TY - CONF A1 - Pauw, Brian Richard A1 - Breßler, Ingo T1 - 30.000+ datasets in an underground SciCat instance: the good, the bad, and the improvables. N2 - For the last four years, we have been running a SciCat instance to manage the projects and data in our X-ray scattering laboratory. We here report on the configuration of this SciCat instance, how it connects to the scientific workflow, and how it is integrated in the data pipeline. T2 - SciCat 2023 CY - Didcot, UK DA - 18.07.2023 KW - Scicat KW - X-ray scattering KW - Laboratory management KW - Research Data Management KW - Laboratory organization KW - RunDeck PY - 2023 AN - OPUS4-57958 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Pauw, Brian Richard T1 - McSAS for SAS analysis: Usage, Benefits and Potential Pitfalls N2 - This talk introduces McSAS, code for analysis of scattering patterns to extract particle size distributions. It highlights how it works, how it should be used, and when it may (not) be applied T2 - Better with Scattering workshop 2020 CY - BAM, Berlin, Germany DA - 16.03.2020 KW - Small angle scattering KW - Software KW - Analysis PY - 2020 AN - OPUS4-51019 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Smales, G. J. T1 - DACHS-MOFs Database for Automation, Characterisation, and Holistic Synthesis N2 - The DACHS (Database for Automation, Characterization and Holistic Synthesis) project aims to create completely traceable experimental data, covering syntheses, measurements, analyses, and interpretations. DACHS MOFs focuses on the synthesis and characterisation of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), across multiple, automation-assisted experimental series (AutoMOFs), with the overall goal of producing reproducible MOF syntheses. So far > 1200 MOF samples have been synthesised, with SAXS/WAXS data currently being collected on all samples. All results, including those from “failed” syntheses, are included in the database, as results are results and should be considered agnostic to any positive ornegative interpretations. DACHS MOFs represents the initial trial of the DACHS project, serving as a comprehensive resource for researchers aiming to optimize the synthesis and characterization of MOFs. T2 - XIX International Small Angle Scattering Conference CY - Taipei, Taiwan DA - 04.11.2024 KW - Lab automation KW - Synthesis KW - Metal organic frameworks KW - Zif-8 KW - Databases KW - Synthesis data PY - 2024 AN - OPUS4-61626 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Aliyah, K. A1 - Berger, A. A1 - Lazaridis, T. A1 - Appel, C. A1 - Prehal, C. A1 - Menzel, A. A1 - Guizar-Sicairos, M. A1 - Smales, Glen J. A1 - Pauw, Brian Richard A1 - Gasteiger, H. A. A1 - Gubler, L. A1 - Büchi, F. N. A1 - Eller, J. T1 - Impact of Microporous Layer Composition on the Water Content in the Membrane Electrode Assembly of Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cells N2 - Polymer electrolyte fuel cells are paramount for future emission-free mobility. One of the vital challenges for prospering commercialization of PEFCs is water management in the cells. A microporous layer (MPL) is typically positioned between the gas Diffusion layer (GDL) and the catalyst layer (CL) to boost the cell performance and facilitate water management. In this study, three different MPLs were investigated, namely, carbon black-based MPLs with different PTFE binder contents (20 wt % PTFE as a base case and 40 wt % PTFE), as well as perforated MPLs with micron-sized pores coated on the same GDL- Substrate (Freudenberg H14). The water content in the membrane, catalyst layers (CL), and MPLs was explored using operando scanning small- and wide-angle X-ray scattering (S/WAXS). At Tcell = 80 °C, relative humidity = 100%, pabs = 3 bar, the MPL with larger pores exhibits slightly higher performance than the base case, while a considerably lower cathode CL and MPL saturation levels were observed for the MPL. In contrast, the MPL with higher amounts of PTFE binder shows lower performance than the base case, with considerably higher cathode CL and MPL saturation levels. 3D representations of how the pores could be filled in the cathode CLs were obtained from operando SAXS profiles using representative structure modeling for the different materials and operating conditions. KW - Polymer electrolyte fuel cell KW - Catalyst layer saturation KW - Microporous layer saturation KW - Membrane hydration KW - Small and wide-angle scattering KW - MOUSE KW - SAXS KW - X-ray scattering KW - Energy storage materials PY - 2026 UR - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-656691 DO - https://doi.org/10.1021/acsami.5c22540 SN - 1944-8244 SP - 1 EP - 17 PB - American Chemical Society (ACS) AN - OPUS4-65669 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Saeed, A. M. A1 - Saied, M. A. A1 - Szymoniak, Paulina A1 - Altmann, Korinna A1 - Schönhals, Andreas A1 - Fahmy, Alaa T1 - High performance novel polyelectrolyte membrane consisting of polyvinyl alcohol-phenylsilanol-polypyrrole N2 - The synthesis of composite membranes based on PVA, PPy, and sulfonated–hydrolyzed TMPS was investigated for application in proton–exchange membrane fuel cells. FT–IR confirmed the hydrolysis of TMPS through the appearance of Si–OH vibrations, disappearance of Si–O–CH3 bands, reduced CH3 stretching intensity (2840 cm− 1), and successful sulfonation of the phenyl ring (1030 cm− 1). XPS verified the introduction of sulfonic acid groups by identifying S2p peaks between 166–170 eV. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed an incorporation of PPy and that the membrane morphology altered by silanol leading to an increased surface roughness and inducing phase separation in comparison to pure PVA. The PVA–PPy–Si membrane which did not undergo phase separation demonstrated improved mechanical stability (maximum stress 5.91 MPa), reduced methanol uptake (22%, lower than Nafion’s 30%), and enhanced thermal resistance compared to PVA–PPy and PVA–Si. It also exhibited a high ion–exchange capacity (1.5mmol g− 1, exceeding Nafion® at 0.9mmol g− 1 ) and a proton conductivity of 0.036 S/cm, twice that of Nafion 117. These combined properties identify the PVA–PPy–Si composite as a promising high–performance polyelectrolyte membrane for fuel cell applications. KW - Polyelectrolyte membrane PY - 2026 DO - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apsusc.2026.166495 SN - 1873-5584 VL - 731 SP - 1 EP - 11 PB - Elsevier B.V. AN - OPUS4-65627 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Pauw, Brian Richard T1 - Laboratory x-ray scattering instruments as agile test-beds towards holistic experimentation N2 - Laboratory sources offer a unique advantage compared to synchrotron sources, largely in terms of freedom of operation. This freedom from user obligations, technology and software stacks and legacy decisions make the laboratory a very flexible place to develop and explore new ideas. The unparalleled availability furthermore allows for iterative improvement of instrumentation, sample environments and measurement methodologies to maximise the quality of the data obtained. This talk will highlight the use of the laboratory as an agile test-bed and development space, by giving examples of some complete and incomplete investigations undertaken in our laboratory over the last years. Furthermore, it will introduce the concept of holistic experimentation, where the laboratory provides broad-ranging support for materials science investigations. This means that we assist in the experimental preparation, perform the measurements, correction and analysis, and follow-up with assistance in interpretation of our analyses in light of the results from other techniques applied to the investigation. T2 - Invited talk at Diamond Light Source CY - Didcot, UK DA - 22.05.2024 KW - X-ray scattering KW - Methodology development KW - Laboratory management KW - Holistic experimentation KW - Laboratory automation KW - Nanostructural analysis PY - 2024 AN - OPUS4-60582 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Pauw, Brian Richard T1 - Glimpses of the Future : Oh my god it’s full of metadata! N2 - In this talk, the importance of metadata is underscored by real-world examples. Metadata is essential to alleviating the reproducibility crises in science. This imples that a wide range of metadata must be collected, with a heavy emphasis on the automated collection of such metadata. This must subsequently be organized in an intelligible, archival structure, when possible with units and uncertainties. Such metadata can aid in improving the usage efficiency of instrumentation, as is demonstrated on the MOUSE instrument. This metadata can now be used to connect the various aspects of the holistic experimental procedure to gain better insights on the materials structure. A second example shows the extraction and organization of such metadata from an automated materials development platform, collected during the synthesis of 1200 samples. These metadata from the synthesis can then be linked to the results from the analysis of these samples, to find direct correlations between the synthesis parameters and the final structure of the materials. T2 - Helmholtz Incubator Summer Academy - Next Level Data Science CY - Online meeting DA - 18.09.2023 KW - Metadata KW - Lab automation KW - Data provenance KW - High-throughput KW - Correlative analysis KW - MOUSE KW - X-ray scattering KW - Robotics PY - 2023 AN - OPUS4-58463 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - GEN A1 - Smales, Glen Jacob A1 - Pauw, Brian Richard T1 - DACHS/MOFs/AutoMOFs_4/Synthesis N2 - The DACHS (Database for Automation, Characterization and Holistic Synthesis) project aims to create completely traceable experimental data, covering syntheses, measurements, analyses, and interpretations. DACHS_MOFs focuses on the synthesis and characterisation of metal-organic frameworks, across multiple, automation-assisted experimental series (AutoMOFs), with the overall goal of producing reproducible MOF samples through tracking of the synthesis parameters. DACHS_MOFs