Apparatus to measure the thermal conductivity of YBa(_2)Cu(_3)O(_7-δ) at temperatures between 20K and 120K has been designed and constructed. The thermal conductivity is measured using a longitudinal steady state heat flow technique. Thermal conductivity measurements have been performed upon a sample of YBa(_2)Cu(_3)O(_7-δ) which has been subjected to a series of heat treatments in order to remove oxygen from the material. The measurements show conclusively that the thermal conductivity of YBa(_2)Cu(_3)O(_7-δ) is very strongly influenced by the oxygen content of the material. A reduction of the oxygen content of the material results in a substantial lowering of the thermal conductivity. To explain this result, a quantitative model has been constructed; the model demonstrates that consideration of the changes in phonon interactions alone cannot account for the differences in the behaviour of the thermal conductivity of YBa(_2)Cu(_3)O(_6) and YBa(_2)Cu(_3)O(_7). In addition; the model, shows that there must be a significant carrier contribution to the thermal conductivity in both the normal and superconducting states. A physical process has been proposed which provides the required large carrier contribution below T(_c). Further studies have been performed on a series of samples of YBa(_2)Cu(_3)O(_7-δ) which were sintered at slightly different temperatures. Qualitative analysis of the physical properties, of these samples has been performed.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 2000. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references. Available also in a digital version from Dissertation Abstracts.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Hong Kong, 1991.

Doctor of Philosophy / Department of Agronomy / P. V. Vara Prasad / Increased ambient temperature and soil salinity seriously affect the productivity of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) which is an important cereal second to rice as the main human food crop. However, wheat plant is most susceptible to high temperatures and salinity at booting and flowering stages. Several studies have documented the effects of individual stress like salinity and high temperature stress on wheat, nonetheless little is known about effects of combined salinity and high temperature at critical growth stages. Therefore, the objectives of this research were (i) to screen winter wheat germplasm for salinity tolerance at the germination stages and to determine seedling growth traits associated with salinity tolerance, (ii) to evaluate the independent and combined effects of high temperature and salinity on winter wheat genotypes at the booting stages through growth, physiological, biochemical, and yield traits, and (iii) to evaluate the independent and combined effects of high temperature and salinity on winter wheat genotypes at the flowering stages through growth, physiological, biochemical, and yield traits. In the first experiment, 292 winter wheat genotypes (winter wheat germplasm) was screened for salinity stress at germination stage under controlled environments. The seeds were subjected to three levels of salinity, 0, 60, and 120 mM NaCl to quantify the effects of salinity on seed germination and seedling growth. In the second experiment, controlled environment study was conducted to quantity the independent and combined high temperature and salinity stress effects on growth, physiological, biochemical, and yield traits of twelve winter wheat genotypes during booting stage. Plants were grown at 20/15 °C (daytime maximum/nighttime minimum) temperature with 16 h photoperiod. At booting stages, the plants were exposed to optimum (20/15 °C) or high temperature (35/20 °C) and without (0 mM NaCl) and with (60, and 120 mM) NaCl. In the third experiment, plants were exposed to optimum or high temperature and with and without NaCl levels at flowering stages. The temperature regime and salinity levels were same as experiment II. The duration of stress was 10 d and after the stress period the plants were brought to optimum temperature and irrigated with normal water (0 mM NaCl). The results indicated that, at 120 mM NaCl, the final germination percentage was decreased and the mean daily germination was delayed. Irrespective of the genotype, salinity stress significantly decreased the shoot and root length; seedling dry matter production, and seedling vigor. Based on the seedling vigor index, the genotype GAGE, OK04507, MTS0531, TASCOSA, ENDURANCE and GUYMON, were found to be most tolerant and CO04W320, 2174-05, CARSON, OK1070275, TX02A0252 and TX04M410211 were the most susceptible to salinity at germination stage. Combined stresses of high temperature and salinity decreased photosynthetic rate and grain yields. Based on grain yield, the genotype TASCOSA was found to be most tolerant (64 % decrease) to combined stresses, and AVALANCHE was the most susceptible to combined stresses (75 % decrease) at booting stages. Similarly, at flowering stage, TX04M410211 had greater tolerance to combined stresses (65 % decline) as compared to GAGE (83 % decline). In both experiments, tolerance was associated with higher spikelet number and seed set. In conclusion, there is genetic variability among winter wheat genotypes that can be used in breeding programs to improve winter wheat yield under combined high temperature and salinity stress conditions.

