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Preliminary results of an interlaboratory comparison on microplastics organised by plasticsfate
(2023)
Microplastics are everywhere in the environment, but analytics is challenging. Since harmonisation is missing as well es suitable reference materials, BAM did under th umbrella of VAMAS funded by the EU Horizon 2020 project PlasticsFate a ILC for microplastic detection methods. Methods adressed were IR, Raman, Py-GC/MS and TED-GC/MS. The talk gives a first presentation and evaluation on the results.
AbstractMicroplastics (MP) can be detected in all environmental systems. Marine and terrestrial aquatic systems, especially the transported suspended solids, have often been the focus of scientific investigations in the past. Sediments of aquatic river systems, on the other hand, were often ignored due to the time‐consuming sample preparation and analysis procedures. Spectroscopic measurement methods counting particle numbers are hardly suitable as detection methods, because there are plenty of natural particles next to a small number of MP particles. Integral methods, such as thermoanalytical methods are determining the particle mass independently of the inorganic components.In this study, a workflow for sample preparation via density separation and subsequent analysis by thermal extraction desorption‐gas chromatography/mass spectrometry is presented, which leads to representative and homogeneous samples and allows fast and robust MP mass content measurements suitable for routine analysis. Polymers were identified and quantified in all samples. Polyethylene and styrene‐butadiene rubber are the dominant polymers, besides polypropylene and polystyrene. Overall, total polymer masses between 1.18 and 337.0 µg/g could be determined. Highest MP concentrations in riverbed sediment are found in sites characterized by low flow velocities in harbors and reservoirs, while MP concentrations in sandy/gravelly bed sediments with higher flow velocities are small.
Multiphoton lithography (MPL) has recently attracted significant research interest as a versatile tool capable of fabricating 2D and 3D micro- and nanoscopic features with high spatial resolution. The integrity of MPL microstructures, or their ability to respond to external stimuli, is of critical importance. Often, the mechanically flexible micro-objects are expected to be capable of shape morphing, bending, or other motion to ensure their functionality. However, achieving the desired properties of MPL-manufactured micro components for a specific application still remains challenging.
In this work, we present new MPL materials based on epoxy-acrylate interpenetrating networks (IPNs). We aim at fabrication 3D microstructures, whose properties can be easily tuned by varying the ratio of the IPN components and fabrication parameters. The studied mixtures consist of polyethylene glycol diacrylate (PEGDA) and cycloaliphatic epoxide functional groups. Consequently, tryarylsylfonium salt and cyclopentanone photoinitiator tailored for MPL were used to ensure cationic and radical polymerization, respectively. The resulting library of 3D microstructures was investigated for their thermal and mechanical properties using highly sensitive space-resolved methods. For the first time, we were able to evaluate the glass transition behavior of 3D MPL microstructures using fast scanning calorimetry. The influence of both IPN composition and fabrication parameters on glass transition temperature and material fragility was demonstrated. AFM force-distance curve and intermodulation methods were used to characterize the micromechanical properties with lateral resolution of the techniques in the range of 1 micron and 4 nm, respectively. The elastic-plastic behavior of the microarchitectures was evaluated and explained in terms of IPN morphology and thermal properties. The fabricated 3D IPN microstructures exhibit higher structural strength and integrity compared to PEGDA. In addition, IPNs exhibit high to full elastic recovery (up to 100%) with bulk modulus in the range of 4 to 6 MPa. This makes IPNs a good base material for modeling microstructures with intricate 3D designs for biomimetics and scaffold engineering.
The effects of composition and MPL microfabrication parameters on the resulting IPN properties give us a better understanding of the underlying mechanisms and microfabrication-structure-property relationships. Moreover, our funding supports the further development of IPN systems as versatile and easily tunable MPL materials.
Polymers with intrinsic microporosity are promising candidates for the active separation layer in gas separation membranes. These polymers are characterized by a high permeability and reasonable permselectivity. The latter point is somehow surprising because for microporous systems a more Knudson-like diffusion is expected then a size dependent temperature activated sieving process. It was argued in the framework of a random gate model that molecular fluctuations on a time scale from ps to ns are responsible for the permselectivity.
Here series of polymers of intrinsic microporosity (PIMs) as well as microporous polynorbornenes with bulky Si side groups and a rigid backbone are considered. The polymers have different microporosity characterized by high BET surface area values.
First inelastic time-of-flight neutron scattering measurements were carried out to investigate the low frequency density of state (VDOS). The measured data show the characteristic low frequency excess contribution to the VDOS above the Debye sound wave level, generally known as the Boson peak in glass-forming materials. It was found that the frequency of the maximum position of the Boson peak correlates with the BET surface area value.
Secondly elastic scans as well as quasielastic neutron scattering measurements by a combination of neutron time-of-flight and backscattering have been out. A low temperature relaxation process was found for both polymers. This process was assigned to the methyl group rotation. It was analysed in terms of a jump diffusion in a three-fold potential. The analysis of the dependence of the elastic incoherent structure factor on the scattering vector yields the number of methyl groups which might be immobilized.
The neutron scattering experiments were accompanied by fast scanning calorimetry and broadband dielectric investigations as well as atomistic molecular dynamic simulations.
Microplastics are solid polymeric particles with a size of 1-1000 μm (ISO/TR21960:2020), which can be emitted from mismanaged waste into the environment, where microplastic is now ubiquitous. What happens to the microplastics after ending up in the environment, which risks entail and what effects it has are not sufficiently clarified up to now. The most certain issue is that the plastic particles in the environment are exposed to natural ageing, are fragmenting and degrading, such that the potential risk to ecosystems and humans is increasing due to the formation of smaller and smaller particles, potentially even including nanoplastics, if these are ingested before their further degradation. Therefore, and in view of a possible registration of polymers under REACH in the future, it is necessary to investigate the degradation of thermoplastic polyurethanes (TPU) regarding hydrolysis stability to evaluate possible risks and effects to the environment.
In the present studies, one thermoplastic polyurethane – with and without hydrolysis stabilizer – is exposed to different pH buffers at 50°C for 14 days to investigate hydrolysis depending to different pH values (acid, alkali and neutral) based on OECD guideline TG111. The hydrolysis behavior of the TPUs is characterized by surface sensitive techniques and on bulk properties. First degradation effects can be detected by SEC. Hydrolysis, especially under acidic and basic conditions, leads to chain scissions to lower molecular masses. Furthermore, the degradation products which indicate the structure of the bulk material were detected by thermo-analytical methods like TGA-FTIR for the small degradation products and the thermo extraction/desorption-gaschromatography/mass spectrometry (TED-GC/MS) for bigger degradation products. Acidic and basic hydrolysis shows the same degradation behavior which is caused by a preferred scission of the ester and urethane functionalities. Surface-sensitive techniques such as XPS demonstrate less carboxylic acid formation at acidic than at alkaline pH value in the TPU without stabilator, where as the TPU with stabilator ages to the same extent in both pH ranges. Altogether, the hydrolysis of TPUs – independently of added stabilizer or not – in acid and alkali environment is accelerated compared to the neutral hydrolysis.
Inspired by the chemistry of mussel adhesive proteins, polydopamine (PDA has been shown as one of the most versatile platforms for altering the properties and incorporating new functionalities to nearby any material surface despite its nature. Rich chemistry of PDA enables broad variety of surface modification and diverse secondary reactions that makes it extremely interesting for a wide range of application including biomedical field, e.g., drug delivery, adhesives, cell adhesion, biosensing. Despite high potential of polydopamine, the lack of deposition control and precision in existed methods limits their applications in microdevices and miniaturized functional systems like, for example, MEMS, microfluidic and sensorics.
Herein, we demonstrate a novel maskless approach for surface micropatterning with polydopamine based on Multiphoton Lithography that overcomes present limitations. Neither strong oxidants, metal ions nor adjustment of pH to alkaline is required by this technique. The spatial resolution down to 0.8 µm has been achieved which is at least an order of magnitude smaller than shown by other existed methods. We are able to control the morphology and thickness of the micropattern by altering fabrication parameters allowing structure gradient.
Apart from the glass substrate, we achieved PDA patterning at surfaces of different nature such as polychlorotrifluoroethylene, polydimethylsiloxane, polyethylene terephthalate, silicon wafers, and fluorinated glass coverslips. Post-modification of polydopamine micropatterns with protein enzyme like trypsin is demonstrated to highlight its sensing potential.
Presented in this work microfabrication technique empowers advanced applications of mussel-inspired materials in single-molecule bioassays, sensors and other complex microdevices.
Text Multiphoton lithography (MPL) has recently attracted significant research interest as a versatile tool capable of producing 2D and 3D micro- and nanoscopic features with high spatial resolution. The integrity of MPL microstructures, or their ability to respond to external stimuli, is of critical importance. However, achieving the desired properties of fabricated microcomponents for a specific application remains a challenge.
In this work, we present new MPL materials based on epoxy-acrylate interpenetrating networks (IPNs). We aim at 3D microstructures, whose properties can be easily tuned by varying the ratio of the IPN components and fabrication parameters (Figure 1). The resulting library of 3D microstructures was investigated for their thermal and mechanical properties using highly-sensitive space-resolved methods. Flash scanning calorimetry revealed the influence of both, IPN composition and fabrication parameters, on glass transition temperature and material fragility. AFM force-distance curve and intermodulation methods were used to characterize the mechanical properties with a lateral resolution of 1 micron and 4 nm, respectively. The deformation, stiffness and elastic behavior are discussed in detail in relation to the morphology. Moreover, we found that some 3D IPN microstructures exhibit fully elastic behavior. Our funding encourages the further development of IPN systems as versatile and easily tunable MPL materials.
AbstractThis work addresses the critical need for multifunctional materials and substrate‐independent high‐precision surface modification techniques that are essential for advancing microdevices and sensing elements. To overcome existing limitations, the versatility of mussel‐inspired materials (MIMs) is combined with state‐of‐the‐art multiphoton direct laser writing (DLW) microfabrication. In this way, 2D and 3D MIM microstructures of complex designs are demonstrated with sub‐micron to micron resolution and extensive post‐functionalization capabilities. This study includes polydopamine (PDA), mussel‐inspired linear, and dendritic polyglycerols (MI‐lPG and MI‐dPG), allowing their direct microstructure on the substrate of choice with the option to tailor the patterned topography and morphology in a controllable manner. The functionality potential of MIMs is demonstrated by successfully immobilizing and detecting single‐stranded DNA on MIM micropattern and nanoarray surfaces. In addition, easy modification of MIM microstructure with silver nanoparticles without the need of any reducing agent is shown. The methodology developed here enables the integration of MIMs in advanced applications where precise surface functionalization is essential.
Fungal pigments such as melanin and carotenoids are distinctive markers of animal and plant pathogenic fungi as well as their environmental relatives. These complex pigments play important roles in pathogenicity and stress tolerance while also being useful as biomarkers. Accordingly, it is important to be able to identify in situ the pigments in black fungi, a group of clinical and environmental importance. In this study, wild-type and genetically modified strains of Knufia petricola A95 and wild fungal cells attached to ancient rock were investigated for their spectroscopic and microscopic Raman features and morphological appearance. Knockout mutants of melanin synthesis genes pks1 (polyketide synthase), sdh1 (scytalone dehydratase), and both pks1 and the carotenoid synthesis gene phd1 (phytoene desaturase) were studied We applied two different Raman microscopes using two lasers, with 633 nm and 488 nm wavelengths. We analyzed and compared Raman spectra between the measured reference substances and the mutant and wild-type strains. In the wild strain WT:A95, the peaks close to melanin peals were found at 1353 cm−1 and 1611 cm−1. There are no characteristic melanin peaks at 1580–1600 cm−1 and around 1350 cm−1 at the spectrum of the Δpks1/Δphd1 mutant and the Δsdh1 mutant. The Δpks1 mutant spectrum has the peaks at the beta-carotene v2 C-C in-plane stretch at 1155 cm−1 and v3 C-CH3 deformation at 1005 cm−1. The peaks of carotenoids and melanin were found in all mutants and the wild strain, except the Δpks1/Δphd1 mutant. Raman spectra allow for discrimination between the various pigments. Hence, interactions between natural fungal melanin, as well as other protective pigments, and complex environmental matrices can be characterized on a range of spatial and temporal scales.
A round-robin study has been carried out to estimate the impact of the human element in small-angle scattering data analysis. Four corrected datasets were provided to participants ready for analysis. All datasets were measured on samples containing spherical scatterers, with two datasets in dilute dispersions and two from powders. Most of the 46 participants correctly identified the number of populations in the dilute dispersions, with half of the population mean entries within 1.5% and half of the population width entries within 40%. Due to the added complexity of the structure factor, far fewer people submitted answers on the powder datasets. For those that did, half of the entries for the means and widths were within 44 and 86%, respectively. This round-robin experiment highlights several causes for the discrepancies, for which solutions are proposed.
Despite the increasing concern about the harmful effects of micro- and
nanoplastics (MNPs), there are no harmonized guidelines or protocols yet available for MNP ecotoxicity testing. Current ecotoxicity studies often use commercial spherical particles as models for MNPs, but in nature, MNPs occur in variable shapes, sizes and chemical compositions. Moreover, protocols developed for chemicals that dissolve or form stable dispersions are currently used for assessing the ecotoxicity of MNPs. Plastic particles, however, do not dissolve and also show dynamic behavior in the exposure medium, depending on, for example, MNP physicochemical properties and the medium’s conditions such as pH and ionic strength. Here we describe an exposure protocol that considers the particle-specific properties of MNPs and their dynamic behavior in exposure systems. Procedure 1 describes the top-down production of more realistic MNPs as representative of MNPs in nature and particle characterization (e.g., using thermal extraction desorption-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry). Then, we describe exposure system development for short- and long-term toxicity tests for soil (Procedure 2) and aquatic (Procedure 3) organisms. Procedures 2 and 3 explain how to modify existing ecotoxicity guidelines for chemicals to target testing MNPs in selected exposure systems. We show some examples that were used to develop the protocol to test, for example, MNP toxicity in marine rotifers, freshwater mussels, daphnids and earthworms. The present protocol takes between 24 h and 2 months, depending on the test of interest and can be applied by students, academics, environmental risk assessors and industries.
The VAMAS/TWA 45 Project 2 “Development of standardized methodologies for characterisation of microplastics with microscopy and spectroscopy methods” involving 85 participants around the world is primarily discussed with respect to the results received and a first data evaluation. Status of the Project "Guidelines for defining reference materials for plastic degradation in marine environment" is reported and two new project proposals are presented: "Development of standardized methodologies for characterisation of nanoplastics (starting soon, BAM as leader?) and "Development of analytical protocols for the identification and quantification of microplastics of fibrous shape (still in negotiation)".
Determining thermal transitions in thin polymer layers by means of spectroscopic ellipsometry
(2023)
Thin polymer layers have enormous technical significance as polymer coatings on materials are very cost-effective for tailoring properties of surfaces. Apart from technical aspects in their use, thin polymer layers can be used to determine dimensional aspects in properties of material, such as confinement effects.
In this work, we investigated several different polymer layer materials and determined their glass transition region by means of temperature-dependent spectroscopic ellipsometry. We have optimised our fitting procedure of the ellipsometric data produced in temperature ramp experiments. By this, we could measure the dependence of Tg on the layer thickness in a wide variety of thickness values, proving the existence of confinement effects in the investigated systems. We compare numerical methods for determining the location of the glass transition and discuss the possibilities of different analysis methods when determining thermal transitions. We also discuss the simultaneous existence of these transitions and annealing effects and the implications on the accuracy of the determined data.
Material Selection Strategy
(2023)
This presentation summarizes outcomes of the CUSP projects POLYRISK and PlasticsFatE according to thermoanalytical methods.It highlights the importants of analytical methods to measure physical and chemical properties of the test materials. These informations are neccessary for interpretation of the toxicological test results.
Test artifact for fs-LDW
(2023)
Ionic Liquid Crystals are ionic liquids that exhibit liquid crystalline mesomorphism together with ionic conductivity. As known confined liquid crystal mesophases can show an anomalous dynamics and phase behavior. Investigations considering the factors controlling the macroscopic properties of ILCs in confinement are scare in the literature. This study reports the molecular mobility, and the phase transition behavior of a guanidinium based columnar ILC confined in the nanopores of self-ordered anodic aluminum oxide membranes of various pore diameters (25 – 180 nm) using Broadband Dielectric Spectroscopy (BDS), calorimetry and X-ray scattering. It is aimed to reveal in which way the pore size as well as the pore surface wettability (hydrophobic or hydrophilic) alters the molecular dynamics, and phase transition behavior for this system. These properties are crucial for applications. The DSC investigations reveal: (i) the phase transition temperature for the transition from the plastic crystalline to the crystalline-liquid state has non-monotonic dependence versus the inverse pore diameter and (ii) the transition from the liquid crystalline to the isotropic phase is suppressed for all nanoconfined samples. This transition suppressed in the thermal signal was evidenced by BDS and X-ray scattering. It is discussed as a continuous phase transition taking place in the pores instead of a discontinuous first order transition as observed for the bulk. BDS investigations show different relaxation processes for the bulk and the nanoconfined ILC. Molecular origins for various relaxation processes are discussed and suggested. It is further shown that the self-assembly of this ILC is dynamic in nature which might apply for other ILCs too. The obtained results will have implications for the nanoscale applications of ionic liquid crystals.
With femtosecond-laser direct writing (fs-LDW) maturing in all aspects as a manufacturing technology, a toolset for quality assurance must be developed. In this work we introduce a first of its kind test artifact. Test artifacts are standardized 3D models with specific geometric features to evaluate the performance of writing parameters. Test artifacts are already common in other 3D additive manufacturing technologies e.g. selective laser melting. The test artifact introduced in this work was developed in particular to accommodate the high geometrical resolution of fs-LDW structures and the limited possibilities to examine the resulting structure. Geometric accuracy, surface adhesion as well as confocal Raman spectroscopy results were considered when evaluating the design of the test artifact. We will explain the individual features and design considerations of our fs-LDW test artifact. The difference between two slicers, Cura and 3DPoli, and the implications on measured feature sizes and the general shape is quantified. The measured geometries are used to derive a general design guide for a specific combination of photoresists, laser power and scanning speed and to analyze the geometric accuracy of a structure produced using these guidelines. The shown test artifact is publicly available as STL file on GitHub (https://github.com/BAMresearch/2PP-TestArtifact) and in the supplement.
Thin polymeric films are of great importance of high number of high-tech applications for instance in sensors and nanoelectronics. Form the scientific point of view thin films with thickness below 100 nm are ideal model systems to study confinement effects on its properties for instance on the molecular relaxation processes. In this contribution an overview is presented about the behavior of different systems as investigated by nanosized relaxation spectroscopy like broadband dielectric spectroscopy employing nano structured capacitors and AC chip calorimetry complimented by ellipsometry. The systems considered are PVME1, PVME/PS blends2,3 P2VP4, PBAC5 and polysulfone6. Besides the film also the adsorbed layer on the substrate prepared by a leaching approach and investigated by AFM is considered.1,4-7. For these investigationsss it is found that the adsorbed layer itself exhibits a relaxation dynamics which might be assigned either to molecular motions or to adsorptions desorption kinetics.
Inelastic incoherent neutron time-of-flight scattering was employed to investigate the low-frequency vibrational density of states (VDOSs) for a series of glassy Janus-poly(tricyclononenes), which consist of a rigid main chain and flexible alkyl side chains. Here, the length of the flexible side chains was systematically varied from propyl to octyl. Such materials have potential applications as active separation layers in gas separation membranes as a green future technology, especially for the separation of higher hydrocarbons. From the morphological point of view, the Janus polynorbornenes undergo a nanophase separation into alkyl side chain-rich nanodomains surrounded by a rigid polynorbornene matrix. Here, the influence of the nanophase-separated structure on the low-frequency VDOS is investigated from a fundamental point of view. The low-frequency VDOSs of these Janus polynorbornene show excess contributions to the Debye type VDOS known as the Boson peak (BP) for all side chain lengths. Due to the high incoherent scattering cross-section of hydrogen, most of the scattering comes from the alkyl side chain-rich domains.
Compared to conventional glass-forming materials, in the considered Janus polynorbornenes, the BP has a much lower intensity and its frequency position is shifted to higher values. These experimental results are discussed in terms of the nanophase-separated structure where the alkyl chain-rich domains were constrained by the surrounding matrix dominated by the rigid backbone. With increasing alkyl chain length, the size of the alkyl chain-rich domains increases. The frequency position of the BP shifts linearly to lower frequencies with the size of these nanodomains estimated from X-ray measurements. The obtained results support the sound wave interpretation to the BP
Copolymer thin films with two types of functional groups have excellent performance as sensors, for example. The formation and deposition of allyl alcohol‐acrylic acid copolymer films by pulsed high frequency plasma is a complex process. As usual, the chemical composition of the top surface of the films was investigated by XPS and FTIR measurements. Furthermore, contact angle measurements with water were used to characterise the hydrophilicity and wettability of the polymer films.
After plasma deposition, a significant decrease in functional groups (OH and COOH) was observed compared to the classically copolymerised equivalent.
The remaining functional groups, i.e. the majority of these groups, were sufficient for application as sensor layers. Segmental mobility and conductivity, important for sensor applications, were analysed by broadband dielectric spectroscopy.
Amphiphilic amino acids represent promising scaffolds for biologically active soft matter. In order to understand the bulk self-assembly of amphiphilic amino acids into thermotropic liquid crystalline phases and their biological properties a series of tyrosine ionic liquid crystals (ILCs) was synthesized, carrying a benzoate unit with 0–3 alkoxy chains at the tyrosine unit and a cationic guanidinium head group. Investigation of the mesomorphic properties by polarizing optical microscopy (POM), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and X-ray diffraction (WAXS, SAXS) revealed smectic A bilayers (SmAd) for ILCs with 4-alkoxy- and 3,4-dialkoxybenzoates, whereas ILCs with 3,4,5-trisalkoxybenzoates showed hexagonal columnar mesophases (Colh ), while different counterions had only a minor influence. Dielectric measurements revealed a slightly higher dipole moment of non-mesomorphic tyrosine-benzoates as compared to their mesomorphic counterparts. The absence of lipophilic side chains on the benzoate unit was important for the biological activity. Thus, non-mesomorphic tyrosine benzoates and crown ether benzoates devoid of additional side chains at the benzoate unit displayed the highest cytotoxicities (against L929 mouse fibroblast cell line) and antimicrobial activity (against Escherichia coli DTolC and Staphylococcus aureus) and promising selectivity ratio in favour of antimicrobial activity.
Mechanically flexible single crystals of molecular materials offer potential for a multitude of new directions in advanced materials design. Before the full potential of such materials can be exploited, insight into their mechanisms of action must be better understood. Such insight can be only obtained through synergistic use of advanced experimentation and simulation. We herein report the first detailed mechanistic study of elasto-plastic flexibility in a molecular solid. An atomistic origin for this mechanical behaviour is proposed through a combination of atomic force microscopy, μ-focus synchrotron X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, ab initio simulation, and computed elastic tensors. Our findings suggest that elastic and plastic bending are intimately linked and result from extensions of the same molecular deformations. The proposed mechanism bridges the gap between contested mechanisms, suggesting its applicability as a general mechanism for elastic and plastic bending in organic molecular crystals.
Interactions between a polymer and a substrate interface play a vital role in understanding the improvement in thin film material properties as well as serving as a model for nanocomposites. For any non-repulsive polymer-substrate interactions, polymer segments form an irreversibly adsorbed layer and show a slowdown in the glassy dynamics and thus an increase in the thermal glass transition temperature compared to the bulk-like values. The growth kinetics of the adsorbed layer obey a two-step mechanism: formation of immobilized layer with flat segmental conformations and a loosely bound layer with stretched chains pinned to the surface. Here the adsorbed layer was studied for: poly (bisphenol-A carbonate) (PBAC) and polysulfone (PSU), two bulky polymers containing a functional group (phenyl ring) in the backbone and compared to poly (2-vinyl pyridine) (P2VP), where the backbone is a vinyl-derivative and the functional group (pyridine) is in the side chain. The growth kinetics for PBAC and PSU were found to deviate from the well-known mechanism, observed for polymers such as P2VP. Atomic force microscopy and ellipsometry were used for this investigation and was additionally supported by broadband dielectric spectroscopy.
The growth kinetics of the adsorbed layer of poly(2-vinylpiridine) on silicon oxide is studied using a leaching technique which is based on the Guiselin brushes approach. The adsorbed layer is grown from a 200 nm thick P2VP film for several annealing time periods at different annealing temperatures. Then the film is solvent-leached, and the height of the remaining adsorbed layer is measured by atomic force microscopy. At the lowest annealing temperature only a linear growth regime is observed, followed by a plateau. Here, the molecular mobility of segments is too low to allow for a logarithmic growth. At higher annealing temperatures, both linear and logarithmic growth regimes are observed, followed by a plateau. At even higher annealing temperatures, the growth kinetics of the adsorbed layer changes.
A linear growth followed by logarithmic growth kinetics is observed for short annealing time periods. For longer annealing time periods, an upturn of the growth kinetics is observed. At the highest annealing temperature, only a logarithmic growth regime is found. The change in the growth kinetics is discussed by an alteration in the structure of the adsorbed layer. Moreover, the interaction between the polymer segments and the substrate becomes weaker due to both enthalpic and entropic effects. Therefore, at high annealing temperatures the polymer segments might more easily desorb from the substrate.
Im der Präsentation werden, neben der Möglichkeit der Mikroplastikquantifizierung, auf weitere Anwendungsfelder der Methode TED-GC/MS eigegangen. Dies beinhaltet die Erfassung von Degradationsprodukten UV/O2 geschädigter Polymere und die Detektion von Additiven. Die Optimierung der Methode betreffend Messzeit und materialspezifischer Messanforderung sind ebenfalls Gegenstand.
Nowadays, in every terrestrial and aquatic ecosystem, even in the remotest areas, small residues of plastics, the so called microplastic (MP) can be found. MPs are particles with a size of 1-1000 µm (ISO/TR 21960:2020), mainly containing synthetic polymers like polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polystyrene (PS) or polyethylene terephthalate (PET). Even styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR) as an indication for tire wear is included due to similar particle formation. To understand the MPs consequences to the environment, it is of high priority to capture its extent of contamination. It is surprising that in the analysis of polymer masses in environmental samples, PE, PS and SBR are often detected, but only small amounts of PP, although this is the second most commonly produced standard plastic and many MP particles originate from carelessly disposed packaging materials.
This presentation provides hypotheses about the reasons of rare PP identification and mass quantification in environmental samples. Different investigations of pristine PP and representative environmental samples, including the pre-treatment by Accelerated Solvent Extraction (ASE) or with density separation followed by the thermal extraction / desorption gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (TED-GC/MS) are presented. The results are discussed according to the material properties and a possible degradation mechanism under different weathering conditions which indicate less stability under relevant storage conditions.
The glass transition behavior of thin films of poly(bisphenol A carbonate) (PBAC) was studied employing ellipsometry. The glass transition temperature increases with the reduction of the film thickness. This result is attributed to the formation of an adsorbed layer with a reduced mobility compared to bulk PBAC. Therefore, for the first time, the growth kinetics of the adsorbed layer of PBAC was investigated, prepared by leaching samples from a 200 nm thin film which were annealed for several times at three different temperatures. The thickness of each prepared adsorbed layer was measured by multiple scans using atomic force microscopy (AFM). Additionally, an unannealed sample was measured. Comparison of the measurements of the unannealed and the annealed samples provides proof of a pre-growth regime for all annealing temperatures which was not observed for other polymers. For the lowest annealing temperature after the pre-growth stage only a growth regime with a linear time dependence is observed. For higher annealing temperatures the growth kinetics changes from a linear to a logarithmic growth regime at a critical time. At the longest annealing times the films showed signs of dewetting where segments of the adsorbed film were removed from the substrate (dewetting by desorption). The dependence of the surface roughness of the PBAC surface on annealing time also confirmed that the films annealed at highest temperatures for the longest times desorbed from the substrate.
Small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) can be used for structural de- termination of biological macromolecules and polymers in their na- tive states. To improve the reliability of such experiments, the re- duction of radiation damage occurring from exposure to X-rays is needed.One method, is the use of scavenger molecules that protect macromolecules against radicals produced by radiation exposure.In this study we investigate the feasibility to apply the compatible solute, osmolyte and radiation protector Ectoine (THP(B)) as a scavenger throughout SAXS measurements of single-stranded DNA-binding protein Gene-V Protein (G5P/GVP). Therefore we monitor the radiation induced changes of G5P during bio-SAXS. The resulting microscopic energy-damage relation was determined by particle scattering simu- lations with TOPAS/Geant4. The results are interpreted in terms of radical scavenging as well as post-irradiation effects, related to preferential-exclusion from the protein surface. Thus, Ectoine provides an non-disturbing way to improve structure-determination of proteins via bio-SAXS in future studies.
Suppressed Transition and Dynamic self-asembly of ionic superdiscs in cylindrical nanochannels
(2023)
Liquid crystalline mesophases in nanoconfinement exhibit intriguing phase transition behaviors and relaxation dynamics. Here, we investigate the molecular mobility and electrical conductivity of a columnar ionic liquid crystal confined in self-ordered nanoporous alumina oxide membranes of pore size ranging from 180 nm down to 25 nm. We use nano-broadband dielectric spectroscopy (BDS) and calorimetry to study the dynamics and phase behavior. Calorimetric investigation reveals a complete suppression of the columnar – isotropic transition, while the plastic crystalline – columnar transition temperature decreases with inverse pore size and deviates from the Gibbs – Thomson equation.
For the bulk case, BDS detects two relaxation modes in the crystalline phase, the γ relaxation and the α1 relaxation, and two relaxation modes in the columnar phase, the α2 and α3 relaxation. All relaxation modes slow down for the confined case compared to the bulk. However, a new relaxation mode reflecting the interfacial layer emerges for the 80 and 25 nm. We discuss the possible molecular origins of the different relaxation modes observed. For the bulk ILC, a clear jump of 4 orders of magnitude in the absolute values of DC conductivity occurs at the transition from the plastic crystalline to hexagonal columnar phase, for the confined ILC, this transition is smooth. DC conductivity is reduced for the confined case, except for the 25nm, where the values are similar to the bulk.
Suppressed Transition and Dynamic self-asembly of ionic superdiscs in cylindrical nanochannels
(2023)
Liquid crystalline mesophases in nanoconfinement exhibit intriguing phase transition behaviors and relaxation dynamics. Here, we investigate the molecular mobility and electrical conductivity of a columnar ionic liquid crystal confined in self-ordered nanoporous alumina oxide membranes of pore size ranging from 180 nm down to 25 nm. We use nano-broadband dielectric spectroscopy (BDS) and calorimetry to study the dynamics and phase behavior. Calorimetric investigation reveals a complete suppression of the columnar – isotropic transition, while the plastic crystalline – columnar transition temperature decreases with inverse pore size and deviates from the Gibbs – Thomson equation.
For the bulk case, BDS detects two relaxation modes in the crystalline phase, the γ relaxation and the α1 relaxation, and two relaxation modes in the columnar phase, the α2 and α3 relaxation. All relaxation modes slow down for the confined case compared to the bulk. However, a new relaxation mode reflecting the interfacial layer emerges for the 80 and 25 nm. We discuss the possible molecular origins of the different relaxation modes observed. For the bulk ILC, a clear jump of 4 orders of magnitude in the absolute values of DC conductivity occurs at the transition from the plastic crystalline to hexagonal columnar phase, for the confined ILC, this transition is smooth. DC conductivity is reduced for the confined case, except for the 25nm, where the values are similar to the bulk.
We report the dielectric and calorimetric investigations of an homologous series of Janus polynorbornenes with rigid main backbone and flexible -Si(OR)3 side groups, of differing length alkyl chains (R = Propyl, Butyl, Hexyl, Octyl, Decyl). Dielectric dispersion reveals two active processes at low temperatures, denoted as β- and α- relaxation. The former can be assigned to localized fluctuations, whilst the latter relates to the glassy dynamics of the flexible -Si(OR)3 side groups, that creates a nanophase separation in both the alkyl chain rich and backbone rich domains. Temperature modulated DSC measurements and X-ray scattering experiment confirm the nanophase separation. Fast Scanning Calorimetry employing both fast heating and cooling rates detects the glass transition temperatures of the backbone rich domains, which are beyond or near to their degradation temperatures in terms of conventional DSC. The cooperative length scale of glass transition and the size of the alkyl chain rich domains increases with chain length. Alongside these results, a significant conductivity contribution was observed for all Poly(tricyclononenes) with Si(OR)3 side groups, which is interpreted in terms of a percolation model.
Accessing radiation damage to biomolecules on the nanoscale by particle-scattering simulations
(2023)
Radiation damage to DNA plays a central role in radiation therapy to cure cancer. The physico-chemical and biological processes involved encompass huge time and spatial scales. To obtain a comprehensive understanding on the nano and the macro scale is a very challenging tasks for experimental techniques alone. Therefore particle-scattering simulations are often applied to complement measurements and aide their interpretation, to help in the planning of experiments, to predict their outcome and to test damage models. In the last years, powerful multipurpose particle-scattering framework based on the Monte-Carlo simulation (MCS) method, such as Geant4 and Geant4-DNA, were extended by user friendly interfaces such as TOPAS and TOPAS-nBio. This shifts their applicability from the realm of dedicated specialists to a broader range of scientists. In the present review we aim to give an overview over MCS based approaches to understand radiation interaction on a broad scale, ranging from cancerous tissue, cells and their organelles including the nucleus, mitochondria and membranes, over radiosensitizer such as metallic nanoparticles, and water with additional radical scavenger, down to isolated biomolecules in the form of DNA, RNA, proteins and DNA-protein complexes. Hereby the degradation of biomolecules by direct damage from inelastic scattering processes during the physical stage, and the indirect damage caused by radicals during the chemical stage as well as some parts of the early biological response is covered. Due to their high abundance the action of hydroxyl radicals (•OH) and secondary low energy electrons (LEE) as well as prehydrated electrons are covered in additional detail. Applications in the prediction of DNA damage, DNA repair processes, cell survival and apoptosis, influence of radiosensitizer on the dose distribution within cells and their organelles, the study of linear energy transfer (LET), the relative biological effectiveness (RBE), ion beam cancer therapy, microbeam radiation therapy (MRT), the FLASH effect, and the radiation induced bystander effect are reviewed.
Interactions between a polymer and a substrate interface play a vital role in understanding the improvement in thin film material properties as well as serving as a model for nanocomposites. For any non-repulsive polymer-substrate interactions, polymer segments form an irreversibly adsorbed layer and show a slowdown in the glassy dynamics and thus an increase in the thermal glass transition temperature compared to the bulk-like values. The growth kinetics of the adsorbed layer obey a two-step mechanism: formation of immobilized layer with flat segmental conformations and a loosely bound layer with stretched chains pinned to the surface. Here the adsorbed layer was studied for: poly (bisphenol-A carbonate) (PBAC) and polysulfone (PSU), two bulky polymers containing a functional group (phenyl ring) in the backbone and compared to poly (2-vinyl pyridine) (P2VP), where the backbone is a vinyl-derivative and the functional group (pyridine) is in the side chain. The growth kinetics for PBAC and PSU were found to deviate from the well-known mechanism, observed for polymers such as P2VP. Atomic force microscopy and ellipsometry were used for this investigation and was additionally supported by broadband dielectric spectroscopy.
Dose enhancement by gold nanoparticles (AuNP) increases the biological effectiveness of radiation damage in biomolecules and tissue.
To apply them effectively during cancer therapy their influence on the locally delivered dose has to be determined. Hereby, the AuNP locations strongly influence the energy deposit in the nucleus, mitochondria, membrane and the cytosol of the targeted cells. In this work, two newly developed continuous and discrete-geometric models for simulations of AuNP in cells are presented. We apply the presented models in Monte-Carlo particle scattering simulations to characterize the energy deposit in cell organelles by radioactive 198AuNP. They emit beta and gamma rays and are therefore considered for applications
with solid tumors. Differences in local dose enhancement between randomly distributed and nucleus targeted nanoparticles are compared.
Hereby nucleus targeted nanoparticels showed a strong local dose enhancement in the radio sensitive nucleus.
Microplastic particles with sizes between 1 to 1000 μm are widely distributed worldwide. Origin, transport pathways and fate are poorly known, as sampling, sample preparation and detection methods are major challenges. In addition, reference materials that mimic environmental particles are lacking. Most challenging is the yield of MP particle production and the need for resource-intensive grinding with liquid nitrogen. In this paper, a machine is designed to produce aged microplastic particles as reference material candidates with high yield. The machine is based on ultraviolet aging of a thin foil and mechanical fragmentation using clean air. An example of aging and fragmentation of high density polyethylene with additional physical and chemical characterization of shape, size, aging state by carbonyl index and density is presented.
The investigations into the complicated effects of film thickness on bulk properties of thin polymer films has yielded conflicting results. The reduction in molecular mobility, and with it an increase in the glass transition temperature, for thin films of poly (bisphenol A carbonate) (PBAC) was assigned to the formation of an adsorbed layer. The adsorbed layer was obtained by washing away the loosely bounded chains using a good solvent. Next, using atomic force microscopy (AFM), the thickness of each sample was measured after annealing for various times at three different annealing temperatures. The growth of this adsorbed layer was shown to deviate from the previously reported 2-step mechanism seen for other polymers. For PBAC, after very long annealing times at high temperatures the thin films were dewetted, where segments of the adsorbed layer were removed from the substrate.
2PP-TestArtifact
(2023)
This repository contains a test artifact (TA), also called test structure, designed for two-photon polymerization (also known as Direct Laser Writing (DLW) or Two/Multi-photon lithography (2PA/MPA)). Test artifacts can be used to compare structures, to check options used by the slicer, check the state of the 2PP machine itself or to get a construction guidelines for a certain combination of power, velocity and settings.
The associated paper can be found here: https://dx.doi.org/10.1088/1361-6501/acc47a
General ideas behind the test artifact:
1. optimized for 2PP-DLW
2. should be fast and easy to analyse with optical microscopy or 3. scanning electron microscopy without tilt.
3. short time to fabricate
4. include a reasonable amount of different features
5. bulk and small structures on the substrate
A Round Robin study has been carried out to estimate the impact of the human element in small-angle scattering data analysis. Four corrected datasets were provided to participants ready for analysis. All datasets were measured on samples containing spherical scatterers, with two datasets in dilute dispersions, and two from powders.
Most of the 46 participants correctly identified the number of populations in the dilute dispersions, with half of the population mean entries within 1.5 % and half of the population width entries within 40 %, respectively. Due to the added complexity of the structure factor, much fewer people submitted answers on the powder datasets.
For those that did, half of the entries for the means and widths were within 44 % and 86 % respectively. This Round Robin experiment highlights several causes for the discrepancies, for which solutions are proposed.
The movement of the macroscopic magnetic moment in ferromagnetic systems can be described by the Landau-Lifshitz (LL) or Landau-Lifshitz-Gilbert (LLG) equation. These equations are strictly valid only at absolute zero temperature. To include temperature effects a stochastic version of the LL or LLG equation for a spin density of one per unit cell can be used instead. To apply the stochastic LL to micromagnetic simulations, where the spin density per unit cell is generally higher, a conversion regarding simulation cell size and temperature has to be established. Based on energetic considerations, a conversion for ferromagnetic bulk and thin film systems is proposed. The conversion is tested in micromagnetic simulations which are performed with the Object Oriented Micromagnetic Framework (OOMMF). The Curie temperatures of bulk Nickel, Cobalt and Iron systems as well as Nickel thin-film systems with thicknesses between 6.3 mono layer (ML) and 31ML are determined from micromagnetic simulations. The results show a good agreement with experimentally determined Curie temperatures of bulk and thin film systems when temperature scaling is performed according to the presented model.
Dose enhancement by gold nanoparticles (AuNP) increases the biological effectiveness of radiation damage in biomolecules and tissue. To apply them effectively during cancer therapy their influence on the locally delivered dose has to be determined.[1] Hereby, the AuNP locations strongly influence the energy deposit in the nucleus, mitochondria, membrane and the cytosol of the targeted cells. To estimate these effects, particle scattering simulations are applied. In general, different approaches for modeling the AuNP and their distribution within the cell are possible. In this work, two newly developed continuous and discrete-geometric models for simulations of AuNP in cells are presented. [2] These models are applicable to simulations of internal emitters and external radiation sources. Most of the current studies on AuNP focus on external beam therapy. In contrast, we apply the presented models in Monte-Carlo particle scattering simulations to characterize the energy deposit in cell organelles by radioactive 198AuNP. They emit beta and gamma rays and are therefore considered for applications with solid tumors. Differences in local dose enhancement between randomly distributed and nucleus targeted nanoparticles are compared. Hereby nucleus targeted nanoparticels showed a strong local dose enhancement in the radio sensitive nucleus. These results are the foundation for ongoing experimental work which aims to obtain a mechanistic understanding of cell death induced by radioactive 198Au.
Showcasing research from the Federal Institute for Material Research and Testing Berlin and Fraunhofer Institute for Celltherapy and Immunology Branch Bioanalytics and Bioprocesses Potsdam.
Bio-SAXS of single-stranded DNA-binding proteins: Radiation protection by the compatible solute ectoine.
We aimed to increase the possible undisturbed exposure time during bio-SAXS measurements of single-stranded DNA-binding proteins. Therefore small angle X-ray scattering was performed on Gene-V Protein (G5P/GVP), which is involved in DNA repair processes. To achieve this, irradiations were performed in presence and absence of the hydroxyl-radical scavenger and osmolyte Ectoine, which showed efficient radiation protection and prevented protein aggregation, thus allows for a non-disturbing way to improve structure-determination of biomolecules.
This study reflects typical consumer textile washing behaviour while taking into account existing standards in the household appliance and garment industries. Two garments were washed repeatedly with artificial dirt and detergent 30 times. The collected washing water was separated using fractional filtration. Textile physical tests were used to follow property changes of the garments, the microplastic release is determined using thermoextraction/desorbtion–gas chromatography/mass spectrometry and the total organic carbon was measured as a sum parameter for the organic bonded carbon. This article shows the importance of a reality‐based approach when investigating microplastics of textile origin in the laundry care process. Deposits of detergent and dirt on the textiles were detected. The total mass of sieve residues was much higher than the release of synthetic polymers. The cotton content of the garments causes a much higher fibre release than synthetic fibres. Both will lead to false results by purely gravimetric analysis because nonpolymer fibres will be included microplastic mass. The results cannot be generalised only by the main polymer type, knowledge of the textile construction must be included for final evaluation.
Small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) can be used for structural determination of biological macromolecules and polymers in their native states (e.g. liquid phase). This means that the structural changes of (bio-)polymers, such as proteins and DNA, can be monitored in situ to understand their sensitivity to changes in chemical environments. In an attempt to improve the reliability of such experiments, the reduction of radiation damage occurring from exposure to X-rays is required. One such method, is to use scavenger molecules to protect macromolecules against radicals produced during radiation exposure, such as reactive oxygen species (ROS). In this study we investigate the feasibility of applying the compatible solute, osmolyte and radiation protector Ectoine (THP(B)), as a scavenger molecule during SAXS measurements of the single-stranded DNA-binding protein Gene-V Protein (G5P/GVP). In this case, we monitor the radiation induced changes of G5P during bio-SAXS measurments and the resulting microscopic energy-damage relation was determined from microdosimetric calculations by Monte-Carlo based particle scattering simulations with TOPAS/Geant4 and a custom target-model. This resulted in a median-lethal energy deposit of pure G5P at 4 mg mL−1 of E1/2 = 7 ± 5 eV, whereas a threefold increase of energy-deposit was needed under the presence of Ectoine to reach the same level of damage. This indicates that Ectoine increases the possible exposure time before radiation-damage to G5P is observed. Furthermore, the dominant type of damage shifted from aggregation in pure solutions towards a fragmentation for solutions containing Ectoine as a cosolute. These results are interpreted in terms of indirect radiation damage by reactive secondary species, as well as post-irradiation effects, related to preferential-exclusion of the cosolute from the protein surface. Hence, Ectoine is shown to provide a non-disturbing way to improve structure-determination of proteins via bio-SAXS in future studies.
In recent years, thermoextraction/desorption-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (TED-GC/MS) has been developed as a rapid detection method for the determination of microplastics (MP) mass contents in numerous environmentally relevant matrices and, in particular, for the measurement of polymers in water samples without time-consuming sample preparation. The TED-GC/MS method was applied to investigate a typical European municipal wastewater system for possible MP masses. Such investigations are important in view of the recent revision of the Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive. Four different representative sampling sites were selected: greywater (domestic wastewater without toilet), combined sewer, and influent and effluent of a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP). All samples were collected by fractional filtration. Filtration was carried out over mesh sizes of 500, 100, 50, and in some cases, 5 µm. Polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), and polystyrene (PS) were detected in all samples, with the PE fraction dominating in all cases. Styrene-butadiene rubber which serves as an indication of tire abrasion, was only found in the influent of the WWTP. The highest MP mass contents were found in the combined sewer, so MP can become a source of pollution during heavy rain events when the capacity limits of the effluent are reached, and the polluted effluent is released uncontrolled into the environment. Based on the studies, MP retention from the WWTP could be estimated to be approximately 96%. Few trends in polymer type or mass contents were detected within the different fractions of the samples or when comparing samples to each other.
Tracking waterborne microplastic (MP) in urban areas is a challenging task because of the various sources and transport pathways involved. Since MP occurs in low concentrations in most wastewater and stormwater streams, large sample volumes need to be captured, prepared, and carefully analyzed. The recent research in urban areas focused mainly on MP emissions at wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), as obvious entry points into receiving waters. However, important transport pathways under wet-weather conditions are yet not been investigated thoroughly. In addition, the lack of comprehensive and comparable sampling strategies complicated the attempts for a deeper understanding of occurrence and sources. The goal of this paper is to (i) introduce and describe sampling strategies for MP at different locations in a municipal catchment area under dry and wet-weather conditions, (ii) quantify MP emissions from the entire catchment and two other smaller ones within the bigger catchment, and (iii) compare the emissions under dry and wet-weather conditions. WWTP has a high removal rate of MP (>96%), with an estimated emission rate of 189 kg/a or 0.94 g/[population equivalents (PEQ · a)], and polyethylene (PE) as the most abundant MP. The specific dry-weather emissions at a subcatchment were ≈30 g/(PEQ · a) higher than in the influent of WWTP with 23 g/(PEQ · a). Specific wet-weather emissions from large sub-catchment with higher traffic and population densities were 1952 g/(ha · a) higher than the emissions from smaller catchment (796 g/[ha · a]) with less population and traffic. The results suggest that wet-weather transport pathways are likely responsible for 2–4 times more MP emissions into receiving waters compared to dry-weather ones due to tire abrasion entered from streets through gullies. However, more investigations of wet-weather MP need to be carried out considering additional catchment attributes and storm event characteristics.
This dataset contains the processed and analysed small-angle X-ray scattering data associated with all samples from the publications "Bio-SAXS of Single-Stranded DNA-Binding Proteins: Radiation Protection by the Compatible Solute Ectoine" (https://doi.org/10.1039/D2CP05053F).
Files associated with McSAS3 analyses are included, alongside the relevant SAXS data, with datasets labelled in accordance to the protein (G5P), its concentration (1, 2 or 4 mg/mL), and if Ectoine is present (Ect) or absent (Pure). PEPSIsaxs simulations of the GVP monomer (PDB structure: 1GV5 ) and dimer are also included.
TOPAS-bioSAXS-dosimetry extension for TOPAS-nBio based particle scattering simulations can be obtained from https://github.com/MarcBHahn/TOPAS-bioSAXS-dosimetry which is further described in https://doi.org/10.26272/opus4-55751.
This work was funded by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, German Research Foundation) under grant number 442240902 (HA 8528/2-1 and SE 2999/2-1). We acknowledge Diamond Light Source for time on Beamline B21 under Proposal SM29806. This work has been supported by iNEXT-Discovery, grant number 871037, funded by the Horizon 2020 program of the European Commission.