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AbstractRecent studies have hypothesized that the reinforcing effects of boehmite nanoparticles (BNPs) in polymer nanocomposites (PNCs) are partly related to the particles themselves and partly to the water released from the BNP during curing. In this work, PNCs made from dried BNP (dBNP) with concentrations up to 15 wt% are investigated to differentiate particle and water related effects. The observed trend of the storage modulus in dynamic mechanical thermal analysis measurements was found to be independent of the drying procedure. Stiffness maps from intermodulation atomic force microscopy showed that dBNP leads to a stiffening of the interphase surrounding the particles compared with the unaffected epoxy matrix, while a softer interphase was reported for PNCs with as received BNP. A slight decrease in the glass transition temperature was observed by broadband dielectric spectroscopy related to a lowered crosslink density due to the particles. A significantly higher decrease was reported for PNCs with BNP, attributed to water influencing the curing process. In conclusion, the stiffening of PNC with BNP is related to the particles themselves, while the release of water causes the formation of a soft interphase in the vicinity of the particles and a significant decrease in crosslink density.
Development and fundamental understanding of precious-group-metal-free electrocatalysts is hampered by limitations in the quantification of the intrinsic activity of different catalytic sites and understanding the different reaction mechanisms. Comparing isomorphic nitrogen-doped carbons, Zn-N-Cs and Fe-N-Cs with the common tetrapyrrolic motif, a catalyst-independent outer-sphere rate-determining step in the alkaline oxygen reduction reaction is observed. Density functional theory (DFT) simulations on tetrapyrrolic model structures indicate the highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) level as a good descriptor for the catalytic activity. Contour plots suggest that the electron transfer occurs directly from the tetrapyrrolic coordination site, rather than from the metal center. Metal-free tetrapyrrolic N4 sites are discovered to be highly active oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) active sites in alkaline that reach turnover frequencies (TOF) of 0.33 and 1.84 s−1 at 0.80 and 0.75 VRHE in the order of magnitude of tetrapyrrolic Fe–N4 sites in the acidic ORR. While Zn-coordination lowers the HOMO level and therefore the catalytic activity, Fe-coordination lifts the HOMO level resulting in TOF values of 0.4 and 4 s−1 for tetrapyrrolic Fe–N4 sites at 0.90 and 0.85 VRHE, respectively. At higher mass activities, the peroxide reduction becomes rate-limiting, where highest peroxide production rates are observed for the nitrogen-doped carbon.
L-Lactide (LA) was polymerized with neat tin(II) 2-ethylhexanoate (SnOct2) in toluene at 115 °C at low concentration with variation of the LA/Cat ratio. Cyclic polylactides (cPLAs) with number average molecular weights (Mn) between 7 000 and 17 000 were obtained. MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry also revealed the formation of a few percent of linear chains. Crystalline cPLAs with Mn around 9 000 and 14 000 were annealed at 140 °C in the presence of ScOct2 or dibutyl-2-stanna-1,3-dithiolane (DSTL). Simultaneously, crystallites of extended linear chains and crystallites of extended cycles were formed regardless of the catalyst, indicating that transesterification reaction proceeded different for linear chains and for cycles, governed by thermodynamic control. The formation of extended chain crystallites with low dispersity indicates the existence of symproportionation of short and long chains. A complementary experiment was carried out with a PLA ethyl ester composed mainly of linear chains with a small fraction of cycles
AbstractTwo‐photon polymerization (2PP) additive manufacturing (AM) utilizes feedstocks of ceramic nanoparticles of a few nanometers in diameter, enabling the fabrication of highly accurate technical ceramic design with structural details as small as 500 nm. The performance of these materials is expected to differ from conventional AM ceramics, as nanoparticles and three‐dimensional printing at high resolution introduce new microstructural aspects. This study applies 2PP‐AM of yttria‐stabilized zirconia to investigate the mechanical response behavior under compressive load, probing the influence of smallest structural units induced by the line packing during the printing process, design of sintered microblocks, and sintering temperature and thereby microstructure. We find a dissipative mechanical response enhanced by sintering at lower temperatures than conventional. The pursued 2PP‐AM approach yields a microstructured material with an increased number of grain boundaries that proposedly play a major role in facilitating energy dissipation within the here printed ceramic material. This microplastic response is further triggered by the filigree structures induced by hollow line packing at the order of the critical defect size of ceramics. Together, these unique aspects made accessible by the 2PP‐AM approach contribute to a heterogeneous nano‐ and microstructure, and hint toward opportunities for tailoring the mechanical response in future ceramic applications.
