TY - JOUR A1 - Hahn, Marc Benjamin A1 - Smales, Glen Jacob A1 - Seitz, H. A1 - Solomun, Tihomir A1 - Sturm, Heinz T1 - Ectoine interaction with DNA: Influence on ultraviolet radiation damage N2 - Ectoine is a small zwitterionic osmolyte and compatible solute, which does not interfere with cell metabolism even at molar concentrations. Plasmid DNA (pUC19) was irradiated with ultraviolet radiation (UV-C at 266 nm) under quasi physiological conditions (PBS) and in pure water in the presence and absence of ectoine (THP(B)) and hydroxyectoine (THP(A)). Different types of UV induced DNA damage were analysed: DNA single-strand breaks (SSBs), abasic sites and cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers (CPDs). A complex interplay between these factors was observed with respect to the nature and occurrence of DNA damage with 266 nm photons. In PBS, the cosolutes showed efficient protection against base damage, whilst in pure water, a dramatic shift from SSB damage to base damage was observed when cosolutes were added. To test whether these effects are caused by ectoine binding to DNA, further experiments were conducted: small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), surface-plasmon resonance (SPR) measurements and Raman spectroscopy. The results show, for the first time, a close interaction between ectoine and DNA. This is in stark contrast to the assumption made by preferential exclusion models, which are often used to interpret the behaviour of compatible solutes within cells and with biomolecules. It is tentatively proposed that the alterations of UV damage to DNA are attributed to ectoine influence on nucleobases through the direct interaction between ectoine and DNA. KW - Ectoine KW - DNA KW - Radiation damage KW - Radiation protection KW - SSB KW - DNA damage KW - DNA protection KW - Compatible solute KW - Zwitterion KW - Hydroxyectoine KW - Salt KW - PBS KW - UV absorption KW - DNA strand-break KW - DNA base damage KW - Ectoine UV absorption KW - Ectoine DNA protection KW - Excited states KW - UV irradiation KW - UV-A KW - UV-B KW - UV-C KW - 266nm KW - UV photons KW - Ectoine-DNA binding KW - Raman spectroscopy KW - UV-Vis KW - Radical scavenger KW - OH scavenger KW - Hydroxyl radicals KW - CPD KW - Abasic site KW - Agarose gel electrophorese KW - SYBR gold KW - DNA melting temperature KW - Counterions KW - Preferential exclusion KW - Cancer KW - Therapy KW - UV protection KW - Sunscreen PY - 2020 UR - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-505772 DO - https://doi.org/10.1039/d0cp00092b SN - 1463-9076 SN - 1463-9084 VL - 22 IS - 13 SP - 6984 EP - 6992 PB - Royal Society of Chemistry CY - Cambridge AN - OPUS4-50577 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Fornacon-Wood, Christoph A1 - Stühler, Merlin R. A1 - Millanvois, Alexandre A1 - Steiner, Luca A1 - Weimann, Christiane A1 - Silbernagl, Dorothee A1 - Sturm, Heinz A1 - Paulus, Beate A1 - Plajer, Alex J. T1 - Fluoride recovery in degradable fluorinated polyesters N2 - We report a new class of degradable fluorinated polymers through the copolymerization of tetrafluorophthalic anhydride and propylene oxide or trifluoropropylene oxide which show up to 20 times quicker degradation than the non-fluorinated equivalents and allow for fluoride recovery. KW - Fluoropolymers KW - Recycling KW - PFAS KW - AFM force distance curves KW - AFM plastic deformation KW - AFM friction analysis PY - 2024 UR - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-606768 DO - https://doi.org/10.1039/d4cc02513j VL - 60 SP - 7479 EP - 7482 PB - Royal Society of Chemistry AN - OPUS4-60676 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Waniek, Tassilo A1 - Omar, Hassan A1 - Szymoniak, Paulina A1 - Silbernagl, Dorothee A1 - Sturm, Heinz T1 - The influence of water released from particles in epoxy‐based nanocomposites N2 - AbstractRecent studies have hypothesized that the reinforcing effects of boehmite nanoparticles (BNPs) in polymer nanocomposites (PNCs) are partly related to the particles themselves and partly to the water released from the BNP during curing. In this work, PNCs made from dried BNP (dBNP) with concentrations up to 15 wt% are investigated to differentiate particle and water related effects. The observed trend of the storage modulus in dynamic mechanical thermal analysis measurements was found to be independent of the drying procedure. Stiffness maps from intermodulation atomic force microscopy showed that dBNP leads to a stiffening of the interphase surrounding the particles compared with the unaffected epoxy matrix, while a softer interphase was reported for PNCs with as received BNP. A slight decrease in the glass transition temperature was observed by broadband dielectric spectroscopy related to a lowered crosslink density due to the particles. A significantly higher decrease was reported for PNCs with BNP, attributed to water influencing the curing process. In conclusion, the stiffening of PNC with BNP is related to the particles themselves, while the release of water causes the formation of a soft interphase in the vicinity of the particles and a significant decrease in crosslink density. KW - AFM stiffness of interface KW - Aluminium oxide hydroxide KW - Boehmit nanoparticle KW - Glass transition temperature KW - Broadband dielectric spectroscopy KW - Crosslink density control KW - Structure–property relationship KW - Nanocomposites KW - Thermoset PY - 2024 UR - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-606772 DO - https://doi.org/10.1002/app.55937 SN - 0021-8995 SP - 1 EP - 16 PB - Wiley AN - OPUS4-60677 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Stephan, Jenny A1 - Stühler, Merlin R. A1 - Fornacon-Wood, Christoph A1 - Dimde, Mathias A1 - Ludwig, Kai A1 - Sturm, Heinz A1 - Olmedo-Martínez, Jorge L. A1 - Müller, Alejandro J. A1 - Plajer, Alex J. T1 - Sulfur-containing block polymers from ring-opening copolymerization: coordinative encapsulants for transition metals N2 - Sulfur-containing polymers can coordinate transition metals via sulfur-centered, chemically soft lone pairs, although this typically occurs in a spatially uncontrolled manner. In this study, we employed the controlled ring-opening copolymerization of oxetane with sulfur-containing comonomers to construct a series of amphiphilic block copolymers featuring thioester and thiocarbonate functionalities. These copolymers self-assemble in aqueous solution into aggregates with a sulfur-rich core capable of coordinating transition metals. This behavior could be resolved by employing cryo-transmission electron tomography and then extended to complexes incorporating functional coligands. Our study demonstrates how selective catalysis can be harnessed to produce functional polymers with tunable metal coordination properties, paving the way for an emerging class of sulfur-containing copolymers. KW - Sulfur-containing polymer KW - Controlled synthesis KW - Metal ion coordination KW - Cryo TEM PY - 2025 UR - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-626157 DO - https://doi.org/10.1039/d4py01415d SN - 1759-9962 VL - 16 IS - 8 SP - 1003 EP - 1009 PB - Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) AN - OPUS4-62615 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Dittrich, Maria A1 - Paulo, Carlos A1 - Knabe, Nicole A1 - Sturm, Heinz A1 - Zaitsev, Vladimir A1 - Gorbushina, Anna T1 - Microscopic Raman study of fungal pigment using the genetically amenable rock inhabitant Knufia petricola as a model organism N2 - Fungal pigments such as melanin and carotenoids are distinctive markers of animal and plant pathogenic fungi as well as their environmental relatives. These complex pigments play important roles in pathogenicity and stress tolerance while also being useful as biomarkers. Accordingly, it is important to be able to identify in situ the pigments in black fungi, a group of clinical and environmental importance. In this study, wild-type and genetically modified strains of Knufia petricola A95 and wild fungal cells attached to ancient rock were investigated for their spectroscopic and microscopic Raman features and morphological appearance. Knockout mutants of melanin synthesis genes pks1 (polyketide synthase), sdh1 (scytalone dehydratase), and both pks1 and the carotenoid synthesis gene phd1 (phytoene desaturase) were studied We applied two different Raman microscopes using two lasers, with 633 nm and 488 nm wavelengths. We analyzed and compared Raman spectra between the measured reference substances and the mutant and wild-type strains. In the wild strain WT:A95, the peaks close to melanin peals were found at 1353 cm−1 and 1611 cm−1. There are no characteristic melanin peaks at 1580–1600 cm−1 and around 1350 cm−1 at the spectrum of the Δpks1/Δphd1 mutant and the Δsdh1 mutant. The Δpks1 mutant spectrum has the peaks at the beta-carotene v2 C-C in-plane stretch at 1155 cm−1 and v3 C-CH3 deformation at 1005 cm−1. The peaks of carotenoids and melanin were found in all mutants and the wild strain, except the Δpks1/Δphd1 mutant. Raman spectra allow for discrimination between the various pigments. Hence, interactions between natural fungal melanin, as well as other protective pigments, and complex environmental matrices can be characterized on a range of spatial and temporal scales. KW - Raman Spectroscopy KW - Instrumentation KW - Analytical Chemistry KW - Knufia petricola KW - Confocal microscopy KW - Atomic and Molecular Physics and Optics PY - 2023 DO - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.saa.2023.123250 SN - 1386-1425 VL - 303 SP - 1 EP - 11 PB - Elsevier BV AN - OPUS4-58792 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Cano Murillo, Natalia A1 - Szymoniak, Paulina A1 - Smales, Glen Jacob A1 - Sturm, Heinz A1 - Schönhals, Andreas T1 - Electrospun nanocomposites fibers of polycarbonate and taurine modified boehmite nanoparticles - What can be learned from structural and thermal investigations N2 - Though the reinforcing properties of inorganic particles in thermosetting nanocomposites, has been exploited, the integration of nanoparticles continues to be challenging in terms of their homogeneous distribution and their manipulation which can contribute to occupational hazards. Due to a second encapsulations of nanoparticles, electrospun nanocomposite fibers containing nanoparticles might be an alternative for overcoming these issues, as the fiber nonwovens contains the nanoparticles allowing for safer manipulation. Here, the morphology, and the thermal properties of electrospun polycarbonate fibers containing taurine modified boehmite nanoparticles (BNP) are investigated by means of small and wide-angle X-ray scattering as well as fast scanning and temperature modulated fast scanning calorimetry for the first time. The latter techniques allow the investigation of the thermal properties of single fibers at heating rates up to 10^4 K s^-1 keeping its structure intact. A quantitative analysis of the scattering data reveals a porous structure of the fibers. The porous structure is quantified regarding the pore volume and the pore size. A constant amount of aggregation is found even for the highly BNP loaded fibers. Thermal analysis on the fibers reveals a rigid amorphous fraction (RAF) where it is known that RAF determinates the properties of a nanocomposite to a large extent. For the fibers RAF amounts up to 40 wt%, which is essential higher compared to equally formulated PC/BNP composite cast films. The RAF in the case of the fibers, is not only due to the presence of particles in the polymer but also due to orientation effects induced by the electrospinning process. KW - Nanocomposite fibers KW - Electrospinning KW - X-ray scattering KW - Fast scanning calorimetry KW - Rigid amorphous fraction PY - 2021 DO - https://doi.org/10.1021/acsapm.1c01265 VL - 3 IS - 12 SP - 6572 EP - 6585 PB - ACS AN - OPUS4-53871 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Zarinwall, A. A1 - Waniek, Tassilo A1 - Saadat, R. A1 - Braun, U. A1 - Sturm, Heinz A1 - Garnweitner, G. T1 - Comprehensive Characterization of APTES Surface Modifications of Hydrous Boehmite Nanoparticles N2 - Hydrous boehmite (γ-AlOOH) nanoparticles (BNP) show great potential as nanoscale filler for the fabrication of fiber reinforced nanocomposite materials. Notably, the particle−matrix interaction has been demonstrated to be decisive for improving the matrix-dominant mechanical properties in the past years. Tailoring the surface properties of the nanofiller enables to selectively design the interaction and thus to exploit the benefits of the nanocomposite in an optimal way. Here, an extensive study is presented on the binding of (3-aminopropyl)triethoxysilane (APTES), a common silane surface modifier, on BNP in correlation to different process parameters (concentration, time, temperature, and pH). Furthermore, a comprehensive characterization of the modified BNP was performed by using elemental analysis (EA), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) coupled with mass spectrometry (TGA-MS), and Kaiser’s test (KT). The results show an increasing monolayer formation up to a complete surface coverage with rising APTES concentration, time, and temperature, resulting in a maximal grafting density of 1.3 molecules/nm². Unspecific multilayer formation was solely observed under acidic conditions. Comparison of TGA-MS results with data recorded from EA, TGA, and KT verified that TGA-MS is a convenient and highly suitable method to elucidate the ligand binding in detail. KW - Boehmite KW - Nanoparticle KW - Surface KW - APTES KW - Functionalization KW - BET KW - TGA KW - Grafting KW - Nanocomposite KW - Silane PY - 2020 DO - https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.langmuir.0c02682 VL - 37 IS - 1 SP - 171 EP - 179 PB - ACS Publications AN - OPUS4-51954 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Tavasolyzadeh, Zeynab A1 - Tang, Peng A1 - Hahn, Marc Benjamin A1 - Hweidi, Gada A1 - Nordholt, Niclas A1 - Haag, Rainer A1 - Sturm, Heinz A1 - Topolniak, Ievgeniia T1 - 2D and 3D Micropatterning of Mussel‐Inspired Functional Materials by Direct Laser Writing N2 - AbstractThis work addresses the critical need for multifunctional materials and substrate‐independent high‐precision surface modification techniques that are essential for advancing microdevices and sensing elements. To overcome existing limitations, the versatility of mussel‐inspired materials (MIMs) is combined with state‐of‐the‐art multiphoton direct laser writing (DLW) microfabrication. In this way, 2D and 3D MIM microstructures of complex designs are demonstrated with sub‐micron to micron resolution and extensive post‐functionalization capabilities. This study includes polydopamine (PDA), mussel‐inspired linear, and dendritic polyglycerols (MI‐lPG and MI‐dPG), allowing their direct microstructure on the substrate of choice with the option to tailor the patterned topography and morphology in a controllable manner. The functionality potential of MIMs is demonstrated by successfully immobilizing and detecting single‐stranded DNA on MIM micropattern and nanoarray surfaces. In addition, easy modification of MIM microstructure with silver nanoparticles without the need of any reducing agent is shown. The methodology developed here enables the integration of MIMs in advanced applications where precise surface functionalization is essential. KW - Direct laser writing KW - Mussel-inspired materials KW - Polyglycerol KW - Polydopamine KW - Micropatterning PY - 2023 UR - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-588778 DO - https://doi.org/10.1002/smll.202309394 SN - 1613-6829 SP - 1 EP - 12 PB - Wiley-VCH CY - Weinheim AN - OPUS4-58877 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Madbouly, Loay Akmal A1 - Sturm, Heinz A1 - Doolin, Alexander A1 - Hodoroaba, Vasile-Dan A1 - Radnik, Jörg T1 - Chemical Analysis of Commercial Functionalized Graphene Nanoplatelets along the Production Process with Raman Spectroscopy and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy N2 - Commercial applications increasingly rely on functionalized graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs) supplied as powders, aqueous suspensions, and printable inks, yet their process−structure−property relationships across the production chain remain to be fully mapped. Here we apply a correlative Raman spectroscopy (Raman) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) workflow to nine independent industrial graphene batches spanning three surface chemistries, raw (R), fluorinated (F), and nitrogen-functionalized (N), in all three physical forms which are powders, suspensions, and inks. Raman mapping (with a 532 nm excitation laser) showed that I2D/IG is highest for N samples and lowest for R-ink. A 2D-vs-G correlation places all samples on a trajectory parallel to the pure-doping vector, which can correlate to holes in the graphene lattice. The mean point-defect spacing is LD = 8.4−10.0 nm. High-resolution XPS resolves the accompanying chemical changes: F-powder exhibits distinct C−F (289 eV), C−F2 (292 eV), and C−F3 (293 eV) components and loses roughly half its F content upon dispersion in deionized water or ink formulation; inks of all chemistries show a pronounced O−C=O peak near 289−290 eV originated from the ink compounds. N-functionalized samples showed a prominent C−N (285.5 eV) only for the ink formulated N-functionalized sample. This study establishes a process-aware blueprint linking the functionalization route and formulation step to lattice disorder and surface chemistry, offering transferable quality-control metrics for graphene supply chains in industrial products/applications such as coatings, storage devices, and printed electronics. KW - Functionalized graphene KW - Raman Spectroscopy KW - XPS KW - Chemical analysis PY - 2025 UR - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-652548 DO - https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jpcc.5c06820 SN - 1932-7447 VL - 129 IS - 50 SP - 22033 EP - 22040 PB - American Chemical Society (ACS) AN - OPUS4-65254 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Elert, Anna Maria A1 - Chen, Yong-Cin A1 - Smales, Glen Jacob A1 - Topolniak, Ievgeniia A1 - Sturm, Heinz A1 - Schönhals, Andreas A1 - Szymoniak, Paulina T1 - Effects of the charge density of nanopapers based on carboxymethylated cellulose nanofibrils investigated by complementary techniques N2 - Cellulose nanofibrils (CNFs) with different charge densities were prepared and investigated by a combination of different complementary techniques sensitive to the structure and molecular dynamics of the system. The morphology of the materials was investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray scattering (SAXS/WAXS). The latter measurements were quantitatively analyzed yielding to molecular parameters in dependence of the charge density like the diameter of the fibrils, the distance between the fibrils, and the dimension of bundles of nanofibrils, including pores. The influence of water on the properties and the charge density is studied by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and broadband dielectric spectroscopy. The TGA measurements reveal two mass loss processes. The one at lower temperatures was related to the loss of water, and the second process at higher temperatures was related to the chemical decomposition. The resulting char yield could be correlated to the distance between the microfibrils. The DSC investigation for hydrated CNFs revealed three glass transitions due to the cellulose segments surrounded by water molecules in different states. In the second heating scan, only one broad glass transition is observed. The dielectric spectra reveal two relaxation processes. At low temperatures or higher frequencies, the β-relaxation is observed, which is assigned to localized fluctuation of the glycosidic linkage. At higher temperatures and lower frequencies, the α-relaxation takes places. This relaxation is due to cooperative fluctuations in the cellulose segments. Both processes were quantitatively analyzed. The obtained parameters such as the relaxation rates were related to both the morphological data, the charge density, and the content of water for the first time. KW - Cellulose nanofibrils PY - 2024 UR - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-600528 DO - https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1021/acsomega.4c00255 SN - 2470-1343 VL - 9 SP - 20152 EP - 20166 PB - ACS AN - OPUS4-60052 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER -