TY - JOUR A1 - Porta-Velilla, L. A1 - Turan, N. A1 - Cubero, Á. A1 - Shao, W. A1 - Li, H. A1 - de la Fuente, G.F. A1 - Martínez, E. A1 - Larrea, Á. A1 - Castro, M. A1 - Koralay, H. A1 - Çavdar, Ş. A1 - Bonse, Jörn A1 - Angurel, L.A. T1 - Highly Regular Hexagonally-Arranged Nanostructures on Ni-W Alloy Tapes upon Irradiation with Ultrashort UV Laser Pulses N2 - Nickel tungsten alloy tapes (Ni—5 at% W, 10 mm wide, 80 µm thick, biaxially textured) used in second-generation high temperature superconductor (2G-HTS) technology were laser-processed in air with ultraviolet ps-laser pulses (355 nm wavelength, 300 ps pulse duration, 250–800 kHz pulse repetition frequency). By employing optimized surface scan-processing strategies, various laser-generated periodic surface structures were generated on the tapes. Particularly, distinct surface microstructures and nanostructures were formed. These included sub-wavelength-sized highly-regular hexagonally-arranged nano-protrusions, wavelength-sized line-grating-like laser-induced periodic surface structures (LIPSS, ripples), and larger irregular pyramidal microstructures. The induced surface morphology was characterized in depth by electron-based techniques, including scanning electron microscopy (SEM), electron back scatter diffraction (EBSD), cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy (STEM/TEM) and energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry (EDS). The in-depth EBSD crystallographic analyses indicated a significant impact of the material initial grain orientation on the type of surface nanostructure and microstructure formed upon laser irradiation. Special emphasis was laid on high-resolution material analysis of the hexagonally-arranged nano-protrusions. Their formation mechanism is discussed on the basis of the interplay between electromagnetic scattering effects followed by hydrodynamic matter re-organization after the laser exposure. The temperature stability of the hexagonally-arranged nano-protrusion was explored in post-irradiation thermal annealing experiments, in order to qualify their suitability in 2G-HTS fabrication technology with initial steps deposition temperatures in the range of 773–873 K. KW - Laser-induced periodic surface structures (LIPSS) KW - Ultrashort laser processing KW - Hexagonally-arranged nano-protrusions KW - Second-generation high temperature superconductor technology KW - Electron microscopy PY - 2022 UR - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-552551 DO - https://doi.org/10.3390/nano12142380 SN - 2079-4991 VL - 12 IS - 14 SP - 1 EP - 23 PB - MDPI CY - Basel, Switzerland AN - OPUS4-55255 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Li, Z. A1 - Raab, A. A1 - Kolmangadi, Mohamed Aejaz A1 - Busch, M. A1 - Grunwald, M. A1 - Demel, F. A1 - Bertram, F. A1 - Kityk, A. V. A1 - Schönhals, Andreas A1 - Laschat, S. A1 - Huber, P. T1 - Self-Assembly of Ionic Superdiscs in Nanopores N2 - Discotic ionic liquid crystals (DILCs) consist of self-assembled superdiscs of cations and anions that spontaneously stack in linear columns with high one-dimensional ionic and electronic charge mobility, making them prominent model systems for functional soft matter. Compared to classical nonionic discotic liquid crystals, many liquid crystalline structures with a combination of electronic and ionic conductivity have been reported, which are of interest for separation membranes, artificial ion/proton conducting membranes, and optoelectronics. Unfortunately, a homogeneous alignment of the DILCs on the macroscale is often not achievable, which significantly limits the applicability of DILCs. Infiltration into nanoporous solid scaffolds can, in principle, overcome this drawback. However, due to the experimental challenges to scrutinize liquid crystalline order in extreme spatial confinement, little is known about the structures of DILCs in nanopores. Here, we present temperaturedependent high-resolution optical birefringence measurement and 3D reciprocal space mapping based on synchrotron X-ray scattering to investigate the thermotropic phase behavior of dopamine-based ionic liquid crystals confined in cylindrical channels of 180 nm diameter in macroscopic anodic aluminum oxide membranes. As a function of the membranes’ hydrophilicity and thus the molecular anchoring to the pore walls (edge-on or face-on) and the variation of the hydrophilic−hydrophobic balance between the aromatic cores and the alkyl side chain motifs of the superdiscs by tailored chemical synthesis, we find a particularly rich phase behavior, which is not present in the bulk state. It is governed by a complex interplay of liquid crystalline elastic energies (bending and splay deformations), polar interactions, and pure geometric confinement and includes textural transitions between radial