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Abstract This study was part of a project targeted at developing chemical sensors for organic cations and metal ions by exploiting the interactions between cations and anionic borate derivatives. As well, the chemical synthesis of thiophene monomers with charged or neutral ion-recognition sites was investigated. The primary task in the first part of the work was to prepare anionic receptor molecules based on synthesized borate derivatives and study their complexation with N-heteroaromatic and tropylium cations. The complexation was studied in solution by 1H NMR and ESIMS techniques and in solid state by X-ray crystallography. Crystal structures showed evidence of weak noncovalent interactions–hydrogen bonding, cation···π interactions, and π-stacking. In addition, the crystal structure of the alkali metal complex of tris[3-(2-pyridyl)pyrazolyl]hydroborate was determined. Stability constants of borate complexes were measured by 1H NMR titration in methanol/acetonitrile (1:1) solution at 30 °C. Various derivatives of aromatic borate anions synthesized within this project, some commercially available derivatives, and two neutral carriers containing aromatic anthryl groups were also studied as recognition sites for aromatic cations where N-methylpyridinium was used as primary ion in PVC membrane-based all-solid-state ion sensors. The results showed that borate derivatives offer new possibilities for molecular recognition by ion-selective electrodes (ISEs). The aim of the second part of the study was to develop chemical ion sensor materials where the ion-recognition unit and the charge-compensating ion are covalently coupled to the backbone of a conductive polymer. Sulfonated thiophenes were used as doping ions for the fabrication of Ag+-ISEs. More than 15 differently substituted monomers were synthesized. The materials differed with respect to the receptor unit, extent of oxidation, counteranion, and length of the chain.

Magister Scientiae Dentium - MSc(Dent) (Paediatric Dentistry) / The use of glass ionomer cement (GIC) restorative materials assists in the prevention of dental caries due to its long-term fluoride release. However, poor physical strength is one of the main drawbacks of GIC. A surface coating is recommended to improve the physical strength and is considered necessary during the overlapping stages of setting reactions of GIC restorative materials. The development of resin based coatings has improved the properties of the material but the effect on fluoride release needs investigation.

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Made available in DSpace on 2014-10-09T12:38:53Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 / Made available in DSpace on 2014-10-09T14:01:57Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 02809.pdf: 6234365 bytes, checksum: 25107a337d71b51089353992495839d5 (MD5) / Dissertacao (Mestrado) / IPEN/D / Instituto de Pesquisas Energeticas e Nucleares - IPEN/CNEN-SP

Neste trabalho são apresentados resultados relacionados à determinação de nitrato, nitrito e amônio por técnicas eletroquímicas. Para a determinação de nitrato foi utilizada uma lâmina de cobre cuja superfície é renovada continuamente empregando um processo de ativação (oxidação do cobre e subseqüente redução de íons Cu(II)) com potencial controlado em sistema FIA. As condições ótimas foram alcançadas por meio de 60 s para a etapa de ativação, vazão do transportador 3,0 mL min-1 e volume de amostra 150 µL. A repetibilidade foi estimada em 4,7% (n=9) com freqüência de amostragem de 60 amostras h-1. Trabalhando nas condições otimizadas um aumento na concentração de nitrato gerou um aumento proporcional na corrente, resultando em curva analítica em um intervalo de 0,1 2,5 mmol L-1 (-Ip (µA) = 0,13 + 4,6 [NO3-] (mmol L-1), R2 = 0,9991). Os limites de detecção e quantificação foram estimados em 4,2 (S/N = 3) e 14 (S/N = 10) µmol L-1, respectivamente. O mesmo sensor foi utilizado para determinações de nitrito por voltametria de pulso diferencial e a otimização dos parâmetros relativos ao processo de ativação (tempos de dissolução e redeposição) foi efetuada