The neutrino is, by its nature, an elusive particle that requires massive detectors with small backgrounds to capture a handful of events. Nevertheless, neutrino experiments stand at the heart of the current mysteries of particle physics and astrophysics. These include the origin and size of neutrino mass, the existence of additional types of neutrinos, CP violation and the matter--antimatter asymmetry, the amount of metals in the Sun's core, and the existence of non-nuclear energy sources in the Sun. This dissertation concerns the the use of a novel detector technology, the Raghavan Optical Lattice (ROL), in the Low-Energy Neutrino Spectrometer (LENS) and Neutrino Lattice (NuLat) experiments. LENS will measure the solar neutrino luminosity and the Sun's core metallicity using a ROL with indium-loaded liquid scintillator. NuLat will probe the existence of light sterile neutrinos with masses of $ \sim 1\,\mathrm{eV} $ using a ROL made from $ ^{6}\mathrm{Li} $-loaded plastic scintillator. For LENS we present an overview of the experiment and the present the ROL construction results from the LENS R\andD program. In particular we will present results from the micro- and mini-LENS prototypes. For both LENS and NuLat we present the development of an event reconstruction algorithm for ROLs and we apply these to the expected signals for these experiments. For NuLat we present an overview of the experiment including its theory of operation and its sensitivity to sterile neutrino oscillations. Finally, we present work toward the full-sized NuLat detector through bench-top tests and construction of the NuLat demonstrator. / Ph. D.

Making electricity grids smarter and facilitating them with integration of renewable energy sources (RES) and energy storage are fairly accepted as the necessary steps to achieve a sustainable and secure power industry. To enable Net-zero energy and optimize power management for future homes or buildings, DC electric distribution systems (DC Nano-grid) find feasibility and simplicity for integrating renewable energy sources and energy storage. However, integrating the sources and loads in a simple, robust and smart way is still challenging. High voltage lithium-ion battery should be seriously considered concerning the overcharge/over-discharge risk. Dissipative cell equalization and its performance are studied. Non-dissipative equalization methods are reviewed using an energy flow chart. Typical charging schemes and the related over-charge risk are illustrated. A Lithium-ion battery charging profile based on VCell_Max/Min monitoring is proposed and validated with experimental results in an 8.4kW bidirectional battery charger for DC future home. For the DC future home emulator testbed, a grid interface converter, i.e. energy control center (ECC) converter, is reviewed with functions identification. A PV system with different configurations is compared to further expand the common MPPT region, and a DC-DC converter is designed as the interface between PV panels and DC bus, facilitating maximum power point tracking (MPPT) as well as fulfill the system energy management requirement. An 8.4kW multi-phase bidirectional battery charger with Si IGBT in DCM operation is designed to achieve high efficiency and to be the interface converter between lithium-ion battery and DC bus, enhancing the battery system management as well as increasing the system reliability. To integrate all the sources and loads in a simple, reliable and smart way, this thesis proposes a distributed droop control method and smart energy management strategy to enhance the Net-zero electric energy cost. All of the control strategies are applied to the DC future home with interactions among the energy control center (ECC), renewable energy sources, energy storage and load within a day/24 hours. System level energy management control strategies for Net-zero electric energy cost are examined and illustrated. A 10kW future home emulator testbed is built and introduced for concepts validation. / Master of Science

This work reports the experimental and numerical study of the thermal management of Li-ion battery packs under the context of electric vehicle (EV) or hybrid EV (HEV) applications. Li-ion batteries have been extensively demonstrated as an important power source for EVs or HEVs. However, thermal management is a critical challenge for their widespread deployment, due to their highly dynamic operation and the wide range of environments under which they operate. To address these challenges, this work developed several experimental platforms to study adaptive thermal management strategies. Parallel to the experimental effort, multi-disciplinary models integrating heat transfer, fluid mechanics, and electro-thermal dynamics have been developed and validated, including detailed CFD models and lumped parameter models. The major contributions are twofold. First, this work developed actively controlled strategies and experimentally demonstrated their effectiveness on a practical sized battery pack and dynamic thermal loads. The results show that these strategies effectively reduced both the parasitic energy consumption and the temperature non-uniformity while maintaining the maximum temperature rise in the pack. Second, this work established a new two dimensional lumped parameter thermal model to overcome the limitations of existing thermal models and extend their applicable range. This new model provides accurate surface and core temperatures simulations comparable to detailed CFD models with a fraction of the computational cost. / Ph. D. / Li-ion batteries have been widely used today as power source of electric vehicles (EV) or hybrid electric vehicles (HEV). Thermal management represents an important issue for the safe and efficiency of Li-ion batteries in EVs and HEVs. Thermal issues can lead to decreased energy efficiency, reduced battery lifetime, and even catastrophic failures. However, effective thermal management of Li-ion batteries is challenging due to several reasons, including the highly dynamic operation of the batteries and the wide range of ambient conditions under with the vehicles operate. To address these challenges, this work studied the thermal management problem through both experimental and numerical methods. Experimentally, actively controlled strategies have been designed and tested on our customized experimental platforms, and the results demonstrated the effectiveness such strategies. Numerically, multidisciplinary models have been developed and validated to provide comprehensive information of battery operation, and furthermore to simulate operation under extreme conditions that are difficult study experimentally. This dissertation reports both the experimental and numerical results, with a detailed analysis of their implications and applications.

This master's thesis conducts an in-depth examination of the concept of zhutixing 主體性 in the writings of contemporary Chinese philosopher Li Zehou 李澤厚 (1930 – 2021). Zhutixing, typically translated as “subjectivity,” takes on a distinct meaning in Li's philosophy, and is referred to as “subjectality.” It serves as the overarching framework through which Li endeavors to reconcile fundamental human dichotomies, including the interplay between freedom and necessity and collective demands and individual aspirations. The thesis utilizes conceptual history as a methodology to contextualize Li's concept of subjectality within the broader history of the term subjectivity and its translation into Chinese. The research demonstrates the influence of the semantic understanding of the term in Chinese on Li’s interpretation. A careful analysis of Li’s writings follows which pays special attention to the chronological development of Li's concept. It traces the successive incorporation of Kantian, Confucian, liberal, and pragmatic elements into a philosophical framework inspired by the early writings of Karl Marx. It furthermore illustrates influences of academic trends, political events, and Li’s political aspirations on his philosophy. The thesis concludes with a comprehensive evaluation of Li’s philosophical undertaking and suggests the enactivist theory as a valuable resource to address some limitations within Li's works. This thesis contributes to the research on Li Zehou's philosophy and contemporary Chinese philosophy, especially the intersection of Marxism and Confucianism. It might also be relevant to scholars of conceptual history within the Chinese context, specifically pertaining to the concept of subjectivity.:Table of Content 1. Introduction 1 2. The History of Subjectivity 4 2.1. The European Trajectory 4 2.2. Translating Subjectivity 8 2.3. Survey of Related Discourses 11 2.4. Li’s Self-Positioning in the Discourse on Subjectivity 15 2.5. Negative Outline of Li’s Concept of Subjectality and His Philosophical Placement 21 3. From Subjectivity to Subjectality 22 3.1. The Anthropological Formation of Subjectality 23 3.2. Development of Subjectality in the 1980s 24 3.2.1. The Three Aspects of the Psychological Structure of Subjectality 25 3.2.2. The Structure of Subjectality in his Second Outline 31 3.2.3. Life as