This study was to investigate the treatment of paraquat-containing solutions by advanced oxidation processes (denoted by AOPs). The operation parameters conducted in semi-batch reactor were as follows: the effect of ozone dose, pH and H2O2 concentration on conversion of paraquat by adding O3, UV, O3/H2O2, UV/H2O2 and UV/O3/H2O2. Paraquat concentration: 10 ppm and 20 ppm, ozone dose: 45 g/hr and 105 g/hr, and H2O2 concentration: 0,07 g/l, 0.71 g/l and 1.127 g/l were tested. In the first stage of pre-test, the purpose was to observe the decomposition of paraquat under various pH in order to compare the conversions by O3 and by O2, and to select the optimal pH in above AOPs. The performances of AOPs for treating paraquat-containing solutions were found in sequence as follows: O3/H2O2, O3, UV/O3, UV/H2O2/O3, UV/H2O2 and UV. The process of O3/H2O2 not only could remove higher concentration of paraquat but also had to need a shorter residence time. The effect of parameters on the removal of paraquat by each AOPs were discussed. The kinetics of AOPs in treatment of paraquat-containing solutions was confirmed by using half-life test. Except UV and UV/H2O2 processes nearing zero order, the apparent reaction order of O3, UV/O3, UV/O3/H2O2 and O3/H2O2 were obtained to be one. Based on the removal and cost analysis, O3/H2O2 (O3 = 45 g/hr, H2O2 dose = 0.71 g/l) was the best process in treating paraquat solutions for the low energy and economic cost. As for the O3 and UV/O3 processes, we also recommended to be yours truly options.

In this work, two (La,Sr)(Al,Ta) O3 single crystals were grown by the conventional Czochralski pulling method by using different rotation rates and pull rates to find out the optimal growth conditions. The total length of the first (La,Sr)(Al,Ta) O3 crystal is about 8.5cm, and the shape is not symmetrical. The small thermal conductivity of the crystal would lead to small temperature gradient, so the growth rate was slow. The shape of the second crystal was improved by adjusting the thermal field. But, the bottom of the residual has blue color. The blue residual was analysed by x-ray and Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS). Besides, the crystal structure was analyzed and the second phase had been found in crystals by high angle x-ray spectrum and polarizer microscope.

The primary objective of this study was to empirically determine the relationship between restaurant images and loyalties toward seven competing casual dinner house restaurant chains, and to understand the nature of their competition by matching patronage behavior toward alternative restaurant chains with perceptions of alternative restaurants) on particular image attributes. The canonical correlation analysis revealed that the measures of image had significant impact on both loyalty measures toward selected casual dinner house restaurant chains: (1) patronage intentions and (2) proportions of patronage. Furthermore, the interpretation of the canonical functions revealed the nature of competition in terms of market segments and positioning. The research findings of this study imply that the obtained restaurant image is not only an analytical device to diagnose the weaknesses and strengths possessed by each restaurant relative to other restaurants, but also a predictive tool for loyalty patterns toward alternative restaurants. This study contributes to the existing consumer patronage behavior literature by providing empirical research results for the interrelationships between multi-store image measures and multi-store loyalty measures. Further, this research illustrates the usefulness of canonical analysis, which is a powerful technique for exploring the relationships between one set of variables and a second set of variables. Lastly, this study is of empirical value to restaurant management. In terms of offering strategic guidelines, this study shows the magnitude of the relationships and explains the nature of competition in a local market by linking consumer's loyalty behavior toward one or more restaurants with the image strengths/weaknesses of alternative restaurants on salient image dimensions. As a consequence, restaurants can use this information in their repositioning strategies to improve or change their image. / Ph. D.

Years of research have been devoted to the understanding of the structure and nature of natural wind and to the development of theories which can be applied to the design of buildings and other structures. Extensive studies of the velocity profile of wind have been made from the ground to the stratosphere, but investigators have concentrated on the winds above thirty feet. It has been from the studies in excess of thirty feet that the most recent concepts for deriving design velocities have been obtained. Structures used in agricultural enterprises are usually low-profile structures being located in the lower thirty feet of the atmosphere. For this reason, this investigation was undertaken to measure the wind velocities in the lower thirty feet of the atmosphere and to develop a computer program whose output would be an equation for the vertical profile of the measured wind velocities. It was felt that this information would be of great value in the study of wind pressure distributions on a prototype building, and also in the wind tunnel model tests of the prototype. Velocity measurements were made with four pitot tubes mounted on a thirty-foot mast at intervals of eight feet along the mast. Velocity pressures were recorded instantaneously from all the pitot tubes by an oscillograph. The data recorded were entered into a computer program for multiple regression coefficients. The output was the intercept, K, and the slope, 1/α, for a velocity profile with an equation of the general form, V = KZ^1/α Where: V = velocity at height Z, K = intercept, 1/α = slope. The statistical analysis on the fit of the profile equation, obtained from the computer, to the velocities recorded for this investigation showed a high significance value. It was concluded that wind velocity measurements could be obtained by pitot tubes with reasonable accuracy in the lower thirty feet of the atmosphere, and that these velocity data could be entered into a computer program which would yield an output of a velocity profile equation that could be used with confidence. / M.S.

