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Existing actuators in robotics are noisy, rigid and not very lifelike in their movements. There is a need for actuators in especially limb prosthetics and exoskeletons that are silent, softly moving and preferably operating on low currents. One such solution is the conducting polymers. Textiles are well researched and there is a wide variety of patterning. Even more important is their reproducibility and how easily they are mass-produced. This thesis work combines conducting polymers with textiles to achieve linear textile actuators. The textiles are coated with the conducting polymer Polypyrrole which has the property of volume change, when a voltage is applied and there is a reservoir of ions accessible. The volume change, expansion and contraction, results in a linear actuation. The force and strain are measured while changing different parameters and the results are evaluated in this thesis.

Although much has been written on the subject of conducting, it is generally recognized that a great deal can be learned through discussion with and observation of successful conductors. Direct contact with master conductors is an excellent learning tool, but seldom do high school or college choral conductors have the opportunity for direct individual study of the experts in their normal situations. This study provided the opportunity for one practitioner to work with two expert choral conductors. The report was written with the hope that other practitioners might also benefit from the results of the investigation. The purpose of this study was to identify and compare preparations and experiences, philosophies of music, and observable choral concepts which may have contributed to the superior choral achievements of B. R. Henson and Lloyd Pfautsch.

Organic electrode materials, as sustainable and environmental benign alternatives to inorganic electrode materials, show great promise for achieving cheap, light, versatile and disposable devices for electrical energy storage applications. Conducting redox polymers (CRPs) are a new class of organic electrode materials where the charge storage capacity is provided by the redox chemistry of functional pendent groups and electronic conductivity is provided by the doped conducting polymer backbone, enabling the production of energy storage devices with high charge storage capacity and high power capability. This pendant-conducting polymer backbone combination can solve two of the main problems associated with organic molecule-based electrode materials, i.e. the dissolution of the active material and the sluggish charge transport within the material. In this thesis, diethyl terephthalate and polythiophenes were utilized as the pendant and the backbone, respectively. The choice of pendant-conducting polymer backbone combination was based on potential match between the two moieties, i.e. the redox reaction of terephthalate pendent groups and the n-doping of polythiophene backbone occur in the same potential region. The resulting CRPs exhibited fast charge transport within the polymer films and low activation energies involved charge propagation through these materials. In the design of these CRPs an unconjugated link between the pendant and the backbone was found to be advantageous in terms of the polymerizability of the monomers and for the preservation of individual redox activity of the pendants and the polymer chain in CRPs. The functionalized materials were specifically designed as anode materials for energy storage applications and, although insufficient cycling stability was observed, the work presented in this thesis demonstrates that the combination of redox active functional groups with conducting polymers, forming CRPs, shows promise for the development of organic matter-based electrical energy storage materials.

Master of Music / Department of Music / Frank Tracz / This document was submitted to the Graduate School of Kansas State University as a partial requirement for the Master's in Music degree. It contains theoretical, historical, and rehearsal analyses for Sonata No. 13 by Giovanni Gabrieli as arranged for brass octet by Glenn Smith, movements II. Andante and III. Minuet & Trio from Serenade No. 12 in c minor by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart as edited by Frederick Fennell, and Prelude, Siciliano and Rondo by Sir Malcolm Arnold as arranged for full symphonic band by John P. Paynter. Prelude, Siciliano and Rondo was performed by the Kansas State University Wind Ensemble on February 15, 2012 in McCain Auditorium on the Kansas State University campus. Sonata No. 13 was performed by members of the Kansas State University Brass Ensemble on April 18th, 2012 in McCain Auditorium. There was no formal performance or rehearsal for Serenade No. 12 in c minor. The analytical methods employed in this report include the Unit Study approach used in the Teaching Music Through Performance in Band book series and the Tracz method of macro-micro-macro graphical score analysis.

