Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2006. / The entire dissertation/thesis text is included in the research.pdf file; the official abstract appears in the short.pdf file (which also appears in the research.pdf); a non-technical general description, or public abstract, appears in the public.pdf file. Title from title screen of research.pdf file viewed on (May 2, 2007) Vita. Includes bibliographical references.

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Όταν ένα εναλλασσόμενο ηλεκτρικό πεδίο, χαμηλής συχνότητας, εφαρμόζεται κάθετα σε ένα στρώμα νηματικού υγρού κρυστάλλου, με πάχος της τάξης από 10 μm έως 100 μm, παρατηρείται ένας αναπροσανατολισμός του πεδίου του κατευθυντή. Πρόκειται για την περίπτωση της μονοδιάστατης μετάβασης Freedericsz, όπως επίσης και για τη δισδιάστατη ή τρισδιάστατη περίπτωση της ηλεκτροϋδροδυναμικής αστάθειας. Λόγω της διπλοθλαστικότητας των νηματικών υγρών κρυστάλλων, η έναρξη της αστάθειας, και στις δύο περιπτώσεις, προκαλεί σε μονοχρωματική φωτεινή δέσμη, που προσπίπτει στο νηματικό στρώμα, αλλαγή στην ένταση ή/και στη φάση της, με επακόλουθο ιδιαίτερα οπτικά αποτελέσματα. Οι αστάθειες παρατηρούνται όταν η εξωτερικά εφαρμοζόμενη εναλλασσόμενη τάση είναι υψηλότερη από μία τιμή κατωφλίου, ο προσδιορισμός της οποίας έχει ιδιαίτερη σημασία σε πιθανές ηλεκτροοπτικές εφαρμογές των νηματικών υγρών κρυστάλλων. Το κατώφλι της αστάθειας καθορίζεται μέσω της παρατήρησης του οπτικού αποτελέσματος, καθώς η φωτεινή δέσμη προσπίπτει στο νηματικό στρώμα. Όταν η εξωτερικά εφαρμοζόμενη τάση είναι χαμηλότερη ή ίση με την τιμή κατωφλίου, το οπτικό αποτέλεσμα είναι μηδενικό. Καθώς η τιμή της τάσης αυξάνει, σταδιακά εμφανίζεται, όλο και πιο έντονα, το ιδιαίτερο οπτικό αποτέλεσμα της αστάθειας. Έχοντας υπόψη την παραπάνω πειραματική συμπεριφορά, μπορεί κανείς να υπολογίσει την τάση κατωφλίου αρκεί να καθορίσει, μέσω οπτικής παρατήρησης, το σημείο έναρξης της αστάθειας. Στην παρούσα εργασία παρουσιάζεται μία αντικειμενική μέθοδος πειραματικού προσδιορισμού της ηλεκτροϋδροδυναμικής αστάθειας, βασισμένη στην εξάρτηση του χρόνου αποκατάστασης του κατευθυντή, Τ, από την τιμή του εξωτερικά εφαρμοζόμενου ηλεκτρικού πεδίου. Όταν η εφαρμοζόμενη τάση τείνει στην τιμή κατωφλίου, ο ρυθμός εξασθένισης, 1/Τ, του πεδίου του κατευθυντή τείνει στο μηδέν. Επομένως, η γραφική παράσταση του 1/Τ σε συνάρτηση με την εξωτερικά εφαρμοζόμενη τάση καθιστά δυνατό τον προσδιορισμό της τάσης κατωφλίου της αστάθειας. / When an AC electric field in the acoustic frequency range is applied perpendicularly to a nematic liquid crystal layer, with a thickness of the order of 10μm to 100μm, a reorientation of the director of the nematic layer is observed. This is the case of the one dimensional Freedericsz instability, as well as of the two or three dimensional electrohydrodynamic instability. Due to the birefringence of any nematic material, the onset of the instability in both cases causes a monochromatic light beam illuminating the nematic layer, to change its intensity and/or its phase, resulting in spectacular optical effects. On the other hand, the instabilities are observed when the applied AC voltage is larger than a threshold value, the determination of which is of major importance for the potential electro-optical applications of nematic liquid crystals. As a rule, the instability threshold is determined by observing its optical effect on the incident of the monochromatic light beam : When the applied voltage is lower than or equal to its threshold value, the optical effect is zero. Upon further increasing of the applied voltage, the optical effect increases gradually. The measurement of the threshold voltage, based on the above experimental behavior, leads to a subjective estimation of the experimental result. One has to decide which optical result has to be considered to mark the onset of the instability. In what follows, we present a completely objective method for the experimental determination of the instability threshold, based on the dependence of the decay time, T, of the director field on the value of the electric field applied across the nematic layer. When the applied voltage tends to its threshold value, the decay rate, 1/T, of the director field tends to zero. Thus, plotting 1/T as a function of the applied voltage, enables us to graphically determine the threshold value of the latter.

Hyperspectral imaging is the collection, processing and analysis of spectral data in numerous contiguous wavelength bands while also providing spatial context. Some of the commonly used instruments for hyperspectral imaging are pushbroom scanning imaging systems, grating based imaging spectrometers and more recently electronically tunable filters. Electronically tunable filters offer the advantages of compactness and absence of mechanically movable parts. Electronically tunable filters have the ability to rapidly switch between wavelengths and provide spatial and spectral information over a large wavelength range. They involve the use of materials whose response to light can be altered in the presence of an external stimulus. While these filters offer some unique advantages, they also present some equally unique challenges. This research work involves the design and development of a multichannel imaging system using electronically tunable Liquid Crystal Fabry-Perot etalons. This instrument is called the Liquid Crystal Hyperspectral Imager (LiCHI). LiCHI images four spectral regions simultaneously and presents a trade-off between spatial and spectral domains. This simultaneity of measurements in multiple wavelengths can be exploited for dynamic and ephemeral events. LiCHI was initially designed for multispectral imaging of space plasmas but its versatility was demonstrated by testing in the field for multiple applications including landscape analysis and anomaly detection. The results obtained after testing of this instrument and analysis of the images are promising and demonstrate LiCHI as a good candidate for hyperspectral imaging. The challenges posed by LiCHI for each of these applications have also been explored.

Orientador: Sidney José Lima Ribeiro / Banca: José Manoel Marconcini / Banca: Rosana Maria Nascimento de Assunção / Resumo: A celulose bacteriana (CB), produzida na superfície do meio de cultura da bactéria Gluconacetobacter xylinus foi utilizada para a produção de nanocristais de celulose, ou seja, cristalitos de celulose de dimensões nanométricas isolados por meio de hidrólise ácida, que em suspensão aquosa podem se auto-organizar para a formação de fase líquido cristalina nemática quiral. Foi realizada a hidrólise ácida da CB usando ácido sulfúrico 64% (m/m) a uma temperatura de 50 °C, o tempo de hidrólise foi variado de 5 a 90 minutos e sua influência na formação dos nanocristais de celulose bacteriana (NCCB) foi avaliada. Imagens obtidas por Microscopia Eletrônica de Varredura e Microscopia de Força Atômica mostraram a formação de estruturas nanométricas semelhantes a agulhas. Medidas de Espectroscopia de Correlação de Fótons forneceram uma estimativa da variação do tamanho dos NCCB em relação ao tempo de hidrólise, que apresenta uma diminuição do tamanho até 15 minutos de reação, com populações de poucos nanômetros a 700nm, acima deste tempo não existe mudança significativa quanto a população de tamanhos. As curvas TG mostraram uma diminuição na estabilidade térmica das amostras NCCB, com início do processo de degradação cerca de 120 °C inferior ao da CB. Através da Difração de Raio-X e da equação de Segal o índice de cristalinidade da CB e dos NCCB foi calculado revelando um aumento de até dezesseis pontos percentuais na cristalinidade dos NCCB quando comparados a CB. Através da evaporação do solvente das suspensões de NCCB, filmes iridescentes foram formados. As Microscopias Óptica de Luz Polarizada dos filmes de NCCB revelaram texturas de "impressões digitais", características dos cristais líquidos nemáticos quirais. Foram estudados a influência do tratamento de ultrassom e... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: Bacterial cellulose (BC) produced from Gluconacetobacter xilinus on the surface of culture medium was used in order to produce cellulose nanocrystals, ie cellulose crystallites of nanometric dimensions isolated by acid hydrolysis, which in aqueous suspension can be self-organize to form chiral nematic liquid crystalline phase. Acid hydrolysis of BC was performed using sulfuric acid 64 % (w/w) at 50 °C. The hydrolysis time was varied from 5 to 90 minutes and its influence on the bacterial cellulose nanocrystals (BCNC) formation was evaluated. Scanning Electron Microscopy and Atomic Force Microscopy images showed the formations of nanometric needle-like structures. The Photon Correlation Spectroscopy provided an estimate of the size variation of BCNC with respect to hydrolysis time, it's shows a decrease in size up to 15 minutes of reaction, with populations from few nanometers to 700 nm. Above this time there is no significant change in the population size. TG curves of BCNC samples revealed a decreasing on thermal stability (about 120 °C) when compared to pure BC membrane. Solid iridescent films were prepared by casting of the nanocrystals suspension. The Polarized Light Optical Microscopy revealed textures of "fingerprint", characteristic of chiral nematic liquid crystals. The influence of the ultrasound treatment and addition of sodium chloride in the chiral nematic pitch in the reflected color of the solids films were also evaluated. The optical characterization revealed that increasing ultrasound energy increases the chiral nematic pitch... (Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Mestre

Made available in DSpace on 2015-08-20T17:09:24Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2014-02-17. Added 1 bitstream(s) on 2015-08-20T17:27:12Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 000840260_20160217.pdf: 118362 bytes, checksum: 2d35aeb3b678b7f7ccb1fe6bc7d6b3e1 (MD5) Bitstreams deleted on 2016-02-18T10:00:22Z: 000840260_20160217.pdf,. Added 1 bitstream(s) on 2016-02-18T10:01:04Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 000840260.pdf: 1237781 bytes, checksum: d3a5a5b02516023c7e9048680f6437cd (MD5) / Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq) / As doenças periodontais acometem grande parte da população, sendo uma das causas de perdas dentárias em humanos. As suas manifestações clínicas podem ser divididas genericamente em gengivite e periodontite, dependendo da existência ou não de envolvimento do tecido de sustentação dos dentes. Sabe-se que sua etiologia envolve, dentre outros fatores, o acúmulo de biofilme dental supra- e subgengival. Dessa maneira, estudos buscam avaliar o potencial antimicrobiano de substâncias que possuam ação contra biofilme dental multiespécie. Recentemente, um crescente interesse tem sido observado no estudo de peptídeos, como o KSL-W, que demonstram ação antimicrobiana contra micro-organismos presentes no biofilme dental. Sistemas nanoestruturados de liberação de fármacos, como os sistemas líquido-cristalinos (SLC), têm sido muito utilizados pelo fato de aumentarem a estabilidade e a eficácia de fármacos, além de modularem sua ação, o que os torna aptos a serem usados como carreadores de peptídeos. A potencialização destes sistemas de liberação pode, possivelmente, ser conseguida com a presença de substâncias mucoadesivas, essenciais para a permanência prolongada da formulação no local de ação. Portanto, o objetivo deste trabalho foi desenvolver e caracterizar sistemas nanoestruturados mucoadesivos, como os SLC, para incorporação do peptídeo sintético KSL-W, e posteriormente, avaliar a ação in vitro em biofilme multiespécie salivar. Para isso, foram desenvolvidos sistemas líquidocristalinos constituídos por álcool cetílico propoxilado e etoxilado - Procetyl® AWS (tensoativo, T), ácido oleico (fase oleosa, FO) e dispersão de poloxamer 407 nas concentrações de 0,5%, 0,75% e 1% (fase aquosa, FA), obtendo-se os diagramas S1, S2 e S3, respectivamente. Selecionou-se 4 pontos de cada um dos diagramas mantendo-se a concentração do T em 50% e variando-se as proporções de FA e FO, a saber F27 - 50% T, 10% FO... / Periodontal diseases affect a large part of the population, being one of the causes of tooth loss in humans. Their chronic manifestations can be divided briefly in gingivitis and periodontitis, depending on the existence or not of teeth support tissue involvement. It is known that its etiology involves, among other factors, the accumulation of dental biofilm supra- and subgingival. Thus, studies seek to assess the antimicrobial potential of substances that have action against multispecies biofilms. Recently, a growing interest it has been observed in the study of peptides that demonstrate antimicrobial action against microorganisms present in the dental biofilm, as the KSL-W peptide. Nanostructured systems of drug release, as the