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In this work we have investigated the electronic properties of several types of molecular systems involving a metallic element. Our motivation for such applications on metallic compounds was to obtain an accurate description of close lying electronic states, in which the relativistic effects of heavy atoms are known to be important. Thus various approaches and methods have been employed to treat these effects, including the multi-configurational method, with atomic pseudopotentials and large basis sets. In the first study, we have determined the properties of the low lying electronic states of the diatomic compounds MX, whose combinations in the solid phase produce ionic semi-conductor materials with piezoelectric properties. Based on highly correlated ab initio calculations, we have elucidated the common properties of the low lying electronic states of these diatomic compounds with eight valence electrons, which can be considered as precursors for piezoelectric effects in their solid phase. Based on our electronic structure calculations, we could identify among these diatomic compounds those who could lead to good candidates for piezoelectric effects. As the second application, we have determined the electronic structure and the spectroscopic constants for the ground state of the HZnF molecule and for the low lying electronic states of its diatomic fragments. This application was initiated and motivated by interesting and puzzling results on the close system HZnCl. Comforted by our experience with the previous studies, we used the pseudopotentials approach to obtain an accurate description of the low lying states of ZnH which could be satisfactorily compared with existing data. Next, the ZnF and ZnCl diatomic molecules have been studied with the same ansatz to reveal the properties of so far unknown electronic states. Finally, the potential energy surface of the ground state of HZnF has been determined, and several spectroscopic properties have been deduced

Protein dynamics play a key role in enzyme-catalyzed reactions. Vibrational spectroscopy provides a method to follow these structural changes and thereby describe the reaction coordinate as a function of space and time. A vibrational spectroscopic technique, reaction-induced FTIR spectroscopy, has been applied to the study of the oxygen-evolving complex (OEC) of photosystem II (PSII). In plant photosynthesis, PSII evolves oxygen from the substrate, water, by the accumulation of photo-oxidizing equivalents at the OEC. Molecular oxygen and protons are the products of this reaction, which is responsible for the maintenance of an aerobic atmosphere on earth. The OEC is a Mn4CaO5 cluster with nearby bound chloride ions. Sequentially oxidized states of the OEC are termed the S states. The dark-stable state is S1, and oxygen is released on the transition from S3 to S0. Using short laser flashes, individual S states are generated, allowing vibrational spectroscopy to be used to study these different oxidation states of the OEC. In current X-ray crystal structures, hydrogen bonds to water molecules are predicted to form an extensive network around the Mn4CaO5 cluster. In the OEC, four peptide carbonyl groups are linked to the water network, which extends to two Mn-bound and two Ca-bound water molecules. This dissertation discusses a vibrational spectroscopic method that uses these peptide carbonyl frequencies as reporters of solvatochromic changes in the OEC. This technique provides a new, high-resolution method with which to study water and protein dynamics in PSII and other enzymes.

The potential of filling carbon nanotubes in polymers has been widely acknowledged for composites with exceptional new properties owing to the high strength of carbon nanotubes. In the thesis, by employing Materials Studio 4.0 software, the buckling behaviour and vibration of polyethylene and carbon nanotube matrix composites are first discussed using molecular mechanics simulations. The research is aimed to acquire a high strength design of PE-CNT matrix with proper PE/CNT ratio as well as discovering the dynamic characteristics of the PE-CNT composites. Investigation results show that as the number of PE chains increases, the buckling strain and the resonance frequency will decrease. Van der Waals forces are collected to explain the relation of the PE chains to the buckling strain and the resonance frequency of the composites.

Vibrational spectroscopy, mainly infrared spectroscopy, has been applied to bacteria, yeast and archaea cells for many years, for example, for the purpose of developing a rapid method of identification. More recently microcolonies have been used for consistency with the preparation and culture protocols of traditional microbiological methods. Heterogeneity of microcolonies has not been well studied. Investigation of heterogeneity may provide detailed biochemical information leading to an understanding of how colonies grow and the link to the growth cycle. Investigation of regions within bacterial colonies using FT-IR microspectroscopy was applied to two prokaryotes, the Gram-negative archaeon Halobacterium salinarium and the Gram-positive bacterium Bacillus stearothermophilus. Two-dimensional maps of the entire colony and point maps, spectra taken from key regions such as the periphery and centre of the colony, were acquired. The approximate size of the colonies ranged from 250-950 μm. The infrared data for the Gram-negative archaeon, H. salinarium supports that for the Gram-positive bacterium, B. stearothermophilus, despite the microorganisms being of different domains and Gram types. It was concluded that the periphery of the microcolony approximately equates to the exponential growth phase (and possibly the lag phase) where the younger cells reside, while the centre approximates to the death and stationary phases. However the spatial resolution proved to be a limiting factor, so Raman microspectroscopy was employed to address this. Raman spectra across the diameter of microcolonies ranging from 100-300 μm of the pigmented bacterial species Halobacterium salinarium revealed variations in the carotenoid bands. It was suggested that these variations correspond to growth rings, which relate to the growth cycle and the consolidation and migration phase of the cells. The carotenoid variation was rather clear mainly due to the enhanced spectral intensity due to resonance with the laser excitation source. Hence, pigmented bacterial colonies are ideal to study by Raman spectroscopy. The results of this particular aspect of the research are to be published in the Journal of Raman Spectroscopy [1]. In addition, a connection between the consolidation and migration phases and the phases of the growth cycle has been postulated as a novel hypothesis to link the periodic dynamics of the colony and the growth mechanisms at the cellular level. The Raman microspectroscopic study was extended to non-pigmented bacterial colonies directly on the growth medium. This was a more difficult endeavour as the spectra taken do not have the resonance enhanced advantage of a pigmented bacterium. In addition the sampling volume can consist of variable amounts of growth medium thus decreasing the signal-to-noise ratio and reducing the accuracy of subsequent spectral calculations. However, this was overcome to a large extent by the use of confocal microscopy. The non-pigmented bacterial colonies investigated were Bacillus stearothermophilus and Bacillus subtilis. Analysis, by band area ratios and by chemometric approaches, of radial line map spectra of both Bacillus species revealed variation of nucleic acid concentration. The higher nucleic acid concentration is likely to be a result of cells in the exponential growth phase as rapid growth of new cells is occurring.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Dept. of Chemistry and School of Computing and Engineering. University of Missouri--Kansas City, 2005. / "A dissertation in chemistry and computer networking." Advisor: James R. Durig. Typescript. Vita. Description based on contents viewed Nov. 21, 2007; title from "catalog record" of the print edition. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 415-424). Online version of the print edition.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--State University of New York at Binghamton, Department of Chemistry, 2006. / Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Washington, 1996. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves [129]-134).

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Victoria University of Wellington, 2010. / Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Rhode Island, 2006. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 97-99).