<p>The main purpose of this thesis is to theoretically study energy levels and intra-electronic transition intensities for various f-electron systems. The f-f electronic dipole transitions are parity-forbidden for a free ion but become non-zero when the ion is subject to a crystal-field. This is commonly described within the framework of Judd-Ofelt theory which accounts for the mixing of odd parity into the wave-functions.</p><p>Some refinements and quantitative studies have been made by applying many-body perturbation theory, or the perturbed functions approach, to obtain effective dipole operators due to correlation, spin-orbit and higher order crystal-field effects not included in Judd-Ofelt theory. A software for the computation of f-electron multiplets and Stark levels was implemented and published as well.</p><p>The single- and pair-functions used for the evaluation of intensity parameters were obtained by solving various inhomogeneous Schrödinger equations. The wave-functions and energies obtained by diagonalizing an effective Hamiltonian have been used together with the oscillator strength methods to simulate absorption spectrum. Consistent crystal-field parameters applied in some of the papers were obtained by fitting crystal polarizabilities to reflect the experimental Stark levels. The same crystal model was then used to generate odd crystal field parameters needed for the f-f transition intensities. The total effect of these refinements are spectral features that usually agree well with experimental findings. Some of these methods have also been applied and seen to be quite useful for the understanding of optical fiber amplifiers frequently used in today's optical networks.</p><p>Finally, a finite-difference approach was applied for the Helium iso-electronic sequence. The exact wave-function was expanded in a sum of partial waves, and accurate ground- and excited state energies were obtained by using the iterative Arnoldi approach.</p>

Carboxylic acids have played an important role in the field of actinide (An) and lanthanide (Ln) separations and the reprocessing of irradiated nuclear fuel. Recent bench-scale experiments have demonstrated that 3-carboxy-3-hydroxypentanedioic acid (citric acid) is a promising aqueous complexant that can effectively aid in the separation of transition metals from f-element mixtures. Furthermore, citric acid was found to be a suitable buffer for the nitrogen donating ligand diethylenetriamine-N,N,N',N'',N''-pentaacetic acid (DTPA) which has a higher complexation affinity for An over Ln. The complexation of Ln and An with anions of citric acid and DTPA have been previously studied with conflicting results regarding the coordination of metal ions between carboxylic groups, the feasibility of protonated metal complexes, and the formation constants themselves. Using potentiometry, spectrophotometry,microcalorimetry, and specific ion interaction modeling, we investigated metal complexes of citric acid and DTPA with selected trivalent and tetravalent Ln and An ions. The complexes were investigated with respects to stability constants, thermodynamics of complexation, oxidation states, the concentration of electrolyte, ligand size, thermodynamics of complexation, oxidation states, the concentration of electrolyte, ligand size, and metal ionic radius. / Graduation date: 2013 / Access restricted to the OSU Community at author's request from Jan. 3, 2013 - July 3, 2013

The main purpose of this thesis is to theoretically study energy levels and intra-electronic transition intensities for various f-electron systems. The f-f electronic dipole transitions are parity-forbidden for a free ion but become non-zero when the ion is subject to a crystal-field. This is commonly described within the framework of Judd-Ofelt theory which accounts for the mixing of odd parity into the wave-functions. Some refinements and quantitative studies have been made by applying many-body perturbation theory, or the perturbed functions approach, to obtain effective dipole operators due to correlation, spin-orbit and higher order crystal-field effects not included in Judd-Ofelt theory. A software for the computation of f-electron multiplets and Stark levels was implemented and published as well. The single- and pair-functions used for the evaluation of intensity parameters were obtained by solving various inhomogeneous Schrödinger equations. The wave-functions and energies obtained by diagonalizing an effective Hamiltonian have been used together with the oscillator strength methods to simulate absorption spectrum. Consistent crystal-field parameters applied in some of the papers were obtained by fitting crystal polarizabilities to reflect the experimental Stark levels. The same crystal model was then used to generate odd crystal field parameters needed for the f-f transition intensities. The total effect of these refinements are spectral features that usually agree well with experimental findings. Some of these methods have also been applied and seen to be quite useful for the understanding of optical fiber amplifiers frequently used in today's optical networks. Finally, a finite-difference approach was applied for the Helium iso-electronic sequence. The exact wave-function was expanded in a sum of partial waves, and accurate ground- and excited state energies were obtained by using the iterative Arnoldi approach.

This thesis presents the study of organofunctional alkoxysilane coatings to prevent high temperature oxidation of Sm-Co powders. Sm-Co are important permanent magnetic alloys, owing to their high Curie temperature and large values of magnetocrystalline anisotropy. They possess stable magnetic properties in the temperature range -40 to 120 °C which makes them very attractive candidates for automobile’s electric motors. However, the environmental conditions for such applications are a sum of high temperatures, humidity, fuels and salts which provide perfect breeding ground for corrosion. In this study we report the high temperature oxidation resistance of Sm2Co17 powders coated with four common commercially available organofunctional silanes; (3-aminopropyl)trimethoxysilane (APTMS), (3-aminopropyl)triethoxysilane (APTES), methyltrimethoxysilane (MTMS) and (3-glycidyloxypropyl)trimethoxysilane (GPTMS). The as received powder was a multimodal mixture of many sizes and shapes which represented a typical ball milling product. The thermal analyses of the powders suggested that the powders without surface coatings had profound affinity towards oxidation. The thermal properties of sieved uncoated powders revealed that the small powders were more susceptible to oxidation than the large powders due to their large specific surface area. The isothermal properties of coated powders revealed that the powders coated with silanes had at least 10 times higher resistance to oxidation as compared to uncoated powders heated at 400 °C for 10 h. The non-isothermal tests conducted from room temperature to 500 °C also revealed that the uncoated powders gained 6 times more mass as compared to the powders coated with an ideal (MTMS) silane. The microstructural analysis of the uncoated powders heated from 400 °C to 550 °C revealed diffusion of oxygen, instable intermetallic phases which resulted in a redistribution of alloying elements, precipitation of alloying elements and formation of a featureless shell (approximately 20 µm in thickness) that surrounded the unreacted core. The coated powders on the other hand showed homogenous distribution of alloying elements, stable intermetallic phases and limited the shell thickness (1 µm). The thermo-magnetic properties of Sm-Co powders showed that the thermal instability also affected the magnetic properties adversely. It was found that the magnetic properties were deteriorated with a decrease in powder size. The energy dispersive spectroscopic (EDS) analyses showed that the small powders contained higher oxygen content than the large powders. Moreover XRD analysis also revealed that the small powders contain higher residual strains and smaller crystallite size which can play their role in deteriorating magnetic properties. It was found that surface modification by silanization improve the thermo-magnetic properties by effectively shielding the powder surfaces from surface oxidation. The rheological properties Sm-Co/PA12 composites revealed that the viscosity of the composites was increased with decreasing powder size due to the presence of rough surfaces and sharp corners in small powders. The rheological properties of the melts containing coated powders revealed that the silane layer acted as a lubricant and decreased the melt viscosity. It was found that coating the powders with silanes not only improve the rheological properties but also improve the other physical properties such as glass transition temperature the loss modulus by modifying the interfacial layer between the polymer matrix (PA12) and the powder. It results in a decrease in viscosity, a broadening of the glass transition temperature and a change in the damping properties of the composites. The dynamic mechanical properties of Sm-Co/PA12 composites showed that the storage modulus was increased with decreasing powder size. The results were expected as the rough surfaces act as local welding points between the powder and the polymer matrix. It was found that the surface modification improve the storage modulus. It is assumed that the silanes modify the interfacial properties which not only resulted in increasing the storage modulus but also broadened the glass transition temperature, Tg and damping, tanδ peaks. From the thermogravimetric, microstructural, rheological and magnetic analyses it can be concluded that the silanes are the effective coatings in preventing high temperature oxidation, stabilizing microstructure, enhancing mechanical properties, and improving rheological and magnetic properties. / <p>QC 20121205</p>

In recent years, the United States Departments of Homeland Security (DHS) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) have been charged with the task of scanning every cargo container crossing domestic borders for illicit radioactive material. This is accomplished by using gamma-ray detection systems capable of discriminating between non-threatening radioisotopes, such as Cs-137, which is often used in nuclear medicine, and fissile material, such as U-238, that can be used to make nuclear weapons or "dirty" bombs. Scintillation detector systems, specifically thallium-doped sodium iodide (NaI(Tl)) single crystals, are by far the most popular choice for this purpose because they are inexpensive relative to other types of detectors, but are still able to identify isotopes with reasonable accuracy. However, increased demand for these systems has served as a catalyst for the research and development of new scintillator materials with potential to surpass NaI(Tl). The focus of a majority of recent scintillator materials research has centered on sintered transparent ceramics, phosphor-doped organic matrices, and the development of novel single crystal compositions. Some of the most promising new materials are glass-ceramic nanocomposites. By precipitating a dense array of nano-scale scintillating crystals rather than growing a single monolith, novel compositions such as LaBr₃(Ce) may be fabricated to useful sizes, and their potential to supersede the energy resolution of NaI(Tl) can be fully explored. Also, because glass-ceramic synthesis begins by casting a homogeneous glass melt, a broad range of geometries beyond the ubiquitous cylinder can be fabricated and characterized. Finally, the glass matrix ensures environmental isolation of the hygroscopic scintillating crystals, and so glass-ceramic scintillators show potential to serve as viable detectors in alpha- and neutron-spectroscopy in addition to gamma-rays. However, for the improvements promised by glass-ceramics to become reality, several material properties must be considered. These include the degree of control over precipitated crystallite size, the solubility limit of the glass matrix with respect to the scintillating compounds, the variation in maximum achievable light yield with composition, and the peak wavelength of emitted photons. Studies will focus on three base glass systems, sodium-aluminosilicate (NAS), sodium-borosilicate (NBS), and alumino-borosilicate (ABS), into which a cerium-doped gadolinium bromide (GdBr₃(Ce)) scintillating phase will be incorporated. Scintillator volumes of 50 cubic centimeters or greater will be fabricated to facilitate comparison with NaI(Tl) crystals currently available.

Lithium and neodymium are two critical materials in our modern society, many technological solutions depend on them. Lithium is used in batteries, which are used in cars and portable electronics. Neodymium, which is a rare earth element, is mainly used in permanent magnets which are used in smartphones, hard disc drives and turbines. There are many reports regarding the availability of the metals, with different results. The available data on the reserves varies considerably, from the few sources there are. In this report, based on geological availability, forecasts are done to investigate how much the production can increase and when it will peak. The prognoses are based on historic production to which different functions, the logistic, gompertz and richards, are fitted with the least square method. The production will peak in the end of this century and in the beginning of the next century for both metals. The production of lithium does not seem to be sufficient for both producing electric and hybrid cars with only li-ion batteries along with fusion. The neodymium production will be sufficient for producing a lower percentage of direct driven wind turbines and electric cars with NiMH batteries. Lithium in seawater is sometimes considered a future source. Since the lithium concentration is low, large volumes have to be processed in order to extract a reasonable amount of lithium. Currently it is not economic to extract lithium from seawater.

Rare-earth oxides used in oxide dispersion strengthening are known to provide excellent strength and deformability over ordinary dispersion strengthening. It has been suggested that this may be due to the development of molybdate compounds instead of pure dispersed oxide particles. These alloys are produced by dispersing particles of certain rare-earth oxides in a molybdenum matrix and forming the mixture into a composite ingot. During the high-temperature consolidation process, the oxides are converted into rare-earth molybdates. With subsequent processing, these molybdate phases undergo deformation to form high-surface-area ribbons that serve to inhibit dislocation movement, thus improving the mechanical properties of the molybdenum matrix. It is still unknown what specific compounds, phases, and crystal structures provide these metal-oxides with their high strength and deformability. Because the molybdate phases are formed at high temperatures and low oxygen partial pressures, little is also known of the high-temperature phase equilibria of the REO-Mo systems under these conditions. The primary goal of this study was to deifine phase equilibria on systems of Mo with rare-earth oxides. The project aimed to identify compounds, phases, and specific oxidation states of molybdenum at various processing conditions. Systems of LaO1.5-MoOx, YO1.5-MoOx, and ZrO2- MoOx were investigated at temperatures of 1000??nd 1200??and O2 partial pressures ranging from 10-4 Pa to 10-13 Pa. Samples were prepared using powder starting materials of Mo and rare-earth oxides were combined in stoichiometric ratios. The samples were then electrically heated in a ceramic tube furnace in which the oxygen partial pressure was controlled by means of a combined flow of H2 and CO2 gas. Characterization was performed using x-ray diffraction, with published powder diffraction files for phase identification.

Abstract In 2010, a Chinese fishing vessel ¡§Min Jin Yue No.5179¡¨ collided with Japanese patrol boats in Diaoyutai. The Japan Coast Guard arrested the captain of the Chinese vessel for the violation of Japanese ¡§Fisheries Act¡¨. China reiterated again and claimed that Diaoyutai fishing incidence is in Chinese territory. This incidence has resulted in the Diaoyutai sovereignty dispute on the international community. The Diaoyutai sovereignty dispute has been exist dated from 20th century into 21st.. The problem is that countries of dispute have their own national sovereignty claim. Japan claims that the Diaoyutai was included in the return area to Japan for the US-Japan Agreement to return Okinawa in 1971. By this, Japan starts harshly to prohibit both Taiwan and Chinese fishing boats into this area. This has resulted in many accidents occurring among Japan, China and Taiwan. The present study assesses and analyzes the conflicts of Diaoyutai waters associated with the attitude of China and Japan on dealing with the dispute, such as the diplomatic confrontation of China-Japan; the Japanese government quoted the wrongly legal custody of detained Chinese fishing boat captain; China postponed conference of cooperative exploitation ¡§Chunxiao Oilfield¡¨ with Japan; suspended increased flights and expanding aviation rights etc., in addition to a series of implement of political and economic sanctions, these has triggering global concerns. China practiced rare earth embargo for Japan that had probably resulted in explosive potential global trade war. Therefore, the present study has also research into the international case studies of their ruling, as examples, on resolving the sovereignty dispute. As a result of inducing settled methods and models for the island¡¦s sovereignty dispute, the present work has resulted in the deduction of ideas, suggestions and prospects to the problem of Diaoyutai especially the suspensive sovereignty and residual sovereignty issues.

The Antarctic Intermediate Water (AAIW) plays an important role on controlling globally climatic change. Numbers of researchers attempted to discuss whether AAIW across the equator or notduring glacial- interglacial transitions. In this study, we analyzed Mg/Ca and £UREE/Ca on benthic foraminiferal species, Cibicidoides wuellerstorfi, from core MD052922C, which retrieved from western equatorial Pacific region, for revealing the long-term variations of Paleohydrology in intermediate water depths of tropical Pacific. Our evaluated results reveal that the Mg/Ca ratios ranging from 1.27 to 2.04 mmol/mol, and ranging between 2.2 and 3.2¢J when calculating into paleotemoeratures.Highest Mg/Ca can be observed in MIS 6. This finding implies that the present AAIW mean temperature is colder than glacials, and the present AAIW is well-ventilated than that in glacials.Higher £UREEs/Ca values are usually well correlated with old and poor ventilated water masses. In our record, higher £UREEs/Ca values are observed at MIS 5 impling that the intermediate depth water mass of the western tropical Pacific is poor ventilated when comparing to glacials.

Optical imaging of soft biological tissue is highly desirable since it is nonionizing and provides sensitive contrast information which enables the detection of physiological functions and abnormalities, including potentially early cancer detection. However, due to the diffusive nature of light in soft biological tissue, it is difficult to achieve simultaneously good spatial resolution and good imaging depth with pure optical imaging modalities. This work focuses on the ultrasound-modulated optical tomography (UOT): a hybrid technique which combines the advantages of ultrasonic resolution and optical contrast. In this technique, focused ultrasound and optical radiation of high temporal coherence are simultaneously applied to soft biological tissue. The intensity of the sideband, or ultrasound ‗tagged‘ photons depends on the optical absorption in the region of interest where the ultrasound is focused. Demodulation of the optical speckle pattern yields the intensity of tagged photons for each location of the ultrasonic focal spot. Thus UOT yields an image with spatial resolution of the focused ultrasound — typically submillimeter — whose contrast is related to local optical absorption and the diffusive properties of light in the organ. Thus it extends all the advantages of optical imaging deep into highly scattering tissue. However lack of efficient tagged light detection techniques has so far prevented ultrasound-modulated optical tomography from achieving maturity. The signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and imaging speed are two of the most important figures of merit and need further improvement for UOT to become widely applicable. In the first part of this work, nonlinear optics detection methods have been implemented to demodulate the ―tagged‖ photons. The most common of these is photorefractive (PR) two wave mixing (TWM) interferometry, which is a time-domain filtering technique. When used for UOT, it is found that this approach extracts not only optical properties but also mechanical properties for the area of interest. To improve on TWM, PR four wave mixing (FWM) experiments were performed to read out only the modulated light and at the same time strongly suppressing the ‗untagged‘ light. Spectral-hole burning (SHB) in a rare-earth-ion-doped crystal has been developed for UOT more recently. Experiments in Tm3 :Y3Al5O12 (Tm:YAG) show the outstanding features of SHB: large angle acceptance (etendue), light speckle processing in parallel (insensitive to the diffusive light nature) and real-time signal collection (immune to light speckle decorrelation). With the help of advanced laser stabilization techniques, two orders of magnitude improvement of SNR have been achieved in a persistent SHB material (Pr^3 :Y2SiO5) compared to Tm:YAG. Also slow light with PSHB further reduces noise in Pr:YSO UOT that is caused by polarization leakage by performing time-domain filtering.