published_or_final_version / abstract / Physics / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

Yeung, Him Ching = 以粉末混合方法及夾心樣品方法製作的硼化鎂的特性研究 / 楊謙靖. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2008. / Includes bibliographical references. / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / Yeung, Him Ching = Yi fen mo hun he fang fa ji jia xin yang pin fang fa zhi zuo de peng hua mei de te xing yan jiu / Yang Qianjing. / Abstract --- p.i / 摘要 --- p.iii / Acknowledgments --- p.v / Table of contents --- p.vi / List of table captions --- p.viii / List of figure captions --- p.ix / Chapter Chapter 1 --- Introduction --- p.1 / Chapter 1.1 --- Superconductors --- p.1 / Chapter 1.1.1 --- Classifications --- p.1 / Chapter 1.1.2 --- Conventional versus unconventional --- p.2 / Chapter 1.1.3 --- Type I and Type II superconductors --- p.4 / Chapter 1.1.4 --- Critical current Jc and the Bean´ةs Model --- p.5 / Chapter 1.2 --- Magnesium diboride --- p.8 / Chapter 1.2.1 --- Structure --- p.8 / Chapter 1.2.2 --- Physical properties --- p.8 / Chapter 1.2.3 --- Chemical properties --- p.9 / Chapter 1.2.4 --- Conduction mechanisms --- p.9 / Chapter 1.2.5 --- Fabrication methods --- p.9 / Chapter 1.3 --- Objectives of this work --- p.10 / References --- p.12 / Figures --- p.14 / Chapter Chapter 2 --- Methodology and instrumentation --- p.17 / Chapter 2.1 --- Experimental procedures --- p.17 / Chapter 2.2 --- Samples preparation --- p.17 / Chapter 2.2.1 --- Powder mixing approach --- p.17 / Chapter 2.2.2 --- Sandwich structure approach --- p.18 / Chapter 2.3 --- Samples fabrication --- p.18 / Chapter 2.4 --- Determination of compositions --- p.18 / Chapter 2.5 --- Characterization --- p.19 / Chapter 2.5.1 --- X-ray diffractometry (XRD) --- p.19 / Chapter 2.5.2 --- Microstructural analysis --- p.20 / Chapter 2.5.3 --- Magnetic measurements --- p.20 / Chapter 2.5.3.1 --- Setup for Jc measurements --- p.21 / Reference --- p.22 / Figures --- p.23 / Chapter Chapter 3 --- Powder mixing approach --- p.26 / Chapter 3.1 --- Results --- p.26 / Chapter 3.1.1 --- XRD results --- p.26 / Chapter 3.1.2 --- Compositions --- p.27 / Chapter 3.1.3 --- SEM results --- p.28 / Chapter 3.1.3.1 --- Sample sintered at 600°C --- p.28 / Chapter 3.1.3.2 --- Samples sintered at 700°C and 800°C --- p.28 / Chapter 3.1.3.3 --- Sample sintered at 900°C --- p.29 / Chapter 3.1.3.4 --- Sample sintered at 1000°C --- p.29 / Chapter 3.1.3.5 --- Sample sintered at 1050°C --- p.29 / Chapter 3.1.4 --- VSM results --- p.30 / Chapter 3.1.4.1 --- Tc measurements --- p.30 / Chapter 3.1.4.2 --- Hysteresis loops --- p.31 / Chapter 3.1.5 --- Jc measurements --- p.31 / Chapter 3.1.5.1 --- Direct measurement --- p.31 / Chapter 3.1.5.2 --- The Bean´ةs Model --- p.32 / Chapter 3.2 --- Discussions --- p.32 / Chapter 3.3 --- Summary --- p.35 / References --- p.36 / Figures --- p.37 / Tables --- p.47 / Chapter Chapter 4 --- Sandwich structure approach --- p.49 / Chapter 4.1 --- Results --- p.49 / Chapter 4.1.1 --- SEM results --- p.49 / Chapter 4.1.1.1 --- Surface of the Mg disk --- p.49 / Chapter 4.1.1.2 --- Inner region of the Mg disk --- p.50 / Chapter 4.1.2 --- XRD results --- p.50 / Chapter 4.1.2.1 --- Surface of the Mg disk --- p.50 / Chapter 4.1.2.2 --- Inner region of the Mg disk --- p.51 / Chapter 4.1.3 --- VSM results --- p.51 / Chapter 4.1.3.1 --- Tc measurement --- p.51 / Chapter 4.1.3.2 --- Hysteresis loops --- p.52 / Chapter 4.2 --- Discussions --- p.52 / Chapter 4.3 --- Summary --- p.54 / Reference --- p.54 / Figures --- p.55 / Tables --- p.61 / Chapter Chapter 5 --- Growth Mechanism --- p.62 / Chapter 5.1 --- Introduction --- p.62 / Chapter 5.2 --- Brief summary of results --- p.62 / Chapter 5.2.1 --- Powder mixing approach --- p.62 / Chapter 5.2.2 --- Sandwich structure approach --- p.63 / Chapter 5.3 --- Formation of the MgB2 platelets --- p.63 / Chapter 5.4 --- Size of the MgB2 platelets --- p.67 / Chapter 5.5 --- Summary --- p.68 / References --- p.69 / Figures --- p.70 / Tables --- p.75 / Chapter Chapter 6 --- Conclusions and suggestions of future work --- p.76 / Chapter 6.1 --- Summary --- p.76 / Chapter 6.2 --- Future work --- p.77 / Appendix 1 --- p.79 / Appendix 2 --- p.81

