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Early Years Section
No full textPhotograph of the Early Years section of the George Sweatt Exhibit. Pictured is the display cabinet with photographs, a baseball bat, and newsletter. Above the cabinet is five posters. The four on the left, Athletics, High School, Education, and Humboldt, describe Sweatt\u27s early life. The poster on the right is a list of names that helped in the creation of the exhibit.https://digitalcommons.pittstate.edu/sweatt_lecture/1012/thumbnail.jp
WWI Case
No full textPhotograph of the World War I display case in Special Collections. Contains images of George Sweatt, friends, his draft card, a newspaper clipping, and cement plant manuals.https://digitalcommons.pittstate.edu/sweatt_lecture/1059/thumbnail.jp
Audience
No full textThe audience at Phil Dixon\u27s lecture, Kansas City Monarchs and America\u27s Pastime. Photograph taken during the 2025 Gene DeGruson Lecture.https://digitalcommons.pittstate.edu/sweatt_lecture/1070/thumbnail.jp
Submitting Your DNP Scholarly Project into Digital Commons@PSU
Get PDFA step by step guide showing students how to submit their Doctor of Nursing Scholarly Project for the review process in Digital Commons. It covers creating an account through final approval
How Does Amazon\u27s Al Chatbot, Rufus, Impact Customer Satisfaction?
No full textThis study examines how Amazon\u27s Al-powered chatbot, Rufus, influences customer satisfaction in e-commerce. As Al-driven customer support becomes more common, it is essential to assess whether features like accuracy, response time, and personalization contribute to a positive user experience. Using a quantitative research approach, this study incorporates descriptive and correlational analysis to measure how these factors impact user satisfaction.
Data will be collected through a structured survey of 40+ participants who have used Rufus at least five times. The survey will assess response time, accuracy, personalization, and overall satisfaction levels using a 5-point scale. The study will test three key hypotheses: (1) higher accuracy increases trust and satisfaction; (2) faster response times improve user experience; and (3) personalized responses lead to higher engagement.
Findings from previous research indicate that Al chatbots can enhance or hinder customer interactions depending on their design. However, existing studies focus on general Al use in customer service, with limited insights into e-commerce-specific bots like Rufus. This study aims to fill that gap by providing data-backed insights into Al chatbot performance.
The results will help Amazon and other e-commerce businesses refine chatbot features to better serve customers. By identifying strengths and limitations, this research contributes to improving Al-driven customer interactions, making online shopping more efficient, engaging, and user-friendly
Factors Affecting Gas Price Inflation in the U.S. Over the Last Two Decades
No full textGasoline price inflation in the U.S. has been a persistent concern, influenced by crude oil prices, geopolitical events, regulatory policies, and financial market speculation. This study analyzes gasoline price fluctuations from 2004 to 2023, highlighting major disruptions such as the 2008 financial crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic. While traditionally considered inelastic, gasoline demand exhibits greater long-run elasticity, driven by shifts in driving behavior, fuel efficiency improvements, and electric vehicle (EV) adoption. Using time-series econometric models, this research examines key factors affecting price volatility. Short-run demand remains inelastic, but over time, sustained high prices encourage consumers to switch to fuel-efficient vehicles and alternative energy sources. Generalized Autoregressive Conditional Heteroskedasticity (GARCH) models reveal that price volatility is amplified by speculative trading and global supply shocks. Government policies, such as fuel taxes, environmental regulations, and subsidies, further influence price dynamics.
Findings suggest that future gasoline consumption will decline due to technological advancements and regulatory shifts. Understanding these market forces is crucial for policymakers aiming to mitigate price volatility and transition toward sustainable energy solutions. This research provides valuable insights into the evolving nature of gasoline demand, offering strategies to balance economic stability with environmental sustainability
Fabrication of zein protein films from corn kernels: Effects of different silicone crosslinking agents on chemical properties
No full textZein is a biocompatible and biodegradable protein extracted from corn kernels, known for its versatile properties and potential applications in food packaging, drug delivery, and biomedical scaffolds. Zein can react with silicone crosslinking agents, which can modify its various properties, including chemical characteristics and antimicrobial activity
In this study, we fabricated zein films incorporating different concentrations of amine-functional silicones, followed by curing in an oven at 150 C for 2 minutes. The chemical properties of the zein films were evaluated using FTIR spectroscopy.
The chemical evaluation revealed several characteristic peaks of zein:
The peak associated with N-H stretching vibration, indicative of the amide bond present in zein\u27s polypeptide chains, was observed around ~3300-3400 cm-1.
The amide I peak, due to C=O stretching, was observed at ~1640-1650 cm-1.
The amide II peak, corresponding to a combination of N-H bending and C-N stretching vibrations, appeared around ~1550 cm-1.
The amide III peak, associated with C-N stretching and N-H bending, was detected at ~1230-1300 cm-1, reflecting the protein\u27s secondary structure.
The C-H stretching peak (from alkyl groups) appeared around ~2850-2920 cm-1, corresponding to the C-H bonds in the amino acid side chains.
The O-H stretching peak was observed in the range of~3200-3550 cm-1.
Additionally, the antimicrobial activity of the zein films was tested against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. We also assessed the cytotoxicity of the films, yielding interesting results
Injection Molding Using 3D Printed Tooling
No full textInjection molding has traditionally used steel tooling and inserts to manufacture parts. With the rapid development of 3D printing, injection molding tooling is changing. 3D printing, or additive manufacturing, is a process of making three dimensional objects from a digital file and is the opposite of traditional subtractive manufacturing, or hollowing out a block of material with a milling machine. Plastics manufacturers have utilized 3D printing in order to produce molds at reduced material cost, fabrication time, and energy input. Our preliminary review of current technology allowed us to determine an effective method of replicating this process in the PSU Plastics labs. After designing parts, we modeled inserts for the A- and B-half of the mold in SolidWorks, our computer aided design software. From these designs, and information from the 3D printer, we used a FormLabs Form 3+ printer with High Temp liquid resin to 3D print mold inserts. We encountered material challenges due to material weight causing creep during the printing process. To avoid this issue, we designed inserts to fill in the back of the pocket. After printing, the inserts and spacers were test-fitted into the mold base and sanded to fit snuggly within the pockets. Most of our printed parts have been produced successfully with slight adjustments and reprints of certain component to insure the best fit. Once 3D printed inserts are fitted in the mold base, we will produce parts with 3D printed tooling on the Arburg injection molding machine and evaluate part quality
Preparation of Calcium Vanadate Composite as a Cathode for the Aqueous Zinc-Ion Batteries
No full textAqueous zinc-ion batteries (ZIB) are considered an alternative to lithium-ion batteries concerning safety and low cost. However, finding suitable cathode materials is a challenging task. Herein, we prepared calcium vanadate, CaV2O7@V2O5, composite using microwave-assisted solvothermal synthesis and it was utilized as a cathode for ZIBs. The prepared XRD results confirmed the formation of the composite phase of CaV2O7@V2O5. The measured CV results reveal the redox behavior of the composite cathode. The CaV2O7@V2O5 composite cathode delivered an initial capacity of 175 mA/g and 174.2 mA/g, respectively. The capacity of the CaV2O7@V2O5 composite cathode initially increased up to 50 cycles and then gradually decreased. After, 200 cycles, the delivered discharge capacity is about 287 mA h/g at a current density of 100 mA/g with a Coulombic efficiency of 97.5%. Also, CaV2O7@V2O5 composite cathode showed an excellent reversible capacity of 182 mAh/g and 125 mAh/g at a high current density of 1000 mA/g and 2000 mA/g, respectively. After reversing back to its initial current density of 150 mA/g, the CaV2O7@V2O5 composite delivered a high capacity of 327 mAh/g indicating excellent rate performance. This work provides a new pathway for the fabrication of novel cathode materials for the fabrication of advanced batteries
Isocyanate-Free Polyurethane Coatings with Silicon-Based Compound: A Green Approach for High-Performance Coatings
No full textThe development of sustainable and environmentally friendly polyurethane coatings has garnered significant attention in recent years. This research focuses on the development of isocyanate-free coatings derived from carbonated soybean oil (CSBO) using a solvent- and catalyst-free approach. The coatings were synthesized by reacting CSBO with ethylenediamine (EDA) and varying weight percentages of 3- aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES) which was added to enhance the coating property as it contains silicon in it. to evaluate their mechanical and thermal properties. FTIR confirmed the successful formation of urethane linkages, with a significant reduction in C=O peak intensity after 48 hours of curing, indicating enhanced crosslinking. Mechanical testing revealed that films containing 10 wt.% APTES exhibited the highest tensile stress of 1.29MPa due to optimal crosslink density, which balanced rigidity and flexibility. The best elongation at break was observed at 15 wt.% APTES, attributed to increased molecular interactions that allowed better energy dissipation under stress. TGA indicated that coatings with 15 wt.% APTES had the highest degradation temperature at 7.01 oC, suggesting a well-structured polymer matrix with improved thermal resistance. Tensile adhesion tests on oak wood substrates showed maximum bonding strength at 3.6MPa of 10 wt.% APTES, owing to optimal silane interaction with the substrate, promoting better adhesion. These findings suggest that silicon-modified bio-based polyurethane coatings can serve as sustainable alternatives to traditional isocyanate-based systems while achieving superior mechanical and thermal performance. Also, we are working on some other characterizations such as coating different materials like wood, stainless steel, and glass; after coating, we\u27ll check the effect of watercolors, ink, and chemical resistance on the different coated materials