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- Raman spectroscopy (3) (entfernen)
Ectoine is an important osmolyte, which allows microorganisms to survive in extreme environmental salinity. The hygroscopic effects of ectoine in pure water can be explained by a strong water binding behavior whereas a study on the effects of ectoine in salty solution is yet missing. We provide Raman spectroscopic evidence that the influence of ectoine and NaCl are opposing and completely independent of each other. The effect can be explained by the formation of strongly hydrogen-bonded water molecules around ectoine which compensate the influence of the salt on the water dynamics. The mechanism is corroborated by first principles calculations and broadens our understanding of zwitterionic osmolytes in aqueous solution. Our findings allow us to provide a possible explanation for the relatively high osmolyte concentrations in halotolerant bacteria.
Boehmite nanoparticles show great potential in improving mechanical properties of fiber reinforced polymers. In order to predict the properties of nanocomposites, knowledge about the material parameters of the constituent phases, including the boehmite particles, is crucial. In this study, the mechanical behavior of boehmite is investigated using Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) experiments and Molecular Dynamic Finite Element Method (MDFEM) simulations. Young’s modulus of the perfect crystalline boehmite nanoparticles is derived from numerical AFM simulations. Results of AFM experiments on boehmite nanoparticles deviate significantly. Possible causes are identified by experiments on complementary types of boehmite, that is, geological and hydrothermally synthesized samples, and further simulations of imperfect crystals and combined boehmite/epoxy models. Under certain circumstances, the mechanical behavior of boehmite was found to be dominated by inelastic effects that are discussed in detail in the present work.The studies are substantiated with accompanying X-ray diffraction and Raman experiments.
To study the mechanical interface behavior of single-walled carbon nanotubes (CNTs) embedded in a noble metal, we performed CNT-metal pull-out tests with in situ scanning electron microscope experiments. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations were conducted to predict force-displacement data during pull-out, providing critical forces for failure of the system. In MD simulations, we focused on the influence of carboxylic surface functional groups (SFGs) covalently linked to the CNT. Experimentally obtained maximum forces between 10 and 102 nN in palladium and gold matrices and simulated achievable pulling forces agree very well. The dominant failure mode in the experiment is CNT rupture, although several pull-out failures were also observed. We explain the huge scatter of experimental values with varying embedding length and SFG surface density. From simulation, we found that SFGs act as small anchors in the metal matrix and significantly enhance the maximum forces. This interface reinforcement can lead to tensile stresses sufficiently high to initiate CNT rupture. To qualify the existence of carboxylic SFGs on our CNT material, we performed analytical investigation by means of fluorescence labeling of surface species and discuss the results. With this contribution, we focus on a synergy between computational and experimental approaches involving MD simulations, nano scale testing, and analytics (1) to predict to a good degree of accuracy maximum pull-out forces of single-walled CNTs embedded in a noble metal matrix and (2) to provide valuable input to understand the underlying mechanisms of failure with focus on SFGs. This is of fundamental interest for the design of future mechanical sensors incorporating piezoresistive single-walled CNTs as the sensing element.