Several types of solid-state inorganic materials are prepared and characterized. By using the SILAR (Successive Ionic Layer Adsorption and Reaction) deposition method in conjunction with hydrothermal dehydration both low-temperature deposition and crystallization of oxide thin films are achieved. Various aspects of new transparent p-type materials are studied by examining both...
Over the last decade, the miniaturization of analytical systems has become an increasingly important and interesting research area. Miniaturized systems offer many advantages, including reduced reagent and sample consumption, shorter analysis times, portability and disposability. This dissertation describes novel approaches in this direction, focusing on two areas: the miniaturization of...
Dielectrophoresis (DEP) is a separation method in which a non-uniform electric
field is used to induce a dipole moment in a suspended particle. If the polarization
of the particle is greater than that of the suspending medium, the particle will move
towards the region of higher field strength (positive DEP);...
A microfluidic nanofiltration module has been designed, fabricated and applied to the continuous-flow, pressure-driven, post-synthetic purification of macromolecules and nanoparticles via diafiltration using a commercially available organic solvent resistant nanofiltration membrane, STARMEM 122. This module will readily interface with other microscale components within a
"nanofactory" for the rapid synthesis, purification...
The emerging field of nanotechnology strictly requires the micro-scaling of the available separation technology and the design of novel devices for separations of molecules of interest. The separation of proteins and nanoparticles is challenging due to their relatively large size, non-specific adherence to surfaces and instability in many solvents.
This...
An intramolecular variant of the modified-Julia olefination was demonstrated by the synthesis of α,β-unsaturated lactones in a mild and (Z)-selective fashion. The lynchpin reagent (benzothiazol-2-sulfonyl) acetic acid was synthesized in a straightforward fashion in 86% overall yield from commercially available 2-mercaptobenzothiazole via conversion to ethyl (benzothiazol-2-ylthio)acetate by base mediated alkylation...
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...
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...
Continued interest in the development of miniaturized and portable analytical platforms necessitates the exploration of sensitive methods for the detection of trace analytes. Nanomaterials, on account of their unique physical and chemical properties, are not only able to overcome many limitations of traditional detection reagents but also enable the exploration...
The materials Fe₂(Si,Ge)(S,Se)₄, Cu₃PS[subscript 4-x]Se[subscript x] (0 ≤ x ≤ 4), and Cu₃PxAs[subscript 1-x]S₄ (0 ≤ x ≤ 1) have been synthesized and studied as new earth-abundant absorbers for single and multijunction photovoltaic cells as well as solar fuel generation. The synthesis, single-crystal growth, and optical and electrical properties of...