the Fundamental Fact and the Philosophy of Eating in Li’s Third and Fourth Outline 35 3.2.4. Political Dimensions of Subjectality in the 1980s 37 3.3. Li Zehou and the Discourse on Subjectivity in China after 1980 39 4. Subjectality in Li’s Mature Phase 43 4.1. Li’s Practical Philosophy 44 4.1.1. Ethics and Morality 45 4.1.2. Theory of Two Morals 48 4.1.3. Universal and Relative 52 4.2. Li’s Utopian Vision 56 4.3. Problems with Harmony of Heaven and Humankind 58 4.4. Li in the Philosophical Discourse of the 21st Century 60 5. Evaluation of Li’s Philosophy of Subjectality 62 5.1. The Role of Subjectality in Li’s Philosophy 62 5.2. Critique of Li’s Aspiration and Scholarly Attitude 63 5.3. Suggestions for Scientific Concretization of Li’s Theory 64 5.4. The Pragmatic and Dynamic Character of Li’s Philosophy 66 6. Glossary of Specific Terms and Phrases 68 7. Bibliography 70

Over the past 20 years, the detection of neutrino oscillation has reported a lot of important results. The oscillation phenomenon itself has been well proved by various experiments. Some oscillation parameters has been measured and now in the area of precise determination. On the other hand, some new questions like the possibility of the existence of light sterile neutrinos and unexpected 5 MeV bump were raised during the measurement. The Neutrino Lattice Experiment (NuLat) is a detector based on the Raghavan Optical Lattice (ROL). It should be able to offer a compact design of an effective detector with good mobility. It can be extremely useful in the short baseline reactor neutrino oscillation detection community to resolve several confusing issues. In this thesis, we present the calibration results we got from the first active NuLat detector and show what kind of improvements we need for the next version of the NuLat detector based on these results. / Ph. D. / During the last century, physicists have developed a nice framework to describe the physics world we live. The model which we called Standard Model has been constructed to describe the behavior of elementary particles and nicely explain the phenomenon we found from various experiments. However there are still a lot mysteries which cannot be explained by this model and more precise measurements on different fields of particle physics are need to help us improve our understanding about this. Neutrino oscillation is one of the most important field related to this kind of concern. The Neutrino Lattice Experiment (NuLat) is a new type of neutrino detector. It has a good geometry reconstruction ability based on the the Raghavan Optical Lattice (ROL). Since we cannot directly see the elementary particles, we always rely on the signals generated by the reaction between particles and our detector. How to interpret the signals becomes crucial at this point to have high quality experimental data. NuLat is such kind of neutrino detector which offer good ability for us to interpret the signal right. It has a compact design compared to most of other detectors in this field. This is really useful because it can be implemented with limited space where other detectors might have difficulties. Simultaneously the ROL design can help offer nice background rejection ability and high energy resolution. In this thesis, we discuss the progress about develop and assembly of the first active NuLat detector with the preliminary calibration data which give us basic understanding about the performance of this first version.

Lithium-ion batteries have become a vital part of our modern life and play an essential role in electric vehicle development. One of the most feasible strategies to enhance the energy density of Li-ion batteries is to use layered, Ni-rich cathode materials. However, higher nickel content causes several problems and therefore, several methods, including doping and coating, have been utilized to stabilize their structure and boost their performance. This thesis aims to understand the microstructure of such engineered complex cathodes and provide valuable contributions by comprehensively understanding and establishing a link between the composition, structure, performance, and properties of these complex materials. In this regard, the most advanced electron- and photon-based techniques have been used to uncover the fundamental underlying reasons for the enhanced performance or degradation in these complex cathode structures. This study shows that introducing W cation inside the LiNiO2 results in new W-variants with a heterogeneous concentration on the top surface and through grain boundaries of the host secondary particles. These W-rich regions play a reinforcing role in grain boundaries and protect the outer surface of LiNiO2 particles. However, synthesis defects, such as porosities, could reduce these benefits by increasing the electrolyte infiltration inside the cathode particles. It is also demonstrated that the degradation process can be studied through the changes in electron energy loss near-edge structure spectra. The investigation of a coating approach on LiNi0.8Co0.15Al0.05O2 materials through the mechanofusion process illustrates more microscopic-scale details regarding the thickness unevenness of the coating and some degree of physical intermixing between the core (LiNi0.8Co0.15Al0.05O2) and coating (LiFePO4 and alumina) precursors. In addition to good physical contact between the core and coating materials, further analysis at higher resolution reveals some nanoscale grains and defective areas near the top surface of the secondary particles following the mechanofusion coating process. / Thesis / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

村里基層行政人員是執行政策的主要行動者，其業務執行的判斷與裁量行為將影響民眾的權利，其對民主價值觀的認知，則左右其行政行為態樣。本研究的主要目的是欲探討民主化後的台灣，村里基層行政人員的民主價值，並找出影響因素。同時，探討村里基層行政人員是否因為民主價值的差異，而對於裁量行為有不同偏好。本研究使用2007年國科會計畫『填補「公民參與」研究脫落的環節—基層公務人員對公民參與態度的初探』所收集的量化資料。在分析961位村里基層行政人員所填答的問卷資料後，發現多數村里基層行政人員具中等程度的民主價值，其中村里幹事更達八成以上。主要影響民主價值差異的因素，是村里基層行政人員的年齡與教育程度。在裁量的偏好方面，多數受訪者傾向依法行政，民眾需求居次。主要解釋變異的因素是村里長與村里幹事間職責的差異，導致其偏好不同的裁量原則。因為村里長與村里幹事在民主價值以及裁量類型方面有許多的不同，而村里層級又是民主機制運作的第一線，因此應強化村里基層行政人員的民主價值。本研究建議政府應當建立村里長的培訓課程，以提升其對民主機制的認識與涵養，確保民眾的利益。 / Street-level administrators in Village/Li are the main actors for policy implementation. Their discretionary behaviors will affect the rights of citizens and such behaviors are profoundly influenced by their belief in democracy. The purpose of this thesis is to explore the democratic values of Village/Li Chiefs and Secretaries in Taiwan, and to find out the influential factors of democratic values. Further, this thesis discusses the extent to which their democratic values affect the preference of discretionary behaviors. The data used in this article are from the research sponsored by the National Science Council of the Executive Yuan; which conducted 961 face-to-face interviews with Village/Li Chiefs and Village/Li Secretaries in Taiwan in early 2007. This study finds that the majority of street-level administrators and 80% of Village/Li Secretaries have moderate democratic values. Statistical analysis indicates that age and education have critical influence on democratic values. With regard to their preference of discretionary behaviors, most respondents make decision mainly based on the enactments, and the need of citizens is secondary concern. The crucial factor to explain the variation is the difference on duties between Village/Li Chiefs and Secretaries. Consequently, the preference of their discretionary behaviors is diverse. Because of such divergence and the crucial role of street-level administrators in service delivery and grass-root democracy, this study suggests that the government should provide training programs to enhance the democratic values of Village/Li chiefs in particular and street-level administrators in general.

Four molecular germanates based on salicyl alcoholates, bis(dimethylammonium) tris[2-(oxidomethyl)phenolate(2-)]germanate (1), bis(dimethylammonium) tris[4-methyl-2-(oxidomethyl)phenolate(2-)]germanate (2), bis(dimethylammonium) tris[4-bromo-2-(oxidomethyl)phenolate(2-)]germanate (3) and dimethylammonium bis[2-tert-butyl-4-methyl-6-(oxidomethyl)phenolate(2-)][2-tert-butyl-4-methyl-6-(hydroxymethyl)phenolate(1-)]germanate (4), were synthesized and characterized including single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. In the solid state, compounds 1 and 2 exhibit one-dimensional hydrogen bonded networks, whereas compound 4 forms separate ion pairs, which are connected by hydrogen bonds between the dimethylammonium and the germanate moieties. The potential of these compounds for thermally induced twin polymerization (TP) was studied. Germanate 1 was converted by TP to give a hybrid material (HM-1) composed of phenolic resin and germanium dioxide. Subsequent reduction with hydrogen provided a microporous composite containing crystalline germanium and carbon (Ge@C – C-1, germanium content ∼20%). Studies on C-1 as an anode material for Li-ion batteries revealed reversible capacities of ∼370 mA h gGe@C−1 at a current density up to 1384 mA g−1 without apparent fading for 500 cycles. / Dieser Beitrag ist aufgrund einer (DFG-geförderten) Allianz- bzw. Nationallizenz frei zugänglich.

Pour la première fois, une étude par spectroscopie infrarouge à transformée de Fourrier et par microsonde ionique des minéraux majeurs de la croûte inférieure et des péridotites mantelliques a été entreprise afin de mieux caractériser les mécanismes d’incorporation et les teneurs en eau de ces minéraux nominalement anhydres, et de déterminer leurs compostions isotopiques en H, O, et Li pour retracer les échanges latéraux et horizontaux de l’eau dans la lithosphère continentale profonde. Les résultats montrent que: (1) Les minéraux nominalement anhydres, comme les pyroxènes et plagioclase, dans les granulites de la croûte inférieure contiennent de l’eau en trace essentiellement sous forme hydroxyles et accessoirement sous forme moléculaire, avec des concentrations (exprimées en poids H2O) allant de 200 à 2330 ppm pour les clinopyroxènes, de 60 à 1875 ppm pour les orthopyroxènes, de 65 à 900 ppm pour les plagioclases. Les teneurs calculées pour chaque roche totale d’après sa composition minéralogique et la teneur en eau des minéraux varient de 155 à 1100 ppm. (2) Les teneurs en H2O des minéraux majeurs et en roche totale de la croûte continentale inférieure sont manifestement plus élevées que celles du manteau lithosphérique sous-jacent, suggérant des variations verticales de la quantité d’H2O dans la lithosphère continentale profonde. Un tel contraste peut affecter de façon notable le comportement rhéologique de la lithosphère continentale. (3) Les rapports isotopiques de l’oxygène des pyroxènes étudiés, et probablement les roches totales, exprimés en [delta]18OSMOW , vont de ~ 4,5 à 12,5‰. Ceci indique la contribution de matériaux recyclés de la croûte continentale durant la pétrogenèse des échantillons ayant un TM18O élevé. (4) Les minéraux de la granulites sont caractérisés par des valeurs de élevées TMD, avec des valeurs de -80~-10‰ exprimées en [delta]DSMOW; les minéraux sont le plus souvent en équilibre les uns avec les autres lorsque l’on considère leurs compositions isotopiques moyennes. (5) Les compositions isotopiques du Lithium mesurée dans les minéraux de nos échantillons de granulites, exprimées en [delta]7Li par rapport à Lsvec, varient de -13 à +4.7 ‰. Ces valeurs sont donc pour la plus part inférieures à celles mesurées sur les MORB (2 – 6‰). La dispersion des valeurs reflètent l’hétérogénéité de la source des granulites, et les valeurs bassent resultent probablement de la perte par diffusion de Li pendant la mise en place des liquides silicatées provenant du manteau dans la croûte inférieure. (6) La grande hétérogénéité des teneurs en eau et en Lithium, et des compositions isotopiques de H-O-Li indique l’absence de circulation de fluide pervasive au travers de la croûte inférieure, qui aurait pour effet de supprimer les hétérogénéités à petite échelle et de les diminuer fortement à grande échelle / For the first time, systematic investigations of water content and H-O-Li isotopic compositions of minerals in lower crustal granulites, as well as water content of minerals in mantle peridotites, from eastern China have been carried out by Fourier transform infrared spectrometer and ion microprobe. The results show that: (1) Nominally anhydrous minerals, such as pyroxenes and plagioclase, in the lower crust generally contain trace amounts of structural water, with their content (H2O by wt.) varying from 200 to 2330 ppm for clinopyroxene, 60 to 1875 ppm for orthopyroxene, 65 to 900 ppm for plagioclase and 155 to 1100 ppm for the estimated bulk compositions. (2) Water contents of minerals in lower crustal granulites from eastern China, and their bulk values, are significantly higher than those in the underlying upper mantle, implying vertical heterogeneities of water distribution in the deep continental lithosphere; the contrast in water content even affect the rheological strength of the lithosphere. (3) The O-isotopic compositions of pyroxenes in the lower crustal granulites from eastern China are highly variable between different localities (~ 4.5 to 12.5‰, expressed in [delta]18OSMOW values), indicating variable influences from recycled crustal materials on their protoliths. (4) The H-isotopic compositions of granulite minerals from eastern China, are mostly in the range of -80 to -10‰ expressed in [delta]DSMOW values, and these minerals are usually in equilibrium with their [delta]D values. The relatively high [delta]D of granulite minerals may be related with degassing loss of H during the genesis of granulites. (5) The Li-isotopic compositions of granulite minerals from eastern China are usually in the range of -13 to 4.7‰, mostly lower than those of MORB (2-6‰). They reflect the source heterogeneity and are probably results of high-T Li diffusion during the intrusion of their original melts into the preexisting lower crust. (6) The large dispersion of Li and water contents and of H-O-Li isotopic results indicate the absence of any pervasive fluids in the lower crust

As novas ligas de alumínio que contém lítio são atraentes devido à sua baixa densidade, alto módulo elástico, elevada resistência mecânica e por terem boa resistência à corrosão em comparação com ligas similares que não contém lítio. A degradação do material devido à fadiga e corrosão são os dois principais fatores que contribuem para o envelhecimento de uma aeronave. O objetivo deste trabalho é estudar a resistência à fadiga de uma nova liga de Al-Li, denominada de AA 2050-T84, considerando os estágios de nucleação e de propagação. No primeiro caso são avaliados o efeito da variação do concentrador de tensão (kt) e o efeito da razão de tensões (R), enquanto que no segundo caso são estudados os efeitos da direção de laminação e da razão de tensões (R) na taxa de propagação da trinca por fadiga. Para o estágio de iniciação é possível observar que quanto maior o valor de R, menor é a vida em fadiga. Para um R constante, o concentrador de tensão reduz significantemente a vida em fadiga. Considerando a vida de propagação de trinca por fadiga, observa-se que, independente da direção de laminação, quanto maior o valor de R, para um mesmo ΔK, maior foi a taxa de propagação de trinca. Para um mesmo R, o expoente m da equação de Paris é maior na direção TL indicando maior velocidade de crescimento de trinca. Independentemente da direção tomada, quanto maior o valor de R maior o valor de m. O modelo matemático utilizado previu muito bem o efeito de R na taxa de propagação de trinca. A liga AA 2050 apresenta resistência à fadiga similar ligas das famílias 2XXX e 7XXX e similar a da liga Al-Li AA 2198 T8. / The new Al-Li alloys are very attractive due to its low density, high elastic modulus, increased mechanical strength, as well as good corrosion resistance in comparison with similar alloys that don\'t contain lithium. The material\'s degradation due to fatigue and corrosion are the main factors of aircrafts aging, and it is quite important to take them in account to guarantee the aircraft structural integrity. The aim of this work is to study the fatigue strength of a new Al-Li alloy, denominated as AA 2050 T84, considering both nucleation and propagation fatigue lives. In the first case were evaluated the effect of the variation of the stress concentrator (kt) and the effect of the stress ratio (R), while in the propagation life were considered the effect of the rolling direction and the stress ratio (R). From the initiation life results, it is possible to observe that as higher was R, lower is fatigue life and that the intensity of the stress concentrator reduces fatigue life significantly, independent of the R value. The results from the propagation life shows that in both LT e TL directions and for a constant ΔK, higher R induces larger fatigue crack propagation rates. Considering a constant R, the TL direction presents a larger exponent m of Paris equation, which is an indicative of higher larger crack propagation rate. Also, larger R causes larger m, independently of the rolling direction. The mathematical model used was able to take in account the R effect on the crack propagation rate. Considering the more traditional Al alloys from 2XXX and 7XXX families, and the Ali-Li alloys AA 2198 T8, the AA 2050 presented a quite similar fatigue behavior.