liquidcrystalline systems (LCS), have long been used because of increasing stability and the efficacy of drugs, beyond modulate their action, that make them suitable to be used like peptide carrier. The potentialization of delivery system can, possibly, be achieved with the presence of mucoadesivas substances, essential for the prolonged stay of the formulation in the action place. Thereby, it is intended to develop and characterize nanostructured systems mucoadesivos, as the LCS, for incorporation of the synthetic peptide KSL-W, and later, evaluate the in vitro antimicrobial action in multispecie biofilms grown on the surface dental root. For that, developed liquid-crystalline systems constituted by cetyl alcohol ethoxylate and propoxilado - Procetyl® AWS (surfactant, S), oleic acid (oily phase, OP) and dispersion of poloxamer 407 at concentrations of 0.5%, 0.75% e 1% (the aqueous phase, AP), obtaining the diagrams S1, S2 e S3. It was selected 4 points of each diagram keeping the concentration of surfactant in 50% and varying the proportions of the AP and OP, F27 - 50% S, 10% OP and 40% AP; F28 - 50% S, 20% OP and 30% AP; F29 - 50% S, 30% OP and 20% AP; F30 - 50% S, 40% OP and 10% AP. Posteriorly, the ...

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:29:10Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2012-02-27Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T20:38:21Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 santos_db_me_araiq.pdf: 1599241 bytes, checksum: 8c1cd43129c7211c6d01eb6e0839aa08 (MD5) / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) / A celulose bacteriana (CB), produzida na superfície do meio de cultura da bactéria Gluconacetobacter xylinus foi utilizada para a produção de nanocristais de celulose, ou seja, cristalitos de celulose de dimensões nanométricas isolados por meio de hidrólise ácida, que em suspensão aquosa podem se auto-organizar para a formação de fase líquido cristalina nemática quiral. Foi realizada a hidrólise ácida da CB usando ácido sulfúrico 64% (m/m) a uma temperatura de 50 °C, o tempo de hidrólise foi variado de 5 a 90 minutos e sua influência na formação dos nanocristais de celulose bacteriana (NCCB) foi avaliada. Imagens obtidas por Microscopia Eletrônica de Varredura e Microscopia de Força Atômica mostraram a formação de estruturas nanométricas semelhantes a agulhas. Medidas de Espectroscopia de Correlação de Fótons forneceram uma estimativa da variação do tamanho dos NCCB em relação ao tempo de hidrólise, que apresenta uma diminuição do tamanho até 15 minutos de reação, com populações de poucos nanômetros a 700nm, acima deste tempo não existe mudança significativa quanto a população de tamanhos. As curvas TG mostraram uma diminuição na estabilidade térmica das amostras NCCB, com início do processo de degradação cerca de 120 °C inferior ao da CB. Através da Difração de Raio-X e da equação de Segal o índice de cristalinidade da CB e dos NCCB foi calculado revelando um aumento de até dezesseis pontos percentuais na cristalinidade dos NCCB quando comparados a CB. Através da evaporação do solvente das suspensões de NCCB, filmes iridescentes foram formados. As Microscopias Óptica de Luz Polarizada dos filmes de NCCB revelaram texturas de “impressões digitais”, características dos cristais líquidos nemáticos quirais. Foram estudados a influência do tratamento de ultrassom e... / Bacterial cellulose (BC) produced from Gluconacetobacter xilinus on the surface of culture medium was used in order to produce cellulose nanocrystals, ie cellulose crystallites of nanometric dimensions isolated by acid hydrolysis, which in aqueous suspension can be self-organize to form chiral nematic liquid crystalline phase. Acid hydrolysis of BC was performed using sulfuric acid 64 % (w/w) at 50 °C. The hydrolysis time was varied from 5 to 90 minutes and its influence on the bacterial cellulose nanocrystals (BCNC) formation was evaluated. Scanning Electron Microscopy and Atomic Force Microscopy images showed the formations of nanometric needle-like structures. The Photon Correlation Spectroscopy provided an estimate of the size variation of BCNC with respect to hydrolysis time, it`s shows a decrease in size up to 15 minutes of reaction, with populations from few nanometers to 700 nm. Above this time