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Hong Kong, 2006. / Title proper from title frame. Also available in printed format.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Tufts University, 1989. / Submitted to the Dept. of Physics. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 192-204). Access restricted to members of the Tufts University community. Also available via the World Wide Web;

High temperature, solvent resistant materials which also display good mechanical properties are desired for use as aerospace structural adhesives and polymer matrix/carbon fiber composites. High molecular weight amorphous poly(arylene ether sulfone) thermoplastic materials display many of these desirable characteristics but are deficient in solvent resistance. Previous attempts to prepare poly(arylene ether) based thermosets to improve solvent resistance have been largely unsuccessful due to processiblity issues from the low curing temperature and high glass transition temperature of the thermoset precursor. Incorporation of a high temperature curable (* 350°C) endgroup such as 3-phenylethynylphenol in the synthesis of controlled molecular weight poly(arylene ether sulfone) oligomers has allowed for a large processing window prior to the exothermic cure that forms the desired networks. Control of oligomer molecular weight and backbone structure has allowed for further control of the processing, thermal transitions and adhesive properties of the thermosets. A systematic series of phenylethynyl terminated oligomers derived from either bisphenol A, or wholly aromatic hydroquinone or biphenol has been synthesized and characterized to determine the influence of backbone structure, molecular weight, and endgroup structure on thermoset properties. The features most affected by backbone structure included thermal stability (weight loss behavior) as well as transition temperatures (Tg, Tm), and processing characteristics. Increasing molecular weight of the oligomer produced a decrease in the glass transition temperature of the network and an increase in the adhesive properties of the thermoset. Comparison of the curing behavior of the 3-phenylethynylphenol endcapped materials with other related phenylethynyl terminated compounds led to the synthesis and systematic investigation of the curing behavior of phenylethynyl endcappers in which the electronic environment in relation to the reactive ethynyl carbons was systematically varied. Electron withdrawing groups, eg. sulfone, ketone, imide on the aryl ring para to the acetylene bond enhanced the rate of cure and also appear to improve the lap shear adhesion to suface treated titanium adherands. Discussion of the background, synthesis and characterization are described in this dissertation. / Ph. D.

Since the recent discovery of a new class of high critical temperature superconductors (HTS), much interest has been shown in their potential use as optical detectors. The purpose of this research was to test thin film samples of the HTS Y1Ba2Cu3O7-delta as detectors and investigate any response to optical radiation. A laboratory test facility was designed and built for this purpose. The experimental results exhibit a variety of optical responses that are dependent upon the physical characteristics of each HTS thin film. Polycrystalline films exhibited a different detection mode than did epitaxial films. This research demonstrates that HTS thin films are viable optical detectors and have the potential to become competitive high-performance detectors as the new technology continues to emerge.