Le sujet de cette thèse concerne les applications hautes températures, où les moteurs doivent être capables de fonctionner à 400°C pendant 2 heures, selon la norme en vigueur. Il convient dans ce type d’applications de disposer de matériaux assez stables pour que leurs propriétés isolantes restent inchangées, ce qui est le cas du fil émaillé PolyImide (PI). Ce fil émaillé pose néanmoins des problèmes économiques et de fournisseurs, d’où la nécessité de trouver d’autres alternatives. Ce travail de thèse a eu pour but de mettre au point et valider des techniques d’analyses (ATG / ATM / ATR-FTIR / DRS) adaptées au fil émaillé, et ce jusqu’à 400°C. Le PEI présente des propriétés insuffisantes pour ce type d’application car il se dégrade avant 350°C et perd ses propriétés d’isolation électrique. Le PAI est un matériau qui ne se dégrade que peu avant 400°C, et présente des caractéristiques électriques (propriétés diélectriques et de conduction) déjà plus proche du PolyImide. Nous avons pu établir la comparaison de deux PAI dont l’un est conventionnel et l’autre est un nanocomposite à base d’alumine. Ce dernier PAI est plus stable en température mais ne semble pas avoir de propriétés électriques très supérieures. Pour confronter les résultats expérimentaux obtenus dans des conditions particulières aux conditions réelles d’utilisation, des moteurs avec ces fils émaillés ont été fabriqués. Les moteurs équipés des fils PEI/PAI (fil standard) et PAI sont défaillants après 40 minutes au lieu de 2h, contrairement aux moteurs équipés de fil PI. La dégradation du PEI et le fluage du PAI, caractérisé au-delà de sa Tg (280°C), peuvent être la cause des dysfonctionnements de ces moteurs / This work is related to the high temperature application where motors have to withstand severe conditions - 400°C during 2 hours - according to the standard. Electrical insulation becomes a serious challenge for such application where materials have to remain stable, which is the case of PolyImide enameled wire. Other alternatives have to be found because this is a very expensive material with a small number of suppliers. The thermal, structural, mechanical and electrical properties of these systems have been investigated in-situ until 400°C by thermogravimetric analysis, ATR-FTIR microscopy, thermomechanical analysis, dielectric spectroscopy and DC voltage experiments. Dielectric spectroscopy has indicated a loss of insulating properties during the thermal cycle especially for PEI-containing enamels that degrades before 350°C. PAI enameled wires degrade just before 400°C, and electrical properties (dielectric properties and conductivity) are closer to PI‘s in this temperature range. A comparison between a conventional PAI and a PAI filled with nanoparticules of aluminium oxide has been made. The nanocomposite is thermally more stable but does not show better electrical behavior. To correlate all these results to the real test conditions (combined thermal, electrical and mechanical stresses), electrical motors have been fabricated using the enameled wires said before. They all breakdown after 40 minutes running, except motors made with PI enameled wires. The degradation of PEI ad the creeping of PAI up to its Tg (280°C) can explain the breakdown of these motors

Nickel und Nickel (II) -oxid werden in großem Umfang in fortgeschrittenen elektronischen Geräten verwendet. In der Mikroelektronik-Industrie wird Nickel verwendet werden, um Nickelsilizid bilden. Die Nickelmono Silizid (NiSi) wurde als ausgezeichnetes Material für Source-Drain-Kontaktanwendungen unter 45 nm-CMOS-Technologie entwickelt. Im Vergleich zu anderen Siliziden für die Kontaktanwendungen verwendet wird NiSi wegen seines niedrigen spezifischen Widerstand, niedrigen Kontaktwiderstand, relativ niedrigen Bildungstemperatur und niedrigem Siliziumverbrauchs bevorzugt. Nickel in Nickelbasis-Akkus und ferromagnetischen Direktzugriffsspeicher (RAMs) verwendet. Nickel (II) oxid wird als Transistor-Gate-Oxid und Oxid in resistive RAM genutzt wird. Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) ist eine spezielle Art der Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD), das verwendet wird, um sehr glatte sowie homogene Dünnfilme mit hervorragenden Treue auch bei hohen Seitenverhältnissen abzuscheiden. Es basiert auf selbstabschließenden sequentielle Gas-Feststoff-Reaktionen, die eine präzise Steuerung der Filmdicke auf wenige Angström lassen sich auf der Basis. Zur Herstellung der heutigen 3D-elektronische Geräte, sind Technologien wie ALD erforderlich. Trotz der Vielzahl von praktischen Anwendungen von Nickel und Nickel (II) -oxid, sind einige Nickelvorstufen zur thermischen basierend ALD erhältlich. Darüber hinaus haben diese Vorstufen bei schlechten Filmeigenschaften führte und die Prozesseigenschaften wurden ebenfalls begrenzt. Daher in dieser Masterarbeit mussten die Eigenschaften verschiedener neuartiger Nickelvorstufen zu bewerten. Alle neuen Vorstufen heteroleptische (verschiedene Arten von Liganden) und Komplexe wurden vom Hersteller speziell zur thermischen basierend ALD aus reinem Nickel mit H 2 als ein Co-Reaktionsmittel gestaltet. Um die neuartige Vorläufer zu untersuchen, wurde eine neue Methode entwickelt, um kleine Mengen in einer sehr zeitsparend (bis zu 2 g) von Ausgangsstoffen zu testen. Diese Methodologie beinhaltet: TGA / DTA-Kurve analysiert der Vorstufen, thermische Stabilitätstests in dem die Vorläufer (<0,1 g) wurden bei erhöhter Temperatur in einer abgedichteten Umgebung für mehrere Stunden wurde die Abscheidung Experimenten und Film Charakterisierungen erhitzt. Die Abscheidungen wurden mit Hilfe der in situ Quarzmikrowaage überwacht, während die anwendungsbezogenen Filmeigenschaften, wie chemische Zusammensetzung, physikalische Phase, Dicke, Dichte, Härte und Schichtwiderstand wurden mit Hilfe von ex situ Messverfahren untersucht. Vor der Evaluierung neuartiger Nickelvorstufen ein Benchmark ALD-Prozess war vom Referenznickelvorläufer (Ni (AMD)) und Luft als Reaktionspartner entwickelt. Das Hauptziel der Entwicklung und Optimierung von solchen Benchmark-ALD-Prozess war es, Standard-Prozessparameter wie zweite Reaktionspartner Belichtungszeiten, Argonspülung Zeiten, gesamtprozessdruck, beginnend Abscheidungstemperatur und Gasströme zu extrahieren. Diese Standard-Prozessparameter mussten verwendet, um die Prozessentwicklung Aufgabe (das spart Vorläufer Verbrauch) zu verkürzen und die Sublimationstemperatur Optimierung für jede neuartige Vorstufe werden. Die ALD Verhalten wurde in Bezug auf die Wachstumsrate durch Variation des Nickelvorläuferbelichtungszeit, Vorläufer Temperatur und Niederschlagstemperatur überprüft. / Nickel and nickel(II) oxide are widely used in advanced electronic devices . In microelectronic industry, nickel is used to form nickel silicide. The nickel mono-silicide (NiSi) has emerged as an excellent material of choice for source-drain contact applications below 45 nm node CMOS technology. As compared to other silicides used for the contact applications, NiSi is preferred because of its low resistivity, low contact resistance, relatively low formation temperature and low silicon consumption. Nickel is used in nickel-based rechargeable batteries and ferromagnetic random access memories (RAMs). Nickel(II) oxide is utilized as transistor gate-oxide and oxide in resistive RAMs. Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) is a special type of Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD) technique, that is used to deposit very smooth as well as homogeneous thin films with excellent conformality even at high aspect ratios. It is based on self-terminating sequential gas-solid reactions that allow a precise control of film thickness down to few Angstroms. In order to fabricate todays 3D electronic devices, technologies like ALD are required. In spite of huge number of practical applications of nickel and nickel(II) oxide, a few nickel precursors are available for thermal based ALD. Moreover, these precursors have resulted in poor film qualities and the process properties were also limited. Therefore in this master thesis, the properties of various novel nickel precursors had to be evaluated. All novel precursors are heteroleptic (different types of ligands) complexes and were specially designed by the manufacturer for thermal based ALD of pure nickel with H 2 as a co-reactant. In order to evaluate the novel precursors, a new methodology was designed to test small amounts (down to 2 g) of precursors in a very time efficient way. This methodology includes: TGA/DTA curve analyses of the precursors, thermal stability tests in which the precursors (< 0.1 g) were heated at elevated temperatures in a sealed environment for several hours, deposition experiments, and film characterizations. The depositions were monitored with the help of in situ quartz crystal microbalance, while application related film properties like chemical composition, physical phase, thickness, density, roughness and sheet resistance were investigated with the help of ex situ measurement techniques. Prior to the evaluation of novel nickel precursors, a benchmark ALD process was developed from the reference nickel precursor (Ni(amd)) and air as a co-reactant. The main goal of developing and optimizing such benchmark ALD process was to extract standard process parameters like second-reactant exposure times, Argon purge times, total process pressure, starting deposition temperature and gas flows. These standard process parameters had to be utilized to shorten the process development task (thus saving precursor consumption) and optimize the sublimation temperature for each novel precursor. The ALD behaviour was checked in terms of growth rate by varying the nickel precursor exposure time, precursor temperature and deposition temperature.

Nickel und Nickel (II) -oxid werden in großem Umfang in fortgeschrittenen elektronischen Geräten verwendet. In der Mikroelektronik-Industrie wird Nickel verwendet werden, um Nickelsilizid bilden. Die Nickelmono Silizid (NiSi) wurde als ausgezeichnetes Material für Source-Drain-Kontaktanwendungen unter 45 nm-CMOS-Technologie entwickelt. Im Vergleich zu anderen Siliziden für die Kontaktanwendungen verwendet wird NiSi wegen seines niedrigen spezifischen Widerstand, niedrigen Kontaktwiderstand, relativ niedrigen Bildungstemperatur und niedrigem Siliziumverbrauchs bevorzugt. Nickel in Nickelbasis-Akkus und ferromagnetischen Direktzugriffsspeicher (RAMs) verwendet. Nickel (II) oxid wird als Transistor-Gate-Oxid und Oxid in resistive RAM genutzt wird. Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) ist eine spezielle Art der Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD), das verwendet wird, um sehr glatte sowie homogene Dünnfilme mit hervorragenden Treue auch bei hohen Seitenverhältnissen abzuscheiden. Es basiert auf selbstabschließenden sequentielle Gas-Feststoff-Reaktionen, die eine präzise Steuerung der Filmdicke auf wenige Angström lassen sich auf der Basis. Zur Herstellung der heutigen 3D-elektronische Geräte, sind Technologien wie ALD erforderlich. Trotz der Vielzahl von praktischen Anwendungen von Nickel und Nickel (II) -oxid, sind einige Nickelvorstufen zur thermischen basierend ALD erhältlich. Darüber hinaus haben diese Vorstufen bei schlechten Filmeigenschaften führte und die Prozesseigenschaften wurden ebenfalls begrenzt. Daher in dieser Masterarbeit mussten die Eigenschaften verschiedener neuartiger Nickelvorstufen zu bewerten. Alle neuen Vorstufen heteroleptische (verschiedene Arten von Liganden) und Komplexe wurden vom Hersteller speziell zur thermischen basierend ALD aus reinem Nickel mit H 2 als ein Co-Reaktionsmittel gestaltet. Um die neuartige Vorläufer zu untersuchen, wurde eine neue Methode entwickelt, um kleine Mengen in einer sehr zeitsparend (bis zu 2 g) von Ausgangsstoffen zu testen. Diese Methodologie beinhaltet: TGA / DTA-Kurve analysiert der Vorstufen, thermische Stabilitätstests in dem die Vorläufer (<0,1 g) wurden bei erhöhter Temperatur in einer abgedichteten Umgebung für mehrere Stunden wurde die Abscheidung Experimenten und Film Charakterisierungen erhitzt. Die Abscheidungen wurden mit Hilfe der in situ Quarzmikrowaage überwacht, während die anwendungsbezogenen Filmeigenschaften, wie chemische Zusammensetzung, physikalische Phase, Dicke, Dichte, Härte und Schichtwiderstand wurden mit Hilfe von ex situ Messverfahren untersucht. Vor der Evaluierung neuartiger Nickelvorstufen ein Benchmark ALD-Prozess war vom Referenznickelvorläufer (Ni (AMD)) und Luft als Reaktionspartner entwickelt. Das Hauptziel der Entwicklung und Optimierung von solchen Benchmark-ALD-Prozess war es, Standard-Prozessparameter wie zweite Reaktionspartner Belichtungszeiten, Argonspülung Zeiten, gesamtprozessdruck, beginnend Abscheidungstemperatur und Gasströme zu extrahieren. Diese Standard-Prozessparameter mussten verwendet, um die Prozessentwicklung Aufgabe (das spart Vorläufer Verbrauch) zu verkürzen und die Sublimationstemperatur Optimierung für jede neuartige Vorstufe werden. Die ALD Verhalten wurde in Bezug auf die Wachstumsrate durch Variation des Nickelvorläuferbelichtungszeit, Vorläufer Temperatur und Niederschlagstemperatur überprüft.:Lists of Abbreviations and Symbols VIII Lists of Figures and Tables XIV 1 Introduction 1 I Theoretical Part 3 2 Nickel and Nickel Oxides 4 2.1 Introduction and Existence 5 2.2 Material properties of Nickel and Nickel Oxide 5 2.3 Application in electronic industry 5 3 Atomic Layer Deposition 7 3.1 History 8 3.2 Definition 8 3.3 Features of thermal-ALD 8 3.3.1 ALD growth mechanism – an ideal view 8 3.3.2 ALD growth behaviour 10 3.3.3 Growth mode 11 3.3.4 ALD temperature window 11 3.4 Benefits and limitations 12 3.5 Precursor properties for thermal-ALD 13 3.6 ALD & CVD of Nickel – A literature survey 13 4 Metrology 17 4.1 Thermal analysis of precursors 18 4.2 Film and growth characterization 21 4.2.1 Quartz Crystal Microbalance 21 4.2.2 Spectroscopic Ellipsometry 24 4.2.3 X-Ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy 28 4.2.4 Scanning Electron Microscopy 29 4.2.5 X-Ray Reflectometry and X-Ray Diffraction 29 4.2.6 Four Point Probe Technique 20 5 Rapid Thermal Processing 32 5.1 Introduction 33 5.2 Basics of RTP 33 5.3 Nickel Silicides-A literature survey 33 II Experimental Part 36 6 Methodologies 37 6.1 Experimental setup 38 6.2 ALD process 41 6.2.1 ALD process types and substrate setups 41 6.2.2 Process parameters 41 6.3 Experimental procedure 42 6.3.1 Tool preparation 42 6.3.2 Thermal analysis and ALD experiments from nickel precursors 43 6.3.3 Data acquisition and evaluation 44 6.3.4 Characterization of film properties 46 7 Results and discussion 48 7.1 Introduction 49 7.2 QCM verification with Aluminum Oxide ALD process 49 7.3 ALD process from the reference precursor 50 7.3.1 Introduction 50 7.3.2 TG analysis for Ni(amd) precursor 51 7.3.3 Thermal stability test for Ni(amd) 51 7.3.4 ALD process optimization 52 7.3.5 Film properties 54 7.4 Evaluating the novel Nickel precursors 55 7.4.1 Screening tests for precursor P1 55 7.4.2 Screening tests for precursor P2 62 7.4.3 Screening tests for precursor P3 66 7.4.4 Screening tests for precursor P4 70 7.4.5 Screening tests for precursor P5 72 7.5 Comparison of all nickel precursors used in this work 74 8 Conclusions and outlook 77 References 83 III Appendix 101 A Deposition temperature control & Ellipsometry model 102 B Gas flow plan 105 / Nickel and nickel(II) oxide are widely used in advanced electronic devices . In microelectronic industry, nickel is used to form nickel silicide. The nickel mono-silicide (NiSi) has emerged as an excellent material of choice for source-drain contact applications below 45 nm node CMOS technology. As compared to other silicides used for the contact applications, NiSi is preferred because of its low resistivity, low contact resistance, relatively low formation temperature and low silicon consumption. Nickel is used in nickel-based rechargeable batteries and ferromagnetic random access memories (RAMs). Nickel(II) oxide is utilized as transistor gate-oxide and oxide in resistive RAMs. Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) is a special type of Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD) technique, that is used to deposit very smooth as well as homogeneous thin films with excellent conformality even at high aspect ratios. It is based on self-terminating sequential gas-solid reactions that allow a precise control of film thickness down to few Angstroms. In order to fabricate todays 3D electronic devices, technologies like ALD are required. In spite of huge number of practical applications of nickel and nickel(II) oxide, a few nickel precursors are available for thermal based ALD. Moreover, these precursors have resulted in poor film qualities and the process properties were also limited. Therefore in this master thesis, the properties of various novel nickel precursors had to be evaluated. All novel precursors are heteroleptic (different types of ligands) complexes and were specially designed by the manufacturer for thermal based ALD of pure nickel with H 2 as a co-reactant. In order to evaluate the novel precursors, a new methodology was designed to test small amounts (down to 2 g) of precursors in a very time efficient way. This methodology includes: TGA/DTA curve analyses of the precursors, thermal stability tests in which the precursors (< 0.1 g) were heated at elevated temperatures in a sealed environment for several hours, deposition experiments, and film characterizations. The depositions were monitored with the help of in situ quartz crystal microbalance, while application related film properties like chemical composition, physical phase, thickness, density, roughness and sheet resistance were investigated with the help of ex situ measurement techniques. Prior to the evaluation of novel nickel precursors, a benchmark ALD process was developed from the reference nickel precursor (Ni(amd)) and air as a co-reactant. The main goal of developing and optimizing such benchmark ALD process was to extract standard process parameters like second-reactant exposure times, Argon purge times, total process pressure, starting deposition temperature and gas flows. These standard process parameters had to be utilized to shorten the process development task (thus saving precursor consumption) and optimize the sublimation temperature for each novel precursor. The ALD behaviour was checked in terms of growth rate by varying the nickel precursor exposure time, precursor temperature and deposition temperature.:Lists of Abbreviations and Symbols VIII Lists of Figures and Tables XIV 1 Introduction 1 I Theoretical Part 3 2 Nickel and Nickel Oxides 4 2.1 Introduction and Existence 5 2.2 Material properties of Nickel and Nickel Oxide 5 2.3 Application in electronic industry 5 3 Atomic Layer Deposition 7 3.1 History 8 3.2 Definition 8 3.3 Features of thermal-ALD 8 3.3.1 ALD growth mechanism – an ideal view 8 3.3.2 ALD growth behaviour 10 3.3.3 Growth mode 11 3.3.4 ALD temperature window 11 3.4 Benefits and limitations 12 3.5 Precursor properties for thermal-ALD 13 3.6 ALD & CVD of Nickel – A literature survey 13 4 Metrology 17 4.1 Thermal analysis of precursors 18 4.2 Film and growth characterization 21 4.2.1 Quartz Crystal Microbalance 21 4.2.2 Spectroscopic Ellipsometry 24 4.2.3 X-Ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy 28 4.2.4 Scanning Electron Microscopy 29 4.2.5 X-Ray Reflectometry and X-Ray Diffraction 29 4.2.6 Four Point Probe Technique 20 5 Rapid Thermal Processing 32 5.1 Introduction 33 5.2 Basics of RTP 33 5.3 Nickel Silicides-A literature survey 33 II Experimental Part 36 6 Methodologies 37 6.1 Experimental setup 38 6.2 ALD process 41 6.2.1 ALD process types and substrate setups 41 6.2.2 Process parameters 41 6.3 Experimental procedure 42 6.3.1 Tool preparation 42 6.3.2 Thermal analysis and ALD experiments from nickel precursors 43 6.3.3 Data acquisition and evaluation 44 6.3.4 Characterization of film properties 46 7 Results and discussion 48 7.1 Introduction 49 7.2 QCM verification with Aluminum Oxide ALD process 49 7.3 ALD process from the reference precursor 50 7.3.1 Introduction 50 7.3.2 TG analysis for Ni(amd) precursor 51 7.3.3 Thermal stability test for Ni(amd) 51 7.3.4 ALD process optimization 52 7.3.5 Film properties 54 7.4 Evaluating the novel Nickel precursors 55 7.4.1 Screening tests for precursor P1 55 7.4.2 Screening tests for precursor P2 62 7.4.3 Screening tests for precursor P3 66 7.4.4 Screening tests for precursor P4 70 7.4.5 Screening tests for precursor P5 72 7.5 Comparison of all nickel precursors used in this work 74 8 Conclusions and outlook 77 References 83 III Appendix 101 A Deposition temperature control & Ellipsometry model 102 B Gas flow plan 105

Environmental and health aspects of road materials have been discussed for a long time, mostly regarding bitumen and bitumen fumes. However, just a few studies on other types of road materials have been reported. In this doctoral study, two types of materials, asphalt release agents and bituminous sealants, were investigated with regard to chemical characterization and emission profiles. Besides conventional test methods, solid-phase microextraction (SPME) technique was applied for emissions profiles screening and quantitative analysis. General description of main characteristics of asphalt release agents and bituminous sealants is given, and a comprehensive state-of-the-art on SPME technique is presented, especially on methodologies for analyzing mono- and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (MAHs and PAHs) in different sample matrices. In the experimental study, chemical characterization of the two material types was performed using conventional methods, including fourier transform infrared spectroscopy - attenuated total reflectance (FTIR-ATR), gel permeation chromatography (GPC), mass spectrometry (MS) and gas chromatography – mass spectrometry (GC-MS). General patterns regarding functional groups and molecular weight distribution were studied. In the case of asphalt release agents, more detailed information on chemical compositions, especially the contents of MAHs and PAHs, was obtained. General information on emission proneness of asphalt release agents was obtained using thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and MS. Using headspace(HS)-SPME and GC-MS, emission profiles of asphalt release agents were characterized at different temperatures, whereas the profiles of bituminous sealants were obtained solely at room temperature. The results presented were used for ranking the materials with regard to degree of total emission as well as emission of hazardous substances. The applicability of HS-SPME for quantitative analysis of MAHs in asphalt release agents and emulsion-based bituminous sealants was investigated. The use of a surrogate sample matrix was concerned, and experimental parameters influencing the HS-SPME procedure, such as equilibration and extraction time, as well as effects of sample amount and matrices, were studied. The methods were evaluated with regard to detection limit, accuracy as well as precision. Different calibration approaches including external calibration, internal calibration and standard addition were investigated. The determination of MAHs in asphalt release agents and emulsion-based bituminous sealants using HS-SPME-GC-MS was conducted. / QC 20100913

It is known that boron containing compounds exhibit interesting chemical and physical properties. In the past 50 years modern preparative methods have led to an overwhelming number of different structures of novel and often unexpected boron–sulfur and boron–selenium compounds. Among all these new compounds, there was only one which comprises rare earth metal (RE), boron and heavier chalcogen, namely sulfur, the europium thioborate Eu[B2S4] [1]. Selenoborates of rare earth metals are hitherto unknown. On the other hand, rare earth oxoborates represent a well-known class of compounds [2] with a wide range of applications, especially in the field of optical materials. In addition, well-defined boron compounds containing the heavier group 16 elements are fairly difficult to prepare due to the high reactivity of in situ formed boron chalcogenides towards most container materials at elevated temperatures. The chalcogenoborates of the heavier chalcogens are sensitive against oxidation and hydrolysis and therefore have to be handled in an inert environment. Therefore, developing and optimization of preparative routes for the syntheses of pure and crystalline RE thio- and selenoborates was needed. In the course of this study, the application of different preparation routes, such as optimized high-temperature routes (HT), metathesis reactions and high-pressure high-temperature routes (Hp – HT), led to sixteen new rare earth thioborates. Their crystal structures were solved and/or refined from powder and single crystal X-ray diffraction data, while the local structure around rare earth metal was confirmed from the results of the EXAFS analyses. Quantum mechanical calculations were used within this work in order to investigate the arrangement of intrinsic vacancies on the boron sites in the crystal structures of rare earth thioborates. Thermal, magnetic and optical properties of these compounds are also discussed. The rare earth thioborates discovered during this work are the first examples of ternary thioborates containing trivalent cations. These compounds can be divided into two groups of isotypic compounds: the rare earth orthothioborates with general formula REIII[BS3] (RE = La – Nd, Sm, Gd and Tb) [3] and the rare earth thioborate sulfides with general formula REIII¦9B5S21, (RE = Gd – Lu, and Y) [4]. In the crystal structure of RE[BS3] (orthorhombic, space group Pna21, Z = 4), the sulfur atoms form the vertices of corrugated kagome nets, within which every second triangle is occupied by boron and the large hexagons are centered by RE cations. The structural features of the isotypic RE[BS3] phases show great similarities to those of rare earth oxoborates RE[BO3] and orthothioborates of alkali and alkaline earth metals as well as to thallium orthothioborate, yet pronounced differences are also observed: the [BS3]3– groups in the crystal structures of RE[BS3] are more distorted, where the distortion decreases with the decreasing size of the RE element, and the coordination environments of the [BS3]3– groups in the crystal structures of RE[BS3] are different in comparison with the coordination environments of the [BO3]3– groups in the crystal structures of λ-Nd[BO3] [5] and of o-Ce[BO3] [6]. The results of the IR and Raman investigations are in agreement with the presence of [BS3]3– anions in the crystal structure of RE[BS3]. Thermal analyses revealed the thermal stability of these compounds under inert conditions up to ~ 1200 K. Analyses of the magnetic properties of the Sm, Gd and Tb thioborates showed that both Gd and Tb phases order antiferromagnetically. The magnetic susceptibility for Sm orthothioborate approximately follows the Van-Vleck theory for Sm3+. Between 50 K and 62 K a transition appears which is independent of the magnetic field: the magnetic susceptibility becomes lower. This effect might indicate a discontinuous valence transition of Sm which was further investigated by means of XANES and X-ray diffraction using synchrotron radiation, both at low temperatures. The series of isotypic RE thioborate sulfides with composition RE9B5S21, was obtained by the application of Hp – HT conditions to starting mixtures with the initial chemical composition “REB3S6“, after careful optimization of the pressure, temperature and treatment time, as well as the composition of the starting mixtures. Their crystal structures adopt the Ce6Al3.33S14 [7] structure type (hexagonal, space group P63, Z = 2/3). The special features of the RE9B5S21 crystal structures, concerning boron site occupancies and different coordination environments of the two crystallographically independent boron sites, were investigated in more detail by means of quantum chemical calculations, electron diffraction methods, optical and X-ray absorption spectroscopy as well as by 11B NMR spectroscopy. The results obtained from these different experimental and computational methods are in good mutual agreement. The crystal structures of the RE9B5S21 compounds are characterized by two types of anions: tetrahedral [BS4]5– and trigonal planar [BS3]3– as well as [(S2–)3] units. Isolated [BS4]5– tetrahedra (all pointing with one of their apices along the polar [001] direction) represent a unique feature of the crystal structure which is observed for the first time in a thioborate compound. These tetrahedra are stacked along the three-fold rotation axes. Vacancies are located at the trigonal-planar coordinated boron site with preferred ordering –B–B––B–B–– along [001]. No superstructure is observed by means of electron diffraction methods as adjacent columns are shuffled along the c axis, giving rise to a randomly distributed vacancy pattern. Positions of the sulfur atoms within the [(S2–)3] substructure as well as planarity of the [BS3]3– units were investigated in more detail by means of quantum mechanical calculations. Results of the IR and Raman spectroscopy, as well as of the 11B NMR spectroscopy are in agreement with the presence of the boron atoms in two different coordination environments. Thermal analyses showed that compounds RE9B5S21 are stable under inert conditions up to ~ 1200 K. In accordance with the combined results of experimental and computational investigations, the chemical formula of the RE9B5S21 compounds is consistent with RE3[BS3]2[BS4]3S3. A short overview of investigations towards rare earth selenoborates, where in most of the cases only known binary rare earth selenides could be identified, is presented as well in this work. Investigations in the RE–B–Se systems were conducted by the application of different preparation routes by varying the experimental parameters and the initial compositions of the starting mixtures. Although no crystal structure of a ternary phase in these systems could be solved, there are indications that such phases exist, but further investigations are needed. [1] M. Döch, A. Hammerschmidt, B. Krebs, Z. Anorg. Allg. Chem., 2004, 630, 519. [2] H. Huppertz, Chem. Commun., 2011, 47, 131; and references therein. [3] J. Hunger, M. Borna, R. Kniep, J. Solid State Chem., 2010, 182, 702; J. Hunger, M. Borna, R. Kniep, Z. Kristallogr. NCS, 2010, 225, 217; M. Borna, J. Hunger, R. Kniep, Z. Kristallogr. NCS, 2010, 225, 223; M. Borna, J. Hunger, R. Kniep, Z. Kristallogr. NCS, 2010, 225, 225. [4] M. Borna, J. Hunger, A. Ormeci, D. Zahn, U. Burkhardt, W. Carrillo-Cabrera, R. Cardoso-Gil, R. Kniep, J. Solid State Chem., 2011, 184, 296; [5] H. Müller-Bunz, T. Nikelski, Th. Schleid, Z. Naturforsch. B, 2003, 58, 375. [6] H. U. Bambauer, J. Weidelt, J.-St. Ysker, Z. Kristallogr., 1969, 130, 207. [7] D. de Saint-Giniez, P. Laruelle, J. Flahaut, C. R. Séances, Acad. Sci. Ser. C, 1968, 267, 1029.

Cette thèse décrit la synthèse, la caractérisation, les réactivités, et les propriétés physiques de complexes divalents et trivalents de Ni formés à partir de nouveaux ligands «pincer» de type POCN. Les ligands POCN de type amine sont préparés d’une façon simple et efficace via l’amination réductrice de 3-hydroxybenzaldéhyde avec NaBH4 et plusieurs amines, suivie par la phosphination de l’amino alcool résultant pour installer la fonction phosphinite (OPR2); le ligand POCN de type imine 1,3-(i-Pr)2PC6H4C(H)=N(CH2Ph) est préparé de façon similaire en faisant usage de PhCH2NH2 en l’absence de NaBH4. La réaction de ces ligands «pincer» de type POCN avec NiBr2(CH3CN)x en présence d’une base résulte en un bon rendement de la cyclométalation du lien C-H situé en ortho aux fonctions amine et phosphinite. Il fut découvert que la base est essentielle pour la propreté et le haut rendement de la formation des complexes «pincer» désirés. Nous avons préparé des complexes «pincer» plan- carrés de type POCN, (POCNRR΄)NiBr, possédant des fonctions amines secondaires et tertiaires qui démontrent des réactivités différentes selon les substituants R et R΄. Par exemple, les complexes possédant des fonctions amines tertiaires ArCH2NR2 (NR2= NMe2, NEt2, and morpholinyl) démontrent des propriétés rédox intéressantes et pourraient être convertis en leurs analogues trivalents (POCNR2)NiBr2 lorsque réagis avec Br2 ou N-bromosuccinimide (NBS). Les complexes trivalents paramagnétiques à 17 électrons adoptent une géométrie de type plan-carré déformée, les atomes de Br occupant les positions axiale et équatoriale. Les analyses «DSC» et «TGA» des ces composés ont démontré qu’ils sont thermiquement stables jusqu’à ~170 °C; tandis que la spectroscopie d’absorption en solution a démontré qu’ils se décomposent thermiquement à beaucoup plus basse température pour regénérer les complexes divalents ne possédant qu’un seul Br; l’encombrement stérique des substitutants amines accélère cette route de décomposition de façon significative. Les analogues NMe2 et N(morpholinyl) de ces espèces de NiIII sont actifs pour catalyser la réaction d’addition de Kharasch, de CX4 à des oléfines telles que le styrène, tandis qu’il fut découvert que l’analogue le moins thermiquement stable (POCNEt2)Ni est complètement inerte pour catalyser cette réaction. Les complexes (POCNRH)NiBr possédant des fonctions amines secondaires permettent l’accès à des fonctions amines substituées de façon non symétrique via leur réaction avec des halogénures d’alkyle. Un autre avantage important de ces complexes réside dans la possibilité de déprotonation pour préparer des complexes POCN de type amide. De telles tentatives pour déprotoner les fonctions NRH nous ont permis de préparer des espèces dimériques possédant des ligands amides pontants. La nature dimérique des ces complexes [P,C,N,N-(2,6-(i-Pr)2PC6H3CH2NR)Ni]2 (R= PhCH2 et Ph) fut établie par des études de diffraction des rayons-X qui ont démontré différentes géométries pour les cœurs Ni2N2 selon le substituant N : l’analogue (PhCH2)N possède une orientation syn des substitutants benzyles et un arrangement ressemblant à celui du cyclobutane du Ni et des atomes d’azote, tandis que l’analogue PhN adopte un arrangement de type diamant quasi-planaire des atomes du Ni et des atomes d’azote et une orientation anti des substituants phényles. Les espèces dimériques ne se dissocient pas en présence d’alcools, mais elles promouvoient l’alcoolyse catalytique de l’acrylonitrile. De façon intéressante, les rendements de ces réactions sont plus élevés avec les alcools possédant des fonctions O-H plus acides, avec un nombre de «turnover» catalytique pouvant atteindre 2000 dans le cas de m-cresol. Nous croyons que ces réactions d’alcoolyse procèdent par activation hétérolytique de l’alcool par l’espèce dimérique via des liaisons hydrogènes avec une ou deux des fonctions amides du dimère. Les espèces dimériques de Ni (II) s’oxydent facilement électrochimiquement et par reaction avec NBS ou Br2. De façon surprenante, l’oxydation chimique mène à l’isolation de nouveaux produits monomériques dans lesquels le centre métallique et le ligand sont oxydés. Le mécanisme d’oxydation fut aussi investigué par RMN, «UV-vis-NIR», «DFT» et spectroélectrochimie. / This thesis describes the synthesis, characterization, reactivities, and physical properties of divalent and trivalent complexes of Nickel based on new POCN-type pincer ligands. The amino-type POCN ligands were prepared in a simple and efficient manner via reductive amination of 3-hydroxybenzaldehyde with NaBH4 and various amines, followed by phosphination of the resulting amino alcohol to install the phosphinite (OPR2) functionality. The imino-type POCN ligand 1,3-(i-Pr)2PC6H4C(H)=N(CH2Ph) was prepared similarly using PhCH2NH2 in the absence of NaBH4. Reaction of these POCN-type pincer ligands with NiBr2(CH3CN)x in the presence of a base results in the high yield cyclometalation of the C-H bond which is ortho to the amine and phosphinite functionalities. The base was found to be essential for a clean and high yield formation of the desired pincer complexes. We have thus prepared square planar POCN-type pincer complexes (POCNRR΄)NiBr featuring tertiary or secondary amine moieties that exhibit different reactivities as a function of amine substituents R and R΄. For instance, complexes bearing the tertiary amine moieties ArCH2NR2 (NR2= NMe2, NEt2, and morpholinyl) displayed interesting redox properties and could be converted into their trivalent analogues (POCNR2)NiBr2 when reacted with Br2 or N-bromosuccinimide (NBS). These 17-electron, paramagnetic trivalent complexes adopt a distorted square pyramidal geometry with Br atoms at axial and equatorial positions. DSC and TGA analyses of these compounds revealed them to be thermally stable up to ~170 °C; whereas absorption spectroscopy in solution showed that they undergo thermal decomposition at much lower temperatures to regenerate the monobromo divalent complexes; increased steric bulk of the amine substituents accelerate this decomposition pathway significantly. The NMe2 and N(morpholinyl) analogues of these NiIII species are active catalysts for the Kharasch addition of CX4 to olefins such as styrene, whereas the least thermally stable analogue (POCNEt2)Ni was found to be completely inert for this reaction. The complexes (POCNRH)NiBr featuring secondary amine moieties allow access to unsymmetrically substituted amine moieties via reaction with alkyl halides. Another important advantage of these complexes lies in the possibility of deprotonation to prepare amide-type POCN complexes. Such attempts at deprotonating the NRH moieties have allowed us to prepare dimeric species featuring bridging amido ligands. The dimeric nature of these complexes [P,C,N,N-(2,6-(i-Pr)2PC6H3CH2NR)Ni]2 (R= PhCH2 and Ph) was established through X-ray diffraction studies that showed different geometries for the Ni2N2 cores as a function of N-substituent: the (PhCH2)N analogue featured a syn orientation of the benzyl substituents and a cyclobutane-like arrangement of Ni and of the nitrogen atoms, whereas the PhN analogue adopted a nearly planar diamond-like arrangement of the Ni and of the nitrogen atoms and an anti orientation of the phenyl substituents. These dimeric species do not dissociate in the presence of alcohols, but they promote the catalytic alcoholysis of acrylonitrile. Interestingly, yields of these reactions are higher with alcohols possessing more acidic O-H moieties, with a catalytic turnover number reaching up to 2000 in the case of m-cresol. These alcoholysis reactions are believed to proceed through heterolytic activation of the alcohol by dimeric species via hydrogen bonding with one or two amido moieties in the dimer. The dimeric Ni (II) species were found to undergo facile oxidation both electrochemically and in reaction with NBS or Br2. Surprisingly, chemical oxidation led to isolation of new monomeric products in which both the metallic center and the ligand were oxidized. giving a trivalent species featuring an imine-type POCN ligand. Oxidation mechanism was investigated in detail by NMR, UV-vis-NIR, DFT and spectroelectrochemistry.

Soy flour (SF), a by-product of the soybean oil extraction processing, was investigated for its application in soy-polypropylene composites for interior automotive applications. The emphasis of this work was the understanding of this new type of filler material and the contribution of its major constituents to its thermal stability and impact properties. For this reason, reference materials were selected to represent the protein (soy protein isolate (SPI)) and carbohydrate (soy hulls (SH)) constituents of the soy flour. Additional materials were also investigated: the residue obtained after the protein removal from the soy flour which was called insoluble soy (IS), and the remaining liquid solution after acid precipitation of the proteins, containing mostly sugars and minerals, which was called soluble sugar extract (SSE). Two treatments, potassium permanganate and autoclave, were analyzed for their potential to modify the properties of the soy composite materials. An acid treatment with sulfuric acid conducted on soy flour was also considered. The soy materials were studied by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) under isothermal (in air) and dynamic (in nitrogen) conditions. SPI had the highest thermal stability and SSE the lowest thermal stability for the early stage of the heating process. Those two materials had the highest amount of residual mass at the end of the dynamic TGA in nitrogen. The two treatments showed minimal effect on the isothermal thermal stability of the soy materials at 200 ??C. A minor improvement was observed for the autoclave treated soy materials. Fourier transformed infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy indicated that the chemical surface composition differed according to type of the soy materials but no difference could be observed for the treatments within one type of soy material. Contact angle analysis and surface energy estimation indicated differences of the surface hydrophobicity of the soy materials according to type of material and treatment. The initial water contact angle ranged from 57 ?? for SF to 85 ?? for SH. The rate of water absorption increased dramatically after the autoclave treatment for IS and SPI. Both materials showed the highest increase in the polar surface energy fraction. In general, the major change of the surface energy was associated with change of the polar fraction. After KMnO4 treatment, the polar surface energy of SF, IS and SPI decreased while SH showed a slight increase after KMnO4 treatment. A relationship between protein content and polar surface energy was observed and seen to be more pronounced when high protein containing soy materials were treated with KMnO4 and autoclave. Based on the polar surface energy results, the most suitable soy materials for polypropylene compounding are SPI (KMnO4), SH, and IS (KMnO4) because their polar surface energy are the lowest which should make them more compatible with non-polar polymers such as polypropylene. The soy materials were compounded as 30 wt-% material loading with an injection moulding grade polypropylene blend for different combinations of soy material treatment and coupling agents. Notched Izod impact and flexural strength as well as flexural modulus estimates indicated that the mechanical properties of the autoclaved SF decreased when compared to untreated soy flour while the potassium permanganate treated SF improved in impact and flexural properties. Combinations of the two treatments and two selected (maleic anhydride grafted polypropylene) coupling agents showed improved impact and flexural properties for the autoclaved soy flour but decreased properties for the potassium permanganate treated soy flour. Scanning electron microscopy of the fractured section, obtained after impact testing of the composite material, revealed different crack propagation mechanisms for the treated SF. Autoclaved SF had a poor interface with large gaps between the material and the polypropylene matrix. After the addition of a maleic anhydride coupling agent to the autoclaved SF and polypropylene formulation, the SF was fully embedded in the polymer matrix. Potassium permanganate treated SF showed partial bonding between the material and the polymer matrix but some of the material showed poor bonding to the matrix. The acid treated SF showed cracks through the dispersed phase and completely broken components that did not bind to the polypropylene matrix. In conclusion, the two most promising soy materials in terms of impact and flexural properties improvement of soy polypropylene composites were potassium permanganate treated SF and the autoclaved SF combined with maleic anhydride coupling agent formulation.

This thesis describes the synthesis and characterisation of titania photocatalysts for incorporation into a polyethylene film. Monodisperse, anatase-phase titania nanoparticles are prepared and the synthesis conditions necessary for attraction to a laponite clay support are determined. Methods of preventing agglomeration of the laponite system such as the use of a polyethylene oxide surfactant or chemical modification of the laponite plate edges with a dimethyloctyl methoxysilane are also explored. Finally, photocatalytic studies on the laponite-supported titania nanoparticles are performed, and the compatibility and photoactivity of these materials in the polyethylene film are examined.

It is known that boron containing compounds exhibit interesting chemical and physical properties. In the past 50 years modern preparative methods have led to an overwhelming number of different structures of novel and often unexpected boron–sulfur and boron–selenium compounds. Among all these new compounds, there was only one which comprises rare earth metal (RE), boron and heavier chalcogen, namely sulfur, the europium thioborate Eu[B2S4] [1]. Selenoborates of rare earth metals are hitherto unknown. On the other hand, rare earth oxoborates represent a well-known class of compounds [2] with a wide range of applications, especially in the field of optical materials. In addition, well-defined boron compounds containing the heavier group 16 elements are fairly difficult to prepare due to the high reactivity of in situ formed boron chalcogenides towards most container materials at elevated temperatures. The chalcogenoborates of the heavier chalcogens are sensitive against oxidation and hydrolysis and therefore have to be handled in an inert environment. Therefore, developing and optimization of preparative routes for the syntheses of pure and crystalline RE thio- and selenoborates was needed. In the course of this study, the application of different preparation routes, such as optimized high-temperature routes (HT), metathesis reactions and high-pressure high-temperature routes (Hp – HT), led to sixteen new rare earth thioborates. Their crystal structures were solved and/or refined from powder and single crystal X-ray diffraction data, while the local structure around rare earth metal was confirmed from the results of the EXAFS analyses. Quantum mechanical calculations were used within this work in order to investigate the arrangement of intrinsic vacancies on the boron sites in the crystal structures of rare earth thioborates. Thermal, magnetic and optical properties of these compounds are also discussed. The rare earth thioborates discovered during this work are the first examples of ternary thioborates containing trivalent cations. These compounds can be divided into two groups of isotypic compounds: the rare earth orthothioborates with general formula REIII[BS3] (RE = La – Nd, Sm, Gd and Tb) [3] and the rare earth thioborate sulfides with general formula REIII¦9B5S21, (RE = Gd – Lu, and Y) [4]. In the crystal structure of RE[BS3] (orthorhombic, space group Pna21, Z = 4), the sulfur atoms form the vertices of corrugated kagome nets, within which every second triangle is occupied by boron and the large hexagons are centered by RE cations. The structural features of the isotypic RE[BS3] phases show great similarities to those of rare earth oxoborates RE[BO3] and orthothioborates of alkali and alkaline earth metals as well as to thallium orthothioborate, yet pronounced differences are also observed: the [BS3]3– groups in the crystal structures of RE[BS3] are more distorted, where the distortion decreases with the decreasing size of the RE element, and the coordination environments of the [BS3]3– groups in the crystal structures of RE[BS3] are different in comparison with the coordination environments of the [BO3]3– groups in the crystal structures of λ-Nd[BO3] [5] and of o-Ce[BO3] [6]. The results of the IR and Raman investigations are in agreement with the presence of [BS3]3– anions in the crystal structure of RE[BS3]. Thermal analyses revealed the thermal stability of these compounds under inert conditions up to ~ 1200 K. Analyses of the magnetic properties of the Sm, Gd and Tb thioborates showed that both Gd and Tb phases order antiferromagnetically. The magnetic susceptibility for Sm orthothioborate approximately follows the Van-Vleck theory for Sm3+. Between 50 K and 62 K a transition appears which is independent of the magnetic field: the magnetic susceptibility becomes lower. This effect might indicate a discontinuous valence transition of Sm which was further investigated by means of XANES and X-ray diffraction using synchrotron radiation, both at low temperatures. The series of isotypic RE thioborate sulfides with composition RE9B5S21, was obtained by the application of Hp – HT conditions to starting mixtures with the initial chemical composition “REB3S6“, after careful optimization of the pressure, temperature and treatment time, as well as the composition of the starting mixtures. Their crystal structures adopt the Ce6Al3.33S14 [7] structure type (hexagonal, space group P63, Z = 2/3). The special features of the RE9B5S21 crystal structures, concerning boron site occupancies and different coordination environments of the two crystallographically independent boron sites, were investigated in more detail by means of quantum chemical calculations, electron diffraction methods, optical and X-ray absorption spectroscopy as well as by 11B NMR spectroscopy. The results obtained from these different experimental and computational methods are in good mutual agreement. The crystal structures of the RE9B5S21 compounds are characterized by two types of anions: tetrahedral [BS4]5– and trigonal planar [BS3]3– as well as [(S2–)3] units. Isolated [BS4]5– tetrahedra (all pointing with one of their apices along the polar [001] direction) represent a unique feature of the crystal structure which is observed for the first time in a thioborate compound. These tetrahedra are stacked along the three-fold rotation axes. Vacancies are located at the trigonal-planar coordinated boron site with preferred ordering –B–B––B–B–– along [001]. No superstructure is observed by means of electron diffraction methods as adjacent columns are shuffled along the c axis, giving rise to a randomly distributed vacancy pattern. Positions of the sulfur atoms within the [(S2–)3] substructure as well as planarity of the [BS3]3– units were investigated in more detail by means of quantum mechanical calculations. Results of the IR and Raman spectroscopy, as well as of the 11B NMR spectroscopy are in agreement with the presence of the boron atoms in two different coordination environments. Thermal analyses showed that compounds RE9B5S21 are stable under inert conditions up to ~ 1200 K. In accordance with the combined results of experimental and computational investigations, the chemical formula of the RE9B5S21 compounds is consistent with RE3[BS3]2[BS4]3S3. A short overview of investigations towards rare earth selenoborates, where in most of the cases only known binary rare earth selenides could be identified, is presented as well in this work. Investigations in the RE–B–Se systems were conducted by the application of different preparation routes by varying the experimental parameters and the initial compositions of the starting mixtures. Although no crystal structure of a ternary phase in these systems could be solved, there are indications that such phases exist, but further investigations are needed. [1] M. Döch, A. Hammerschmidt, B. Krebs, Z. Anorg. Allg. Chem., 2004, 630, 519. [2] H. Huppertz, Chem. Commun., 2011, 47, 131; and references therein. [3] J. Hunger, M. Borna, R. Kniep, J. Solid State Chem., 2010, 182, 702; J. Hunger, M. Borna, R. Kniep, Z. Kristallogr. NCS, 2010, 225, 217; M. Borna, J. Hunger, R. Kniep, Z. Kristallogr. NCS, 2010, 225, 223; M. Borna, J. Hunger, R. Kniep, Z. Kristallogr. NCS, 2010, 225, 225. [4] M. Borna, J. Hunger, A. Ormeci, D. Zahn, U. Burkhardt, W. Carrillo-Cabrera, R. Cardoso-Gil, R. Kniep, J. Solid State Chem., 2011, 184, 296; [5] H. Müller-Bunz, T. Nikelski, Th. Schleid, Z. Naturforsch. B, 2003, 58, 375. [6] H. U. Bambauer, J. Weidelt, J.-St. Ysker, Z. Kristallogr., 1969, 130, 207. [7] D. de Saint-Giniez, P. Laruelle, J. Flahaut, C. R. Séances, Acad. Sci. Ser. C, 1968, 267, 1029.:I INTRODUCTION ......................................................................... 7 1. Motivation and scope of the work .............................................. 9 2. Literature overview .................................................................. 11 2.1. The binary subsystems of the ternary systems RE–B–Q (RE = rare earth metals, Y; Q = S, Se) ......................................................... 12 2.1.1. RE–Q ............................................................................... 12 2.1.2. RE–B ............................................................................... 19 2.1.3. B–Q ................................................................................. 22 2.2. Related ternary compounds ................................................... 25 2.2.1. RE oxoborates .................................................................. 25 2.2.2. Thio- and selenoborates of alkaline, alkaline earth, transition and post transition metals ......................................................................... 33 2.2.3. The RE thioborate Eu[B2S4]................................................ 45 II PREPARATIVE METHODS AND EXPERIMENTAL TECHNIQUES .......... 47 1. Starting materials and their characterization ............................... 49 2. Synthetic approaches and optimizations .................................... 51 2.1. High-temperature routes ...................................................... 52 2.2. Metathesis reactions ............................................................ 53 2.3. Spark Plasma Sintering (SPS) ............................................... 54 2.4. High-Pressure High-Temperature (Hp – HT) Syntheses ........... 55 3. Analytical methods and samples characterization ....................... 55 3.1. Powder X-ray diffraction ...................................................... 55 3.2. Crystal structure investigations using synchrotron radiation .... 57 3.3. Single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis .................................. 57 3.4. Metallographic investigations ................................................ 58 3.5. Electron microscopy ............................................................ 58 3.5.1. Scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy ............................................................................ 58 3.5.2. Transmission electron microscopy ...................................... 59 3.6. Optical spectroscopy ........................................................... 59 3.6.1. Infra-Red spectroscopy .................................................... 59 3.6.2. Raman spectroscopy ........................................................ 60 3.7. X-ray absorption spectroscopy ............................................ 60 3.8. Thermal analysis ................................................................. 62 3.9. Magnetic susceptibility measurements ................................... 63 3.10. 11B NMR spectroscopy ..................................................... 63 3.11. Quantum chemical calculations ........................................... 64 3.11.1. Total energy calculations ................................................ 64 3.11.2. Charge transfer analysis ................................................ 64 3.11.3. Chemical bonding........................................................... 64 III RARE EARTH THIOBORATES ................................................. 67 1. Reinvestigation of the only reported rare earth thioborate – EuB2S4 ....69 2. RE[BS3] (RE = La – Nd, Sm, Gd, Tb) .................................... 69 2.1. Syntheses and phase analyses .......................................... 70 2.2. Crystal structure determinations ........................................ 74 2.3. X-ray absorption spectroscopy: EXAFS data analysis for Pr[BS3] ..... 79 2.4. Crystal chemistry .............................................................. 80 2.5. Optical spectroscopy ......................................................... 83 2.6. Thermal analysis ............................................................... 86 2.7. Magnetic susceptibility ....................................................... 88 2.8. X-ray absorption spectroscopy: XANES data analysis for Sm[BS3] .. 91 2.9. Crystal structure investigation at low temperature using synchrotron radiation ................................................................................... 91 2.10. Summary ......................................................................... 95 3. Gd[BS3] : Ce, Eu, Tb ............................................................. 97 3.1. Syntheses and phase analyses ............................................. 97 3.2. Crystal structure determinations ......................................... 101 3.3. Crystal chemistry .............................................................. 103 3.4. Optical spectroscopy ......................................................... 104 3.5. Thermal analysis ............................................................... 106 3.6. Summary ......................................................................... 107 4. RE9B5S21 (RE = Tb – Lu, Y) ................................................ 107 4.1. Syntheses and phase analyses ........................................... 108 4.2. Crystal structure determinations ........................................ 109 4.3. Crystal chemistry .............................................................. 112 4.4. Electronic structure, charge transfer and chemical bonding .... 115 4.5. X-ray absorption spectroscopy: EXAFS data analysis for Lu9B5S21 .............................................................................. 119 4.6. Thermal analysis ............................................................... 121 4.7. 11B NMR investigations ..................................................... 122 4.8. Optical spectroscopy ......................................................... 123 4.9. Summary ......................................................................... 126 IV ON THE WAY TO RARE EARTH SELENOBORATES .................... 127 1. Towards ternary phases in the systems RE–B–Se, with RE = Sm, Tb – Lu.......................................................................................... 129 2. The system La–B–Se ........................................................... 134 3. The system Gd–B–Se .......................................................... 136 4. The system Y–B–Se ............................................................ 137 5. Summary ........................................................................... 139 V SUMMARY AND OUTLOOK ..................................................... 141 VI APPENDIX .......................................................................... 149 VII REFERENCES .................................................................... 163 VIII LIST OF FIGURES ............................................................. 181 IX LIST OF TABLES ................................................................ 193 X CURRICULUM VITAE ........................................................... 199 XI VERSICHERUNG ............................................................... 203

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