Les aciers avancés à haute résistance (AHSS) de 3ème génération ont l’avantage de combiner résistance et ductilité. Ces aciers multi-phasés sont appréciés pour les applications dans l’industrie automobile pour leurs propriétés mécaniques, dues notamment à la présence d’austénite métastable permettant une transformation induite par la plasticité (effet TRIP- Transformation Induced Plasticity).L’objectif de ce travail a été d’étudier l’effet du microalliage sur les transformations de phases et la précipitation dans de tels aciers. Trois nuances ont été étudiées : une référence sans microalliage, une avec ajout de niobium et une avec ajout de vanadium. Elles ont été caractérisées au fil de la route métallurgique composée d’un recuit intermédiaire et d’un recuit final caractéristique des aciers bainitiques à effet TRIP.Des méthodes ex-situ et in-situ ont été mises en oeuvre. Les caractérisations in-situ pendant les traitements thermiques incluent une étude des transformations de phases par diffraction de rayons X à haute énergie (HEXRD) et une étude de la précipitation par diffusion de rayons X à petits angles (SAXS), utilisant le rayonnement synchrotron.La morphologie des grains a été observée par microscopie optique et diffraction d'électrons rétrodiffusés (EBSD) au Microscope Electronique à Balayage (MEB). L’imagerie des précipités a été effectuée par Microscopie Electronique en Transmission (MET) en imagerie en champ sombre, leur composition a été précisée par analyse dispersive en énergie (EDS) et leur localisation étudiée grâce à l’outil de nano-diffraction ACOM/ASTAR.L’ensemble de ces expériences a permis de mettre en évidence l’effet du traitement thermique et de la composition chimique sur la quantité d’austénite présente ainsi que sur sa teneur en carbone, qui sont les principaux paramètres contrôlant l’effet TRIP. La présence du microalliage se traduit par des variations de ces paramètres, liés à la fois à la présence de précipités contenant ces éléments et à leur présence en solution solide. / 3rd generation Advanced High Strength Steels (AHSS) have the advantage of combining strength and ductility. These multi-phase steels are appreciated for applications in the automotive industry for their mechanical properties, notably due to the presence of metastable austenite allowing Tranformation Induced Plasticity (TRIP effect).The objective of this work was to study the effect of microalloying on phase transformations and precipitation in such steels. Three grades have been studied: a reference without microalloying, one with niobium addition, and one with vanadium addition. They have been characterised through the metallurgical route composed of an intermediate annealing, following by a final annealing characteristic of TRIP-assisted bainitic steels.Both ex-situ and in-situ methods have been applied. In-situ characterisation during thermal treatments includes phase transformation study by High-Energy X-ray Diffraction (HEXRD) and precipitation study by Small Angle X-ray Scattering (SAXS), both performed with synchrotron radiation.Grain morphology has been observed by optical microscopy and Electron Back-Scatter Diffraction (EBSD) in a Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). Imaging of precipitates has been made in Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) via dark-field imaging, their composition has been evauated by Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS) and their localization studied thanks to the nano-diffraction tool ACOM/ASTAR.All these experiments made it possible to highlight the effect of heat treatment and chemical composition on the amount of austenite present and on its carbon content, which are the main parameters controlling the TRIP effect. The presence of the microalloying results in variations in these parameters, related both to the presence of precipitates containing these elements and to their presence in solid solution.

Mesoporous thin films are promising architectures for positive electrodes in Li-ion battery applications. A particular challenge in this field has been successful templating of vanadium-based oxides, materials known for their ability to host lithium, since their thermal instability and complex vanadium chemistry hinder templating through traditional soft-chemistry approaches. To address these technical problems we here develop the soft-templating of vanadium and niobium mixed oxides based on Evaporation Induced Micelles Packing using thermally stable polystyrene-b-polyethyleneoxide structuring agents. In-situ thermal monitoring via ellipsometry allows successful navigation of the thermal stability landscape. TEM and AFM analyses reveal homogeneous wormlike mesoporous structures whose pore and inorganic wall sizes can be tuned from 15 to 100 nm by changing the hydrophobic/hydrophilic surfactant chain lengths. Ellipsometric porosimetry shows that 100 nm thick films with a 15 nm pore size displays 30% electrolyte accessible porosity. The interconnected tridimensional mesoporous network has been highlighted by electronic tomography. Thicker films up to 1.3 µm are prepared by a multidipping process. The superiority of such nanoarchitectures compared to non porous materials in terms of electrochemical properties such as capacity are revealed using cyclic voltammetry.

Elektroden aus Legierungen der Übergangsmetalle Vanadium, Titan und Niob und der reinen Metalle reagieren in Abhängigkeit von der Zusammensetzung und des mit ihnen im Kontakt stehenden wässrigen Elektrolyten in höchst unterschiedlicher Weise. Für eine systematische Untersuchung der elektrochemischen Eigenschaften der Elektroden wurden neben den reinen Metallen binäre und ternäre Legierungen aus Vanadium, Titan und Niob, die jeweils Vanadium enthalten, hergestellt. Es wurden zum ersten Mal zusammenhängend ihre physikalischen und chemischen Eigenschaften durch Strukturuntersuchungen und Untersuchungen der Zusammensetzung der Oberfläche sowie der Morphologie bestimmt. Von den, sich mit einer halbleitenden Oxidschicht überziehenden Metallen, wurden die Halbleitereigenschaften im Elektrolytkontakt studiert, die grundlegenden Korrosionseigenschaften sowie ihr elektrochemisches Verhalten als Elektrodenmaterial in potentiometrischen Zellen und durch Strom-Spannungsmessungen bestimmt. Zur Aufklärung der Kinetik der Oxidschichtbildung wurden potentiostatische Stromtransienten ermittelt und mit bekannten Modellen verglichen.

Darbo tikslas yra ištirti etaloninių vanadžio pentoksido ir dioksido Rentgeno fotoelektronų spektrus siekiant nustatyti cheminį poslinkį tarp oksidų V 2p spektrų smailių. Darbe išsamiai aprašytos vanadžio dioksido ir prntoksido struktūros, oksidų savybės, Rentgeno fotoelektronų spektroskopijos metodo pagrindai bei V2O5 ir VO2 Rentgeno fotoelektronų spektrų ypatumai. Aprašyti atliktų eksperimentų metodai. Pateikti eksperimentų ir literatūrinės duomenų bazės analizės rezultatai. Atliktas darbas leido nustatyti sekančius faktus: cheminis poslinkis tarp vanadžio dioksido ir pentoksido etaloninių bandinių Rentgeno fotoelektronų spektrų V 2p3/2 smailių lygus 0.7 eV matuojant spektrus spektrometru XSAM 800 (Kratos Analytical, Anglija); literatūrinių duomenų analizę parodė, kad tikimiausia cheminio poslinkio vertė tarp V 2p3/2 smailių įvairiuose vanadžio junginiuose lygi 1.1 eV; skirtumas tarp eksperimentiškai gautos cheminio poslinkio vertės ir analogiško dydžio gauto iš literatūrinių duomenų analizės sąlygotas tuo, kad buvo matuojami gryni VO2 ir V2O5 bandiniai, o analizei buvo naudojama duomenų visumą apie įvairius vanadžio junginius. / The main aim of the presented work was to investigate the chemical shift between XPS V 2p peaks of standard V2O5 and VO2 samples. The structure and physical properties of vanadium dioxide and pentoxide, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy basis and some singularities of these oxides XPS spectra are presented. The experimental methods, the results of experiments and the literature analysis results are described. The executed work has allowed establishing following facts: the chemical shift between vanadium dioxide and pentoxide standard samples XPS V 2p peaks is equal to 0.7 eV; the analysis of the literature base shows that this shift for various vanadium compounds is 1.1 eV; the difference between measured chemical shift and chemical shift value established from literature analysis is caused because XPS spectra of pure oxides samples was measured in present work and the analysis of the literature base was performed for various vanadium compounds.

In an effort to reduce global emissions by electrifying vehicles and machines with internal combustion engines has led to the development of batteries that are more powerful and efficient than the common lead acid battery.  One of the most popular batteries being used for such an installation is lithium ion, but due to its short effective usable lifetime, charging time, and costs has driven researcher to other technologies to replace it.  Vanadium redox flow batteries have come into the spotlight recently as a means of replacing rechargeable batteries in electric vehicles and has previously be used mainly to store energy for load leveling.  It possesses many qualities that would be beneficial to electrify vehicles.  The battery has the ability for power and energy to be sized independently which is not dissimilar to internal combustion vehicles.  It also has the potential for a tolerance to low discharges, fast response time, and can quickly be refueled by replacing the electrolyte; just like is done when a car refuels at the gas station.  The purpose of the study is to determine the possibility of using vanadium redox flow batteries to power heavy construction equipment, a wheel loader, with a finite amount of space available for implementation.  A model has been designed in MATLAB to determine how long the battery could last under typically applications for the wheel loader which needs a peak power of 200 kW.  From the volume available it has been determined that the battery can be installed with an energy capacity of 148 kWh.  The results of the model show that vanadium redox flow batteries can be used to power a wheel loader but due to the limiting energy density and cell components it remains to be impractical.

As society strives to transition for sustainable energy generation is it a major challenge to optimize and develop the renewable energy generation that currently exists, both in terms of individual components and their interactions in the entire energy system. The generation from renewable sources is often irregular and not always when the demand arises. By being able to store the excess energy generated and then deliver it when the demand occur results in a more sustainable energy system. Flow batteries are a possible technology for energy storage. An important component of flow batteries are vanadium and to find methods for extracting vanadium in an economical way is an important step in the development of this technology. The idea behind the thesis was therefore to investigate different extraction methods for vanadium where the most promising methods, from an economic and energy perspective, are examined in more detail. The vanadium should then be used to electrolyte in flow batteries. It has also been examined how the cost is affected by moving a planned facility for extraction from the ashes to a developing country with lower personnel costs. In the thesis was also included to explore similar projects on a larger scale conducted in Sweden, how the view of vanadium is from an EU perspective and how flow batteries can be a part of an energy system. The methods considered most promising is extraction from mineral mining and extraction from ashes. A planned production plant has been dimensioned for both processes of production and energy demand is calculated. The study showed that both processes are expected to produce vanadium below current purchase price, which would then contribute to a cheaper production cost of flow batteries. It turned out that the production of vanadium from ash extraction would be significantly reduced by moving the business to a developing country. The operation stage in the mining operation which accounts for the highest energy demand is the size reduction of the ore. In the extraction process of vanadium from ash, it is primarily the fusion furnace and the fly ash filter required which has the highest energy demand. The similar extraction projects investigated was, from ashes, the so-called SOTEX process in Stenungsund and the mineral mining process had the Ranstad project as reference. The EU approach to vanadium is currently that the metal is not classified as a critical raw material but if economic instability would occur in any of the major manufacturing countries it would be considered as a more critical raw material. Flow batteries functioning as energy storage in a PV hybrid system was investigated and it was concluded that flow batteries are technically well suited for energy storage in this type of system. / Då samhället strävar efter att övergå till en hållbar energiproduktion är det en stor utmaning att effektivisera och utveckla den förnyelsebara energiproduktion som idag finns, både när det gäller enskilda komponenter och deras samspel i hela energisystem. Produktion från förnyelsebara energikällor sker ofta ojämnt och inte alltid när behovet uppstår. Genom att kunna lagra den överskottsenergi som produceras och sedan leverera den då behovet uppstår medför det till ett mer hållbart energisystem. Flödesbatterier är en möjlig teknik för lagring av energi. En viktig komponent i flödesbatterierna är vanadin och att hitta metoder för att utvinna vanadin på ett ekonomiskt sätt är ett viktigt steg i utvecklingen av denna teknik. Idén bakom examensarbetet var därför att kartlägga olika utvinningsmetoder för vanadin där de mest lovande metoderna, från ett ekonomiskt och energi perspektiv, undersöks mer utförligt. Vanadinet i sin tur ska sedan användas till elektrolyt i flödesbatterier. Det har även undersökts hur kostnaden påverkas av att flytta en tänkt anläggning för utvinning ur aska till ett utvecklingsland med lägre personalkostnader. I examensarbetet ingick även att undersöka liknande projekt i större skala som bedrivits i Sverige, hur synen på vanadin är ur ett EU perspektiv samt hur flödesbatterier kan vara en del av ett energisystem. De metoder som ansetts mest lovande är utvinning från mineralbrytning samt utvinning ur aska. En tänkt produktionsanläggning har dimensionerats för båda processer där produktionskostnad och energiförbrukning beräknats. Studien visade att båda processerna förväntas kunna producera vanadin under dagens inköpspris vilket då skulle bidra till en billigare produktionskostnad för flödesbatterier. Det visade sig att produktionen av vanadin ur askutvinning skulle minskas avsevärt genom att flytta verksamheten till ett utvecklingsland. Det moment i gruvdriften som står för största energiförbrukningen är storleksreduceringen av den malm som bryts. Vid processen för utvinning av vanadin ur aska är det främst den smältningsugn samt det filter för flygaska som krävs. De liknande projekt som verkat inom utvinning ur aska var den s.k. SOTEX processen i Stenungsund och för mineralbrytning har Ranstad projektet undersökts. EU:s syn på vanadin är i nuläget att metallen inte klassas som en kritisk råvara men om ekonomisk instabilitet skulle uppstå i något av de större tillverkande länderna skulle råvaran klassas som mer kritisk. Flödesbatteri fungerande som energilagring i ett förnyelsebart energisystem undersöktes där slutsatsen var att flödesbatterier tekniskt sett är mycket väl lämpade som energilagring i denna typ av system.

Th.--Sci. phys.--Paris 6, 1977.

The scientific relevance and potential for technological applications of complex materials have made them the focus of active investigation in order to fully charac- terize the competition and interactions between their electronic, structural, orbital, and spin degrees of freedom. Optical and terahertz (THz) spectroscopy provide ac- cess to electronic and low frequency quasiparticle responses, and therefore play a key role in understanding the fundamental mechanisms which dictate the macroscopic properties of complex materials. Time-resolved experiments, in turn, have the po- tential to disentangle the various coexisting energy scales through a careful selection of the pump and probe characteristics. This work investigates the role played by the electronic, structural and magnetic excitations in the insulator-to-metal transi- tions (IMT) of VO2, V2O3 and NdNiO3, through studies under different conditions of temperature, strain, doping and photoexcitation. Our work shows that a complete understanding of the IMT in VO2 requires sev- eral length scales and time scales to be considered. Indeed, epitaxial strain leads to anisotropy in the IMT characteristics of thin films of (100) and (110) VO2/TiO2, measured using THz spectroscopy, which can be explained by strain induced modi- fications both in the (microscopic) V3d orbitals and in the geometry of mesoscopic metallic domains. On the other hand, ultrafast studies which track, with femtosecond resolution, the electronic and structural dynamics of VO2 thin films following THz excitation reveal a delay in the onset of the structural response with respect to the electronic one, lending support to the correlation rather than Peierls driven picture of the IMT in this material. As for V2O3, the IMT is seen to occur via nucleation and growth of metallic domains, as previously reported in VO2. However, a scaling of the photoinduced conductivity dynamics rise time is further identified, which reveals the temperature and fluence dependence of the nucleation and growth process. Finally, strained NdNiO3 films exhibit a two step dynamical conductivity response following optical excitation, different from that of the vanadates with which they share a complex, albeit more tunable, phase diagram. This hints at a significant role being played by the magnetic structure during the IMT in NdNiO3.