is simultaneously used to test the DACHS principles. This upload contain synthesis data from AutoMOFs_4 in HDF5 format (.h5). Each .h5 file contains detailed information on the chemical, experimenal, and synthesis parameters used during the synthesis of a single AutoMOF sample. KW - Automation KW - Procedure KW - Synthesis KW - Traceability PY - 2024 DO - https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.11237899 PB - Zenodo CY - Geneva AN - OPUS4-61343 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - GEN A1 - Smales, Glen Jacob A1 - Pauw, Brian Richard T1 - DACHS/MOFs/AutoMOFs_1/Synthesis N2 - The DACHS (Database for Automation, Characterization and Holistic Synthesis) project aims to create completely traceable experimental data, covering syntheses, measurements, analyses, and interpretations. DACHS_MOFs focuses on the synthesis and characterisation of metal-organic frameworks, across multiple, automation-assisted experimental series (AutoMOFs), with the overall goal of producing reproducible MOF samples through tracking of the synthesis parameters. DACHS_MOFs is simultaneously used to test the DACHS principles. This upload contain synthesis data from AutoMOFs_1 in HDF5 format (.h5). Each .h5 file contains detailed information on the chemical, experimenal, and synthesis parameters used during the synthesis of a single AutoMOF sample. KW - Synthesis KW - Automation KW - Traceability KW - Procedure PY - 2024 DO - https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.11236031 PB - Zenodo CY - Geneva AN - OPUS4-60243 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - GEN A1 - Pauw, Brian Richard A1 - Smales, Glen Jacob A1 - Hörmann, Anja A1 - Moeez, Abdul A1 - Breßler, Ingo T1 - BAMresearch/HDF5Translator: A Framework for translating and transforming data between HDF5 files N2 - HDF5Translator is a Python framework for translating and transforming data between HDF5 files. It supports operations like unit conversion, dimensionality adjustments, and subtree copying, making it suitable for managing and manipulating a wide range of scientific datasets. KW - Measurement data conversion KW - Data conversion KW - HDF5 KW - NeXus KW - NXsas KW - Framework KW - Python KW - Methodology PY - 2024 DO - https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.10927639 PB - Zenodo CY - Geneva AN - OPUS4-59797 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - GEN A1 - Pauw, Brian Richard A1 - Laskina, Sofya A1 - Naik, Aakash A1 - Smales, Glen Jacob A1 - George, Janine A1 - Breßler, Ingo A1 - Benner, Philipp T1 - Jupyter notebook and VASP calculation details accompanying the manuscript: "Ultima Ratio: Simulating wide-range X-ray scattering and diffraction" N2 - Summary: This notebook and associated datasets (including VASP details) accompany a manuscript available on the ArXiv (https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2303.13435) and hopefully soon in a journal as short communication as well. Most of the details needed to understand this notebook are explained in that paper with the same title as above. For convenience, the abstract is repeated here: Paper abstract: We demonstrate a strategy for simulating wide-range X-ray scattering patterns, which spans the small- and wide scattering angles as well as the scattering angles typically used for Pair Distribution Function (PDF) analysis. Such simulated patterns can be used to test holistic analysis models, and, since the diffraction intensity is presented coupled to the scattering intensity, may offer a novel pathway for determining the degree of crystallinity. The "Ultima Ratio" strategy is demonstrated on a 64-nm Metal Organic Framework (MOF) particle, calculated from $Q<0.01$\,$\mathrm{nm}^{-1}$ up to $Q\approx150$\,$\mathrm{nm}^{-1}$, with a resolution of 0.16\,\AA. The computations exploit a modified 3D Fast Fourier Transform (3D-FFT), whose modifications enable the transformations of matrices at least up to $8000^3$ voxels in size. Multiple of these modified 3D-FFTs are combined to improve the low-$Q$ behaviour. The resulting curve is compared to a wide-range scattering pattern measured on a polydisperse MOF powder. While computationally intensive, the approach is expected to be useful for simulating scattering from a wide range of realistic, complex structures, from (poly-)crystalline particles to hierarchical, multicomponent structures such as viruses and catalysts. KW - X-ray KW - Simulation KW - Scattering KW - MOUSE KW - Nanomaterials KW - XRD KW - SAXS KW - PDF KW - Total scattering KW - 3D Fourier transform KW - High resolution KW - FFT PY - 2023 DO - https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.7764044 PB - Zenodo CY - Geneva AN - OPUS4-57207 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Thünemann, Andreas T1 - Developtment of Nanoplastics Reference Materials at BAM N2 - Engineered particles are essential for sustainable innovation and modern industrial applications, but their reliable, number‑based characterisation remains a major challenge. Regulatory frameworks in healthcare, personal care (EU 745/2017, 749/2017, 1223/2009), and environmental monitoring—such as the EU Drinking Water Directive 21840/2020—demand robust particle measurements across complex matrices. Yet standardised methods currently exist only for simple particle systems, leaving significant gaps for technologically relevant materials and for micro‑ and nanoplastics as emerging pollutants. These challenges are amplified by the lack of well‑defined input parameters, particularly density and refractive index, which are critical for many analytical and modelling approaches. This talk highlights BAM’s work on developing nanoplastics reference materials to support validated, traceable, and harmonised measurement methods. I will outline strategies for producing stable, well‑characterised polymeric nanoparticles, establishing accurate material parameters, and integrating these reference materials into interlaboratory and standardisation activities. These efforts provide the metrological foundation urgently needed for regulatory testing, environmental monitoring, and industry innovation. T2 - ConcenSus Virtual Webinar on Reference Materials supporting characterization of nanomaterials: Current status and future trends CY - Online meeting DA - 17.03.2026 KW - Nanoplastics KW - Nanoparticle PY - 2026 AN - OPUS4-65717 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - RPRT A1 - Altmann, Korinna T1 - Deliverable 2: Summary report on: The development of pristine SI traceable reference materials for SMPs (0.1 μm - 10 μm) and NPs (< 0.1 μm), representative of partially degraded/naturally aged samples in complex food and environmental matrices, and for realistic polydisperse size distributions and irregular shapes N2 - PlasticTrace aims to address the urgent need for development and harmonisation of methods for the chemical identification, physical characterisation and quantification of released small micro/nanoplastics (SMPs/NPs) in drinking water, food and environmental matrices, as required by the EU’s Circular Economy Action Plan (CEAP). This report describs the characterisation of nanoPP analysed in the PlasticTrace project aiming to develop a reference material. The nanoPP was analysed mainly by light scattering methods. Homogeneity control was done by DLS. KW - Nanoplastics KW - Reference materials PY - 2024 N1 - Project Number 21GRD07: PlasticTrace (Tracing Micro and NanoPlastics in Food and Environment), funded by the European Union SP - 1 EP - 29 PB - European Association of National Metrology Institutes (EURAMET) CY - Braunschweig AN - OPUS4-62299 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Pütz, E. A1 - Smales, Glen Jacob A1 - Jegel, O. A1 - Emmerling, Franziska A1 - Tremel, W. T1 - Tuning ceria catalysts in aqueous media at the nanoscale: how do surface charge and surface defects determine peroxidase- and haloperoxidase-like reactivity N2 - Designing the shape and size of catalyst particles, and their interfacial charge, at the nanometer scale can radically change their performance. We demonstrate this with ceria nanoparticles. In aqueous media, nanoceria is a functional mimic of haloperoxidases, a group of enzymes that oxidize organic substrates, or of peroxidases that can degrade reactive oxygen species (ROS) such as H2O2 by oxidizing an organic substrate. We show that the chemical activity of CeO2−x nanoparticles in haloperoxidase- and peroxidaselike reactions scales with their active surface area, their surface charge, given by the ζ-potential, and their surface defects (via the Ce3+/Ce4+ ratio). Haloperoxidase-like reactions are controlled through the ζ-potential as they involve the adsorption of charged halide anions to the CeO2 surface, whereas peroxidase-like reactions without charged substrates are controlled through the specific surface area SBET. Mesoporous CeO2−x particles, with large surface areas, were prepared via template-free hydrothermal reactions and characterized by small-angle X-ray scattering. Surface area, ζ-potential and the Ce3+/Ce4+ ratio are controlled in a simple and predictable manner by the synthesis time of the hydrothermal reaction as demonstrated by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, sorption and ζ-potential measurements. The surface area increased with synthesis time, whilst the Ce3+/Ce4+ ratio scales inversely with decreasing ζ-potential. In this way the catalytic activity of mesoporous CeO2−x particles could be tailored selectively for haloperoxidase- and peroxidase-like reactions. The ease of tuning the surface properties of mesoporous CeO2x particles by varying the synthesis time makes the synthesis a powerful general tool for the preparation of nanocatalysts according to individual needs. KW - SAXS KW - Ceria KW - Zeta potential PY - 2022 DO - https://doi.org/10.1039/D2NR03172H SP - 1 EP - 12 PB - Royal Society of Chemistry AN - OPUS4-55649 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Altmann, Korinna T1 - Challenges in microplastics standardisation N2 - This talk addresses the challanges in