In the current study, SAPs of cationic monomer [2 - (Methacryloyloxy) ethyl] trimethylammonium chloride have been prepared by free radical solution polymerisation with different crosslinkers. They were subjected to repeated cycles of swelling and de-swelling in DI water and NaCl solution. The conductivity of the swelling medium was measured and related to the swelling/de-swelling characteristics of the SAPs. The swelling capacity was also determined in saline solution. The swelling and de-swelling processes were described by first-order kinetics. The SAPs exhibited varied swelling capacity for crosslinkers of the same functionality as well as different functionality. The SAPs were used to adsorb, the dye Orange G at different initial concentrations of the dye. The equilibrium adsorption data followed the Langmuir adsorption isotherms. The SAPs were also used to adsorb three other dyes, Congo red, Amido black and Alizarin cyanine green. They exhibited different adsorption capacity for different dyes. The adsorption phenomenon was found to follow first order kinetics. In the later part of the study, the co-monomers of [2 - (Methacryloyloxy) ethyl] trimethylammonium chloride with zwitter-ionic monomers [2-(Methacryloyloxy)ethyl]dimethyl-(3-sulfopropyl)ammonium hydroxide and [3-(Methacryloylamino)propyl]dimethyl(3-sulfopropyl)ammonium hydroxide inner salt were prepared in turns at two different concentrations. The effect of the addition of the zwitter-ionic monomers and their concentration of the swelling capacity and dye adsorption capacity was studied. There was no effect on the swelling capacity of the polymers due to either the species of the zwitter-ionic monomer or their concentration. However, there was a reduction in soluble content of the polymers. The dye adsorption capacity decreased at the higher concentration of the zwitter-ionic monomer.

In this thesis, Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) is used to characterize Micro Fibrillated Cellulose (MFC) produced by two different methods according to their size and shape. For one of these MFC-types, their interaction with the humidity in the atmosphere is investigated and their swelling is calculated. MFC is a relatively new material based on cellulose fibres extracted from wood. This study is performed in co-operation with Stora Enso research centre. Stora Enso is a renewable material company which uses mostly wood based raw materials in their production. The measured swelling is ~ 5 % and depends on the number of elementary fibrils included in the fibre. / Atomkraftsmikroskopi (AFM) har använts för att karakterisera Mikro Fibrillerad Cellulosa (MFC), som är producerad med två olika produktionsmetoder, med avseende på deras storlek och form. För en av dessa MFC-typer så är deras påverkan av en varierande fuktig atmosfär undersökt och deras svällning är uträknad. MFC är ett relativt nytt material baserat på cellulosafibrer från trä. Detta examensarbete är utfört i samarbete med Stora Enso forskningscentrum. Stora Enso är ett företag fokuserat på förnyelsebara material som använder mestadels träbaserade råmaterial i deras prodiktion. Den uppmätta svällningen är ~ 5 % och beror av antalet elementära fibriller som ingår i fibern.

Some protein gels are products of the dairy industry and some are used as pH-sensitive gels for the controlled delivery of biologically active substances. To understand the dynamics of drug delivery it is very important to establish a mathematical model of protein gel swelling. This required the identification and integration of theory and equations from a wide range of topics. The aim of this research was to develop a mathematical model of transport in polyelectrolyte gels (using the example of β-lactoglobulin protein gels). A complete mathematical model of protein gel swelling was established. The swelling process of protein gels in this thesis involved multicomponent diffusion, chemical ionisation and mechanical deformation. Diffusion of electrolyte solutions through protein gels was modelled using the generalised Maxwell-Stefan (GMS) equation. The swelling pressure as a driving force in the GMS equation was described by rubber elasticity theory. Thermodynamic factors including the charged protein effect were considered in the GMS equation. The model included pH as a variable so it could be applied to both acidic and alkaline cases. The model yielded a set of partial differential equations with algebraic equations for which COMSOL was selected as the simulation software. Although it was found that COMSOL could not always solve the model equations, numerical solutions were obtained for several cases. The model predicted that the equilibrium swelling degree of the gel decreased with high concentration of salts in the bulk solution. The model also predicted that the non-ideal effects were not always small and they depended on the activity coefficients of the species. Satisfactory solutions could not be obtained for all cases using commercial software such as COMSOL Multiphysics. It was shown that COMSOL did not conserve mass but conservativeness was critical in this application because pH and hence the net protein charge is very sensitive to the mass of hydrogen present. In the future, research should be carried out to improve the pressure model in the GMS equation. Theoretical research on Manning condensation theory should be done to modify Manning’s model for more robust prediction of activities of water and ions with protein, and experiments should be done to validate the performance of the modified Manning model. Efforts should be made to write the programming code for a finite volume method to solve the system in three dimensions.

Many of the attempts made over the past six decades to find a universal system for assessing expansiveness of soils using soil index data have failed to follow the basic principles of soil mechanics. By overcoming most of these limitations Gourley and Schreiner (1993a) developed a new procedure that allows comparison of intrinsic expansiveness of soil samples prepared to have stable micro-fabric and consistent stress history. In this research, the same procedure is used on twenty-seven natural clayey soil samples of varying geological, geomorphological and geographical origin obtained from Kenya, Sudan, Eritrea and South Africa. Each of these samples was tested for Atterberg limits, volume change behaviours and soil suction. Statistical analysis was conducted on different soil parameters derived from these tests to obtain a significant relationship with their intrinsic expansiveness using measured swell. The analysis confirmed that most of the significant relationships obtained contain swell index, C*5' showing the identicalness of the soil properties responsible for volume change behaviour of both saturated and unsaturated clayey soils. Depending on the cost and the significance, the analysis recommended three major models that can be used as a screening system in the assessment of intrinsic expansiveness. For any soil it is possible to obtain preliminary information regarding its intrinsic expansiveness using the cheapest of the recommended models that needs liquid and plastic limit tests and hydrometer analysis, which are the routine tests of geotechnical site investigation. A more detailed assessment can be achieved by including only t he shrinkage test. The most reliable assessment needs addition of consolidation test with the unloading stage. All of the models allow obtaining information regarding the intrinsic expansiveness of soils as early as site investigation stage for successful engineering design. Moreover, they are anticipated to promote worldwide exchange of information regarding these problematic soils. / Thesis (M.Sc.Eng.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2004.

By means of the analytical formula of specific impedance for the spherical cells in suspensionintroduced by Kenneth S. Cole in 1928, a bioimpedance simulator has been developed for thegeneration of specific impedance spectrums of suspension of cells. With the help of the simulatorthe user can obtain different impedance spectrums according with the biophysical parameters ofthe cell suspension. Then, generate different kind of plots in order to understand and interpret allthe resulting information.With the selection of different values and range of the biophysical parameters to obtain thespectrums, it is possible to simulate different kinds of physiological process and observe theirelectrical bioimpedance behaviour in a certain range of frequencies. The performance of thesimulator has been validated simulating Cellular Edema and Haemorrhage has been alsosimulated.

Includes bibliographies / 1 v. (various pagings) : / Title page, contents and abstract only. The complete thesis in print form is available from the University Library. / Thesis (D.E.)--University of Adelaide, 1991

<p>In this work, a gradient of interpenetrating polymer networks, consisting of anionic</p><p>and cationic polymers, has been investigated with respect to protein resistant</p><p>properties and swelling characteristics at different pH and ionic strength</p><p>conditions.</p><p> </p><p>The swelling and protein adsorption have been studied using <em>in situ </em>spectroscopic</p><p>ellipsometry(SE) and imaging surface plasmon resonance(iSPR) respectively.</p><p>It has been shown that, by altering the buffer pH, the region of lowest</p><p>protein adsorption on the surface could be moved laterally. The swelling has</p><p>similarly been shown to respond to both changes in pH and ionic strength. Additionally,</p><p>the arise of surface charge and the polymer swelling in solution, both a</p><p>consequence of the ionisation of fixed charges on the polymer, have been indicated</p><p>to occur at different buffer pH.</p><p> </p><p>The studied polymer systems show promising properties for future applications</p><p>in, for example, the biosensor area, where the surface chemistry can be</p><p>tailor-made to work optimally in a given environment.</p>

The Pressure-Volume-Temperature (PVT) for polymer/gas solutions is an important fundamental property of which accurate data measurement has not been reported until recently. The diffusivity, solubility, and surface tension are critical physical properties of polymer/gas solutions in understanding and controlling polymer processing such as, foaming, blending, and extracting reaction. However, the determination of these properties relies on accurate PVT data as a prerequisite. Due to the difficulties involved in measuring the specific volume while maintaining a sufficiently high pressure and temperature to achieve a single-phase polymer/gas solution, accurate PVT data or volume swelling measurement of polymer/gas solutions is not yet available. In this research, a new methodology was proposed and developed for direct measuring the PVT properties of polymer melts saturated with high-pressure gas at elevated temperatures. The ultimate goal is to develop and construct an apparatus that would provide more accurate fundamental properties through PVT measurement to the foaming industry, which is heavily involved with polymer/gas mixtures.

The Pressure-Volume-Temperature (PVT) for polymer/gas solutions is an important fundamental property of which accurate data measurement has not been reported until recently. The diffusivity, solubility, and surface tension are critical physical properties of polymer/gas solutions in understanding and controlling polymer processing such as, foaming, blending, and extracting reaction. However, the determination of these properties relies on accurate PVT data as a prerequisite. Due to the difficulties involved in measuring the specific volume while maintaining a sufficiently high pressure and temperature to achieve a single-phase polymer/gas solution, accurate PVT data or volume swelling measurement of polymer/gas solutions is not yet available. In this research, a new methodology was proposed and developed for direct measuring the PVT properties of polymer melts saturated with high-pressure gas at elevated temperatures. The ultimate goal is to develop and construct an apparatus that would provide more accurate fundamental properties through PVT measurement to the foaming industry, which is heavily involved with polymer/gas mixtures.

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