The purpose of this work is to evaluate the ratio of the vector and axial vector coupling constants in the beta-decay of Rb^87. Particular attention is given to determining the sign of the ratio. All this is accomplished mainly by a conic analysis of the beta-spectrum and the calculation of a matrix element ratio. The results obtained indicate that the ratio of the coupling constants is negative. Due to uncertainties in nuclear matrix elements, only an approximate absolute value for the ratio can be secured. These results are consistent with other present evidence. / Thesis / Master of Science (MSc)

We report for the first time a broad equilibrium model describing the complexation of ionic species in non-aqueous media that explicitly includes ion pairing for one of the components and that relies upon activities rather than molar concentrations. This model directly contradicts existing commonplace equilibrium treatments, which were shown to be incomplete, often invalid, and misleading. Experimental validation of our model was achieved through studies of pseudorotaxane formation between dibenzylammonium salts (DBAm-X) and dibenzo-24-crown-8 (DB24C8) in CDCl3:CD3CN (3:2). In that particular case, we showed that fluctuations in the apparent Ka,exp values as usually reported are attributable to ion pairing, with a dissociation constant Kipd, and that the constant Kassoc for pseudorotaxane complexation is independent of the counterion, a result of the complex existing in solution as a free cation. In accord with this model, we further described a straightforward and simple method to increase the extent of complexation by using either a ditopic cation and anion host, or adding to the charged host/guest solution a molecularly separate host capable of complexing the dissociated counterion. Also in accord with this model, we investigated the influence of the solvent¡¯s dielectric constant on Kipd and Kassoc. On the basis of competing condensation reactions between amines and ketones which were shown to occur within the timescale of host/guest recognition, we also challenged the commonly employed use of acetone in similar complexation studies involving 2o ammonium ions. Because a major goal of this work was to ultimately increase binding efficiency and selectivity, we explored new methods to drive complexation in related pseudorotaxane systems. We noted that addition of di- or tri-topic hydrogen bond accepting anions to solutions of bis(5-hydroxymethyl-1,3-phenylene)-32-crown-10 or bis(5-carboxy-1,3-phenylene)-32-crown-10 and paraquat di(hexafluorophosphate) served to significantly enhance host/guest interaction. The addition of Et4N+TFA- to an acetone solution of diacid crown and paraquat 2PF6 effectively boosted Ka,exp 40-fold, as estimated by 1H NMR studies. Similar increases in the apparent Ka,exp were observed upon the addition of n-Bu4N+OTs-. Evidenced by crystal structures, the increase in association resulted from chelation of the OH moieties of the crown by the di- or tri-topic anions, forming supramolecular bicyclic macrocycles (pseudocryptands) and stabilizing the complex in a cooperative manner. Significantly, Ka,exp of one of the pseudocryptands was shown to equal that determined in the corresponding cryptand complex. / Ph. D.

Elastic constants of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) and single-layer graphene sheets (SLGSs) are determined by studying their free vibration characteristics using molecular mechanics (MM) simulations with the MM3 potential and finding their equivalent continuum structures (ECSs). The computational framework has been validated by comparing the presently computed basal plane stiffness and frequencies of radial breathing modes (RBMs) with those available in the literature. We have considered armchair, zigzag and chiral SWCNTs of aspect ratios (length/ diameter in the unloaded relaxed configuration) ranging from 2 to 15. The wall thickness of ECSs of SWCNTs is determined by applying continuum theories, viz., beam, shell and 3D-linear elasticity to ECSs and equating their frequencies with those of SWCNTs obtained from the MM simulations. An expression for the wall thickness of an ECS of a SWCNT in terms of its chiral indices is deduced. The wall thickness of an ECS of a SWCNT is found to increase with an increase in its radius and to saturate at 1.37 Ã for the radius exceeding 15 Ã . Poisson's ratio for zigzag SWCNTs decreses with an increase in the tube radius, but that for armchair SWCNTs exhibits the opposite trend. For the same radius, Poisson's ratio of a chiral SWCNT is slightly more than that for an armchair tube but a little less than that for a zigzag tube. For zigzag SWCNTs, frequencies of inextensional modes of vibration saturate with an increase in the circumferential wave number but those of their ECSs do not. The MM simulations of uniaxial tensile deformations of SLGSs of aspect ratios (length/width) ~ 10 give the basal plane stiffness of ~ 340 N/m. The MM simulations of free vibrations of clamped SLGSs and the analysis of vibrations of their ECSs with a continuum theory gives a wall thickness of ~ 1 Ã for a SLGS. / Ph. D.

Force constants and electron density distributions in coordination polyhedra in molecules and crystals are modeled using Hartree-Fock molecular orbital methods. Model bond-stretching force constants calculated for coordination polyhedra in a series of nitride, oxide and sulfide molecules are ~ 10-20% larger than obtained with spectroscopic methods. Well-developed correlations obtain between the force constants and minimum energy bond lengths, effective nuclear charges and polyhedral compressibilities of molecules and crystals. Model electron density distributions calculated for a large number of molecules with MOn (n = 1, 2,3,4 or 6) coordination polyhedra show that the MO bonds of a given type vary in a regular way with the value of the electron density at bond critical points, bonded radii and the curvatures of the electron density. The bonded interactions in the polyhedra are examined in terms of criteria set forth by Bader and Essen (1984) and Cremer and Kraka (1984). / Ph. D.

The focus of the following research was to use the self-assembly process to create rotaxanes between several large bisphenylene crown ethers (> 22 atoms) with secondary ammonium salts. Also of great interest was to understand the complexation behavior of the crown ethers with the salts, with emphasis on determining the stoichiometries and association constants of the complexations in solution using NMR spectroscopy. The stoichiometry of the complexes was determined by the mole ratio method and the association constants were calculated graphically. Bis-(m-phenylene)-26-crown-8 did not form a complex in solution with several secondary ammonium salts even though the cavity size is large enough to allow the formation of pseudorotaxanes. However, the larger crown ether, bis-(m-phenylene)-32-crown-10 (BMP32C10), did form a complex. The complex stoichiometry varied between 1:1 (crown:salt) in solution and 1:2 in the solid state as evidenced by NMR and X-ray crystallography, respectively. The solid state complexes were pseudorotaxanes. Also, an interesting "exo" complex was formed in the solid state between BMP32C10 and a secondary diammonium salt. The major binding force for the complexes in the X-ray structures was hydrogen bonding. Weaker secondary stabilization was achieved via aryl-aryl aromatic interactions. The difference between the stoichiometries in the two phases and the observance of an "exo" complex demonstrates that one must be careful in describing the complexes in each phase. Also investigated was the complexation formed between dibenzo-24-crown-8 (DB24C8) and secondary diammonium salts. The association constants for the complexes were found to be relatively higher. Due to the weaker association constants and the different stoichiometries of complexation the meta-susbtituted bisphenylene crown ethers were not recommended for the formation of larger complexes, i.e. polyrotaxanes. However, it is suggested that the DB24C8 moiety be used in components of supramolecular assemblies. The functionalization of poly(propylene imine) dendrimers with two different crown ethers as peripheral moieties was attempted. The 1st, 3rd, and 5th generation poly(propylene imine) dendrimers were functionalized with 1,3-phenylene-16-crown-5 moieties by reacting the surface primary amines with the corresponding succinimide ester of the crown ether. The larger DB24C8 succinimide ester was not as reactive and full functionalization was not achieved. / Ph. D.

No / The dissociation constant is one of the most important characteristics of a pharmaceutical chemical moiety which has to be estimated with accuracy. The development of in-situ speciation methods in solutions with parallel measurements using Raman spectroscopy (molecular) and pH (macroscopic) for the identification, characterization, and quantitative determination of citric acid species in aqueous solution by numerical data treatment using a multiwavelength curve fitting program over a range of pH values is described. As a result, the first, second and third stepwise dissociation constants of citric acid have been evaluated as 3.02±0.06, 4.78±0.06 and 6.02±0.04, respectively. From these data over the pH range 2.38-6.16 an excellent agreement with literature values was achieved.

No / Three new C-bonded cyclotriphosphazenes, [N3P3(2-thienyl)6], 2, [N3P3(3-thienyl)6], 4, and [N3P3(3,3-bithienyl-2,2-ylene)3], 6, have been prepared by two new synthetic procedures and are the first examples of non-spiro and trispirocyclotriphosphazene derivatives composed of thiophene and 3,3-dithiophene substituents, respectively. Their 1H, 13C and 31P NMR parameters are given. The solid state structures of 2, 4 and 6 have been determined by X-ray crystallography.