microplastic analytics. It shows the need of standards, analytics and reference materials for accurate and reliable measurements. It explains the state of the art for referenence materials in this field and their problems. A solution is presented with PET tablets. The urgent need of harmonisation it also emphasised. T2 - MARII Summit CY - Madrid, Spain DA - 15.10.2025 KW - Microplastics KW - Reference materials PY - 2025 AN - OPUS4-64488 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - INPR A1 - Smales, Glen J. A1 - Appel, Paul Alexander A1 - Breßler, Ingo A1 - Chambers, Aaron A1 - Dumele, Oliver A1 - Ebisch, Maximilian A1 - Frontzek, Julius A1 - del Refugio Monroy, José A1 - Rosalie, Julian M. A1 - Pauw, Brian R. T1 - DACHS and RoWaN: The Automated and Traceable Synthesis of ZIF-8 N2 - Automated synthesis and open-data practices are increasingly seen as key enablers of transparent, traceable, and reproducible science. By combining automation with structured, metadata-rich documentation, it becomes possible to systematically com- pare synthesis strategies and link outcomes to detailed parameters. In this work, we implement such an approach to study the synthesis of ZIF-8, comparing hand and automation-assisted methods under controlled conditions. Using over 100 synthesis experiments, we assess the repeatability of particle size and yield, and explore how variations in mixing and injection influence outcomes. This study demonstrates how traceable synthesis workflows can support repeatability and comparison across synthe- sis strategies. The DACHS (Database for Automation, Characterization and Holistic Synthesis) framework underpins this work, providing a lightweight infrastructure for transparent synthesis data capture. KW - Automation KW - MOFs KW - SAXS PY - 2025 UR - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-645861 DO - https://doi.org/10.26434/chemrxiv-2025-7fgg0 SP - 1 EP - 32 PB - Cambridge AN - OPUS4-64586 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Pauw, Brian Richard T1 - Getting down to business: pragmatic solutions for laboratory automation N2 - A chemical engineer by training, Brian drifted towards physics and now focuses on a broad spectrum of activities with the aim to improve scientific reproducibility. This includes studies on holistically improving data quality, data collection efficiency and traceability, as well as concomitant laboratory automation for the preparation of consistent, well-documented sample series. The need for pragmatism led to an inexpensive, flexible laboratory automation platform that can be implemented in a modest amount of time. This talk presents that effort. T2 - Future Labs Live 2024 CY - Basel, Switzerland DA - 25.06.2024 KW - Laboratory automation KW - Experiment tracking KW - Holistic experimentation KW - Experimental traceability KW - Data visualisation KW - Parameter correlation. PY - 2024 AN - OPUS4-60583 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Pauw, Brian Richard T1 - Glimpses of the future: a “full stack”, highly automated materials research laboratory N2 - In our (dramatically understaffed) X-ray scattering laboratory, developing a systematic, holistic methodology let us provide scattering and diffraction information for more than 2100 samples for 200+ projects led by 120+ collaborators. Combined with automated data correction pipelines, and our analysis and simulation software, this led to more than 40 papers in the last 5 years with just over 2 full-time staff members. This year, our new, modular synthesis platform has made more than 1000 additional samples for us to analyse and catalogue. By virtue of the automation, the synthesis of these samples is automatically documented in excruciating detail, preparing them for upload and exploitation in large-scale materials databases. Having developed these proof-of-concepts, we find that materials research itself is changed dramatically by automating dull tasks in a laboratory. This talk is intended to spark ideas and collaborations by providing an overview of: 1) the current improvements in our scattering laboratory methodology, 2) introducing our open, modular robotic platform that is used for systematic sample preparation, and 3) demonstrating the data structure of the synthesis logs and measurements. Finally, the remaining bottlenecks and points of attention across all three are highlighted. T2 - FAIRmat seminar CY - Berlin, Germany DA - 28.09.2023 KW - Data stewartship KW - Metadata collection KW - Laboratory methodology KW - MOUSE KW - Robotics KW - Lab automation KW - Holistic science PY - 2023 UR - https://www.fairmat-nfdi.eu/events/brian-pauw AN - OPUS4-58464 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Sieg, Holger A1 - Heilscher, Jasmin A1 - Ott, Franziska A1 - Böhmert, Linda A1 - Drusch, Stephan A1 - Thünemann, Andreas A1 - Rohn, Sascha A1 - Braeuning, Albert A1 - Kieserling, Helena T1 - Direct Interactions of Micro- and Nanoplastics with Proteins – A Key to Mechanistic Understanding? N2 - Micro-/Nanoplastics (MNP) have gained widespread scientific and public attention within the last two decades. While knowledge about measuring techniques, occurrence and exposure was improved substantially, questions on toxicological impact of MNP remained unclear. A major reason for that are the continued remaining knowledge gaps with regard to mechanistical understanding of MNP effects. Our work aimed at investigating MNP properties, protein interactions, and cellular effects in combination. Therefore, we characterized MNP-protein- adsorption, changes in protein structure, cellular uptake and cellular modes of action. In a first study, we studied the molecular interactions of β-lactoglobulin, a serum and storage protein, with different MNP materials1. We identified structural changes, depending on physicochemical MNP properties, using FTIR- and fluorescence spectroscopy. Furthermore, we investigated cellular uptake of MNP individually and as a complex with β-lactoglobulin and studied the effects on cell growth and viability, using colorimetric MTT testing, flow cytometry, and cell impedance measurements. MNP material properties, especially hydrophobicity, had an impact on protein folding and consequently also on cellular interactions. In a second study, we applied α-amylase, an extracellular digestive protein with enzymatic activity. Here, in addition, we investigated the influence of MNP binding on enzyme activity, using a colorimetric starch degradation assay. We observed for the most MNP, that adsorption processes resulted in a decrease of enzyme activity. Furthermore, we used Alexa633 staining to visualize MNP uptake with and without the presence of α-amylase. Taken together, this work aims to close data gaps regarding mechanistical effects of MNP on cells by investigating direct MNP-protein-interactions. Mechanistic knowledge is crucial for understanding toxicological effects of MNP, and therefore, also for the risk assessment of possible hazards on human health. T2 - 92. Jahrestagung der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Experimentelle und Klinische Pharmakologie und Toxikologie (DGPT) CY - Düsseldorf, Germany DA - 17.03.2026 KW - Microplastics KW - Nanoplastics PY - 2026 AN - OPUS4-65667 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Pauw, Brian Richard T1 - Chasing perfection: A holistic approach to materials science scattering experiments N2 - The materials scientists we work with do not want (or need) to learn the ways of the scatterer; they are primarily interested in obtaining trustworthy answers. In particular, they need structural understanding in light of the wider framework of their experiment(s). Our interest, therefore, lies in helping them attain this this interconnected understanding, while using such investigations to further hone our methodology to approximate perfection. While perfection is by definition an unattainable goal, we have spent the last 15+ years exploring and expanding on many of its constituent aspects (often together with likeminded people) [1]. These aspects include: - developing various visualization and simulation tools, - deconstructing data corrections and uncertainty estimation, - advancing analysis methods, - quantifying questions on traceability, documentation, - reproducible automation of synthesis-, measurement- and data pipelines, - data visualization, exploration and education, - and many more… T2 - XIX International Small Angle Scattering Conference CY - Taipei, Taiwan DA - 04.11.2024 KW - Methodology KW - X-ray scattering KW - Data quality KW - Data provenance KW - Data stewardship KW - Lab automation KW - Perfection PY - 2024 AN - OPUS4-61625 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - GEN A1 - Smales, Glen Jacob A1 - Pauw, Brian Richard T1 - DACHS/MOFs/AutoMOFs_2/Synthesis N2 - The DACHS (Database for Automation, Characterization and Holistic Synthesis) project aims to create completely traceable experimental data, covering syntheses, measurements, analyses, and interpretations. DACHS_MOFs focuses on the synthesis and characterisation of metal-organic frameworks, across multiple, automation-assisted experimental series (AutoMOFs), with the overall goal of producing reproducible MOF samples through tracking of the synthesis parameters. DACHS_MOFs is simultaneously used to test the DACHS principles. This upload contain synthesis data from AutoMOFs_2 in HDF5 format (.h5). Each .h5 file contains detailed information on the chemical, experimenal, and synthesis parameters used during the synthesis of a single AutoMOF sample. KW - Automation KW - Procedure KW - Synthesis KW - Traceability PY - 2024 DO - https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.11236074 PB - Zenodo CY - Geneva AN - OPUS4-60611 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Pauw, Brian Richard T1 - A holistic experiment chain for scattering-powered materials science investigations N2 - In our (dramatically understaffed) X-ray scattering laboratory, developing a systematic, holistic methodology1 let us provide scattering and diffraction