Filtern
Dokumenttyp
Sprache
- Englisch (7)
Schlagworte
- Antibacterial (2)
- Rosin (2)
- Biological techniques (1)
- Cellulose acetate (1)
- Direct laser interference patterning (1)
- Electron tomography (1)
- Electrospinning (1)
- Environmental Science (1)
- FTIR (1)
- Hierarchical structures (1)
- IR (1)
- Intermodulation AFM (1)
- Laser-induced periodic surface structures (LIPSS) (1)
- Lignin (1)
- Microplastic (1)
- Microplastics (1)
- Modulus (1)
- PUR (1)
- Polycarbonate (1)
- Polyurethane (1)
- Propolis (1)
- Quality (1)
- RAMAN (1)
- SAXS (1)
- Surface functionalization (1)
- Thermoanalytics (1)
- Thermoplastics (1)
- Waste water treatment (1)
Organisationseinheit der BAM
Spherical lignin nanoparticles (LNPs) fabricated via nanoprecipitation of dissolved lignin are among the most attractive biomass-derived nanomaterials. Despite various studies exploring the methods to improve the uniformity of LNPs or seeking more application opportunities for LNPs, little attention has been given to the fundamental aspects of the solvent effects on the intrinsic properties of LNPs. In this study, we employed a variety of experimental techniques and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to investigate the solvent effects on the intrinsic properties of LNPs. The LNPs were prepared from softwood Kraft lignin (SKL) using the binary solvents of aqueous acetone or aqueous tetrahydrofuran (THF) via nanoprecipitation. The internal morphology, porosity, and mechanical properties of the LNPs were analyzed with electron tomography (ET), small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and intermodulation AFM (ImAFM). We found that aqueous acetone resulted in smaller LNPs with higher uniformity compared to aqueous THF, mainly ascribing to stronger solvent−lignin interactions as suggested by MD simulation results and confirmed with aqueous 1,4-dioxane (DXN) and aqueous dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO).
More importantly, we report that both LNPs were compact particles with relatively homogeneous density distribution and very low porosity in the internal structure. The stiffness of the particles was independent of the size, and the Young’s modulus was in the range of 0.3−4 GPa. Overall, the fundamental understandings of LNPs gained in this study are essential for the design of LNPs with optimal performance in applications.
Branched Polyurethanes Based on Synthetic Polyhydroxybutyrate with Tunable Structure and Properties
(2018)
Branched, aliphatic polyurethanes (PURs) were synthesized and compared to linear analogues. The influence of polycaprolactonetriol and synthetic poly([R,S]-3-hydroxybutyrate) (R,S-PHB) in soft segments on structure, thermal and sorptive properties of PURs was determined.
Using FTIR and Raman spectroscopies it was found that increasing the R,S-PHB amount in the structure of branched PURs reduced a tendency of urethane groups to hydrogen bonding. Melting enthalpies (on DSC thermograms) of both soft and hard segments of linear PURs were higher than branched PURs, suggesting that linear PURs were more crystalline. Oil sorption by samples of linear and branched PURs, containing only polycaprolactone chains in soft segments, was higher than in the case of samples with R,S-PHB in their structure. Branched PUR without R,S-PHB absorbed the highest amount of oil. Introducing R,S-PHB into the PUR structure increased water sorption.
Thus, by operating the number of branching and the amount of poly([R,S]-3-hydroxybutyrate) in soft segments thermal and sorptive properties of aliphatic PURs could be controlled.
Avoiding aerial microfibre contamination of environmental samples is essential for reliable analyses when it comes to the detection of ubiquitous microplastics. Almost all laboratories have contamination problems which are largely unavoidable without investments in clean-air devices. Therefore, our study supplies an approach to assess background microfibre contamination of samples in the laboratory under particle-free air conditions. We tested aerial contamination of samples indoor, in a mobile laboratory, within a laboratory fume hood and on a clean bench with particles filtration during the examining process of a fish. The used clean bench reduced aerial microfibre contamination in our laboratory by 96.5%. This highlights the value of suitable clean-air devices for valid microplastic pollution data. Our results indicate, that pollution levels by microfibres have been overestimated and actual pollution levels may be many times lower. Accordingly, such clean-air devices are recommended for microplastic laboratory applications in future research work to significantly lower error rate
The quantitative difference in the antibacterial response was measured for pine rosin and propolis against Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 12598. The activity was studied for fibrous networks that form entirely bio-based cellulose-acetate (CA) materials. The analysis considers the effects of bacterial input, additive dosage, solvent type, variation in preparation, as well as the effect of storage time. Based on the results, the electrospun network structure is dependent on the solvent and the concentration of rosin and propolis. Both rosin and propolis improved the cellulose acetate solution processability, yet they formed beads at high concentrations. Rosin and propolis created strong antibacterial properties when these material systems were immersed in the liquid for 24 h at room temperature. The response remained visible for a minimum of two months. The electrospun networks of water and DMAc solvent systems with 1 to 5 wt% rosin content were clearly more efficient (i.e., decrease of 4 to 6 logs in colony forming units per mL) than the propolis networks, even after two months. This efficiency is likely due to the high content of abietic acids present in the rosin, which is based on the Fourier transform infrared spectra. The results of the additional analysis and cell cultivation with dermal fibroblast cells indicated an impairing effect on skin tissue by the rosin at a 1 wt% concentration compared to the pure CA fibers.
An investigation of microplastic (MP) occurrence in a municipal wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) effluent with tertiary treatment was carried out. Representative sample volumes of 1 m3 were taken by applying a fractionated filtration method (500, 100, and 50 µm mesh sizes). The detection of MP mass fractions by thermal extraction desorption–gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (TED-GC/MS) was achieved without the previously required additional sample pretreatment for the first time. Different types of quantification methods for the evaluation of TED-GC/MS data were tested, and their accuracy and feasibility have been proven for real samples. Polyethylene, polystyrene, and polypropylene were identified in effluent samples. The polymer mass content varied significantly between 5 and 50 mg m−3. A correlation between the MP load and the quantity of suspended matter in the WWTP effluents, particle size distribution, particle type, and operation day (i.e., weekday, season, and capacity) was not found. It can be concluded that a meaningful assessment of WWTPs requires a comprehensive sampling campaign with varying operation conditions.
The antibacterial features of natural pine/spruce rosin are well established, yet the functionality in various thermoplastics has not been surveyed. This work focuses on the processing of industrial grade purified rosin mixed with polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polylactic acid (PLA), polyamide (PA) and corn starch based biopolymer (CS). Homopolymer masterbatches were extrusion-compounded and melt-spun to form fibres for a wide range of products, such as filters, reinforcements, clothing and medical textiles. Due to the versatile chemical structure of rosin, it was observed compatible with all the selected polymers. In general, the rosin-blended systems were shear-thinning in a molten condition. The doped fibres spun of PE and PP indicated adequate melt-spinning capability and proper mechanical properties in terms of ultimate strength and Young's modulus. The antibacterial response was found dependent on the selected polymer. Especially PE with a 10 wt% rosin content showed significant antibacterial effects against Escherichia coli DH5α and Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 12598 when analysed in the Ringer's solution for 24 h.
Hierarchical micro/-nanostructures were produced on polycarbonate polymer surfaces by employing a two-step UV-laser processing strategy based on the combination of Direct Laser Interference Patterning (DLIP) of gratings and pillars on the microscale (3 ns, 266 nm, 2 kHz) and subsequently superimposing Laser-induced Periodic Surface Structures (LIPSS; 7–10 ps, 350 nm, 100 kHz) which adds nanoscale surface features. Particular emphasis was laid on the influence of the direction of the laser beam polarization on the morphology of resulting hierarchical surfaces. Scanning electron and atomic force microscopy methods were used for the characterization of the hybrid surface structures. Finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) calculations of the laser intensity distribution on the DLIP structures allowed to address the specific polarization dependence of the LIPSS formation observed in the second processing step. Complementary chemical analyzes by micro-Raman spectroscopy and attenuated total reflection Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy provided in-depth information on the chemical and structural material modifications and material degradation imposed by the laser processing. It was found that when the linear laser polarization was set perpendicular to the DLIP ridges, LIPSS could be formed on top of various DLIP structures. FDTD calculations showed enhanced optical intensity at the topographic maxima, which can explain the dependency of the morphology of LIPSS on the polarization with respect to the orientation of the DLIP structures. It was also found that the degradation of the polymer was enhanced for increasing accumulated fluence levels.