AbstractLithium‐ion batteries, essential for electronics and electric vehicles, predominantly use cathodes made from critical materials like cobalt. Sulfur‐based cathodes, offering a high theoretical capacity of 1675 mAh g−1 and environmental advantages due to sulfur's abundance and lower toxicity, present a more sustainable alternative. However, state‐of‐the‐art sulfur‐based electrodes do not reach the theoretical capacities, mainly because conventional electrode production relies on mixing of components into weakly coordinated slurries. Consequently, sulfur‘s mobility leads to battery degradation—an effect known as the “sulfur‐shuttle”. This study introduces a solution by developing a microporous, covalently‐bonded, imine‐based polymer network grown in situ around sulfur particles on the current collector. The polymer network (i) enables selective transport of electrolyte and Li‐ions through pores of defined size, and (ii) acts as a robust host to retain the active component of the electrode (sulfur species). The resulting cathode has superior rate performance from 0.1 C (1360 mAh g−1) to 3 C (807 mAh g−1). Demonstrating a high‐performance, sustainable sulfur cathode produced via a simple one‐pot process, our research underlines the potential of microporous polymers in addressing sulfur diffusion issues, paving the way for sulfur electrodes as viable alternatives to traditional metal‐based cathodes.
High‐Entropy Alloys and Their Affinity with Hydrogen: From Cantor to Platinum Group Elements Alloys
(2024)
AbstractProperties of high‐entropy alloys are currently in the spotlight due to their promising applications. One of the least investigated aspects is the affinity of these alloys to hydrogen, its diffusion, and reactions. In this study, high pressure is applied at ambient temperature and stress‐induced diffusion of hydrogen is investigated into the structure of high‐entropy alloys (HEA) including the famous Cantor alloy as well as less known, but nevertheless important platinum group (PGM) alloys. By applying X‐ray diffraction to samples loaded into diamond anvil cells, a comparative investigation of transition element incorporating HEA alloys in Ne and H2 pressure‐transmitting media is performed at ambient temperature. Even under stresses far exceeding conventional industrial processes, both Cantor and PGM alloys show exceptional resistance to hydride formation, on par with widely used industrial grade Cu–Be alloys. The observations inspire optimism for practical HEA applications in hydrogen‐relevant industry and technology (e.g., coatings, etc), particularly those related to transport and storage.
Revolutionizing our polymer industry for adaption to a sustainable carbon circular economy has become one of today’s most demanding challenges. Exploiting renewable resources to replace fossil-fuel—based plastics with biopolymers such as poly(lactic acid) (PLA) is inevitable while using waste streams as a raw material resource at least is promising. When it comes to using PLA as technical polymer, its high flammability must be addressed by flame retardants compatible with the thermoplastic processing of PLA and its compostability. This study proposes microalgae enriched with phosphorus from wastewater (P-Algae) as an elegant way towards a kind of sustainable organophosphorus flame retardant. The concept is demonstrated by investigating the processing, pyrolysis, flammability, and fire behavior of PLA/P-Algae, while varying the P-Algae content and comparing P-Algae with four alternative bio-fillers (phosphorylated lignin, biochar, thermally treated sewage sludge, and metal phytate) with different P-contents as meaningful benchmarks.
Polymers of intrinsic microporosity exhibit a combination of high gas permeability and reasonable permselectivity, which makes them attractive candidates for gas separation membrane materials. The diffusional selective gas transport properties are connected to the molecular mobility of these polymers in the condensed state. Incoherent quasielastic neutron scattering was carried out on two polymers of intrinsic microporosity, PIM-EA-TB(CH3) and its demethylated counterpart PIM-EA-TB(H2), which have high Brunauer–Emmett–Teller surface area values of 1030 m2 g-1 and 836 m2 g-1, respectively. As these two polymers only differ in the presence of two methyl groups at the ethanoanthracene unit, the effect of methyl group rotation can be investigated solely. To cover a broad dynamic range, neutron time-of-flight was combined with neutron backscattering. The demethylated PIM-EA-TB(H2) exhibits a relaxation process with a weak intensity at short times. As the backbone is rigid and stiff this process was assigned to bendand-flex fluctuations. This process was also observed for the PIM-EA-TB(CH3). A further relaxation process is found for PIM-EA-TB(CH3), which is the methyl group rotation. It was analyzed by a jump-diffusion in a three-fold potential considering also the fact that only a fraction of the present hydrogens in PIM-EATB(CH3) participate in the methyl group rotation. This analysis can quantitatively describe the q dependence of the elastic incoherent structure factor. Furthermore, a relaxation time for the methyl group rotation can be extracted. A high activation energy of 35 kJ mol-1 was deduced. This high activation energy evidences a strong hindrance of the methyl group rotation in the bridged PIM-EA-TB(CH3) structure.
Multicomponent reactions (MCRs) offer a platform to create different chemical structures and linkages for highly stable covalent organic frameworks (COFs). As an illustrative example, the multicomponent Povarov reaction generates 2,4-phenylquinoline from aldehydes and amines in the presence of electron-rich alkenes. In this study, we introduce a new domino reaction to generate unprecedented 2,3-phenylquinoline COFs in the presence of epoxystyrene. This work thus presents, for the first time, structural isomeric COFs produced by multicomponent domino and Povarov reactions. Furthermore, 2,3-phenylquinolines can undergo a Scholl reaction to form extended aromatic linkages. With this approach, we synthesize two thermally and chemically stable MCR-COFs and two heteropolyaromatic COFs using both domino and in situ domino and Scholl reactions. The structure and properties of these COFs are compared with the corresponding 2,4-phenylquinoline-linked COF and imine-COF, and their activity toward benzene and cyclohexane sorption and separation is investigated. The position of the pendant phenyl groups within the COF pore plays a crucial role in facilitating the industrially important sorption and separation of benzene over cyclohexane. This study opens a new avenue to construct heteropolyaromatic COFs via MCR reactions.
In materials science, traditional techniques for analyzing layered structures are essential for obtaining information about local structure, electronic properties and chemical states. While valuable, these methods often require high vacuum environments and have limited depth profiling capabilities. The grazing exit x-ray absorption near-edge structure (GE-XANES) technique addresses these limitations by providing depth-resolved insight at ambient conditions, facilitating in situ material analysis without special sample preparation. However, GE-XANES is limited by long data acquisition times, which hinders its practicality for various applications. To overcome this, we have incorporated Bayesian optimization (BO) into the GE-XANES data acquisition process. This innovative approach potentially reduces measurement time by a factor of 50. We have used a standard GE-XANES experiment, which serve as reference, to validate the effectiveness and accuracy of the BO-informed experimental setup. Our results show that this optimized approach maintains data quality while significantly improving efficiency, making GE-XANES more accessible to a wider range of materials science applications.
Recent publications indicate that the order of electrochemical anodization (before or after the laser processing step) plays an important role for the response of bone-forming osteoblasts—an effect that can be utilized for improving permanent dental or removable bone implants. For exploring these different surface functionalities, multimethod morphological, structural, and chemical characterizations are performed in combination with electrochemical pre- and postanodization for two different characteristic microspikes covered by nanometric laser-induced periodic surface structures on Ti–6Al–4V upon irradiation with near-infrared ps-laser pulses (1030 nm wavelength, ≈1 ps pulse duration, 67 and 80 kHz pulse repetition frequency) at two distinct sets of laser fluence and beam scanning parameters. This work involves morphological and topographical investigations by scanning electron microscopy and white light interference microscopy, structural material examinations via X-ray diffraction, and micro-Raman spectroscopy, as well as near-surface chemical analyses by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and hard X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The results allow to qualify the mean laser ablation depth, assess the spike geometry and surface roughness parameters, and provide new detailed insights into the near-surface oxidation that may affect the different cell growth behavior for pre- or postanodized medical implants.
Abstract. In power electronics, compound semiconductors with large bandgaps, like silicon carbide (SiC), are increasingly being used as material instead of silicon. They have a lot of advantages over silicon but are also intolerant of nanoscale material defects, so that a defect inspection with high accuracy is needed. The different defect types on SiC samples are measured with various measurement methods, including optical and tactile methods. The defect types investigated include carrots, particles, polytype inclusions and threading dislocations, and they are analysed with imaging ellipsometry, coherent Fourier scatterometry (CFS), white light interference microscopy (WLIM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). These different measurement methods are used to investigate which method is most sensitive for which type of defect to be able to use the measurement methods more effectively. It is important to be able to identify the defects to classify them as critical or non-critical for the functionality of the end product. Once these investigations have been completed, the measurement systems can be optimally distributed to the relevant defects in further work to realize a hybrid analysis of the defects. In addition to the identification and classification of defects, such a future hybrid analysis could also include characterizations, e.g. further evaluation of ellipsometric data by using numerical simulations.
Discotic ionic liquid crystals (DILCs) consist of self-assembled superdiscs of cations and anions that spontaneously stack in linear columns with high one-dimensional ionic and electronic charge mobility, making them prominent model systems for functional soft matter. Compared to classical nonionic discotic liquid crystals, many liquid crystalline structures with a combination of electronic and ionic conductivity have been reported, which are of interest for separation membranes, artificial ion/proton conducting membranes, and optoelectronics. Unfortunately, a homogeneous alignment of the DILCs on the macroscale is often not achievable, which significantly limits the applicability of DILCs. Infiltration into nanoporous solid scaffolds can, in principle, overcome this drawback. However, due to the experimental challenges to scrutinize liquid crystalline order in extreme spatial confinement, little is known about the structures of DILCs in nanopores. Here, we present temperaturedependent high-resolution optical birefringence measurement and 3D reciprocal space mapping based on synchrotron X-ray scattering to investigate the thermotropic phase behavior of dopamine-based ionic liquid crystals confined in cylindrical channels of 180 nm diameter in macroscopic anodic aluminum oxide membranes. As a function of the membranes’ hydrophilicity and thus the molecular anchoring to the pore walls (edge-on or face-on) and the variation of the hydrophilic−hydrophobic balance between the aromatic cores and the alkyl side chain motifs of the superdiscs by tailored chemical synthesis, we find a particularly rich phase behavior, which is not present in the bulk state. It is governed by a complex interplay of liquid crystalline elastic energies (bending and splay deformations), polar interactions, and pure geometric confinement and includes textural transitions between radial and axial alignment of the columns with respect to the long nanochannel axis. Furthermore, confinement-induced continuous order formation is observed in contrast to discontinuous first-order phase transitions, which can be quantitatively described by Landau-de Gennes free energy models for liquid crystalline order transitions in confinement. Our observations suggest that the infiltration of DILCs into nanoporous solids allows tailoring their nanoscale texture and ion channel formation and thus their electrical and optical functionalities over an even wider range than in the bulk state in a homogeneous manner on the centimeter scale as controlled by the monolithic nanoporous scaffolds.
Multiphoton lithography (MPL), an emerging truly 3D microfabrication technique, exhibits substantial potential in biomedical applications, including drug delivery and tissue engineering. Fabricated micro-objects are often expected to undergo shape morphing or bending of the entire structure or its parts. Furthermore, ensuring precise property tuning is detrimental to the realization of the functionality of MPL microstructures. Herein, novel MPL materials based on interpenetrating polymer networks (IPNs) are presented that effectively combine the advantages of acrylate and epoxy systems. IPNs with varying component ratios are investigated for their microfabrication performance and structural integrity with respect to thermal and micromechanical properties. A variety of high-resolution techniques is applied to comprehensively evaluate IPN properties at the bulk, micron, and segmental levels. This study shows that the MPL laser scanning velocity and power, photoinitiator content, and multi-step exposure can be used to tune the morphology and properties of the IPN. As a result, a library of 3D MPL IPN microstructures with high 3D structural stability and tailored thermal and micromechanical properties is achieved. New IPN microstructures with Young’s moduli of 3–4 MPa demonstrate high-to-fully elastic responses to deformations, making them promising for applications in morphable microsystems, soft micro-robotics, and cell engineering.
Cellulose nanofibrils (CNFs) with different charge densities were prepared and investigated by a combination of different complementary techniques sensitive to the structure and molecular dynamics of the system. The morphology of the materials was investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray scattering (SAXS/WAXS). The latter measurements were quantitatively analyzed yielding to molecular parameters in dependence of the charge density like the diameter of the fibrils, the distance between the fibrils, and the dimension of bundles of nanofibrils, including pores. The influence of water on the properties and the charge density is studied by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and broadband dielectric spectroscopy. The TGA measurements reveal two mass loss processes. The one at lower temperatures was related to the loss of water, and the second process at higher temperatures was related to the chemical decomposition. The resulting char yield could be correlated to the distance between the microfibrils. The DSC investigation for hydrated CNFs revealed three glass transitions due to the cellulose segments surrounded by water molecules in different states. In the second heating scan, only one broad glass transition is observed. The dielectric spectra reveal two relaxation processes. At low temperatures or higher frequencies, the β-relaxation is observed, which is assigned to localized fluctuation of the glycosidic linkage. At higher temperatures and lower frequencies, the α-relaxation takes places. This relaxation is due to cooperative fluctuations in the cellulose segments. Both processes were quantitatively analyzed. The obtained parameters such as the relaxation rates were related to both the morphological data, the charge density, and the content of water for the first time.
Ring-opening polymerizations (ROPs) of l-lactide (LA) were performed with ethyl l-lactate or 11-bromoundecanol as initiators (In) and tin(II) ethyl hexanoate (SnOct2) as catalyst (Cat) using four different LA/In ratios (20/1, 40/1, 60/1, and 100/1). One series of ROPs was conducted in bulk at 120 °C, yielding PLAs with low dispersities (Ð ~ 1.2–1.4), and a second series was conducted in bulk at 160 °C, yielding higher dispersities (Ð ~ 1.3–1.9). Samples from both series were annealed for 1 or 14 days at 140 °C in the presence of SnOct2. Both polycondensation and disproportionation reactions occurred, so that all four samples tended to form the same type of molar mass distribution below 10,000 Da, regardless of their initially different number average molar masses (Mn). Both initiators gave nearly identical results. The thermodynamic control of all reversible transesterification processes favored the formation of crystallites composed of chains with a Mn around 3500–3700, corresponding to a crystal thickness of 10–13 nm.
Impact of organic phosphates on the structure and composition of short-range ordered iron nanophases
(2024)
Organic phosphates (OP) are important nutrient components for living cells in natural environments, where they readily interact with ubiquitous iron phases such as hydrous ferric oxide, ferrihydrite (FHY). FHY partakes in many key bio(geo)chemical reactions including iron-mediated carbon storage in soils, or iron-storage in living organisms. However, it is still unknown how OP affects the formation, structure and properties of FHY. Here, we document how β-glycerophosphate (GP), a model OP ligand, affects the structure and properties of GP–FHY nanoparticles synthesized by coprecipitation at variable nominal molar P/Fe ratios (0.01 to 0.5). All GP–FHY precipitates were characterized by a maximum solid P/Fe ratio of 0.22, irrespective of the nominal P/Fe ratio. With increasing nominal P/Fe ratio, the specific surface area of the GP–FHY precipitates decreased sharply from 290 to 3 m2 g−1, accompanied by the collapse of their pore structure. The Fe–P local bonding environment gradually transitioned from a bidentate binuclear geometry at low P/Fe ratios to monodentate mononuclear geometry at high P/Fe ratios. This transition was accompanied by a decrease in coordination number of edge-sharing Fe polyhedra, and the loss of the corner-sharing Fe polyhedra. We show that Fe(III) polymerization is impeded by GP, and that the GP–FHY structure is highly dependent on the P/Fe ratio. We discuss the role that natural OP-bearing Fe(III) nanophases have in biogeochemical reactions between Fe–P and C species in aquatic systems.
Solvent-free sample preparation offers some advantages over solvent-based techniques, such as improved accuracy, reproducibility and sensitivity, for matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) analysis. However, little or no information is available on the application of solvent-free techniques for the MALDI analysis of polymer blends. Solvent-free sample preparation by ball milling was applied with varying sample-to-matrix ratios for MALDI time-of-flight mass spectrometry analysis of various polymers, including polystyrenes, poly(methyl methacrylate)s and poly(ethylene glycol)s. The peak intensity ratios were compared with those obtained after using the conventional dried droplet sample preparation method. In addition, solvent-assisted milling was also applied to improve sample homogeneities.
Depending on the sample preparation method used, different peak intensity ratios were found, showing varying degrees of suppression of the signal intensities of higher mass polymers. Ball milling for up to 30 min was required to achieve constant intensity ratios indicating homogeneous mixtures. The use of wet-assisted grinding to improve the homogeneity of the blends was found to be disadvantageous as it caused partial degradation and mass-dependent segregation of the polymers in the vials.The results clearly show that solvent-free sample preparation must be carefully considered when applied to synthetic polymer blends, as it may cause additional problems with regard to homogeneity and stability of the blends.