information for more than 2100 samples for 200+ projects led by 120+ collaborators over the last five years. Combined with universal, automat-ed data correction pipelines, as well as our analysis and simulation software, this led to more than 40 papers2 in the last 5 years with just over 2 full-time staff members. While this approach greatly improved the consistency of the results, the consistency of the samples and sample series provided by the users was less reliable nor necessarily reproducible. To address this issue, we built an EPICS-controlled, modular synthesis platform to add to our laboratory. To date, this has prepared over 1200 additional (Metal-Organic Framework) samples for us to meas-ure, analyse and catalogue. By virtue of the automation, the synthesis of these samples is automat-ically documented in excruciating detail, preparing them for upload and exploitation in large-scale materials databases alongside the morphological results obtained from the automated X-ray scat-tering analysis. Having developed these proof-of-concepts, we find that the consistency of results are greatly im-proved by virtue of their reproducibility, hopefully adding to the reliability of the scientific findings as well. Additionally, the nature of the experiments has changed greatly, with much more emphasis on preparation and careful planning. This talk will discuss the advantages and disadvantages of this highly integrated approach and will touch upon upcoming developments. T2 - canSAS-XIII CY - Grenoble, France DA - 16.10.2023 KW - Methodology KW - Lab automation KW - X-ray scattering KW - Automated synthesis KW - Data stewardship KW - Holistic experimental procedures KW - Scicat PY - 2023 AN - OPUS4-58643 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Jaeger, Carsten T1 - Untargeted Analysis of Leachables Released from Recycled Polyethylene Canisters N2 - Recycling existing materials and products as far as possible is an integral part of the circular economy. Plastic-based packaging, including containers for food and beverages but also for storing and transporting chemicals and dangerous goods, are presently made to a wide range from fossil resources. However, even for these “contact sensitive” products, there is still the aim of sustainability using recycled materials. For packings for the transport of dangerous goods, safety characteristics of the containments made from the “virgin” materials including polyethylene (PE) are well known and tested within the frame of their design type approval. Much less, however, is known about their counterparts made from recycled materials. Apart from material weaking, incorporation of residues into recycled plastics can cause contamination of the goods inside the packaging. To fill this gap, we have evaluated high-density PE (HDPE) canisters made from post-consumer waste towards release of plastic additives and contaminants such as residues from former contents. Using a comprehensive untargeted high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) approach as well as thermal extraction-desorption gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (TED-GC/MS), we detected up to 870 distinct components depending on the type of stored chemical and storage duration. Most of the components were unique to or released in significantly higher amounts from recycled HDPE compared to conventional HDPE. 129 of the components could be identified and analyzed for functional use. The analysis revealed “cosmetics”, “fragrance” and “flavoring” as major associations next to known and expected uses in the field of “plastics”, indicating significant introduction of foreign contaminants into the product. We present details on the compound classes involved and discuss consequences for political targets on increasing recycling rates in this product segment. T2 - International Conference on Non-Target Screening CY - Erding, Germany DA - 13.10.2025 KW - Extractables KW - Leachables KW - Untargeted analysis KW - Recycling KW - Polyethylene PY - 2025 AN - OPUS4-65742 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Miyata, Ayana A1 - Tokuda, Shun A1 - Kuzumoto, Mako A1 - Lee, Guan-Sian A1 - Yamashita, Masataka A1 - Nishiguchi, Taichi A1 - Negoro, Masaki A1 - Pauw, Brian Richard A1 - Chan, Yi-Tsu A1 - Kanamori, Kazuyoshi A1 - Urayama, Kenji A1 - Sugimoto, Kunihisa A1 - Furukawa, Shuhei T1 - One-Dimensional van der Waals Porous Fibrils Assembled from Metal–Organic Polyhedra N2 - Supramolecular systems exhibit collective functions that emerge from the hierarchical assembly of individual molecular building blocks. Metal−organic polyhedra (MOPs) are a class of functional supramolecular architectures with well-defined molecular geometry and an intrinsic cavity. In recent years, considerable progress has been made in assembling MOPs into extended networks to create porous solids. However, most reported MOP assemblies are limited to three-dimensional networks, which, owing to their high-dimensional connectivity, hinder effective stress dissipation and render them