Hydrothermal synthesis and characterization of bimetallic cluster complex [{Mn(phen)(2)}(2)V4O12]center dot 1/2 H2O

A new bimetallic cluster complex with the formula [(Mn(phen)(2))(2)V4O12].1/2 H2O has been synthesized through hydrothermal reaction of vanadate staring material with manganese cation in the presence of nitrogen donor chelating ligand and characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction, elemental analysis, IR UV-vis, ESR spectrum and thermal analysis. The compound crystallize in the monoclinic space group P2(1)/c with a = 18.475(4) Angstrom, b = 11.473(2) Angstrom, c = 23.667(5) Angstrom, beta = 97.76(3)degrees, V = 4971(2) Angstrom(3) and Z = 4. The structure of [{Mn(phen)(2)}(2)V4O12].1/2 H2O is composed of a discrete V4O124- cluster covalently attached to two [Mn(phen)(2)](2+) fragments.

Hydrothermal synthesis and X-ray single crystal structure of bimetallic cluster complex [{Co(phen)(2)}(2)V4O12]center dot H2O

A new bimetallic cluster complex with the formula [{Co(phen)(2)}(2)V4O12](H2O)-H-. was synthesized from the hydrothermal reaction of V2O5, H2C2O4, Co(NO3)(2), 1,10-phenanthroline (phen), (C4H9)(4)NOH and water. The compound crystallizes in an orthorhombic system with space group Pbcn and unit cell parameters a = 19.106(3) Angstrom, b = 15.250(3) Angstrom, c = 16.321(2) Angstrom, V = 4755.4(13) Angstrom(3), Z = 4 and R = 0.0318. The bimetallic cluster complex [{Co(phen)(2)}(2)V4O12](H2O)-H-. is composed of a discrete V4O124- cluster eovalently attached to two [Co(phen)(2)](2+) fragments and the discrete hexanuclear bimetallic clusters of [{Co(phen)(2)}(V4O12)-V-2](H2O)-H-. are further extended into interesting three-dimensional supermolecular arrays via pi-pi stacking interactions of phen groups. Other characterizations by elemental analysis, IR, and thermal analysis are also described.

An organic-inorganic vanadium oxide with one-dimensional ladder-type structure: hydrothermal synthesis, structure and characterization of [V4O10(o-phen)(2)]

A novel organic-inorganic hybrid vanadium oxide [V4O10(o-phen)(2)], involving all vanadium atoms present in +5 oxidation, has been hydrothermally synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis, IR, UV-vis, ESR, XPS spectra and TG-DTA thermal analysis. The single-crystal X-ray diffraction shows that the red-brown crystal is formed in the triclinic system, space group P (1) over bar, a = 9.782(2), b = 6.5124(14), c = 19.765(4) Angstrom, alpha = 89.94(2)degrees, beta = 100.66(2)degrees, gamma = 89.86(2)degrees. The title compound exhibits an infinite one-dimensional ladder-type tetravanadate skeleton with organonitrogen donors of o-phenanthroline ligands coordinated directly to the vanadium oxide framework.

Synthesis, properties and crystal structure of charge-transfer salt (DBTTF)(6)HSiMo12O40H2O

Charge-transfer salt (DBTTF)(6)HSiMo(12)O(40)4H(2)O was synthesized by electrocrystallization and characterized by IR spectrum and electronic spectrum. Its magnetic property, conductivity and crystal structure were determined. The title compound consists of heteropoly anions, water molecules and DBTTF columns which are formed by repeated arrangement of tetramer (DBTTF), in the direction of 15 degrees to the a axis in the tunnel constituted by the anions and other type of DBTTF. The title compound is paramagnetic and semiconducting. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

基于AFM的机器人化纳米操作系统综述

对基于扫描隧道显微镜(Scanning tunnel microscope,STM)及原子力显微镜(Atomicforcemicroscope,AFM)的纳米操作技术发展进行阐述,针对其中存在的主要问题,引述出机器人化纳米操作的必要性。接着,对国内外机器人化纳米操作系统的研究进展、现状及存在的主要问题进行详细分析,提出基于AFM的机器人化纳米操作系统的结构原型,并指出实现机器人化纳米操作所需解决的关键技术问题及相应的解决方案之一,为进行深入的机器人化纳米操作研究提供了可以借鉴的研究方向。

