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Mit einer langfristigen Forschungsstrategie begleiten die für die Sicherheit von Mensch und Umwelt zuständigen Bundesoberbehörden (Umweltbundesamt, Bundesinstitut für Risikobe-wertung, Bundesanstalt für Arbeitsschutz und Arbeitsmedizin, Bundesanstalt für Materialfor-schung und -prüfung und Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt) die rasch voranschreiten-de Entwicklung neuer Materialien unter den Gesichtspunkten des Arbeits-, Verbraucher- und Umweltschutzes. Die Strategie steht daher in enger Verbindung zu den öffentlichen Förder-programmen für Nanomaterialien und andere innovative Werkstoffe, z. B. des BMBF („Vom Material zur Innovation“) und der EU („Horizon 2020“).
Die Forschungsstrategie baut auf den bisherigen Ergebnissen der 2008 begonnenen und 2013 erstmals bilanzierten gemeinsamen Forschungsstrategie der Bundesoberbehörden „Nanotechnologie - Gesundheits- und Umweltrisiken von Nanomaterialien"1 auf und erweitert den Blickwinkel auch auf andere Materialinnovationen, bei denen vergleichbare Risiken für Mensch und Umwelt bestehen oder abgeklärt werden müssen. Darüber hinaus greift sie die Idee „anwendungssichere chemische Produkte“2 aus der Initiative „Neue Qualität der Arbeit“ (INQA) des Bundesministeriums für Arbeit und Soziales (BMAS) und das Konzept der nach-haltigen Chemie3 auf, das vom Bundesministerium für Umwelt, Naturschutz, Bau und Reak-torsicherheit (BMUB) unterstützt wird. Durch eine anwendungssichere und umweltverträgli-che Gestaltung innovativer Materialien und ihrer Folgeprodukte sollen nicht akzeptable Risi-ken für Mensch und Umwelt von Anfang an weitgehend ausgeschlossen werden. Dies kann erreicht werden durch
1.
die Verwendung sicherer Materialien ohne Gefahreneigenschaften für Mensch und Umwelt (direkte Anwendungssicherheit) oder
2.
eine Produktgestaltung, die über den gesamten Lebenszyklus emissionsarm und umweltverträglich ist (integrierte Anwendungssicherheit) oder
3.
eine Unterstützung des Anwenders (product stewardship) durch den Hersteller bei technischen, organisatorischen und persönlichen Schutzmaßnahmen zur sicheren Verwendung und Entsorgung des Produktes (unterstützte Anwendungssicherheit).
Die Fortschreibung der Forschungsstrategie soll als Bestandteil des Nanoaktionsplans 2020 der Bundesregierung Beiträge der Ressortforschung zu folgenden Schwerpunkten leisten:
•
Charakterisierung und Bewertung der Risiken von Materialinnovationen
•
Unterstützung von Forschungseinrichtungen und Unternehmen
•
Fortschreiben von Rechtsvorschriften und Praxisempfehlungen
1
http://www.baua.de/nn_47716/de/Themen-von-A-Z/Gefahrstoffe/Nanotechnologie/pdf/Forschungsstrategie.pdf
2 http://www.baua.de/de/Themen-von-A-Z/Gefahrstoffe/Nachhaltige-Chemie/Nachhaltige-Chemie.html
3
http://www.umweltbundesamt.de/themen/chemikalien/chemikalien-management/nachhaltige-chemie
2
•
Gesellschaftliche Akzeptanz
Die Forschungsstrategie soll mit Projekten und anderen forschungsnahen Aktivitäten umge-setzt werden. Dies umfasst die eigene Forschung der Häuser, die extramurale Ausschrei-bung und Vergabe von Forschungsdienstleistungen sowie die Beteiligung an vorwiegend öffentlich geförderten Drittmittelprojekten. Hinzu kommen Aktivitäten im Rahmen der Politik-beratung und der hoheitlichen Aufgaben. Mit inter- und transdisziplinären Ansätzen soll die Risiko- und Sicherheitsforschung enger mit der Innovationsforschung und Materialentwick-lung verknüpft werden. Die Forschungsstrategie ist aufgrund der raschen Entwicklungen auf diesem Gebiet für den Zeitraum bis 2020 angelegt. Die Forschungsziele adressieren die in diesem Zeitraum voraussichtlich umsetzbaren Forschungsansätze. Die Forschungsstrategie wird durch einen Arbeitskreis begleitet und spätestens mit Ablauf des Nanoaktionsplans 2020 evaluiert und angepasst.
The application of appropriate analytical techniques is essential for nanomaterial (NM) characterization. In this study, we compared different analytical techniques for NM analysis. Regarding possible adverse health effects, ionic and particulate NM effects have to be taken into account. As NMs behave quite differently in physiological media, special attention was paid to techniques which are able to determine the biosolubility and complexation behavior of NMs. Representative NMs of similar size were selected: aluminum (Al0) and aluminum oxide (Al2O3), to compare the behavior of metal and metal oxides. In addition, titanium dioxide (TiO2) was investigated. Characterization techniques such as dynamic light scattering (DLS) and nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA) were evaluated with respect to their suitability for fast characterization of nanoparticle dispersions regarding a particle's hydrodynamic diameter and size distribution. By application of inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry in the single particle mode (SP-ICP-MS), individual nanoparticles were quantified and characterized regarding their size. SP-ICP-MS measurements were correlated with the information gained using other characterization techniques, i.e. transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS). The particle surface as an important descriptor of NMs was analyzed by X-ray diffraction (XRD). NM impurities and their co-localization with biomolecules were determined by ion beam microscopy (IBM) and confocal Raman microscopy (CRM). We conclude advantages and disadvantages of the different techniques applied and suggest options for their complementation. Thus, this paper may serve as a practical guide to particle characterization techniques.
Uptake and molecular impact of aluminum-containing nanomaterials on human intestinal caco-2 cells
(2018)
Aluminum (Al) is one of the most common elements in the earth crust and increasingly used in food, consumer products and packaging. Its hazard potential for humans is still not completely understood. Besides the metallic form, Al also exists as mineral, including the insoluble oxide, and in soluble ionic forms. Representatives of these three species, namely a metallic and an oxidic species of Al-containing nanoparticles and soluble aluminum chloride, were applied to human intestinal cell lines as models for the intestinal barrier. We characterized physicochemical particle parameters, protein corona composition, ion release and cellular uptake. Different in vitro assays were performed to determine potential effects and molecular modes of Action related to the individual chemical species. For a deeper insight into signaling processes, microarray transcriptome analyses followed by bioinformatic data analysis were employed. The particulate Al species showed different solubility in biological media. Metallic Al nanoparticles released more ions than Al2O3 nanoparticles, while AlCl3 showed a mixture of dissolved and agglomerated particulate entities in biological media. The protein corona composition differed between both nanoparticle species. Cellular uptake, investigated in transwell experiments, occurred predominantly in particulate form, whereas ionic Al was not taken up by intestinal cell lines. Transcellular transport was not observed. None of the Al species showed cytotoxic effects up to 200 mg Al/mL. The transcriptome analysis indicated mainly effects on oxidative stress pathways, xenobiotic metabolism and metal homeostasis. We have shown for the first time that intestinal cellular uptake of Al occurs preferably in the particle form, while toxicological effects appear to be ion-related.
Aluminum has gathered toxicological Attention based on relevant human exposure and its suspected hazardous potential. Nanoparticles from food supplements or Food contact materials may reach the human gastrointestinal tract.
Here, we monitored the physicochemical fate of aluminum containing nanoparticles and aluminum ions when passaging an in vitro model of the human gastrointestinal tract. Smallangle X-ray scattering (SAXS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), ion beam microscopy (IBM), secondary ion beam mass spectrometry (TOF-SIMS), and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) in the singleparticle mode were employed to characterize two aluminumcontaining nanomaterials with different particle core materials (Al0, γAl2O3) and soluble AlCl3. Particle size and shape remained unchanged in saliva, whereas strong Agglomeration of both aluminum nanoparticle species was observed at low pH in gastric fluid together with an increased ion release. The levels of free aluminum ions decreased in intestinal fluid and the particles deagglomerated, thus liberating primary particles again. Dissolution of nanoparticles was limited and substantial changes of their shape and size were not detected. The amounts of particle-associated phosphorus, chlorine, potassium, and calcium increased in intestinal fluid, as compared to nanoparticles in standard dispersion.
