Sam Hill
MIT Department: Civil and Environmental Engineering
Faculty Mentor: Prof. Desiree Plata
Research Supervisor: Audrey Parker
Undergraduate Institution: Morehouse College
Hometown: Pflugerville, Texas
Website:
Biography
Samuel Hill is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Applied Physics as a junior at Morehouse College and a degree in Civil Engineering at Georgia Tech. His passion for mathematics has driven his academic success, earning him certificates of achievement in Calculus and Differential Equations from Morehouse. Beyond his studies, Hill has a deep appreciation for the arts, evidenced by his 2022 Heller Award for Young Artists for Best Supporting Actor in musical theatre. His interest in linear algebra, design, and mechanics has been enriched through a robotics course internship at the University of Michigan exploring the applications of linear algebra in programming, and the Design Voice 3×2 internship at the University of Texas at Austin, where he gained experience by shadowing professionals at architecture firms and visiting construction sites. Hill’s dedication to Civil Engineering is driven by the challenges of climate change and the negative impacts of gentrification.
Abstract
Optimizing the Reduction of Atmospheric Methane via a Zeolite Catalyst
Samuel Hill1, Audrey Parker2 and Desiree Plata2
1Dual Degree Engineering Program, Morehouse College
2Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Low-level methane in the atmosphere significantly contributes to climate change. Zeolites doped with copper ions have been proven a suitable catalyst for converting methane into a less potent carbon dioxide; however, high temperature requirements for this reaction could be a barrier to its application in mitigating climate change. In this study, we evaluated the effects of activation temperature on this reaction. To serve as our standard, zeolite mordenite was agitated in a solution of 50 mmol/L copper (II) nitrate. In reactors, each sample was activated at a high temperature before atmospheric levels of methane gas were introduced at a lower temperature. The mass flow of methane, carbon dioxide, and water out of each reactor was measured using optical spectroscopy. With this data, we confirmed a positive relationship between activation temperature and the conversion of methane into carbon dioxide. Variations on the structure of the zeolite, ions exchanged, and their concentration could reveal methods of developing a stronger catalyst to capture and convert methane at common sources with less energy input.