带槽道桨水下机器人阻力特性的数值分析

自治水下机器人在低速航行时,单靠操舵方式难以保证其机动性。特别是作业过程中需要进行水下悬停定位时,经常会使用槽道桨。槽道桨在载体上形成贯穿式的孔洞结构,影响水下机器人直航过程中的阻力特性。本文借助流体动力数值仿真计算软件CFX,对槽道孔洞尺度改变、轴向位置改变时,水下机器人航行阻力所受到的影响进行了数值分析。数值分析得到的结论,对水下机器人槽道桨的工程设计和优化具有参考价值和指导作用。

悬索桥隧道式锚碇与围岩系统的破坏模式研究

The anchorages are unparalleled structures only in a suspension bridge, and as main bearing facilities, play an important role in connecting the superstructures and the ground. The tunnel anchorage, as one alternative type of the anchorages, has more advantages over its counterpart, the gravity anchorage. With the tunnel anchorages adopted, not only can surface excavation be reduced to protect the environment, and natural condition of the rock be utilized and potential bearing capacity of surrounding rock be mobilized to save engineering cost, but also the technological predominance of auxiliary engineering measures, such as prestressed concrete, anchoring piles, rock anchors and collar beam between the two separated anchorages, can be easily cooperated to work together harmoniously under the circumstances of poor rock quality. There are plentiful high mountains and deep canyons in west part of China, and long-span bridge construction is inevitably encountered in order to realize leapfrogging development of the transportation infrastructure. Western mountainous areas usually possess the conditions for constructing tunnel anchorages, and therefore, the tunnel anchorages, which are conformed to the conception of resource conservative and sustainable society, extremely have application and popularization value in western underdeveloped region. The scientific and technological problem about the design, construction and operation of tunnel anchorages should be further investigated. Combining the engineering of western tunnel anchorages for the Balinghe Suspension Bridge, this paper probed into the survey method and in-situ test method for tunnel anchorages, scientific rock quality evaluation of surrounding rock to provide reasonable physical and mechanical parameters for design, construction and operation of tunnel anchorages, bearing capacity estimation for tunnel anchorage, deformation prediction of the anchorage-rockmass system, tunnel-anchorage slope stability analysis and the evaluation of excavation stability and degree of safety of the anchorage tunnel. The following outcomes were obtained: 1. Materials of tunnel anchorages of suspension bridge built (and in progress) at home and abroad were systematically sorted out, with the engineering geological condition and geomechanical property of surrounding rock around the anchorage tunnel, the design size of anchorages and the construction method of anchorage tunnel paid more emphasis on, to unveil the internal relationship between the engineering geological conditions of surrounding rock and the design size and axis angle of anchorages and provide references for future design, construction and study of tunnel anchorages. 2. Physical and mechanical parameters were recommended based on three domestic and foreign methods of rock quality evaluation. 3. In-situ tests, adopting the back-thrust method, of two kinds of reduced scale model, 1/30 and 1/20, for the tunnel anchorages were conducted in the declining exploration drift with rock mass at the test depth being the same as surrounding rock around real anchorages, and reliable field rockmass displacement data were acquired. Attenuation relation between the increment of distance from the anchorage and the decrement of rockmass displacement under maximum test load, and influential scope suffered by anchorage load were obtained. 4. Using similarity theory, the magnitude of real anchorage and rockmass displacement under design load and degree of safety of the anchorage system were deduced. Furthermore, inversion analysis to deformation modulus of slightly weathered dolomite rock, the surrounding rock of anchorage tunnel, was performed by the means of numerical simulation. 5. The influential law of the geometrical size to the limit bearing capacity of tunnel anchorage was studied. 6. Based on engineering geological survey data, accounting for the combination of strata layer and adverse discontinuities, the failure patterns of tunnel anchorage slope were divided into three modes: sliding of splay saddle pier slope, superficial-layer slippage, and deep-layer slippage. Using virtual work principle and taking anchorage load in account, the stability of the three kinds of failure patterns were analyzed in detail. 7. The step-by-step excavation of anchorage tunnel, the numerical overload and the staged decrement of rock strength parameters were numerically simulated to evaluate the excavation stability of surrounding rock around anchorage tunnel, the overload performance of tunnel anchorage, and the safety margin of strength parameters of the surrounding rock.

藏东南巨厚松散堆积体发育条件、成灾模式及防治对策——以川藏公路然乌至鲁朗段为例

The unique geologic, geomorphic and climatic conditions of southeast Tibet have made the region to develop the multi-style and frequently occurring geologic hazards, especially the collapses and landslides and debris flows along the section of Ranwu-Lulang in Sichuan-Tibet highway. However, most of those geologic hazards have close relationship with the loose accumulations. That is, the loose accumulations are the main carrier of most geologic hazards. Thereof, the huge-thick accumulations along the highway is regarded as the objective in the thesis to study the geologic background, hazarding model and mitigation methods comprehensively, based on the multi-disciplinary theories and former materials. First of all, in the paper, based on field engineering geologic investigations, the genetic type and the characteristics of spatiotemporal distribution of the huge-thick loose accumulations along the highway, have been analysized from the factors of regional geology and geomorphy and climate, as well as the coupling acting of those factors with inoculation and eruption of the loose accumulations geologic hazards. The huge-thick loose accumulations has complex genetic types and specific regulations of spatiotemporal distribution, closely controlled by the outer environment of the region. The accumulations are composed of earth and boulder, with disorder structure and poor sorting, specific forming environments and depositing conditions. And its physical and mechanic properties are greatly distinguished from rock and common earth inland. When Sichuan-Tibet highway was firstly constructed along the north bank of Purlung Tsangpo River, the huge-thick loose accumulations was cut into many high and steep slopes. Through the survey to the cut-slopes and systematic investigation to their failures, the combination of height and angle of the accumulations slope has been obtained. At the same time, the types of genetic structure of those cut-slopes are also analysized and concluded, as well as their failure models. It is studied in the paper that there are piaster, duality, multielement and complexity types in genetic structure, and rip-dump-repose, rip-shear-slip and weathering-flake types in failure models. Moreover, it is briefly introduced present engineering performance methods and techniques dealing with the deformation and failure of the accumulations cut-slope. It is also suggested that several new techniques of slope enforcement and the method of landslide and rockfall avoiding should be applied. The research of high and steep cut-slope along the highway has broadened the acknowledgement of the combination of cut-slope height and angle. Especially, the dissertation also has made the monographic studies about the geologic background and hazarding models and prevention methods of some classic but difficult accumulations geologic hazards. They are: (1) Research of the engineering geologic background of the 102 landslide group and key problems about the project of tunnel. The 102 landslide group is a famous accumulational one composed of glacial tills and glaciofuvial deposit. The tunnel project is a feasible and optional one which can solve the present plight of “sliding after just harnessing” in the 102 section. Based on the glacial geomorphy and its depositing character, distribution of seepage line, a few drillhole materials and some surveying data, the position of contact surface between gneiss and accumulations has been recognized, and the retreating velocities of three different time scales (short, medium and long term) have been approximately calculated, and the weathering thickness of gneiss has also been estimated in the paper. On the basis of above acknowledgement, new engineering geomechnic mode is established. Numerical analysis about the stability of the No.2 landslide is done by way of FLAC program, which supplies the conclusion that the landslide there develops periodically. Thereof, 4 projects of tunnel going through the landslide have been put forwards. Safety distance of the tunnel from clinohefron has been numerically analysized. (2) Research of the geologic setting and disaster model and hazard mitigation of sliding-sand-slope. From the geologic setting of talus cone, it is indicated that the sliding-sand-slope is the process of the re-transportation and re-deposit of sand under the gravity action and from the talus cone. It is the failure of the talus cone essentially. The layering structure of the sliding-sand-slope is discovered. The models of movement and failure of the sliding-sand-slope has been put forwards. The technique, “abamurus+grass-bush fence+degradable culture pan”, is suggested to enforcement and green the sliding-sand-slope. (3) Characteristics and hazarding model and disaster mitigation of debris flow. The sources of solid material of three oversize debris flows have been analysized. It is found that a large amount of moraine existing in the glacial valley and large landslide dam-break are the two important features for oversize debris flow to be taken place. The disaster models of oversize and common debris flows have been generalized respectively. The former model better interpret the event of the Yigong super-large landslide-dam breaking. The features of common debris flow along the highway section, scouring and silting and burying and impacting, are formulated carefully. It is suggested that check dam is a better engineering structure to prevent valley from steeply scouring by debris flow. Moreover, the function of check dam in enforcing the slope is numerically calculated by FLAC program. (4) Songzong ancient ice-dammed lake and its slope stability. The lacustrine profile in Songzong landslide, more than 88 meters thick, is carefully described and measured. The Optical Simulated Luminescence (OSL) ages in the bottom and top of the silty clay layer are 22.5±3.3 kaB.P., 16.1±1.7 kaB.P., respectively. It is indicated by the ages that the lacustrine deposits formed during the Last Glacial Maximum ranging from 25ka B.P. to 15ka B.P. The special characteristics of the lacustrine sediment and the ancient lake line in Songzong basin indicated that the lacustrine sediment is related to the blocking of the Purlung Tsangpo River by the glacier in Last Glacial Maximum from Dongqu valley. The characteristics of the lacustrine profile also indicate that the Songzong ice-dammed lake might run through the Last Glacial Maximum. Two dimensional numerical modeling and analysis are done to simulate the slope stability under the conditions of nature and earthquake by FLAC program. The factor of safety of the lacusrtine slope is 1.04, but it will take place horizontal flow under earthquake activity due to the liquefaction of the 18.33 m silt layer. The realign to prevent the road from landslide is suggested.

承德公路隧道围岩分级与塌方机理分析

During tunnel constriction the classification of rock mass is widely used in tunnel design and construction. Moreover it offers the base information about tunnel investment and security. The quick classification of rock mass is very important for not delaying tunnel construction. Nowadays the tunnel engineers usually use initial survey files which are obtained by probe drilling to design a tunnel. It brings the problem that initial surrounding rock classification is usually much different from the real condition during the tunnel construction. Because initial surrounding rock lack credibility, it need us to make real time surrounding rock classification during the tunnel construction, and feed back the result to designers and constructors. Therefore, to find a quick wall rock classification method is very important not only for the time limit for a project but also for not delaying tunnel construction. Not all but many tunnels and underground constructions do suffer form collapse during the period of construction. Although accidental collapse in a large project in civil and geotechnical engineering sometimes appears to be a local event, if it occurred, it can bring about casualties, disrupted，production, construction delay, environmental damage, capital cost etc，therefore, it has been a difficult problem ,both in theory and in practice, establishing how to prevent underground structures form collapse and how to handle such an event in case in occurs. It is important to develop effective solutions and technical measures to prevent and control the collapse. According to the tunnel collapse occurred in Cheng De this paper analyze the main collapse mechanism leading to tunnel collapse and summon up the disposal method when collapse happened. It may be useful for tunnel construction in Cheng De in future. This paper is base on tunnel surrounding rock classification and tunnel support tasks during the tunnel construction in Cheng De area. It aims at solving 4 important problems in tunnel design and construction. 1) The relationship between rock rebound strength and rock single axle compression strength. First we go to the face wall and do rebound test on the tunnel face, then we chose some pieces of rock and do point loading test. Form the tests record we try to find the relationship between rock rebound strength and rock single axle compression strength. 2) The relationship between the value [BQ] and the value Q. First in order to obtain the information of rock character, rock strength, degree of weathering, the structure of rock mass, the joint condition, underground water condition and so on, we go to the tunnel face to do field investigation. And then we use two kinds of rock classification method to make surrounding rock classification. Base on the works above, finally we analyze the relationship between the value [BQ] and the value Q. 3) Sum up the mechanism leading to tunnel collapse and it disposal method in Cheng De area According to the tunnel collapse occurred in Cheng De this paper analyze the main reasons leading to the tunnel collapse and sum up the disposal method when collapse happened. 4) Obtain the properties of steel frame grid by numerical simulation. First we establish the 3D numeral model of steel frame grid by ADINA, and then find the mechanics properties by numerical simulation in ADINA. Second Based on the rock mass geological structure model, we established steel frame grid numeral model which is installed in the tunnel by FLAC3D and simulated the progress of tunnel construction. We hope that the support effect in tunnel can be evaluated from the numerical simulation.

锦屏一级水电站高应力大断面地下洞室稳定性分析

According to the feature of high stress and large size underground tunnel , a method named DEFLAC is put forward in this paper. DEFLAC is such a method that use disturbing energy as criteria, and based on the simulating software of FLAC. Finally, the method is applied in the underground powerhouse project of Jin-Ping First-level Hydropower Station. The result is well. And some conclusions are got. (1) Based on the geological features of excavation unloading phenomena, they are concluded to three types, what’s more three corresponding mechanical modes are proposed to explain the unloading phenomena. (2) The relation of two standards , which is called GB50287-99 (T) and BQ ,is studied. And the main difference of them ,when they are applied in high stress zone ,is researched. (3) .A method named DEFLAC is put forward , which is combined disturbing energy method and FLAC simulating software. The two dimension and three dimension explicit finite difference expressions are deduced in this paper. (4) Compared the instability area achieved by FLAC and DEFLAC with the measured result, a conclusion is got. That is a more accurate result can be got by DEFLAC. (5) According to the main powerhouse first layer excavation project, the method to search and analyze the instability blocks is studied in this paper. Finally, the results got by FLAC and DEFLAC are compared .A conclusion is got that DEFLAC can judge the stability of blocks induced by intermittent joints, but Block Theory can’t. So more accurate block amount can be got by DEFLAC. It is an effective method to judge stability of blocks

