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Interest in biodiesel has piqued with advent of stringent emissions regulations. Biodiesel is a viable substitute for petroleum diesel because biodiesel produces significantly lower particulate and soot emissions relative to petroleum diesel. Higher nitric oxide (NO) emissions for biodiesel, however, are of primary concern in biodiesel-fueled engines. Search for an in-cylinder technique to reduce NO emissions for biodiesel has motivated studies to gain an improved understanding of fundamental factors that drive increase in NO emissions with biodiesel. Potential factors include fuel-bound oxygen, fuel-bound nitrogen and post-flame gas temperature. The role of fuel-bound oxygen however is debated in the literature. The research objective of this study is to computationally determine if biodiesel and petroleum diesel yield equivalent concentrations of NO with the same oxygen equivalence ratio in a 0-D homogeneous reactor, to explain the role of fuel-bound oxygen in biodiesel on increases in NO emissions with biodiesel. The results from this study indicate that the biodiesel surrogate yields higher NO emissions than the n-heptane because of its lower oxygen consumption efficiency. The lower oxygen consumption efficiency for biodiesel is likely because of the slower decomposition of the individual components and the blending ratios of the biodiesel surrogate blend. The relative differences in combustion efficiency of individual components of the biodiesel blend suggest this conclusion. The more efficient burning of the methyl esters relative to the n-heptane in biodiesel surrogate perhaps indicates the favorable role of fuel-bound oxygen in the fuel’s combustion. The low utilization of oxygen by the biodiesel surrogate could not be explained in this study. The dominance of NO2 H ↔ NO OH and N NO ↔ N2 O mechanisms during biodiesel combustion however explain the high NO emissions for the biodiesel surrogate relative to the n-heptane. The biodiesel may yield lower NO emissions than the petroleum diesel if the blending ratios for the biodiesel are adjusted such that combustion efficiency of biodiesel and petroleum diesel is same or the NO2 H ↔ NO OH and N NO ↔ N2 O mechanisms are suppressed during biodiesel combustion.

The aim of this thesis was to prepare monoamide of macrocycle H3NOTA, which was prepared by multiple step synthesis. Ligand was characterized by NMR, MS and X-ray difraction analysis. Acid-base properties were studied by potentiometric titrations. Four protonation constants pKa`s were found and these protonation constants are lower than pKa`s of H3NOTA. Coordination properties with selected metal ions from the first row of transition metal, metal ions of biological interest and with lithium ions were investigated by potentiometric titration. Stability constants show that monoethylamide derivative of macrocycle H3NOTA forms complexes with lower stability than diethylamide derivative of macrocycle H3NOTA. Stability constants for complexes which contains amide group are lower than for H3NOTA complexes. Kinetics of Ga3+ complexation was investigated at different pH by 71 Ga NMR. The rate constants of and half-lives of complexation were determined at pH = 1. The rate constant was higher and the half-life of complexation was shorter than for H3NOTA ligand. Key words: macrocyclic complexes, thermodynamic stability, formation kinetics, radiopharmaceutical

After reviewing the documents about the studies of hydrate formation kinetics in the world, this paper analyzed the process of hydrate formation on a suspended water droplet, which was based on the hydrate formation with water spay method, proposed a corresponding mathematical model, and solved it. Afterwards, the discussion about this model was presented. The results indicated that equilibrium time diminished with the decrease of the water droplet radius, and prolonged with the increase of sub-cooling degree, the reaction time for the second period reduced with the increase of subcooling degree, but was free from the effect of the variation of the water droplet size. The first period of the hydration on the water droplet was quite short, while the second period was considerably longer. Therefore, shortening the duration time of the second period of hydration was obviously able to accelerate the hydrate formation on the water droplet.

The dissertation thesis is devoted to the study of belite clinkers and to the possibilities of the increase in their hydraulic activity. The mechanism and the kinetics of belite clinker formation were studied together with the relation of the velocity of these processes and the hydraulic activity of clinker. The influence of various parameters (degree of lime saturation, duration and temperature of burning) of the belite clinker preparation on the belite clinker development in time, on belite polymorphism, on the chemical composition of belite crystals and on the belite cement hydraulic activity was studied, too. The research methods used for the investigation involved electron microscopy, optical microscopy, X-ray diffraction analysis, high-temperature microphotometry and calorimetry. The resulting clinkers were hydraulically activated by addition of calcium sulfate. The experiments have proven that the higher rate of belite formation does not lead to the increase of its hydraulic activity, as opposed to that of alite. On the other hand, the chemical activation by sulfate anions enables to prepare clinker with relatively higher degree of lime saturation with minor admixture of alite and anhydrite, which is hydraulically activated. The work was concluded by experimental burning of belite clinker doped with sulfate anions in a model rotary kiln and by the preparation of cements blended with common industrial alite clinker. The results indicate the possibility of separate industrial production of special belite clinker alongside with common alite clinker and the production of economically and environmentally beneficial blended Portland cements with suitable technological parameters, or targeted production of special cements with properties corresponding to their required utilization.

Alpha-ketoglutaric acid (AKGA) is an organic acid important for the metabolism of essential amino acids as well as for the transfer of cellular energy. It is a precursor of glutamic acid which is produced by the human body during the Krebs Cycle. AKGA has a specific industrial interest as it can be taken as a dietary supplement and is also widely used as a building block in chemical synthesis. Collectively termed as hydrazine (HZs), hydrazine (HZ) and monomethylhydrazine (MMH) are hypergolic fuels that do not need an ignition source to burn. Because of the particular HZs' characteristics the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) at Kennedy Space Center (KSC) and the US Air Force at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (CCAFS) consistently use HZ and MMH as hypergolic propellants. These propellants are highly reactive and toxic, and have carcinogenic properties. The handling, transport, and disposal of HZ waste are strictly regulated under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) to protect human health and the environment. Significant quantities of wastewater containing residuals of HZ and MMH are generated at KSC and CCAFS that are subsequently disposed off-site as hazardous waste. This hazardous waste is shipped for disposal over public highways, which presents a potential threat to the public and the environment in the event of an accidental discharge in transit. NASA became aware of research done using AKGA to neutralize HZ waste. This research indicated that AKGA transformed HZ in an irreversible reaction potentially leading to the disposal of the hypergols via the wastewater treatment facility located at CCAFS eliminating the need to transport most of the HZ waste off-site. New Mexico Highlands University (NMHU) has researched this transformation of HZ by reaction with AKGA to form stabilized pyridazine derivatives. NMHU's research suggests that the treatment of HZ and MMH using AKGA is an irreversible reaction; once the reaction takes place, HZ and/or MMH cannot re-form from the byproducts obtained. However, further knowledge relating to the ultimate end products of the reaction, and their effects on human health and the environment, must still be addressed. The known byproduct of the AKGA/HZ neutralization reaction is 6-oxo-1,4,5,6-tetrahydro-pyridazine-3-carboxylic acid (PCA), and the byproduct of the AKGA/MMH reaction is 1-methyl-6-oxo-4,5-dihydro-pyridazine-3-carboxylic acid (mPCA). This research addressed several primary areas of interest to further the potential use of AKGA for HZ and MMH neutralization: 1) isolation of the end-product of the MMH-AKGA degradation process, 1-methyl-6-oxo-4,5-dihydro-pyridazine-3-carboxylic acid (mPCA), and determination of several physical properties of this substance, 2) evaluation of the kinetics of the reaction of AKGA with HZ or MMH, 3) verification of the chemical mechanism for the reaction of the individual hypergols with AKGA, 4) determination of whether the addition of a silicone-based antifoaming agent (AF), citric acid (CA) and/or isopropyl alcohol (IPA) to the AKGA and HZ or MMH solution interferes with the degradation reaction, 4) application of laboratory bench scale experiments in field samples, and 5) determination of the reaction enthalpy of these reactions.

Orientador: Prof. Dr. André Sarto Polo / Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Federal do ABC, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Nanociências e Materiais Avançados, 2017. / Compostos polipiridínicos de rutênio(II) apresentam características favoráveis para serem utilizados em processos de conversão de energia solar, como a ampla e intensa absorção de luz na região visível. A engenharia molecular permite a sintonização dos níveis de energia destes complexos para que possam executar funções úteis com mais eficiência. Os compostos tris-heterolépticos de rutênio(II) são muito interessantes neste sentido, pois permitem avaliar como a utilização de diferentes ligantes altera as suas propriedades globais e permite modular seus níveis de energia. O presente trabalho insere-se nesse contexto, avaliando como grupos doadores ou retiradores de elétrons influenciam a cinética de formação, as propriedades químicas e o desempenho fotoeletroquímico em células solares sensibilizadas por corante (DSSCs - Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells) desse tipo de composto. É descrita a investigação da cinética de formação dos compostos cis- [Ru(R-phen)(dcbH2)(NCS)2], dcbH2 = ácido- -dicarboxílico- -bipiridina, avaliada de maneira a racionalizar o efeito do substituinte R nas posições 4 e 7 da 1,10- fenantrolina nas velocidades das reações e na distribuição dos isômeros de ligação. Também são descritas a síntese, purificação e caracterização dos compostos cis- [Ru(R-phen)(dcbH2)Cl2] e cis-[Ru(R-phen)(dcbH2)(NCS)2] e as mudanças observadas em suas propriedades espectroscópicas e eletroquímicas são discutidas em função dos diferentes substituintes da 1,10-fenantrolina. Os compostos cis- [Ru(R-phen)(dcbH2)(NCS)2] também foram usados como corantes sensibilizadores em DSSCs e a partir de experimentos fotoeletroquímicos os resultados foram interpretados relacionando-se a natureza do ligante R-phen e os processos que ocorrem nas células solares. Observou-se que mesmo pequenas mudanças estruturais nos ligantes R-phen podem acarretar em grandes mudanças nas propriedades e na formação dos compostos que funcionalizam nanomateriais como o TiO2. / Ruthenium(II) polypyridyl compounds have favorable characteristics for their use in solar energy conversion processes, such as their wide and intense light absorption in the visible region of the spectrum. Molecular engineering allows the tuning of the energy levels of these compounds in order to perform useful functions more efficiently. Ruthenium(II) tris-heteroleptic compounds are very interesting in this field since they can be employed to evaluate how changing the ligands modify their global properties and modulate their energy levels. This work aims to evaluate the influence of electron donating or withdrawing groups on the formation kinetics, chemical properties and photoelectrochemical performance of this type of compound in Dye- Sensitized Solar Cells (DSSCs). The investigation of the formation kinetics of cis- [Ru(R-phen)(dcbH2)(NCS)2] compounds, dcbH2 -dicarboxylic acid- - bipyridine, is described and evaluated in order to rationalize the effect of the R substituent on 4 and 7 positions of 1,10-phenanthroline on reaction rates and linkage isomer distribution. The synthesis, purification and characterization of the compounds cis-[Ru(R-phen)(dcbH2)Cl2] and cis-[Ru(R-phen)(dcbH2)(NCS)2] are also described and changes observed in their spectroscopic and electrochemical properties are discussed in terms of the different substituents of 1,10-phenanthroline. The cis- [Ru(R-phen)(dcbH2)(NCS)2] compounds were also employed as dye-sensitizers in DSSCs and from photoelectrochemical experiments the results were interpreted correlating the R-phen ligand structure and processes which occur in solar cells. It was observed that even small structural changes in R-phen ligands can result in wide changes in properties and formation of the compounds that functionalize nanomaterials such as TiO2.

In recent years, copper radioisotopes have been extensively studied for their suitable coordination and physical properties. Nuclides 61 Cu, 64 Cu and 67 Cu are used in nuclear medicine - in diagnostic as well as in therapeutic applications. The aim of the Thesis is a study of the coordination properties of divalent copper as a stepping stone for the next potential applications. The presented Thesis consists of two thematic parts. The first part deals with the synthesis of cyclam derivatives. Sixteen new macrocyclic ligands with different phosphorus acid coordinating pendant arms (phosphinate, phosphonate, germinal P-C-P) were prepared; an analogous ligand endowed by carboxylic acid pendant arm as well as tetramethylcyclam without coordinating arm were prepared for comparison. The influence of the nature of coordinating acid pendant arms on selectivity and on the rate of copper(II) complexation was studied in detail. The protonation constants of the free ligands and the stability constants of the complexes with selected transition metal ions were determined by potentiometric titrations and by 1 H and 31 P NMR spectroscopy. Kinetic properties - i.e. studies of the formation rate and kinetic inertness of the copper(II) complexes - were performed by UV-Vis spectroscopy. The formation kinetics of the selected...

In the present dissertation the formation of microstructure, the kinetics of densification and the formation of surface layers developing during liquid phase sintering of silicon carbide are studied. The focus is on the additive systems Al2O3 plus Y2O3 and AlN plus Y2O3. Phase and especially liquid phase formation in both of the systems SiC, Al2O3 , Y2O3 and AlN, Al2O3 , Y2O3 are investigated in detail examining 12 espectively 17 different compositions per system. Melting temperatures have been determined by TG/DTA, in both systems for the first time. Phase composition of samples was analysed by the combination of XRD, SEM and EDX. In the system SiC, Al2O3 , Y2O3 the formation of the phases expected from the quasibinary Al2O3 , Y2O3 could be observed thus silicon carbide has to be in equilibrium with the oxide additives. The low solubility of SiC in the oxide melt, which was suggested by Hoffmann and Nader, could be confirmed. In the system AlN, Al2O3 , Y2O3 the formation of phases as stated by Medraj was confirmed, except for the dimension of the stability region of the γ- spinel and YAG which is wider in the present work. For the first time diffusion coefficients of the species Y3+ and Al3+ in the oxide melt formed by Al2O3 and Y2O3 at temperatures above 1825 ◦ C were determined. The values are in the order of 2 · 10−6 cm2 /s which results in a diffusion length of 14.1 μm for a diffusion time of one second. This allows the fast equilibration of Y and Al deficiencies. Kinetics of densification was modeled by kinetic field, master curve and thermokinetic method, based on detailed experimental investigation of the shrinkage during liquid phase sintering of SiC. It could be proved that the first 30 − 40 % of densification are controlled by solid phase reactions which accelerate particle rearrangement without presence of a liquid phase. During the remaining 60 − 70 % of densification a liquid is present, resulting in the predominance of mechanisms of liquid phase sintering. The models deliver activation energies in the range from 608 KJ/mol to 1668 kJ/mol and allow, within the scope of validity of each method the prediction of densification during liquid phase sintering of silicon carbide. When sintering silicon carbide with Al2O3 plus Y2O3 the formation of several surface layers, depending on atmosphere, maximum temperature, dwelling time and amount and composition of additives was observed. In nitrogen atmosphere with low partial pressures a surface layer consisting of AlN is forming whilst at high partial pressures SiAlON- polytypes occur. After sintering in Argon or Ar-CO- atmosphere three main types of surface layers are present. One consists of alumina, one contains only YAG and one shows highly porous, additive depleted regions. An explanation for the formation of the several surface layers could be given by the combination of the determined diffusion coefficients with the results achieved in the thermodynamics part. The results achieved in this work can be a contribution to the knowledge based design of the production process of liquid phase sintering of silicon carbide.