The underlying thesis of this research was that children possess more complex understandings of their large scale physical environment than were captured by existing models of classification for their artefact maps. In order to investigate this thesis, a convenience sample of 40 children was obtained at three (3) schools in East Kent in the United Kingdom and those children were asked to perform two tasks. Task One investigated whether or not children of 7-9 years of age could identify nominated features on a map of a fictional area through their ability to interpret conventional cartographic symbols. Task Two investigated the children’s survey and environmental knowledge of a known large scale environment by constructing a free-recall sketch map of ‘their town’ without them being given a subsequent purpose for this map. During the construction of this artefact map the researcher interacted verbally with the children so that the temporal order of construction could be examined and the environmental knowledge of the children could be explored. Consistent with the thesis, the children displayed considerably more detailed environmental and survey knowledge about their town that it would have been possible to obtain from adult-centric post-factum interpretations of their artefact maps. Following this finding a new model for the classification of children’s artefact maps was proposed.

This thesis provides a compendium for the use of microcontact printing in fabricating electrical devices. Work has been undertaken to examine the use of soft lithographic techniques for employment in electronic manufacture. This thesis focusses on the use of high electric field generators as a means to producing electroluminescent devices. These devices provide a quantifiable output in the form of light. Analysis of the electrical performance of electrode structures can be determined by their success at producing light. A prospective reduction in driving voltage would deem these devices more efficient, longer lasting and an improvement on current specification. The work focussed on the viability of using relatively crude print techniques to create high resolution structures. This was carried out successfully and demonstrated that lighting structures of 75 μm and 25 μm have been produced. Microcontact printing has been established as a method for patterning gold surfaces with a functionalising self-assembled monolayer using alkanethiol molecules. This layer is then utilised as an etch resist layer to expose gold tracks for use as electric field generator electrode arrays. Through careful analysis of each step of the printing process, techniques were developed and reported to create a robust and repeatable print mechanism for reliability and accuracy. These techniques were employed to optimise the print process culminating in the development of each stage and final electrode structures mounted on a rigid backplate for use as electroluminescent devices for characterisation. These devices were then modelled for their electrical characteristics and investigated for being used in low voltage application. In this case for the development of electroluminescent applications, a driving voltage of 65 V was achieved and represents a significant advance to the field of printed electronics and Electroluminescence.

Supercapacitors, also known as electrochemical capacitors, have shown great potential as energy storage devices; and 3D printing likewise as a manufacturing technique. This research progressively investigates combining these two technologies to fabricate 3D-printed, electrochemical double-layer capacitors (EDLCs). Small EDLCs were designed in a sandwich structure with an FDM-printed plastic frame and carbon electrodes. Inkjet printing was initially combined with FDM printing to produce a pilot sample with a silver ink current collector, however this performed poorly (Cs = 6 mF/g). Henceforth a paste extrusion system was added to the FDM printer to deposit the current collectors and electrodes, fabricating the entire device in a single continuous process. This process was progressively developed and tested, ultimately attaining specific capacitances of 200 mF/g. The fully integrated 3D printing process used to manufacture the EDLCs was a novel approach. Combining the FDM printer with a paste extruder allowed for a high degree of dimensional accuracy, as well as simplifying the production process. This aspect of the design functioned successfully, without significant faults, and proved a reliable fabrication method. The later designs used in this study provided the EDLCs extendable by incorporating connection jacks. This was to create the possibility to increase capacitance simply by connecting multiple EDLCs together. Tests of this feature showed that it worked well, with the extendable EDLCs delivering outputs very close to the theoretical maximum efficiency of the unit. Carbon conductive paint was applied as a current collector and electrode for the 3D printed EDLCs in an exploration of metal-free 3D printed supercapacitors. These metal-free EDLCs were found to provide around 60% of the specific capacitance of the best performing EDLC variant produced (silver paint current collectors with activated carbon and carbon paint mixture electrodes). Although considerable improvement is required to produce EDLC samples with comparable capacitances to existing commercial manufacturing techniques, this study lays important groundwork in this area, and has introduces effective and innovative design ideas for supercapacitors and integrated 3D printing processes.

The development of energy storage devices has represented a significant technological challenge for the past few years. Electrochemical double-layer capacitors (EDLCs), also named as supercapacitors, are a likely competitor for alternative energy storage because of their low-cost, high power density, and high fast charge/discharge rate. The recent development of EDLCs requires them to be lightweight and flexible. There are many fabrication techniques used to manufacture flexible EDLCs, and these methods can include pre-treatment to ensure more efficient penetration of activated carbon (AC) patterns onto the substrate, or those that utilise masks for the definitions of patterns on substrates. However, these methods are inconvenient for building cost-effective devices. Therefore, it was necessary to find a suitable process to reduce the steps of manufacture and to be able to print multiple materials uniformly. This research work describes the first use of a 3D printing technology to produce flexible EDLCs for energy storage. In this research work, the four essential elements for the EDLCs substrate, current collector, activated electrode, and gel electrolyte were investigated. The AC powder was milled by ball milling to optimise the paste deposition and the electrochemical performance. A flexible composite EDLC was designed and manufactured by 3D printing. The electrochemical performance of the flexible composite EDLCs was then examined. Being highly flexible is one of the critical demands for the recent development of EDLCs. Therefore, highly flexible EDLCs were designed and manufactured by only one single extrusion process. The 3D highly flexible EDLC maintains significant electrochemical performance under a mechanical bending test. To meet the power and energy requirements, the EDLCs were connected and tested in series and parallel circuits. A supercapacitor based on printed AC material displays an area specific capacitance of 1.48 F/cm2 at the scan rate of 20 mV/s. The coulombic efficiency for the flexible EDLC was found to be 59.91%, and the cycling stability was achieved to be 56% after 500 cycles. These findings indicate that 3D printing technology may be increasingly used to develop more sophisticated flexible wearable electronic devices.

A proposta desta pesquisa foi investigar os debates acerca da família ocorridos na imprensa ludovicense na primeira década republicana. Partimos da idéia de que era possível acessar, por meio da imprensa e desses debates, o fluxo de mudanças ocorrido em fins da Monarquia e início da República; e, sobretudo, perceber o uso que o Estado e a Igreja faz da imprensa para defender modelos de família como propostas modernizadoras ou conservadoras da sociedade. A cidade de São Luís é nosso palco para perceber este fluxo de mudanças e os debates que envolvem o casamento civil o foco escolhido para compreender as forças e as contradições deste momento. / The objective of this research was to investigate the discussion about the family on printing during the first republican decade in São Luís. The starting point was the belief that it´s possible to access through the printing and their discussion, the flowing of changes occurred at the beginning of the Republic in Brazil; and, especially, pointing the printing use by the State and the Catholic Church to defend your family models like modern or conservative proposal to organize the society. São Luís is the local to realize these changes and the discussions about the civil marriage the focus to understand the power and the contradiction of this moment.

A tese de doutorado \"Curso de Desenho por Correspondência\" é uma investigação poética sobre o desenho, seu ensino e aprendizagem, dentro da tradição ocidental. Textos e imagens de fontes histórica e geograficamente diversas reunidas para compor um curso, um caminho. O método de trabalho se baseia em estratégias de edição, colagem, apropriação, tradução e cópia. Organizado em 6 fascículos e um texto de apresentação sobre o processo de construção da tese, \"Curso\" propõe um entrelaçamento de vozes e conceitos para abordar a essencialidade do desenho na prática artística contemporânea ao mesmo tempo que reflete sobre a natureza dessas práticas e os agentes envolvidos nela. / The doctoral thesis \"Drawing course through correspondence\" is a poetic research on drawing, the ways of teaching and learning it within the Western tradition. Texts and images from historically and geographically diverse sources are assembled to make a course, a path. The working method is based on editing, collage, appropriation, translation and copy. Organized in 6 issues and a presentation text about the thesis construction process, \"Course\" proposes an interweaving of voices and concepts to address the essentiality of drawing in contemporary art practice while reflecting about the nature of these practices and it´s stakeholders .

A indústria de pedras preciosas de Soledade/RS e região gera em seus processos de beneficiamento grande quantidade de rejeitos gemológicos, que acabam sendo depositados nos pátios das empresas, podendo causar danos ao meio ambiente. A gema de maior volume de beneficiamento na região é a ágata. Este trabalho propõe uma técnica para efetuar a reutilização de rejeitos oriundos do beneficiamento da ágata e transformá-los em matériaprima para a fabricação de objetos via impressão tridimensional a jato de tinta (3DP). Através da utilização de metodologia adequada para moagem e classificação dos rejeitos, foi possível obter pó com granulometria adequada ao processo. Foram efetuadas duas formulações de matéria-prima, utilizando o método de aglutinação orgânico, com material de ligação misturado ao pó e líquido de deposição reologicamente simples. Foram efetuados testes de bancada para interação entre o pó e o aglutinante, testes em equipamento de prototipagem rápida e confecção de corpos de prova, que mais tarde foram submetidos a medição e ensaios de resistência mecânica à flexão a 4 pontos. Das análises efetuadas, a primeira formulação não foi considerada satisfatória, pois teve grandes deformações durante a construção e manipulação e pós-tratamento. Já a segunda formulação alcançou a mesma resistência mecânica do material disponibilizado pelo fabricante, com coerência nas formas geométricas e desvios dimensionais reduzidos. Com a utilização desta nova matéria-prima, estima-se que o custo final de fabricação das peças seja reduzido em até 70%, viabilizando a utilização do processo por empresas de micro e pequeno porte. / The gem processing industries of Soledade/RS and region generate a large amount of waste which is eventually deposited in the companies’ grounds and may damage the environment. The gem with largest volume of processing in the region is the agate. This work is a review of the reuse of wastes of agate as raw materials for inkjet three-dimensional printing (3DP). Through the use of appropriate methodology for grinding and classification of waste it was possible to obtain powder with a particle size indicated to the process. Two formulations of raw material were made, using the organic binding method with the binder material mixed into the powder and using the deposition simple rheological liquid. Bench tests were performed for powder binder interaction, and equipment was used for produce of test specimens which were later subjected to measurement and testing of mechanical strength. Based on the analysis the first formulation was not considered acceptable as it had large deformations during construction, manipulation and post-treatment. The second formulation reached the same mechanical strength of the manufacturer material with consistency in geometric shapes and dimensional deviation. Using this new raw material the estimated final cost of parts manufacturing is reduced by 70% making the use of the process available to micro and small businesses.

This thesis presents the development of all-inkjet-printed low-voltage organic thin-film transistors. Organic thin-film transistors (OTFTs), taking advantage of low-temperature printability, mechanical flexibility, and multi-functionality, are promising for a wide range of emerging applications such as wearable electronics. Printed OTFTs provide great benefits in fabrication cost reduction, but they need a very high operating voltage and exhibit severe instability during storage and operation in ambient environment. In this study, all-inkjet-printed OTFTs with a low operating voltage of less than 3 V are demonstrated through reducing trap density in the fabricated devices. The transistors use 6,13-bis(triisopropylsilylethynyl)pentacene as the semiconductor, poly(4-vinylphenol) as the dielectric, silver as the electrodes, and CYTOP as the encapsulation. Several aspects of physical and chemical properties of polymer dielectrics are studied to achieve this goal, including cross-linking, wetting, and moisture affinity. Through the careful selection of device architecture and control of the inkjet-printing processes, the semiconductor-dielectric interface trap density of the fabricated OTFTs is significantly reduced. The applicability of this approach to different materials is also investigated and confirmed, including polyvinyl cinnamate as the dielectric, 2,7-dioctyl[1]benzothieno[3,2-b][1]benzothiophene as the semiconductor, and anisole as the solvent for semiconductor inks. Based on the investigation of different materials, the characteristics and parameters of all-inkjet-printed OTFTs are optimised, demonstrating an ultra-steep subthreshold of 60.2 mV/decade approaching the theoretical limit and a low operating voltage of 1 V. In order to explore their feasibility in real-world applications, the stability of all-inkjet-printed OTFTs is investigated and the factors of instability are analysed. Based on these findings, the stability of the fabricated device is improved, such that the threshold voltage shift is less than 0.1 V in ambient environment storage for 3 months and operation for 1 hour. The electrical characteristics of OTFTs in the subthreshold regime are studied for analogue circuit design. Based on the developed low-voltage stable transistors, an ultra-low-power (< 1 nW) high-gain (> 200 V/V) amplifier is presented and utilised to detect electrophysiological signals from the human body.

Orientador: Paola Castro Moraes / Resumo: O escopo do presente trabalho visa a análise da reparação tecidual traqueal, viabilidade e biocompatibilidade de implante manufaturado tridimensionalmente por método de modelagem por fusão e deposição de co-poliamida associado a elastômero termoplástico aplicado por técnica de anastomose, em coelhos. Quinze animais foram divididos em três grupos homogêneos, referentes aos momentos das eutanásias programadas: sete, 15 e 30 dias. Sinais de caráter clinico e cirúrgico foram observados diariamente durante o tempo de sobrevida de cada grupo, indicando ausência de sinais respiratórios e complicações com a técnica de implantação. Avaliações macroscópicas foram realizadas, para verificar o comportamento tecidual perante a inserção do biomaterial por inspeção direta, assim como análise histopatológica em coloração hematoxilina-eosina para investigação das reações celulares locais. Os resultados dos estudos citado à cima foram aplicados ao teste Exato de Fisher, sob significância de 5% (p<0,05). Não houve deformidade traqueal, deiscência de sutura e luxação da prótese em nenhum animal do projeto. Processo inflamatório de padrão misto foi notado em todos os tempos explorados de forma decrescente, presença de crescimento tecidual sob implante conforme a reparação do organismo frente a prótese ocorreu de forma progressiva e houve escassez de células gigantes, comprovando ausência de reação tipo corpo estranho, revelando boa aceitação do implante e do material proposto na reparação de teci... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: The scope of the present work aims at the analysis of the tracheal tissue repair, viability and biocompatibility of a three-dimensional manufactured implant by fusion molding and co-polyamide deposition associated with thermoplastic elastomer applied by anastomosis technique in rabbits. Fifteen animals were divided into three homogeneous groups, related to the euthanasia moments programmed: seven, 15 and 30 days. Signs of clinical and surgical character were observed daily during the survival time of each group, indicating absence of respiratory signs and complications with the implantation technique. Macroscopic evaluations were performed to verify the tissue behavior before insertion of the biomaterial by direct inspection, as well as histopathological analysis in hematoxylin-eosin staining to investigate the local cellular reactions. The results of the above-mentioned studies were applied to Fisher's exact test, in a significance of 5% (p <0.05). There was no tracheal deformity, suture dehiscence, and dislocation of the prosthesis in any animal of the project. Inflammatory process of mixed pattern was observed at all times explored decreasingly, presence of tissue growth under implant as the repair of the organism before the prosthesis occurred progressively and there was a shortage of giant cells, proving absence of foreign body type reaction, revealing good acceptance of the implant and of the proposed material in the repair of tracheal tissue. Thus, it is concluded that... (Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Mestre

abstract: Reactive inkjet printing (RIJP) is a direct-write deposition technique that synthesizes and patterns functional materials simultaneously. It is a route to cheap fabrication of highly conductive features on a versatile range of substrates. Silver reactive inks have become a staple of conductive inkjet printing for application in printed and flexible electronics, photovoltaic metallization, and more. However, the high cost of silver makes these less effective for disposable and low-cost applications. This work aimed to develop a particle-free formulation for a nickel reactive ink capable of metallizing highly pure nickel at temperatures under 100 °C to facilitate printing on substrates like paper or plastic. Nickel offers a significantly cheaper alternative to silver at slightly reduced bulk conductivity. To meet these aims, three archetypes of inks were formulated. First were a set of glycerol-based inks temperature ink containing nickel acetate, hydrazine, and ammonia in a mixture of water and glycerol. This ink reduced between 115 – 200 °C to produce slightly oxidized deposits of nickel with carbon content around 10 wt %. The high temperature was addressed in a second series, which replaced glycerol with lower boiling glycols and added sodium hydroxide as a strong base to enhance thermodynamics and kinetics of reduction. These inks reduced between 60 and 100 °C but sodium salts contaminated the final deposits. In a third set of inks, sodium hydroxide was replaced with tetramethylammonium hydroxide (TMAH), a strong organic base, to address contamination. These inks also reduced between 60 and 100 °C. Pipetting or printing onto gold coated substrates produce metallic flakes coated in a clear, thick residue. EDS measured carbon and oxygen content up to 70 wt % of deposits. The residue was hypothesized to be a non-volatile byproduct of TMAH and acetate. Recommendations are provided to address the residue. Ultimately the formulated reactive inks did not meet design targets. However, this thesis sets the framework to design an optimal nickel reactive ink in future work. / Dissertation/Thesis / Masters Thesis Chemical Engineering 2019