块体理论赤平投影解析法与关键块体滑落概率研究—以锦屏二级水电站皮带机隧道为例

Block theory is an effective method on stability analysis of fractured rigid rock mass. There are a lot of discontinuous planes developed in rock mass of Jinping II hydropower station conveyor tunnel, so the stability of conveyor tunnel is related with whether there are unstable blocks on excavation planes. This paper deals with the stability of conveyor tunnel with stereo-analytical method for block theory on the basis of detailed investigation of rock mass data, and makes judgements on the movable blocks sliding types which are induced by all rock discontinuous planes and every excavation plane of conveyor tunnel. A conclusion is obtained that the sliding type of blocks is mainly single sliding, and a relatively few sliding types of double-sided sliding and vertical block falling; Also, the obvious statistical distribution result on movable blocks in conveyor tunnel indicates that there are a bit more instability blocks in left wall, left and right arches than right wall. In this paper, the stochastic probability model is drawn into block theory to study the sliding probability of key block on the basis of detailed investigation of its rock mass data and the development of the discontinuous planes in rock mass of Jinping II hydropower station conveyor tunnel. And some following conclusions are obtained. The relationship between trace length and the probability of instability of key block is inverse ratio. The probability of 1-3m primary joints are relatively higher. Key block containing joints J2 is relatively stable and the reinforcement of the arch would be crucial in the conveyor tunnel. They are all useful to offer effective reinforcement design and have important engineering values.

三维非均匀各向异性介质中的纵波走时反演研究

Many observations show that seismic anisotropy is very common in the crust and upper mantle of the Earth. Seismic anisotropy can provide some clue about the changing and transporting process inside the earth. in recent years, abundant earthquake travel time data are accumulated, computers become more powerful, and these make the inversion of earthquake travel time data practical. In this thesis we studied the theory of elastic wave in anisotropic media, some formule for travel time inversion were derived. We present an iterative procedure to determine 21 elastic parameters from qP wave travel times. No a priori assumptions about heterogeneity and anisotropy of the model are made. The procedure is suitable for the case when we know nothing about the symmetry of anisotropy of the media, as well as for the case of earthquake travel time inversion which may contain various symmetry of anisotropy. The procedure is tested with a synthetic multiple-source offset VSP experiment. The results proved that the formulae are correct, and the procedure is practical. The results and the related theory indicate that the anisotropic inversion needs more rays than isotropic case. For a 2-D weak anisotropic (WA) medium, we need at least 5 rays in different directions to retrieve the elastic parameters on one grid point, and for a 3-D WA medium we need at least 15 rays in different directions to retrieve the elastic parameters on one grid point. The results also indicate that the starting background velocity has no influence on the final results, at least for the model we specified. Our results also show that insufficient illumination coverage will slow down the convergence rate, and make the results more sensitive to noise. We apply the procedure to a set of field travel time data. The data is from an artificial seismic observation. This observation is for locating micro-seismic events around a tunnel, its purpose is to find out if the digging process and the stress condition around the tunnel can generate micro-cracks. The size of this area is around 100m. The anisotropy derived from qP travel times is the same as the anisotropy showed by apparent velocities, and is also consistent with the anisotropy derived from S-wave splitting phenomena.

人工源频率域大地电磁法正反演研究

The CSAMT method is playing an important role in the exploration of geothermal and the pre-exploration in tunnel construction project recently. In order to instruct the interpretation technique for the field data, the forward method from ID to 3D and inversion method in ID and 2D are developed in this paper for the artificial source magnetotelluric in frequency domain. In general, the artificial source data are inverted only after the near field is corrected on the basis of the assumption of half-homogeneous space; however, this method is not suitable for the complex structure because the assumption is not valid any more. Recently the new idea about inversion scheme without near field correction is published in order to avoid the near field correction error. We try to discuss different inversion scheme in ID and 2D using the data without near field correction.The numerical integration method is used to do the forward modeling in ID CSAMT method o The infinite line source is used in the 2D finite-element forward modeling, where the near-field effect is occurred as in the CSAMT method because of using artificial source. The pseudo-delta function is used to modeling the source distribution, which reduces the singularity when solving the finite-element equations. The effect on the exploration area is discussed when anomalous body exists under the source or between the source and exploration area; A series of digital test show the 2D finite element method are correct, the results of modeling has important significant for CSAMT data interpretation. For 3D finite-element forward modeling, the finite-element equation is derived by Galerkin method and the divergence condition is add forcedly to the forward equation, the forward modeling result of the half homogeneous space model is correct.The new inversion idea without near field correction is followed to develop new inversion methods in ID and 2D in the paper. All of the inversion schemes use the data without near field correction, which avoid introducing errors caused by near field correction. The modified grid parameter method and the layer-by-layer inversion method are joined in the ID inversion scheme. The RRI method with artificial source are developed and finite-element inversion method are used in 2D inversion scheme. The inversion results using digital data and the field data are accordant to the model and the known geology data separately, which means the inversion without near field correction is accessible. The feasibility to invert the data only in exploration area is discussed when the anomalous body exists between the source and the exploration area.

Providing Soft Bandwidth Guarantees Using Elastic TCP-based Tunnels

The best-effort nature of the Internet poses a significant obstacle to the deployment of many applications that require guaranteed bandwidth. In this paper, we present a novel approach that enables two edge/border routers-which we call Internet Traffic Managers (ITM)-to use an adaptive number of TCP connections to set up a tunnel of desirable bandwidth between them. The number of TCP connections that comprise this tunnel is elastic in the sense that it increases/decreases in tandem with competing cross traffic to maintain a target bandwidth. An origin ITM would then schedule incoming packets from an application requiring guaranteed bandwidth over that elastic tunnel. Unlike many proposed solutions that aim to deliver soft QoS guarantees, our elastic-tunnel approach does not require any support from core routers (as with IntServ and DiffServ); it is scalable in the sense that core routers do not have to maintain per-flow state (as with IntServ); and it is readily deployable within a single ISP or across multiple ISPs. To evaluate our approach, we develop a flow-level control-theoretic model to study the transient behavior of established elastic TCP-based tunnels. The model captures the effect of cross-traffic connections on our bandwidth allocation policies. Through extensive simulations, we confirm the effectiveness of our approach in providing soft bandwidth guarantees. We also outline our kernel-level ITM prototype implementation.

Nanostructured ferroelectric materials

Nanostructured materials are central to the evolution of future electronics and information technologies. Ferroelectrics have already been established as a dominant branch in the electronics sector because of their diverse application range such as ferroelectric memories, ferroelectric tunnel junctions, etc. The on-going dimensional downscaling of materials to allow packing of increased numbers of components onto integrated circuits provides the momentum for the evolution of nanostructured ferroelectric materials and devices. Nanoscaling of ferroelectric materials can result in a modification of their functionality, such as phase transition temperature or Curie temperature (TC), domain dynamics, dielectric constant, coercive field, spontaneous polarisation and piezoelectric response. Furthermore, nanoscaling can be used to form high density arrays of monodomain ferroelectric nanostructures, which is desirable for the miniaturisation of memory devices. This thesis details the use of various types of nanostructuring approaches to fabricate arrays of ferroelectric nanostructures, particularly non-oxide based systems. The introductory chapter reviews some exemplary research breakthroughs in the synthesis, characterisation and applications of nanoscale ferroelectric materials over the last decade, with priority given to novel synthetic strategies. Chapter 2 provides an overview of the experimental methods and characterisation tools used to produce and probe the properties of nanostructured antimony sulphide (Sb2S3), antimony sulpho iodide (SbSI) and lead titanate zirconate (PZT). In particular, Chapter 2 details the general principles of piezoresponse microscopy (PFM). Chapter 3 highlights the fabrication of arrays of Sb2S3 nanowires with variable diameters using newly developed solventless template-based approach. A detailed account of domain imaging and polarisation switching of these nanowire arrays is also provided. Chapter 4 details the preparation of vertically aligned arrays of SbSI nanorods and nanowires using a surface-roughness assisted vapour-phase deposition method. The qualitative and quantitative nanoscale ferroelectric properties of these nanostructures are also discussed. Chapter 5 highlights the fabrication of highly ordered arrays of PZT nanodots using block copolymer self-assembled templates and their ferroelectric characterisation using PFM. Chapter 6 summarises the conclusions drawn from the results reported in chapters 3, 4 and 5 and the future work.