Dans cette étude, nous proposons des procédures basées sur des calculs informatiques et des modèles théoriques qui peuvent être utilisés pour prévoir le comportement de certains matériaux membranaires d'intérêt pour les applications de séparation de gaz. En particulier, nous nous sommes concentrés sur: i) des alliages VNiTi de structure cubique centrée, considérés comme de nouveaux matériaux pour les membranes denses sélectives à H2 et ii) sur des matériaux poreux cristallins qui sont des systèmes attractifs pour la séparation de gaz légers tels que H2, O2, CO, CO2, CH4 et N2. Les deux groupes de matériaux sont traités en utilisant une méthodologie différente, adaptée aux besoins des recherches associées à ces matériaux.Dans le cas des membranes métalliques denses, nous nous sommes intéressés à la controverse, connue de longue date, concernant l'occupation de l'hydrogène interstitiel dans les alliages à base de vanadium. Le système V-Ni-Ti est en effet particulièrement intéressant grâce à sa perméabilité élevée pour H2 et à ses propriétés mécaniques accrues par rapport au vanadium pur. Ce travail cible la compréhension de la structure ces alliages à l'échelle atomique, de façon à les optimiser et à activer la conception et le développement de ces matériaux comme nouvelles membranes pour la séparation de H2. Notre approche, basées sur les premiers principes, donne un aperçu des sites préférentiels de l'hydrogène et évalue le rôle des solutés de substitution Ti et Ni, sur l'affinité d'absorption de l'hydrogène. La méthode basée sur la théorie de la fonctionnelle de la densité (DFT) ne nécessite aucune donnée expérimentale autre que l'information sur la structure cristalline. En outre, cette méthode n’utilise aucun paramètre empirique ou d’ajustement, contrairement à d'autres techniques de calcul. Ainsi, cette approche est une voie alternative pour explorer de nouveaux alliages métalliques utilisables comme membranes de séparation de H2. La méthodologie appliquée pourra être utilisé ensuite dans des calculs à haut débit pour cribler diverses compositions d'alliage. Les résultats reportés ici seront utilisés comme guide pour adapter la formulation des solutions solides VNiTi et préparer des membranes en alliage denses à faible coût (par rapport aux membranes à base de palladium) dans le cadre d’autres projets (e.g. Projet Européen FP7- DEMCAMER).Dans le cadre de notre étude sur les membranes cristallines microporeuses, nous démontrons comment les données sur un composant unique peuvent être utilisées pour prédire la sélectivité idéale de ces membranes envers les gaz légers. Des modèles théoriques sont ainsi proposés pour décrire les propriétés de séparation de gaz de matériaux de type zéolithiques (« zeotypes ») en fonction de leurs paramètres structuraux et des conditions de fonctionnement. Les paramètres du modèle peuvent être obtenus expérimentalement ainsi que par le calcul. Afin d’analyser le degré de validité et les limites des modèles, les sélectivités idéales de deux membranes zéolithes classiquement étudiées (NaA, CaA) et d’une membrane MOF (ZIF-8) ont été évaluées. Les résultats démontrent que les expressions théoriques peuvent être utilisées pour le criblage de séries de matériaux microporeux cristallins sous réserve que des données fiables sur l'adsorption de gaz purs soient disponibles pour ces matériaux. Cependant, étant donné que les modèles n’intègrent pas tous les paramètres (notamment liés au design des membranes) et mécanismes impliqués dans le transport de gaz à travers ces membranes, les prédictions doivent être considérées comme celles correspondant à un cas idéal. / In this study, we propose procedures based on computational calculations and theoretical models that can be used to predict the behaviour of some of the membrane materials of interest for gas separation applications. In particular, we focus on: i) body-centred cubic VNiTi alloys as novel materials for H2-selective dense membranes and ii) crystalline porous materials that are attractive media for separation of light gases such as H2, O2, CO, CO2, CH4 and N2. These two types of materials are treated using different methodologies, adapted to the needs of our research objectives associated to each material.In the case of dense metal membranes, the long-standing controversy over occupancy of interstitial hydrogen in V-based alloys is addressed. The V-Ni-Ti system is of particular interest here, exhibiting high H2 permeability and improved mechanical properties relative to pure V. This work intends to gain understanding of hydrogen-metal interactions as function of alloy composition and thereby to optimize these new materials and advance their development as novel membranes for H2 separation. We use a first-principles approach that gives insights into the sites preference of hydrogen and assesses the role of Ti and Ni substitutional solutes for the hydrogen absorption affinity. The method based on Density Functional Theory requires no experimental input except crystal structure information. Furthermore, it uses no empirical or fitting parameters in contrast to other computational techniques. Hence this approach provides an alternative way to explore new metal alloys for H2 separation membranes. The applied methodology can be used further in high-throughput calculations to screen various alloy compositions. The hereto-reported results will be used as guidance for tailoring the formulation of VNiTi solid solutions and preparation of low cost dense alloy membranes in the frame of other projects (e.g. European DEMCAMER project).Further, we explore how single-component inputs can be used to forecast the ideal selectivity towards light gases of crystalline porous materials, used for membrane preparation. Theoretical models for describing gas separation properties of zeotype materials as function of structural characteristics and operation conditions are proposed. The model parameters can be obtained as experimentally as well as computationally. To analyse the extent of validity and limitations of the models, ideal selectivities of few crystalline porous materials are evaluated, including widely used zeolites (NaA, CaA) and a metal organic framework structure (ZIF-8). The results verified that the theoretical expressions could be used for screening series of zeotype materials when reliable single gas adsorption data are available. However, since the models don’t take into account all parameters (namely related to the membrane design) and mechanisms involved in gas transport through porous membranes, their predictions should be considered as values referring to an ideal case.

Background Vanadium is an economically important mineral that is mined and processed at several international locations, including South Africa and the USA. Vanadium exists in several oxidative states, of which the pentavalent compounds are usually the most toxic. Vanadium pentoxide (V205) is pentavalent and is generated during various processing and metal alloy manufacturing processes. Occupational exposure may occur via inhalation of V205 fumes and particles, resulting primarily in adverse effects to the respiratory system. Currently, there is no evidence that vanadium is carcinogenic in humans, and it has never been reported in exposed humans. The International Agency for Research in Cancer (IARC) has classified V205 as possibly carcinogenic to humans, based on the increased incidence of bronchiolo-alveolar neo¬plasms observed in male and female mice and male rats in a study by the National Toxicology Program (NTP) of the US Department of Health and Human Services. The NTP study has prompted the international vanadium industry, embodied by Vanitec, the international association of vanadium producers, to request an epidemiological study with the aim of determining the potential association between cancer and occupational V205 exposure. Aim The aim of the study was to conduct a pilot retrospective case-control study to investigate the relationship between cumulative occupational exposure to V2O5 and the risk of developing cancer at two representative vanadium processing plants, one in SA and one in the USA. Methods All cases and controls were sourced from the industry’s current and past employee corps. Employees that could potentially have been exposed to V2O5 in the workplace for a period of at least 5 years were included in the study. Ethics approval for the study was obtained from the Ethics Committee of the University of Pretoria. Participation was on a voluntary basis, and all potentially eligible current workers were invited to participate. As many retirees and former employees as possible were traced and invited to participate, and eligible deceased employees that conformed to the inclusion and exclusion criteria were identified from lists provided by the companies involved. Potential participants were asked to grant informed consent to participate in the study. Health and lifestyle information, information on fuel use in the family home, and a personal job history were obtained by use of a structured questionnaire during a personal interview with a trained interviewer. Interviews were conducted from April to July 2004. The main inclusion criterion for both cases and controls was current or previous employment at the South African, or the USA vanadium processing facility included in the study. The disease case definition was histologically confirmed cancer. Exclusion criteria were: refusal of interview; less than 5 years in employment when V2O5 was produced at the plant; cause of death not ascertained, employment elsewhere in the vanadium industry, and exposure to a known carcinogenic agent during a period of employment elsewhere. Males and females were included and participants were not excluded on the basis of race or ethnicity. Employees of all ages were eligible. Exposure assessment at both plants was based on recorded V2O5 concentrations in personal air samples, the participant’s job history, the history of vanadium processing, the physical structure and work organisation at the processing plants. Historical V2O5 concentrations in air in the workplace were retrospectively estimated for those periods during which personal air sampling was not conducted. Historical concentrations were estimated by extrapolation from current (known) air concentrations, in conjunction with data on annual production volumes, personal experiences of occupational hygienists and plant managers at the plant, and historical records of plant upgrades, controls on emissions, changes in production processes and industrial incidents and accidents, where available at the plants. Exposure was expressed as the cumulative exposure (mg-years/m3) and the mean air concentration (mg/m3) of V2O5 to which participants had been exposed. Study participants were also classified into exposure categories based on their mean exposure concentrations. Results In total, 196 questionnaires were collected from eligible participants. The majority (94.4 per cent) were males. Smoking and the consumption of alcohol was fairly common amongst the study group, with 61 per cent of the participants being current or previous smokers, and 59.5 per cent indicating that they were drinking alcoholic drinks or beverages. The mean age (± SD) of the study group was 52.4 ± 10.2. The annual mean exposure of the study group during the period of employment was 0.02 ± 0.03 mg/m3 V2O5, and the mean cumulative exposure to V2O5 was 0.17 ± 0.46 mg-years/m3. Four (4) cancer cases were confirmed at the South African plant, and 6 at the USA plant: four adenocarcinomas (three each in the prostate and one in the colon); three squamous cell carcinomas (two each in the lung and one skin cancer); one renal cell cancer of the kidney, one seminoma of the testis, and one papillary urothelial cancer of the bladder. The occurrence of prostate and lung cancers were not unusual, giving the presence of risk factors such as relatively advanced age (for prostate cancer) and smoking (for lung cancer). The other types of cancer, and the ages at which cancer was most frequently diagnosed (the mean age at diagnosis of cancer was 58.5) were not remarkably different from those that were prominent in the cancer literature. An unusual cluster of specific types of cancer, or of any prominent and unusual organ involvement not associated with known non-occupational risk factors, was therefore not found in the case group. Conclusion The results of this study fail to indicate a statistically significant association between cancer and various indices of exposure to vanadium pentoxide. This conclusion is subject to a number of limitations and uncertainties arising from the small number of cases available for study, and limited follow-up of some participants. The potential association between exposure and cancer should be tested in a larger study group with more cancer cases, allowing more powerful statistical analyses, ideally multivariate logistic regression analysis. The study has confirmed the feasibility of the retrospective assessment of exposure to vanadium compounds in the vanadium processing industry, providing that the processing plant history covers detail of processing methodologies, physical structures, production volumes and work organisation, and providing that a detailed job history should be available for all potential participants. Confirmation of the cause of death and cancer status of previous employees was not practical in the South African scenario. An open case-control design nested in a prospective cohort should be more successful in the South African scenario, but also more expensive and results will only be available after an extended follow-up period. In the USA scenario tracing of previous employees, and access to cancer registries and death certificates should be more practical, and a retrospective case-control study should be possible. Copyright / Dissertation (MSc)--University of Pretoria, 2010. / School of Health Systems and Public Health (SHSPH) / Unrestricted