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Utilization of various methods of porosimetry in investigation of internal structure of biopolymer hydrogels
Zahrádka, Jan ; Pekař, Miloslav (referee) ; Sedláček, Petr (advisor)
The main aim of the thesis was to select, optimize and test suitable methods for studying inner structure of hydrogel materials. The study of the size of pores with potential use in fundamental and applied research of these materials is the central focus of the thesis. Firstly, a literature search was done in order to collect basic information about usefulness of the individual methods. On the basis of this literature search, the experimental part of the work was divided into several steps. First, selected methods of conventional porosimetry (mercury intrusion porosimetry, BET analysis and DSC thermoporometry) were applied on reference porous materials and the results obtained by the individual methods were compared. The methods optimized with the use of these reference materials were then utilized in the analysis of porosity of model hydrogels based on polyvinyl alcohol. Based on the results of this analysis, the usability and benefits of the individual methods were discussed with respect to the sample preparation, time and financial demands, and also from the viewpoint of compliance of the determined pore sizes with the range of sizes declared for the physical PVA gels.
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The Use of AFM Measurement Method in Crystalline Silicon Solar Cells Technology
Mojrová, Barbora ; Boušek, Jaroslav (referee) ; Hégr, Ondřej (advisor)
This thesis deals with the use of Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) and Kelvin Probe Force Microscopy (KPFM) in solar cells production. Both techniques measure surface properties using interactions between surface and tip that progressively scans entire surface of the sample. Atomic force microscopy allows three dimensional imaging of surface structure. Kelvin probe force microscopy is used to measure the contact potential difference on the sample surface. There are described experimental measurements of monocrystalline and multicrystalline substrates after various etching processes using AFM. By using KPFM the contact potential difference was measured on dielectric layers PSG, SiOX, SiNX and Al2O3 and on selective emitter structures. All experiments described in this work were carried out at the Solartec Ltd. workplace and they completely correspond with the actual technology of crystalline solar cells production.
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Atomic force microscopy of soft materials
Šudáková, Anna ; Havlíková, Martina (referee) ; Smilek, Jiří (advisor)
This bachelor thesis focuses on atomic force microscopy (AFM), mainly on studying the measurement procedure and optimalization of measurement conditions with future perspective on imaging hydrogels and measuring mechanical properties (such as adhesion or stiffness) of hydrogels and semi-rigid materials at the microlevel. Atomic force microscopy is gaining significant importance in research due to its versatility, when it can provide topographical image of conductive and non-conductive samples while measuring mechanical properties of the samples, such as adhesion, elasticity or stiffness. Advantage of AFM method is that it can provide mechanical properties of the samples not only on macro levels as we are used to, for example, from rheology, but also on local level. Optimalization was performed on standard sample, one micrometre polystyrene nanoparticles , when the individual modes were measured, such as non-contact (AC Mode Imaging) mode and quantitative mode (QITM Advanced Imaging). This was followed by the measurement of a PVA foils, the measurement was performed because they are xerogels and will be studied more in the future. They were made with polyvinyl alcohol and chitosan. The internal environment of the hydrogels has been modified by adjusting the pH (NaOH) or by changing the ionic strength (NaCl). Furthermore, the effect of freezing on the PVA foils was observed, it is one of the possible ways of preparation of physically linked hydrogels. This work also examines the effect of porosity on concentration of physically linked thermoreversible agarose gels.
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The utilization of atomic force microscopy for study on hydrogels
Lišková, Kateřina ; Kalina, Michal (referee) ; Smilek, Jiří (advisor)
The presented bachelor thesis deals with the study of atomic force microscopy (AFM), especially the optimization of the measuring procedure for imaging the surface of variously crosslinked hydrogels in the hydrated state. The most attention was given to the physically crosslinked polysaccharide hydrogel (termoreversible agarose) in hydrated state, where the surface of the samples with mass concentration of 4, 2, 1, 0,75 and 0,5 % was measured. Subsequently, the surface of the ionically crosslinked 2 % alginate gel with calcium ions was measured. Based on a literature research, measurements were performed in water using the method of quantitative imaging (QITM Advanced Imaging), which is especially suitable for soft samples with uneven surfaces. Multiple cantilever were tested for measurement, finally the SNL-10 cantilever was selected, which showed versatility for imaging samples in any measuring environment, especially aqueous. The pore sizes of the agarose hydrogels were monitored by image analysis ImageJ. For the measurement of hydrogels in the swollen state, the procedure of measuring their surface using atomic force microscopy has been optimized, but for different types of hydrogels, individual optimization of both preparation and instrument setup will be required.
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Utilzation of physico-chemical analyses in study on microbial stress-response
Slaninová, Eva ; Pekař, Miloslav (referee) ; Sedláček, Petr (advisor)
This diploma thesis deals with the utilization of physico-chemical analysis in study on microbial stress–response. The main content of this work was to propose and optimize techniques and methods which are generally used in different industries. Two bacterial strains, Cupriavidus necator H16 and its mutant strain Cupriavidus necator PHB-4 producing polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) under certain conditions, were used as model microorganisms. Initially, microscopic teques such as transmission electron microscopy (TEM), cryo scanning electron microscopy (cryo SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) were proposed and tested for the characteriozation of morphological differences of bacteria. Furthermore, viscoelastic properties of bacteria were determined and compared by the oscillatory tests of the rheology method considering another type of samples. Thermal analysis methods, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) in particular, focused on water transport and behavior of intracellular water influenced by presence of the granules of PHB in bacteria. The last technique, utilized in the study, was dynamic and electrophoretic light dispersion during pH changes for characterization of the surface properties of bacteria such as size, zeta potential and the isoelectric point.
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Study of biological samples using atomic force microscopy
Khýrová, Markéta ; Smilek, Jiří (referee) ; Slaninová, Eva (advisor)
The purpose of this bachelor thesis was to study Gram-negative bacteria with the ability to accumulate polyhydroxyalkanoates using atomic force microscopy. During the experimental part were studied bacterial strains Cupriavidus necator H16 and its mutant strain Cupriavidus necator PHB-4, Rhodospirillum rubrum, and Halomonas halophila. The main aim was to optimise this microscopy method to study either bacteria in the air or bacteria in liquid medium under physiological conditions. The optimisation was done considering the procedure's simplicity, time demands, and reproducibility. 10× diluted bacterial suspense was dried on a glass surface for measurements in the air. Scanning was performed using TESPA-V2 tip with lowered Spring constant in QITM mode. Various procedures for immobilising bacteria on a glass substrate using Poly-L-lysine and Poly(ethyleneimine) were tested for measurements in liquid. The method using Poly-L-lysine was chosen as the most sufficient way of immobilisation. The tips MLCT – A or SNL – B with the spring constant around 0,1 N/m were applied for measurements in liquid using QITM mode. Finally, an attempt was made to obtain information about the adhesion and Young's modulus of dried and live bacteria concerning the high difference of polyhydroxybutyrate content between the bacterial strains Cupriavidus necator H16 and Cupriavidus necator PHB-4.
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Optical Measurement of Electromechanical Characteristics of Heart Cells
Čmiel, Vratislav ; Križanová,, Olga (referee) ; Babula, Petr (referee) ; Provazník, Ivo (advisor)
Dissertation is focused on the application of optical measurement methods using techniques of optical microscopy and fluorescence microscopy in measurements of electromechanical characteristics of isolated cardiac cells and clusters of differentiated cardiomyocytes. The first proposed method uses a practical combination of fluorescence microscopy equipped with fluorescent fast and high-resolution camera and atomic force microscopy for simultaneous measurement of calcium transients and contraction of cardiomyocyte clusters. The signals obtained undergoes filtration, processing and analysis. Result function parameters obtained by analyzing signals after application of caffeine are evaluated by comparison with functional parameters obtained during the control measurement. The second proposed method is applied to the cardiomyocyte clusters for the purpose of cardiomyocyte contraction signals measurement. The signals obtained by optical methods are analyzed and compared with the reference signal obtained using atomic force microscopy. Optical measurement method of cell contractins based on detection of cell ends using adjusting of microscopy images by re-sharpening and fluorescence method for cardiomyocyte contractions measurements were designed to increase realiability in simultaneous measurement of cell contractions simultaneously with calcium transients in isolated cardiomyocytes experiments.
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Ellipsometry of Thin Films
Novotný, Zbyněk ; Navrátil, Karel (referee) ; Nebojsa, Alois (advisor)
Diploma thesis deals with ageing process of thin films of Co and Cu on Si substrate, prepared by the IBAD method. The process of film ageing, which depends on time of exposition to the atmosphere at room conditions, was investigated with spectroscopic ellipsometry (VIS+UV) and atomic force microscopy. In case of thin Co films, approximately four days long incubation period was observed. During this time period, a change in the optical parameters of the film occurs without a measurable change of the film topography. Using non-contact atomic force microscopy, a growth of the transitional film in the island growth regime was observed. During the ageing of thin Cu films, two stages of growth of the transitional layer were observed - nucleation stage and growth stage. Both of these time periods of the transitional layer growth show direct logarithmic dependence. Using non-contact atomic force microscopy, the growth of the transitional film was observed. Using atomic force microscopy in non-contact regime, time dependent measurement was done and the process of forming of one monolayer of the transitional layer was documented. Within the diploma thesis, a series of experiments on ultra high vacuum system were performed in order to investigate phase transformation of thin Fe films (22 monolayers) on Cu(100) stabilized by CO absorption. The transformation from fcc phase to bcc phase was induced by Ar+ ion beam bombardment with the ion energy in the range (0.5-4) keV. The process of phase transformation was observed by surface magneto-optic Kerr effect, Auger electron spectroscopy and low energy electron diffraction.
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Application of Scanning Probe Microscopy for the Study of Ultrathin Films and Nanostructures
Neuman, Jan ; Rezek, Bohuslav (referee) ; Mašláň, Miroslav (referee) ; Šikola, Tomáš (advisor)
Dizertační práce je obecně zaměřena na problematiku mikroskopie atomárních sil (AFM), a to jak vývoje částí těchto mikroskopů, tak i jejich obecnému využití v oblasti výzkumu povrchů, ultratenkých vrstev a nanostruktur. Na Ústavu fyzikálního inženýrství jsou vyvíjena zařízení umožňující aplikovat uvedenou mikroskopickou metodu. V těchto mikroskopech jsou využívány piezoelektrické motory pro zajištění pohybu vzorku a ladicích zrcátek v optickém detekčním systému. Práce se v části věnované vývoji AFM zabývá studiem parametrů řídicích pulzů za účelem optimalizace funkce těchto komponent. Měřením vlivu tvaru pulzů a opakovací frekvence byl jejich pohyb optimalizován z hlediska stability a rychlosti posuvu. V části věnované výzkumu povrchů byly experimentálně zkoumány morfologické změny ultratenkých vrstev zlata na povrchu oxidu křemičitého za zvýšených teplot. Bylo zjištěno, že vhodná povrchová modifikace způsobuje vznik preferenčních trhlin ve vrstvě zlata. Řízeným rozdělením polykrystalické vrstvy na oddělené oblasti je možné významně ovlivnit proces tvorby ostrůvků zlata vznikajících při žíhání. S využitím metod elektronové litografie je možná příprava uspořádaných polí zlatých ostrůvků o velikostech 50 – 400 nm. Dále bylo ukázáno, že zvýšením teploty žíhání na 1000 °C dochází k postupnému zanořování ostrůvků zlata do povrchu. Tento jev je pravděpodobně způsoben přesunem oxidu křemičitého z oblasti pod zlatým ostrůvkem do těsného okolí vzniklého kráteru, kde tvoří tzv. límec. V těchto studiích vedle metody AFM byla s výhodou používána rovněž elektronová mikroskopie (SEM).
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Study of the morphology of highly oriented pyrolytic graphite irradiated by argon ions
Komínek, Josef ; Kaspar, Pavel (referee) ; Sobola, Dinara (advisor)
The main task of this bachelor’s degree work is study of highly oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG) using atomif force microscopy, Raman spectroscopy and XPS spectroscopy. HOPG is layered material: atoms in one layer have stronger bong between themselves than two atoms in two neighbouring layers. Wide application options require further study. HOPG is now commonly used in nano-industry. It is used as a dimension standard. HOPG of A quality was processed in this work. In order to get accurate 3D data of sample surface, AFM measuring was done. 3D models of surfaces of various sizes are made. For these purposes was used free AFM data tool. Height parameters are used to describe topography. Got parameters are important for further study.
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