An instrumental evaluation of selected metal functionalised semiconductors in the facilitation of photo-organic transformations.

Doctoral Degree. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg.Throughout this research study, various strategies to design, synthesise and test the photo-reactivity of attenuated wide band gap semiconductors in alcohol oxidation studies have been explored. An alizarin red-sensitised zinc oxide photocatalyst which was stabilised in a silver-sodium electrolyte effectively facilitated a broad aromatic and aliphatic alcohol oxidation table with reported conversions ranging from 10 to ≥ 99 %. A systematic characterisation of the alizarin red-sensitised zinc oxide investigated the photoelectronic migrations across the alizarin red–zinc oxide interface and detected the transfer of electrons from the highest occupied molecular orbital of alizarin to the defect site of zinc oxide at 507 nm. Further studies were directed towards the development of a novel titanium dioxide semiconductor that was activated by visible light. Three attempted strategies (pseudo perovskites [Cu3TiO5, Ni3TiO5, and Mn3TiO5], silver functionalised cadmium sulfide and a heterojunction between cadmium sulfide and titanium dioxide) explored the possibility of lowering the band gap potential of wide band gap semiconductors through metal ion functionalisation (Cu, Ni, Mn, and Ag) and heterojunction principles for the purpose of finding applications in mediating alcohol oxidations. Whilst the three strategies were unable to demonstrate viable photocatalytic properties, the instrumental insight obtained during the process identified a suitable three-component semiconductor system (Cu/Pd-N-TiO2). Cu/Pd-N-TiO2 was extensively characterised with an array of instrumental techniques, thus developing an in-depth understanding of the photophysical properties that governed the photo-oxidative transformation of a range of cyclic alcohols and in the remediation of two dyestuffs typically associated with environmental contamination

First-Year Seminar Delivery Method Effect on Student Success at an Appalachian Open-Enrollment Institution

First-year seminars (FYS) have been identified as one of the most effective high impact practices in supporting student success as measured in this study by GPA, semester-to-semester persistence, and second semester student course load. However, those students who would most need this support, students at public open-enrollment institutions in the Appalachian region, have often either not been required to participate or have not been given the chance to do so due to limits on academic program length or a perceived lack of resources at such institutions. This research measured the effectiveness of an FYS program in the above defined environment where the institution studied gave programs the option of a standalone FYS course, or a pre-professional, discipline linked (PPDL) course where FYS content was delivered within preexisting 100-level content specific introductory courses. The course was mandated for all first-time freshmen or transfers with 30 or fewer transferable credit hours. The data demonstrated that the less resource intense PPDL method was just as effective as the standalone course

Rex E. Lee Conference on the Office of the Solicitor General of the United States: Clinton II Panel

I will say a few words about Dickerson, both because Michael has made it impossible not to and also because in some ways it represents the very best about how all of the wonderful, tried-and-true processes of the SG\u27s Office ought to work. Dickerson was very much like the other case that Michael talked about (which is one of, I think, two significant privilege controversies which the Independent Counsel laid on our doorstep). These cases may have appeared to the outside world as paradigmatically cases in which we would be hearing from the White House, or talking to the White House, or thinking about things other than the long-term institutional interests of the United States. But absolutely nothing of the sort ever happened, nor was any effort made by any political person to intrude in our decision-making policy

Fermi-Frenet coordinates for space-like curves

We generalize Fermi coordinates, which correspond to an adapted set of coordinates describing the vicinity of an observer's worldline, to the worldsheet of an arbitrary spatial curve in a static spacetime. The spatial coordinate axes are fixed using a covariant Frenet triad so that the metric can be expressed using the curvature and torsion of the spatial curve. As an application of Fermi-Frenet coordinates, we show that they allow covariant inertial forces to be expressed in a simple and physically intuitive way.Comment: 7 page