Rhizopus oryzae is a prominent strain for producing fumarate, where biomass growth precedes fumarate production. The natural bio film growth of R. oryzae as fungal mat was investigated using different glucose addition strategies in a novel fed-batch fermenter. Batch growth was compared through three fed-batch runs, each with a different glucose addition strategy. The fed-batch runs involved a constant glucose feed (CGF) of 0.075 g h-1 and controlled glucose feeds in order to keep the respiration quotient (RQ) at either 1.3 mol CO2 mol-1 O2 (RQ1.3) or 1.1 mol CO2 mol-1 O2 (RQ1.1). Ethanol overflow via the established Crabtree mechanism was completely negated for the CGF and RQ1.1 runs, while the batch and RQ1.3 runs exhibited significant ethanol formation. Biomass yield on glucose was found to be 0.476 g g-1 (RQ1.1), 0.194 g g-1 (RQ1.3), 0.125 g g-1 (CGF) and 0.144 g g-1 (batch). The results indicate a three-fold improvement in biomass yield when comparing the batch run with the RQ1.1 run. In addition, the RQ1.1 run resulted in zero detectable byproducts, unlike the batch scenario where pyruvate and fumarate were associated with ethanol formation. Clear evidence is provided that glucose overflow can be fully eliminated during R. oryzae growth, significantly affecting the biomass yield on glucose. / Dissertation (MEng (Chemical Engineering))--University of Pretoria, 2021. / University of Pretoria postgraduate bursary / CSIR Inter-bursary Programme / Chemical Engineering / MEng (Chemical Engineering) / Unrestricted

This diploma thesis deals with a design of antennas based on a flexible substrate. There is also a design of a transmission line between a flexible and rigid substrate with FLEX- RIGID technology. In the first part of thesis, there is the technology, advantages and disadvantages of using this technology in design of antennas mentioned. There are also basic antenna parameters mentioned. In second part, the design of a transmission line and four antennas is presented. Two of these antennas are manufactured and measured. Finally, the measured parameters are compared with the simulated results.

This thesis deals with issues of used hot plates and thick-film technology. The theoretical part of diploma thesis contains a theoretical analysis and description of corresponding technology and usage of materials. The practical part of the thesis focuses on the design of the resulting device, which forms design of the test and optimized hot element, the initial design of the device and the design of models for temperature simulations. Then follows description of the practical realization of the motifs and testing of the created thick-film structure on a ceramic substrate. In the last part are shown simulations of heat transfer in the proposed model of the device.

The purpose of this diploma thesis is to get a better understanding of cold kinetic deposition (cold spray), principles of functioning of this method followed by an evaluation of advantages and disadvantages of cold spray and its comparison to conventional thermal methods and a simple summary of the practical use of cold spray with respect to different materials. Next there is a summary of the properties and uses of frequently applied metals in electrical engineering, aluminium and copper, description of metal corrosion and an understanding of the diagnostic method of acoustic emission. In the practical part, a sample with copper cold spray coating on aluminium substrate was created. Following, this sample was split for corrosion tests, where the split samples were exposed to a corrosive environment for different times of exposure. The extent of corrosion degradation of the samples was evaluated by acoustic emission and metallographic analysis for corrosion-loaded samples for 100, 200 and 300 hours. In the end, an illustrative design of the application of the cold spray technology was created.

Modern analog systems processing signals with very small amplitude are prone to distortion, which is caused by leakage between signal traces. Causation of this is contamination of insulating gap, which insulates these traces. Goal of this thesis is to design and manufacturing of test structure, which allows classification of influence of contamination on substrate on leakage, and another goal is classification of technologiacal processes in light of contamination of substrate with electroactive inpurities. Based on results of this experiments are defined rules leading to optimizing of properties of manufactured structures. Attention is applied to ceramic substrates with conductive traces which are created with thick film technology.

This thesis deals with microstrip antennas covered by the metamaterials. First, are described planar antennas, their problems and the emergence of surface waves. Surface waves can cause unwanted coupling among particular parts of the structure and can degrade its parameters. The problem can be solved using an electromagnetic band gap structure (EBG). These periodic structures are able to suppress surface waves in different frequency bands. It is shown how the EBG structure in the function superstate improve directivity and antenna gain. Radiation conventional microstrip antenna with metallo-dielectric EBG superstrate and with the purely dielectric double-layer superstrate is described. The both structures are designed and simulated in CST Microwave Studio program. Further is described the antenna radiation with so-called mushroom structure and metallo-dielectric EBG superstate. The structure is again designed and simulated in CST MWS program. Finally, there are two structures with metallo-dielectric superstate implemented and measured.

There are sumarized some of the basic organic materials for produce of organic parts. Two types of theese materials are introduced PPV and PFV and their derivatives, which tuning their resulting properties in area of electrical, optical, chemical, and thermal parameters. There is designed and created system for mechanical bending of adhesive SMD devies on flexible printed circuit board and compared properties of some conducting adhesives.

This diploma thesis describes the design of a device for measuring stress in thin films – laser deflectometer, realization of its design and its experimental testing. The thesis is divided into five chapters. The first chapter deals with the stress in thin films and its influence on substrate – thin film system. The second chapter provides an overview of devices widely used for measuring stress in thin films and describes some their advantages and disadvantages. In the third chapter some design possibilities of the device are presented. The final solution of device called deflectometr is introduced in the fourth chapter. The last chapter includes the functional testing the device.

Dans leur environnement naturel, les plantes doivent continuellement s’adapter pour survivre aux diverses stimuli auxquels elles sont confrontées. La salinité est responsable de fortes pertes de rendements et une meilleure compréhension des mécanismes capables d’induire la tolérance de la plante est nécessaire. Au niveau cellulaire, les stress biotique et abiotique perçus induisent la production de messagers secondaires ce qui active des voies de signalisation faisant intervenir différentes familles de protéines kinases dont les protéines kinases dépendantes du calcium, les CDPKs. Lorsqu’elles sont activées, elles vont phosphoryler des substrats permettant la mise en place des réponses spécifiques au stress perçu.CPK5 et CPK6 sont des régulateurs positifs de la tolérance au stress salin et également de la résistance aux bactéries, notamment par l’induction de gènes de réponses. L’identification de 25 nouveaux substrats putatifs par une approche phosphoprotéomique pourraient permettre une meilleure compréhension du rôle de CPK5 et CPK6 dans la réponse aux stress. Parmi les candidats étudiés dans ce manuscrit, six ont été validées in vitro, notamment deux ubiquitine ligases E3 dont la mutation d’un site conservé inhibe la phosphorylation par CPK5 et CPK6. Bien que l’étude des mutants knock-out n’ait pas permis de leur attribuer un rôle dans la tolérance à la salinité, certains pourraient agir en aval de CPK5/6 dans la réponse aux pathogènes. / Plants are subjected to several environmental stimuli and must adapt to survive. A better understanding of the mechanisms involved in plant tolerance is necessary to find solution to the salt stress that is responsible for important yield loss. At the cellular level, the perception of biotic and abiotic stress leads to the accumulation of secondary messengers that activate protein kinases involved in different signaling pathways as calcium-dependent protein kinases (CDPKs). Once they are activated, CDPKs can phosphorylate substrates which are able to induce appropriate responses to the stimuli.CPK5 and CPK6 are positive regulators of salt stress and biotic stress, notably through the induction of response genes. To better understand their roles in plant stress response, a phosphoproteomic approach was conducted and could identify 25 new putative substrates for CPK5. Six of the studied candidates were validated in vitro for phosphorylation by CPK5 and CPK6. Among them, two ubiquitin E3 ligases are not phosphorylated anymore by CPK5 and CPK6 when mutated on a conserved phosphosite. Unfortunately, the knock-out mutants of the substrates in salt condition did not show any phenotype. However some of them are known to play a role in response to pathogen and could act downstream of CPK5 and CPK6.

Avec l’évolution de la microélectronique et la miniaturisation des différents composants à l’échelle nanométrique, la taille des particules critiques à éliminer lors du procédé de fabrication a été drastiquement réduite. En effet, cette taille critique est actuellement de l’ordre de 10nm. Les procédés de nettoyage doivent donc être capables de retirer ces particules sans endommager les surfaces. Afin de répondre à ce challenge, deux méthodes sont étudiées dans ce travail : l’utilisation d’un spray et l’application conjointe d’une couche de polymère et d’un spray.Le spray est utilisé depuis de nombreuses années dans le domaine de la microélectronique. Cependant, le mécanisme de détachement des particules par cette méthode n’est toujours pas assimilé. Le but de cette étude est de mieux le comprendre. Ainsi, différents paramètres vont être étudiés aboutissant à l’élaboration d’un modèle de détachement, faisant apparaître de nouvelles variables liées au procédé de nettoyage, à la contamination (nature et taille des particules) ou encore aux conditions de stockage des surfaces.De son côté, le procédé par utilisation conjointe de couche polymère et de spray est en plein essor mais peu d’informations sont aujourd’hui disponibles. Néanmoins de premières études ont démontré sa capacité à nettoyer des surfaces présentant des motifs et son efficacité quel que soit la taille de la contamination. Dans ce travail, différents procédés de retrait de la couche polymère seront comparés ainsi que certaines propriétés physico-chimiques propres à celle-ci. L’objectif étant de déceler des paramètres clefs influençant le retrait particulaire et de proposer une prémisse d’élucidation des mécanismes physiques mis en jeu. / With the evolution of microelectronics and the miniaturization of the various components at the nanoscale, the size of the critical particles to be removed during the manufacturing process has been drastically reduced. Indeed, this critical size is currently of the order of 10 nm. Cleaning processes must therefore be able to remove these particles without surfaces damage. In order to answer this challenge, two methods are studied in this work: the use of a spray and the joint application of a polymer layer and a spray.The spray has been used for many years in the microelectronics field. However, the mechanism of particles detachment by this method is still not assimilated. The purpose of this study is to better understand it. Thus, different parameters will be studied leading to the development of a detachment model, showing new variables related to the cleaning process, contamination (nature and particle size) or the storage conditions of surfaces.For its part, the process by using a combination of polymer layer and spray is in full development, but little information is available today. Nevertheless, early studies have demonstrated its ability to clean surfaces with patterns and its effectiveness regardless of the size of the contamination. In this work, different methods of the polymer layer removal will be compared as well as some physicochemical properties specific to it. The objective is to detect key parameters influencing particle removal and to propose a premise of elucidation of the physical mechanisms involved.