This study was to investigate the removal efficiency and the feasibility of containing-EDTA solutions by O3 and O3/UV, advanced oxidation processes (denoted by AOPs). The operation parameters conducted in semi-batch reactor were as follows: ozone dose, pH, temperature and initial concentration of EDTA. The best mineralization and COD removal was found at pH= 9 when the pH values in O3 process was controlled at 3, 5, 7, 9 and 11. Addition of UV in O3 process for treating solutions containing EDTA was found not increasing the reaction rate but raising the COD and mineralization efficiency. In O3 process, the reaction rate was proportional to the ozone dose, it caused a higher mineralization. The higher the initial concentration of EDTA, the lower reaction rate, and the decreasing the mineralization was. Changing the temperature in reaction process was not obviously affected the removal of EDTA due to the lower activated energy found in O3 process. In O3/UV process, EDTA was decomposed very fast, but it still could not be mineralized the intermediates completely. The concentration of nitrate formed in this process was low. It is probably for high energy NH-containing bonds which is not easy break down by O3/UV. Thus, the major reactions in this process are the break of C-N bond, and followed by the break of C-H bond.

Neste trabalho foi avaliado o impacto na simulação dos poluentes fotoquímicos do uso de diferentes parametrizações da Camada Limite Planetária (CLP) para a Região Metropolitana de São Paulo, utilizando o modelo de mesoescala não-hidrostático Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) com o acoplamento dos módulos químicos (WRF/Chem). Para análise da acurácia dos resultados obtidos com o modelo, foram utilizadas as medições realizadas pelas estações automáticas da CETESB em superfície, e a validação do perfil vertical da concentração de O3 com base nos dados do experimento de lançamento de ozoniosondas realizado dentro do contexto de um projeto de políticas públicas (recursos FAPESP) realizado durante o período de estudo. A motivação para a realização do presente trabalho foi a grande dificuldade de representação da estrutura da CLP em especial durante o período noturno sobre áreas urbanas. O estudo contou com a utilização inédita do modelo on-line para simulação da composição química da atmosfera da RMSP, e por fim analisou o impacto do acoplamento com o modelo urbano Urban Canopy Model (UCM), com o modelo WRF-Chem. A área de estudo é a Região Metropolitana de São Paulo e adjacências, e o período estudado foi de 28/10 a 01/11/2006. As variações anuais da temperatura do ar, velocidade do vento e radiação solar para o ano de 2006, mostraram que o mês de outubro foi marcado por grande disponibilidade de radiação solar, altos valores de temperatura do ar e ventos intensos. As simulações com casos idealizados mostraram que o esquema numérico de CLP, YSU (Yonsei University) representou melhor a variação da Camada Limite na área urbana, o que influenciou diretamente na dispersão dos poluentes. Já para as simulações de casos reais os resultados mostraram uma boa correlação entre simulado e observado para as concentrações superficiais de O3 e CO e uma grande dificuldade do modelo em representar o perfil vertical da concentração de O3, quando utilizada a versão 2.1 do modelo WRF/Chem. Problema este parcialmente resolvido (podendo melhorar ainda mais) quando é utilizada uma versão mais recente do modelo WRF-Chem, como o caso da versão 3, acoplada com o modelo urbano UCM. Os experimentos realizados para estimar o impacto do tipo do uso do solo sobre a variação da altura da CLP e conseqüente relação com a composição química da atmosfera, mostraram que a altura da CLP é mais alta sobre áreas urbanas em comparação com áreas rurais, portanto influenciando de forma efetiva na dispersão dos poluentes. No presente trabalho foi mostrado o transporte de poluentes existente entre as regiões metropolitanas de São Paulo, Campinas e Sorocaba, devido principalmente a topografia que atua canalizando o vento na direção de Campinas e Sorocaba. A proximidade com as fontes de emissão mostrou ser um fator importante para o nível de concentração de O3, pois à medida que se afasta das fontes de emissão tanto vertical quanto horizontalmente a concentração de O3 aumenta. E devido a sua relativa proximidade com o Oceano Atlântico, a RMSP é beneficiada com a formação da Brisa Marítima que auxilia na dispersão dos poluentes emitidos e formados na RMSP. / This work evaluated the parameterizations´ sensibility of the Planetary Boundary Layer (PBL) in the simulation of photochemical pollutants above the Metropolitan Region of São Paulo, by using the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) non-hydrostatic mesoscale model, with the coupling of chemical modules (WRF/Chem). In order to analyze the accuracy of the results obtained with the model, there will be used the measurements made by the automatic air quality stations from CETESB on surface, and the validation of the O3 vertical profile, will be based on ozonesoundings experiments conducted during the period of the study. The motivation for this study was the great difficulty in representing the PBLs structure specially during the night, witch is an new utilization of an on-line model to simulate the chemical composition of the atmosphere of the MASP, and finally, to analyze the impact of the coupling with the Urban Canopy Model (UCM). The study area is the Metropolitan Region of São Paulo and surroundings, and the period was between 10/28 11/01/2006. The annual variations of the air temperature, wind speed and solar radiation for 2006, showed that the month of October was marked by wide availability of solar radiation, high values of air temperature and intense winds. The simulations with idealized cases showed that the PBLs order of height based on the numerical scheme is YSU, MYJ, BOULAC and UCM, which influences directly the dispersion of pollutants with lower concentrations of the CO for YSU and higher for UCM respectively, and for the concentrations of the O3, the scheme YSU shows lower concentrations but unlike the CO, the other schemes are equal. However, for the simulations of real cases, the results showed a good correlation between simulated and observed for the surface concentrations of the O3 and CO, and a great difficulty of the model on the vertical profiles representation of the concentration of O3, when the 2.1 version of the WRF/Chem model is used. This problem was partially solved (can be better improved) when used with the latest version, as version 3, and coupled with the Urban Canopy Model. The experiments performed to estimate the impact of the land use type on the variation of the PBL height and consequent relationship with the chemical composition of the atmosphere, showed that the PBL height is higher on the urban areas compared to rural areas, thus influencing effectively in the dispersal of pollutants, and a lower PBL height was associated with higher concentrations due to lower dispersion of pollutants. This work has demonstrated the transport of pollutants between the metropolitan regions of São Paulo - Campinas and São Paulo - Sorocaba, due to topography that acts targeting the wind in the direction of Campinas. The proximity of emission sources has been important for the level of concentration of O3, as it moves away from sources of emissions both vertically and horizontally increases its concentration. Due the proximity with the Atlantic Ocean, the formation of Sea Breeze helps dispersion of pollutants emitted and formed in the MASP.

Neste trabalho foi avaliado o impacto na simulação dos poluentes fotoquímicos do uso de diferentes parametrizações da Camada Limite Planetária (CLP) para a Região Metropolitana de São Paulo, utilizando o modelo de mesoescala não-hidrostático Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) com o acoplamento dos módulos químicos (WRF/Chem). Para análise da acurácia dos resultados obtidos com o modelo, foram utilizadas as medições realizadas pelas estações automáticas da CETESB em superfície, e a validação do perfil vertical da concentração de O3 com base nos dados do experimento de lançamento de ozoniosondas realizado dentro do contexto de um projeto de políticas públicas (recursos FAPESP) realizado durante o período de estudo. A motivação para a realização do presente trabalho foi a grande dificuldade de representação da estrutura da CLP em especial durante o período noturno sobre áreas urbanas. O estudo contou com a utilização inédita do modelo on-line para simulação da composição química da atmosfera da RMSP, e por fim analisou o impacto do acoplamento com o modelo urbano Urban Canopy Model (UCM), com o modelo WRF-Chem. A área de estudo é a Região Metropolitana de São Paulo e adjacências, e o período estudado foi de 28/10 a 01/11/2006. As variações anuais da temperatura do ar, velocidade do vento e radiação solar para o ano de 2006, mostraram que o mês de outubro foi marcado por grande disponibilidade de radiação solar, altos valores de temperatura do ar e ventos intensos. As simulações com casos idealizados mostraram que o esquema numérico de CLP, YSU (Yonsei University) representou melhor a variação da Camada Limite na área urbana, o que influenciou diretamente na dispersão dos poluentes. Já para as simulações de casos reais os resultados mostraram uma boa correlação entre simulado e observado para as concentrações superficiais de O3 e CO e uma grande dificuldade do modelo em representar o perfil vertical da concentração de O3, quando utilizada a versão 2.1 do modelo WRF/Chem. Problema este parcialmente resolvido (podendo melhorar ainda mais) quando é utilizada uma versão mais recente do modelo WRF-Chem, como o caso da versão 3, acoplada com o modelo urbano UCM. Os experimentos realizados para estimar o impacto do tipo do uso do solo sobre a variação da altura da CLP e conseqüente relação com a composição química da atmosfera, mostraram que a altura da CLP é mais alta sobre áreas urbanas em comparação com áreas rurais, portanto influenciando de forma efetiva na dispersão dos poluentes. No presente trabalho foi mostrado o transporte de poluentes existente entre as regiões metropolitanas de São Paulo, Campinas e Sorocaba, devido principalmente a topografia que atua canalizando o vento na direção de Campinas e Sorocaba. A proximidade com as fontes de emissão mostrou ser um fator importante para o nível de concentração de O3, pois à medida que se afasta das fontes de emissão tanto vertical quanto horizontalmente a concentração de O3 aumenta. E devido a sua relativa proximidade com o Oceano Atlântico, a RMSP é beneficiada com a formação da Brisa Marítima que auxilia na dispersão dos poluentes emitidos e formados na RMSP. / This work evaluated the parameterizations´ sensibility of the Planetary Boundary Layer (PBL) in the simulation of photochemical pollutants above the Metropolitan Region of São Paulo, by using the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) non-hydrostatic mesoscale model, with the coupling of chemical modules (WRF/Chem). In order to analyze the accuracy of the results obtained with the model, there will be used the measurements made by the automatic air quality stations from CETESB on surface, and the validation of the O3 vertical profile, will be based on ozonesoundings experiments conducted during the period of the study. The motivation for this study was the great difficulty in representing the PBLs structure specially during the night, witch is an new utilization of an on-line model to simulate the chemical composition of the atmosphere of the MASP, and finally, to analyze the impact of the coupling with the Urban Canopy Model (UCM). The study area is the Metropolitan Region of São Paulo and surroundings, and the period was between 10/28 11/01/2006. The annual variations of the air temperature, wind speed and solar radiation for 2006, showed that the month of October was marked by wide availability of solar radiation, high values of air temperature and intense winds. The simulations with idealized cases showed that the PBLs order of height based on the numerical scheme is YSU, MYJ, BOULAC and UCM, which influences directly the dispersion of pollutants with lower concentrations of the CO for YSU and higher for UCM respectively, and for the concentrations of the O3, the scheme YSU shows lower concentrations but unlike the CO, the other schemes are equal. However, for the simulations of real cases, the results showed a good correlation between simulated and observed for the surface concentrations of the O3 and CO, and a great difficulty of the model on the vertical profiles representation of the concentration of O3, when the 2.1 version of the WRF/Chem model is used. This problem was partially solved (can be better improved) when used with the latest version, as version 3, and coupled with the Urban Canopy Model. The experiments performed to estimate the impact of the land use type on the variation of the PBL height and consequent relationship with the chemical composition of the atmosphere, showed that the PBL height is higher on the urban areas compared to rural areas, thus influencing effectively in the dispersal of pollutants, and a lower PBL height was associated with higher concentrations due to lower dispersion of pollutants. This work has demonstrated the transport of pollutants between the metropolitan regions of São Paulo - Campinas and São Paulo - Sorocaba, due to topography that acts targeting the wind in the direction of Campinas. The proximity of emission sources has been important for the level of concentration of O3, as it moves away from sources of emissions both vertically and horizontally increases its concentration. Due the proximity with the Atlantic Ocean, the formation of Sea Breeze helps dispersion of pollutants emitted and formed in the MASP.

Multi-scale tracer and full-chemistry simulations with the STEM atmospheric chemistry model have been used to analyze the effects of both transported and local production of pollutants on California air quality during the ARCTAS-CARB experiment conducted in June 2008. During this summer experiment, simulated and observed O3 transport patterns from the coast to inland northern California are shown to vary based on the meteorological conditions and the oceanic O3 profiles, which are strongly episodically affected by Asian inflows. During a specific period, high coastal O3 air-masses at altitudes ~2-4 km can be transported inland and can significantly influence the surface O3 20-30 hours later over northern Sacramento valley, and the southern California can be indirectly affected by in-state transport. The model performance was improved by using LBCs downscaled from RAQMS global model that assimilated satellite data, as well as the LBC based on NASA DC-8 airborne observations during the experiment. The effects of SOx in these transported Asian air-masses over California were relatively less strong than O3 and its precursors, and the local emissions acted as the major contributor to the elevated sulfur concentrations below 5 km. Several SOx emission inventories (EI) were compared and the simulated SOx were validated with various observational datasets, with special focus on three regions - South Coast, San Francisco and Central Valley. The resolutions and the spatial and/or temporal variations of SOx emissions in all EIs remain to be further improved. Both terrestrial and maritime emissions were found important to coastal SOx distributions. Their percentile contributions to the coastal SOx spatial distributions for the experiment week were estimated, and the absolute contributions during flight periods were quantified. The California-Mexico atmosphere interaction majorly occurred between two sister city pairs-the coastal city pair (San Diego-Tijuana) was heavily affected by both California and Mexico maritime emissions through both directions. The effect was extended to the inland city pair (Mexicali-Calexico) by westerly winds, where was shortly impacted by southerly winds from Mexico, and limited areas over southeast of California were also affected.

