modified boundary layer integral method and the results are validated against published data. The results for the inlet and filled regions include velocity, pressure drop and boundary layer thickness profiles in addition to the inlet and filled region sizes as functions of the power-law index. The present model results asymptotically reach the fully developed velocity profile, friction factor and centreline velocity values for power-law fluids and demonstrate strong consistency with published Newtonian fluid flow results in the entrance region of parallel plates.College of EngineeringDepartment of Chemical and Biological EngineeringMaster of Science in Chemical Engineering (MSChE
The impact of socio-economic factors on waste generation in the UAE
No full textA Master of Science thesis in Engineering Systems Management by Omar Walid Omar Daoud entitled, “The impact of socio-economic factors on waste generation in the UAE”, submitted in April 2024. Thesis advisor is Dr. Vian Ahmed. Soft copy is available (Thesis, Completion Certificate, Approval Signatures, and AUS Archives Consent Form).Solid waste generation rates have surged due to changing lifestyles, consumption patterns, global urbanization, and industrialization, posing a significant environmental challenge, mainly as waste production in the UAE has grown substantially over the past decade, driven by population growth and economic expansion. With the population expected to continue rising, the situation is worsened by a lack of awareness. Addressing this issue requires reducing waste production and involving the public in effective waste management practices. Hence, this thesis aims to investigate the socio-economic impact of the UAE's waste generation and recycling behavior by using the American University of Sharjah (AUS) as a case study involving a sample size of 400 participants to understand community behavior toward recycling, significant socio-economic influence, and recommendations for improving waste management strategies. The Structural Equation Model (SEM) is applied for data analysis and the subsequent development of the final model. The SEM’s fit summary revealed a Chi-Square of 1724.1465, a Standardized RMR (SRMR) of 0.0623, Goodness of Fit Index (GFI) of 0.7579, Adjusted GFI (AGFI) of 0.7208, RMSEA Estimate of 0.0766, and Comparative Fit Index (CFI) of 0.8697. The results suggest a highly positive recycling attitude directly related to the participant's propensity to involve themselves in recycling, which the SEM undoubtedly confirms. Conversely, the results suggest that although financial motivations are dominant, they do not significantly motivate recycling behaviors, which may suggest that intrinsic motivations outweigh extrinsic motives. Moreover, the results suggest that improved awareness positively predicts recycling behaviors: informed students will be actively involved in the recycling program. Additionally, the SEM analysis provided P-values showing significant support for the paths from attitude, awareness, and challenges to the overall behaviour, while the motivation path was not supported. The recommendations aim to foster a more sustainable environment by introducing a recycling-centric culture within the community, significantly reducing waste generation through targeted educational programs, economic incentives, and infrastructural improvements to facilitate effective waste management.College of EngineeringMultidisciplinary ProgramsMaster of Science in Engineering Systems Management (MSESM
LCMV-Based EEG & FNIRS-Based Brain Source Localization of Mental Stress
No full textA Master of Science thesis in Biomedical Engineering by Ismat Feras Ismat Almadani entitled, “LCMV-Based EEG & FNIRS-Based Brain Source Localization of Mental Stress”, submitted in May 2024. Thesis advisor is Dr. Hasan Mir and thesis co-advisor is Dr. Hasan Al-Nashash. Soft copy is available (Thesis, Completion Certificate, Approval Signatures, and AUS Archives Consent Form).College of EngineeringMultidisciplinary ProgramsMaster of Science in Biomedical Engineering (MSBME
Sensor Fusion Based Automatic Misalignment Detection and Correction System for Wireless Charging
No full textA Master of Science thesis in Electrical Engineering by Ali Younis Al Dahhan entitled, “Sensor Fusion Based Automatic Misalignment Detection and Correction System for Wireless Charging”, submitted in May 2024. Thesis advisor is Dr. Ahmed Osman and thesis co-advisors are Dr. Mohamed Hassan and Dr. Shayok Mukhopadhyay. Soft copy is available (Thesis, Completion Certificate, Approval Signatures, and AUS Archives Consent Form).College of EngineeringDepartment of Electrical EngineeringMaster of Science in Electrical Engineering (MSEE
Microfluidic Electrochemical Desalination using a Permselective Membrane
No full textA Master of Science thesis in Chemical Engineering by Haya Mohammad Taleb entitled, “Microfluidic Electrochemical Desalination using a Permselective Membrane”, submitted in December 2024. Thesis advisor is Dr. Naif Darwish. Soft copy is available (Thesis, Completion Certificate, Approval Signatures, and AUS Archives Consent Form).Water scarcity poses a formidable challenge around the world, especially in arid regions where limited availability of freshwater resources threatens both human well-being and ecosystem sustainability. Integrating microfluidics, electrochemistry, and desalination principles offers a promising solution to address water shortages through microfluidic electrochemical desalination. This thesis aims to conduct an experimental study on saline water desalination using modified ion-exchange membranes and electrodes integrated with a capacitive-based, electrochemical desalination unit. The membranes produced in this work were fabricated by electrospinning technique. Six different additives and nano-additives, i.e., graphene oxide (GO), carbon nanotubes (CNTs), zinc oxide (ZnO), activated carbon (AC), and zeolitic imidazolate metal organic framework (ZIF-8), were used to modify the functionality and selectivity of the prepared polyvinylidene difluoride (PVDF) membranes. The physiochemical properties of the prepared membranes were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Zeta potential, contact angle, conductivity, porosity, and pore size distribution. Additionally, silver electrodes were prepared by spray coating carbon cloth with silver nanoparticles. The crystalline structure and electrochemical performance of the electrodes were examined using X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis, cyclic voltammetry (CV), and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) measurements. Based on the findings, PVDF/GO membrane exhibited superior results with an electrical conductivity of 5.611 mS/cm, an average pore size of 2.086 μm, and a surface charge of -38.33 mV. It also showed an outstanding desalination performance in terms of ion removal efficiency of 68%, salt adsorption capacity (SAC) of 775.40 mg/g, and specific energy consumption (SEC) of 16.17 kJ/mole, which are better than the corresponding results reported in literature.College of EngineeringDepartment of Chemical and Biological EngineeringMaster of Science in Chemical Engineering (MSChE