Master of Music / Department of Music / Frank Tracz / The following report contains the research and analysis of three musical compositions prepared for effective rehearsal and performance for the Graduate Conducting Recital. The repertoire selected includes Hats Off to Thee by John Zdechlik, performed by the Kansas State University Brass Ensemble on April 18th, 2012; Mercury Rising by Nathan Daughtrey, performed by the Kansas State University Percussion Ensemble on April 3rd, 2012 and Suite Française by Darius Milhaud, performed by the Kansas State University Concert Band on April 25th, 2012 all under the direction of Sarah Bernard-Stevens. The report comprises extensive research and theoretical analysis compiled to effectively rehearse and conduct the above-mentioned works.

在這個對可再生能源需求不斷增加的新時代,聚合物太陽能電池成為其中一個最熱門的研究題目。在過去十年,聚合物太陽能電池的研究大多集中在液體處理的塊材異質接面結構。與傳統的‘雙層’結構比較,塊材異質接面結構提供一個更大的給體-受體界面面積讓電荷分離及減少電荷重組,從而帶來更高的能量轉換效率。目前使用塊材異質接面結構的聚合物太陽能電池最高能量轉換效率約為8 %。最近在文獻中公佈的一篇文章中,聲稱‘雙層’器件也可以達到與塊材異質接面器件媲美的高效率。這類‘雙層’器件採用相連沉積的給體層P3HT 和以二氯甲烷作溶劑的受體層PCBM 製作。然而,也有報告指在熱退火處理下PCBM 會擴散進入P3HT 的非晶區從而堤高能量轉換效率。我的工作是研究這類所謂的‘雙層’系統。藉運用紫外-可見光光譜儀和掠角X 光繞射,對埰用不同處理手法的純P3HT 薄膜的聚集和結晶性能進行研究。結果發現P3HT 的聚集和結晶性能可能沒有直接的相關性。同時也發現通過縮短底層P3HT 溶劑的揮發時間,這類液體鑄型‘雙層’器件的能量轉換效率得以提高。通過加熱P3HT 薄膜來加快變乾的速度,可以造具較低聚集度和較高結晶密度的P3HT 層。比起常規P3HT 薄膜可以提高能量轉換效率大約15 %。同時也對重量比為1:1 的複合P3HT:PCBM 薄膜的聚集和結晶性能進行了研究。實驗結果進一步表明P3HT 的聚集和結晶性能可能沒有直接的相關性。雖然實驗未有充分運用所有其他可能的處理方法和物理参數對器件進行全面優化,但這項研究卻為液體鑄型雙層聚合物太陽能電池開闢一條新的優化路線。 / In this new age with increasing demand of renewable energy sources, organic solar cell (OSC) has become one of the most intense research topics. The major attention of research in OSC was given to the solution-processed bulk heterojunction (BHJ) architecture during the past ten years. Compared to traditional ‘bilayer’ architecture, the BHJ structure provides a greater donor-accepter interface area for charge separation and reduced recombination, which leads to a higher power conversion efficiency (PCE). The highest PCE reported using BHJ was about 8 %. In a recent article published in the literature, it was claimed that ‘bilayer’ devices can also achieve a high efficiency comparable to that for BHJ devices. Such ‘bilayer’ devices were fabricated by sequential deposition of the donor P3HT and acceptor PCBM layers using dichlormethane as the solvent of PCBM. However, it was also reported that the PCBM could diffuse into the amorphous regions of P3HT during thermal annealing to cause the efficiency enhancement. My work is to study such so-called ‘bilayer’ system. By using UV-Visible spectrophotometer and grazing incidence XRD, the aggregation and crystallization properties of the pure P3HT films fabricated using different processing methods were studied. It was found that the P3HT aggregation may not have direct correlations with crystallinity. It is also discovered that the PCE of such solution-cast bilayer devices are increased by shortening the evaporation time of the underlying P3HT layer from a solution. By heating the P3HT film to accelerate its drying, a less aggregated P3HT layer with a higher density of crystallites could be obtained. The PCE could be enhanced by about 15 % over that using a regular P3HT film. The aggregation and crystallization properties of the composite P3HT:PCBM films with a ratio of 1:1 by weight were also studied. The experimental results further indicate that the P3HT aggregation may not have direct correlations with crystallinity. Although the devices have not been fully optimized by exhausting all the other possible processing and physical parameters, this study opens up a new route to optimize solution-cast bilayer polymer solar cells. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only. / Wong, Man Kwong = 聚合物太陽能電池研究 / 王文廣. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2012. / Includes bibliographical references. / Electronic reproduction. Hong Kong : Chinese University of Hong Kong, [2012] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Abstracts also in Chinese. / Wong, Man Kwong = Ju he wu tai yang neng dian chi yan jiu / Wang Wenguang. / Abstract --- p.I / 摘要 --- p.III / Acknowledgement --- p.VI / Chapter Chapter 1 --- Introduction to Organic Solar Cells --- p.1 / Chapter 1-1 --- The history of the development of solar cells --- p.1 / Chapter 1-2 --- Motivation of developing polymer solar cells --- p.2 / Chapter 1-3 --- The materials used in polymer solar cells --- p.4 / Chapter 1-4 --- Basic working principles of the polymer solar cells --- p.6 / Chapter 1-5 --- Definition of some important parameters of solar cells --- p.8 / Chapter 1-5-1 --- Short circuit current density (J[subscript Ssubscript C]) --- p.8 / Chapter 1-5-2 --- Open circuit voltage (V[subscript Osubscript C]) --- p.9 / Chapter 1-5-3 --- Fill factor (FF) --- p.10 / Chapter 1-5-4 --- Power conversion efficiency (PCE) --- p.11 / Chapter 1-6 --- An outline of this thesis --- p.12 / Chapter Chapter 2 --- Experimental Procedures --- p.13 / Chapter 2-1 --- Common preparation procedures in all the experiments --- p.13 / Chapter 2-1-1 --- The cleaning of the glass and indium tin oxide (ITO) substrates --- p.13 / Chapter 2-1-2 --- The preparation of different donor and accepter solution --- p.13 / Chapter 2-1-3 --- The coating of PEDOT:PSS on the glass and ITO substrates --- p.14 / Chapter 2-1-4 --- The thermal vapor deposition of the cathode layer for solar cell devices --- p.14 / Chapter 2-2 --- The detailed experimental procedures of the active layers in different chapters --- p.15 / Chapter 2-2-1 --- Fabrication of the active layers in chapter 3 --- p.15 / Chapter 2-2-2 --- Fabrication of the active layers in chapter 4 --- p.17 / Chapter 2-2-3 --- Fabrication of the active layers in chapter 5 --- p.18 / Chapter 2-3 --- Measurement of the properties of the film samples and the performance of the solar cells --- p.19 / Chapter 2-4 --- Experimental errors --- p.20 / Chapter Chapter 3 --- A Survey on Polymer Solar Cells and Some Preliminary Works --- p.21 / Chapter 3-1 --- Traditional bilayer polymer solar cells --- p.21 / Chapter 3-2 --- Bulk heterojunction polymer solar cells --- p.22 / Chapter 3-3 --- Studies of thermal annealing effects --- p.26 / Chapter 3-4 --- Studies of solvent annealing effects --- p.28 / Chapter 3-5 --- Studies of the relationship between the thickness and the optical density of the films --- p.34 / Chapter 3-6 --- Solution-cast bilayer polymer solar cells --- p.35 / Chapter 3-7 --- Previous studies on solution-cast bilayer polymer solar cells --- p.39 / Chapter Chapter 4 --- Studies on Solution-Cast Bilayer Polymer Solar Cells --- p.42 / Chapter 4-1 --- Motivation and the basic ideas of my research work --- p.42 / Chapter 4-2 --- Higher PCE through the use of a low pressure environment of film formation --- p.43 / Chapter 4-3 --- Higher J[subscript Ssubscript C] through the use of chloroform as the P3HT solvent --- p.46 / Chapter 4-4 --- Higher PCE through the use of a pre-dried heating process --- p.52 / Chapter 4-5 --- Dependence of the device performances on the pre-dried heating temperature --- p.55 / Chapter 4-6 --- Effect of a small amount of PCBM in the underlying P3HT layer --- p.59 / Chapter 4-7 --- Short summaries --- p.62 / Chapter Chapter 5 --- Studies on P3HT:PCBM Blend Layers --- p.64 / Chapter 5-1 --- Motivation --- p.64 / Chapter 5-2 --- Effects on the P3HT aggregation and crystallization of the P3HT:PCBM blend layers due to different treatments --- p.64 / Chapter 5-3 --- Studies of the effects of the removal of PCBM on the P3HT aggregation and crystallization in P3HT:PCBM blend layers --- p.67 / Chapter 5-4 --- Short summaries --- p.70 / Chapter Chapter 6 --- Conclusion --- p.71 / Chapter 6-1 --- Summaries of the research work --- p.71 / Chapter 6-2 --- Ideas for future studies --- p.72 / Bibliography --- p.74