Interestingly, nanoparticles were found in the intestinal fluid after addition of ionic aluminum. We provide a comprehensive characterization of the fate of aluminum nanoparticles in simulated gastrointestinal fluids, demonstrating that orally ingested nanoparticles probably reach the intestinal epithelium. The balance between dissolution and de novo complex formation should be considered when evaluating nanotoxicological experiments.
Recent DNA-based studies have shown that the built environment is surprisingly rich in fungi. These indoor fungi – whether transient visitors or more persistent residents – may hold clues to the rising levels of human allergies and other medical and building-related health problems observed globally. The taxo¬nomic identity of these fungi is crucial in such pursuits. Molecular identification of the built mycobiome is no trivial undertaking, however, given the large number of unidentified, misidentified, and technically compromised fungal sequences in public sequence databases. In addition, the sequence metadata required to make informed taxonomic decisions – such as country and host/substrate of collection – are often lacking even from reference and ex-type sequences. Here we report on a taxonomic annotation workshop (April 10–11, 2017) organized at the James Hutton Institute/University of Aberdeen (UK) to facilitate reproducible studies of the built mycobiome. The 32 participants went through public fungal ITS bar¬code sequences related to the built mycobiome for taxonomic and nomenclatural correctness, technical quality, and metadata availability. A total of 19,508 changes – including 4,783 name changes, 14,121 metadata annotations, and the removal of 99 technically compromised sequences – were implemented in the UNITE database for molecular identification of fungi (https://unite.ut.ee/) and shared with a range of other databases and downstream resources. Among the genera that saw the largest number of changes were Penicillium, Talaromyces, Cladosporium, Acremonium, and Alternaria, all of them of significant importance in both culture-based and culture-independent surveys of the built environment.
The CCQM-K148.a comparison was coordinated by the BIPM on behalf of the CCQM Organic Analysis Working Group for NMIs and DIs which provide measurement services in organic analysis under the CIPM MRA. It was undertaken as a "Track A" comparison within the OAWG strategic plan. CCQM-K148.a demonstrates capabilities for assigning the mass fraction content of a solid organic compound having moderate molecular complexity, where the compound has a molar mass in the range (75 - 500) g/mol and is non-polar (pKow < −2), when present as the primary organic component in a neat organic solid and where the mass fraction content of the primary component in the material is in excess of 950 mg/g.
Participants were required to report the mass fraction of Bisphenol A present in one supplied unit of the comparison material. Participants using a mass balance method for the assignment were also required to report their assignments of the impurity components present in the material. Methods used by the seventeen participating NMIs or DIs were predominantly based on either stand-alone mass balance (summation of impurities) or qNMR approaches, or the combination of data obtained using both methods. The results obtained using thermal methods based on freezing-point depression methods were also reported by a limited number of participants. There was excellent agreement between assignments obtained using all three approaches to assign the BPA content.
The assignment of the values for the mass fraction content of BPA consistent with the KCRV was achieved by most of the comparison participants with an associated relative standard uncertainty in the assigned value in the range (0.1 - 0.5)%.
Size and shape are crucial parameters which have impact on the potential of nanoparticles to penetrate cell membranes and epithelial barriers. Current research in nanotoxicology additionally focuses on particle coating. To distinguish between core- and coating-related effects in nanoparticle uptake and translocation, two nanoparticles equal in size, coating and charge but different in core material were investigated.
Silver and iron oxide nanoparticles coated with poly(acrylic acid) were chosen and extensively characterized by small-angle x-ray scattering, nanoparticle tracing analysis and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Uptake and transport were studied in the intestinal Caco-2 model in a Transwell System with subsequent elemental analysis. TEM and ion beam microscopy were conducted for particle visualization.
Although equal in size, charge and coating, the behavior of the two particles in Caco-2 cells was different: while the internalized amount was comparable, only iron oxide nanoparticles additionally passed the epithelium. Our findings suggest that the coating material influenced only the uptake of the nanoparticles whereas the translocation was determined by the core material.
Knowledge about the different roles of the particle coating and core materials in crossing biological barriers will facilitate toxicological risk assessment of nanoparticles and contribute to the optimization of pharmacokinetic properties of nano-scaled pharmaceuticals.
Derzeit erfolgt in mehreren Arbeitsgruppen unter Einbindung interessierter Kreise die Überarbeitung der 2001 erschienenen Richtlinie 'Schutz und Instandsetzung von Betonbauteilen' (Instandsetzungsrichtlinie) des Deutschen Ausschusses für Stahlbeton e.V. (DAfStb). Hierüber wird in dem nachfolgenden Beitrag berichtet, um der Fachwelt frühzeitig darzustellen, in welche Richtung die Fortschreibung des Regelwerkes geplant ist.
Die geplante neue Richtlinie wird nach derzeitigem Beratungsstand eine deutliche inhaltliche Erweiterung erfahren. Daher wird sie in 'Richtlinie für die Instandhaltung von Betonbauteilen' (Instandhaltungsrichtlinie) umbenannt und wird Festlegungen zu der grundsätzlichen Vorgehensweise bei der Instandhaltung unter Berücksichtigung der Komponenten Wartung, Inspektion, Instandsetzung und Verbesserung in Anlehnung an DIN 31051 enthalten. Da diese umfassenderen Aufgaben deutlich präziser beschrieben werden, konkretisieren sich auch die Anforderungen an die erforderliche Qualifikation des sachkundigen Planers, der zukünftig verstärkt die 'Restnutzungsdauer' bei seiner Planung beachten und in entsprechende Maßnahmen umsetzen muss.
Mit den Ergänzungen und Änderungen wird die Richtlinie an die aktuellen Entwicklungen und Regelungen im Betonbau angepasst. Gleichzeitig gewinnt die Planungsleistung erheblich an Bedeutung. Für Instandsetzungsprodukte gemäß DIN EN 1504 werden, die Beseitigung derzeit noch enthaltener Unklarheiten und technischer Defizite auf europäischer Ebene vorausgesetzt, Verwendbarkeitsmöglichkeiten aufgezeigt. Die Ausführung von Instandhaltungsmaßnahmen wird durch die Einführung von Überwachungsklassen mit zugehörigen Anforderungen an die durchzuführenden Prüfungen spezifiziert und damit konkretisiert.
The Global Exploration Strategy of the International Space Exploration Coordination Group (ISECG) describes a timeframe of 2020 and beyond with the ultimate aim to establish a human presence on Mars towards the 2040ies. The next steps lie on the Moon with a focus on the coming 10 years. Early lunar surface missions will establish a capability in support of lunar science and prepare and test mission operations for subsequent human exploration of Mars and long-duration human activities on the Moon.
Given the extreme costs involved in the shipping of material from Earth, a prerequisite for future human exploration is the manufacturing of elements directly on the Moon’s surface. Unlike the equipment, which at the beginning will have to be brought from Earth, raw materials and energy could be available following the concept of In-Situ Resource Utilization. The ESA OSIP PAVING THE ROAD (PAVER) study investigates the use of a laser to sinter regolith into paving elements for use as roadways and launch pads thus mitigating dust issues for transport and exploration vehicles.
The ESA-funded study examines the potential of using a laser (12 kW CO2 laser with spot beam up to 100 mm) for layer sintering of lunar and martian regolith powders to manufacture larger 3D elements and provide know-how for the automatic manufacture of paving elements in the lunar environment. The project contributes to the first step toward the establishment of a lunar base and will lead to the construction of equipment capable of paving areas and manufacturing 3D structures.
PAVER project sets the starting point for an examination of the larger context of lunar exploration. Mission scenarios will look at different phases of lunar exploration: Robotic Lunar Exploration, Survivability, Sustainability, and Operational Phase. A proposed Technology Roadmap investigates the mission scenario and analyses how, and to which extent, laser melting/sintering will play a role in the various phases of exploration. The paper contextualizes laser sintering within selected mission scenarios and discusses the different kinds of infrastructure that can be produced at each phase of the mission. The outcome of the study includes the detailing of the TRL steps in the project and an outline of a timeline for the different elements. Covered aspects include terrain modelling such as operation pads, roadways, or towers, non-pressurized building structures to protect machinery, and habitat envelopes, to protect and shield humans against dust, micrometeoroids, and radiation.
Waste disposal of carbon nanotube (CNT) containing products is expected to be the most important pathway for release of CNTs into the environment. In the present work, the use of radiolabelled CNTs (14C-CNT) for polycarbonate polymer nanocomposites with 1 wt% 14C-CNT content allowed for the first time to quantify and differentiate the CNT release according to the type of impact along the materials' ageing history. After an initial exposure of the nanocomposite by solar-like irradiation, further environmental impacts were applied to composite material. They aimed at mimicking disposal site conditions that may induce further ageing effects and CNT release. This study included shaking in water, rapid temperature changes, soaking in humic acid solution as well as waste water effluent, and, finally, gentle mechanical abrasion. All ageing impacts were applied sequentially, both on pristine (control) and on solar-irradiated nanocomposites. All experiments were accompanied by absolute quantification of radioactive release as well as chemical and morphological analyses of the nanocomposite surfaces using infra-red (IR) spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The morphological analysis showed that spectral irradiation can uncover CNT networks on the outer nanocomposite surface layers by polymer degradation. After having subjected the solar-irradiated nanocomposite to all studied disposal site effect, the total radioactive release was quantified to amount to 64 mg CNT/m2, whereas only 0.8 mg CNT/m2 were found for the un-irradiated control sample. Solar degradation of polymers was thus found to significantly increase the propensity of the studied polymer nanocomposites to release CNTs during ageing effects at the product's end-of-life typical for disposal sites.
The elucidation of mechanisms underlying the cellular uptake of nanoparticles (NPs) is an important topic in nanotoxicological research. Most studies dealing with silver NP uptake provide only qualitative data about internalization efficiency and do not consider NP-specific dosimetry. Therefore, we performed a comprehensive comparison of the cellular uptake of differently coated silver NPs of comparable size in different human intestinal Caco-2 cell-derived models to cover also the influence of the intestinal mucus barrier and uptake-specialized M-cells. We used a combination of the Transwell system, transmission electron microscopy, atomic absorption spectroscopy, and ion beam microscopy techniques. The computational in vitro sedimentation, diffusion, and dosimetry (ISDD) model was used to determine the effective dose of the particles in vitro based on their individual physicochemical characteristics. Data indicate that silver NPs with a similar size and shape show coating-dependent differences in their uptake into Caco-2 cells. The internalization of silver NPs was enhanced in uptake-specialized M-cells while the mucus did not provide a substantial barrier for NP internalization. ISDD modeling revealed a fivefold underestimation of dose–response relationships of NPs in in vitro assays. In summary, the present study provides dosimetry-adjusted quantitative data about the influence of NP coating materials in cellular uptake into human intestinal cells. Underestimation of particle effects in vitro might be prevented by using dosimetry models and by considering cell models with greater proximity to the in vivo situation, such as the M-cell model.
Present data indicate that the quantification of silver nanoparticle internalization revealed a clear particle-specific and coatingrelated uptake. Furthermore, a high amount of silver nanoparticles is taken up in cell models of higher complexity. Thus, an underestimation of particle effects in vitro might be prevented by considering cell models with greater proximity to the in vivo situation.
Bundling analytical capacities to understand phase formation in recycling of functional materials
(2019)
Transitioning from combustion engine-driven transportation to e-mobility demands a paradigm shift – from a system geared to maximize energy efficiency (i.e. fuel consumption) to a system that may be constrained by the availability of high technology (critical) metals required for electrical energy storage systems and drives. In the wake of these developments efforts in securing new resources of these metals from recycling of end-of-life products are increasing steadily.
Recycling of Li-Ion batteries has recently been evaluated. The results pinpoint to a critical need for understanding slag Formation and its dependence on metal components like Mn under extreme conditions. This will allow researchers to predict optimal Operation setting and to react quickly to changing market demands (which may be Li or Co at one point but may also shift to Ni or rare earth elements (REE)). The long-term goal is to control the formation of specific phases in slags allowing for a Maximum yield of elements of interest and optimal recovery in the separation processes that follows. The combination of data on the physical micro structure and local chemistry of the multi-Phase products during and after processing will help to understand and derive thermodynamic and kinetic data on its formation.
In this paper we are giving an overview on the analytical challenges and approaches to provide robust data on local element concentration and species (especially Mn which is a common component of next generation Li-ion batteries cathodes), spanning the dimensions from the nanometer scale to the bulk material. The complementary interactions of X-rays and electrons make them ideal probes to collect Interface and “in-depth” information. Before- and -after studies as well as in situ structural changes and Phase (trans)formation, changes in elemental and elemental species (e.g. oxidation state) distribution may be tracked by X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray fluorescence microscopy and X-ray Absorption spectroscopy. The application of such advanced analytical tools will not only provide essential clues during early lab-based experiments towards the development of new recycling technologies, but may also be deployed for on-line and in-line monitoring of industrial processes.
On the Applicability of Plasma Assisted Chemical Micropatterning to Different Polymeric Biomaterials
(2002)
A plasma process sequence has been developed to prepare chemical micropatterns on polymeric biomaterial surfaces. These patterns induce a guided localized cell layover at microscopic dimension. Two subsequent plasma steps are applied. In the first functionalization step a microwave ammonia plasma introduces amino groups to obtain areas for very good cell adhesion; the second passivation step combines pattern generation and creation of cell repelling areas. This downstream microwave hydrogen plasma process removes functional groups and changes the linkages of polymer chains at the outermost surfaces. Similar results have been obtained on different polymers including polystyrene (PS), polyhydroxyethylmethacrylate (PHEMA), polyetheretherketone (PEEK), polyethyleneterephthalate (PET) and polyethylenenaphthalate (PEN). Such a rather universal chemical structuring process could widen the availability of biomaterials with specific surface preparations.
Plasma functionalisation in gas phase like ammonia allows to equip polymer surfaces with amino functional groups. An important question of this functionalisation consists in the limited knowledge about heterogeneous interface reactions, especially radical formation and subsequent reaction processes. Useful analytical methods comparable to those avilable for gas phase reactions are scarce. Here we report on investigations on plasma generated C-radicals by NO-labelling, showing similatr effects for different plasmas.
Pulsed and cw microwave plasma excitation for surface functionalization in nitrogen-containing gases
(2003)
Results are presented of polymer surface functionalization processes in pulsed and continuous wave (cw) microwave-excited plasmas in nitrogen-containing gases under admixture of hydrogen. A maximum selectivity of 100% for amino groups with respect to all nitrogen functional groups (NH2/N) was obtained in cw microwave (MW) plasmas either for very short treatment durations below 100 µs in pure NH3, or within approximately 10 s in hydrogen-rich nitrogen-containing plasmas. The amino and overall nitrogen surface densities, NH2/C and N/C, reach up to 3.5% and 35%, respectively. Post plasma processes of functionalized polymers are discussed in the light of monofunctionalization. Down to pulse duration of 1 ms, plasma decomposition rates of NH3, determined by infrared absorption spectroscopy, are found to scale linearly with the duty cycle. In this regime, the main effect of a duty cycle variation in pulsed NH3 plasmas on surface functionalization can be interpreted to result from changes in the concentration of the dominant stable species in the gas phase, NH3, N2 and H2, which are activated by subsequent plasma pulses. With increasing duty cycle, NH3 decomposition to N2 and 3H2 more and more dominates over the supply of fresh NH3. The nitrogen-removing role of hydrogen in the plasma is discussed in detail, whereas the role of the numerous transient nitrogen-containing species remains to be studied in the future.
Low-pressure gas-discharge plasmas are widely used for polymer surface functionalization on industrial scale. For biomaterial applications, the density and selectivity of the functionalization are of particular importance, because functional groups control the immobilization of biomolecules. Therefore, surface modification of biomaterials is a challenging task for low-pressure plasma technique. Plasma processes have been successfully applied to various polymer types in order to generate multifunctional surfaces. This paper discusses the present state and the prospects of non-coating plasma processes to generate mono functional surfaces of controlled amino group density. Such surfaces appear most desirable for many applications. The results of various microwave- and radio-frequency- excited plasma processes reported in the literature are reviewed and compared to a sequence of experiments that was conducted in a UHV reaction environment. Non-thermal plasmas are especially well suited for thermally damageable polymers. The effect of hydrogen admixture to discharges in nitrogen and ammonia is discussed in detail. The optimization of process parameters lead to highly selective amino functionalization of high density. The selectivity reached 100% -NH2/N at a surface density of amino groups of 3% -NH2/C.
Brominated single-walled carbon nanotubes [(Br)n-SWCNT) produced by the plasma-chemical technique were involved in the liquid-phase process of hydrocarbons aerobic oxidation. The significant catalytic effect of the (Br)n-SWCNT was revealed at first by the cumene initiated model oxidation and then in experiments on profound aerobic oxidation of petroleum naphthenic fraction derived from the commercial Azerbaijan (Baku) oils blend diesel cut. The ability of (Br)n-SWCNT to accelerate the aerobic oxidation of the hydrocarbons was found out for the first time. Obviously this phenomenon originates from the peculiarities of electronic configuration of the (Br)n-CNT patterns. The plausible mechanism of (Br)n-SWCNT catalytic action is inclined to the formation of reactive oxygen species. The catalytic activity of (Br)n-SWCNT markedly exceeds the activity of the industrial catalysts, manganese salt of indigenous petroleum acids, used for the liquid phase petroleum hydrocarbons oxidation process.
MSL compatible isothermal furnace insert for high temperature shear-cell diffusion experiments
(2011)
For long-time diffusion experiments shear-cell techniques offer more favourable terms than the traditional long capillary techniques. Here, we present a further developed shear-cell that enables the measurement of diffusion coefficients up to temperatures of 1600 °C. Hence, diffusion experiments can be carried out at temperatures not accessible until now by conventional capillary or shear-cell techniques. The modified shear-cell, which can contain up to six samples of a total length of 90mm and a diameter of 1.5 mm, is built of 30 shear discs of 3mm thickness each. It is operated in an isothermal furnace insert which can be accommodated in the Materials Science Laboratory of the International Space Station. This provides the opportunity that the shear-cell can be applied to microgravity and to ground-based experiments, respectively. The heater insert with an overall length of 518mm and a diameter of 210mm consists of four heating zones with a total power of 3.5 kW. Temperature homogeneity along the graphite sample compartment is better than 2K at 1600°C. Details of the new design are discussed and results of first successfully performed heating and shearing cycles are presented.
When in situ techniques became available in recent years this led to a breakthrough in accurately determining diffusion coefficients for liquid alloys. Here we discuss how neutron radiography can be used to measure chemical diffusion in a ternary AlCuAg alloy. Neutron radiography hereby gives complementary information to x-ray radiography used for measuring chemical diffusion and to quasielastic neutron scattering used mainly for determining self-diffusion. A novel Al2O3 based furnace that enables one to study diffusion processes by means of neutron radiography is discussed. A chemical diffusion coefficient of Ag against Al around the eutectic composition Al68.6Cu13.8Ag17.6 at.% was obtained. It is demonstrated that the in situ technique of neutron radiography is a powerful means to study mass transport properties in situ in binary and ternary alloys that show poor x-ray contrast.
L-lactide (LA) was polymerized in toluene by means of neat tin(II) 2-ethylhexanoate (SnOct2). Concentration, time and temperature were varied. The isothermally crystallized polyLAs (PLA) were characterized in the virgin state with regard to topology, molar mass, melting temperature (Tm), crystal modification, high or low Tm morphology, crystallinity and crystal thickness. Even a small amount of solvent favored cyclization relative to polymerization in bulk, so that cyclic polylactides were obtained at 115 ◦C and even at 95 ◦C. At all temperatures the α-modification of PLA was obtained along with crystallinities up to 90%. With 6 M solution the high Tm morphology with Tm’s > 190 ◦C was obtained at 115 ◦C. The crystal thickness of crystallites grown from solution at 115 ◦C was on the average 10–20% higher than that of PLA polymerized in bulk. At a polymerization temperature of 75 ◦C cyclization was incomplete and fewer perfect crystallites were formed. A new hypothesis for the crystal growth of cyclic polyLAs is proposed.
L-Lactide was polymerized in bulk at 140 °C with three different cyclic tin catalysts and the time was varied from 1 d up to 14 d. The MALDI TOF spectra confirmed the formation of cyclic polylactides (PLAs) and displayed a characteristic change of peak intensity distribution with formation of a “saw tooth pattern”. This pattern confirms a previous hypothesis that cyclic PLAs tend to form crystallites with extended ring conformation and relatively smooth surface. This type of crystallites is formed under thermodynamic control by transesterification on the surface of the crystallites. In this way PLAs with extraordinarily high melting temperatures (Tm's up to 200.6 °C) and extraordinarily high melting enthalpy were obtained (ΔHm's up to 105 J g−1). These ΔHm values require a revision of the maximum ΔHm value calculated in the literature for ideal PLA crystals.
Ring-expansion polymerizations (REPs) catalyzed by two cyclic tin catalysts(2-stanna-1.3-dioxa-4,5,6,7-dibenzazepine [SnBiph] and
2,2-dibutyl-2-stanna-1,3-dithiolane [DSTL) are performed at 140 °C in bulk.
Small amounts (4 vol%) of chlorobenzene or other solvents are added to facilitate transesterification reactions (ring–ring equilibration) in the solid poly(l-lactide)s. In the mass range up to m/z 13 000 crystalline PLAs displaying a so-called saw-tooth pattern in the MALDI-TOF mass spectra are obtained indicating the formation of extended-ring crystals. The characteristics of extended-ring crystallites and folded-ring crystallites are discussed. Furthermore, extremely high melting temperatures (Tm’s up to 201.2 °C) and melting enthalpies (𝚫Hm’s up to 106 J g−1)) are found confirming that 𝚫Hmmax, the 𝚫Hm of a perfect crystal, is around or above 115 J g−1 in contrast to literature data.
Twice recrystallized L-lactide was polymerized with a dozen of different tin or bismuth catalysts in bulk at 160°C for 24 h and was annealed at 150°C afterwards. In two cases Tm values above 197.0°C were obtained. The parameters causing a scattering of the DSC data were studied and discussed. The samples prepared with SnCl2, 2,2-dibutyl-2-stanna-1,3-ditholane (DSTL) or cyclic tin(II) bisphenyldioxide (SnBiph) were subject to annealing programs with variation of time and temperatures, revealing that the Tm´s did not increase. However, an increase of Hm was achieved with maximum values in the range of 93-96 J g-1 corresponding to crystallinities off around 90%. Further studies were performed with once recrystallized L-lactide. Again, those samples directly crystallized from the polymerization process showed the highest Tm values. These data were compared with the equilibrium Tm0 and Hm0 data calculated by several research groups for perfect crystallites. A Tm0 of 213+/-2°C and a Hm0 of 106 J g-1 show the best agreement with the experimental data. The consequences of annealing for the thickness growth of crystallites are discussed on the basis of SAXS measurements. Finally, a comparison of cyclic and linear poly L-lactide)s is discussed.
Instead of foreseeing and preparing for all possible scenarios of machine failures, accidents, and other challenges arising in space missions, it appears logical to take advantage of the flexibility of additive manufacturing for “in-space manufacturing” (ISM). Manned missions into space rely on complicated equipment, and their safe operation is a great challenge. Bearing in mind the absolute distance for manned missions to the Moon and Mars, the supply of spare parts for the repair and replacement of lost equipment via shipment from Earth would require too much time. With the high flexibility in design and the ability to manufacture ready-to-use components directly from a computer-aided model, additive manufacturing technologies appear to be extremely attractive in this context. Moreover, appropriate technologies are required for the manufacture of building habitats for extended stays of astronauts on the Moon and Mars, as well as material/feedstock. The capacities for sending equipment and material into space are not only very limited and costly, but also raise concerns regarding environmental issues on Earth. Accordingly, not all materials can be sent from Earth, and strategies for the use of in-situ resources, i.e., in-situ resource utilization (ISRU), are being
envisioned. For the manufacturing of both complex parts and equipment, as well as for large infrastructure, appropriate technologies for material processing in space need to be developed.
One series of BiSub-catalyzed ring-opening polymerizations (ROPs) is per-formed at 160 °C for 3 days with addition of difunctional cocatalysts to find out, if poly(l-lactide) crystallizes directly from the reaction mixture. An analogous series is performed with monofunctional cocatalysts. High Tm crystal-lites (Tm > 190 °C) are obtained from all bifunctional cocatalysts, but not from all monofunctional ones. It is shown by means of SAXS measurements that the high Tm values are mainly a consequence of a transesterification–homogenization process across the lamellar surfaces resulting in thickness and smoothing of the surfaces. An unusual enthalpy-driven modification of the molecular weight distribution is found for samples that have crystallized during the polymerization. A third series of ROPs is performed at 170 °C for 2 h followed by annealing at 120 °C (2 h) to induce crystallization. Complete transformation of the resulting low Tm crystallites (Tm < 180 °C) into the high Tm crystallites by annealing at 170 °C for 1 d is not achieved, despite variation of the cocatalyst.
L-Lactide was polymerized by means of neat SnOct2 with variation of LA/Cat ratio, temperature and time. The resulting cyclic polylactides crystallized spontaneously at 160 °C or below, but needed nucleation via mechanical stress at 165 or 170 °C. All the crystalline polylactides obtained directly from ROP above 120 °C had melting temperatures (Tm) above 189 °C (up to 194.5 °C). SnOct2 also enabled transformation of low Tm poly(L-lactide)s (Tm <180 °C) into the high Tm m1odification by annealing, due to the impact of transesterification reactions in the interphase between the crystallites. The influence of crystallization temperature and annealing time on the crystal thickness was studied via SAXS measurements. A comparison with the crystallization and annealing experiments reported by Pennings and coworkers and Tsuji and Ikada is discussed, and a satisfactory agreement has been found, because those authors also studied polyLA samples containing SnOct2 in its active form. It is also demonstrated in this work that the high Tm modification cannot be obtained when the catalyst is removed or poisoned as it is true for commercial polylactides.
SnOct2 (Sn(II) 2-ethylhexanoate) catalyzed ROPs of L-lactide were performed in bulk with eight different alcohols as initiators. The time was varied between 1 h and 24 h for all initiators. For two initiators the temperature was also lowered to 115 ◦C. Even-numbered chains were predominantly formed in all polymerizations at short times, but the rate of transesterification (e.g. even/odd equilibration) and the molecular weight distribution were found to depend significantly on the nature of the initiator. Observed transesterification reactions also continued in solid poly (L-lactide), and with the most active initiator, almost total equilibration was achieved even at 130 ◦C. This means that all chains including those of the crystallites were involved in transesterification reactions proceeding across the flat surfaces of the crystallites. The more or less equilibrated crystalline polylactides were characterized by DSC and SAXS measurements with regard to their melting temperature (Tm), crystallinity and crystal thickness.
The corrosion resistance of martensitic stainless steels (MSS) depends strongly on the chemical composition and the applied heat treatment. Both determines the distribution of the alloying elements in the microstructure and the resulting material properties. The addition of nitrogen is known to be beneficial for the pitting corrosion resistance of stainless steels. In case of MSS this effect is not only connected to nitrogen itself because nitrogen can be used to substitute carbon which also influences the result of the heat treatment process. This paper shows the effect of nitrogen on the corrosion resistance in relation to the hardening process of MSS. Therefore the effects of austenitization duration, austenitization temperature and cooling rate on microstructure, hardness and corrosion resistance were studied on the MSS X30CrMoN15 1 and X50CrMoV15. The effect of different cooling rates was studied in the range of > 100 K/s down to 1 K/s using the jominy end quench test. The changes in corrosion resistance were detected with electrochemical potentiodynamic reactivation (EPR) and by the determination of critical pitting potentials. Besides this experimental approach thermodynamic calculations with the software thermocalc will be presented and used for the interpretation of the effect of nitrogen on the corrosion resistance of MSS.
Die Korrosionsbeständigkeit martensitischer nichtrostender Stähle (MNS) wird wesentlich von der chemischen Zusammensetzung und dem Wärmebehandlungszustand beeinflusst. Beides bestimmt die Verteilung der Legierungselemente im Gefüge und die daraus resultierenden Werkstoffeigenschaften. Das Legieren mit Stickstoff bewirkt im Allgemeinen eine Verbesserung der Lochkorrosionsbeständigkeit von nichtrostenden Stählen. Bei martensitischen nichtrostenden Stählen ist dieser Effekt nicht nur auf den Stickstoffgehalt selbst zurückzuführen, sondern auch auf den gleichzeitig verringerten Kohlenstoffgehalt, der ebenfalls das Ergebnis der Wärmebehandlung beeinflusst. In dieser Arbeit wird der Einfluss von Stickstoff auf die Korrosionsbeständigkeit in Bezug zum Härtungsprozess von MNS dargestellt. Dazu wird vergleichend der Effekt von Austenitisierungsdauer, -temperatur und Abkühlgeschwindigkeit auf Gefüge, Härte und Korrosionsbeständigkeit der MNS X50CrMoV15 und X30CrMoN15 1 untersucht. Die Abkühlgeschwindigkeit wurde mit dem Stirnabschreckversuch gezielt variiert, um den Einfluss von Abkühlgeschwindigkeiten von > 100 K/s bis 1 K/s zu charakterisieren. Die Veränderungen der Korrosionsbeständigkeit werden durch die elektrochemisch potentiodynamische Reaktivierung (EPR) und durch die Bestimmung kritischer Lochkorrosionspotentiale dokumentiert. Neben diesem experimentellen Ansatz werden auch die Ergebnisse von thermodynamischen Berechnungen mit der Software Thermocalc vorgestellt und abschließend auch zur Interpretation des Einflusses von Stickstoff auf die Korrosionsbeständigkeit martensitischer nichtrostender Stähle genutzt.
Absorption effects in total reflection X-ray fluorescence (TXRF) analysis are important to consider, especially if external calibration is to be applied. With a color X-ray camera (CXC), that enables spatially and energy resolved XRF analysis, the absorption of the primary beam was directly visualized for mL-droplets and an array of pL-droplets printed on a Si-wafer with drop-on-demand technology. As expected, deposits that are hit by the primary beam first shade subsequent droplets, leading to a diminished XRF signal. This shading effect was quantified with enhanced precision making use of sub-pixel analysis that improves the spatial resolution of the camera. The measured absorption was compared to simulated results using three different model calculations. It was found they match very well (average deviation < 10%). Thus errors in quantification due to absorption effects can be accounted for in a more accurate manner.
In this work the flexural rigidity of individual large diameter multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) was investigated. The bending modulus were obtained by detecting the resonance frequencies of mechanically excited cantilevered carbon nanotubes using the so-called dynamic scanning electron microscopy technique, and applying the Euler–Bernoulli beam theory. For the nanotubes studied, we determined a modulus of up to 160 GPa. This agrees with values reported by other authors for MWCNTs produced by catalytic chemical vapor deposition, however, it is 6-8 times smaller than values reported for single and multi-walled carbon nanotubes produced by arc-discharge synthesis. Toxicological studies with carbon nanotubes have been showing that inhaled airborne nanofibers that reach the deep airways of the respiratory system may lead to serious, asbestos-like lung diseases. These studies suggested that their toxicity critically depends on the fiber flexural rigidity, with high rigidity causing cell lesions. To complement the correlation between observed toxicological effects and fiber rigidities, reliable and routinely applicable measurement techniques for the flexural rigidity of nanofibers are required.
Durch das Füllen von Polymeren mit Nanopartikeln oder Nanoröhren werden verbesserte Materialeigenschaften z.B. bezüglich mechanischer Stabilität, Witterungsbeständigkeit, elektrischer Leitfähigkeit und Flammschutz angestrebt. Mit dem vermehrten Einsatz derartiger Nanokomposite gewinnen aber auch Fragen des Umwelt- und Gesundheitsschutzes an Bedeutung. Es gilt zu klären, ob durch Herstellung, Benutzung und Witterungsbeanspruchung möglichweise nanoskalige Partikel freigesetzt werden können. Zu diesem Zweck wurden mit Kohlenstoffnanoröhren, Carbon Nanotubes (CNT), gefüllte Polymerkomposite spektral breitbandig wie auch quasimonochromatisch unter variierter klimatischer Beanspruchung bestrahlt. Die sich vor allem an der Oberfläche mit der Alterung abzeichnenden Veränderungen wurden mikroskopisch und spektroskopisch charakterisiert.
Ring–Ring Equilibration in Solid, Even-Numbered Cyclic Poly(l-lactide)s and their Stereocomplexes
(2020)
Even-numbered cyclic poly(d-lactide) and poly(l-lactide) are prepared by ringexpansion polymerization. The cyclic pol(l-lactide) is annealed either at 120 or at 160 °C for several days. The progress of transesterification in the solid state is monitored by the formation of odd-numbered cycles via matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry. The changes of the crystallinity are monitored by differential scanning calorimetry, wideand small-angle x-ray scattering (WAXS and SAXS) measurements. Despite total even-odd equilibration at 160 °C, the crystallinity of poly(l-lactide) is not reduced. Furthermore, the crystallinity of the stereocomplexes of both cyclic polylactides do not decrease or vanish, as expected, when a blocky or random stereosequence is formed by transesterification. This conclusion is confirmed by 13C NMR spectroscopy. These measurements demonstrate that transesterification is a ring–ring equilibration involving the loops on the surfaces of the lamellar crystallites thereby improving crystallinity and 3D packing of crystallites without significant broadening of the molecular weight distribution.
A new kind of high melting (HTm) pol(L-lactide) was discovered when cyclic poly(L-lactide)s were prepared by ring-expansion polymerization with cyclic tin catalysts at 130–160 °C in bulk. By DSC measurements with 10 K min−1 melting temperatures (Tm) in the range of 190–196 °C were found. The WAXS and SAXS measurements evidenced that not a new crystal lattice but a well-ordered morphology and a higher perfection of the crystallites are responsible for the high Tm values and high crystallinities. Under identical reaction conditions SnOct2-catalyzed and alcohol-initiated ROPs do not yield these crystallites.
Furthermore, it was found that the standard crystallites are kinetically favored upon rapid crystallization, whereas the high melting form of poly(L-lactide) is thermodynamically more stable.
Near-ambient pressure x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (NAP-XPS) is a less traditional form of XPS that allows samples to be analyzed at relatively high pressures, i.e., at greater than 2500 Pa. With NAP-XPS, XPS can probe moderately volatile liquids, biological samples, porous materials, and/or polymeric materials that outgas significantly. In this submission, we show survey, C 1s, O 1s, and N
1s narrow scans from an aqueous solution of a common protein, bovine serum albumin. The C 1s peak envelope is well fit to four symmetric peaks of equal width that correspond to carbon bonded to carbon and hydrogen (C-1), carbon singly bonded to oxygen (C-2), carbonyl and/or amide carbon (C-3), and carboxyl carbon (C-4). Two possible peak fits are considered for the N 1s and O 1s peak envelopes. The N 1s signal is fit to four peaks that correspond to amine (—NH2), Amide (OvCZNH2), ammonium (—NH3 +), and N2(g) nitrogen, and alternatively to three peaks that correspond to amine, amide, and N2(g) nitrogen. The O 1s peak envelope is similarly fit to three and four components.
Cyclic polylactides were prepared in bulk at 170 °C, crystallized at 120 °C and then annealed at temperatures between 130 and 170 C with variation of catalyst, catalyst concentration and annealing time. The transformation of the initially formed low melting (LTm) crystallites, having melting temperatures (Tm) <180 °C into high melting (HTm) crystallites having Tm values > 189 °C was monitored by means of DSC measurements and characterized in selected cases by SAXS measurements. It was confirmed that the formation of HTm crystallites involves a significant growth of the thickness of the lamellar crystallites along with smoothing of their surface. Annealing at 170 °C for 1 d or longer causes thermal degradation with lowering of the molecular weights, a gradual transition of cyclic into linear chains and a moderate decrease of lamellar thickness. An unexpected result revealed by MALDI TOF mass spectrometry is a partial reorganization of the molecular weight distribution driven by a gain of crystallization enthalpy.
Two kinds of cyclic poly(D- and L-lactide)s were synthesized, namely CI labeled samples mainly consisting of even-numbered cycles with low dispersity and CII, CIII or CIV-labeled ones consisting of equal amounts of even and odd-numbered cycles with high dispersity and igher molecular weights (Mw up to 300 000). Furthermore, linear poly L-lactide)s were prepared by initiation with ethanol and in both series the molecular weight was varied. The formation of stereocomplexes from cyclic poly(D-lactide)s and all kinds of poly L-lactide)s was performed in dichloromethane/toluene mixtures. The stereocomplexes crystallized from the reaction mixture were characterized in the virgin state and after annealing at 205 °C.
Stereocomplexes free of stereohomopolymers with crystallinities up to 80% were obtained from all experiments in yields ranging from 60 to 80%. Despite the high annealing temperature (maintained for 1 h), little transesterification was observed and the crystallinity slightly increased.
Alcohol-initiated ROPs of L-lactide were performed in bulk at 160 °C for 72 h with variation of the catalyst or with variation of the initiator (aliphatic alcohols). Spontaneous crystallization was only observed when cyclic Sn(II) compounds were used as a catalyst. Regardless of initiator, high melting crystallites with melting temperatures (Tm) of 189–193 °C were obtained in almost all experiments with Sn(II) 2,2′-dioxybiphenyl (SnBiph) as catalyst, even when the time was shortened to 24 h. These HTm poly(lactide)s represent the thermodynamically most stable form of poly(L-lactide). Regardless of the reaction conditions, such high melting crystallites were never obtained when Sn(II) 2-ethylhexanoate (SnOct2) was used as catalyst. SAXS measurements evidenced that formation of HTm poly(L-lactide) involves growth of the crystallite thickness, but chemical modification of the crystallite surface (smoothing) seems to be of greater importance. A hypothesis, why the “surface smoothing” is more effective for crystallites of linear chains than for crystallites composed of cycles is discussed.
In the recent years great effort has been made to find materials and technologies for removing and recycling phosphate from waste water. We herein present the detailed study on a nanostructured multicomponent material, which turned out to be a very efficient phosphate adsorber. The role of each constituent is carefully examined to understand the collaborative interaction of the components of the nanostructured adsorber. We found evidence that it is particularly the nanostructure of this material, which has a crucial influence on the phosphate Adsorption performance, indicating a synergetic effect of the different components. Moreover, the adsorption mechanism was studied dependent on the concentration of phosphate, changing from a Freundlich/Langmuir-like behaviour to a BET-like multilayer adsorption of phosphate on the material. Our work demonstrates that there is high potential for discovering new adsorber materials for environmental applications through careful engineering of the chemical composition in close connection with the materials (nano) structure.
It has been shown that selected types of substituents are able to vary the oxidative behavior of multi-walled carbon nanotubes. Such substituents investigated were sterically hindered secondary amino groups bonded in grafted piperidine units and covalently bonded bromine groups. Their interference and activity was preliminary determined in the model cumene and then in oil diesel fraction and low density polyethylene oxidation reactions. Results obtained indicate that chemical linking of amine moieties containing –NH groups directly to the carbon nanotubes core significantly increases their intrinsic anti-oxidative capacity while the grafting of Br-groups provokes the opposite functioning of the pristine samples. This inference was proved by thermogravimetric and differential thermal analysis of the polyethylene composites and experiments on profound aerobic oxidation of petroleum naphthenic fraction derived from the commercial Baku oils blend diesel cut.
In nature, the cellular environment of DNA includes not only water and ions, but also other components and co-solutes, which can exert both stabilizing and destabilizing effects on particular oligonucleotide conformations. Among them, ectoine, known as an important osmoprotectant organic co-solute in a broad range of pharmaceutical products, turns out to be of particular relevance. In this article, we study the influence of ectoine on a short single-stranded DNA fragment and on double-stranded helical B-DNA in aqueous solution by means of atomistic molecular dynamics (MD) simulations in combination with molecular theories of solution. Our results demonstrate a conformation-dependent binding behavior of ectoine, which favors the unfolded state of DNA by a combination of electrostatic and dispersion interactions. In conjunction with the Kirkwood–Buff theory, we introduce a simple Framework to compute the influence of ectoine on the DNA melting temperature. Our findings reveal a significant linear decrease of the melting temperature with increasing ectoine concentration, which is found to be in qualitative agreement with results from denaturation experiments. The outcomes of our Computer simulations provide a detailed mechanistic rationale for the surprising destabilizing influence of ectoine on distinct DNA structures.
Ring-expansion polymerizations (REPs) catalyzed by two cyclic tin catalysts (2-stanna-1.3-dioxa-4,5,6,7-dibenzazepine [SnBiph] and
2,2-dibutyl-2-stanna-1,3-dithiolane [DSTL]) are performed at 140 °C in bulk.
Small amounts (4 vol%) of chlorobenzene or other solvents are added to
facilitate transesterification reactions (ring–ring equilibration) in the solid poly(l-lactide)s. In the mass range up to m/z 13 000 crystalline PLAs displaying a so-called saw-tooth pattern in the MALDI-TOF mass spectra are obtained indicating the formation of extended-ring crystals. The characteristics of extended-ring crystallites and folded-ring crystallites are discussed. Furthermore, extremely high melting temperatures (Tm’s up to 201.2 °C) and melting enthalpies (𝚫Hm’s up to 106 J g−1)) are found confirming that 𝚫Hm max, the 𝚫Hm of a perfect crystal, is around or above 115 J g−1 in contrast to literature data.
Alcohol-initiated ROPs of L-Lactide were performed at 140 ◦C in bulk with variation of the initiator/catalyst ratio and time. Lower ratios favor the formation of cycles which upon annealing display a change of the MALDI mass peak distribution towards a new maximum with a “saw-tooth pattern” of the mass peaks representing the cycles.
Such a pattern was not observed for the mass peak of the linear chains. The coexistence of these patterns indicate that linear and cyclic poly (L-lactide)s (PLA) crystallize in separate crystals, and that the crystallites of the cycles are made up by extended rings. High Tm and ΔHm values confirm that these extended-ring crystallites represent a thermodynamically optimized form of PLA. Experiments with preformed cyclic and linear PLAs support this interpretation.
Abstract: Increasing demand for sustainable, resilient, and low-carbon construction materials has highlighted the potential of Compacted Mineral Mixtures (CMMs), which are formulated from various soil types (sand, silt, clay) and recycled mineral waste. This paper presents a comprehensive inter- and transdisciplinary research concept that aims to industrialise and scale up the adoption of CMM-based construction materials and methods, thereby accelerating the construction industry’s systemic transition towards carbon neutrality. By drawing upon the latest advances in soil mechanics, rheology, and automation, we propose the development of a robust material properties database to inform the design and application of CMM-based materials, taking into account their complex, time-dependent behaviour. Advanced soil mechanical tests would be utilised to ensure optimal performance under various loading and ageing conditions. This research has also recognised the importance of context-specific strategies for CMM adoption. We have explored the implications and limitations of implementing the proposed framework in developing countries, particularly where resources may be constrained. We aim to shed light on socio-economic and regulatory aspects that could influence the adoption of these sustainable construction methods. The proposed concept explores how the automated production of CMM-based wall elements can become a fast, competitive, emission-free, and recyclable alternative to traditional masonry and concrete construction techniques.
We advocate for the integration of open-source digital platform technologies to enhance data accessibility, processing, and knowledge acquisition; to boost confidence in CMM-based technologies; and to catalyse their widespread adoption. We believe that the transformative potential of this research necessitates a blend of basic and applied investigation using a comprehensive, holistic, and transfer-oriented methodology. Thus, this paper serves to highlight the viability and multiple benefits of CMMs in construction, emphasising their pivotal role in advancing sustainable development and resilience in the built environment.
The Na salt of chloroacetic acid is condensed in suspension. Furthermore,glycolic acid is condensed in bulk or in concentrated solution by means of SnCl2 or 4-toluene sulfonic acid (TSA) as catalysts. The temperatures are varied from 160 to 200°C and the time from 1 to 5 days. Low molar mass cyclic poly(glycolic acid) (PGA) is detected by means of matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight (MALDI TOF) mass spectrometry in most PGAs. A predominance of certain cycles having an even number of repeat units is observed suggesting a thermodynamically favored formation of extended-ring crystals. Extremely high melting temperatures (up to 237.5°C)and high melting enthalpies are found for polycondensations with TSA in 1,2-dichlorobenzene.
Glycolide was polymerized in bulk with two cyclic catalysts − 2,2-dibutyl-2-stanna-1,3-dithiolane (DSTL) and 2-stanna-1,3-dioxa-4,5,6,7-dibenzepane (SnBiph). The monomer/initiator ratio, temperature (140 – 180 °C) and time (1–––4 days) were varied. The MALDI TOF mass spectra exclusively displayed peaks of cyclic polyglycolide (PGA) and revealed an unusual “saw-tooth pattern” in the mass range below m/z 2 500 suggesting formation of extended ring crystallites. The DSC measurements indicated increasing crystallinity with higher temperature and longer time, and after annealing for 4 d at 160 °C a hitherto unknown and unexpected glass transition was found in the temperature range of 170–185 °C. Linear PGAs prepared by means of metal alkoxides under identical conditions did not show the afore-mentioned features of the cyclic PGAs, neither in the mass spectra nor in the DSC measurements. All PGAs were also characterized by SAXS measurements, which revealed relatively small L-values suggesting formation of thin crystallites in all cases with little influence of the reaction conditions.
A poly(L-lactide) with a trifluoroethyl ester end group and an average degree of polymerization (DP) of 50 was synthesized by ROP of L-lactide initiated with trifluoroethanol. Small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) in combination with differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) measurements revealed an average crystal thickness of 13 nm, corresponding to 45 repeat units. This suggests that most crystallites were formed by extended PLA chains, and both flat surfaces were covered by CF3 groups. The crystalline PLAs were annealed at 140 or 160 °C in the presence of two catalysts: tin(II) 2-ethylhexanoate, (SnOct2) or dibutyltin bis(pentafluorophenoxide) (BuSnPhF). The chemical reactions, such as polycondensation and cyclization, proceeded in the solid state and were monitored by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-offlight (MALDI TOF) mass spectrometry and gel permeation chromatography (GPC) measurements. Under optimal conditions a large fraction of linear chains was transformed into crystallites composed of extended cycles. Additionally, MALDI TOF MS analysis of GPC fractions from samples annealed for 28 or 42 days detected chain elongation of the linear species up to a factor of 20.
The usefulness of seven different Tin catalysts, Bismuth subsalicylate and Titan tetra(ethoxide) for the polycondensation of ethyl L-lactate (ELA) was examined at 150 °C/6 d. Dibutyltin bis(phenoxides) proved to be particularly effective. Despite the low reactivity of ELA, weight average molecular masses (Mw) up to 12 500 were found along with partial crystallization. Furthermore, polylactides (PLAs) of similar molecular masses were prepared via ELA-initiated ROPs of L-lactide by means of the four most effective polycondensation catalysts. The crystalline linear PLAs were annealed at 140 or 160 °C in the presence of these catalysts. The consequences of the transesterification reactions in the solid PLAs were studied by means of matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI TOF) mass spectrometry, gel permeation chromatography (GPC) and small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS). The results indicate that polycondensation and formation of cycles proceed in the solid state via formation of loops on the surface of the crystallites. In summary, five different transesterification reactions are required to explain all results.
Modular plants using intensified continuous processes represent an appealing concept to produce pharmaceuticals. It can improve quality, safety, sustainability, and profitability compared to batch processes, and it enables plug-and-produce reconfiguration for fast product changes. To facilitate this flexibility by real-time quality control, we developed a solution that can be adapted quickly to new processes and includes a compact Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectrometer for online quality monitoring as well as a new model-based control approach. The NMR sensor is a benchtop device enhanced to the requirements of automated chemical production including ro-bust evaluation of sensor data.
Here, we present alternatives for the quantitative determination of the analytes using modular, physically motivated models. These models can be adapted to new substances solely by the use of their corresponding pure component spectra, which can either be derived from experimental spectra as well as from quantum mechanical models or NMR predictors. Modular means that spec-tral models can simply be exchanged together with alternate reagents and products. Beyond that, we comprehensively calibrated an NIR spectrometer based on online NMR process data for the first time within an industrial plant. The integrated solution was developed for a metal organic reac-tion running on a commercial-scale modular pilot plant and it was tested under industrial conditions.
A big problem with the chemistry literature is that it is not standardized with respect to precise operational parameters, and real time corrections are hard to make without expert knowledge. This lack of context means difficult reproducibility because many steps are ambiguous, and hence depend on tacit knowledge. Here we present the integration of online NMR into an automated chemical synthesis machine (CSM aka. “Chemputer” which is capable of small-molecule synthesis using a universal programming language) to allow automated analysis and adjustment of reactions on the fly. The system was validated and benchmarked by using Grignard reactions which were chosen due to their importance in synthesis. The system was monitored in real time using online-NMR, and spectra were measured continuously during the reactions. This shows that the synthesis being done in the Chemputer can be dynamically controlled in response to feedback optimizing the reaction conditions according to the user requirements.
Im Zuge der Digitalisierung der Prozessindustrie werden zunehmend modellbasiere Echtzeitoptimierungsverfahren eingesetzt, sog. „Advanced Process Control“. Mithilfe der sogenannten Modifier-Adaptation ist eine iterative Betriebspunktoptimierung auch mit ungenauen Modellen möglich, sofern zuverlässige Prozessdaten zur Verfügung stehen. Am Beispiel eines smarten Online-NMR-Sensors, der in einem EU-Projekt von der BAM entwickelt wurde, konnte das Konzept in einer modularen Produktionsanlage zur Herstellung eines pharmazeutischen Wirkstoffs erfolgreich getestet werden.
In case study one of the CONSENS project, two aromatic substances were coupled by a lithiation reaction, which is a prominent example in pharmaceutical industry. The two aromatic reactants (Aniline and o-FNB) were mixed with Lithium-base (LiHMDS) in a continuous modular plant to produce the desired product (Li-NDPA) and a salt (LiF). The salt precipitates which leads to the formation of particles. The feed streams were subject to variation to drive the plant to its optimum.
The uploaded data comprises the results from four days during continuous plant operation time. Each day is denoted from day 1-4 and represents the dates 2017-09-26, 2017-09-28, 2017-10-10, 2017-10-17.
In the following the contents of the files are explained.
Glycolide was polymerized in bulk by means of four different ROPPOC catalysts: tin(II) 2-ethylhexanoate (SnOct2), dibutyltin bis(pentafluoro-phenoxide) (BuSnOPF),zinc biscaproate (ZnCap), and zinc bis(pentafluoro-phenyl sulfide) (ZnSPF). The temperature was varied between 110 and 180°C and the time between 3 h and 7 days. For the few polyglycolides (PGAs) that were soluble extremely high molecular masses were obtained. The MALDI TOF mass spectra had all a low signal-to-noise ration and displayed the peaks of cyclic PGAs with a“saw-tooth pattern ”indicating formation of extended-ring crystallites in the mass range below m/z 2500. The shape of DSC curves varied considerably with catalyst and reaction conditions, whereas the long-distance values measured by SAXS were small and varied little with the polymeriza-tion conditions.
Plastic pollution is the biggest environmental concern of our time. Breakdown products like micro- and nanoplastics inevitably enter the food chain and pose unprecedented health risks. In this scenario, bio-based and biodegradable plastic alternatives have been given a momentum aiming to bridge a transition towards a more sustainable future. Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) are one of the few thermoplastic polymers synthesized 100 % via biotechnological routes which fully biodegrade in common natural environments. Poly(hydroxybutyrate-cohydroxyhexanoate) [P(HB-co-HHx)] is a PHA copolymer with great potential for the commodity polymers industry, as its mechanical properties can be tailored through fine-tuning of its molar HHx content. We have recently developed a strategy that enables for reliable tailoring of the monomer content of P(HB-co-HHx).
Nevertheless, there is often a lack of comprehensive investigation of the material properties of PHAs to evaluate whether they actually mimic the functionalities of conventional plastics. We present a detailed study of P(HB-co-HHx) copolymers with low to moderate hydroxyhexanoate content to understand how the HHx monomer content influences the thermal and mechanical properties and to link those to their abiotic degradation. By increasing the HHx fractions in the range of 2 – 14 mol%, we impart an extension of the processing window and application range as the melting temperature (Tm) and glass temperature (Tg) of the copolymers decrease from Tm 165 ◦C to 126 ◦C, Tg 4 ◦C to − 5.9 ◦C, accompanied by reduced crystallinity from 54 % to 20 %.
Elongation at break was increased from 5.7 % up to 703 % at 14 mol% HHx content, confirming that the range examined was sufficiently large to obtain ductile and brittle copolymers, while tensile strength was maintained throughout the studied range. Finally, accelerated abiotic degradation was shown to be slowed down with an increasing HHx fraction decreasing from 70 % to 55 % in 12 h.
Flexible automation with compact NMR spectroscopy for continuous production of pharmaceuticals
(2019)
Modular plants using intensified continuous processes represent an appealing concept for the production of pharmaceuticals. It can improve quality, safety, sustainability, and profitability compared to batch processes; besides, it enables plug-and-produce reconfiguration for fast product changes. To facilitate this flexibility by real-time quality control, we developed a solution that can be adapted quickly to new processes and is based on a compact nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectrometer. The NMR sensor is a benchtop device enhanced to the requirements of automated chemical production including robust evaluation of sensor data. Beyond monitoring the product quality, online NMR data was used in a new iterative optimization approach to maximize the plant profit and served as a reliable reference for the calibration of a near-infrared (NIR) spectrometer. The overall approach
was demonstrated on a commercial-scale pilot plant using a metal-organic reaction with pharmaceutical relevance.
The goal of this work is to identify the optimal operating input for a lithiation reaction that is performed in a highly innovative pilot scale continuous flow chemical plant in an industrial environment, taking into account the process and safety constraints. The main challenge is to identify the optimum operation in the absence of information about the reaction mechanism and the reaction kinetics. We employ an iterative real-time optimization scheme called modifier adaptation with quadratic approximation (MAWQA) to identify the plant optimum in the presence of plant-model mismatch and measurement noise. A novel NMR PAT-sensor is used to measure the concentration of the reactants and of the product at the reactor outlet. The experiment results demonstrate the capabilities of the iterative optimization using the MAWQA algorithm in driving a complex real plant to an economically optimal operating point in the presence of plant-model mismatch and of process and measurement uncertainties.
A two-step separation procedure for the quantification of Pd and Pt in automotive exhaust emissions using isotope dilution mass spectrometry was established using a combination of cation and anion exchange chemistry. AG 50W-X12 was used as cation exchange resin and DGA as weakly basic anion exchange resin. This procedure enabled the effective separation of Pd and Pt from the matrix and from interfering elements. Additionally Pd and Pt were collected in separate chromatographic fractions, which increased the precision of the isotope ratio determination by separate measurements using single collector sector field ICPMS. The analytical procedure was validated by analysing the synthetically prepared samples and the certified reference materials BCR-723 (road dust) and IAEA-450 (algae). For the SI-traceable results complete uncertainty budgets were calculated yielding relatively expanded uncertainties (k = 2) of ≈1% for analyte masses in the ng range. Procedure blanks of 55 pg Pd and 3 pg Pt were obtained. The detection limits were calculated as 12 pg for Pd and 7 pg for Pt. Additionally, Pd and Pt blank levels of different filter materials are presented as well as the first results for automotive exhaust particles collected on cellulose filters.
Hydrated actinide(IV) ions undergo hydrolysis and further polymerization and precipitation with increasing pH. The resulting amorphous and partly crystalline oxydydroxides AnOn(OH)4-2n·xH2O can usually be observed as colloids above the An(IV) solubility limit. The aging process of such colloids results in crystalline AnO2. The presence of carboxylates in the solution prevents the occurrence of such colloids by formation of polynuclear complexes through a competing reaction between hydrolysis and ligation. The majority of recently described carboxylates reveals a hexanuclear core of [An6(µ3-O)4(µ3-OH)4]12+ terminated by 12 carboxylate ligands. We found that the An(IV) carboxylate solution species remain often preserved in crystalline state. The An(IV) carboxylates show An–An distances which are ~ 0.03 Å shorter than the An–An distances in AnO2 like colloids. The difference in the distances could be used to identify such species in solution.
Since a comprehensive survey published in 1999 [1] much work was done in standardizing measuring methods to characterize the surface geometry of dispersed and/or porous solids and to certify reference materials. The present paper is an extension of a short communication [2]. It gives a survey on existing standards and reports on new drafts and proposals.
Nanofibers are drawing the attention of engineers and scientists because their large surface-to-volume ratio is favorable for applications in medicine, filter technology, textile industry, lithium-air batteries, and optical sensors. However, when transferring nanofibers to a technical product in the form of a random network of fibers, referred to as nonwoven fabric, the stickiness of the freshly produced and thus fragile nanofiber nonwoven remains a problem. This is mainly because nanofibers strongly adhere to any surface because of van der Waals forces. In nature, there are animals that are actually able to efficiently produce, process, and handle nanofibers, namely cribellate spiders. For that, the spiders use the calamistrum, a comb-like structure of modified setae on the metatarsus of the hindmost (fourth) legs, to which the 10–30 nm thick silk nanofibers do not stick due to a special fingerprint-like surface nanostructure. In this work, we present a theoretical model of the interaction of linear nanofibers with a sinusoidally corrugated surface. This model allows for a prediction of the adhesive interaction and, thus, the design of a suitable surface structure to prevent sticking of an artificially nonwoven of nanofibers. According to the theoretical prediction, a technical analogon of the nanoripples was produced by ultrashort pulse laser processing on different technically relevant metal surfaces in the form of so-called laser-induced periodic surface structures (LIPSS). Subsequently, by means of a newly established peel-off test, the adhesion of an electrospun polyamide fiber-based nonwoven was quantified on such LIPSS-covered aluminium alloy, steel, and titanium alloy samples, as well as on polished (flat) control samples as reference and, additionally, on samples with randomly rough surfaces. The latter revealed that the adhesion of electrospun nanofiber nonwoven is significantly lowered on the nanostructured surfaces compared with the polished surfaces.