A primary purpose of the present work was to develop an experimental technique using Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) capable of elucidating phase formation during sintering of a 50 atomic percent Ni and 50 atomic percent Ti powder compact in order to increase the understanding of the sintering mechanisms that take place during solid state and reactive sintering. Using a variety of Nickel and Titanium powder sizes, effects due to powder size, peak temperature and hold time were studied in situ using DSC, which allowed for a number of qualitative and quantitative relationships to be developed. In studying the eutectoid decomposition of β-Ti using DSC, a simple model was developed (Eq. 4-7) to relate the measured enthalpy of this reaction to the area fraction observed microstructurally. This allowed for the determination of the standard enthalpy for the β-Ti eutectoid decomposition, which was found to be ΔHf = 64.8 J/g. This value, coupled with the measured eutectoid enthalpy, allowed for the determination of the weight fraction of β-Ti present as a function of hold time at 900°C. It was found that the β-Ti removal followed a two-stage parabolic decay. The rate constant for stage I was found to be kI = -0.0347 fβ/(mins)^1/2 and that for stage II, kII = - 0.0123 fβ/(mins)^1/2. A relationship between the enthalpy observed for the combustion reaction versus the fraction of β-Ti present at the time of combustion was also developed (Eq. 4-15). This represents the first published evidence that combustion actually depends on the β-Ti content, which in turn precipitates a melting event significant enough to initiate combustion.

The Department of Energy funded a project to determine if the specific heat of thermal energy storage materials could be improved by adding nanoparticles. The standard thermal energy storage materials are molten salts. The chosen molten salt was a sodium nitrate and potassium nitrate eutectic, commercially called Hitec Solar Salt. Two nanoparticle types were chosen, alumina and silica. The nanoparticle composite materials were fabricated by mixing the components in an aqueous solution, mixing that solution for a set amount of time using a sonic mixer, then removing the water from the aqueous solution, leaving the composite molten salt behind as a fine white powder. The thermal properties of the composite and plain material were measured using two techniques: American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) 1269E and Modulating Differential Scanning Calorimetry (MDSC). These two techniques measured the specific heat and the heat of fusion of the plain and composite materials. The results of all the ASTM and MDSC measurements suggest that the addition of the nanoparticles using the given manufacturing technique increased the specific heat of the molten salt by approximately 20 percent, with both measurement techniques showing approximately the same level of increase. The silica and the alumina improved the specific heat by nearly the same amount over the base material. The heat of fusion did not seem to be significantly altered compared to the observed heat of fusion value of the unmodified material. It was also observed that the nitrate and silica composite material's specific heat decreased if the material was raised to a temperature above 400C. The specific heat was observed to decrease over time, even when the temperature was well below 400C. It is unknown why this occurred. The nitrate plus alumina composite and the plain nitrate were stable to a temperature of 450C for the test duration.

