The work presented here is focused on applying basic principles of solid-state chemistry to the study and development of new wide band-gap semiconductors and insulators for photovoltaic and electronic-device applications. Analysis of crystal structure, band structure, optical band gap, morphology and transport properties provides fundamental insight into materials performance as...
Solid state luminescent sulfides are prepared as powders in order to elucidate the relationship between structure and light emission. While the sulfides studied in this dissertation are known phosphors, materials are investigated in a variety of new ways. Elementary properties and structures of MgS are reviewed, and preparation of MgS...
The variegated aqueous chemistries of metal cations are applied to the design and synthesis of non-toxic solution precursors suitable for additive printing of large-area oxide electronics. Polycondensation behaviors of aqueous Al+3 and PO4 +3 are manipulated in the deposition of atomically smooth amorphous aluminum oxide phosphate (AlPO) dielectric films. AlPO...
Detection technique that proposed utilizing electrochemically controlled, reversible ion extraction into polymeric membrane in an alternating galvanostatic/ potentiostatic mode was introduced. This method is studied in detail to comprehend the advantages of the novel sensor (pulstrode) compared to the potentiometric ion selective electrode (ISE), studies included possible applications and limitations....
Effective methods for the enantiopure formation of substituted piperidine rings are significantly important due to their presence in alkaloid products. A valuable method to form these ring systems would be via an intramolecular heteroatom Michael addition from the corresponding enone or enal. Described herein is a methodolgy that has been...
This dissertation outlines two approaches for improving the efficiency and reducing the cost of photovoltaic energy generation. First, the structures of known binary copper and iron compounds are used to choose the promising compositions Fe₂XS₄ (X = Si, Ge), Cu₃TaQ₄ (Q = Se, Te), and BaCuQ'F (Q' = S, Se,...
Crystals of an incongruent-melting compound, Ba₃MgSi₂O₈, were grown by the flux method and its structure was determined by single crystal X-ray diffraction methods. Ba₃MgSi₂O₈ crystallizes in trigonal space group P-3[bar]m1 with a = 5.6123(3) Å, c = 7.2667(9) Å and Z = 1. Eu²⁺ ions prefer one crystallographic Ba site...
Benzylsuccinate (BSA), methylbenzylsuccinate (methylBSA), and ethylbenzylsuccinate (ethylBSA) are unambiguous anaerobic biotransformation products from toluene, xylenes, and ethylbenzene decay, respectively, and may be used to indicate intrinsic bioremediation is occurring at hydrocarbon-contaminated sites. In order to improve upon current methods that detect and quantify anaerobic hydrocarbon metabolites in field samples, solid-phase-extraction...
The aqueous chemistries of two transition metal cations, Zr⁴⁺ and Nb⁵⁺, are examined and then used to develop inorganic precursor solutions. The oxides of these cations (ZrO₂ and Nb₂O₅) are deposited and characterized, and their morphological and optical properties discussed. Due to the obstacles created by niobium's aqueous chemistry, an...