and axial alignment of the columns with respect to the long nanochannel axis. Furthermore, confinement-induced continuous order formation is observed in contrast to discontinuous first-order phase transitions, which can be quantitatively described by Landau-de Gennes free energy models for liquid crystalline order transitions in confinement. Our observations suggest that the infiltration of DILCs into nanoporous solids allows tailoring their nanoscale texture and ion channel formation and thus their electrical and optical functionalities over an even wider range than in the bulk state in a homogeneous manner on the centimeter scale as controlled by the monolithic nanoporous scaffolds. KW - Ionic Liquid Crystals KW - Nanopropous materials KW - Landau de-Gennes analysis KW - X-ray scattering KW - Optical birefringence PY - 2024 UR - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-600797 DO - https://doi.org/10.1021/acsnano.4c01062 SN - 1936-0851 VL - 18 IS - 22 SP - 14414 EP - 14426 PB - ACS AN - OPUS4-60079 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Li, Z. A1 - Gao, S. A1 - Brand, U. A1 - Hiller, K. A1 - Wollschläger, Nicole A1 - Pohlenz, F. T1 - Note: Nanomechanical characterization of soft materials using a micro-machined nanoforce transducer with an FIB-made pyramidal tip N2 - The quantitative nanomechanical characterization of soft materials using the nanoindentation technique requires further improvements in the performances of instruments, including their force Resolution in particular. A micro-machined silicon nanoforce transducer based upon electrostatic comb drives featuring the force and depth resolutions down to 1 nN and 0.2 nm, respectively, is described. At the end of theMEMStransducer’s main shaft, a pyramidal tip is fabricated using a focused ion beam facility. A proof-of-principle setup with this MEMS nanoindenter has been established to measure the mechanical properties of soft polydimethylsiloxane. First measurement results demonstrate that the prototype measurement system is able to quantitatively characterize soft materials with elastic moduli down to a few MPa. KW - MEMS KW - Indentation KW - Soft material PY - 2017 DO - https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4977474 SN - 0034-6748 SN - 1089-7623 VL - 88 IS - 3 SP - 036104-1 EP - 036104-3 PB - AIP Publishing AN - OPUS4-39313 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - INPR A1 - Zimmermann, Yoel A1 - Bazgir, Adib A1 - Al-Feghali, Alexander A1 - Ansari, Mehrad A1 - Bocarsly, Joshua A1 - Brinson, L. Catherine A1 - Chiang, Yuan A1 - Circi, Defne A1 - Chiu, Min-Hsueh A1 - Daelman, Nathan A1 - Evans, Matthew L. A1 - Gangan, Abhijeet S. A1 - George, Janine A1 - Harb, Hassan A1 - Khalighinejad, Ghazal A1 - Khan, Sartaaj Takrim A1 - Klawohn, Sascha A1 - Lederbauer, Magdalena A1 - Mahjoubi, Soroush A1 - Mohr, Bernadette A1 - Moosavi, Seyed Mohamad A1 - Naik, Aakash A1 - Ozhan, Aleyna Beste A1 - Plessers, Dieter A1 - Roy, Aritra A1 - Schöppach, Fabian A1 - Schwaller, Philippe A1 - Terboven, Carla A1 - Ueltzen, Katharina A1 - Wu, Yue A1 - Zhu, Shang A1 - Janssen, Jan A1 - Li, Calvin A1 - Foster, Ian A1 - Blaiszik, Ben T1 - 34 Examples of LLM Applications in Materials Science and Chemistry: Towards Automation, Assistants, Agents, and Accelerated Scientific Discovery N2 - Large Language Models (LLMs) are reshaping many aspects of materials science and chemistry research, enabling advances in molecular property prediction, materials design, scientific automation, knowledge extraction, and more. Recent developments demonstrate that the latest class of models are able to integrate structured and unstructured data, assist in hypothesis generation, and streamline research workflows. To explore the frontier of LLM capabilities across the research lifecycle, we review applications of LLMs through 34 total projects developed during the second annual Large Language Model Hackathon for Applications in Materials Science and Chemistry, a global hybrid event. These projects spanned seven key research areas: (1) molecular and material property prediction, (2) molecular and material design, (3) automation and novel interfaces, (4) scientific communication and education, (5) research data management and automation, (6) hypothesis generation and evaluation, and (7) knowledge extraction and reasoning from the scientific literature. Collectively, these applications illustrate how LLMs serve as versatile predictive models, platforms for rapid prototyping of domain-specific tools, and much more. In particular, improvements in both open source and proprietary LLM performance through the addition of reasoning, additional training data, and new techniques have expanded effectiveness, particularly in low-data environments and interdisciplinary research. As LLMs continue to improve, their integration into scientific workflows presents both new opportunities and new challenges, requiring ongoing exploration, continued refinement, and further research to address reliability, interpretability, and reproducibility. KW - Automation KW - LLM KW - Machine Learning KW - Agent KW - Bonding Analysis KW - Materials Searches KW - Finetuning PY - 2025 UR - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-631720 DO - https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2505.03049 SP - 1 EP - 33 AN - OPUS4-63172 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Adwani, D. A1 - Pipintakos, G. A1 - Mirwald, J. A1 - Wang, Y. A1 - Hajj, R. A1 - Guo, M. A1 - Liang, M. A1 - Jing, R. A1 - Varveri, A. A1 - Zhang, Y. A1 - Pei, K. A1 - Xu, X. A1 - Leng, Z. A1 - Li, D. A1 - Villamil, W. A1 - Caro, S. A1 - Chailleux, E. A1 - Cantot, J. A1 - Weigel, Sandra A1 - Škulteckė, J. A1 - Tarsi, G. A1 - Margaritis, A. A1 - Wang, H. A1 - Hu, Y. A1 - Airey, G. A1 - Sreeram, A. A1 - Bhasin, A. T1 - Examining the efficacy of promising antioxidants to mitigate asphalt binder oxidation: Insights from a worldwide interlaboratory investigation N2 - Oxidative aging induces significant stiffening of asphalt binders that leads to a pronounced reduction in the overall durability of asphalt pavements. The strategic implementation of antioxidant additives provides a potential solution to alleviate this issue. This work presents results from the second phase of the global consortium for antioxidants research aimed at investigating the effectiveness of potential antioxidants in increasing the durability of asphalt binders. Sixteen laboratories around the world participated in this effort and a total of 28 binders from diverse geographical regions were tested. Two promising antioxidants, namely zinc diethyldithiocarbamate (ZDC) and kraft lignin were evaluated in this phase and blended with the binders at specific proportions. Subsequently, a comprehensive investigation was conducted to assess rheological characteristics and chemical properties of the various blends, utilising Dynamic Shear Rheometer (DSR) measurements and Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) Spectroscopy. The findings indicate that additives such as ZDC hold considerable promise as an effective antioxidant, particularly when considering a wide diversity of binders. In general, its incorporation does not compromise the rutting performance of the binders and significantly improves fatigue performance. Therefore, research efforts should be focused on exploring additional facets to assess its practical applicability in field. KW - Asphalt oxidation KW - Binder aging KW - Antioxidant additives KW - Binder rheology KW - Binder chemistry KW - Bitumen und bitumenhaltige Bindemittel KW - FTIR-Spektroskopie KW - Anwendungsmöglichkeiten KW - Vergleichsuntersuchung KW - Arbeitsanleitung KW - Präzision PY - 2024 DO - https://doi.org/10.1080/10298436.2024.2332363 SN - 1477-268X VL - 25 IS - 1 SP - 1 EP - 15 PB - Taylor & Francis CY - London AN - OPUS4-59957 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Omar, Hassan A1 - Smales, Glen Jacob A1 - Henning, S. A1 - Li, Z. A1 - Wang, D.-Y. A1 - Schönhals, Andreas A1 - Szymoniak, Paulina T1 - Calorimetric and Dielectric Investigations of Epoxy-Based Nanocomposites with Halloysite Nanotubes as Nanofillers N2 - Epoxy nanocomposites are promising materials for industrial applications (i.e., aerospace, marine and automotive industry) due to their extraordinary mechanical and thermal properties. Here, the effect of hollow halloysite nanotubes (HNT) on an epoxy matrix (Ep) was the focus of the study. The structure and molecular mobility of the nanocomposites were investigated using a combination of X-ray scattering, calorimetry (differential (DSC) and fast scanning calorimetry (FSC)) and dielectric spectroscopy. Additionally, the effect of surface modification of HNT (polydopamine (PDA) and Fe(OH)3 nanodots) was considered. For Ep/HNT, the glass transition temperature (Tg) is was de-creased due to a nanoparticle-related decrease of the crosslinking density. For the modified system, Ep/m-HNT, the surface modification resulted in enhanced filler–matrix interactions leading to higher Tg values than the pure epoxy in some cases. For Ep/m-HNT, the amount of interface formed between the nanoparticles and the matrix ranged from 5% to 15%. Through BDS measurements, localized fluctuations were detected as a β- and γ-relaxation, related to rotational fluctuations of phenyl rings and local reorientations of unreacted components. A combination of calorimetry and BDS dielectric spectroscopy revealed a dynamic and structural heterogeneity of the matrix, as confirmed by two glassy dynamics in both systems, related to regions with different crosslinking densities. KW - Rigid amorphous fraction KW - Epoxy nanocomposites KW - Halloysite nanotubes KW - X-ray scattering KW - Differential scanning calorimetry KW - Broadband dielectric spectroscopy KW - Flash DSC PY - 2021 UR - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-526668 DO - https://doi.org/10.3390/polym13101634 VL - 13 IS - 10 SP - 1634 PB - MDPI AN - OPUS4-52666 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Kolmangadi, Mohamed A. A1 - Raab, A. R. A1 - Szymoniak, Paulina A1 - Li, Z. A1 - Huber, P. A1 - Laschat, S. A1 - Schönhals, Andreas T1 - Molecular mobility and electrical conductivity of amino acid-based (DOPA) ionic liquid crystals in the bulk state and nanoconfinement N2 - This study explores the molecular mobility, phase behavior, and electrical conductivity of dihydroxyphenylalanine-based ionic liquid crystals (DOPAn, with alkyl side chains n = 12, 14, 16) featuring cyclic guanidiniumchloride headgroups, in both bulk and nanoconfined states. Using broadband dielectric spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, and fast scanning calorimetry, the research uncovers a complex interplay between molecular structure, self-assembly, and molecular mobility. In bulk, DOPAn shows a phase sequence from plastic crystalline to hexagonal columnar and isotropic phases, driven by superdisc formation and columnar organization. Multiple relaxation processes are identified: localized side-chain dynamics (γ-relaxation), ionic headgroup or core motions (α1-relaxation), and cooperative alkyl domain fluctuations (α2-relaxation). Conductivity decreases with increasing side chain length. Under nanoconfinement in anodic aluminum oxide membranes, phase behavior changes: the Colh–Iso transition is suppressed, and a new α3-relaxation appears, linked to dynamics in an adsorbed interfacial layer. DC conductivity drops by up to four orders of magnitude due to confinement effects, altered molecular orientation, and phase transitions—especially the emergence of a nematic-like state in DOPA16. These findings highlight the importance of molecular design, pore geometry, and surface chemistry in tuning ionic liquid crystal properties for advanced applications in nanofluidics, ion transport, and responsive materials. KW - Ionic Liquid Crystals PY - 2025 UR - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-639657 DO - https://doi.org/10.1039/d5cp02406d SN - 1463-9084 SP - 1 EP - 17 PB - Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) AN - OPUS4-63965 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Inui, H. A1 - Kishida, K. A1 - Li, L. A1 - Manzoni, Anna Maria A1 - Haas, S. A1 - Glatzel, U. T1 - Uniaxial mechanical properties of face‑centered cubic singleand multiphase high‑entropy alloys N2 - Since the high entropy concept was proposed at the beginning of the millennium, the research focus of this alloy family has been wide ranging. The initial search for single-phase alloys has expanded with the aim of improving mechanical properties. This can be achieved by several strengthening mechanisms such as solid-solution hardening, hot and cold working and precipitation hardening. Both single- and multiphase high- and medium-entropy alloys can be optimized for mechanical strength via several processing routes, as is the case for conventional alloys with only one base element, such as steels or Ni-based superalloys. KW - High entropy alloy KW - Compositionally complex alloys KW - Tensile properties PY - 2022 UR - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-543955 DO - https://doi.org/10.1557/s43577-022-00280-y VL - 47 IS - 2 SP - 168 EP - 174 PB - Springer AN - OPUS4-54395 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Li, Q. A1 - Shinde, S. A1 - Grasso, G. A1 - Caroli, A. A1 - Abouhany, R. A1 - Lanzillotta, M. A1 - Pan, G. A1 - Wan, Wei A1 - Rurack, Knut A1 - Sellergren, B. T1 - Selective detection of phospholipids using molecularly imprinted fluorescent sensory core-shell particles N2 - Sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) is a bioactive sphingo-lipid with a broad range of activities coupled to its role in G-protein coupled receptor signalling. Monitoring of both intra and extra cellular levels of this lipid is challenging due to its low abundance and lack of robust affinity assays or sensors. We here report on fluorescent sensory core-shell molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) particles responsive to near physiologically relevant levels of S1P and the S1P receptor modulator fingolimod phosphate (FP) in spiked human serum samples. Imprinting was achieved using the tetrabutylammonium (TBA) salt of FP or phosphatidic acid (DPPA·Na) as templates in combination with a polymerizable nitrobenzoxadiazole (NBD)-urea monomer with the dual role of capturing the phospho-anion and signalling its presence. The monomers were grafted from ca 300 nm RAFT-modified silica core particles using ethyleneglycol dimethacrylate (EGDMA) as crosslinker resulting in 10–20 nm thick shells displaying selective fluorescence response to the targeted lipids S1P and DPPA in aqueous buffered media. Potential use of the sensory particles for monitoring S1P in serum was demonstrated on spiked serum samples, proving a linear range of 18–60 μM and a detection limit of 5.6 μM, a value in the same range as the plasma concentration of the biomarker. KW - Molecularly imprinted polymers KW - Phospholipids KW - Fluorescence KW - Dye monomers PY - 2020 UR - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-509485 DO - https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-66802-3 SN - 2045-2322 VL - 10 IS - 1 SP - 9924 PB - Nature Research CY - London AN - OPUS4-50948 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Auxillos, J. A1 - Crouigneau, R. A1 - Li, Y.-F. A1 - Dai, Y. A1 - Stigliani, A. A1 - Tavernaro, Isabella A1 - Resch-Genger, Ute A1 - Sandelin, A. A1 - Marie, R. A1 - Pedersen, S. F. T1 - Spatially resolved analysis of microenvironmental gradient impact on cancer cell phenotypes N2 - Despite the physiological and pathophysiological significance of microenvironmental gradients, e.g., for diseases such as cancer, tools for generating such gradients and analyzing their impact are lacking. Here, we present an integrated microfluidic-based workflow that mimics extracellular pH gradients characteristic of solid tumors while enabling high-resolution live imaging of, e.g., cell motility and chemotaxis, and preserving the capacity to capture the spatial transcriptome. Our microfluidic device generates a pH gradient that can be rapidly controlled to mimic spatiotemporal microenvironmental changes over cancer cells embedded in a 3D matrix. The device can be reopened allowing immunofluorescence analysis of selected phenotypes, as well as the transfer of cells and matrix to a Visium slide for spatially resolved analysis of transcriptional changes across the pH gradient. This workflow is easily adaptable to other gradients and multiple cell types and can therefore prove invaluable for integrated analysis of roles of microenvironmental gradients in biology. KW - Bioimaging KW - Fluorescence KW - Cell KW - Cancer KW - Method KW - Microfluids KW - Model KW - Calibration KW - Sensor KW - Ph KW - Probe KW - Workflow PY - 2024 UR - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-604631 DO - https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.adn3448 VL - 19 IS - 18 SP - 1 EP - 17 AN - OPUS4-60463 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Li, Changchao A1 - Jin, Ling N. A1 - Bank, Michael S. A1 - Fan, Chunlan A1 - Gillings, Michael R. A1 - Zhao, Tingting A1 - Han, Yong A1 - Chen, Tian A1 - Gao, Meng A1 - Zhu, Dong A1 - Chen, Qinglin A1 - Zhu, Guibing A1 - Wang, Jie A1 - Wang, Lei A1 - Liu, Jian A1 - Yuan, Xianzheng A1 - Huang, Qishen A1 - Wang, Xiaofei A1 - Jahnke, Annika A1 - Brahney, Janice A1 - Allen, Steve A1 - Arp, Hans Peter H. A1 - Oberbeckmann, Sonja A1 - Bergmann, Melanie A1 - Pointing, Stephen B. A1 - Zhang, Daizhou A1 - Rillig, Matthias C. T1 - Potential planetary health impacts of the airborne plastisphere N2 - Microplastics are a ubiquitous yet long-overlooked component of airborne particulate matter. The surface of these plastic particles provides a unique niche for microorganisms, collectively known as the plastisphere. The plastisphere in aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems harbors microbial communities with distinct compositions, structures, and functional profiles, posing potential planetary health risks. The characteristics, fate, and impacts of the microbiome associated with airborne microplastics, however, remain largely unknown. In this review, we fill the knowledge gaps by exploring how airborne microplastics serve as key habitats for microorganisms and the potential planetary health implications. We show that microplastics are expected to carry and sustain microorganisms over long distances and timescales in air, potentially dispersing pathogens, antibiotic-resistance genes, and other bioactive agents across ecosystems. These interactions may perturb ecological processes and biological health on a planetary scale. Interdisciplinary research and innovative methodologies are urgently required to better understand and mitigate the airborne plastisphere risks. KW - Microplastics KW - Microbiome KW - Plastisphere PY - 2025 UR - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-645551 DO - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.oneear.2025.101446 SN - 2590-3322 VL - 8 IS - 10 SP - 1 EP - 17 PB - Elsevier B.V. AN - OPUS4-64555 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER -