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Morphological and chemical analysis of mesoporous mixed IrOx-TiOy thin films as electrode materials
(2024)
Porous films play an important role particularly in energy applications like photovoltaics, electrolysis or batteries. Thin film properties such as thickness, chemical composition, crystallinity of the framework, and porosity define the activity of the porous films. The accurate morpho-chemical characterisation of mesoporous thin films is a challenging analytical task which requires the consideration of new analytical approaches based on the combination of data of different methods able to address the structure and chemical composition at the nanoscale. In this contribution we characterise thin mesoporous iridium-titanium mixed oxide film properties by Electron Probe Microanalysis (EPMA) with Energy-Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDS) at an SEM applied in a dedicated “thin film analysis” approach (1). Thus, the film mass deposition, film thickness and the film density can be determined. Further, by dividing the measured film density to an assumed (theoretical) metal oxide framework (skeletal) density, the thin film porosity can be extracted, too.
In order to assess the homogeneity of the thin film properties like the chemical composition, Time-of-Flight Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (ToF-SIMS) and Auger Electron Spectrometry are applied in the depth profiling mode, so that possible in-depth gradients are detected. Lateral inhomogeneities in the chemical composition and structure of the thin mesoporous films are also identified by applying the same methods in the line-scan or mapping mode, which can be further combined with in-depth sputtering for 3D information. The role of the spatial resolution of the analytical methods considered, which can go down well below 100 nm, will be highlighted.
Traceable morphological and chemical characterization of nanomaterials with respect to the various possible sizes, size distributions, shapes, and concentrations of real-world nanoparticles (NPs) is a challenging task. Particularly for the nonspherical, non-monodisperse nanoparticles – as typically for most of the commercial particles, including their strong tendency to agglomerate, there is a lack of standard operation procedures providing accurate nanoparticle characterisation.
In the framework of the pre-standardisation framework of VAMAS (Versailles Project on Advanced Materials and Standards, www.vamas.org) two interlaboratory comparison (ILC) studies are being carried out under the Technical Working Area (TWA) 34 “Nanoparticle Populations”:i) Project #15 addresses the analysis of the size and shape distribution of TiO2 bipyramidal NPs by traceable imaging methods such as TEM, SEM, STEM-in-SEM, AFM as well as with SAXS as an ensemble method. This ILC is thought as the next level development of the case studies exemplified in the published ISO standards ISO 21363 and ISO 19749. It was agreed to complete the first ILC with the NPs already prepared according to the same procedure on a TEM grid, and, at a later stage, to carry out second ILCs with the same NPs distributed to the participants as liquid suspensions together with protocols for the uniform NP deposition on suited substrates - as developed and optimized within the European project nPSize. Once having good deposition protocols available, the door for automated image analysis gets opened. Corresponding image analysis protocols and reporting templates have been distributed to the ILC participants, too.
ii) Project #16: two spherical SiO2 NP samples with bi-modal size distributions in two nominal relative number concentrations were prepared and distributed also as liquid suspensions accompanied by sample preparation, measurement, and image analysis protocols and reporting templates. Here, the NP concentration is the primary parameter to be measured. For the imaging methods it is targeted to
measure the relative nanoparticle concentrations (relative populations of the two modes).
The results of all the participating laboratories, in both ILCs, compiled in comparative representations will be shown and discussed for the first time. The reduction of the measurement uncertainties associated to the size, shape and number-concentration results induced by the significant improvement of the sample preparation on substrates (as single particles with a high-density coverage), combined with welldefined image analysis procedures will be highlighted.
The production of formaldehyde on industrial scale requires huge amounts of energy due to the involvement of reforming processes in combination with the demand in the megaton scale. Hence, a direct route for the transformation of (bio)methane to formaldehyde would decrease costs and puts less pressure on the environment. Herein, we report on the use of zinc modified silicas as possible support materials for vanadium catalysts and the resulting consequences for the performance in the selective oxidation of methane to formaldehyde. After optimization of the Zn content and reaction conditions, a remarkably high space-time yield of 12.4 kgCH2O⋅kgcat − 1 ⋅h− 1 was achieved. As a result of the extensive characterization by means of UV–vis, Raman, XANES and NMR spectroscopy it was found that vanadium is in the vicinity of highly dispersed zinc atoms which promote the formation of active vanadium species as supposed by theoretical calculations. This work presents a further step of catalyst development towards direct industrial methane conversion which may help to overcome current limitations in the future.
Abstract. In power electronics, compound semiconductors with large bandgaps, like silicon carbide (SiC), are increasingly being used as material instead of silicon. They have a lot of advantages over silicon but are also intolerant of nanoscale material defects, so that a defect inspection with high accuracy is needed. The different defect types on SiC samples are measured with various measurement methods, including optical and tactile methods. The defect types investigated include carrots, particles, polytype inclusions and threading dislocations, and they are analysed with imaging ellipsometry, coherent Fourier scatterometry (CFS), white light interference microscopy (WLIM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). These different measurement methods are used to investigate which method is most sensitive for which type of defect to be able to use the measurement methods more effectively. It is important to be able to identify the defects to classify them as critical or non-critical for the functionality of the end product. Once these investigations have been completed, the measurement systems can be optimally distributed to the relevant defects in further work to realize a hybrid analysis of the defects. In addition to the identification and classification of defects, such a future hybrid analysis could also include characterizations, e.g. further evaluation of ellipsometric data by using numerical simulations.
This contributions shows the first results of the ongoing interlaboratory comparisons under VAMAS/TWA 34 Nanoparticle populations related on the determination of pasrticle size distribution and relative concentration of nanoparticles and an example of an ILC running under VAMAS/TWA 41 Graphene and Related 2D Materials on the determination of the lateral diemsnions of graphene oxide flakes by Scanning Electron Microscopy. The link to related standardisation projects at ISO/TC Nanotechnologies are explained.
Advanced materials, such as nanomaterials, 2D materials, or thin films, play a crucial role in driving economic development and addressing major challenges in the coming years. These challenges include mitigating the impact of climate change, advancing lightweight engineering, enhancing catalysis, and improving medical applications.
To comprehend the performance of these materials and ensure their acceptance across various sectors as safe and sustainable for both humans and the environment, the availability of reference procedures, materials, and data is essential. One versatile tool for establishing such references and evaluating the proficiency of individual laboratories and their competencies is through (international) interlaboratory comparisons (ILC). Notably, initiatives like the Versailles Project on Advanced Materials and Standards (VAMAS) provide a platform for conducting ILCs.
This webinar will showcase various examples of interlaboratory comparisons, illustrating their impact on the development of reference products.
The presentation includes aspects of material design and characterization with a focus on lignin. Examples are the structural elucidation of lignosulfonates by means of two-dimensional chromatography, the mechanochemical degradation and functionalization of Kraft-Lignin with accompanying analytics. Future projects involving the incorporation of lignin into polymers will be presented.
A thousand times thinner than a human hair, nanoparticles (NPs) are finding applications in a range of modern products. However, as some can affect human health or the environment, knowing the types present is essential. Electron microscopy is the ‘gold standard’ for NP analysis, allowing identification based on manual size analysis, but a new method was required to analyse these particles quickly, accurately and in a consistent way.
Discotic ionic liquid crystals (DILCs) consist of self-assembled superdiscs of cations and anions that spontaneously stack in linear columns with high one-dimensional ionic and electronic charge mobility, making them prominent model systems for functional soft matter. Compared to classical nonionic discotic liquid crystals, many liquid crystalline structures with a combination of electronic and ionic conductivity have been reported, which are of interest for separation membranes, artificial ion/proton conducting membranes, and optoelectronics. Unfortunately, a homogeneous alignment of the DILCs on the macroscale is often not achievable, which significantly limits the applicability of DILCs. Infiltration into nanoporous solid scaffolds can, in principle, overcome this drawback. However, due to the experimental challenges to scrutinize liquid crystalline order in extreme spatial confinement, little is known about the structures of DILCs in nanopores. Here, we present temperaturedependent high-resolution optical birefringence measurement and 3D reciprocal space mapping based on synchrotron X-ray scattering to investigate the thermotropic phase behavior of dopamine-based ionic liquid crystals confined in cylindrical channels of 180 nm diameter in macroscopic anodic aluminum oxide membranes. As a function of the membranes’ hydrophilicity and thus the molecular anchoring to the pore walls (edge-on or face-on) and the variation of the hydrophilic−hydrophobic balance between the aromatic cores and the alkyl side chain motifs of the superdiscs by tailored chemical synthesis, we find a particularly rich phase behavior, which is not present in the bulk state. It is governed by a complex interplay of liquid crystalline elastic energies (bending and splay deformations), polar interactions, and pure geometric confinement and includes textural transitions between radial and axial alignment of the columns with respect to the long nanochannel axis. Furthermore, confinement-induced continuous order formation is observed in contrast to discontinuous first-order phase transitions, which can be quantitatively described by Landau-de Gennes free energy models for liquid crystalline order transitions in confinement. Our observations suggest that the infiltration of DILCs into nanoporous solids allows tailoring their nanoscale texture and ion channel formation and thus their electrical and optical functionalities over an even wider range than in the bulk state in a homogeneous manner on the centimeter scale as controlled by the monolithic nanoporous scaffolds.
The talk summarizes challenges in microplastic analysis. It shows the preparation of microplastic reference materials as well as the testing on homogeneity and stability. The reference material is used in an international laboratory comparison to compare different detection methods used for microplastic analysis. The methods used were µ-IR (FTIR+LDIR) for number-based methods and TED-GC/MS and Py-GC/MS for mass-based methods. The ILC was done under the umbrella of VAMAS TWA 45. Results of the participants are presented.
Multiphoton lithography (MPL), an emerging microfabrication technique, shows great potential in a variety of applications ranging from tissue engineering to soft micro-robotics. Fabricated micro-objects often are expected to undergo shape morphing or bending. Furthermore, ensuring precise property tuning becomes detrimental for the functionality of MPL microstructures. Herein, we present novel MPL materials based on interpenetrating networks (IPNs), which effectively combine the advantages of acrylate and epoxy thermoset systems. A library of 3D MPL IPN microstructures with high 3D structural stability and tailored thermal and micromechanical properties is achieved. MPL laser velocity and fabrication power can be used to tune the morphology and therefore properties of IPN. New IPN microstructures with materials Young's moduli of 4 to 6 MPa demonstrate susceptibility to deformation with high to fully elastic response. Such soft elastic materials hold immense promise within morphable microsystems, soft micro-robotics and cell engineering applications.
Since microplastics (MPs) can be found everywhere and are becoming a problem of high concern, it is necessary to understand their physico-chemical properties. To obtain reliable analytical data a set of validated methods for sampling, sample preparation, detection, and data evaluation are needed.
To meet these needs an interlaboratory comparison (ILC) with 84 participants worldwide has been organized under the international pre-standardisation platform VAMAS (www.vamas.org/twa45/) as Project 2 “Development of standardized methodologies for characterisation of microplastics with microscopy and spectroscopy methods” within the Technical Working Area TWA 45 “Micro and Nano Plastics in the Environment”. In this ILC thermo-analytical methods (Py-GC/MS and TED-GC/MS) and vibrational methods (µ-Raman and µ-FTIR) have been tested and compared by providing a set of microplastic representative test materials and measurement protocols developed at BAM. The defined measurands were: particle number concentration, particle size distribution (PSD), and polymer identity and mass content. To increase the statistical quality, 6 samples were shipped together with blank samples. Hence, the ILC provides information on precision and accuracy of the results obtained with different methods as well as strengths and limitations of the proposed protocols.
Since microplastics (MPs) can be found everywhere and are becoming a problem of high concern, it is necessary to understand their occurrence and fate in the environment. However, to obtain data of high quality is very challenging, since measurement operating procedures differ from laboratory to laboratory. Currently, there are no standardized methods to analyze microplastics. One promissing possibility to adress standardization of the methodology and operating procedures are interlaboratory comparisons (ILCs). In this contribution we report the first results of an ILC on microplastic detection methods organized under the pre-stantdardisation plattform of VAMAS (www.vamas.org/twa45/) as Project 2 “Development of standardized methodologies for characterisation of microplastics with microscopy and spectroscopy methods”, within the Technical Working Area TWA 45 “Micro and Nano Plastics in the Environment”. The ILC has gathered 84 participants all over the world representing all continents. BAM, as the project leader, produced a set of reference microplastic materials, which have been distributed to all the participants together with the measurement protocols and reporting data templates.
Microplastic and nanoplastic particles (MNP) are spread all over the world in various types, shapes and sizes making it very challenging to accurately analyse them. Each sampling procedure, sample preparation method and detection technique needs suitable reference materials to validate the method for accurate results. Furthermore, the effects of these MNPs should be evaluated by risk and hazard assessment with test particles close to reality. To better understand MNP behavior and aid in clarification of their interactions with organisms, we produced several MNP materials by top-down procedure and characterized their properties. Since surface properties mostly determine particles’ toxicity, the aim of the present study was to determine which functional groups are present on MNPs and how the surface can be affected by the production process and particle’s environment.
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.
Monitoring of microplastics in food matrices is crucial to determinate the human exposure. By direct ingestion microplastics could be released in the food during the production, through packaging and by consumer’s use. The absence of standard methods to quantify and detect different size range and type of microplastics has led to difficult and time consuming procedural steps, poor accuracy and lack of comparability. In this work, matrix characterization and laboratory experiments were used to investigate the efficiency of sample preparation in milk powder. This information is crucial to compile a standard procedure for sample preparation and digestion of common milk powder to detect different particle sizes and types of polymers. Charaterisation is done by TGA and TOC measurements.
Multiphoton lithography (MPL), an emerging truly 3D microfabrication technique, exhibits substantial potential in biomedical applications, including drug delivery and tissue engineering. Fabricated micro-objects are often expected to undergo shape morphing or bending of the entire structure or its parts. Furthermore, ensuring precise property tuning is detrimental to the realization of the functionality of MPL microstructures. Herein, novel MPL materials based on interpenetrating polymer networks (IPNs) are presented that effectively combine the advantages of acrylate and epoxy systems. IPNs with varying component ratios are investigated for their microfabrication performance and structural integrity with respect to thermal and micromechanical properties. A variety of high-resolution techniques is applied to comprehensively evaluate IPN properties at the bulk, micron, and segmental levels. This study shows that the MPL laser scanning velocity and power, photoinitiator content, and multi-step exposure can be used to tune the morphology and properties of the IPN. As a result, a library of 3D MPL IPN microstructures with high 3D structural stability and tailored thermal and micromechanical properties is achieved. New IPN microstructures with Young’s moduli of 3–4 MPa demonstrate high-to-fully elastic responses to deformations, making them promising for applications in morphable microsystems, soft micro-robotics, and cell engineering.
Cellulose nanofibrils (CNFs) with different charge densities were prepared and investigated by a combination of different complementary techniques sensitive to the structure and molecular dynamics of the system. The morphology of the materials was investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray scattering (SAXS/WAXS). The latter measurements were quantitatively analyzed yielding to molecular parameters in dependence of the charge density like the diameter of the fibrils, the distance between the fibrils, and the dimension of bundles of nanofibrils, including pores. The influence of water on the properties and the charge density is studied by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and broadband dielectric spectroscopy. The TGA measurements reveal two mass loss processes. The one at lower temperatures was related to the loss of water, and the second process at higher temperatures was related to the chemical decomposition. The resulting char yield could be correlated to the distance between the microfibrils. The DSC investigation for hydrated CNFs revealed three glass transitions due to the cellulose segments surrounded by water molecules in different states. In the second heating scan, only one broad glass transition is observed. The dielectric spectra reveal two relaxation processes. At low temperatures or higher frequencies, the β-relaxation is observed, which is assigned to localized fluctuation of the glycosidic linkage. At higher temperatures and lower frequencies, the α-relaxation takes places. This relaxation is due to cooperative fluctuations in the cellulose segments. Both processes were quantitatively analyzed. The obtained parameters such as the relaxation rates were related to both the morphological data, the charge density, and the content of water for the first time.
The impact of magnetism on chemical ordering in face-centered cubic CrCoNi medium entropy alloy is studied by a combination of ab initio simulations, machine learning potentials, and Monte Carlo simulations. Large magnetic energies are revealed for some mixed L12 /L10 type ordered configurations, which are rooted in strong nearest-neighbor magnetic exchange interactions and chemical bonding among the constituent elements. There is a delicate interplay between magnetism and stability of MoPt2 and L12 /L10 type of ordering which may explain opposing experimental and theoretical findings.
An Amorphous Lewis-acidic Zirconium Chlorofluoride as HF Shuttle: C-F Bond Activation and Formation
(2024)
In recent years, fluorine chemistry has gained increasing political attention. Owing to a growing shortage of fluorspar, a raw material used for producing fluorinated base chemicals, fluorospar has been named among the 30 critical raw materials in the EU.2 As such, it becomes increasingly important to recycle existing fluorinated compounds and make them available as sources of fluorine for reactions. Significant progress has been made in the field of C-F bond activation using heterogeneous catalysts such as aluminum chlorofluoride (ACF).3–5 However, the transfer of fluorine atoms from one molecule to another using heterogeneous catalysts has not yet been reported. In this study, we successfully synthesized amorphous zirconium chlorofluoride (ZCF), and we were able to establish a catalytic behavior of ZCF in C-F bond activation reactions. We present a heterogeneous catalyst that performs dehydrofluorination of a fluoroalkane and consecutive hydrofluorination of an alkyne at room temperature.
Owing to a growing shortage of fluorspar, a raw material used for producing fluorinated base chemicals, fluorspar has been named among the 30 critical raw materials in the EU. 1 However, the sustainable transfer of fluorine atoms from one molecule to another using heterogeneous catalysts has not yet been reported. Herein, we present the heterogeneous catalyst zirconium chloro fluoride (ZCF) that performs dehydrofluorination of a fluoroalkane and consecutive hydrofluorination of an alkyne at room temperature.
The variability and heterogeneity in their structural composition is significant for nearly all synthetic and natural polymers. Beside molar mass also functionality type distribution, copolymer composition distribution and architectural features are responsible for changing the material properties.
A wide range of analytical techniques are available to get insight into these parameters. However, in most cases it is essential to combine different sophisticated techniques to get closer to actual structures and to avoid statistical averages.
Different liquid chromatographic separation modes and their coupling in a two-dimensional way (SEC, LCCC, HILIC, 2D-LC) in combination with suitable detection techniques (e.g. UV, RI, LS, IR, MALDI/ESI-MS) as well as techniques like BET, DCS, SEM/TEM were applied to make structural features visible.
A few aspects are discussed for structural different polylactides from various synthesis routes and their behavior in LC-MS.
Ring-opening polymerizations (ROPs) of l-lactide (LA) were performed with ethyl l-lactate or 11-bromoundecanol as initiators (In) and tin(II) ethyl hexanoate (SnOct2) as catalyst (Cat) using four different LA/In ratios (20/1, 40/1, 60/1, and 100/1). One series of ROPs was conducted in bulk at 120 °C, yielding PLAs with low dispersities (Ð ~ 1.2–1.4), and a second series was conducted in bulk at 160 °C, yielding higher dispersities (Ð ~ 1.3–1.9). Samples from both series were annealed for 1 or 14 days at 140 °C in the presence of SnOct2. Both polycondensation and disproportionation reactions occurred, so that all four samples tended to form the same type of molar mass distribution below 10,000 Da, regardless of their initially different number average molar masses (Mn). Both initiators gave nearly identical results. The thermodynamic control of all reversible transesterification processes favored the formation of crystallites composed of chains with a Mn around 3500–3700, corresponding to a crystal thickness of 10–13 nm.
In recent years, many protocols in computational materials science have been automated and made available within software packages (primarily Python-based). This ranges from the automation of simple heuristics (oxidation states, coordination environments) to the automation of protocols, including multiple DFT and post-processing tools such as (an)harmonic phonon computations or bonding analysis. Such developments also shorten the time frames of projects after such developments have been made available and open new possibilities. For example, we can now easily make data-driven tests of well-known rules and heuristics or develop quantum chemistry-based materials descriptors for machine learning approaches. These tests and descriptors can have applications related to magnetic ground state predictions of materials relevant for spintronic applications or for predicting thermal properties relevant for thermal management in electronics. Combining high-throughput ab initio computations with fitting, fine-tuning machine learning models and predictions of such models within complex workflows is also possible and promises further acceleration in the field. In this talk, I will show our latest efforts to link automation with data-driven chemistry and materials science.
The presentation gives an overview of BAM's activities on processing influences and application properties of MPEAs in the form of joined and machined high and medium entropy alloys (CoCrFeMnNi and CoCrNi). In the case of welding, the focus is on defect-free welded joints with sufficient mechanical properties. In the case of machining, the focus is on the possible influence on the surface quality of the materials through adequate milling parameters. In addition, the hydrogen absorption and diffusion properties as well as the electrochemical corrosion behavior are fundamentally examined.
Impact of organic phosphates on the structure and composition of short-range ordered iron nanophases
(2024)
Organic phosphates (OP) are important nutrient components for living cells in natural environments, where they readily interact with ubiquitous iron phases such as hydrous ferric oxide, ferrihydrite (FHY). FHY partakes in many key bio(geo)chemical reactions including iron-mediated carbon storage in soils, or iron-storage in living organisms. However, it is still unknown how OP affects the formation, structure and properties of FHY. Here, we document how β-glycerophosphate (GP), a model OP ligand, affects the structure and properties of GP–FHY nanoparticles synthesized by coprecipitation at variable nominal molar P/Fe ratios (0.01 to 0.5). All GP–FHY precipitates were characterized by a maximum solid P/Fe ratio of 0.22, irrespective of the nominal P/Fe ratio. With increasing nominal P/Fe ratio, the specific surface area of the GP–FHY precipitates decreased sharply from 290 to 3 m2 g−1, accompanied by the collapse of their pore structure. The Fe–P local bonding environment gradually transitioned from a bidentate binuclear geometry at low P/Fe ratios to monodentate mononuclear geometry at high P/Fe ratios. This transition was accompanied by a decrease in coordination number of edge-sharing Fe polyhedra, and the loss of the corner-sharing Fe polyhedra. We show that Fe(III) polymerization is impeded by GP, and that the GP–FHY structure is highly dependent on the P/Fe ratio. We discuss the role that natural OP-bearing Fe(III) nanophases have in biogeochemical reactions between Fe–P and C species in aquatic systems.
Laser-induced periodic surface structures (LIPSS) enable a large variety of different surface functionalizations for applications in the fields of optics, fluidics, tribology, or medicine. Moreover, high spatial frequency LIPSS (HSFL) provide an appealing and straightforward way for the generation of surface nanostructures featuring spatial periods even below 100 nm – far beyond the optical diffraction limit. However, the imposed surface functionalities are usually caused by both, topographic and chemical surface alterations. For exploring these effects in detail, multi-method characterization was performed here for HSFL processed on Ti-6Al-4V alloy upon irradiation with near-infrared ps-laser pulses (1030 nm wavelength, ~1 ps pulse duration, 1 – 400 kHz pulse repetition rate) under different scan processing conditions. The subsequent sample characterization involved morphological and topographical investigations by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), stylus profilometry (SP), as well as near-surface chemical analyses by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), hard X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (HAXPES) and depth-profiling time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (TOF-SIMS). The results allow to qualify the laser ablation depth, the geometrical HSFL characteristics and provide detailed insights into the depth extent and the nature of the ps-laser-induced near-surface oxidation arising from the laser-processing in ambient air and into the relevance of heat-accumulation effects at high pulse repetition rates. Moreover, the direct comparison of the HAXPES and XPS data reveals the role of surface-covering organic contaminants adsorbed from the ambient atmosphere without ion-sputter depth profiling. Furthermore, reduction of the oxides by sputtering can be avoided.
Advances in ultrafast laser manufacturing: nanostructures, thin films, and scaling perspectives
(2024)
Advanced ultrafast laser technology is a rapidly growing field that currently enables many new industrial and scientific applications. During the last decades, this has been significantly driven by the availability of high-repetition-rate laser sources and novel beam delivery concepts. At the laser side, Moore’s law equally manifests for ultrafast laser technologies, since the average output power of such lasers doubles approximately every two years. This development is mainly driven by the increase of the pulse repetition rates of energetic laser pulses, currently enforcing the development of smart beam control and novel scanning strategies for preventing heat-accumulation and plasma-shielding effects during laser-based materials processing. This keynote presentation addresses the advantages, recent developments, and perspectives of laser processing with ultrashort laser pulses. A special focus is laid on the tailored structuring of thin films as well as the manufacturing and probing of sub-diffraction surface nanostructures – an ongoing race to extreme scales. Current limitations are identified and an outlook to future scaling perspectives will be provided.
The presentation demonstrates an application of multi-scale optical imaging methods such as spectroscopic imaging ellipsometry and white light interference microscopy for the investigation of wide-bandgap semiconductors for power electronics. The capabilities of these methods for the development of new reference calibration samples for scanning microwave microscopes (SMM) and conductive atomic force microscopes (C AFM) are discussed.
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 showed a deviation for both poly (bisphenol-A carbonate) (PBAC) and polysulfone (PSU), two bulky polymers containing a functional group (phenyl ring) in the backbone, compared to conventional polymers previously studied like poly-2-vinyl pyridine (P2VP). This deviation was attributed to the bulkiness of the phenyl rings. . Further investigations into the influence of the adsorbed layer on glassy dynamics were conducted. The molecular mobility and glass transition for thin films of PBAC and PSU were compared to bulk samples of each polymer. Broadband dielectric spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy, and ellipsometry were primarily used and additionally supported by sum frequency generation spectroscopy.