brittle under mechanical stress. Here, we report the one-dimensional (1D) self-assembly of MOPs into supramolecular polymeric aerogels that combine permanent microporosity with exceptional mechanical flexibility. The reaction between amino acid-functionalized naphthalenediimide (NDI) linkers and copper salts led to the synthesis of octahedral copper-based MOPs, followed by their spontaneous self-assembly to form supramolecular gels. The corresponding aerogels converted from the gels possessed uniform 1D fibrillar networks (14.8 ± 2.2 nm in width) with intrinsic microporosity derived from individual MOP cavities. The aerogel endured 87% compressive strain without fracture, demonstrating distinct ductility. Furthermore, these fibrils in the supramolecular gels were converted to crystals after 2 weeks. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction revealed that MOPs are arranged via face-to-face interaction between octahedral MOPs to form a 1D helical chain structure. An analysis of the self-assembly process using Hansen solubility parameters unveiled that solvent conditions with high polarity and low dispersion interaction drive the formation of anisotropic assemblies. This work provides a new strategy for tailoring the mechanical properties of supramolecular materials through dimensional control of their assemblies. KW - Aerogels KW - Crystals KW - Metal organic frameworks KW - Nanofibers KW - Solvents KW - X-ray scattering KW - SAXS KW - Nanostructure KW - Small-angle X-ray scattering PY - 2026 DO - https://doi.org/10.1021/jacs.5c21654 SN - 0002-7863 SP - 1 EP - 13 PB - American Chemical Society (ACS) AN - OPUS4-65776 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Meier, F. A1 - Drexel, R. A1 - Wiesner, Yosri A1 - Altmann, Korinna A1 - Bartczak, D. A1 - Alasonati, E. T1 - Nano-sized Polypropylene as a Promising Candidate Reference Material: Preparation, Characterization and Stability in Complex Matrices N2 - The lack of nanoplastic (NPs) reference materials capable of mimicking real-world scenarios is currently hampering the development of validated extraction techniques from complex matrices, the development of analytical approaches for robust identification and quantification, and the ability to use environmentally relevant test materials in (eco)toxicity testing and hazard assessment. Here, we present a strategy towards the development of a potential NP reference material based on nano-sized polyproplyene particles (nanoPP) developed within the EURAMET-funded PlasticTrace project (https://plastictrace.eu/). The strategy includes the preparation, the physicochemical characterization and the stability assessment of nanoPP in suspension both in its pristine state, but also when spiked into complex matrices like mineral water and milk. NanoPP was produced reproducibly in a top-down approach by crushing in acetone with an UltraTurrax, filtering and change of solvent to MilliQ water. The prepared nanoPP material was subjected to a comprehensive physicochemical characterization including e.g., DLS, PTA and AF4-MALS for particle size distribution assessment, PTA and SEM for particle number concentration determination, SEM and AFM for shape analysis and pyrolysis GC-MS for chemical identification. Performed studies showed that the prepared nanoPP material is irregularly shaped and highly polydisperse with a particle size of around 180 nm (e.g., Dh,z-ave from DLS) and a particle size distribution from around 15 nm up to 135 nm (radius of gyration Rg from AF4-MALS). Storage stability studies using DLS, PTA and AF4-MALS revealed nanoPP in aqueous suspension to be stable for at least 22 months with respect to particle size distribution and number concentration rendering it a promising NP candidate reference material. However, conducted spiking experiments in mineral water and milk showed a time-dependent agglomeration of nanoPP that needs further investigation. T2 - MICROPLASTICdays CY - Ljubliana, Slovenia DA - 03.02.2026 KW - Nanoplastics KW - Reference materials PY - 2026 AN - OPUS4-65769 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Meier, F. A1 - Altmann, Korinna T1 - Challenges in nanoplastic analysis: Reference materials, complex matrices, and limits of detection N2 - The growing concern over nanoplastic particles (< 1 µm) in food and the environment has intensified the need for robust analytical approaches to detect, quantify, and characterize these particles. But the lack is high of standardized and well-characterized reference materials that reflect environmentally relevant nanoplastics according to: • Size distribution • Low abundance • Chemical diversity • Surface properties • Behavior in complex matrices. This poster shows different methods like FFF and AF4-MALS and their results when measuring a nanoPP reference materials candidate. T2 - Analytica Conference 2026 CY - Munich, Germany DA - 24.03.2026 KW - Nanoplastics KW - Reference materials KW - AF4-MALS KW - FFF PY - 2026 AN - OPUS4-65770 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER -