TY - JOUR A1 - Tötzke, C. A1 - Gaiselmann, G. A1 - Osenberg, M. A1 - Bohner, J. A1 - Arlt, Tobias A1 - Markötter, H. A1 - Hilger, A. A1 - Wieder, F. A1 - Kupsch, Andreas A1 - Müller, Bernd R. A1 - Hentschel, Manfred P. A1 - Banhart, J. A1 - Schmidt, V. A1 - Lehnert, W. A1 - Manke, I. T1 - Three-dimensional study of compressed gas diffusion layers using synchrotron X-ray imaging JF - Journal of power sources N2 - We present a synchrotron X-ray tomographic study on the morphology of carbon fiber-based gas diffusion layer (GDL) material under compression. A dedicated compression device is used to provide well-defined compression conditions. A flat compression punch is employed to study the fiber geometry at different degrees of compression. Transport relevant geometrical parameters such as porosity, pore size and tortuosity distributions are calculated. The geometric properties notably change upon compression which has direct impact on transport conditions for gas and fluid flow. The availability of broad 3D paths, which are most important for the transport of liquid water from the catalyst layer through the GDL, is markedly reduced after compression. In a second experiment, we study the influence of the channel-land-pattern of the flow-field on shape and microstructure of the GDL. A flow-field compression punch is employed to reproduce the inhomogeneous compression conditions found during fuel cell assembly. While homogenously compressed underneath the land the GDL is much less and inhomogeneously compressed under the channel. The GDL material extends far into the channel volume where it can considerably influence gas and fluid flow. Loose fiber endings penetrate deeply into the channel and form obstacles for the discharge of liquid water droplets. KW - Synchrotron X-ray tomography KW - Gas diffusion layer (GDL) KW - Microstructure KW - Water transport path KW - Pore size analysis KW - Geometrical tortuosity PY - 2014 DO - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpowsour.2013.12.062 SN - 0378-7753 VL - 253 SP - 123 EP - 131 PB - Elsevier CY - Amsterdam [u.a.] AN - OPUS4-29979 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Tötzke, C. A1 - Manke, I. A1 - Gaiselmann, G. A1 - Bohner, J. A1 - Müller, Bernd R. A1 - Kupsch, Andreas A1 - Hentschel, Manfred P. A1 - Schmidt, V. A1 - Banhart, J. A1 - Lehnert, W. T1 - A dedicated compression device for high resolution X-ray tomography of compressed gas diffusion layers JF - Review of scientific instruments N2 - We present an experimental approach to study the three-dimensional microstructure of gas diffusion layer (GDL) materials under realistic compression conditions. A dedicated compression device was designed that allows for synchrotron-tomographic investigation of circular samples under well-defined compression conditions. The tomographic data provide the experimental basis for stochastic modeling of nonwoven GDL materials. A plain compression tool is used to study the fiber courses in the material at different compression stages. Transport relevant geometrical parameters, such as porosity, pore size, and tortuosity distributions, are exemplarily evaluated for a GDL sample in the uncompressed state and for a compression of 30 vol.%. To mimic the geometry of the flow-field, we employed a compression punch with an integrated channel-rib-profile. It turned out that the GDL material is homogeneously compressed under the ribs, however, much less compressed underneath the channel. GDL fibers extend far into the channel volume where they might interfere with the convective gas transport and the removal of liquid water from the cell. KW - PEM fuel cell KW - Gas diffusion layer (GDL) KW - Compression device KW - X-ray tomography KW - Synchrotron KW - Tortuosity PY - 2015 DO - https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4918291 SN - 0034-6748 SN - 1089-7623 VL - 86 IS - 4 SP - 043702-1 EP - 043702-6 PB - American Institute of Physics CY - Melville, NY, USA AN - OPUS4-33081 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Milks, A. A1 - Lehmann, J. A1 - Leder, D. A1 - Sietz, M. A1 - Koddenberg, T. A1 - Böhner, U. A1 - Wachtendorf, Volker A1 - Terberger, T. T1 - A double-pointed wooden throwing stick from Schöningen, Germany: Results and new insights from a multianalytical study JF - PLOS ONE N2 - The site of Schöningen (Germany), dated to ca. 300,000 years ago, yielded the earliest large-scale record of humanly-made wooden tools. These include wooden spears and shorter double-pointed sticks, discovered in association with herbivores that were hunted and butchered along a lakeshore. Wooden tools have not been systematically analysed to the same standard as other Palaeolithic technologies, such as lithic or bone tools. Our multianalytical study includes micro-CT scanning, 3-dimensional microscopy, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, supporting a systematic technological and taphonomic analysis, thus setting a new standard for wooden tool analysis. In illustrating the biography of one of Schöningen’s double-pointed sticks, we demonstrate new human behaviours for this time period, including sophisticated woodworking techniques. The hominins selected a spruce branch which they then debarked and shaped into an aerodynamic and ergonomic tool. They likely seasoned the wood to avoid cracking and warping. After a long period of use, it was probably lost while hunting, and was then rapidly buried in mud. Taphonomic alterations include damage from trampling, fungal attack, root damage and compression. Through our detailed analysis we show that Middle Pleistocene humans had a rich awareness of raw material properties, and possessed sophisticated woodworking skills. Alongside new detailed morphometrics of the object, an ethnographic review supports a primary function as a throwing stick for hunting, indicating potential hunting strategies and social contexts including for communal hunts involving children. The Schöningen throwing sticks may have been used to strategically disadvantage larger ungulates, potentially from distances of up to 30 metres. They also demonstrate that the hominins were technologically capable of capturing smaller fast prey and avian fauna, a behaviour evidenced at contemporaneous Middle Pleistocene archaeological sites. KW - FTIR KW - Stone Age KW - Middle Pleistocene KW - Throwing-stick KW - Wood KW - Micro-CT scanning KW - 3-dimensional microscopy PY - 2023 UR - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-580012 DO - https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0287719 SN - 1932-6203 VL - 18 IS - 7 SP - 1 EP - 32 PB - PLOS CY - San Francisco, California, US AN - OPUS4-58001 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Al-Neshawy, F. A1 - Ferreira, M. A1 - Bohner, E. A1 - Ojala, T. A1 - Sjöblom, V. A1 - Niederleithinger, Ernst A1 - Effner, Ute A1 - Puttonen, J. T1 - Design, Construction and NDT of a Mock-up for Reinforced Concrete Walls in NPP N2 - Construction methods, environmental stressors, and aging factors are the main causes for defects of reinforced concrete in nuclear power plants (NPP). These defects are typically occurred as corrosion of reinforcement steel, delamination, cracks, malfunction of post-tensioning or steel composite systems etc. Some of the challenges for assessing the performance of these structures by nondestructive testing methods (NDT) are that the assessment could be performed only during the annual overhauls when testing is time-limited and uncertainty of the accuracy and reliability of the available NDT testing devices combined with the lack of the international uniformity of the methods used for NDT tests. To overcome these challenges, a mock-up wall representing a section of the concrete containment of the NPP was built. The mock-up wall included simulated defects, which mimic the most common types of defects in NPP concrete structures such as dimensional errors, honeycombing, delamination, defects adjacent to the steel liner and voids in grouted tendon ducts for the post-tensioned structures. This paper introduces the design and construction of the wall including the concrete properties, reinforcement, tendon ducts and the types of the simulated defects. The paper also introduces the NDT methods and techniques that are suitable for assessing the condition of the mock-up wall under the real environmental conditions. These techniques include mechanical methods as rebound hammer, ultrasonic and electromagnetic methods. This mock-up wall will enable to investigate reliably available NDT methods and experts’ skills providing also an important and very much need educational platform for future NDE experts. T2 - SMIRT-25 CY - Charlotte, NC, USA DA - 04.08.2019 KW - NDE KW - Defects KW - Thick-walled KW - Concrete KW - Deterioration KW - Steel liner PY - 2019 SP - 1 EP - 12 AN - OPUS4-48965 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER -