TY - CONF A1 - Altmann, Korinna T1 - Reference material candidates for microplastic analysis N2 - Every day, there are new headlines in the media about microplastics (1-1000 µm, ISO/TR 21960:2020) and nanoplastics (< 1 µm, ISO/TR 21960:2020) findings all over the planet with high variations in particle number and mass. The challenges in analytics are very complex, e.g. representative sampling, non-destructive sample preparation with concentrated particles and homogeneous distribution and true detection. All together lead to lacks in harmonization and results, which are hardly comparable. On the other hand, monitoring of microplastics is mandatory in the future strictly regulated by the EU commission in the Drinking water and Wastewater Framework Directive. One step to accurate and precise results will be the development of suitable reference materials mimicking particles in the environment. BAM developed test materials, which are produced by mixing a small portion of microplastic particles with a water-soluble matrix. After solid phase dilution and homogenisation small portions are pressed into tablets and bottled in glass vials (Figure 1). These tablets are well characterized with particle size distribution and SEM images. Additionally, they are tested as reference material candidate according to homogeneity and stability for particle number with µ-IR and µ-Raman as well as on particle mass with Py-GC/MS and TED-GC/MS after ISO Guide 35. Results are promising. The material passed the homogeneity control. No changes are observed within 6 months of storage. The same tested reference material is finally used in sample preparation experiments, where environmental suspended particular matter from surface water or baby milk powders are spiked with the tablets. T2 - ESOPS CY - Berlin, Germany DA - 09.09.2024 KW - Microplastics KW - TED-GC/MS KW - Reference materials KW - Polymer 3R KW - Tablets PY - 2024 AN - OPUS4-61017 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Alić Stolar, Jasna T1 - Harnessing mechanochemistry to combat PFAS contamination N2 - For over 70 years, the uncontrolled production, use, and disposal of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have led to widespread global contamination, necessitating the rapid development of innovative and efficient remediation technologies. State-of-the-art strategies rely on energy-intensive incineration, which releases greenhouse gases and smaller, volatile PFAS derivatives. Here, we present a fast, simple, and sustainable method for the complete degradation of PFAS leveraging mechanochemistry to break down the persistent carbon-fluorine bonds. Our findings indicate that liquid-assisted grinding conditions accelerate the degradation of perfluorooctanoic acid compared to neat grinding conditions, resulting in a significant reduction in energy consumption. Moreover, the fluoride released during the process binds to inorganic additives, allowing fluorine recovery as crystalline salts and preventing the formation of secondary toxic waste. The method has strong potential for scaling up and offers a green and viable solution for real-world application in PFAS decontamination. T2 - The International Symposium on Mechanochemistry (Mech’cheM 2025) CY - Montpellier, France DA - 04.06.2025 KW - Mechanochemistry KW - PFAS PY - 2025 AN - OPUS4-63956 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Epping, Ruben A1 - Falkenhagen, Jana A1 - Panne, Ulrich A1 - Hiller, W. A1 - Gruendling, T. A1 - Staal, B. A1 - Lang, C. A1 - Lamprou, A. T1 - Simultaneous characterization of poly(acrylic acid) andpolysaccharide polymers and copolymers N2 - Copolymer products that result from grafting acrylic acid and other hydrophilicmonomers onto polysaccharides have recently gained significant interest in researchand industry. Originating from renewable sources, these biodegradable, low toxicity,and polar copolymer products exhibit potential to replace polymers from fossil sourcesin several applications and industries. The methods usually employed to character-ize these copolymers are, however, quite limited, especially for the measurement ofbulk properties. With more sophisticated applications, for example, in pharmaceu-tics requiring a more detailed analysis of the chemical structure, we describe a newapproach for this kind of complex polymers. Our approach utilizes chromatographyin combination with several detection methods to separate and characterize reactionproducts of the copolymerization of acrylic acid and chemically hydrolyzed starch.These samples consisted of a mixture of homopolymer poly (acrylic acid), homopoly-mer hydrolyzed starch, and – in a lower amount – the formed copolymers. Several chro-matographic methods exist that are capable of characterizing either poly (acrylic acid)or hydrolyzed starch. In contrast, our approach offers simultaneous characterization ofboth polymers. The combination of LC and UV/RI offered insight into the compositionand copolymer content of the samples. Size exclusion chromatography experimentsrevealed the molar mass distribution of homopolymers and copolymers. FTIR inves-tigations confirmed the formation of copolymers while ESI-MS gave more details onthe end groups of hydrolyzed starches and poly (acrylic acids). Evidence of copolymerstructures was obtained through NMR measurements. Finally, two-dimensional chro-matography led to the separation of the copolymers from both homopolymers as wellas the additional separation of sodium clusters. The methods described in this work area powerful toolset to characterize copolymerization products of hydrolyzed starch andpoly(acrylic acid). Together, our approach successfully correlates the physicochemicalproperties of such complex mixtures with their actual composition. KW - 2D chromatography KW - LC-MS KW - SEC KW - Renewable copolymers KW - Grafting PY - 2020 UR - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-508873 DO - https://doi.org/10.1002/ansa.202000044 SP - 1 EP - 12 PB - Wiley-VCH Verlag-GmbH&Co. KGaA CY - Weinheim AN - OPUS4-50887 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Scholz, Philipp A1 - Falkenhagen, Jana A1 - Wachtendorf, Volker A1 - Brüll, Robert A1 - Simon, Franz-Georg T1 - Investigation on the Durability of a Polypropylene Geotextile under Artificial Aging Scenarios N2 - Geosynthetics are widely used in various civil engineering applications, such as geotextiles in coastal protection, and display a sustainable alternative to natural mineral materials. However, the full benefits of using geosynthetics can only be gained with a long service lifetime of the products. With the use of added stabilizers to the polymers, service lifetimes can be achieved in the range of 100 years. Therefore, accelerated aging methods are needed for the assessment of the long-term performance of geotextiles. In the present study, the behavior of geosynthetic materials made of polypropylene was investigated under artificial aging conditions involving elevated temperatures ranging from 30 to 80 °C, increased oxygen pressures ranging from 10 to 50 bar in water-filled autoclaves, and UV irradiation under atmospheric conditions. ATR-IR spectroscopy was employed to detect the increase in the carbonyl index over various aging durations, indicating the oxidative degradation of the geotextile. The most pronounced increase was observed in the case of aging through UV irradiation, followed by thermal aging. Elevated pressure, on the other hand, had a lower impact on oxidation. High-temperature size exclusion chromatography was utilized to follow the reduction in molar mass under different degradation conditions, and the results were consistent with those obtained from ATR-IR spectroscopy. In polyolefins such as polypropylene, Hindered Amine Stabilizers (HAS) are used to suppress oxidation caused by UV radiation. The quantitative analysis of HAS was carried out using a UV/Vis method and HPLC. The degradation of UV stabilizers during the aging of geotextiles is responsible for the oxidation and the reduction in the molar mass of polypropylene. From the results, it can be concluded that applications of PP geotextile without soil or sand cover might cause the risk of the formation of microplastic particles. Material selection, design, and maintenance of the construction must follow best practices, including the system’s removal or replacement at end-of-life. Otherwise, a sustainable use of geotextiles in civil engineering is not possible. KW - Geotextiles KW - Microplastic KW - Size exclusion chromatography KW - Accelerated aging PY - 2024 UR - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-599739 DO - https://doi.org/10.3390/su16093559 SN - 2071-1050 VL - 16 IS - 9 SP - 1 EP - 15 PB - MDPI AG CY - Basel AN - OPUS4-59973 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Dudziak, Mateusz A1 - Bhatia, Riya A1 - Dey, R. A1 - Falkenhagen, Jana A1 - Ullrich, M. S. A1 - Thomsen, C. A1 - Schartel, Bernhard T1 - Wastewater phosphorus enriched algae as a sustainable flame retardant in polylactide N2 - Revolutionizing our polymer industry for adaption to a sustainable carbon circular economy has become one of today’s most demanding challenges. Exploiting renewable resources to replace fossil-fuel—based plastics with biopolymers such as poly(lactic acid) (PLA) is inevitable while using waste streams as a raw material resource at least is promising. When it comes to using PLA as technical polymer, its high flammability must be addressed by flame retardants compatible with the thermoplastic processing of PLA and its compostability. This study proposes microalgae enriched with phosphorus from wastewater (P-Algae) as an elegant way towards a kind of sustainable organophosphorus flame retardant. The concept is demonstrated by investigating the processing, pyrolysis, flammability, and fire behavior of PLA/P-Algae, while varying the P-Algae content and comparing P-Algae with four alternative bio-fillers (phosphorylated lignin, biochar, thermally treated sewage sludge, and metal phytate) with different P-contents as meaningful benchmarks. KW - PLA KW - Flame Retardancy KW - Phosphorylated Algae KW - Wastewater flame retardants KW - Zink phytate KW - Phosphorylated lignin KW - Thermally treated sludge PY - 2024 UR - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-604150 DO - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.polymdegradstab.2024.110885 SN - 1873-2321 SN - 0141-3910 VL - 227 SP - 1 EP - 11 PB - Elsevier Ltd. AN - OPUS4-60415 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Kricheldorf, H. A1 - Weidner, Steffen A1 - Scheliga, F. T1 - Polycondensation of poly(L-lactide) alkyl esters combined with disproportionation and symproportionation of the chain lengths N2 - Ring-opening polymerizations (ROPs) of l-lactide (LA) were performed with ethyl l-lactate or 11-bromoundecanol as initiators (In) and tin(II) ethyl hexanoate (SnOct2) as catalyst (Cat) using four different LA/In ratios (20/1, 40/1, 60/1, and 100/1). One series of ROPs was conducted in bulk at 120 °C, yielding PLAs with low dispersities (Ð ~ 1.2–1.4), and a second series was conducted in bulk at 160 °C, yielding higher dispersities (Ð ~ 1.3–1.9). Samples from both series were annealed for 1 or 14 days at 140 °C in the presence of SnOct2. Both polycondensation and disproportionation reactions occurred, so that all four samples tended to form the same type of molar mass distribution below 10,000 Da, regardless of their initially different number average molar masses (Mn). Both initiators gave nearly identical results. The thermodynamic control of all reversible transesterification processes favored the formation of crystallites composed of chains with a Mn around 3500–3700, corresponding to a crystal thickness of 10–13 nm. KW - Polylactide KW - MALDI-TOF MS KW - Crystalinity PY - 2024 UR - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-600081 DO - https://doi.org/10.1002/pol.20240118 SN - 2642-4150 SP - 1 EP - 12 PB - Wiley AN - OPUS4-60008 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Kricheldorf, H. A1 - Weidner, Steffen T1 - Low Molar Mass Cyclic Poly(L-lactide)s: Separate Transesterification Reactions of Cycles and Linear Chains in the Solid State N2 - L-Lactide (LA) was polymerized with neat tin(II) 2-ethylhexanoate (SnOct2) in toluene at 115 °C at low concentration with variation of the LA/Cat ratio. Cyclic polylactides (cPLAs) with number average molecular weights (Mn) between 7 000 and 17 000 were obtained. MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry also revealed the formation of a few percent of linear chains. Crystalline cPLAs with Mn around 9 000 and 14 000 were annealed at 140 °C in the presence of ScOct2 or dibutyl-2-stanna-1,3-dithiolane (DSTL). Simultaneously, crystallites of extended linear chains and crystallites of extended cycles were formed regardless of the catalyst, indicating that transesterification reaction proceeded different for linear chains and for cycles, governed by thermodynamic control. The formation of extended chain crystallites with low dispersity indicates the existence of symproportionation of short and long chains. A complementary experiment was carried out with a PLA ethyl ester composed mainly of linear chains with a small fraction of cycles KW - Polylactide KW - MALDI-TOF MS KW - Annealing PY - 2024 UR - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-606228 DO - https://doi.org/10.1039/D4SM00567H SN - 1744-6848 SP - 1 EP - 12 PB - Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) AN - OPUS4-60622 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Cherbib, S. A1 - Jlalia, I. A1 - Chabbah, T. A1 - Chatti, S. A1 - Marestin, C. A1 - Mercier, R. A1 - Weidner, Steffen A1 - Casabianca, H. A1 - Jaffrezic-Renault, N. A1 - Abderrazak, H. T1 - Design of New Partially Bio-Based Polyguanamines for the Reversible Adsorption of Phenolic Molecules from Olive Mill Wastes N2 - Olive mill wastewater produces a variety of potent antioxidants, including hydroxytyrosol, oleuropein, and tyrosol, that have been widely used in agriculture, pharmacy, and cosmetics. This study aims to design new poly(guanamine)s phases by polycondensation of modified triazine monomers with both petro-based and biosourced diamines, to act as stationary phases for the uptake of these phenolic molecules. Obtained polymers were characterized by NMR spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The adsorption results showed that the newly synthesized polymers can effectively uptake the less polar phenolic compounds, ferulic acid, and caffeic acid. The isosorbide-based polymer (P6) presented the highest sorption efficiency, due to the hydrophilic properties of isosorbide associated with the proton affinity of the triazine groups. All the phenolic compounds were successfully desorbed from the P6 polymer using a minimal amount of a methanol/acetonitrile mixture. P6 polymer could be used for four successive adsorption processes without loss of efficiency. KW - Olive mill wastewater KW - Triazine KW - Isosorbide KW - Adsorption KW - Phenolic compounds PY - 2024 DO - https://doi.org/10.1007/s42250-024-01081-3 SN - 2522-5758 SP - 1 EP - 11 PB - Springer Science and Business Media LLC AN - OPUS4-61348 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Kricheldorf, Hans R. A1 - Weidner, Steffen T1 - Ring-ring equilibration (RRE) of cyclic poly(L-lactide)s by means of cyclic tin catalysts N2 - With 2,2-dibutyl-2-stanna-1,3-dithiolane (DSTL) and 2-stanna-1,3-dioxa-4,5,6,7-dibenzoxepane (SnBiPh) as catalysts ring-expansion polymerizations (REP) were performed either in 2 M solution using three different solvents and two different temperatures or in bulk at 140 and 120 ◦C. A kinetically controlled rapid REP up to weight average molecular masses (Mẃs) above 300 000 was followed by a slower degradation of the molecular masses at 140 ◦C, but not at 120 ◦C Furthermore, a low molecular mass cyclic poly(L-lactide) (cPLA) with a Mn around 16 000 was prepared by polymerization in dilute solution and used as starting material for ring-ring equilibration at 140 ◦C in 2 M solutions. Again, a decrease of the molecular mass was detectable, suggesting that the equilibrium Mn is below 5 000. The degradation of the molecular masses via RRE was surprisingly more effective in solid cyclic PLA than in solution, and a specific transesterification mechanism involving loops on the surface of crystallites is proposed. This degradation favored the formation of extended-ring crystallites, which were detectable by a “saw-tooth pattern” in their MALDI mass spectra. KW - Organic Chemistry KW - Polymers and Plastics KW - MALDI-TOF MS KW - Materials Chemistry PY - 2024 UR - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-593819 DO - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eurpolymj.2024.112765 SN - 0014-3057 VL - 206 SP - 1 EP - 8 PB - Elsevier B.V. AN - OPUS4-59381 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Geburtig, Anja A1 - Wachtendorf, Volker A1 - Falkenhagen, Jana T1 - Combined impact of UV radiation and nitric acid on high‐density polyethylene containers as a laboratory test N2 - In a laboratory test, transparent high‐density polyethylene (HDPE) jerrycans have been exposed to both UV radiation and 55 wt‐% nitric acid solution at (41 ± 2)°C, for up to 20 days. For comparison, UV radiant exposure (21 days) and nitric acid exposure (up to 6 weeks) were performed separately, at nearly equal temperatures. The damages are compared with FTIR spectroscopy in ATR and HT‐gel permeation chromatography(GPC) on a molecular level and with hydraulic internal pressure testing as a component test. For the used jerrycans, relevant oxidation can only be found after the combined exposure. This is caused by the decomposition of nitric acid into nitrous gases by UV radiation, which is also observed at lower concentrations (28 wt‐%). After 6 days of laboratory exposure, this is rated as critical, which corresponds to about 1/10 year in Central Europe, according to the UV radiant exposure. The gradual increase in oxidative damage shows the reproducibility of the test. KW - Molecular mass distribution KW - High-density polyethylene KW - Nitric acid KW - UV radiation PY - 2022 UR - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-550141 DO - https://doi.org/10.1002/pts.2673 SN - 0894-3214 VL - 35 IS - 10 SP - 729 EP - 735 PB - Wiley CY - New York, NY AN - OPUS4-55014 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Meyer, Andreas A1 - Weidner, Steffen A1 - Kricheldorf, Hans R. T1 - Star-shaped poly(l-lactide)s based on pentaerythritol: About crystallization and polycondensation plus disproportionation and ring formation in the solid state N2 - Star-shaped poly( L-lactide)s (s-PLAs), were prepared by ring-opening polymerization of with pentaerythritol and catalyzed by tin(II) 2-ethylhyexanoate (SnOct out in bulk at either 120 ◦ C or 160 ◦ L-lactide (LA) initiated 2 ). Two small series of ROPs were carried C with variation of the LA/initiator ratio. Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ ionization time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectra revealed traces of cycles in 120 ◦ C samples only at low initiator/catalyst ratios. In contrast, higher fractions of cycles were detected in samples prepared at 160 C, suggesting a "back-biting" origin. The influence of arm length and thermal history on crystallinity was investigated by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and wide-angle x-ray scattering (WAXS). It was shown that annealing increased the melting temperature (T ◦ ◦ m ) and crystallinity. However, annealing at 140 ◦ C for 14 d also caused significant solid-state transesterification. In addition, crystallites composed of s-PLAs with extended arms and, simultaneously, crystallites composed exclusively of extended rings were formed, identified by their typical "sawtooth" pattern in the MALDI mass spectra. Small angle x-ray scattering (SAXS) indicated that the crystal thickness was lower than that of linear PLAs annealed under identical conditions, but increased upon annealing at 140 C. KW - MALDI-TOF MS KW - Polylactide KW - Crystallisation KW - AStar-shaped polymers PY - 2025 UR - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-636832 DO - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.polymer.2025.128709 SN - 0032-3861 VL - 334 SP - 1 EP - 11 PB - Elsevier Ltd. AN - OPUS4-63683 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Kricheldorf, Hans R. A1 - Weidner, Steffen T1 - Zwitterionic polymerization of glycolide catalyzed by pyridine N2 - The usefulness of various N- and P-based catalysts for syntheses of cyclic polyglycolide via zwitterionic polymerization of glycolide was examined. Most catalysts produced discolored, largely insoluble polyglycolides consisting of cycles and unidentified byproducts. Soluble, cyclic polyglycolides were obtained using neat pyridine as catalyst at 120 °C, 100 °C, 80 °C, and even at 60 °C. The number-average molecular weights were extremely low and depended slightly on the glycolide-to-pyridine ratio. Three different mass distributions of the cycles were detected by mass spectrometry, depending on the reaction conditions. The cyclic polyglycolides were also characterized by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) measurements. The SAXS data in combination with the mass spectra indicate that the majority of the cycles form extended-ring crystallites KW - MALDI-TOF MS KW - Polylactide KW - Polymerization KW - Zitterions PY - 2025 UR - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-639748 DO - https://doi.org/10.1039/d5py00762c SN - 1759-9954 SP - 1 EP - 9 PB - Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) AN - OPUS4-63974 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Bui, Minh A1 - Heinekamp, Christian A1 - Fuhry, Emil A1 - Weidner, Steffen A1 - Radnik, Jörg A1 - Ahrens, Mike A1 - Scheurell, Kerstin A1 - Balasubramanian, Kannan A1 - Emmerling, Franziska A1 - Braun, Thomas T1 - Lewis-acid induced mechanochemical degradation of polyvinylidene fluoride: transformation into valuable products N2 - Polyvinylidene fluoride (–[CH2CF2]n–, PVDF) waste poses significant environmental challenges due to its recalcitrant nature and widespread use. This study addresses the end-of-life management of PVDF by introducing a novel, sustainable mechanochemical approach for its valorisation. We investigated the degradation of PVDF into value-added materials using ball milling with anhydrous AlCl3 to achieve a quantitative mineralisation producing AlF3 and halide-functionalised graphite, along with gaseous products (HCl and CH4). Mechanistic key steps involve Lewis-acid catalysed C–F bond activation, dehydrofluorination and aromatisation. This approach provides an effective solution for PVDF waste management while offering a promising route for the production of high-value materials from polymer waste streams. Our findings contribute to sustainable practices in polymer recycling and resource recovery, respond to pressing environmental concerns associated with fluoropolymer disposal, and demonstrate the potential to convert polymer wastes into useful products. KW - Mechanochemistry KW - Polyvinylidenfluoride KW - Degradation KW - Ball mill PY - 2025 UR - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-649015 DO - https://doi.org/10.1039/d5sc05783c SN - 2041-6520 VL - 16 IS - 40 SP - 18903 EP - 18910 PB - Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) AN - OPUS4-64901 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Kricheldorf, Hans R. A1 - Weidner, Steffen A1 - Meyer, A. T1 - About Polycondensation, Disproportionation, and Cyclization of Acetylated Poly(L-Lactide) Esters N2 - L-lactide (LA) is polymerized with ethyl L-lactate or trifluoroethanol as initiators (LA/In = 30/1), and the resulting poly(L-lactide) esters are acetylated with acetic anhydride. The acetylated PLA esters are mixed with SnOct2, dibutyltin bis(4-chlorophenoxide), or dibutyltin bis(pentafluorophenoxide) in solution and crystallized at 120 °C. The doped crystals are annealed at 140 °C or at 160 °C for 7, 14, and 28 days, and the chemical modifications that occurred in the solid state are monitored by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight (MALDI TOF) mass spectrometry, gel permeation chromatography (GPC), and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) measurements. All catalysts promoted polycondensation, while no significant formation of cycles is observed. However, in the presence of SnOct2, disproportionation of chains occurred upon annealing at 120 or 140 °C, and crystallites consisting of extended chains with Mn values ≈3500 – 3600 and low dispersities (Ð < 1.5) are formed. KW - MALDI-TOF MS KW - Polycondensation KW - Polylactides KW - Transesterifcation PY - 2024 UR - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-630349 DO - https://doi.org/10.1002/macp.202400175 SN - 1521-3935 VL - 225 IS - 19 PB - Wiley VHC-Verlag AN - OPUS4-63034 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Kricheldorf, Hans R. A1 - Weidner, Steffen A1 - Meyer, Andreas T1 - Poly(butylene terephthalate): About condensation, cyclization, degradation and elimination reactions in the solid state, and the role of smooth crystal surfaces N2 - Three commercial poly(butylene terephthalate) (PBT) samples - Pocan B1300 (B13), Pocan B1600 (B16), and Addigy P 1210 (AP121) - served as the starting materials for the annealing experiments, which were conducted with and without the addition of esterification and transesterification catalysts. The catalysts used were Sn(II) 2-ethylhexanoate (SnOct₂), Zr(IV) acetylacetonate, and 4-toluene sulfonic acid (TSA). Temperatures varied between 150 and 210 °C. The PBT samples were characterized using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), gel permeation chromatography (GPC), small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight (MALDI TOF) mass spectrometry. The MALDI mass spectra of all three samples differed greatly but displayed mass peaks of cycles. Similar results were produced by annealing with SnOct₂ or Zr(acac)₄, which favored the formation of even-numbered cycles within the mass range below m/z 5000, along with slow degradation. TSA favored a more intensive degradation without the formation of cycles or even with the destruction of cycles. PBT chains with two carboxylic (COOH) end groups were the most stable species under all circumstances. The origin of the extremely high melting point of AP121 (241–242 °C) can be explained by the smoothing of crystallite surfaces via transesterification. The results suggest that combining MALDI mass spectrometry and SAXS measurements provides a new way to better understand the solid-state chemistry of PBT and related polyesters. KW - MALDI-TOF MS KW - Polybutylene Terephthalate KW - Crystallization KW - solid state KW - cyclization PY - 2026 UR - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-652844 DO - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.polymdegradstab.2025.111862 SN - 0141-3910 VL - 245 SP - 1 EP - 11 PB - Elsevier Ltd. AN - OPUS4-65284 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - RPRT A1 - Falkenhagen, Jana A1 - Beskers, Timo. F. A1 - Myxa, Anett A1 - Pursch, Matthias T1 - Round-robin test for size exclusion chromatography – Data summary N2 - Size exclusion chromatography (SEC or GPC) is one critical component of polymer analysis to meet the increasing requirements in regulatory context – namely, determination of Mn, as well as oligomers of less than 500 g mol-1 and 1000 g mol-1. The underlying test methods (OECD 118/119 and DIN EN ISO 13885 1 to 3) provide a framework for SEC measurements; however, they lack sufficient specificity to obtain accurate results. Previous SEC round robin tests were mostly performed on homopolymers and did not collect data on oligomer contents. A new round robin test was initiated and conceptualized within the Task force “Method Evaluation for Polymer REACh (MeEP)”, an initiative of “Industrieforum Analytik” within the German Chemical Society (GDCh). Samples for this study were selected to represent both easy benchmark polymers as well as real-life, industry-relevant polymer materials. Data collection focused on the regulatory requirements. Distribution of samples, gathering of individual results and evaluation were carried out by BAM. A data summary as initial result is reported here. Further evaluation and interpretation are a part of ongoing research. KW - Size exclusion chromatography KW - Polymers KW - Oligomer content KW - Round-robin test PY - 2026 DO - https://doi.org/10.26272/opus4-65587 SP - 1 EP - 84 PB - Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und -prüfung (BAM) CY - Berlin AN - OPUS4-65587 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Stolar, Tomislav T1 - Mechanochemical conversion of polyethylene terephthalate into valuable metal-organic frameworks N2 - Single-use plastics are causing plastic pollution, and less than 10% of plastic waste is recycled globally. Here, we present a sustainable mechanochemical1 protocol for converting post-consumer polyethylene terephthalate (PET) textile and bottles into the porous metal-organic framework (MOF) UiO-66. We used time-resolved in situ synchrotron powder X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy to monitor the depolymerization of PET during ball milling with sodium and potassium hydroxide and water as a liquid additive (Figure 1). For synthesizing UiO-66, we focused on the better performing sodium hydroxide and optimized two distinct synthetic routes to produce high-quality UiO-66. Our results demonstrate the potential of mechanochemistry to enable more circular MOF synthesis using post-consumer PET waste. T2 - The International Symposium on Mechanochemistry (Mech’cheM) 2025: New forces in Mechanochemistry CY - Montpellier, France DA - 04.06.2025 KW - Mechanochemistry KW - Plastic recycling KW - Circular economy PY - 2025 AN - OPUS4-63943 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Stolar, Tomislav T1 - Upcycling waste PET bottles to porous UiO-66 by mechanochemistry N2 - Single-use plastics are causing plastic pollution, and less than 10% of plastic waste gets recycled globally. Most of it ends up in landfills or gets incinerated in a highly unsustainable manner. Here, I will present a sustainable mechanochemical protocol for the chemical upcycling of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) to porous UiO-66 metal-organic framework (MOF). In the first step, PET is ball-milled with sodium hydroxide and undergoes alkaline hydrolysis to disodium terephthalate (Na2TP). Time-resolved in situ monitoring of ball milling reaction by synchrotron powder X-ray diffraction shows the appearance of crystalline Na2TP after 20 min of milling. However, ex-situ analysis at different milling times by gel permeation chromatography reveals that the depolymerisation step needs more milling for completion. After two hours of ball milling, there are only trace amounts of leftover PET. For upcycling to UiO-66, a zirconium acetate cluster is added to Na2TP together with liquid additives and after milling for T2 - International Conference on Resource Chemistry 2024 CY - Alzenau, Germany DA - 13.03.2024 KW - Mechanochemistry KW - Plastic recycling KW - Circular economy PY - 2024 AN - OPUS4-62105 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Kricheldorf, H. R. T1 - Reversible Polycondensations and the Jacobson-Stockmayer Theory N2 - Reversible polycondensations are polycondensations that include equilibration reactions at any stage of the process. Syntheses of Polyesters in bulk involving transesterification reactions and syntheses of polyamides in bulk involving transamidation are typical examples. In 1950, Jacobson and Stockmayer published a first theory of reversible polycondensations based on experimental studies with aliphatic polyesters.[1,2] They explained the reversibility by the reversible formation of cyclic oligomers and low molar mass polymers from an active chain end (so-called “back-biting”). The formation of cycles via end-to-end cyclization was excluded in agreement with Flory´s theory of irreversible polycondensations.[3] The reinvestigation of the Jacobson-Stockmayer experiments by the authors in combination with theoretical considerations shows that the JS theory is wrong. [4,5] It turned out that the experimental scenario is far from the reality. In real polycondensations, intermolecular equilibration is faster than “back-biting”, and end-to-end cyclization is quite normal. The revised theory of step-growth polymerization predicts that in the ideal case of 100% conversion, all reaction products are cycles, regardless, of whether the step-growth polymerization is reversible or not. T2 - Polycondensation 2024 CY - Lyon, France DA - 15.09.2024 KW - Polycondensation KW - Cyclisation KW - MALDI TOF MS PY - 2024 UR - https://polycond-2024.sciencesconf.org/ AN - OPUS4-61070 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Stolar, Tomislav T1 - Waste to value: upcycling PET bottles into MOFs using mechanochemistry N2 - Single-use plastics are causing plastic pollution, and less than 10% of plastic waste gets recycled globally. Most of it ends up in landfills or gets incinerated in a highly unsustainable manner. Here, I will present a sustainable mechanochemical protocol for the chemical upcycling of waste polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles to porous UiO-66 metal-organic framework (MOF). We used in situ and ex situ characterization to gain a deep understanding of the underlying mechanochemical process leading to high crystallinity and -porosity UiO-66. Our results show the potential of mechanochemistry for the sustainable production of high-quality value-added materials such as UiO-66 from waste PET bottles. T2 - 2024 Green Chemistry Gordon Research Conference CY - Barcelona, Spain DA - 31.07.2024 KW - Mechanochemistry KW - Plastic recycling KW - Circular economy PY - 2024 AN - OPUS4-62107 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Kromm, Arne T1 - Effect of a High-Performance Modified Spray Arc MAG Process on Load-Oriented Repair of Old Steel Structures N2 - Steel structures erected in the late 19th and early 20th centuries still constitute a substantial part of today’s technical infrastructure. A significant proportion of bridge and engineering structures have been in service for more than 80 or even 100 years and are subjected to continuously increasing traffic volumes, axle loads, and dynamic actions. In view of these rising service demands, load-oriented and structurally adequate repair strategies are essential to ensure long-term structural integrity while preserving the existing building stock in a sustainable manner. As historical steel constructions were predominantly designed for riveted or bolted joints, the subsequent implementation of welded repair or strengthening measures represents a particular challenge. In addition to the specific material characteristics of old mild steels, welding-induced residual stresses and microstructural alterations must be carefully considered, as they can significantly affect load-bearing capacity and the overall structure performance. Consequently, repair concepts must not only restore geometry but also be adapted to the actual stress conditions and service requirements of the structure. Against this background, the present study investigates MAG welding trials on mixed joints between old and modern structural steels. The groove opening angle was systematically varied between 50° and 30° in order to analyse the influence of joint geometry on weld metal volume, heat input, and the resulting residual stress state. Furthermore, advanced high-performance arc processes, such as a modified spray arc mode, were applied to enable controlled and reduced heat input. The objective is to minimise welding-induced residual stresses through process and joint design optimisation, thereby providing a technically sound and load-oriented repair strategy for existing old steel structures suitable for long-term service. T2 - IIW Intermediate Meeting, Commission II-E CY - Bangkok, Thailand DA - 16.03.2026 KW - Historic mild steel KW - Weldability KW - High strength steel PY - 2026 AN - OPUS4-65745 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Avila Calderon, Luis Alexander T1 - On the role of the manufacturing-induced cell structure in laser-powder-bed-fused stainless steel 316L during cyclic plastic deformation N2 - The room temperature cyclic plastic deformation behavior of stainless steel 316L produced by laser powder bed fusion and heat treated to two microstructural conditions was investigated in strain-controlled incremental-step-test low-cycle fatigue experiments. The heat treatments were performed at 450 °C for 4 h and at 900 °C for 1 h. The lower temperature heat treatment retains the cell structure present in the as-built material. The higher temperature heat treatment leads to disappearance of the cell structure and a decreased proof strength. Both investigated heat treatment conditions exhibited cyclic softening. In the condition heat treated at 900 °C for 1 h, the ability of the cell structure to act as barrier against plastic deformation when cyclically strained is degraded, which is reflected in the reduction of the cyclic yield strength. In that same condition, the cyclic softening was less pronounced. The presence or absence of the manufacturing-induced cell structure seems to determine the slip mode. When present, the microstructural evidence points to a planar slip behavior. After heat treatment at 900 °C for 1 h, which led to its dissolution, microstructural investigations revealed a wavy slip behavior, which has been also reported for the conventionally manufactured 316L counterpart [1]. In this case, the formation of low-energy dislocation structures acts as softening agent. T2 - Additive Manufacturing 2026 CY - Kassel, Germany DA - 25.03.2026 KW - AGIL KW - Additive Fertigung KW - Low-Cycle-Fatigue KW - 316L KW - Mikrostruktur PY - 2026 AN - OPUS4-65746 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER -