Analytische Chemie
Filtern
Erscheinungsjahr
- 2015 (100) (entfernen)
Dokumenttyp
Sprache
- Englisch (100) (entfernen)
Schlagworte
- Process analytical technology (7)
- Prozessanalytik (5)
- Reaction monitoring (5)
- Concrete (4)
- Ground penetrating radar (4)
- Metrology (4)
- Online NMR spectroscopy (4)
- PFOS (4)
- Quantitative NMR-Spektroskopie (4)
- qNMR (4)
Eingeladener Vortrag
- nein (20)
The development of innovative medium resolution NMR spectrometers (MR-NMR) is remarkable due to their possible applications in quality control, education, or process monitoring.
The use of compact permanent magnets allows to employ NMR devices in an industrial environment without high maintenance requirements and without the need for cryogenic liquids.
A benchtop 43 MHz MR-NMR spectrometer was used for reaction monitoring. Quasi-simultaneous proton and fluorine NMR spectra were acquired. Automatic data pretreatment and evaluation methods were applied and compared to quantitative 500 MHz HR-NMR spectroscopy
Introducing fluorine into molecules has a wide range of effects on their physicochemical properties, often desirable but in most cases unpredictable. The fluorine atom imparts the C–F bond with low polarizability and high polarity, and significantly affects the behavior of neighboring functional groups, in a covalent or noncovalent manner. Here, we report that fluorine, present in the form of a single fluoroalkyl amino acid side chain in the P1 position of the well-characterized serine-protease inhibitor BPTI, can fully restore inhibitor activity to a mutant that contains the corresponding hydrocarbon side chain at the same site. High resolution crystal structures were obtained for four BPTI variants in complex with bovine b-trypsin, revealing changes in the stoichiometry and dynamics of water molecules in the S1 subsite. These results demonstrate that the introduction of fluorine into a protein environment can result in “chemical complementation” that has a significantly favorable impact on protein–protein interactions.
A new method for sampling wear particles directly from the lubricant reservoir has been developed and applied successfully for analyzing wear particles by high-resolution scanning electron microscopy in transmission mode having coupled energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The lubricated tribological testing was carried out with fully formulated as well as with non-formulated synthetic base oil. It was possible to analyze individual particles with dimensions as small as about 5–30 nm which are likely the 'primary' wear particles. A majority of the particles, however, are agglomerated and, thus, lead to the formation of larger agglomerates of up to a few micrometers. Chemical analysis led to the conclusion that most of the observed particles generated in formulated oil, especially the larger ones, are composed of the additives of the lubricant oil. In non-formulated base oil, the primary particles are of similar dimensions but contain only iron, chromium and oxygen, but most likely stem from the mating materials. This finding points to the fact that the main wear mechanism under lubricated conditions with fully formulated oil is more like a continuous shearing process rather than a catastrophic failure with the generation of larger primary particles. When the oil is non-formulated, however, several wear mechanisms act simultaneously and the wear rate is increased significantly. Generated larger primary particles are milled down to the nanoscale. When the oil is fully formulated, wear mainly takes places at the additive layer or tribofilm; thus, the steel surface is protected.
Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) is a combination of plasma generation on the sample surface by a high power laser pulse and optical emission spectroscopy (OES). It is a direct measurement method without an extensive sample preparation. Concrete is a multi phase system. With LIBS it is possible to distinguish the different phases and based on that to correlate the chloride content to the cement mass. This is done by scanning the surface with a resolution of up to 0.1 mm. The high measurement frequency of 100 Hz or even higher allows the in-situ visualization of the chloride content over the measured area. With a calibration a quantification of chloride concentration is possible. As an example the LIBS measurement on a 50 mm by 70 mm area with a resolution of 0.5 mm and the visualization of the chloride distribution takes only 10 minutes. Additionally it is possible to evaluate the carbonation depth from the same measurement. Examples of practical application to determine the chloride-to-cement-content on concrete samples are presented. The possibilities and the limitations of LIBS are discussed.
We present a systematic study on the effect of surface ligands on the luminescence properties and colloidal stability of β-NaYF4:Yb3+,Er3+ upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs), comparing nine different surface coatings to render these UCNPs water-dispersible and bioconjugatable. A prerequisite for this study was a large-scale synthetic method that yields ~2 g per batch of monodisperse oleate-capped UCNPs providing identical core particles. These ~23 nm sized UCNPs display an upconversion quantum yield of ~0.35% when dispersed in cyclohexane and excited with a power density of 150 W cm-2, underlining their high quality. A comparison of the colloidal stability and luminescence properties of these UCNPs, subsequently surface modified with ligand exchange or encapsulation protocols, revealed that the ratio of the green (545 nm) and red (658 nm) emission bands determined at a constant excitation power density clearly depends on the surface chemistry. Modifications relying on the deposition of additional (amphiphilic) layer coatings, where the initial oleate coating is retained, show reduced non-radiative quenching by water as compared to UCNPs that are rendered water-dispersible via ligand exchange. Moreover, we could demonstrate that the brightness of the upconversion luminescence of the UCNPs is strongly affected by the type of surface modification, i.e., ligand exchange or encapsulation, yet hardly by the chemical nature of the ligand.
Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) can catalyze the decolorization of organic dyes in the presence of sodium borohydride (NaBH4), which can be utilized for sensitive optical signaling. Here, we monitor the catalytic reduction of a fluorescent substrate, exemplarily chosen uranine, by AuNPs serving as nanocatalysts by absorption and fluorescence spectroscopy. Dye reduction is accompanied by dramatic changes in the absorption and fluorescence properties of uranine. As proposed reaction mechanism, we assume electron transfer between uranine and NaBH4 through the AuNPs nanocatalysts which is currently investigated also by time-resolved fluorescence and detailed spectroscopic studies of the influence of pH, NaBH4, and AuNPs on these effects. As ultimate goal, a model reporter platform with colorimetric andfluorometric signaling is anticipated for the detection of different analytes by coating AuNPs with affinity ligands such as antibodies and aptamers and and special separation methods.
We present the results of several machine learning (ML)- inspired data fusion algorithms applied to multi-sensory nondestructive testing (NDT) data. Our dataset consists of Impact-Echo (IE), Ultrasonic Pulse Echo (US) and Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) data collected on large-scale concrete specimens with built–in simulated honeycombing defects. The main objective is to improve the detectability of honeycombs by fusing the information from the three different sensors. We describe normalization, feature detection and optimal feature selection. We have used unsupervised and supervised ML, i.e., classification and clustering, for data fusion. We demonstrate the advantage of data fusion in reducing the false positives up to 10% compared to the best single sensor, thus, improving the detectability of the defects. The methods were evaluated on a concrete specimen. The effectiveness of the proposed approach was demonstrated on a separate full-scale concrete specimen. The results indicate the transportability of the conclusions from one specimen to the other.
The kinetic energy of keV electrons backscattered from a rutile (TiO2) surface depends measurably on the mass of the scattering atom. This makes it possible to determine separately the angular distribution of electrons backscattered elastically from either Ti or O. Diffraction effects of these backscattered electrons inside the rutile crystal lead to the formation of Kikuchi patterns. The element-resolved Kikuchi patterns of Ti and O differ characteristically, but each can be described fairly well in terms of the dynamical theory of diffraction. Qualitatively, much of the differences can be understood by considering the relative arrangement of the Ti and O atoms with respect to planes defined by the crystal lattice.
Isotope dilution mass spectrometry often is applied for the quantification of platinum group elements in environmental and geological samples. In most cases, however, certified spike solutions offering complete uncertainty statements and SI-traceability are missing. This report describes the production and certification of two isotope reference materials, ERM-AE140 and ERM-AE141, serving as calibrated spike solutions for IDMS based quantification of Pd and Pt, respectively. Both materials were produced by dissolving highly enriched isotopes 106Pd and 194Pt and determining the mass fraction of 106Pd and 194Pt in the final solution by reverse IDMS. Two independent back-spikes were produced for each material from high purity Pd and Pt. Characterization measurements were carried out by MC-ICPMS. For ERM-AE140 the certified mass fractions are w(106Pd) = 20.24(5) mg/kg and w(Pd) = 20.54(5) mg/kg. For ERM-AE141 the certified mass fractions are w(194Pt) = 18.18(11) mg/kg and w(Pt) = 19.90(12) mg/kg. These values are traceable to the International System of Units (SI) in the shortest possible way.
The concreting of prefabricated concrete structures can lead to insufficient bonding or even to remaining cavities. Honeycombs (aggregate clusters without cement) represent potential weakening of the structure and need to be detected non-destructively. In our study we tested the capability of ground penetrating radar (GPR) techniques for this purpose. We applied GPR in reflection mode and zero-offset profiling (ZOP) transmission mode on a precast concrete twin wall with built-in honeycombs. GPR measurements were performed as two channel measurement with ground coupled antennas with centre frequencies of 1.5 GHz and 2.6 GHz mounted to an automated scanner system.
Our findings show that ZOP transmission measurements are a more efficient method to detect voids in reinforced concrete structures compared to reflection mode measurements. This holds for both the effort needed for the measurement and the evaluation as well as the validity of the data. Honeycombs (basically representing voids) are usually characterized by strongly reduced amplitudes and earlier arrivals of the transmitted wave.
The concreting of prefabricated concrete structures can lead to insufficient bonding or even to remaining cavities. Honeycombs (aggregate clusters without cement) represent potential weakening of the structure and need to be detected non-destructively. In our study we tested the capability of ground penetrating radar (GPR)techniques for this purpose. We applied GPR in reflection mode and zero-offset profiling (ZOP) Transmission mode on a precast concrete twin wall with built-in honeycombs. GPR measurements were performed as twochannel measurement with ground coupled antennas with centre frequencies of 1.5 GHz and 2.6 GHz mounted to an automated scanner system.
Our findings show that ZOP transmission measurements are a more efficient method to detect voids in reinforced concrete structures compared to reflection mode measurements. This holds for both the effort needed for the measurement and the evaluation as well as the validity of the data. Honeycombs (basically representing voids) are usually characterized by strongly reduced amplitudes and earlier arrivals of the transmitted wave.
An experimental investigation has been carried out to characterize and discriminate seven saffron samples and to verify their declared geographical origin using a voltammetric electronic tongue (VE-tongue). The ability of multivariable analysis methods such as Principal Component Analysis (PCA), Hierarchical Cluster Analysis (HCA) to classify the saffron samples according to their geographical origin have been investigated. A good discrimination has reached using PCA and HCA in the VE-tongue characterization case. Furthermore, cross validation and Partial Least Square (PLS) techniques were applied in order to build suitable management and prediction models for the determination of safranal concentration in saffron samples based on SPME-GC-MS and UV-Vis Spectrophotometry. The obtained results reveals that some relationships were established between the VE-tongue signal, SPMEGC-MS and UV-Vis spectrophotometry methods to predict safranal concentration levels in saffron samples by using the PLS model. In the light of these results, we can say that the proposed electronic system offer a fast, simple and efficient tool to recognize the declared geographical origin of the saffron samples.
In this work, sample losses of silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) in asymmetrical flow field-flow fractionation (AF4) have been systematically investigated with the main focus on instrumental conditions like focusing and cross-flow parameters as well as sample concentration and buffer composition. Special attention was drawn to the AF4 membrane. For monitoring possible silver depositions on the membrane, imaging laser ablation coupled to inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) was used. Our results show that the sample residue on the membrane was below 0.6% of the total injected amount and therefore could be almost completely avoided at low sample concentrations and optimized conditions. By investigation of the AF4 flows using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), we found the recovery rate in the detector flow under optimized conditions to be nearly 90%, while the cross-flow, slot-outlet flow and purge flow showed negligible amounts of under 0.5%. The analysis of an aqueous ionic Ag standard solution resulted in recovery rates of over 6% and the ionic Ag content in the sample was found to be nearly 8%. Therefore, we were able to indicate the ionic Ag content as the most important source of sample loss in this study.
High resolution in situ monitoring of the initial cement hydration influenced by organic admixtures
(2015)
Numerous admixtures are used in the building practice to customize the properties of the cement paste during application. The influences of admixtures on the course of cement hydration and formation of hydrate phases have to be considered. Polycarboxylate ether (PCE) based polymeric superplasticizers (SPs) are known to retard the setting of the cement paste. The extent of the retardation differs depending on the molecular structure of the SP. Additionally, the presence of a stabilizing agent (SA) in the cement paste has a retarding side effect on the setting. The initial cement hydration processes and the detailed mechanisms of the retardation influenced by PCEs, as well as their interactions with particular SAs, are insufficiently understood. Up to now, only the results of phenomenological studies were taken into account to describe this retardation process. A detailed structure analysis monitoring the change of the phase composition during the hydration was never applied. Both SP and SA affect the adsorption of the sulphate ions on the clinker particles, causing changes in the formation of ettringite during the initial hydration, and are therefore a crucial part of the setting process itself. Here, the initial hydration of cement influenced by the interaction of SP and SA was monitored in situ by synchrotron X-ray diffraction. The high time resolution of the measurements allowed a continuous detection of the hydrates formed. The hydration was followed from the starting point of water addition and for couple of hours afterwards. The hydration of the levitated cement pellets containing starch as SA was initialized by adding aqueous solutions of different commercial SPs. Changes in the ettringite formation were detected in comparison to the reference hydration of pure cement.
In the near future, it will be important to adopt innovative approaches and technologies in order to further guarantee the reliability and availability of the highway network. New tools are therefore needed in order to obtain in-depth information about the condition of bridges and its development early enough before significant, precarious damage cases occur. In 2011, the research program “Intelligente Brücken (Smart Bridges)” was launched by the BASt together with the BMVI to evolve systems for information and holistic evaluation for Bridge structures as a supplement to the current inspection-based maintenance management. Several projects dealt with the topic in the last few years and provided guidelines and a solid basis to move towards a first implementation considering the input of all research projects carried out so far.
This paper reflects recent progress in the field of fluorescent polymer optical fiber sensors (F-POF) for partial discharge (PD) detection in high voltage (HV) cable accessories using optical-only PD detection by coincidence single photon counting. In experiments with artificial PD sources these sensors show the ability to detect optical emissions from picocoulomb-level PDs in a real-scale model of a translucent high voltage cable accessory. False positives (caused by detector noise) are efficiently suppressedwhile maintaining sufficient sensitivity,even when the sensor is located in an unfavorable position.
The intention of this compilation of articles was to introduce brand-new developments in the field of chemical imaging which have not been discussed in previous review articles. These include the design of new sensor nanomaterials based on photon uponversion crystals which convert near-infrared excitation light into sensor signals in the visible wavelength range highlighted by Christ and Schäferling. Sun, Ungerböck and Mayr describe the state of the art in oxygen imaging in microreactors and microfluidic devices. Miniaturized sensors for the imaging of oxygen, pH and temperature in microchips, microfluidic platforms and microbioreactors are reviewed by Pfeiffer and Nagl. Furthermore, Dmitriev and Papkovsky present a critical assessment of the applicability of probes for intracellular oxygen sensing.
I hope these articles provide an interesting insight into advanced luminescent sensor materials and the applications of optical micro- and nanosensors in fluorescence imaging today and will be inspiring for the reader. Finally, I would like to thank all authors and referees for spending their time to enable this collection of articles.
Polysaccharides modify the rheological properties of cement based systems. Depending upon their chemistry, molecular architecture, and adsorption tendency, they have different modes of action. Some polysaccharides like diutan gum have strong effect on the fluid phase; others like starch strongly interact with particles. This paper presents effects of diutan gum and starches in presence of polycarboxylates. Rheometric investigations with varied particle volume fractions and increasing coarse aggregate diameters were conducted. The results show that starches have stronger influence on the rheology at high particle volume fractions than diutan gum. At lower particle volume fractions this trend is inverted. Experiments with aggregates sizes up to 16 mm (0.63 in.) indicate that stabilizing agent influences on the effects of aggregates on yield stress were small; however up to 1.0 mm (0.04 in.), a significant effect on the plastic viscosity could be observed, which levelled off at larger diameters.
This paper describes the production and characteristics of the nanoparticle test materials prepared for common use in the collaborative research project NanoChOp (Chemical and optical characterization of nanomaterials in biological systems), in casu suspensions of silica nanoparticles and CdSe/CdS/ZnS quantum dots (QDs). This paper is the first to illustrate how to assess whether nanoparticle test materials meet the requirements of a "reference material" (ISO Guide 30, 2015) or rather those of the recently defined category of "representative test material (RTM)" (ISO/TS 16195, 2013). The NanoChOp test materials were investigated with small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), dynamic light scattering (DLS), and centrifugal liquid sedimentation (CLS) to establish whether they complied with the required monomodal particle size distribution. The presence of impurities, aggregates, agglomerates, and viable microorganisms in the suspensions was investigated with DLS, CLS, optical and electron microscopy and via plating on nutrient agar. Suitability of surface functionalization was investigated with attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared spectrometry (ATR-FTIR) and via the capacity of the nanoparticles to be fluorescently labeled or to bind antibodies. Between-unit homogeneity and stability were investigated in terms of particle size and zeta potential. This paper shows that only based on the outcome of a detailed characterization process one can raise the status of a test material to RTM or reference material, and how this status depends on its intended use.
Recommendations on a Revision of the EC Definition of Nanomaterial Based on Analytical Possibilities
(2015)
In October 2011 the European Commission (EC) published a "Recommendation on the definition of nanomaterial" (2011/696/EU), to promote consistency in the interpretation of the term "nanomaterial" for legislative and policy purposes in the EU. The EC NM Definition includes a commitment to its review in the light of experience and of scientific and technological developments. This review is ongoing in 2015 and as a contribution to the review the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission (JRC) has already developed a series of three scientific-technical reports with the title: “Towards a review of the EC Recommendation for a definition of the term nanomaterial” which provides to the EC policy services science-based options on how the definition could be revised or supported with additional guidance.
The overarching nature and wide scope of the EC NM Definition, as it does not exclude a priori any particulate material regardless the state, form and size, creates many analytical challenges in its imple-mentation for all stakeholders, including enterprises and regulators.
The NanoDefine project has as core objective to support the implementation of the EC NM Definition. In this report key aspects of the EC NM Definition are addressed, with the goal to improve the implement-ability of the EC NM Definition. These aspects are presented and discussed based on the results of two years of research performed within the framework of the project. As a result this report assesses how well the requirements of the EC NM Definition can be fulfilled with currently available analytical possi-bilities. It presents recommendations and options on a revision of the EC NM Definition to improve the implementability of the definition based on currently available analytical possibilities, according to the state of the art of mid-2015.
Of the technical issues considered in this report, the following seem to deserve the most attention in terms of clarification of the definition and/or provision of additional implementation guidance:
The term ‘external dimension’.
A clear definition of 'External dimension' should be included in the text of the EC NM definition and more precise guidance on what is considered as an external dimension and how to properly character-ise it should be provided.
The ‘number based particle size distribution‘.
The EC NM Definition uses a threshold related to the number based size distribution of particles. Yet most of the easily available techniques provide a mass-, volume- or scattered light intensity-based size distribution which needs to be converted into a number based distribution to be used for regulatory pur-poses. A specific guidance on the conditions under which these methods can be used to identify a na-nomaterial by employing appropriate quantity or metrics conversion should be provided.
The ‘polydispersity‘ and ‘upper size limit‘
Polydispersity is a challenge for the measurement of particle size distribution for the EC NM definition, specifically for materials with high polydispersity index and broad size distribution especially when the volume or mass of the fraction containing particles below 100 nm is very small. Therefore a dedicated guidance should be provided that allows applying an upper size limit in measurements and particle statistics.
Supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) are largely used all over the world. The leading SCMs are fly ash (FA) and slag. However, such materials originate from industries that are not well established in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Therefore, it becomes extremely challenging and expensive to build up sustainable cement and concrete. For SSA, agriculture is one of the leading economic sectors. Agricultural by-products such as rice husk ash (RHA), can be a potential binder material beneficial for use in a cementitious system. RHA combined with limestone filler (LSF) is an option that can be practised for rice producing countries in Africa.
Titanium dioxide is one of the most studied metal oxides due to its interesting chemical, surface, electronic and (photo)catalytic properties. These properties provide this material of multisectorial applications, ranging from healthcare, photocatalysis, smart materials with self cleaning and self sterilizing properties and solar energy harvesting (photovoltaics and water photosplitting). However it is difficult to correlate the functional properties of TiO₂ nanomaterials to the properties at single nanoparticle level due to the high polydispersity in shape, size and surface properties of the currently available TiO₂ nanoparticles (NPs) Although intensive experimental and theoretical studies have been conducted on the reactivity of different surfaces of metal oxides such as TiO₂ [1,2] much less attention is paid on the dependence of functional properties, like photocatalytic activity, dye adsorption, open circuit potential and fill factor in dye sensitized solar cells, on crystal facets in different orientations [3]. One of the goal of SETNanoMetro is the development of design rules to tune crystal facets of TiO₂ NPs in order to optimize and control functional properties. By tuning the ratio of different facets, the functional properties would be correspondingly changed. In the present work we have developed a series of design rules in order to obtain sets of anatase TiO₂ NPs with low polydispersity and to tune their shape and their size though hydrothermal processing of Ti(IV)-Triethanolamine complex in presence of different shape controllers (OH-, triethanolamine, fluoride). Through a careful experimental design the influence of many process parameters (pH, temperature, shape controller type and concentration) on the synthesis outcome (size, shape and polydispersity), a predictive soft model was developed. The model is able to predict reasonably well the synthesis outcome allowing to tune the shape factor from 5 (prisms) to 1.5 (bipyramids) to 0.2 (platelets). This allows to control the main crystal facets exposed ranging from (100) to (001).
The synthesis of water-soluble dyes, which absorb and emit in the range between 650 and 950 nm and display high extinction coefficients (ε) as well as high fluorescence quantum yields (Φf), is still a demand for optical imaging. We now present a synthetic route for the preparation of a new group of glycerol-substituted cyanine dyes from dendronized indole precursors that have been functionalized as Nhydroxysuccinimide (NHS) esters. High Φf values of up to 0.15 and extinction coefficients of up to 189 000 L mol−1 cm−1 were obtained for the pure dyes. Furthermore, conjugates of the new dendronized dyes with the antibody cetuximab (ctx) that were directed against the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) of tumor cells could be prepared with dye to protein ratios between 0.3 and 2.2 to assess their potential as imaging probes. For the first time, ctx conjugates could be achieved without showing a decrease in Φf and with an increasing labeling degree that exceeded the value of the pure dye even at a labeling degree above 2. The incorporation of hydrophilically and sterically demanding dendrimers into cyanines prevented dimer formation after covalent conjugation to the antibody. The binding functionality of the resulting ctx conjugates to the EGFR was successfully demonstrated by cell microscopy studies using EGFR expressing cell lines. In summary, the combination of hydrophilic glycerol dendrons with reactive dye labels has been established for the first time and is a promising Approach toward more powerful fluorescent labels with less dimerization.
The Collaborative Research Center InPROMPT aims to establish a novel process concept for the hydroformylation of long-chained olefins, using a rhodium complex as catalyst in the presence of syngas. Recently, the hydroformylation in micro-emulsions, which allows for the efficient recycling of the expensive rhodium catalyst, was found to be feasible. However, the temperature and concentration sensitive multi-phase system demands a continuous observation of the reaction to achieve an operational and economically feasible plant operation. For that purpose, we tested the potential of both NMR and Raman spectroscopy for process control assistance. The lab-scale experiments were supported by sampling for off-line GC-analysis as reference analytics. The results of the NMR experiments will be part of another contribution.
The increasing pollution of terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems with plastic debris, which leads to the accumulation of microscopic plastic particles of still unknown fate, is an upcoming problem of our time. In order to monitor the degree of contamination and to understand the underlying processes of degradation and internalization of plastic debris, analytical methods are urgently needed, which help to identify and quantify microplastics. Currently, expensive collected and purified materials enriched on filters are investigated by (micro) infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Few studies using micro-Raman spectroscopy have been published as well. In contrast to FTIR, Raman spectroscopy can handle wet samples, but it suffers from interference of fluorescent materials. Both micro-FTIR- and micro-Raman, always include time consuming scanning and mapping procedures followed by the manual inspection and measurement of selected particles.
One of the most important collections of manuscripts and wall paintings from sites of the northern Silk Road, discovered at the beginning of the 20thC, are deposited in Berlin. The fragments represent a broad spectrum of scripts, languages, and painting styles depending on the region of origin and purpose of dissemination. The manufacturing material reflects the various influences in the oasis sites. Based on analyses of some pigments, examples are posed.
Gravimetrically prepared mono-elemental reference solutions having a well-known mass fraction of approximately 1 g/kg define the very basis of virtually all measurements in inorganic analysis. Serving as the starting materials of all standard/calibration solutions, they link virtually all measurements of inorganic analytes to the purity of the solid materials they were prepared from. In case these solid materials are characterized comprehensively with respect to their purity, this link also establishes direct metrological traceability to The International System of Unit. Within the framework of the European Metrology Research Programme (EMRP), in the Joint Research Project called SIB09 Primary standards for challenging elements, a reference solution of molybdenum was prepared directly from the respective metal with a relative expanded uncertainty associated with the mass fraction of Urel(w) < 0.05 %. A highly accurate and precise ICP OES and MC-ICP-MS method was developed to assist with the preparation and as a dissemination tool.
Introduction to PowderCell
(2015)
Recently developed new transducers for ultrasonic transmission, which can be embedded right into concrete, are now used for non-destructive permanent monitoring of concrete. They can be installed during construction or thereafter. Large volumes of concrete can be monitored for changes of material properties by a limited number of transducers. The transducer design, the main properties as well as installation procedures are presented. It is shown that compressional waves with a central frequency of 62 kHz are mainly generated around the transducer's axis. The transducer can be used as a transmitter or receiver. Application examples demonstrate that the transducers can be used to monitor concrete conditions parameters (stress, temperature,
) as well as damages in an early state or the detection of acoustic events (e.g., crack opening). Besides application in civil engineering our setups can also be used for model studies in geosciences.
Challenging new constructions and ageing infrastructure are increasing the demand for permanent monitoring of loads and condition. Various methods and sensors are used for this purpose. But the technologies available today have difficulties in detecting slowly progressing locally confined damages. Extensive investigations or instrumentations are required so far for this purpose. In this study we present new sensors and data processing methods for ultrasonic transmission, which can be used for non-destructive long term monitoring of concrete. They can be mounted during construction or thereafter. Larger volumes can be monitored by a limited number of sensors for changes of material properties. The principles of ultrasonic transmission and influencing factors are presented. This latter include load, damages as well as environmental parameters as temperature or moisture. Various methods for data processing, e. g. coda wave interferometry are introduced. They allow the detection of very small changes in the medium. The embedded sensors are shown including mounting and operation. Application examples so far include small scale laboratory freeze-thaw experiments, localizing loads in larger concrete models, monitoring load effects on real structures as well as detecting acoustic events. Some sensors are operating already for several years. The sensors can be used as transmitter or receivers or switched between both roles. While most of the previous experiments have been active (at least one sensor serving as transmitter), new studies show that the sensors are useful as well for passive measurements, e. g. in acoustic emission or time reversal experiments. Besides application in civil engineering our setups can also be used for model studies in geosciences.
Geophysical methods have been used in civil engineering for decades. The main field of application is - to no surprise – in geotechnical projects from site characterization to foundation quality assurance. For more than 25 years, ground penetrating radar (GPR) and seismic methods have found applications in structural engineering. Recently introduced geophysical methods have been adopted to ultrasonic investigations in various fields. They help to improve the quality of structural imaging and to detect small changes in concrete. An overview of the history and current use of geophysics in civil engineering is given. Selected examples of new concepts include advances in wave based imaging, quality assurance for foundations, detecting small changes in concrete as well as moisture and corrosion detection are discussed.
The catalytic efficiency of two magnetically responsive nanocatalysts was evaluated for the Degradation of Reactive Black 5 (RB5) and Reactive Yellow 84 (RY84) azo dyes using hydrogen peroxide as oxidant undervery mild conditions (atmospheric pressure, room temperature). In order to obtain the nanocatalysts, thesurface of magnetite (Fe3O4) nanoparticles, prepared by a co-precipitation method, was further modified with ferrous oxalate, a highly sensitive non-hazardous reducing agent. The sensitized nanomaterials were characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning and transmission electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and vibrating sample magnetometry, and used in the catalytic wet hydrogen peroxideoxidation (CWHPO) of RB5 and RY84, in laboratory-scale experiments. The effect of important variables such as catalyst dosage, H2O2 concentration, and contact time was studied in the dye Degradation kinetics. The results showed that it was possible to remove up to 99.7% dye in the presence of 20 mM H2O2 after 240 min of oxidation for a catalyst concentration of 10 g L−1at 25◦C and initial pH value of 9.0.CWHPO of reactive dyes using sensitized magnetic nanocatalysts can be a suitable pre-treatment methodfor complete decolorization of effluents from textile dyeing and finishing processes, once the Optimum operating conditions are established.
The use of magnetic materials as heterogeneous catalysts has attracted increasing attention in the last years since they proved to be promising candidates for water treatment. In the present study, two types of surface-modified magnetite (Fe3O4) nanoparticles, coated with non-hazardous naturally occurring agents—either tannic acid (TA) or dissolved natural organic matter—were evaluated as magnetic heterogeneous catalysts. Chemical synthesis (co-precipitation) was chosen to yield the nanocatalysts due to its well-established simplicity and efficiency. Subsequently, the properties of the final products were fully assessed by various characterization techniques. The catalytic activity in heterogeneous oxidation of aqueous solutions containing a model pollutant, Bisphenol A (BPA), was comparatively studied. The effect of operational parameters (catalyst loading, H2O2 dosage, and UV light irradiation) on the Degradation performance of the oxidation process was investigated. The optimum experimental parameters were found to be 1.0 g/L of catalysts and 10 mM H2O2, under UV irradiation. The highest mineralization rates were observed for Fe3O4-TA catalyst. More than 80 % of BPA was removed after 30 min of reaction time under the specified experimental conditions. The obtained results showed that the two catalysts studied here are suitable candidates for the removal of pollutants in wastewaters by means of heterogeneous reaction using a green sustainable treatment method.
The syntheses, crystal structures, and physical properties of [HFe19O14(OEt)30] and {Fe11(OEt)24}1 are reported. [HFe19O14(OEt)30] has an octahedral shape. Its core with a central Fe metal ion surrounded by six m6-oxo ligands is arranged in the rock salt structure. {Fe11(OEt)24}1 is a mixedvalence coordination polymer in which FeIII metal ions form three 3D interpenetrating (10,3)-b nets. The arrangement of the FeIII ions can also be compared to that of Si ions in a-ThSi2. Thus, the described structures are at the interface between molecular and solid-state chemistry.
LIBS is on the step from a laboratory application to on-site analysis. A validated mobile LIBS-system for on-site application on building materials is under development at BAM in cooperation with industrial partners (system developers and companies), who will use this technique for investigation on building structures like bridges and parking decks. The system is designed to measure the content of harmful species like chlorine, sulfur or alkalis, to give the engineer a tool for the estimation of the condition of concrete structures and for quality assurance during concrete repair work on-site. In these work results of on-site measurements on a chloride contaminated bridge are shown. Further work will focus on providing guidelines to establish LIBS as a standard procedure for chemical investigations of building materials.
Hydroformylation represents an important homogeneous catalyzed process, which is widely used within chemical industry. Usually applied with simple alkenes like Propene and Butene aldehydes obtained from alkenes >C6 are relevant intermediates in production of plasticizers, surfactants and polymers. Today the active catalyst species is often based on valuable Rhodium complexes in aqueous solution. This implies the problem of limited water solubility of the reactands, which is acceptable for short chain lengths, but states a problem in case of higher alkenes. Along with that efficient separation and recycling of the catalyst becomes more complicated. There are different approaches tackling this problem, e.g., by using of salt formation in the BASF process or downstream distillation within the Shell process
In this paper, we present a new dataset consisting of 19,407 X-ray images. The images are organized in a public database called GDXray that can be used free of charge, but for research and educational purposes only. The database includes five groups of X-ray images: castings, welds, baggage, natural objects and settings. Each group has several series, and each series several X-ray images. Most of the series are annotated or labeled. In such cases, the coordinates of the bounding boxes of the objects of interest or the labels of the images are available in standard text files. The size of GDXray is 3.5 GB and it can be downloaded from our website. We believe that GDXray represents a relevant contribution to the X-ray testing community. On the one hand, students, researchers and engineers can use these X-ray images to develop, test and evaluate image analysis and computer vision algorithms without purchasing expensive X-ray equipment. On the other hand, these images can be used as a benchmark in order to test and compare the performance of different approaches on the same data. Moreover, the database can be used in the training programs of human inspectors.
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.
Due to recent advances in technical developments of NMR instruments such as acquisition electronics and probe design, detection limits of components in liquid mixtures were improved into the lower ppm range (approx. 5–10 ppm amount of substance). This showed that modern NMR equipment is also suitable for the observation of hydrocarbon samples in the expanded fluid phase or gas phase. Since Quantitative NMR spectroscopy (qNMR) is a direct ratio method of analysis without the need of calibration it was used to determine impurities in appropriate liquid and liquefied hydrocarbon isomers up to C6, which are used for preparation of primary gas standards, e.g., natural gas or exhaust gas standards. At the same time it is possible to yield structural information with a minimum of sample preparation. Thus, cross contaminations between different isomers of the observed hydrocarbons and their (NMR-active) impurities can be identified and quantified.
In general, most quantitative organic chemical measurements rely on the availability of highly purified compounds to act as calibration standards. The traceability and providence of these standards is an essential component of any measurement uncertainty budget and provides the final link of the result to the units of measurement, ideally the SI. The more recent increase in the use of qNMR for the direct assessment of chemical purity however can potentially improve the traceability and reduce the uncertainty of the measured chemical purity at a reduced cost and with less material. For example the method has beneficially been used by National Measurement institutes for recent CCQM comparisons including the CCQM–K55 series of purity studies.
Traditional ‘indirect’ methods of purity analysis require that all impurities are identified and quantified, leading to a minimum of 4 individual analytical methods (organic impurities, water, solvents, inorganic residue). These multiple technique approaches measure an array of different chemical impurities normally present in purified organic chemical compounds. As many analytical methodologies have compound-specific response factors, the accuracy and traceability of the purity assessment is dependent on the availability of reference materials of the impurities being available.
qNMR provides the most universally applicable form of direct purity determination without need for reference materials of impurities or the calculation of response factors but only exhibiting suitable NMR properties. The development of CRMs addressing qNMR specific measurement issues will give analysts compounds ideally suited for the analytical method and also provide full characterisation of qNMR related parameters to enable more realistic uncertainty budgets. These materials will give users the tools to exploit qNMR more easily and enable them to speed up analytical method development and reduce the time and financial burden of multiple analytical testing.
Online NMR spectroscopy is an excellent tool to study complex reacting multicomponent mixtures and gain process insight and understanding. For online studies under process conditions, flow NMR probes can be used in a wide range of temperature and pressure. This paper compiles the most important aspects towards quantitative process NMR spectroscopy in complex multicomponent mixtures and provides examples. After NMR spectroscopy is introduced as an online method and for technical samples without sample preparation in deuterated solvents, influences of the residence time distribution, pre-magnetization, and cell design are discussed. NMR acquisition and processing parameters as well as data preparation methods are presented and the most practical data analysis strategies are introduced.
Resolving overlapping peaks of multiple components. Relative primary analytical method - Fundamental relationship of qNMR.