com o intuito de aumentar a sensibilidade. As condições ótimas foram de 30 s para a etapa de ativação, com uma repetibilidade de 1,9% (n=10), e o aumento nas concentrações de nitrito gerou um aumento proporcional na corrente, resultando em curva analítica em um intervalo de 50 µmol L-1 - 1,44 mmol L-1 (-Ip (µA) = -0,13 + 53,52 [NO2-] (mmol L-1 ), R2 = 0,9996). Os limites de detecção e quantificação foram estimados em 2,8 (S/N = 3) e 9,4 (S/N = 10) µmol L-1, respectivamente. O estudo da morfologia da superfície do eletrodo de cobre durante o processo de ativação foi realizado por AFM com o objetivo de compreender o impacto das mudanças microestruturais no sinal de corrente para nitrato e nitrito. Os resultados indicam que após a ativação do eletrodo a superfície apresenta cristais com uma textura rugosa e ocorre aumento da área superficial, justificando o aumento de sinal de corrente. Para a determinação de amônio foram fabricados eletrodos íon seletivo (ISE) com membrana polimérica de forma tubular, os quais foram acoplados em um sistema de injeção em fluxo. A influência de parâmetros como vazão do transportador e alça de amostragem foi investigada e melhores resultados foram obtidos em 0,5 mL min-1 e 250 µL, respectivamente. Nas condições otimizadas a repetibilidade das determinações foi de 1,3 % (n=10) com freqüência de amostragem de 13 amostras h-1. Tendo em conta as otimizações do sistema FIA, injeções sucessivas de soluções de amônio com concentrações crescentes permitiram obter uma reta com coeficiente angular de 51,2 mV (R2 = 0,9836) no intervalo de 0,2 5 mg L-1. Os limites de detecção foram calculados em 0,05 mg L-1, respectivamente. / This paper presents results related to the determination of nitrate, nitrite and ammonium by electrochemical techniques. A copper electrode whose surface is continuously renewed using an activation process with controlled potential in a FIA system was used for nitrate determinations. The optimum conditions were achieved by an activation step of 60 s, carrier stream of 3.0 mL min-1 and sample volume of 150 µL. The repeatability was estimated as 4.7% (n = 9) with a sampling frequency of 60 samples h-1. At these optimized experimental conditions an increase in nitrate concentration caused a proportional increase in current, resulting in an analytical curve in the range from 0.1 to 2.5 mmol L-1 (-Ip (µA) = 0.13 + 4.6 [NO3-] (mmol L-1), R2 = 0.9991). The limits of detection and quantification were estimated as 4.2 (S/N = 3) and 14 (S/N = 10) µmol L-1, respectively. The same sensor was used for the determination of nitrite by differential pulse voltammetry and the optimization of the parameters involved in the activation process (dissolution and redeposition time) was performed in order to increase the sensitivity. Optimum conditions were established at 30 s for the activation step, with a repeatability of 1.9% (n = 10) and increased concentrations of nitrite generated a proportional increase in current, resulting in an analytical curve in the range from 50 µmol L-1 to 1.44 mmol L-1 (-Ip (µA) = -0.13 + 53.52 [NO2-] (mmol L-1), R2 = 0.9996). The limits of detection and quantification were estimated as 2.8 (S/N = 3) and 9.4 (S/N = 10) µmol L-1, respectively. The study of the morphology of the copper electrode surface upon the activation process was performed by AFM in order to understand the influence of microstructural changes in the current signal for nitrate and nitrite. The results indicated that after the activation the electrode surface presented a rough texture with a concurrent increase in the surface area, justifying the current increase. Ion-selective eletrodes (ISE) with a polymeric membrane in a tubular shape were fabricated for the determination of ammonium in a flow injection system. The influence of parameters such as the carrier stream and the sample volume was investigated and best results were obtained at 0.5 mL min-1 and 250 mL, respectively. Under optimum conditions the repeatability of the determinations was 1.3% (n = 10) with a sampling frequency of 13 samples h-1. Taking into account the optimization of the FIA system, successive injections of solutions with increasing concentrations of ammonium yielded a straight line with slope of 51.2 mV (R2 = 0.9836) in the range 0.2 to 5 mg L-1. The limits of detection were calculated as 0.05 mg L-1, respectively

Neste trabalho são apresentados resultados relacionados à determinação de nitrato, nitrito e amônio por técnicas eletroquímicas. Para a determinação de nitrato foi utilizada uma lâmina de cobre cuja superfície é renovada continuamente empregando um processo de ativação (oxidação do cobre e subseqüente redução de íons Cu(II)) com potencial controlado em sistema FIA. As condições ótimas foram alcançadas por meio de 60 s para a etapa de ativação, vazão do transportador 3,0 mL min-1 e volume de amostra 150 µL. A repetibilidade foi estimada em 4,7% (n=9) com freqüência de amostragem de 60 amostras h-1. Trabalhando nas condições otimizadas um aumento na concentração de nitrato gerou um aumento proporcional na corrente, resultando em curva analítica em um intervalo de 0,1 2,5 mmol L-1 (-Ip (µA) = 0,13 + 4,6 [NO3-] (mmol L-1), R2 = 0,9991). Os limites de detecção e quantificação foram estimados em 4,2 (S/N = 3) e 14 (S/N = 10) µmol L-1, respectivamente. O mesmo sensor foi utilizado para determinações de nitrito por voltametria de pulso diferencial e a otimização dos parâmetros relativos ao processo de ativação (tempos de dissolução e redeposição) foi efetuada com o intuito de aumentar a sensibilidade. As condições ótimas foram de 30 s para a etapa de ativação, com uma repetibilidade de 1,9% (n=10), e o aumento nas concentrações de nitrito gerou um aumento proporcional na corrente, resultando em curva analítica em um intervalo de 50 µmol L-1 - 1,44 mmol L-1 (-Ip (µA) = -0,13 + 53,52 [NO2-] (mmol L-1 ), R2 = 0,9996). Os limites de detecção e quantificação foram estimados em 2,8 (S/N = 3) e 9,4 (S/N = 10) µmol L-1, respectivamente. O estudo da morfologia da superfície do eletrodo de cobre durante o processo de ativação foi realizado por AFM com o objetivo de compreender o impacto das mudanças microestruturais no sinal de corrente para nitrato e nitrito. Os resultados indicam que após a ativação do eletrodo a superfície apresenta cristais com uma textura rugosa e ocorre aumento da área superficial, justificando o aumento de sinal de corrente. Para a determinação de amônio foram fabricados eletrodos íon seletivo (ISE) com membrana polimérica de forma tubular, os quais foram acoplados em um sistema de injeção em fluxo. A influência de parâmetros como vazão do transportador e alça de amostragem foi investigada e melhores resultados foram obtidos em 0,5 mL min-1 e 250 µL, respectivamente. Nas condições otimizadas a repetibilidade das determinações foi de 1,3 % (n=10) com freqüência de amostragem de 13 amostras h-1. Tendo em conta as otimizações do sistema FIA, injeções sucessivas de soluções de amônio com concentrações crescentes permitiram obter uma reta com coeficiente angular de 51,2 mV (R2 = 0,9836) no intervalo de 0,2 5 mg L-1. Os limites de detecção foram calculados em 0,05 mg L-1, respectivamente. / This paper presents results related to the determination of nitrate, nitrite and ammonium by electrochemical techniques. A copper electrode whose surface is continuously renewed using an activation process with controlled potential in a FIA system was used for nitrate determinations. The optimum conditions were achieved by an activation step of 60 s, carrier stream of 3.0 mL min-1 and sample volume of 150 µL. The repeatability was estimated as 4.7% (n = 9) with a sampling frequency of 60 samples h-1. At these optimized experimental conditions an increase in nitrate concentration caused a proportional increase in current, resulting in an analytical curve in the range from 0.1 to 2.5 mmol L-1 (-Ip (µA) = 0.13 + 4.6 [NO3-] (mmol L-1), R2 = 0.9991). The limits of detection and quantification were estimated as 4.2 (S/N = 3) and 14 (S/N = 10) µmol L-1, respectively. The same sensor was used for the determination of nitrite by differential pulse voltammetry and the optimization of the parameters involved in the activation process (dissolution and redeposition time) was performed in order to increase the sensitivity. Optimum conditions were