In Sweden, among other countries, a deep multi-barrier geological repository, KBS-3, is planned for the burial of nuclear waste. One of the barriers is identified as the grantic bedrock itself and in this environment chlorite is present at surfaces in fracture zones. This thesis is focused on characterisation of chlorite samples and studies of their dissolution and sorption behaviour, in order to verify chlorites capacity to retard possible radionuclide migration in the case of leaking canisters. Chlorite dissolution of has been studied in the pH interval 2-12, and as expected the dissolution is highest at acidic pH and at most alkaline pH, whereas dissolution is lowest at near neutral pH values. Chemical and physical properties of chlorites clearly influence the dissolution rates, and at steady-state dissolution rates in the interval 10-12 ‑ 10-13 mol g-1 s-1 was observed. Sorption studies were performed since Ni(II) is one of the important activation products in spent nuclear fuel and sorption data on minerals like chlorite are lacking. Ni(II) sorption onto chlorite was studied using batch technique as a function of; pH, concentration of Ni(II), ionic strength and solid concentrations. As expected, the sorption of Ni(II) onto chlorite was pH dependent, but not ionic strength dependent, with a sorption maximum at pH ~ 8, and with a Kd of ~ 103 cm3/g. This confirms that the Ni(II) sorption onto chlorite is primarily acting through surface complexation. The acid-base properties were determined by titrations and described by a non-electrostatical surface complexation model in FITEQL. Further, the sorption results were fit with a 2-pK NEM model and three surface complexes, Chl_OHNi2+, Chl_OHNi(OH)+ and Chl_OHNi(OH)2, gave the best fit using FITEQL. / Sverige är ett av de länder som planerar ett geologiskt slutförvar kallad KBS-3, bestående av ett antal barriärer, för placering utav det använda kärnbränslet. En av dessa barriärer är identifierad som själva berggrunden där det tilltänkta förvaret kommer att byggas och i denna miljö förekommer klorit på granitytor i sprickzoner. Denna doktorsavhandling karakteriserar kloriter och studerar deras upplösnings- och sorptionsbeetende, för att kunna bestämma huruvida kloriter är utav betydelse som naturlig barriär för eventuell radionuklidtransport från det använda kärnbränslet. Upplösning av klorit har undersökts i pH intervallet 2-12 och graden av upplösningen är som förväntat högst vid sura respektive mest basiska pH och lägst där pH är neutralt. Denna studie bekräftar att den kemiska sammansättning och de fysikaliska egenskaper hos kloriterna påverkar upplösningshastigheterna och vid steady‑state har upplösningshastighet bestämts till 10-12 ‑ 10-13 mol g-1 s-1. Sorptionsstudier genomfördes då Ni(II) är en viktig aktiveringsprodukt och data rörande Ni(II) sorption till klorit saknas. Ni(II) sorption till klorit har studerats i; varierande pH, olika initiala Ni(II) koncentrationen, olika jonstyrka och olika fastfas förhållanden där individuella satser i serie har nyttjats. Som förväntat är sorptionen av Ni(II) till klorit pH beroende men inte jonstyrkeberoende och ett sorpions maximum observerades vid pH ~ 8, med ett Kd‑värde på ~ 103 cm3/g. Från detta dras slutsatsen att sorptionen av Ni(II) till klorit sker mestadels genom ytkomplexering. Syra-bas egenskaperna hos kloriterna bestämdes genom titreringar och bekrevs med en icke‑elektrostatisk modell i FITEQL. Vidare har passning av sorptionsresultaten utförts med en 2-pK NEM-modell och tre ytkomplex, Chl_OHNi2+, Chl_OHNi(OH)+ och Chl_OHNi(OH)2, vilket gav den bästa passningen av data med FITEQL. / QC 20100819

