Fibre-reinforced polymer-matrix composite materials have highly attractive physical properties which justify the present rapid increase in applications within industry. However, composite materials suffer, like every structural material, from a failure to achieve their design properties. Therefore this research project has investigated the processing of resin used in composite materials. Initially the research programme has been concerned with the cure of epoxy resins (specifically Araldite MY750 epoxy resin system), the behaviour of the resin as it cures and how the extent of cure can affect the mechanical properties of components. Therefore, investigations have been carried out into how resin cure can be monitored by the NMR spectra and the relaxation time properties. There were four methods of analysing the data investigated, overall transverse relaxation time (T2) and free induction decay data (FID) data using the Oxford QP NMR analyser, transverse relaxation time data and spectral changes for the individual chemical environments using the Jeol EX270 NMR spectrometer, curemeter investigations using the vibrating needle curemeter (VNC) and finally Barcol hardness investigations during the later part of the cure cycle. Both the Jeol NMR spectrometer and the Oxford QP NMR analyser are designed for use primarily with liquid-state experimentation, however for the spectral, relaxation time, and FID investigations results were obtained far longer in the cure than expected. Also for the T2 investigations a transition period was noticed in the data obtained that corresponded to the gel of the resin as determined by known viscosity data for that resin mix at that cure temperature. The use of NMR as a curemeter technique was verified by repeating the analysis of the resin cure at 40, 60, 80 and 100°C. This data was then compared to known viscosity data and cure profiles obtained by the VNC curemeter and Barcol hardness readings on similar sized samples.

>Magister Scientiae - MSc / Protein-protein interaction networks provide a global picture of cellular function and biological processes. Some proteins act as hub proteins, highly connected to others, whereas some others have few interactions. The dysfunction of a single highly connected interactor can cause widespread disruption of cellular processors including diseases and cancer. Therefore, detailed study of the interactions made by cancer-related proteins will help explain their role in the interaction networks. The investigation of proteins by mass spectrometry (MS) has provided unique opportunities to gain insight into the dynamics of these proteins at the molecular level. MS uses mass analysis for protein characterization, and is currently the most comprehensive and versatile tool in proteomics. MS can provide confirmation of protein samples of interest, accurate molecular mass measurements of proteins, purity of protein samples, detection of posttranslational modifications, and more recently, interactions between two or more proteins. The conventional way of investigating the structure of proteins involves nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) or X-ray crystallography. Compared to MS these methods are time consuming methods and, furthermore, require a considerable amount of protein. MS has proved to be useful in this regard as it provides insights into the structural arrangement of proteins, and/or their interacting partners, without the need for crystalliastion or the tedious process of backbone assignment before structural and functional annotations can be attributed to the protein of interest. However, in many cases, conventional methods are used parallel to MS to serve as validation of the MS data. The broad objective of this MSc study was to provide structural and functional insights into the function of Retinoblastoma Binding Protein-6 (RBBP6), using a MS approach. The aims were twofold: 1) to investigate metal ion binding by RING (Really Interesting New Gene) finger domains from RBBP6, and 2) to investigate the in vitro interaction between RBBP6 and Hsp 70(Heat Shock Protein 70), and between RBBP6 and Murine Double Minute-2 (Mdm2).

The current generation of Glass Ionomer Cements (GICs) have many advantageous properties over other dental restorative materials but lack the compressive strength of these other materials. The aim of this project is to increase the compressive strength of conventional Glass Poly-Vinyl-Phosphonate cement by inclusion of reactive sub-micron filler particles. The setting characteristics, chemical reactivity and cement strength have been found using oscillating rheology, infrared spectrometry, nuclear magnetic spectrometry, transmission electron microscopy, potentiometer analysis, laser diffractometry and mechanical analysis. The addition of sub-micron filler particles in direct weight by weight replacement of aluminosilicate glass of a control material has increased the ultimate compressive strength of the new cement from 206MPa (control) to 250MPa after 365 days of aging. The strength of the new filler enhanced cements were comparable with the control material after 3 hours. The setting chemistry of the filler enhanced cements follows the same order as the control cement but at a decelerated rate. Theoretical modelling found that a large volume of sub-micron filler could fit into interstitial spacing in formed cement however the alteration of the aluminosilicate glass to polyelectrolyte ratio has been found to drastically alter the cement setting time. The use of cubic and polyhedral shaped filler particles as supposed to spherical particles may increase the cement strength further as greater packing densities are achieved. The formulation of a Glass Ionomer Cement with increased compressive strength may find use as a posterior restorative or as a better material for restoration of lesions and cavity liners.