In recent years, the application of thermal analysis to study the combustion and pyrolysis behavior of fossil fuels has gained a wide acceptance because of its significance for industry and economy. In this thesis, the thermal and kinetic analysis of different origin crude oil samples are performed by two well-known thermal analysis techniques: Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) and Thermogravimetry (TG/DTG). The investigation of combustion and pyrolysis behaviors, kinetic analysis of oil samples and the determination of heating rate effect are the main objectives of this study. Six different crude oils from the Southeastern region of Turkey are analyzed throughout the study. All experiments are performed at different heating rates (5, 10 and 15&ordm / C/min) and air is used for combustion and nitrogen for pyrolysis experiments. In combustion experiments, TGA and DSC techniques indicate that the combustion process of crude oils studied is composed of two main reaction regions. These are low-temperature (LTO) and high-temperature oxidation (HTO) regions. In LTO, huge mass loss occurs (from 69 to 87 %) due to high amount of free moisture and volatile hydrocarbons contained in oil samples. Combustion reactions continue up to 900 K. On DSC curves, two exothermic regions of oxidation regimes are detected. Comparing TG/DTG and DSC curves, it can be understood that the mass loss under combustion is accompanied by exothermic peaks because of the oxidative degradation of crude oil components. As in combustion, two distinct reaction regions are revealed under pyrolysis for all samples. The first region indicates distillation and the second one is due to thermal cracking reactions occur at high temperatures and completed up to 840 K. As expected, lighter crude oils have relatively higher amounts of mass loss in distillation region as compared to heavier ones. Besides, residue amount and burn-out temperatures are higher for heavier oils with higher asphaltene content in cracking region. DSC curves for both reactions show endothermic effects. In combustion and pyrolysis experiments, it is noticed that higher heating rates are resulted in higher reaction regions. Distinguishing peaks of samples shift to higher temperatures with an increase in heating rate. Heat of reaction amount under DSC curves is related to asphaltene content and &amp / #730 / API gravity of crude oils. It is deduced that, when &amp / #730 / API gravity of crude oils decreases, the heat value of this reaction increases. The kinetic parameters are evaluated by different kinetic models and mean activation energies (Em) of samples are obtained. At the end, a correlation is established between Em and &amp / #730 / API gravity of oil samples. It is concluded that heavier oils have higher activation energy and Arrhenius constant values for each reaction region. Besides, it is proved that the activation energy is mostly insensitive to the heating rate.

In this thesis, four different crude oil samples and their saturate, aromatic and resin fractions were analyzed by two different thermoanalytical methods, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The experiments were performed at three different heating rates (5, 10 and 15 &deg / C/min) under air atmosphere. Same gas flow rate and same pressure were applied to all samples. The aim is to determine the kinetic analysis and combustion behavior of crude oils and their fractions and also determining the effect of heating rate on all samples. For all samples two main reaction regions were observed in thermogravimetry (TG), differential thermogravimetry (DTG) and DSC curves due to the oxidative degradation of crude oil components. It was deduced that the free moisture, volatile hydrocarbons were evaporated from the crude oils, light hydrocarbons were burned and fuel was formed in the first reaction region. The second reaction region was the main combustion region where the fuel was burned. From the TGA curves, it was detected that the heavier fraction, resins, lost considerable amounts of their initial mass, approximately 35%, while saturates lost only approximately 3% of their initial mass in the second reaction region. DSC curves of the samples were also examined and observed that as the sample got heavier, the heat of the reaction increased. Saturates, lightest part of the crude oil fractions, gave minimum heat of reaction. As the heating rate increased, shift of peak temperatures to high values and higher reaction regions were observed. The kinetic analysis of crude oils and their fractions were also performed using different kinetic methods. Activation energies (E), mean activation energies (Emean) and Arrhenius constants were found for crude oils and fractions. It was deduced that the resins gave the highest activation energy and Arrhenius constant for both reaction regions. Moreover, it was encountered that heating rate has no effect on activation energies.

In this thesis, a new software, THERA-Kinetics was developed for the evaluation of kinetic parameters using non-isothermal data. Different computational methods, available in the software, were applied to a set of experimental and simulated data distributed in the ICTAC (International Confederation for Thermal Analysis and Calorimetry) Kinetics Project. The reliability of the software was verified by comparing the kinetic results, which were in good agreement, with those obtained by the participants of the ICTAC Kinetics Project. It was also within the scope of this study to examine the combustion characteristics and kinetics of three same origin coal samples. A series of thermogravimetry (TG) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) measurements were carried out in non-isothermal conditions at heating rates of 5, 10 and 15 K/min. Reaction regions, peak and burn-out temperatures, weight loss percentages and heat of reactions of the samples were determined for each heating rate from TG and DSC curves. A variety of computational methods, available in the software developed, were applied to experimental data for the evaluation of the kinetic parameters of the coal samples. It was observed that there was no general trend in the activation energy values from the point of heating rate.

During the last few years the scientific interest in chalcogenides glasses has been provoked on account of their properties and new application possibilities. These materials exhibit electrical and optical properties, which make them useful for several potential applications. Specifically the threshold and memory switching behavior and the infrared transmission of many of these glasses make the materials to be well suitable for use in memory devices and in fiber optics. Multicomponent glasses have been found to be more useful for many of these applications since the properties could be tailored for the specific uses. On account of this there has been great deal of interest in recent years in understanding the composition dependent variations of physical properties in these glasses. Models based on network topology and chemical ordering have been proposed to explain the composition dependence of physical properties. The Chemically Ordered Covalent Network (COCN) model is one of the best efforts put forth in this subject. This model predicts distinctive physical properties of these glasses for compositions at which there is a maximum number of heteropolar bonds. A physical model based on changes in network topology with composition has been proposed recently. This model predicts the rigidity to percolate in the network at the mean coordination number <r> = 2.40. This critical value of <r> at which the rigidity percolates is called the mechanical threshold or the rigidity percolation threshold. One more argument based on medium range interactions, existing in these glassy networks, suggests that the mechanical threshold should occur at <r> = 2.67. A general lack of consensus in the existing experimental reports on the mechanical threshold in some chalcogenides glasses prevents one from identifying the correct threshold value of <r>. A systematic study of the composition dependence of glasses with a large glass-forming region is necessary to resolve this controversy. The correct threshold value of <r> and the reason for the departure from this value in the other cases is the first step towards verifying the applicability of this model to chalcogenide glasses. Glasses belonging to IV — V — VI groups are natural candidates for this study because of their large glass forming region. It also seems possible to isolate the chemical threshold from interfering with the mechanical threshold in some of these glasses. In device applications of any semiconductor the optical and the electrical band gaps need to be varied and this is commonly done by doping. The large density of valence alteration pairs and intrinsic disorder of amorphous semiconductors counter-balances the effects of external additives. As a result, it is hard to electrically dope these materials. Non-equilibrium experimental techniques have been used to some extent, but one of the limitations is that they are confined to the thin film state. The finding that p to n type conduction sign changes can be induced by Bi and Pb in bulk Ge-M (M= S, Se and Te) glasses has therefore created special interest. This thesis deals with Ge-Se glass matrix doped with Te, Bi and Pb. The optical, thermal and electrical properties have been studied. The present thesis work is arranged in several chapters. The basic introduction of chalcogenide glasses is given in chapter one. This includes an introduction to chalcogenide glasses followed by a brief discussion on the important structural models, the possible defects in chalcogenide glasses and the electrical, optical and thermal properties of chalcogenide glasses. The second chapter discusses the experimental techniques used in the present investigations. The basic principles and theory behind the experiments, the experimental setup and the experimental procedure leading to the determination of the physical properties are given here. These include information about Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), Photo acoustic (PA) spectroscopy and Photoluminescence studies. In the third chapter the experimental investigations on Ge-Se-Te glasses are presented. The chapter starts with the preparation and characterization of these glasses. It then gives an account of the earlier studies on Ge-Se-Te glasses that are relevant to the present work. The results of the DSC and PA studies are discussed in the following two sections. In the systems with Gex Se80-x Te20 and Gex Se75.x Te25, glasses with less than 20 at. % of Ge do not show any crystallization peak due to Se rich content. But Te and Ge-rich glasses show strong crystallization tendency. The composition dependence of Tg of this glassy system gives an evidence for the occurrence of the topological threshold or mechanical threshold at <r> = 2.40 and chemical threshold at <r> = 2.67. These can be explained on the basis of COCN model. The optical band gap and thermal diffusivity studies also show anomalous behavior at <r> = 2.40 and <r> = 2.67. The experimental results on Ge-Se-Te glasses are summarized in the last section of this chapter. The investigations on Bi doped Ge-Se and Ge-Se-Te glasses are given in the fourth chapter. The chapter starts with a brief introduction of preparation, characterization and a short review of earlier work. In PA studies the anomalous behavior is observed in thermal diffusivity and thermal diffusion length plot at 8-9 at. % of Bi doping of the Ge-Se and Ge-Se-Te glasses where the conduction changes from p to n type. These results are explained on the basis of percolation model and the formation of Bi2Se3 microcrystalline phase. Finally these results are summarized at the end of the chapter. The fifth chapter is devoted to the investigations on Pb doped Ge-Se glasses. It is arranged in five sections; preparation and characterization, earlier work, Photo acoustic and Photoluminescence studies. In PA studies the composition dependence of thermal diffusivity show anomalous behavior at x =F 9 at % of Pb in Pbx Ge42-x Sesg glasses and y = 21 at. % of Ge in Pb2o Gey Seso-y glasses where the conduction changes from p to n type. After that it reaches the maximum. After the conduction sign changes the conductivity increases with addition of respective Pb and Ge concentration in both series of glasses, which is reflected in thermal diffusivity value also. The results have been explained on the basis of COCN model. From PL studies, the PL intensity is high in un-doped Ge42 Scss glasses. With the addition of Pb into Ge-Se system the PL intensity goes down drastically up to 9 at. % of Pb, beyond 9 at. % the PL intensity is approximately the same up to 15 at. %. In the last section the results are summarized. Chapter six summarizes the essential features of the work reported in the thesis. These conclusions are drawn from the present and the earlier reported studies on Ge-Se-Te glasses, Bi doped Ge-Se and Ge-Se-Te glasses and Pb doped Ge-Se glasses. Finally based on the present experimental results, some future work has been suggested which could throw some light on a better understanding of/? to n transition and defects state of these glasses. It is worth extending the microscopic phase separation studies in these glasses. Highly sensitive experimental techniques are needed in this regard. Also some simulation work like Monte-Carlo simulation and Molecular dynamics simulation needs to be undertaken for understanding the microscopic phase separation and the role of defects in carrier type reversal in these glassy materials. All the references cited in the thesis are collected and listed at the end of the thesis.

With the emergence of Matrix Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization-Time-of-flight as a tool for diagnosis of diseases via proteomics, there is an increasing need for greater sensitivity. Analysis of peptides by MALDI-TOF-MS is affected by sample formulation and spotting onto a MALDI target. This dissertation investigates a novel MALDI sample preparation technique, Induction Based Fluidics (IBF), for depositing precise volumes (pL to nL) of samples onto the target. We have seen that while using IBF, the induced electric field accompanying deposition enhances matrix crystallization yielding smaller crystals with more homogeneity, as compared to conventional manual micropipette (MP) depositions. An investigation of the signal-to-noise (S/N) for IBF deposition of tryptic digested Bovine Serum Albumin (BSA) showed a significant improvement in the signal-to-noise ratio for 0.5 and 0.25 pmol/µL BSA sample compared to equivalent MP depositions. The S/N enhancement for IBF and MP depositions of BSA were studied using à-cyano-4-hydroycinnamic acid (CHCA) and 2,5-dihydroxybenzoic acid (DHB) matrices, and CHCA showed better results than DHB . The exciting results obtained by IBF prompted us to probe sample morphology more fully and to relate morphology to the detections level and hopefully, to increase the utility of MALDI-TOF-MS for detection of a larger range of peptides. Morphology results were correlated to sensitivity limits using both dispensing techniques. Because of dissimilar rates of evaporation, different or uneven deposition thickness, or crystal lattice morphology, discontinuous crystallization patterns were observed for MP depositions. However, IBF deposited samples occupied less planar area with uniform distribution of crystals, thereby reducing sample crystal heterogeneity and laborious hunt for a "sweet" or "hot" spot to produce high quality spectra. The application of IBF was extended to the tryptic digested BSA protein using peptide mass fingerprinting. IBF deposition resulted in a larger number of detectable peptides as well as higher sequence coverage as compared to equivalent MP depositions. In last few decades, advanced research and potential applications in the field of microelectronics have spurred interest in the development of reticulated doped polymer films. Bis (ethylenedioxy) tetrathiafulvalene (BEDO-TTF)/Polycarbonate (PC) films were synthesized and characterized for use in hand-held real time explosives sensors, capable of detecting nitro-based compounds (nitroaromatics, nitoamines and nitroesters), which are the main components of Improvised Explosive Devices or IEDs. Reticulated doped polymer films were prepared by exposing solid solutions of BEDO-TTF in PC to iodine to form conductive charge transfer complexes. The resulting films exhibited room temperature conductivities ranging from 6.33-90.4*10-5 S cm-1. The colored iodine complexes in the film were reduced by cyclic voltammetry yielding conductive, colorless, transparent films. Dielectric analysis (DEA) was used to probe relaxations in neat PC and BEDO-TTF/PC showed that BEDO-TTF plasticized the PC and decreased the glass transition temperature. Two secondary relaxations appeared in PC films, whereas the transitions merged in the doped film. DEA also revealed conductivity relaxations above 180°C, which were characterized by the electric modulus formalism and showed that BEDO-TTF increased the alternating current, (AC) conductivity in PC.

Polyethylene (PE) is produced in a huge scale globally and has plenty of desirable properties. It is used in coating, packaging, and artificial joint replacements. The growing need for high performance polyethylene led to the development of new catalysts, monomers and polymerizations. The synthesis of polymethylene (equivalent to polyethylene) by living polyhomologation opened the way to well-defined polymethylenes-based polymeric materials with controlled structure, molecular weight and narrow polydispersity. Such model polymers are substantial to study the structure-properties relationships. This research presents a new strategy based on the in situ formation of B-thexyl-silaboracyclic serving as initiating sites for the polyhomologation of dimethylsulfoxonium methylide. Combination with metal-free ring-opening polymerization (ROP) of ɛ-caprolactone (CL) and atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) of styrene led to three polymethylene-based 3-miktoarm stars copolymers PCL(PM-OH)2, Br-PCL(PM-OH)2 and PS(PM-OH)2.

Shallow marine gas hydrates occurring above the Sulfate-Methane-Interface (SMI) often contain small amounts of H2S beside methane and other hydrocarbons, but the distribution of H2S in these natural samples is not always homogeneous. To learn more about the formation of H2Scontaining hydrates, gas hydrates with different ratios of H2S/CH4 were synthesized under various conditions. The samples were synthesized from ice and water phases, with constant feed gas compositions or controlled changes in feed gas compositions. It turns out that the detailed nature of the synthetic hydrate samples depends on the method of sample preparation. The sample prepared with gas containing small amounts of H2S (1% H2S and 99% CH4) appeared homogeneous in composition, while that prepared in a water-H2S-CH4 system with higher H2S contents was heterogeneous. The samples were analysed with Raman spectroscopy, and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC).

The avoidance of hydrate blockages in deepwater subsea tiebacks presents a major technical challenge with severe implications for production, safety and cost. The successful prediction of when and where hydrate plugs form could lead to substantial reductions in the use of chemical inhibitors, and to corresponding savings in operational expenditure. The diffusivity of the gas hydrate former (methane) or the host molecule (water), through a hydrate film is a key property for such predictions of hydrate plug formation. In this paper, a novel application of Differential Scanning Calorimetry is described in which a hydrate film was allowed to grow at a hydrocarbon-water interface for different hold-times. By determining the change in mass of the hydrate film as a function of hold-time, an effective diffusivity could be inferred. The effect of the subcooling, and of the addition of a liquid hydrocarbon layer were also investigated. Finally, the transferability of these results to hydrate growth from water-in-oil emulsions is discussed.