This thesis investigates the application of plasma immersion ion implantation (PIII) to polymers. PIII requires that a high negative potential be applied to the surface of the material while it is immersed in a plasma. This presents a problem for insulating materials such as polymers, since the implanting ions carry charge to the surface, resulting in a charge accumulation that effectively neutralises the applied potential. This causes the plasma sheath at the surface to collapse a short time after the potential is applied. Measurements of the sheath dynamics, including the collapsing sheath, are performed using an electric probe. The results are compared to theoretical models of the plasma sheath based on the Child-Langmuir law for high voltage sheaths. The theoretical model predicts well the sheath dynamics for conductive substrates. For insulating substrates the model can account for the experimental observations if the secondary electron coefficient is modified, justified on the basis of the poly-energetic nature of the implanting ions. If a conductive film is applied to the insulator surface the problem of charge accumulation can be avoided without compromising the effectiveness of PIII. The requirement for the film is that it be conductive, yet transparent to the incident ions. Experimental results are presented which confirm the effectiveness of the method. Theoretical estimates of the surface potential show that a film of the order of 5nm thickness can effectively circumvent the charge accumulation problem. Efforts to produce and characterise such a film form the final two chapters of this thesis. The optimal thickness is determined to be near the percolation threshold, where a marked increase in conductivity occurs. Spectroscopic ellipsometry is shown to be an excellent method to determine the film thickness and percolation threshold non-invasively. Throughout this work cathodic vacuum arcs are used to deposit thin films and as a source of metal plasmas. The design and construction of a pulsed cathodic vacuum arc forms a significant part of this thesis. Investigations of the cathode spots and power supply requirements are presented.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Wollongong, 2005. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaf 241-251).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Washington, 1994. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves [163]-174).

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 1969. / eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M.S.)--Ohio University, June, 2005. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 46-50)

Thesis (M.S.)--Ohio University, June, 2005. / Title from PDF t.p. Includes bibliographical references (p. 46-50)

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Ohio University, March, 2007. / Title from PDF t.p. Includes bibliographical references.

abstract: There is an inexorable link between structure and stress, both of which require study in order to truly understand the physics of thin films. To further our knowledge of thin films, the relationship between structure and stress development was examined in three separate systems in vacuum. The first was continued copper thin film growth in ultra-high vacuum after adsorption of a sub-monolayer quantity of oxygen. Results showed an increase in compressive stress generation, and theory was proposed to explain the additional compressive stress within the films. The second system explored was the adsorption of carbon monoxide on the platinum {111} surface in vacuum. The experiments displayed a correlation between known structural developments in the adsorbed carbon monoxide adlayer and the surface stress state of the system. The third system consisted of the growth and annealing stresses of ice thin films at cryogenic temperatures in vacuum. It was shown that the growth stresses are clearly linked to known morphology development from literature, with crystalline ice developing compressive and amorphous ice developing tensile stresses respectively, and that amorphous ice films develop additional tensile stresses upon annealing. / Dissertation/Thesis / Ph.D. Materials Science and Engineering 2011

Embora o congelamento apresente vantagens em relação a outros métodos de conservação de alimentos, o mesmo causa alterações sensoriais, principalmente em produtos de origem vegetal. O morango, uma fruta muito apreciada e com formas variadas de consumo, tem comportamento sazonal e apresenta como fator limitante para o congelamento sua estrutura frágil e sensível ao processo, o que causa alterações sensoriais. Tais alterações podem ser minimizadas com a incorporação de crioprotetores, como a trealose, um dissacarídeo que vem se destacando pelo seu efeito crioprotetor em produtos congelados e desidratados. O principal objetivo deste trabalho foi verificar o efeito crioprotetor da trealose incorporada através da impregnação a vácuo em soluções de diferentes concentrações (100, 300 e 500 g/L) em morangos submetidos ao congelamento e descongelamento. As condições de impregnação foram de 5 min, aplicando pressão de -650 mmHg e 10 min de tempo de relaxamento. As alterações provocadas pelo processo de impregnação bem como a verificação do efeito crioprotetor da trealose foram identificadas através de análise de cromatografia líquida de alta eficiência (High Performance Liquid Chromatography- HPLC), análise colorimétrica, análise de textura, determinação do teor de sólidos solúveis, determinação do teor de umidade e perda de massa (perda por gotejamento). Os resultados mostraram que a concentração da solução de trealose exerce influência significativa no teor de umidade, teor de sólidos solúveis e teor de trealose. As amostras tratadas com soluções mais concentradas não sofreram desidratação após descongelamento. O teor de trealose, após descongelamento, permaneceu constante em todas as amostras tratadas. Todas as amostras tiveram a mesma perda de massa após descongelamento (perda por gotejamento), porém a composição da massa diferiu entre elas. Amostras tratadas com a solução mais concentrada perderam sólidos enquanto que as amostras tratadas com a menos concentrada, perderam água. Na análise de textura, a introdução da trealose não influenciou a força máxima de pico nas amostras impregnadas. Após descongelamento, todas as amostras, exceto a tradada com solução de 500 g/L, sofreram amolecimento. A parte externa dos morangos não sofreu alterações de cor devido à introdução da trealose nem devido ao congelamento e descongelamento. Na parte interna dos frutos, ocorreram variações no parâmetro L* devido à impregnação e no parâmetro b*, devido ao congelamento e descongelamento. / Although freezing offers advantages to others food conservations process, it causes sensorial changes, mostly in vegetables products. The strawberry, a quite appreciated fruit, shows different ways of use, has seasonal behavior and is limited to freezing due the sensorial changes caused by its fragile structure to freezing process. These sensorial changes can be minimized by the incorporation of cryoprotectors, as trehalose, that is known by its cryoprotector effect during freezing and dehydration. The aim of this work was to verify the trehalose cryoprotector effect in frozen and thawed strawberries introduced by vacuum impregnation with different solutions (100, 300 and 500 g/L). The impregnation conditions were 5 min of applying pressure of -650 mmHg and after atmospheric pressure was restored, the sample was maintained within the solution for 10 min (these conditions were obtained from previous experiments). The alterations caused by the vacuum impregnation and the verification of the cryoprotector effect of trehalose were identified by High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC), color analysis, texture analysis, soluble solids content, moisture content and drip loss. The results have shown that concentration of the trehalose solution had a significant influence on the moisture content, soluble solids and trehalose content of impregnated strawberries. The samples treated with more concentration solutions did not dehydrated after thawing. The trehalose content was the same in all treated samples after thawing. All the samples showed the same drip loss due to thawing although the composition of the mass was different among the samples. Samples treated with the most concentration solution lost trehalose while the sample treated with the least concentration solutions lost water. The introduction of trehalose did not affect the maximum peak force of the impregnated samples. The freezing and the thawing process caused the softening of the samples. This effect was not observed on the sample treated with solution of 500 g/L. The introduction of trehalose did not cause significant differences in all color parameters measured on the outside of the strawberries after impregnation and thawing. In the inside of the samples, there were variation in the L* parameter caused by the vacuum impregnations and in the b* parameter caused by the freezing and thawing process.

Thesis (M.S.F.S.) / There is need for further development of cellular collection techniques in the field of forensic science. Currently, forensic analysts are limited to the use of swabs, taping, cutting, and scraping methods to collect cellular material. Each of these methods has its own benefits and drawbacks, however, none of them result in 100% recovery of the cells. The Microbial Vacuum system (M-Vac®), developed by MSI, is a liquid based cellular collection system that was originally developed to collect microbes in the food-processing industry from various surfaces. This research represents a detailed study into the feasibility of utilizing the M-Vac® system for forensic purposes. Specifically, the phosphate buffer used with the M-Vac® was tested to confirm that it does not have a detrimental effect on cellular retrieval. Further, the ability of the M-Vac® to collect cellular material from a variety of substrates was tested. It was determined the M-Vac® can successfully collect both blood and semen from tile, denim, carpet, and brick materials in sufficient quantity for downstream PCR analysis. Additionally, examination into whether DNA was dispersed during collection due to the significant force of impact of the liquid striking the surface was conducted. Specifically, areas surrounding the sample collection region were swabbed after collection with the M-Vac® and tested. Quantitative PCR analysis showed that DNA was retrieved up to 4 inches away from the collection area. This indicates that the M-Vac® system is a viable cell collection technique for forensic purposes, but only for samples which are isolated (i.e. where there is not another probative sample adjacent to it). If there are two probative samples within the same vicinity, then swabbing or taping is the recommended method of collection.