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A thesis submitted to the Faculty of Science, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. Johannesburg, 2016. / In this PhD thesis, the synthesis, crystal chemistry and thermoresponsive behaviour of non-porous borophosphates [ABPO5 (A= Ca, Sr, Ba) and BPO4] and porous borophosphates [NH4Fe(III)[BP2O8(OH)] and MIxMIIz(H2O)2[BP2O8].zH2O (MI = Na, NH4 and MII = Mn, Co)] phases were investigated. Understanding the crystal structure dynamics as a function of temperature of the selected porous and non-porous borophosphates revealed the thermal stability of the studied compounds, while serving as a predictive measure of the effects of temperature on other materials properties and subsequent applications. The non-porous borophosphates were synthesized using the solid state method, whereas the porous borophosphates were synthesized using the hydrothermal method. The powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) technique, along with the application of the Rietveld refinement method, was the principle characterisation technique employed for the non-destructive and non-invasive thermoresponsive characterisation of the studied borophosphate phases. This thesis consists of seven chapters, four of which are independent papers corresponding to four chapters. Chapter 1 reviews the relevant scientific literature, while chapter 2 describes the methods of characterisation used in this thesis. Concerning the highly thermally stable non-porous borophosphates, chapter 3 presents the thermal expansion behaviour of ABPO5 compounds, which have been determined from the sequential application of the Rietveld refinement method of variable temperature powder X-ray diffraction (VT-PXRD) data. For trigonal ABPO5 compounds, a near linear expansion of the unit cell axes was found for all structures as a function of temperature. The variation of the crystal structure with temperature of ABPO5 compounds was also established. With the general understanding that borophosphates display intriguing crystal structure architectures, chapter 4 describes the synthesis and characterisation of four metal borophosphate hydrates: NaMII(H2O)2[BP2O8](H2O); MII = Co (I), Mn (II) and (NH4)0.5MII1.25(H2O)2[BP2O8](H2O)0.5; MII = Co (III), Mn (IV). The structures refined at room temperature from PXRD data revealed that isostructural phases I and II have an ordered arrangement of water molecules in the voids, whereas isostructural phases III and IV have fractional and disordered distribution of water molecules in the voids. Scanning electron microscope (SEM), fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), variable temperature powder X-ray diffraction (VT-PXRD) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) for all compounds are also presented. Chapter 5 was an investigation into the synthesis, crystal structure and thermal properties of the porous iron borophosphate NH4Fe(III)[BP2O8(OH)]. Variable temperature PXRD and thermogravimetric analysis were used to investigate the compounds thermal stability and expansion behaviour. Thermal investigations indicated that the compound is stable up to 470 °C. Of great importance to the accurate and/or precise measurement of the crystal structures and lattice parameters of the phases investigated using powder diffraction was the correct application of the Rietveld refinement method to the measured diffraction data. Therefore, chapter 6 is an investigation into a number of different Rietveld refinement approaches, which were aimed at modelling the changes in the atomic coordinates of BPO4 as a function of temperature. Parametric Rietveld refinements and rigid body Rietveld refinements were among the refinement strategies employed. / LG2017

Zhang Liang = 乙烯溴在異丁基杯(四)芳烴晶體中擴散機理的從頭算研究 / 章良. / Thesis submitted in: August 2004. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2005. / Includes bibliographical references. / Text in English; abstracts in English and Chinese. / Zhang Liang = Yi xi xiu zai yi ding ji bei (si) fang jing jing ti zhong kuo san ji li de cong tou suan yan jiu / Zhang Liang. / TITLE PAGE --- p.i / THESIS COMMUTE --- p.ii / ABSTRACT (English) --- p.iii / ABSTRACT (Chinese) --- p.iv / ACKNOWLEDGMENTS --- p.v / TABLE OF CONTENTS --- p.vi / LIST OF FIGURES --- p.viii / LIST OF TABLES --- p.ix / Chapter CHAPTER 1 --- Introduction / Chapter 1.1 --- Background Information of Calixarenes --- p.1 / Chapter 1.1.1 --- "History, Synthesis and Applications" --- p.1 / Chapter 1.1.2 --- Physical Properties --- p.2 / Chapter 1.1.3 --- Conformation of Calix[4]arenes --- p.3 / Chapter 1.1.4 --- Inclusion and Host-Guest Interactions --- p.4 / Chapter 1.2 --- Computational Theory --- p.8 / Chapter 1.2.1 --- Framework of Self-Consistent Field (SCF) --- p.8 / Chapter 1.2.2 --- Density function theory (DFT) --- p.9 / Chapter 1.3 --- Constrained Optimization Methods --- p.13 / Chapter 1.3.1 --- Introduction --- p.13 / Chapter 1.3.2 --- Augmented Lagrangian Method --- p.14 / Chapter 1.4 --- References --- p.16 / Chapter CHAPTER 2 --- Transformations of TBC4 Crystals / Chapter 2.1 --- Introduction and Experimental Results --- p.19 / Chapter 2.2 --- "II (""ab/ab"") to I (""ab/cd"") Transformation" --- p.21 / Chapter 2.3 --- "I (""ab/cd"") to III (Capsule) Transformation" --- p.25 / Chapter 2.4 --- Torsion of Capsulation --- p.27 / Chapter 2.5 --- References --- p.31 / Chapter CHAPTER 3 --- Diffusion through TBC4 Crystal / Chapter 3.1 --- Experimental Facts --- p.32 / Chapter 3.1.1 --- Kinds of TBC4 Inclusions --- p.32 / Chapter 3.1.2 --- "Inclusions of O2, vinyl bromide, toluene in TBC4" --- p.36 / Chapter 3.2 --- Diffusion of 02 in “ab/cd´ح TBC4 --- p.40 / Chapter 3.3 --- Diffusion of Vinyl Bromide through TBC4 --- p.44 / Chapter 3.3.1 --- "Vinyl bromide diffuses in ""ab/cd"" TBC4" --- p.45 / Chapter 3.3.2 --- Transformation/migration mechanism --- p.47 / Chapter 3.4 --- References --- p.51