there is no significant change in the population size. TG curves of BCNC samples revealed a decreasing on thermal stability (about 120 °C) when compared to pure BC membrane. Solid iridescent films were prepared by casting of the nanocrystals suspension. The Polarized Light Optical Microscopy revealed textures of “fingerprint”, characteristic of chiral nematic liquid crystals. The influence of the ultrasound treatment and addition of sodium chloride in the chiral nematic pitch in the reflected color of the solids films were also evaluated. The optical characterization revealed that increasing ultrasound energy increases the chiral nematic pitch... (Complete abstract click electronic access below)

Neste trabalho é investigado o comportamento de partículas coloidais em cristais líquidos liotrópicos nas diferentes fases nemáticas. Nessas fases, existe uma ordem orientacional de longo alcance das micelas no volume. O regime de ancoramento das micelas na superfície das partículas, que pode ser forte ou fraco, depende diretamente da energia de ancoramento W, do raio R das partículas coloidais, e da constante elástica K do crista/líquido [8]. Em casos de ancoramento fraco, a simetria da ordem orientacional das micelas próxima às superfícies das partículas, bem como no volume, é a mesma nas fases nemáticas calamítica (\'N IND. c\') e discótica (\'N IND. d\'). Utilizando-se partículas de sílica nanométricas, observa-se por técnicas de microscopia óptica, que, para amostras mais concentradas (fração volumétrica \'fi\'\'DA ORDEM DE\'\'10 POT. -3\'), ocorre uma separação de fases, enquanto que, em sistemas mais diluídos (\'fi\'\'DA ORDEM DE\'\'10 POT. -5\'), existe uma organização das partículas no meio líquido cristalino em temperaturas próximas à \'N IND. d\'. Quando partículas de látex de diâmetro 90nm são dispersadas no cristal líquido liotrópico na fase \'N IND. c\'. c, agregados anisométricos tridimensionais são observados. Apesar de esse tipo de agregado não ter sido anteriormente observado, esse comportamento era previsto teoricamente dentro de certas condições que são satisfeitas pelo sistema nemático liotrópico liotrópico + látex. No entanto, esses agregados desaparecem na fase \'N IND. d\'. Os diferentes comportamentos em \'N IND. c\' e \'N IND. d\' estão ligados à organização do meio liquido-cristalino, assim como às interações entre as partículas e entre as partículas e o meio. F oram feitas também medidas diretas de força por meio de um SFA (surface Force Apparatus) em um cristal líquido liotrópico puro confinado entre duas superfícies. Tais medidas mostram que o perfil da força em função da distância entre as superfícies é diferente em \'N IND. d\' e \'N IND. c\'. / In this work, the behavior of colloidal particles dispersed into a nematic lyotropic liquid crystal matrix is investigated. In such systems, there is a long range orientational order of the micelles in the volume. The micelles anchoring on the particles surfaces can be strong or weak, depending of the anchoring strength W, the particles radius R and the liquid crystal elastic constant K. For weak anchoring, the symmetry of the orientational order in the surroundings of the particles surfaces, and also in the volume, remains the same for both calamitic (\'N IND. c\') and discotic (\'N IND. d\') nematic phases. It was observed that high concentrated solution of nanometric silica particles in a lyotropic medium leads to phase segregation. In more diluted systems, the silica particles tend to organize themselves in the nematic medium for temperatures close to \'N IND. d\'. For 90nm latex particles in the lyotropic matrix, 3D anisotropic aggregates was observed in \'N IND. c\' phases. Although it was never observed before, this behavior was theoretically previewed. On the other hand, there are no aggregates in \'N IND. d\' phase. The different behaviors observed on \'N IND. c\' and \'N IND. d\' phases are related to the liquid crystalline medium organization, as well as to the interparticles and medium with particles interactions. It is also shown in this work, by direct measurements in a pure lyotropic liquid crystal confined between two surfaces, that the force profiles in function of the distance between surfaces are different for \'N IND. c\' and \'N IND. d\' phases.

Este trabalho tem por objetivo estudar as interações superfíciais de cristais líquidos em uma interface cristal líquido-polímero, com a utilização de filmes poliméricos contendo cadeias laterais com corante azo. Nesse estudo foi utilizado um fotopolímero, onde pode se promover o ordenamento dos grupos laterais ao longo de uma direção preferencial através de um processo de isomerização trans-cis. Através da irradiação do filme de polímero com luz polarizada é possível promover a formação de uma anisotropia óptica no filme. A intensidade deste efeito pode ser controlada através da energia incidente e da concentração dos grupos laterais corante azo presentes no polímero. Neste trabalho foi realizado um estudo sistemático da orientação induzida ao cristal líquido nemático por um filme contendo corante azo no grupo lateral. Os aspectos investigados são: a estabilidade térmica e temporal do alinhamento induzido ao cristal líquido; a competição entre dois efeitos de orientação induzidos ao cristal líquido, o esfregamento e o fotoalinhamento; a influência da cncentração dos grupos laterais e da energia de irradiação. Para caracterizar as interações entre o cristal líquido e o filme polimérico foram empregadas técnicas ópticas que permitiram a determinação das intensidades de ancoramento azimutal e zenital em função da concentração de grupos laterais e da energia de irradiação. Mostramos ser possível um ancoramento azimutal que pode ter sua intensidade controlada pela concentração dos grupos laterais, pelo tempo de irradiação com luz polarizada, ou ainda pela potência do laser de excitação, e um ancoramento zenital bastante fraco, que praticamente não é afetado pelo processo de foto-isomerização. / The aim of this work is to study the superficial interactions of liquid crystals in an interface liquid Crystal-polymer, with the use of polymer films containing azo-dyes groups as side chain. In this study a photopolymer was used, where the ordering of the side group can be promoted along a preferential direction through a trans-cis isomerization process. Through the irradiation of the polymeric film with polarized light it is possible to promote the formation of an optical anisotropy in the film. The intensity of this effect can be controlled through the incident energy and the concentration of the azo-dye side groups presents in the polymer. In this work a systematic study of the orientation induced to the nematic liquid crystal by a polymeric film containing azo-dye groups in the side group was performed. The investigated aspects are: -The thermal and temporary stability of the alignment induced to the liquid crystal; -The competition among two orientation effects induced to the liquid crystal, the rubbing and the photo alignment; -The influence of the concentration of the side groups and of the irradiation energy. To characterize the interactions between the liquid crystal and the polymeric film we used optical techniques that allowed the determination of the azimuthal and zenithal anchoring strengths as a function of the concentration of side groups and of the irradiation energy. We showed to be possible an azimuthal anchoring that can have its intensity controlled by the concentration of the side groups, and the irradiation time with polarized light, or still for the power of the excitation laser, and a zenithal anchoring quite weak, that practically is not affected by the process of photo isomerization.