As scientists, we have an affinity for order: repeating crystal structures, Euclidean space, continuous functions… Even concepts such as defects are discussed in the context of distracting from order. Things are most logical and best described in straightforward, taxonomical fashion. But what happens when the very application desired is dependent...
In a search for designed materials that mimic those found in biological systems, combining polymers with inorganic materials in sol-gel chemistry processes has gained momentum in the research world since the 1990's. This work methodically investigated the properties of several related polymer-SiO₂ hybrids prepared by a simple methodology that could...
Carboxylic acids have played an important role in the field of actinide (An) and lanthanide (Ln) separations and the reprocessing of irradiated nuclear fuel. Recent bench-scale experiments have demonstrated that 3-carboxy-3-hydroxypentanedioic acid (citric acid) is a promising aqueous complexant that can effectively aid in the separation of transition metals from...
The development of micro total analysis systems (µTAS), also called “lab-on-a-chip”, or microfluidic analysis systems, is presented in this dissertation. Various research areas, covering subjects from magnetic particles synthesis to novel microchip fabrication techniques, are explored to develop a lab-on-a-chip system capable of performing magnetic bead-based bioassays. These devices are...
Porous carbon is indispensable in modern technology applications. It is used for energy storage, gas separation, water purification, catalyst support, and chromatography. The diversity of its applications stems from its unique properties, including high specific surface area, tunable pore volume, and chemical stability. Specifically, the large surface area provides high...
Transition metal oxides exhibit potential in various application fields due to the special d-electrons. Solid state chemistry focuses on discovering the structure-property relationships. The work in this thesis mainly discusses compounds with hexagonal or brownmillerite-type structure and their practical properties.
Hexagonal YIn[subscript 1-x]Fe[subscript x]O₃ (x = 0-0.3, 0.7-1.0) phases have...
The development of a transient electric birefringence (TEB) apparatus for macroparticle characterization is herein discussed. The experimental difficulties encountered were related largely to poor data resolution. Misalignment and strain birefringence in optical components further complicated results. Improved data digitization methods were developed, and precise mathematical models were derived in order...