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Studying quasi-one-dimensional (1D) semiconductor nanostructures is an attractive and active research field in nanoscience and nanotechnology. Their controllable growth is the foundation for observing novel properties and fabricating useful nano-devices and is also a challenge. / We believe that our work in perfecting the fabrication of aligned 1D semiconductor nanostructures and control of their morphology, crystal structure and orientation will shed more light on the understanding on 1D physics and advancement in nanotechnology. / We have studied the control of the structure, morphology and alignment of Zn-Cd-Se 1D nanostructures by fine tuning their growth conditions and judiciously choosing substrates in a metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) reactor. We found that the products are zincblende structured nanoneedles at relatively low temperatures and pressures, and wurtzite structured nanowires at high temperatures and pressures. We have fabricated aligned 1D nanostructures of different chemical compositions by exploiting the epitaxial relationship between the lattices of Zn-Cd-Se system and GaAs substrate. From the systematic studies of the orientations of the aligned samples, we demonstrated that they can be controlled by the crystallographic surface of the substrate. We also found that the orientation can be affected by the growth temperature. Three growth models are suggested to explain the aligned growth for zincblende and wurtzite 1D nanostructures and complex shaped three-bladed nanoswords. Observations and angular measurements of the orientations and growth directions by electron microscopy and analyses by pole stereographs offer supporting evidences for the models. Polarized photoluminescence studies of individual CdSe nanowires obtained under controlled growth have been achieved. / Liu, Zhuang = 通過金屬有機物化學氣相沉積法合成晶體結構, 形貌及生長取向性可控的硒鋅鎘族准一維納米結構 / 劉壯. / "July 2007." / Adviser: Sui Kong Hark. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 69-02, Section: B, page: 1062. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2007. / Includes bibliographical references. / Electronic reproduction. Hong Kong : Chinese University of Hong Kong, [2012] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Electronic reproduction. [Ann Arbor, MI] : ProQuest Information and Learning, [200-] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Abstract in English and Chinese. / School code: 1307. / Liu, Zhuang = Tong guo jin shu you ji wu hua xue qi xiang chen ji fa he cheng jing ti jie gou, xing mao ji sheng chang qu xiang xing ke kong de xi xin ge zu zhun yi wei na mi jie gou / Liu Zhuang.

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M.Phil. (Energy Studies) / Non-destructive investigations of unusual natural polycrystalline diamond samples are reported. The samples originate from various international locations discovered in soils and sediments and may have been formed by di erent mechanisms which are the subject of debate. Analysis techniques include scanning electron microscopy, with energy dispersive spectroscopy and X-ray di raction. Sample composition, structure and surface stresses were investigated. The samples (two Egyptian nodules, two Brazillian carbonados, two Venetian ballas diamonds and a polycrystalline diamond compact sample consisting of a polycrystalline diamond layer sintered onto a Co-cemented tungsten carbide support) are cubic diamonds, with varying amounts of minority phases. In most cases the minority phases could not be identi ed unambiguously due to their low intensities and the overlap of Bragg peaks. The Egyptian nodule samples in particular showed a large presence of oxygen that could not be linked to speci c metal oxides. The Ballas samples had the lowest impurity content. Using a Rietveld based quanti cation analysis, the crystalline cubic diamond contents were determined respectively as 99 wt.%, 98 wt.% and 76 wt.% in the Ballas, Brazilian carbonado and Egyptian nodule samples. A signi cant result from this study is the substantial inhomogeneous peak broadening observed in the X-ray diffraction patterns of the Egyptian samples. This is indicative of the presence of nano-crystalline diamond grains in addition to substantial mechanical deformation with extensive accumulation of dislocations and crystalline defects. These observations are supportive of a recently proposed impact mechanism for their formation.