This thesis is mainly focused on the reactions of oxo-pyrimidines and oxo-imidazoles with nitric acid in sulfuric acid and properties of the gem-dinitro products formed in this process. Low temperature nitrations of 2-methylimidazoles produced – in addition to the known 2-methyl-5(4)-nitroimidazole – 2-(dinitromethylene)-5,5-dinitro-4-imidazolidinone and parabanic acid. This tetranitro compound was also obtained via nitration of 2-methyl-4,4-dihydro-(1H)-5- imidazolone. Thermal decomposition of 2-(dinitromethylene)-5,5-dinitro-4-imidazolidinone yielded 2-(dinitromethylene)-4,5-imidazolidinedione, which also was the product from the nitration of the new compound 2-methoxy-2-methyl-4,5-imidazolidienedione. Treatment of 2- (dinitromethylene)-5,5-dinitro-4-imidazolidinone with aqueous ammonia resulted in the previously unknown 1,1-diamino-2,2-dinitroethylene (Paper I). The nitration of some 2-substituted pyrimidine-4,6-diones in sulfuric acid, which afforded previously unknown 5,5-gem-dinitro-pyrimidine-4,6-diones in high yields, was studied. Alloxane was prepared in a one-step procedure by thermal decomposition of 5,5-dinitrobarbituric acid in hot acetic acid. The gem-dinitro products were found to be easily attacked by nucleophiles with concomitant formation of gem-dinitroacetyl derivatives, which in turn could be further hydrolysed to salts of dinitromethane and triureas (Papers II and III). Nitration of 4,6-dihydroxypyrimidine in sulfuric acid yielded nitroform as the sole product. This behaviour was tentatively explained by the formation of an intermediate, 5,5-dinitro-4,6- dihydroxypyrimidine, which underwent hydrolysis in the nitrating acid into gem-dinitroacetyl formamidine. This compound was further nitrated in the same reaction mixture into trinitroacetylformamidine, which finally underwent hydrolytic cleavage into nitroform. It was also demonstrated that gem-dinitroacetylureas could produce nitroform upon nitration. The structures of the proposed trinitroacetylureas were confirmed by the isolation of one of their derivatives (Paper IV). / QC 20100907

Potential electrolytes for dye-sensitized photoelectrochemical solar cells have been synthesized and their applicability has been investigated. Different experimental techniques were used in order to characterize the synthesized electrolytes, such as elemental analysis, electrospray ionisation/mass spectrometry, cyclic voltammetry, dynamic viscosity measurements, as well as impedance, Raman and NMR spectroscopy. Some crystal structures were characterized by using single crystal X-ray diffraction. In order to verify the eligibility of the ionic compounds as electrolytes for photoelectrochemical solar cells, photocurrent density/photovoltage and incident photon-to-current conversion efficiency measurements were performed, using different kinds of light sources as solar simulators. In electron kinetic studies, the electron transport times in the solar cells were investigated by using intensitymodulated photocurrent and photovoltage spectroscopy. The accumulated charge present in the semiconductor was studied in photocurrent transient measurements. The ionic liquids were successfully used as solar cell electrolytes, especially those originating from the diethyl and dibutyl-alkylsulphonium iodides. The highest overall conversion efficiency of almost 4 % was achieved by a dye-sensitized, nanocrystalline solar cell using (Bu2MeS)I:I2 (100:1) as electrolyte (Air Mass 1.5 spectrum at 100 W m-2), quite compatible with the standard efficiencies provided by organic solvent-containing cells. Several solar cells with iodine-doped metal-iodidebased electrolytes reached stable efficiencies over 2 %. The (Bu2MeS)I:I2-containing cells showed better long-term stabilities than the organic solvent-based cells, and provided the fastest electron transports as well as the highest charge accumulation. Several polypyridyl-ruthenium complexes were tested as solar cell sensitizers. No general improvements could be observed according to the addition of amphiphilic co-adsorbents to the dyes or nanopartices of titanium dioxide to the electrolytes. For ionic liquid-containing solar cells, a saturation phenomena in the short-circuit current densities emerged at increased light intensities, probably due to inherent material transport limitation within the systems. Some iodoargentates and -cuprates were structurally characterized, consisting of monomeric or polymeric entities with anionic networks or layers. A system of metal iodide crownether complexes were employed and tested as electrolytes in photoelectrochemical solar cells, though with poorer results. Also, the crystal structure of a copper-iodide-(12-crown-4) complex has been characterized / QC 20101013

In the last decades several new nanostructures of carbon have been discovered, including carbon nanotubes (CNTs), and the recently discovered 2-dimensional graphene. These new materials exhibit extraordinary and unique properties—making them extremely interesting both for fundamental science and for future applications. It is, however, of crucial importance to develop new and improved fabrication and processing methods for these carbon nanomaterials. In this thesis the concept of applying solution chemistry and solution-based techniques to fabricate and to deposit graphene and other carbon nanomaterials is explored. An area-selective deposition method was developed for CNT and carbon-coated iron nanoparticles. By utilizing organic functionalization the properties of the nanomaterials were tuned, with the purpose to make them soluble in a liquid solvent and also enable them to selectively adsorb to non-polar surfaces. The first step of the functionalization process was an acid treatment, to introduce defects in the materials. This method was also used to create defects in so-called carbon nanosheets (CNS). The effect of the defect formation on the electric properties of the graphene-like CNS was studied; it was found that the resistance of the CNS could be reduced to 1/50 by acid treating of the sample. Also, the effect of the created defects on gas adsorption to the surface of the CNS has been investigated. This was done using atomic layer deposition (ALD) of TiO2 on the CNS, and a clear change in nucleation be-havior was seen due to the acid-treatment. Furthermore, a solution-based new method for fabrication of graphene was developed; this method combines intercalation of bromine into graphite with ultrasonic treatment to exfoliate flakes into a solvent. From the solvent the flakes can be deposited onto an arbitrary substrate. Several important parameters in the method were investigated in order to optimize the process. One important parameter proved to be the choice of solvent in all steps of the procedure; it was shown to influence sonication yield, flake size, and deposition results. Toluene was identified as a suitable solvent. A mild heat-treatment of the starting material was also identified as a way to increase the exfoliation yield. Using this method, fabrication of few-layer graphene sheets was achieved and areas down to 3 layers in thickness were identified—this is in the very forefront of current solution-based graphene fabrication techniques.

The secondary structure of peptides is of pivotal importance for their biological function. The introduction of photoswitchable moieties into the backbones of peptides provides a unique way of regulating their conformation using an external stimulus, i.e., light. This thesis addresses the design, synthesis, and conformational analysis of photoswitchable peptidomimetics (PSPM). Examples of photomodulation of their functional properties are given. PSPM were prepared by incorporation of stilbene and thioaurone chromophores (switches) into dipeptides. Synthetic schemes for preparing these chromophores have been developed. Their suitability for incorporation into peptidomimetics has been demonstrated, and the resulting PSPM have been subjected to photoisomerization as well as computational and spectroscopic conformational analysis. The chromophore’s potential as a β-hairpin inducer was particularly interesting. To investigate the factors that govern the formation of β-hairpins, a series of decapeptides were prepared. Turn regions consisting of amino acids or chromophores were combined with antiparallel peptide strands with hydrophobic side chains. Linear tryptophan zipper peptidomimetics and cyclic peptidomimetics with a second, hairpin-inducing turn region were particularly promising. Comparison between switches revealed that the more flexible stilbene is a better choice for upholding the β-hairpin conformation than the thioaurone. The catalytic properties of an artificial hydrolase with a helix-loop-helix structure can be improved by introducing a stilbene photoswitch into the loop region. Photoisomerization regulates the catalytic activity of this peptidomimetic, and provides a means to control its aggregation state. The activity of the enzyme Mycobacterium tuberculosis ribonucleotide reductase was realized by incorporating a stilbene moiety into a linear peptide. Here, one photoisomer proved to be an inhibitor at nM concentrations. A significantly lower effect was observed for the other isomer. Finally, the decomposition of thioaurones, mainly to thioflavonols and thiaindenes, under conditions used for solid-phase peptide synthesis has been mapped. These findings are expected to have implications for future use of this chromophore.

Liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (LC‐MS) has due to its superiorresolving capabilities become one of the most common analytical instruments fordetermining the constituents in an unknown sample. Each type of sample requires a specificset‐up of the instrument parameters, a procedure referred to as method development.During the requisite experiments, a huge amount of data is acquired which often need to bescrutinised in several different ways. This thesis elucidates data processing methods forhandling this type of data in an automated fashion.The properties of different commonly used digital filters were compared for LC‐MS datade‐noising, of which one was later selected as an essential data processing step during adeveloped peak detection step. Reconstructed data was further discriminated into clusterswith equal retention times into components by an adopted method. This enabled anunsupervised and accurate comparison and matching routine by which components fromthe same sample could be tracked during different chromatographic conditions.The results show that the characteristics of the noise have an impact on the performanceof the tested digital filters. Peak detection with the proposed method was robust to thetested noise and baseline variations but functioned optimally when the analytical peaks hada frequency band different from the uninformative parts of the signal. The algorithm couldeasily be tuned to handle adjacent peaks with lower resolution. It was possible to assignpeaks into components without typical rotational and intensity ambiguities associated tocommon curve resolution methods, which are an alternative approach. The underlyingfunctions for matching components between different experiments yielded satisfactoryresults. The methods have been tested on various experimental data with a high successrate. / De analysinstrument som används för att ta reda på vad ett prov innehåller(och till vilken mängd) måste vanligtvis ställas in för det specifika fallet, för attfungera optimalt. Det finns ofta en mängd olika variabler att undersöka som harmer eller mindre inverkan på resultatet och när provet är okänt kan man oftast inteförutspå de optimala inställningarna i förtid.En vätskekromatograf med en masspektrometer som detektor är ett sådantinstrument som är utvecklat för att separera och identifiera organiska ämnen lösta ivätska. Med detta mycket potenta system kan man ofta med rätt inställningar delaupp de ingående ämnena i provet var för sig och samtidigt erhålla mått som kanrelateras till dess massa och mängd. Detta system används flitigt av analytiskalaboratorer inom bl.a. läkemedelsindustrin för att undersöka stabilitet och renhethos potentiella läkemedel. För att optimera instrumentet för det okända provetkrävs dock att en hel del försök utförs där inställningarna varieras. Syftet är attmed en mindre mängd designade försök bygga en modell som klarar av att peka åtvilket håll de optimala inställningarna finns. Data som genereras från instrumentetför denna typ av applikation är i matrisform då instrumentet scannar och spararintensiteten av ett intervall av massor varje tidpunkt en mätning sker. Om enanalyt når detektorn vid aktuell tidpunkt återges det som en eller flera överlagdanormalfördelade toppar som ett specifikt mönster på en annars oregelbundenbakgrundssignal. Förutom att alla topparna i det färdiga datasetet helst ska varavälseparerade och ha den rätta formen, så ska tiden analysen pågår vara så kortsom möjlig. Det är ändå inte ovanligt att ett färdigt dataset består av tiotalsmiljoner uppmätta intensiteter och att det kan krävas runt 10 försök med olikabetingelser för att åstadkomma ett godtagbart resultat.Dataseten kan dock till mycket stor del innehålla brus och andra störandesignaler vilket gör de extra krångligt att tolka och utvärdera. Eftersom man ävenofta får att komponenterna byter plats i ett dataset när betingelserna ändras kan enmanuell utvärdering ta mycket lång tid.Syftet med denna avhandling har varit att hitta metoder som kan vara till nyttaför den som snabbt och automatiskt behöver jämföra dataset analyserade medolika kromatografiska betingelser, men med samma prov. Det slutgiltiga målet harfrämst varit att identifiera hur olika komponenter i provet har rört sig mellan deolika dataseten, men de steg som ingår kan även nyttjas till andra applikationer.

The objective for this master’s thesis was to test and evaluate two methods for determining the content of tannin in a pinebarkextract. The methods used at Södra for this previously have not been specific enough, only the amount of polyphenolics have been measured. One of these methods is a test based on the Stiasny test and it determines the extracts ability to form a gel with formaldehyde. When this test was carried out it showed that the extract did not contain much tannin. The other method used at Södra measures the amount of polyphenolic substances with a spectrophotometer. The result from this method showed that the content were 50 %.   One of the two new methods that were evaluated determines the amount tannin present in the extract because of tannins ability to form a complex with proteins. According to this method, the amount tannin in the extract were 42,5 %, and 19,4 % of this in the form of tannic acid. These results are credible on basis of previous information about the extract.   The other method uses a RP- HPLC where ellagic and gallic acid were used as standards. The amount ellagic acid in the extract was determined to 0,06 %, but the result from gallic acid was inconclusive. Further analysis is necessary to evaluate the obtained results and the methods reliability.   If the metods is to be used on a regular basis, my recommendation would be to start evaluating the protein-binding method because this would be easier and less time-consuming than modifying the HPLC- method. The HPLC- method could on the other hand provide useful information about the extract, not only the amount tannin could be measured, but also which kind of tannin could be investigated.

Electric current is known to flow through the π-bonds in oligothiophenes. In order to use them as molecular wires it is important to use a technique where the potential gradients can be generated and maintained in supramolecular networks. A solution to this problem can be the use of metal complexes as junction points within such a network.  In this project pathways to synthesize 2-thia-7,8-diaza-cyclopenta[l]phenanthrene (1) and 1-thia-7,8-diaza-cyclopenta[l]phenanthrene (2) for use in molecular electronic devices have been investigated. 4-(5-Bromo-thiophen-2-yl)2,2’-bipyridine (3) was prepared via Kröhnke reaction from 3-(5-bromothiophene-2-yl)acrolein and 1-(2-Oxo-2-pyridine-2-yl-ethyl)-pyridinium iodide in an overall yield of 14 %.    Several routes towards 2-thia-7,8-diaza-cyclopenta[l]phenanthrene (1) and 1-thia-7,8-diaza-cyclopenta[l]phenanthrene (2) were tested. Since the original planned pathway did not work, lack of time made it impossible to complete the series of experiments that were needed. The synthesis of 2-thia-7,8-diaza-cyclopenta[l]phenanthrene (1) is almost finished. Due to the solvation problems, after the decarboxylation step, the product could not be analyzed by 1H-NMR in a satisfactory manner. The product was sent for analysis.  A number of experiments towards 1-thia-7,8-diaza-cyclopenta[l]phenanthrene (2) were tested but few of them worked as planned. There is a lot of work left to be done in the synthesis of this compound but the lack of time made it impossible.  The chemistry that has been achieved is the synthesis of 1,10-phenanthroline-5,6-dione in the synthesis of 2-thia-7,8-diaza-cyclopenta[l]phenanthrene (1). The following Hinsberg thiophene synthesis probably worked but due to solvation problems the product could not be isolated. The final product after hydrolysis and decarboxylation of the remaining ester groups after the Hinsberg thiophene synthesis was tested but the results were difficult to confirm.  In the synthesis of 1-thia-7,8-diaza-cyclopenta[l]phenanthrene (2) several attempts to make 3,4-diamino-N,N-diethyl-benzamide were made. The attack from the primary amines on the carbonyl carbon made it necessary to protect them. The attempt to synthesize 3,4-bis-acetylamino-N,N-diethyl-benzamide also failed, both the attempt directly from the carboxylic acid and through the acylchloride, even though the amines were protected.

Lévy flights and Lévy walks are two mathematical models used to describe anomalous diffusion(i.e. those having mean square displacements nonlinearly related to time (as opposed to Brownian motion)). Lévy flights follow probability distributions p(|r|) yielding infinite mean square displacements since some rare steps are very long. Lévy walks, however, have coupled space-time probability distributions penalising very long steps. Both Lévy flights and Lévy walks are dominated by a few long steps, but most steps are much, much smaller. The semi-experimental part ofthis work dealt with how fluorescent probes moved in systems of cationic starch and latex/solutions of dodecyl trimethyl ammonium bromide, respectively. Visually, no Lévy walks couldbe detected. However, mathematical regression suggested enhanced diffusion and subdiffusion. Moreover, time-dependent diffusion coefficients were calculated. Also examined was how Microsoft Excel could be used to generate normal diffusion as well as anomalous diffusion. / Lévyflygningar och Lévypromenader är matematiska modeller som används för att beskriva anomal diffusion (i.e. dessa då medelvärdet av kvadratförflyttningarna är icke-linjärt relaterat tilltiden (till skillnad från Brownsk rörelse)). Lévyflygningar följer sannolikhetsfördelningar p(|r|)som ger oändliga medelkvadratförflyttningar eftersom vissa steg är väldigt långa. Lévypromenader,å andra sidan, har kopplade rum-tid-sannolikhetsfördelningar som kraftigt reducerar demycket långa stegen. Både Lévyflygningar och -promenader domineras av ett fåtal långa steg ävenom de flesta steg är mycket, mycket mindre. Den semiexperimentella delen av detta arbetestuderade hur fluorescerande prober rör sig i katjonisk stärkelse respektive latex/lösningar avdodecyltrimetylammoniumbromid. Inga Lévypromenader kunde ses. Emellertid taladematematisk regression för att superdiffusion och subdiffusion förelåg. Tidsberoende diffusionskoefficienter beräknades också. I detta arbete undersöktes även hur Microsoft Excel kan användas för att generera både normal och anomal diffusion.

Quality is the main focus in management of all laboratories. Accurate results of the analyses are not only determined by the analytical procedure but also by preanalytical factors. In the total analytical process of clinical specimens, there are many possible preanalytical sources of error. Monetoring of temperature on test samples of the transport boxes is one way to reduce the mistakes in the preanalytical phase. In this study, four laboratories from primary health care were invited to participate. The temperature has been measured on test samples of the transport boxes being delivered to the laboratory. In three cases the temperature remained within the limits, but in the fourth case the temperature varied more than the allowed interval. Mistakes found in the preanalytical phase, especially in the handling and processing in the process before complete distribution of test samples to laboratory. This suggests that good communication and cooperation among the personnel is the key to improvement of the laboratory quality.