Orientador: Lucila Helena Deliesposte Cescato / Tese (doutorado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de Fisica Gleb Wataghin / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-15T19:36:27Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Avila_LuisFernandode_D.pdf: 1824665 bytes, checksum: 6cab44933ac386ebd3097bd193d85e0f (MD5) Previous issue date: 2010 / Resumo: Materiais fotossensíveis são materiais que sofrem alterações físico-químicas quando expostos à luz de comprimento de onda apropriado. A gama de aplicações para estes materiais é enorme, entre elas as que apresentam maiores exigências em termos do próprio material são as aplicações em armazenagem de informação e imagens. Para avaliar o potencial de um material para uma dada aplicação é necessário entender os mecanismos fotossensíveis envolvidos assim como caracterizar suas propriedades, tais como: sensibilidade espectral, modulação óptica máxima, reversibilidade, estabilidade térmica, etc. Nesta tese de doutorado foi proposto e demonstrado um método para processar os sinais de auto-difração que, além de permitir a medida simultânea e independente das modulações de índice de refração e de coeficiente de absorção, nos permite medir a evolução temporal das modulações e a constante cinética das reações fotossensíveis. Esta técnica foi utilizada para estudar três tipos de materiais fotossensíveis: fotorresinas positivas (SC 1827 da Shipley), fotorresinas negativas (SU-8 da Microchem) e vidros calcogenetos (em particular composições com Sulfeto de Antimônio). As medidas foram realizadas utilizando-se dois interferômetros diferentes: um com óptica para o visível e outro para o ultravioleta. Além disso, foi observada uma modulação de elétrons secundários nas imagens de microscopia eletrônica de amostras de fotorresinas negativas SU8 expostas holograficamente / Abstract: Photosensitive materials are materials that change their optical properties when exposed to light of appropriate wavelength. The range of applications of such materials is very wide. Among these applications the storage of images and information is that present higher requirements in terms of the material itself. To evaluate the potential of a material for a given application it is necessary to understand the mechanisms involved as well as to characterize their photosensitive properties such as spectral sensitivity, maximum optical modulation, reversibility, thermal stability, etc. In this thesis we propose and demonstrate a method for processing the selfdiffraction the signals that allows the simultaneous and independent measurement of the modulations of refractive index and absorption coefficient as well as to measure the temporal evolution of such modulations and their corresponding kinetic constant of the photo-reactions. This technique was employed to study three types of photosensitive materials: positive photoresist (SC 1827 from Shipley), negative photoresist (Microchem SU-8) and chalcogenide glasses (in particular compositions with Antimony Sulfide). Measurements were performed using two different interferometers, one with optics for the visible and one for the ultra-violet. Moreover, a modulation of secondary electrons was observed in the electronic microscopy images of the SU8 negative photoresist samples exposed holographically / Doutorado / Ótica / Doutor em Ciências

Biotransformation and biodegradation rate constants were determined for naphthalene, lindane, and phenol in water samples from three different sources. Rate constants produced from monitoring disappearance of the parent chemical (biotransformation) were compared to those obtained from mineralization of the chemical (ultimate biodegradation) by ¹⁴CO₂ evolution as well as acidification of the residual ¹⁴C-labeled compound (primary biodegradation). Rate constants were statistically different for the three chemicals. The water source affected the rate constants. When biomass measurements of the waters were considered and second-order rate constants were derived, there was no statistical evidence that this parameter gave a reliable rate constant statistic that could be useful in predicting the fate of any of naphthalene, lindane, and phenol in these waters.

Avec la généralisation du recours à l’infographie dans l’industrie des loisirs, la demande concernant la production de scènes de simulation de fluides d’un réalisme croissant a fortement augmenté durant les deux dernières décennies. Nous proposons de nombreux éléments pertinents pour simuler le fluide, essentiellement tournés vers l’approche lagrangienne (les méthodes particulaires). Cette présentation a donc pour objet l’étude et la mise au point de techniques permettant de reproduire le comportement des fluides s’appuyant sur l’aspect particulaire du fluide. Les algorithmes de ces dernières années permettent un gain de performance significatif, nous permettant d’obtenir des simulations de fluides incompressibles en temps réel. L’usage des noyaux constants par morceaux, nouvel outil de calcul numérique, au sein de simulations de fluides dites lagrangiennes sera également abordé. Avec l’augmentation continue de la puissance de calcul et de nouvelles avancées telles que la programmation dite GPGPU, nous verrons également comment obtenir une recherche de voisinage efficace permettant d’augmenter grandement les performances de calcul.