established at 30 s for the activation step, with a repeatability of 1.9% (n = 10) and increased concentrations of nitrite generated a proportional increase in current, resulting in an analytical curve in the range from 50 µmol L-1 to 1.44 mmol L-1 (-Ip (µA) = -0.13 + 53.52 [NO2-] (mmol L-1), R2 = 0.9996). The limits of detection and quantification were estimated as 2.8 (S/N = 3) and 9.4 (S/N = 10) µmol L-1, respectively. The study of the morphology of the copper electrode surface upon the activation process was performed by AFM in order to understand the influence of microstructural changes in the current signal for nitrate and nitrite. The results indicated that after the activation the electrode surface presented a rough texture with a concurrent increase in the surface area, justifying the current increase. Ion-selective eletrodes (ISE) with a polymeric membrane in a tubular shape were fabricated for the determination of ammonium in a flow injection system. The influence of parameters such as the carrier stream and the sample volume was investigated and best results were obtained at 0.5 mL min-1 and 250 mL, respectively. Under optimum conditions the repeatability of the determinations was 1.3% (n = 10) with a sampling frequency of 13 samples h-1. Taking into account the optimization of the FIA system, successive injections of solutions with increasing concentrations of ammonium yielded a straight line with slope of 51.2 mV (R2 = 0.9836) in the range 0.2 to 5 mg L-1. The limits of detection were calculated as 0.05 mg L-1, respectively

The focus of this project was to investigate the use of interdigitated electrodes (IDEs) as impedimetric ion-selective chemical sensors for the determination of several important analytes found within a freshwater aquarium. The overall aim of this research was to work towards a prototype sensing device that could eventually be developed into a commercial product for sale to aquarium owners. Polyvinyl chloride and sol-gels containing commercially-available ionophores for four aquarium-significant ions (NH4+, NO2-, NO3- and pH) were prepared and investigated for use within polymeric ion-selective membranes. Three separate IDE transducers were produced using either photolithography or screen-printing microfabrication techniques. A sinusoidal voltage was applied to the IDEs and an LCR meter was used to measure changes in the conductance and capacitance of the ion-selective membrane layer deposited over the electrode digits. Each ionophore, when tested within potentiometric ion-selective electrodes (ISEs), was found to be suitable for further investigation within IDE devices. Sol-gels were investigated as a potential membrane material for a coated wire electrode; however, poor response characteristics were observed. An IDE sensor fabricated in-house using lift-off photolithography and spin-coated with a polymeric membrane was found to produce non-selective responses caused by changes in the conductivity of the test solution. IDE devices with reduced geometric parameters were purchased and coated with a selective polymeric membrane. When the membrane was spin-coated, non-selective responses were observed; therefore, drop-coating of the membrane material was investigated. This initially resulted in an unacceptably long response time; however, this effect was reduced by decreasing the membrane solution viscosity prior to drop-coating. A fully-screen printed carbon IDE device was fabricated by incorporating the ionophore into a support matrix based on a commercial dielectric paste. Matrix interferences to the sensor response were reduced by printing ‘build-up’ layers over the sensing area prior to the ion-selective membrane. Two novel routes for monitoring the water quality of an aquarium, using IDE sensors fabricated by either photolithography or screen-printing, have been demonstrated. Due to the commercial aspect of this project, it is important to consider the final cost of producing these sensors. Both of the techniques used to produce ion-selective sensors require further experimentation to optimise the sensor response, prior to integration within a multi-analyte sensing prototype.