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Full-Text Articles in Physical Sciences and Mathematics

Microstructure, Vacancies And Voids In Hydrogenated Amorphous Silicon, Rajendra Timilsina Dec 2012

Microstructure, Vacancies And Voids In Hydrogenated Amorphous Silicon, Rajendra Timilsina

Dissertations

This dissertation presents a theoretical and computational study of microstructure, vacancies and voids in hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H). The microstructure consists of all possible silicon-hydrogen bonding configurations such as SiH, SiH2, SiH3 and SiH4. However, it is highly dominated (approximately 75% or even more) by monohydride (SiH) configurations. Furthermore, the hydrogen atoms locate in both clustered and diluted phases; as a result, the distribution becomes highly inhomogeneous. Approximately 5% of hydrogen atoms reside in a form of isolated monohydrides at the lower (7 at.%) concentration whereas such configurations do not appear at the higher concentrations …


Microscopic Description Of Nuclear Fission At Finite Temperature, Jordan David Mcdonnell Aug 2012

Microscopic Description Of Nuclear Fission At Finite Temperature, Jordan David Mcdonnell

Doctoral Dissertations

While a predictive, microscopic theory of nuclear fission has been elusive, advances in computational techniques and in our understanding of nuclear structure are allowing us to make significant progress. Through nuclear energy density functional theory, we study the fission of thorium and uranium isotopes in detail. These nuclides have been thought to possess hyperdeformed isomers in the third minima of their potential energy surfaces, but microscopic theories tend to estimate either shallow or non- existent third minima in these nuclei. We seek an explanation in terms of neutron shell effects. We study how the fission pathways, the symmetry, and the …


First Principles Studies Of Pattern Formations And Reactions On Catalyst Surfaces, Duy Le Jan 2012

First Principles Studies Of Pattern Formations And Reactions On Catalyst Surfaces, Duy Le

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation undertakes theoretical research into the adsorption, pattern formation, and reactions of atoms, molecules, and layered materials on catalyst surfaces. These investigations are carried out from first-principles calculations of electronic and geometric structures using density functional theory (DFT) for predictions and simulations at the atomic scale. The results should be useful for further study of the catalytic activities of materials and for engineering functional nanostructures. The first part of the dissertation focuses on systematic first-principles simulations of the energetic pathways of CO oxidation on the Cu2O(100) surface. These simulations show CO to oxidize spontaneously on the O-terminated Cu2O(100) surface …


The Golden Pathway To Thiolate-Stabilized Nanoparticles: Following The Formation Of Gold (I) Thiolate From Gold (Iii) Chloride, Brian M. Barngrover, Christine M. Aikens Jan 2012

The Golden Pathway To Thiolate-Stabilized Nanoparticles: Following The Formation Of Gold (I) Thiolate From Gold (Iii) Chloride, Brian M. Barngrover, Christine M. Aikens

Faculty Publications

Pathways for the formation of gold thiolate complexes from gold(III) chloride precursors AuCl4 and AuCl3 are examined. This work demonstrates that two distinct reaction pathways are possible; which pathway is accessible in a given reaction may depend on factors such as the residue group R on the incoming thiol. Density functional theory calculations using the BP86 functional and a polarized triple-ζ basis set show that the pathway resulting in gold(III) reduction is favored for R = methyl. A two-to-one ratio of thiol or thiolate to gold can reduce Au(III) to Au(I), and a three-to-one ratio can lead …


A Dft Study On The Structural And Optical Properties And Cation Selectivities Of Some Metal-Coumarin-Crown Ether Complexes, Emi̇ne Esra Kasapbaşi, Mi̇ne Yurtsever Jan 2012

A Dft Study On The Structural And Optical Properties And Cation Selectivities Of Some Metal-Coumarin-Crown Ether Complexes, Emi̇ne Esra Kasapbaşi, Mi̇ne Yurtsever

Turkish Journal of Chemistry

Macrocyclic ethers are well-known molecules because of their high cation-binding capacities. They form stable complexes with alkaline and soil alkaline metals through strong oxygen bridges in solution. For enhanced optical properties, a new series of crown ethers was synthesized with a coumarin ring fused to it. The effects of the position of the coumarin ring, the type of the substituent on the coumarin ring, and the size of the crown on the optical properties of the material were studied according to the density functional theory (DFT) method at the B3LYP/6-31g(d) level of theory in the gas phase as well as …