TY - JOUR A1 - Zorn, R. A1 - Yin, Huajie A1 - Lohstroh, W. A1 - Harrison, W. A1 - Budd, P.M. A1 - Pauw, Brian Richard A1 - Böhning, Martin A1 - Schönhals, Andreas T1 - Anomalies in the low frequency vibrational density of states for a polymer with intrinsic microporosity - the Boson peak of PIM-1 JF - Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics N2 - Polymers with intrinsic microporosity are promising candidates for the active separation layer in gas separation membranes. Here, the vibrational density of states (VDOS) for PIM-1, the prototypical polymer with intrinsic microporosity, is investigated by means of inelastic neutron scattering. The results are compared to data measured for a more conventional high-performance polyimide used in gas separation membranes (Matrimid). The measured data show the characteristic low frequency excess contribution to VDOS above the Debye sound wave level, generally known as the Boson peak in glass-forming materials. In comparison to the Boson peak of Matrimid, that of PIM-1 is shifted to lower frequencies. This shift is discussed considering the microporous, sponge-like structure of PIM-1 as providing a higher compressibility at the molecular scale than for conventional polymers. For an annealed PIM-1 sample, the Boson peak shifts to higher frequencies in comparison to the un-annealed sample. These changes in the VDOS of the annealed PIM-1 sample are related to changes in the microporous structure as confirmed by X-ray scattering. KW - Polymers KW - Boson peak KW - Neutron scattering KW - Physical aging KW - Polymer of intrinsic microporosity PY - 2018 DO - https://doi.org/10.1039/C7CP07141H SN - 1463-9076 SN - 1463-9084 VL - 20 IS - 3 SP - 1355 EP - 1363 PB - The Royal Society of Chemistry AN - OPUS4-43808 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Zorn, R. A1 - Szymoniak, Paulina A1 - Kolmangadi, Mohamed Aejaz A1 - Wolf, M. A1 - Alentiev, D. A1 - Bermeshev, M. A1 - Böhning, Martin A1 - Schönhals, Andreas T1 - Low frequency vibrational density of state of highly permeable super glassy polynorbornenes – The Boson peak JF - Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics N2 - Inelastic incoherent neutron time-of flight scattering was employed to measure the low frequency density of states for a series of addition polynorbornenes with bulky side groups. The rigid main chain in combination with the bulky side groups give rise to a microporosity of these polymers in the solid state. The microporosity characterized by the BET surfaces area varies systematically in the considered series. Such materials have some possible application as active separation layer in gas separation membranes. All investigated materials show excess contributions to the Debye type density of states characteristic for glasses known as Boson peak. The maximum position of the Boson peak shifts to lower frequency values with increasing microporosity. Data for PIM-1 and Matrimid included for comparison are in good agreement to this dependency. This result supports the sound wave interpretation of the Boson peak. KW - Polynorbornes KW - Neutron Scattering PY - 2020 DO - https://doi.org/10.1039/d0cp03360j SN - 1463-9076 VL - 22 IS - 33 SP - 18381 EP - 18387 PB - Royal Chemical Society AN - OPUS4-51165 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Zorn, R. A1 - Szymoniak, Paulina A1 - Kolmangadi, Mohamed Aejaz A1 - Malpass-Evans, R. A1 - McKeown, N. A1 - Tyagi, M. A1 - Böhning, Martin A1 - Schönhals, Andreas T1 - Low frequency vibrations and diffusion in disordered polymers bearing an intrinsic microporosity as revealed by neutron scattering JF - Crystals N2 - The microscopic diffusion and the low frequency density of states (VDOS) of PIM-EATB(CH3) are investigated by inelastic and quasi-elastic neutron scattering where also the demethylated counterpart of PIM-EA-TB(H2) is considered. These intrinsic microporous polymers are characterized by large BET surface area values of several hundred m2/g and pore sizes between 0.5 and 2 nm. Detailed comparison is made to the archetype of polymers of intrinsic microporosity, PIM-1, and polynorbornenes also bearing a microporosity. Due to the wavelength of neutrons, the diffusion and vibrations can be addressed on microscopic length and time scales. From the inelastic neutron scattering experiments the low frequency density of states (VDOS) is estimated which shows excess contributions to the Debye-type VDOS known as Boson peak. It was found that the maximum frequency of the Boson peak decreases with increasing microporosity characterized by the BET surface area. However, besides the BET surface area, additional factors such as the backbone stiffness govern the maximum frequency of the Boson peak. Further the mean squared displacement related to microscopic motions was estimated from elastic fixed window scans. At temperatures above 175 K, the mean squared displacement PIM-EA-TB(CH3) is higher than that for the demethylated counterpart PIM-EA-TB(H2). The additional contribution found for PIM-EATB(CH3) is ascribed to the rotation of the methyl group in this polymer because the only difference between the two structures is that PIM-EA-TB(CH3) has methyl groups where PIM-EA-TB(H2) has none. A detailed comparison of the molecular dynamics is also made to that of PIM-1 and the microporous polynorbornene PTCNSi1. The manuscript focuses on the importance of vibrations and the localized molecular mobility characterized by the microscopic diffusion on the gas Transport in polymeric separation membranes. In the frame of the random gate model localized fluctuations can open or close bottlenecks between pores to enable the diffusion of gas molecules. KW - Polymer of intrisic microporosity KW - Neutron scattering KW - Boson peak KW - Methyl group rotation PY - 2021 UR - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-538490 DO - https://doi.org/10.3390/cryst11121482 VL - 11 IS - 12 SP - 1 EP - 16 PB - MDPI CY - Basel AN - OPUS4-53849 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Zorn, R. A1 - Lohstroh, W. A1 - Zamponi, M. A1 - Harrison, W. A1 - Budd, P. A1 - Böhning, Martin A1 - Schönhals, Andreas T1 - Molecular mobility of a polymer of intrinsic microporosity revealed by quasielastic neutron scattering JF - Macromolecules N2 - Quasielastic neutron scattering by employing a combination of time-of-flight and backscattering techniques is carried out to explore the molecular mobility of a polymer of intrinsic microporosity (PIM-1) at microscopic time scales in comparison with a high-performance polyimide. Molecular fluctuations can change the structure of the temporary network of micropores and open or close pathways for gas molecules. Therefore, the investigation might help to understand the selectivity of PIMs in gas separation processes. The performed neutron scattering experiments provide evidence for a low-temperature relaxation process, which was assigned to methyl group rotation. This methyl group rotation was analyzed in terms of jump diffusion in a three-fold potential. The analysis results in a fraction of methyl groups which are immobilized. For PIM-1 it was found that the fraction of immobilized methyl groups decreases with increasing temperature up to 350 K. At higher temperatures the number of immobilized methyl group increases gain due to an underlying relaxation process. This motional process on a somewhat larger length scale might lead to a reversible structural rearrangement which partially hinders the strongly localized methyl group rotation. In addition, it was found that the activation energy for the methyl group rotation for PIM-1 and the polyimide is significantly higher than for conventional polymers. KW - Polymer of intrinsic microporosity KW - Quasielastic neutron scattering PY - 2020 DO - https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.macromol.0c00963 SN - 0024-9297 SN - 1520-5835 VL - 53 IS - 15 SP - 6731 EP - 6739 PB - American Chemical Society CY - Washington, DC AN - OPUS4-51147 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Yin, Huajie A1 - Chua, Y. Z. A1 - Yang, B. A1 - Schick, C. A1 - Harrison, W. A1 - Budd, P. A1 - Böhning, Martin A1 - Schönhals, Andreas T1 - First clear cut experimental evidence for a glass transition in a polymer with intrinsic microporosity: PIM-1 JF - Journal Physical Chemistry Letters N2 - Polymers with intrinsic microporosity (PIMs) represent a novel, innovative class of materials with great potential in various applications from high-performance gas separation membranes to electronic devices. Here for the first time, for PIM-1, as the archetypal PIM, fast scanning calorimetry provides definitive evidence for a glass transition (Tg=715 K, heating rate 3·10^4 K/s) by decoupling the time-scales responsible for glass transition and decomposition. As the rigid molecular structure of PIM-1 prevents any conformational changes, small-scale bend and flex fluctuations must be considered the origin of its glass transition. This result has strong implications for the fundamental understanding of the glass transition and for the physical aging of PIMs and other complex polymers, both topical problems of materials science. KW - Polymers with intrinsic microporosity KW - Fast Scanning Calorimetry PY - 2018 DO - https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jpclett.8b00422 SN - 1948-7185 VL - 9 IS - 8 SP - 2003 EP - 2008 PB - ACS AN - OPUS4-44683 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Yin, Huajie A1 - Chapala, P. A1 - Bermeshev, M. A1 - Pauw, Brian Richard A1 - Schönhals, Andreas A1 - Böhning, Martin T1 - Influence of Trimethylsilyl Side Groups on the Molecular Mobility and Charge Transport in Highly Permeable Glassy Polynorbornenes JF - ACS Applied Polymer Materials N2 - Superglassy polymers with a large fractional free volume have emerged as novel materials with a broad range of applications, especially in the field of membrane separations. Highly permeable addition-type substituted polynorbornenes with high thermal resistance and chemical stability are among the most promising materials. The major obstacle for extending the practical membrane application is their strong tendency to physical aging, leading to a partial decline in their superior transport performance over time. In the present study, broadband dielectric spectroscopy with complementary X-ray scattering techniques were employed to reveal changes in microporous structure, molecular mobility, and conductivity by systematic comparison of two polynorbornenes with different numbers of trimethylsilyl side groups. Their response upon heating (aging) was compared in terms of structure, dynamics, and charge transport behavior. Furthermore, a detailed analysis of the observed Maxwell−Wagner−Sillars polarization at internal interfaces provides unique information about the microporous structure in the solid films. The knowledge obtained from the experiments will guide and unlock potential in synthesizing addition-type polynorbornenes with versatile properties. KW - Dielectric spectroscopy KW - Molecular mobility KW - Electrical conductivity KW - Gas separation membranes PY - 2019 DO - https://doi.org/10.1021/acsapm.9b00092 SN - 2637-6105 VL - 1 IS - 4 SP - 844 EP - 855 PB - ACS CY - Washington DC AN - OPUS4-47838 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Yin, Huajie A1 - B, Yang A1 - Chua, Y. Z. A1 - Szymoniak, Paulina A1 - Carta, M A1 - Malpass-Evans, R A1 - McKeown, N A1 - Harrison, W A1 - Budd, P A1 - Schick, C A1 - Böhning, Martin A1 - Schönhals, Andreas T1 - Effect of backbone rigidity on the glass transition of polymers of in-trinsic microporosity probed by fast scanning calorimetry JF - ACS Macro letters N2 - Polymers of Intrinsic Microporosity (PIMs) of high performance have developed as materials with a wide application range in gas separation and other energy-related fields. Further optimization and long-term behavior of devices with PIMs require an understanding of the structure-property relationships including physical aging. In this context the glass transi-tion plays a central role, but with conventional thermal analysis a glass transition is usually not detectable for PIMs be-fore their thermal decomposition. Fast scanning calorimetry provides evidence of the glass transition for a series of PIMs, as the time scales responsible for thermal degradation and for the glass transition are decoupled by employing ultrafast heating rates of tens of thousands K s-1. The investigated PIMs were chosen considering the chain rigidity. The estimated glass transition temperatures follow the order of the rigidity of the backbone of the PIMs. KW - Polymers of intrinsic microporosity KW - Fast scanning calormetry PY - 2019 DO - https://doi.org/10.1021/acsmacrolett.9b00482 SN - 2161-1653 VL - 8 IS - 8 SP - 1022 EP - 1028 PB - ACS Publications AN - OPUS4-48617 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Yildirim, Arda A1 - Szymoniak, Paulina A1 - Sentker, K. A1 - Butschies, M. A1 - Bühlmeyer, A. A1 - Huber, P. A1 - Laschat, S. A1 - Schönhals, Andreas T1 - Dynamics and ionic conductivity of ionic liquid crystals forming a hexagonal columnar mesophase JF - Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics N2 - For the first time, the molecular mobility of two linear-shaped tetramethylated guanidinium triflate ionic liquid crystals (ILCs) having different length of alkyl chains were investigated by a combination of broadband dielectric spectroscopy (BDS) and specific heat spectroscopy (SHS). By self-assembly, these ILCs can form a hexagonal ordered mesophase besides plastic crystalline phases and the isotropic state. Three dielectric active processes were found by BDS for both samples. At low temperatures, a γ-process in the plastic crystalline state is observed which is assigned to localized fluctuations of methyl groups including nitrogen atoms in the guanidinium head. At higher temperatures but still in the plastic crystalline state, an α1-process takes place. An α2 process was detected by SHS but with a completely different temperature dependence of the relaxation times than that of the α1-relaxation. This result is discussed in detail, and different molecular assignments of the processes are suggested. At even higher temperatures, electrical conductivity is detected and an increase in the DC conductivity by four orders of magnitude at the phase transition from the plastic crystalline to the hexagonal columnar mesophase is found. This result is traced to a change in the charge transport mechanism from a delocalized electron hopping in the stacked aromatic systems (in the plastic phase) to one dominated by an ionic conduction in the quasi-1D ion channels formed along the supermolecular columns in the ILCs hexagonal mesophases. KW - Ionic liquid crystalls PY - 2018 DO - https://doi.org/10.1039/c7cp08186c SN - 1463-9084 SN - 1463-9076 VL - 20 IS - 8 SP - 5626 EP - 5635 PB - Royal Society of Chemistry AN - OPUS4-44254 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Yildirim, Arda A1 - Sentker, K. A1 - Smales, Glen Jacob A1 - Pauw, Brian Richard A1 - Huber, P. A1 - Schönhals, Andreas T1 - Collective orientational order and phase behavior of a discotic liquid crystal under nanoscale confinement JF - Nanosale advances N2 - The phase behavior and molecular ordering of hexakishexyloxy triphenylene (HAT6) DLC under cylindrical nanoconfinement is studied utilizing differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and dielectric spectroscopy (DS), where cylindrical nanoconfinement is established through embedding HAT6 into the nanopores of anodic aluminum oxide membranes (AAO), and a silica membrane with pore diameters ranging from 161 nm down to 12 nm. Both unmodified and modified pore walls were considered, and in the latter case the pore walls of AAO membranes were chemical treated with n octadecylphosphonic acid (ODPA) resulting in the formation of a 2.2 nm thick layer of grafted alkyl chains. Phase transition enthalpies decrease with decreasing pore size, indicating that a large proportion of the HAT6 molecules within the pores has a disordered structure, which increases with decreasing pore size for both pore walls. In the case of the ODPA modification the amount of ordered HAT6 is increased compared to the unmodified case. The pore size dependencies of the phase transition temperatures were approximated using the Gibbs Thomson equation, where the estimated surface tension is dependent on the molecular ordering of HAT6 molecules within the pores and upon their surface. DS was employed to investigate the molecular ordering of HAT6 within the nanopores. These investigations revealed that with a pore size of around 38 nm, for the samples with the unmodified pore walls, the molecular ordering changes from planar axial to homeotropic radial. However, the planar axial configuration, which is suitable for electronic applications, can be successfully preserved through ODPA modification for most of the pore sizes. KW - Discotic Liquid Crystals KW - Nanoconfinement PY - 2019 UR - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-475222 DO - https://doi.org/10.1039/c8na00308d SN - 2516-0230 VL - 1 IS - 3 SP - 1104 EP - 1116 PB - RSC AN - OPUS4-47522 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Yildirim, Arda A1 - Krause, Christina A1 - Zorn, R. A1 - Lohstroh, W. A1 - Schneider, G. J. A1 - Zamponi, M. A1 - Holerer, O. A1 - Frick, B. A1 - Schönhals, Andreas T1 - Complex molecular dynamics of a symmetric model discotic liquid crystal revealed by broadband dielectric, thermal and neutron spectroscopy JF - Soft Matter N2 - The molecular dynamics of the triphenylene-based discotic liquid crystal HAT6 is investigated by broadband dielectric spectroscopy, advanced dynamical calorimetry and neutron scattering. Differential scanning calorimetry in combination with X-ray scattering reveals that HAT6 has a plastic crystalline phase at low temperatures, a hexagonally ordered liquid crystalline phase at higher temperatures and undergoes a clearing transition at even higher temperatures. The dielectric spectra show several relaxation processes: a localized gamma-relaxation a lower temperature and a so called alpha-2-relaxation at higher temperatures. The relaxation rates of the alpha-2-relaxation have a complex temperature dependence and bear similarities to a dynamic glass transition. The relaxation rates estimated by hyper DSC, Fast Scanning calorimetry and AC Chip calorimetry have a different temperature dependence than the dielectric alpha-2-relaxation and follows the VFT-behavior characteristic for glassy dynamics. Therefore, this process is called alpha-1-relaxation. Its relaxation rates show a similarity with that of polyethylene. For this reason, the alpha-1-relaxation is assigned to the dynamic glass transition of the alkyl chains in the intercolumnar space. Moreover, this process is not observed by dielectric spectroscopy which supports its assignment. The alpha-2-relaxation was assigned to small scale translatorial and/or small angle fluctuations of the cores. The neutron scattering data reveal two relaxation processes. The process observed at shorter relaxation times is assigned to the methyl group rotation. The second relaxation process at longer time scales agree in the temperature dependence of its relaxation rates with that of the dielectric gamma-relaxation. KW - Discotic Liquid Crystals PY - 2020 DO - https://doi.org/10.1039/c9sm02487e VL - 16 IS - 8 SP - 2005 EP - 2016 PB - Royal Chemical Society AN - OPUS4-50466 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER -