Controlling crystallization via interfacial engineering : patterning, fouling-inhibition, and nutrient recovery

Crystallization is ubiquitous in natural and anthropogenic environments; and can be detrimental or beneficial. For example, crystallization from sea-spray deposits is a leading contributor to rusting and fouling of coastal structures. However, crystallization can also be used as a purification technique for producing a variety of important chemicals. In this thesis, control of crystallization at interfaces is explored for improving sustainability across a variety of applications including pattering, anti-fouling, and as a separation process for recovery. Interfacial engineering is a natural starting point for controlling crystallization due to a propensity of many forms of crystals to form at phase boundaries. Control of crystallization on solid substrates is accomplished by modification of the surface morphology, length scale of surface features, surface chemistry, and surface energy. In this thesis I demonstrate that interfacial engineering can be used to prevent mineral fouling across salts and salt mixture, to develop microparticles which promote recovery of nutrients from waste water, and to design a micro-scale water-soluble crystalline masks with applications for the fabrication of microdevices.

Name thesis:degree_name

Doctoral

Department dc:contributor.department

Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Mechanical Engineering

Grantor dc:publisher

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Year dc:date.issued

2020

Author dc:creator

• McBride, Samantha Ann.

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Kripa K. Varanasi.

• Mechanical Engineering.

Statement dc:rights

• MIT theses may be protected by copyright. Please reuse MIT thesis content according to the MIT Libraries Permissions Policy, which is available through the URL provided.

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Handle dc:identifier.uri

https://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/128300

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:dspace.mit.edu:1721.1/128300