This thesis explores Stravinsky's effect on the role of the conductor, employing a combination of score analysis, performance analysis, aesthetics and historicism. Stravinsky is widely regarded as one of the most influential composers of the Twentieth Century, and this now 'mythic' influence is perceived by many to have transformed the conductor's work. I investigate how true this assumption is, and whether The Rite of Spring in particular is responsible for any developments. The compound methodology allows for the study of rhythm, structure, harmony, instrumentation, hermeneutics and staging. My seven case studies (The Firebird, Petrushka, The Rite of Spring, Les Noces, Apollo, Stravinsky Violin Concerto, and Agon) are all ballets, which also places spotlight on a commonly neglected genre in music. This allows for the consideration of choreography - an additional influencing factor that is bypassed in most musicological and conducting literature. Moreover, the study of Stravinsky's ballets, as they span the composer's entire career, can serve as a useful lens through which to view the composer's repertoire as a whole. Therefore the findings of the thesis can be indicative of Stravinsky's broader influence on the conductor. The conclusions drawn were that although it is impossible to refute Stravinsky's overall impact on the conductor's work (particularly in relation to his comtemporaries), there are numerous overrated areas of impact. Furthermore, The Rite of Spring is not solely responsible for these changes. In fact, it overshadows the challenges present throughout Stravinsky's repertoire, which manifest themselves in the innovative choreography, instrumentation, rhythm and anti-interpretative devices.

Les polymères conducteurs ont attiré l'attention de la communauté scientifique en raison de leur utilisation potentielle dans les applications thermoélectriques [1, 2]. En particulier, il a été prouvé qu'un paramètre important pour accorder les propriétés thermoélectriques et le comportement de transport de charge du polymères, est la forme du DOS dans le bord de bande. Dans la présente étude, la corrélation entre la structure du matériau, la structure électronique et les propriétés électroniques / thermoélectriques, est étudiée par une conception soigneuse et rigoureux du matériau, vers un matériau polymère, thermoélectrique efficace. En outre, les dispositifs hybrides ont été fabriqués comme un moyen alternatif pour améliorer encore l'efficacité thermoélectrique du matériau. / Conducting polymers (CPs) have recently gained the attention of the scientific community due to their prospective use in thermoelectric applications [1,2]. Particularly, it has been proven that an important parameter for tuning the thermoelectric properties and the charge transport behavior of the CP is the shape of the DOS in the band edge, where a more steep band edge would be translated in a semi-metallic behavior for the system, with higher thermoelectric efficiencies. In the present study the correlation between material structure, electronic structure and electronic/ thermoelectric properties, is investigated through careful material design, towards an efficient thermoelectric polymer material. Additionally, the hybrid devices were fabricated as an alternative means to further enhance the thermoelectric efficiency of the material.