The phase behaviors and microstructures of various realistic and model mixtures of macro and micro molecules, such as polyolefin solutions and nanoparticle block copolymer composites, have been accurately predicted by the application of Statistical Associating Fluid Theory (SAFT) based approaches through various extensions that improve both the physical description of molecular interactions and efficiency of computations. The extensions are presented in a generic sense that is applicable to other studies. These rigorously derived theories have been demonstrated to capture material structure-property relationships and can be applied broadly to other fields including biology, medicine and energy industry. On the phenomenogical scale, the novel SAFT-Dimer equation of state has been extended to study the liquid-liquid phase boundary (cloud point) in polyolefin solutions. A simplified model of the polyolefin molecules has been followed and the effect of various parameters, such as temperature, molecular weight, solvent quality and comonomer content, on the phase behavior has been successfully captured by the theoretical model through comparison with experimental measurements. The presented approach requires less parameters than previous methods and is of critical value to the industrial productions of polymers, especially polyolefins with long branches. On the molecular scale, the interfacial SAFT (iSAFT) Density Functional Theory (DFT) has been extended to include a dispersion free energy functional that explicitly accounts for molecular correlations. The Order-Disorder Transition (ODT) between lamellar and disordered phase has then been investigated for pure block copolymer and copolymer nanocomposite systems. The extension has been shown to dramatically improve the ODT predictions of iSAFT as well as the self assembled microstructures in nanocomposites over previous DFT calculations, in comparison to coarse grained molecular simulations. The behavior of the equilibrium spacing of ordered structures is also examined against the variation of copolymer size and interactions. An efficient numerical scheme, Fast Fourier Transform (FFT), has been implemented and shown to drastically increase the computation efficiency. The theory has then been extended to study block copolymer morphologies with density variations in multiple dimensions. Comprehensive phase diagrams including lamellar, cylindrical and disordered phases have been obtained for copolymer nanocomposites for the first time using a single framework molecular theory. In addition, the nanoparticle induced morphological transition between cylindrical and lamellar phase has been studied using a pseudo arc-length continuation method. Transition evolution is tracked and metastable morphologies are examined and compared with existing experimental reports and theoretical calculations. With these extensions, iSAFT offers a powerful prediction tool that closely relates molecular structure to thermophysical properties and provides an efficient alternative to screen parameter space for specified material properties.

Surface plasmon waves are TM polarized charge density waves that propagate at the interface of two media with real dielectric constants of opposite sign (i.e. liquid dielectric and certain metals). Surface plasmon resonance (SPR) sensors use these waves to detect refractive index changes adjacent to the metal layer. Refractive index changes arise from the binding of an analyte (e.g. a target molecule, protein, or bacterium) to the functionalized metal layer or from interfering effects such as changes in solution index. Standard, single channel SPR sensors cannot differentiate these two effects as their design allows only one mode to be coupled. This novel self-referencing technique employs two surface plasmon modes to simultaneously measure surface binding and solution refractive index. Dual surface plasmon modes are achieved by matching the refractive indices on either side of the metal film. The two modes generated - symmetric, long-range surface plasmon (LRSP) and anti-symmetric, short-range surface plasmon (SRSP) - have different field profiles and hence assist in differentiating solution refractive index changes from surface layer formation. Amorphous Teflon, with a refractive index close to water, is chosen as the buffer layer and gold is chosen as the metal layer. Magnesium fluoride, with a higher index than Teflon, is used as the buffer layer when using ethanol as the base solution. The sensor operation was optimized through simulations to yield higher sensitivity, lower reflectivity and resonances within the spectrometers range. Optimization results showed good performance over a wide range for Teflon, MgF2 and gold thicknesses which helped in the fabrication of the sensor. Demonstration of self-referencing operation was done through two different sets of experiments: (1) formation of an alkanethiol self-assembled monolayer on gold in the presence of ethanol and methanol solutions having different refractive indices and (2) streptavidin-biotin binding with solutions of different NaCl concentration and thus different refractive indices. In both these experiments, the resonance wavelengths were accurately predicted, reflectivity varied by 10-15% and sensitivity by 25% from that of the simulated values.

This paper contributes to the literature on post-conflict identity in exploring the question: which conditions favor the success of superordinate identity formation among former conflict parties in post-civil war societies? Building on the social psychological literature on terror management theory (TMT) and optimal distinctiveness theory (ODT), it argues that the presence of a common enemy among former conflict parties increases the likelihood of successful superordinate identity formation. An in-depth qualitative comparative study on national identity in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) after the 1992-1995 civil war and Lebanon after the 1975-1990 civil war is conducted in order to test the theoretical arguments of this paper. The empirical findings lend preliminary support to this hypothesis, yet also point to limits in the study’s theoretical framework, including the instability of an identity predicated upon a common enemy which may not exist in the future. This paper also identifies two alternative explanations to account for the outcomes observed in the two cases, including differences in the nature of the conflicts and the different ways consociationalism has been implemented in the two countries.

No description available.

Amorphous calcium carbonate (ACC) precipitation is modeled using particle nucleation, growth, and aggregation. The particles are tracked in terms of their radial size and particle density using direct quadrature method of moments (DQMOM). Four separate nucleation models are implemented and are compared to experimental data. In discord with a recent study, it is shown that classical nucleation, coupled with equilibrium chemistry, is in good agreement with experimental data. Novel nucleation mechanisms are presented which fit the experimental data with slightly greater accuracy. Using equilibrium chemistry it is shown that the equilibrium value of ACC is pKeq = 7.74 at 24C, which is a factor of two smaller than the originally published equilibrium constant. Additionally, legacy equilibrium chemistry expressions are shown to accurately capture the fraction of calcium carbonate ions formed into ACC nano-clusters. The density, solubility, and water content of ACC are discussed in a brief review, finding that a wide variety of properties are reported in the literature. Based on literature findings, it is proposed that the broad variety of reported properties may be due to ACC having several unique thermodynamic states. Compelling evidence is presented exposing errors made by experimentalists studying the calcium carbonate system. The errors correct for mistakes of experimental kinetic data of the chemical-potential cascade of calcium carbonate due to the formation of meta-stable phases. Correlations are presented which correct for these mistakes. A time-scale analysis shows the overlapping of kinetic scales and mixing scales within the calcium carbonate system. The kinetic scales are based on classical nucleation theory, coupled with diffusion limited growth. The mixing scales were computed using one-dimensional turbulence (ODT).

Die Metaphasenspindel ist eine selbstorganisierende molekulare Maschine, die die entscheidende Funktion erfüllt, das Genom während der Zellteilung gleichmäßig zu trennen. Spindellänge und -form sind emergente Eigenschaften, die durch komplexe Wechselwirkungsnetzwerke zwischen Molekülen hervorgerufen werden. Obwohl erhebliche Fortschritte beim Verständnis der einzelnen molekularen Akteure erzielt wurden, die ihre Länge und Form beeinflussen, haben wir erst kürzlich damit begonnen, die Zusammenhänge zwischen Spindelmorphologie, Dynamik und Materialeigenschaften zu untersuchen. In dieser Arbeit untersuchte ich zunächst quantitativ die Rolle zweier molekularer Kraftgeneratoren - Kinesin-5 und Dynein - bei der Regulierung der Spindelform von Xenopus-Eiextrakt. Eine Störung ihrer Aktivität veränderte die Spindelmorphologie, ohne die Gesamtmasse der Mikrotubuli zu beeinflussen. Um die Spindelform physikalisch zu stören, wurde ein Optical Stretcher (OS) -Aufbau entwickelt. Obwohl das OS Vesikel in Extrakten verformen könnte, konnte keine Kraft auf Spindeln ausgeübt werden. Die Untersuchung des Brechungsindex der Struktur mittels optischer Beugungstomographie (ODT) ergab, dass es keinen Unterschied zwischen Spindel und Zytoplasma gab. Korrelative Fluoreszenz- und ODT-Bildgebung zeigten, wie sich die Materialeigenschaften innerhalb verschiedener Biomoleküle räumlich unterschieden. Die Gesamttrockenmasse der Spindel skalierte mit der Länge, während die Gesamtdichte konstant blieb. Interessanterweise waren die Spindeln in HeLa-Zellen dichter als das Zytoplasma. Schließlich deckte eine störende Mikrotubulusdichte auf, wie die Gesamttubulinkonzentration die Spindelgröße, die Gesamtmasse und die Materialeigenschaften regulierte. Insgesamt bietet diese Studie eine grundlegende Charakterisierung der physikalischen Eigenschaften der Spindel und hilft dabei, Zusammenhänge zwischen der Biochemie und der Biophysik einer aktiven Form weicher Materie zu beleuchten. / The metaphase spindle is a self-organising molecular machine that performs the critical function of segregating the genome equally during cell division. Spindle length and shape are emergent properties brought about by complex networks of interactions between molecules. Although significant progress has been made in understanding the individual molecular players influencing its length and shape, we have only recently started exploring the links between spindle morphology, dynamics, and material properties. A thorough analysis of spindle material properties is essential if we are to comprehend how such a dynamic structure responds to forces, and maintains its steady-state length and shape. In this work, I first quantitatively investigated the role of two molecular force generators– Kinesin-5 and Dynein in regulating Xenopus egg extract spindle shape. Perturbing their activity altered spindle morphology without impacting total microtubule mass. To physically perturb spindle shape, an Optical Stretcher (OS) setup was developed. Although the OS could deform vesicles in extracts, force could not be exerted on spindles. Investigating the structure’s refractive index using Optical Diffraction Tomography (ODT) revealed that there was no difference between the spindle and cytoplasm. Correlative fluorescence and ODT imaging revealed how material properties varied spatially within different biomolecules. Additionally, spindle mass density and the microtubule density were correlated. The total dry mass of the spindle scaled with length while overall density remained constant. Interestingly, spindles in HeLa cells were denser than the cytoplasm. Finally, perturbing microtubule density uncovered how total tubulin concentration regulated spindle size, overall mass and material properties. Overall, this study provides a fundamental characterisation of the spindle’s physical properties and helps illuminate links between the biochemistry and biophysics of an active form of soft matter.

The surface-specific technique of vibrational sum frequency spectroscopy (VSFS) can provide vibrational information about chemical bonds at surfaces and interfaces. Two photons, of visible and infrared frequency, are spatially and temporally overlapped at a surface/interface to produce a photon at the sum frequency (SF) of the two input photons. As well as this process only being allowed in non-centrosymmetric media (i.e. VSFS is surface/interface specific), the SF process is enhanced when the IR beam is resonant with vibrational resonances. Broadband VSFS has been used in this project to study surfaces of two distinct classes of materials, namely graphene and polymers. Firstly, broadband VSFS was used to investigate the heating polymeric thin films using a home-built heated sample cell. The cell was tested using self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) of 1-octadecanethiol (ODT) grown on gold substrates. It was subsequently used to investigate thin films of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) of four different thicknesses and two different molecular weights that were spin-coated onto gold substrates. It was shown that the monolayers of ODT become disordered upon heating and solidified to incorporate the disorder introduced by the heating process. The PMMA films were also shown to become more disordered as a function of temperature. Secondly, broadband VSFS was used to investigate modified graphene, motivated by the fact that modifications to pristine graphene, be it intentional (i.e. functionalisation) or unintentional (i.e. contamination), cause the properties of graphene to change. This project focused on studying hydrogenated graphene, N-methylbenzamide functionalised graphene and contamination on commercial graphene. A method for calculating the number of hydrogen atoms in a hydrogen island was developed. VSF spectra of CH stretches in N-methylbenzamide functionalised graphene were obtained. Residues on commercially bought graphene were detected using VSFS and RAIRS. These residues were assigned to PMMA that remained on the CVD graphene by the process of transferring the CVD graphene from the copper foil on which it was grown onto the gold substrates.

No description available.

Each year fires destroy millions of acres of woodland, lives, and property, and significantly contribute to air pollution. Increased knowledge of the physics and properties of the flame propagation is necessary to broaden the fundamental understanding and modeling capabilities of fires. Modeling flame propagation in fires is challenging because of the various modes of heat transfer with diverse fuels, multi-scale turbulence, and complex chemical kinetics. Standard physical models of turbulence like RANS and LES have been used to understand the flame behavior, but these models are limited by computational cost and their inability to resolve sub-grid scales. Application of several other models and empirical studies in fire modeling are usually limited to fire spread rate only. In some fires, flame propagation often occurs through convective heating by direct flame contact as opposed to radiative preheating alone. Under these conditions, resolution of the flame front can provide the detailed physics and insights into the flame propagation. The One Dimensional Turbulence (ODT) model is extended to turbulent flame propagation in biomass fuel beds representative of those in wild land fires. ODT is a stochastic model that is computationally affordable and can resolve both large and fine scales. ODT has been widely applied to many reacting and non-reacting flows like jet flames and pool fires. A detailed particle combustion model has been developed and implemented in the ODT model to investigate the fluctuating flame-fuel interface and to study flame propagation properties. The particle reaction is modeled as a single global decomposition reaction model. Radiative, convective, and internal particle conductive heat transfer are included. Gaseous combustion is modeled with a lookup table parameterized by mixture fraction and fractional heat loss using steady laminar flame let solutions. Results are presented from simulations of flame propagation in buoyantly driven flows. Particle size and loading are varied to study their effects in flame spread. A timescale analysis is performed to compare radiative, convective, conductive, and reactive particle time scales to the turbulent fluctuations. The flame propagation in homogeneous turbulence is also studied which better represents the wildland fire. The time scales involved in the wildland fire are overlapped using LEM model to study their effects on the flame properties and flame spread.