Crystal symmetry and elemental composition play a critical role in determining the physical properties of materials. In layered van der Waals (vdW) heterostructures, a two-dimensional (2D) material layer can be influenced by interactions between adjacent layers, dictating that the measured properties of the combined system will be in part derived from the geometric structure within the active layers. This thesis examines active crystal symmetry tuning in composite heterostructures of two-dimensional (2D) materials, engineered via nanomechanically assisted twist angle control, and designed by careful consideration of lowest energy stacking configurations. The material systems, devices, and experimental setups described in this thesis constitute a platform featuring highly programmable properties that are on-demand and reversible. Two prototypical systems are discussed in detail. The first is graphene encapsulated between boron nitride (BN) crystals, wherein the alignment state between the three layers is controlled. The second is the same system, but with no graphene between the encapsulating BN layers. In both systems, a long-wavelength geometric interference pattern, also known as a moiré pattern, forms between the adjacent crystals as a consequence of lattice-constant mismatch and twist angle. The moiré pattern caries its own symmetry properties that are also demonstrated to be tunable, and can be thought of as an artificially constructed superlattice of periodic potential with wavelength much greater than the lattice constants of the constituent layers. In the BN-encapsulated graphene system we show drastic tunability of band gaps at primary and secondary Dirac points (PDP and SDPs) indicating reversible on-demand inversion symmetry breaking, as well as evidence of dual coexisting moiré superlattices and additional higher-order interference patterns that form between them. The all-BN system shows substantial enhancement and suppression of second harmonic generation (SHG) response from the vdW interface between the BN crystals when the quadrupole component of the SHG response is engineered to be minimal, by controlling for total layer number and layer number parity. Changes in the physical properties of each composite system are measured with a combination of electronic transport measurements, and optical measurements (Raman and SHG), as well as piezo-force microscopy (PFM) measurements that give direct imaging of the moiré pattern. A number of invented and adapted fabrication and actuation techniques for controlling the twist angle of a bulk vdW crystal are discussed, and in the latter portion of this thesis these techniques are extended to include actuation of monolayer flakes of 2D crystals. In this discussion several case studies are discussed, including twist angle control for a single sample monolayer tungsten diselenide on monolayer molybdenum diselenide, as well as twist angle control for twisted bilayer graphene and graphene on BN. Additionally, a novel in-plane bending mode for graphene on BN is demonstrated using similar techniques. Further discussion of actuation via traditional electrostatic MEMS techniques is also included, illustrating complete on-chip control for on-demand nanomechanical actuation of 2D materials in vdW heterostructures.

Diquinoline molecules have been shown previously to have interesting inclusion properties. Of the nine new, targeted molecules produced for this work, seven formed inclusion compounds, and their solid-state structures are discussed herein. Chapter 2 shows the effect that substituting a hydrogen atom with a chlorine atom has on the inclusion properties. This comes about because of the additional intermolecular attractions that are now possible, and a wider range of guest molecules is included as a result. A new homochiral aromatic 'swivel offset face-face (OFF)' interaction is observed. Chapters 3 and 4 deal with the effect of adding extra aromatic planes to the target molecules, two or four planes, respectively. Each of these host molecules formed dimeric host-host units that are extremely similar across all crystal structures. These dimers mainly employed aromatic edgeface (EF) interactions. Chapter 5 looks at the effect of combining the modifications described in Chapters 2-4, namely additional aromatic surfaces and atom substitution. The resulting host molecule specifically includes polyhalomethane guests. In addition, this host molecule formed two concomitant pseudo-dimorph compounds with chloroform-d. The diquinoline host molecule presented in Chapter 6 incorporated an isomeric central linker ring to the other compounds. Although only a single crystal structure could be obtained, 1H NMR spectroscopy experiments show other small aromatics may be included. The effect of electron donating chemical substituents was examined in Chapter 7. These compounds were found to be quite insoluble, and did not produce crystals suitable for X-ray analysis. The host molecules in Chapter 8 contain electron withdrawing nitro groups. The two isomeric compounds that act as inclusion hosts show quite different properties. One of these hosts forms a series of inclusion compounds with water, in which the site occupancy of the guest can range from 0-100% without change to the overall structure. All the X-ray structures described have been analysed in crystal engineering terms, and their supramolecular interactions described in detail.

Abstract not available