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Nanotechnology has enabled the discovery of a multitude of novel materials exhibiting unique physicochemical (PChem) properties compared to their bulk analogues. These properties have led to a rapidly increasing range of commercial applications; this, however, may come at a cost, if an association to long-term health and environmental risks is discovered or even just perceived. Many nanomaterials (NMs) have not yet had their potential adverse biological effects fully assessed, due to costs and time constraints associated with the experimental assessment, frequently involving animals. Here, the available NM libraries are analyzed for their suitability for integration with novel nanoinformatics approaches and for the development of NM specific Integrated Approaches to Testing and Assessment (IATA) for human and environmental risk assessment, all within the NanoSolveIT cloud-platform. These established and well-characterized NM libraries (e.g. NanoMILE, NanoSolutions, NANoREG, NanoFASE, caLIBRAte, NanoTEST and the Nanomaterial Registry (>2000 NMs)) contain physicochemical characterization data as well as data for several relevant biological endpoints, assessed in part using harmonized Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) methods and test guidelines.
Integration of such extensive NM information sources with the latest nanoinformatics methods will allow NanoSolveIT to model the relationships between NM structure (morphology), properties and their adverse effects and to predict the effects of other NMs for which less data is available. The project specifically addresses the needs of regulatory agencies and industry to effectively and rapidly evaluate the exposure, NM hazard and risk from nanomaterials and nano-enabled products, enabling implementation of computational ‘safe-by-design’ approaches to facilitate NM commercialization.
Ausgehend von den verstärkt auftretenden AKR-Schäden an den vor 2005 hergestellten BAB-Abschnitten verfolgte das Forschungsvorhaben zwei Ziele. So sollte einerseits die Ursache für die mit der AKR-Schadensentwicklung einhergehende Dunkelfärbung der Oberfläche der Betonfahrbahndecke im Fugenbereich ermittelt werden. Andererseits galt es, ausgehend von der Zustands- und Schadenserfassung das AKR-Restschädigungspotenzial der Prüfkörper aus je drei ein- und zweischichtig ausgeführten, unterschiedlich stark AKR-geschädigten BAB-Abschnitten vergleichend zu bewerten. Folgende Ergebnisse wurden u. a. erzielt:
1. Dunkelfärbung Experimenteller Nachweis mit kombinierter insitu-
Feuchtemessung mit Radar (integral) und NMR (tiefenaufgelöst), dass Dunkelfärbung der Oberfläche der Betonfahrbahndecke im Fugenbereich auf eine erhöhte Durchfeuchtung der Betonrandzone zurückzuführen ist; erfolgreiche Validierung der ZfP-Ergebnisse mit Darr-Wäge-Versuch.
2. Zustand beprobter BAB-Abschnitte und schadenskategoriespezifische
Bewertung der AKR-Prüfverfahren:
• Auffinden von Horizontalrissen im Bereich der Querscheinfuge bei allen AKR-geschädigten BAB-Abschnitten,
• Ermittlung mittlerer Eindringtiefen bei Natrium von maximal 20 bis 45 mm und bei Chlorid von maximal 15 bis 60 mm im Entnahmezustand;
keine Korrelation mit der AKR-Schadenskategorie des jeweiligen BAB-Abschnitts,
• Nachweis gleichzeitig auftretender SEB bei allen AKR-geschädigten BAB-Abschnitten im Entnahmezustand,
• keine signifikante Verminderung der Spaltzugfestigkeit durch die verstärkte AKR am Plattenrand,
• Ermittlung eines erhöhten AKR-Restschädigungspotenzials bei vier der sechs beprobten BAB-Abschnitte primär mittels AKR-erformanceprüfungen,
• Ermittlung höherer Dehnungen bei Performanceprüfungen aus Ober- und Unterbeton bestehenden Halbschalen, als an separat aus Ober- und Unterbeton gewonnenen Prismen,
• Unauffälliges Verhalten nahezu aller bei der Performanceprüfung auffälligen Bestandsbetone im 40°C- und 60°C-Betonversuch; vermutete Ursache: mit LIBS nachgewiesene hohe und tiefreichende Auslaugung der Alkalien.
Whereas the characterization of nanomaterials using different analytical techniques is often highly automated and standardized, the sample preparation that precedes it causes a bottleneck in nanomaterial analysis as it is performed manually. Usually, this pretreatment depends on the skills and experience of the analysts. Furthermore, adequate reporting of the sample preparation is often missing. In this overview, some solutions for techniques widely used in nano-analytics to overcome this problem are discussed. Two examples of sample preparation optimization by au-tomation are presented, which demonstrate that this approach is leading to increased analytical confidence. Our first example is motivated by the need to exclude human bias and focuses on the development of automation in sample introduction. To this end, a robotic system has been de-veloped, which can prepare stable and homogeneous nanomaterial suspensions amenable to a variety of well-established analytical methods, such as dynamic light scattering (DLS), small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), field-flow fractionation (FFF) or single-particle inductively coupled mass spectrometry (sp-ICP-MS). Our second example addresses biological samples, such as cells exposed to nanomaterials, which are still challenging for reliable analysis. An air–liquid interface has been developed for the exposure of biological samples to nanomaterial-containing aerosols. The system exposes transmission electron microscopy (TEM) grids under reproducible conditions, whilst also allowing characterization of aerosol composition with mass spectrometry. Such an approach enables correlative measurements combining biological with physicochemical analysis. These case studies demonstrate that standardization and automation of sample preparation setups, combined with appropriate measurement processes and data reduction are crucial steps towards more reliable and reproducible data.
In contrast to classical low temperature polymer electrolyte fuel cells (LT-PEFCs), the membrane conductivity in high temperature polymer electrolyte fuel cells (HT-PEFCs) (operating temperature ~ 160 °C) is based on proton transport within phosphorus-oxygen acids at different levels of hydration, orthophosphoric acid (H3PO4) being the simplest example. We present for the first time in-situ synchrotron X-ray radiography measurements applied to a HT-PEFC to gain insight into the local composition of the membrane electrode assembly (MEA) under dynamic operating conditions. Transmission changes during the radiographic measurements exhibit a clear influence of the formation of product water on the membrane composition.
In recent years, low-temperature polymer electrolyte fuel cells have become an increasingly important pillar in a zero-carbon strategy for curbing climate change, with their potential to power multiscale stationary and mobile applications. The performance improvement is a particular focus of research and engineering roadmaps, with water management being one of the major areas of interest for development. Appropriate characterisation tools for mapping the evolution, motion and removal of water are of high importance to tackle shortcomings.
This article demonstrates the development of a 4D high-speed neutron imaging technique, which enables a quantitative analysis of the local water evolution. 4D visualisation allows the time-resolved studies of droplet formation in the flow fields and water quantification in various cell parts. Performance parameters for water management are identified that offer a method of cell classification, which will, in turn, support computer modelling and the engineering of next-generation flow field designs.