This dissertation presents the measurement of the Cp-odd fraction and time-dependent CP violation parameters for the B{sup 0} {yields} D*{sup +} D*{sup -} decay. These results are based on the full BABAR dataset of (467 {+-} 5) x 10{sup 6} B{bar B} pairs collected at the PEP-II B Factory at the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center. An angular analysis finds that the CP-odd fraction of the B{sup 0} {yields} D*{sup +} D*{sup -} decay is R{sub {perpendicular}} = 0.158 {+-} 0.028 {+-} 0.006, where the first uncertainty is statistical, and the second is systematic. A fit to the flavor-tagged, time-dependent, angular decay rate yields C{sub +} = 0.02 {+-} 0.12 {+-} 0.02; C{sub {perpendicular}} = 0.41 {+-} 0.50 {+-} 0.08; S{sub +} = -0.76 {+-} 0.16 {+-} 0.04; S{sub {perpendicular}} = -1.81 {+-} 0.71 {+-} 0.16, for the CP-odd ({perpendicular}) and CP-even (+) contributions. Constraining these two contributions to be the same results in C = 0.047 {+-} 0.091 {+-} 0.019; S = -0.71 {+-} 0.16 {+-} 0.03. These measurements are consistent with the Standard Model and with measurements of sin2{beta} from B{sup 0} {yields} (c{bar c})K{sup 0} decays.

The viscosities of both aqueous and cyanate ester monomer (BECy) based suspensions of alumina nanoparticle were studied. The applications for these suspensions are different: aqueous suspensions of alumina nanoparticles are used in the production of technical ceramics made by slip casting or tape casting, and the BECy based suspensions are being developed for use in an injection-type composite repair resin. In the case of aqueous suspensions, it is advantageous to achieve a high solids content with low viscosity in order to produce a high quality product. The addition of a dispersant is useful so that higher solids content suspensions can be used with lower viscosities. For BECy suspensions, the addition of nanoparticles to the BECy resin is expected to enhance the mechanical properties of the cured composite. The addition of saccharides to aqueous suspensions leads to viscosity reduction. Through DSC measurements it was found that the saccharide molecules formed a solution with water and this resulted in lowering the melting temperature of the free water according to classic freezing point depression. Saccharides also lowered the melting temperature of the bound water, but this followed a different rule. The shear thinning and melting behaviors of the suspensions were used to develop …