Dielectric materials are essential components of electronic devices and electric power systems. Consequently, the design and development of new materials with enhanced dielectric response remain of great importance. This dissertation examines three different approaches to enhancing the dielectric response: (i) percolative composites, (ii) polymer blending, and (iii) the induction of …
Ferroelectric materials have the ability to convert electrical energy into mechanical energy and vice versa, which makes them widely used as sensors, actuators, and ultrasonic transducers. While their electrical and electromechanical properties are well studied, mechanical properties like Young’s modulus (E) and hardness (H) remain known to a lesser extent. …
Water scarcity is becoming a greater issue worldwide due to ever-increasing anthropogenic activity. A dedicated effort is required to recover and maintain the purity of our water resources and has created an environment for developing better technologies to tackle this issue. Low-pressure gaseous plasma, consisting of a complex mixture of …
Hydrogen is a promising energy carrier in the emerging green energy landscape. It is environmentally friendly, transportable, and storable. The Solid Oxide Cell (SOC) system is a complex technology that enables the bidirectional conversion of hydrogen to energy. The label SOC entails solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) systems, which produce …
One of commonly used analytical technique for direct elemental analysis of solid samples is Laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS). Although widely used for the analysis of various samples, obtaining accurate quantitative results remains a major challenge as matrix-matched standards are required. The aim of this thesis was …
The present thesis considers the premise that breath-holding in aquatic sports, primarily swimming, in order to enhance performance, can potentially cause adaptation to tissue hypoxia. To investigate this theory, a series of studies needed to be performed: I. Analysis of variability in individuals’ responses to hypoxia, to evaluate the range …
In the field of biomedical materials, conventional approaches to tissue engineering and wound healing face limitations that encourage the exploration of innovative treatments. This work presents multifaceted exploration of piezoelectric polylactic acid (PLA) films intended for biomedical applications, from the optimization of the conditions for efficient film preparation to the …
Time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS) is a versatile analytical method widely used in the field of surface science and thin films. Although it gives elemental, molecular, and isotopic information, it has a very low detection limit and high lateral resolution, is fast and works with all the vacuum-compatible samples, …
The sputtering yield, the spatial distribution of the sputtered atoms, the energy distribution and the average energy of the sputtered atoms are important for numerous deposition techniques, as they determine the microstructure and the physical properties of the thin films. Using SRIM (Stopping and Range of Ions in Matter) simulations, …
News spreads in many patterns, structures, and dynamics that change throughout time. For a variety of reasons, certain news is only covered in a particular area. Language, economy, geography, politics, time zone, and culture are just a few of the many barriers that prevent news from reaching a larger audience. …