En esta memoria se estudia la obtención de materiales policristalinos de alúmina y YAG (granate de itrio y aluminio) transparentes en el infrarrojo cercano y en el visible, empleando una ruta de procesamiento cerámico y evitando la introducción de segundas fases. La condición general que cualquier material no absorbente debe cumplir para evitar fenómenos de dispersión de luz y, por lo tanto, pérdidas de calidad óptica, es la homogeneidad espacial con respecto a sus propiedades dieléctricas. Por lo tanto, el tamaño de poro y, en el caso de materiales birrefringentes, el tamaño de grano, son los parámetros más importantes que es necesario controlar.En el caso de la alúmina, el empleo de métodos de sinterización convencionales produce un crecimiento de grano y una pérdida de transparencia. Para evitar este problema, se han seguido dos vías distintas: primero, se ha empleado un método de dopaje coloidal con alcóxidos de aluminio. Los resultados obtenidos muestran que este proceso modifica la superficie de los granos de alúmina mediante la nucleación y crecimiento de nanopartículas de [alfa]-alumina, consiguiendo un material final con una única fase. Se ha estudiado también cómo la modificación superficial de los granos de alúmina de la matriz cambia los mecanismos de difusión atómica durante la sinterización del material. Segundo, la sinterización de la alúmina pura y dopada mediante métodos no convencionales (SPS, Spark Plasma Sintering) ha permitido obtener muestras de alúmina transparentes, destacando que la alúmina dopada muestra mejores valores de transmitancia en línea. En el caso del YAG, se han empleado dos rutas de síntesis distingas: sol-gel y coprecipitación inversa, observándose que la segunda vía de síntesis, empleando cloruros como precursores, permite obtener un material de YAG puro a una temperatura de calcinación más baja y con un alto rendimiento. El material sintetizado se seca mediante un proceso de liofilización y se sinteriza mediante SPS obteniéndose un material de YAG con una elevada transmitancia. Finalmente, el YAG se ha dopado con un 1% atómico de Nd3+ empleando un método de procesamiento coloidal, proporcionando una funcionalización óptica adicional a dicho material: la emisión laser.

In this study, the electrical properties of [Al/(Bi4Ti3O12+V2O5 ) /Ba(Zr0.1Ti0.9)O3/Silicon¡AMFIS ]structure using annealed-BZT films would be improved for the nonvolatile FeRAM device applications. The radio-frequency magnetron sputtering was used to deposit BTV ferroelectric films on Mo/Ti/SiO2/Si and BZT/Si substrates, respectively, and MFMIS and MFIS structures would also be fabricated. The various sputtering parameter effects of BTV films such as the oxygen concentrations, rf power and deposition time would be discussed. Besides, the electrical and physical properties of as-deposited BZT films for (BTV/BZT/Si¡AMFIS) structure would be improved by different rapidly thermal annealing temperature. The physical characteristics of BTV films and annealed-BZT films for various sputtering parameters were obtained from the XRD pattern and SEM morphology. Besides, the memory window, dielectric constant and leakage current of MFM and MFIS structure using BTV films and annealed-BZT films would be found from the HP4284A, RT66A and HP4156C. From the experimental result obtained, the maximum dielectric constant of BTV films for 40 % oxygen concentration and 130W power were 10.79. The leakage current density was about 10-5A/cm2, as the applied electrical field of 200 kV/cm. In addition, the coercive field (Ec) and remanent polarization (2Pr) were 750 kV/cm and 12 £gC/cm2 from the P-E curves, respectively. Finally, the maximum memory window and lower leakage current density of [Al/(Bi4Ti3O12+V2O5) /Ba(Zr0.1Ti0.9)O3/Silicon¡AMFIS) structure would be found and they were 25V and 10-8A/cm2, respectively.