[pt] Este trabalho teve como objetivo comparar as diferentes influências que aditivos e tratamentos térmicos têm sobre as propriedades ópticas e elétricas de filmes finos semicondutores formados por polímeros contendo principalmente bitiofenos e fluorenos. Os polímeros contendo tiofenos em sequência, como o poli[(9,9-dioctilfluorenil-2,7-diil)co-bitiofeno] (F8T2), apresentam conformações cis e trans dependente da posição relativa dos átomos de enxofre, tendo suas propriedades alteradas de acordo com a proporção entre os domínios de ambas as conformações em um mesmo filme. Os átomos de iodo presentes no aditivo 1,8- diiodooctano são tidos como uma possível forma de alterar os agregados nesse polímero e, consequentemente, alterar as propriedades físicas do filme formado. Para aumentar o entendimento sobre os átomos diferentes de carbono e hidrogênio nos aditivos foram estudados os efeitos dos aditivos 1,8-diiodooctano, 1,8- octanoditiol e octano, que contém dois iodos, dois enxofres e não contém heteroátomos, respectivamente, em sua composição. Além disso, foi estudada a introdução do polímero PMMA (polimetilmetacrilato) de forma que alterasse a estrutura interna do filme fino e também foram estudados tratamentos térmicos em diferentes temperaturas, uma vez que parâmetros como tempo de evaporação do solvente também influenciam a formação e as propriedades do filme após seu crescimento. Outro ponto de interesse foi justamente a composição dos polímeros, para tal, foram estudados, além do F8T2, os polímeros poli(9,9-dioctilfloureno) (PFO), poli(9,9-dioctilfluoreno-cobenzotiadiazol) (F8BT) e poli(3-hexiltiofeno-2,5-diil) regiorregular (rrP3HT). Eles são formados, respectivamente, por bitiofenos e fluorenos, apenas fluorenos, fluorenos e benzotiadiazol e apenas politiofenos. Dessa forma, seria possível isolar as contribuições de cada grupo isolado e combinados com grupos que permitem ou não a mudança entre conformações. Os filmes foram depositados em substratos de vidro pela técnica de spin-coating e a caracterização foi feita com medidas de absorção, fotoluminescência e FTIR. Quando possível, foram realizadas medidas CELIV e corrente-tensão de dispositivos fotovoltaicos usando os polímeros como camada doadora de elétrons. Com este trabalho foi possível variar as intensidades dos picos de absorção e alterar o gap de energia dos polímeros. Destacando a ação do DIO, observou-se que a conformação cis do F8T2 é maximizada quando se utiliza 1 por cento do aditivo. Além disso, o DIO também aumenta a porcentagem de fase beta do PFO. Já para o P3HT, foi constatado um aumento no ordenamento do filme. / [en] This work aimed to compare the different influences that additives and heat treatments have on the properties of semiconductor thin films formed by polymers containing mainly bitiophenes and fluorenes. Polymers containing thiophenes in sequence, such as poly[(9,9-dioctylfluorene-2,7-diyl)co-bithiophene] (F8T2), have cis and trans conformations depending on the relative position of the sulfur atoms, having their optical and electrical properties altered according to the proportion between the domains of both conformations in the same film. The iodine atoms present in the additive 1,8-diiodooctane are considered as a possible way to change the aggregates in this polymer and, consequently, change the physical properties of the formed film. To increase the understanding of the atoms other than carbon and hydrogen in the additives, the effects of the additives 1,8-diiodooctane, 1,8- octanodithiol and octane, which contain two iodines, two sulfur and do not contain heteroatoms, respectively, were studied. In addition, the introduction of the PMMA (polymethylmethacrylate) polymer was studied in order to alter the internal structure of the thin film and, also, heat treatments at different temperatures were studied, since parameters such as solvent evaporation time and the available thermal energy also influence the formation and properties of the film after its growth. Another point of interest was precisely the composition of the polymers. For this purpose, in addition to F8T2, the polymers poly(9,9-dioctylflourene) (PFO), poly(9,9-dioctylfluorene-cobenzothiadiazole) (F8BT) and regioregular poly(3- hexylthiophene-2,5-diyl) (rrP3HT) were studied. They are formed, respectively, by bitiophenes and fluorenes, only fluorenes, fluorenes and benzothiadiazole and only polythiophenes. In this way, it would be possible to isolate the contributions of each isolated and combined groups that allow or not to change between conformations. The films were deposited on glass substrates using the spin-coating technique and the characterization was done via absorption, photoluminescence and FTIR measurements. When possible, CELIV and current-voltage measurements of photovoltaic devices were performed using the polymers as an electron donor layer. With this work it was possible to vary the intensities of the absorption peaks and to change the energy gap of the polymers. Highlighting the action of DIO, it was observed that the cis conformation of F8T2 is maximized when 1 percent of the additive is used. In addition, DIO also increases the percentage of beta phase of PFO. For P3HT, on the other hand, there was an increase in the ordering of the film.