This is a set of use examples for the HDF5Translator framework. This framework lets you translate measurement files into a different (e.g. NeXus-compatible) structure, with some optional checks and conversions on the way. For an in-depth look at what it does, there is a blog post here.
The use examples provided herein are each accompanied by the measurement data necessary to test and replicate the conversion. The README.md files in each example show the steps necessary to do the conversion for each.
We encourage those who have used or adapted one or more of these exampes to create their own conversion, to get in touch with us so we may add your example to the set.
AbstractSorbents are promising materials for applications in atmospheric water harvesting, thermal energy storage, and passive cooling, thereby addressing central challenges related to water scarcity and the global energy transition. Recently, hygroscopic hydrogel composites have emerged as high‐performance sorbents. However, many of these systems are fabricated with unsustainable and costly sorbent materials, which hinders their wide deployment. Here, the synthesis of high‐performance, cost‐efficient polyacrylamide hydrogels loaded with unprecedented amounts of calcium chloride is demonstrated. To this end, the swelling procedure of polyacrylamide hydrogels in aqueous calcium chloride solutions is optimized. The achievable salt loading in the hydrogel is characterized as a function of temperature, calcium chloride concentration in the swelling solution, and the hydrogel preparation conditions. The obtained hydrogel‐salt composites are shown to be stable under repeated sorption‐desorption cycling and enable water uptakes of 0.92 and 2.38 grams of water per gram of dry materials at 30% and 70% relative humidity, respectively. The resulting cost‐performance ratio substantially exceeds lithium chloride‐based systems. Further, the mechanistic insights on hydrogel salt interactions can guide the design of sustainable and low‐cost sorbent materials for future applications in water and energy.
Glycolide was polymerized in bulk by means of four different ROPPOC catalysts: tin(II) 2-ethylhexanoate (SnOct2), dibutyltin bis(pentafluoro-phenoxide) (BuSnOPF),zinc biscaproate (ZnCap), and zinc bis(pentafluoro-phenyl sulfide) (ZnSPF). The temperature was varied between 110 and 180°C and the time between 3 h and 7 days. For the few polyglycolides (PGAs) that were soluble extremely high molecular masses were obtained. The MALDI TOF mass spectra had all a low signal-to-noise ration and displayed the peaks of cyclic PGAs with a“saw-tooth pattern ”indicating formation of extended-ring crystallites in the mass range below m/z 2500. The shape of DSC curves varied considerably with catalyst and reaction conditions, whereas the long-distance values measured by SAXS were small and varied little with the polymeriza-tion conditions.
A corrosion study is performed on six variations of titanium grade 5 (Ti6Al4V) samples. Samples are prepared in different conditions by variation of preanodization, postanodization, and picosecond-laser (ps-laser) surface treatment, while polished and anodized samples serve as reference. Microcones and nanosized periodic surface features are successfully produced on Ti6Al4V samples. The morphology and topography of the structures are visualized by scanning electron microscopy and white light interference microscopy. Furthermore, the relative electrochemically active surface area (ECSA) is determined for the ps-laser-treated samples. It is determined that the preanodized and laser-treated sample has 3.5 times larger ECSA than a polished sample, and that the laser-treated sample has 4.1 times larger area. Moreover, Tafel analysis is performed to determine the corrosion properties of the samples. It is shown that the corrosion resistance improves for both laser-structured samples after the anodization. To further study the surface of the samples, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy measurements are conducted. The study indicates that the ps-laser-treated and anodized Ti6Al4V is suitable to be used for the fabrication of bone screws and plates due to its improved corrosion resistance as compared to nonanodized samples.
The use of a dedicated approach: DoE for synthesis + characterization + Chemometric Analysis, is a valuable method for the safe-by-design synthesis of several types of materials for large-scale application in catalysis, energy harvesting, biomedical and environmental applications, etc. This approach is not only related to the material synthesis, but can be expanded to any type of molecules/material, with relevant saving of solvents, energy and times.
New analytic ways to characterise mesoporous thin layers used in electrocatalytic water splitting
(2024)
Mesoporous materials are needed in many applications where a high specific surface area and adsorptive behaviour is needed. Important examples are separation techniques and barrier layers and catalysts. Electrochemical water splitting is the key technology for producing green hydrogen and there is no foreseeable alternative to this process for producing elementary hydrogen from green electrical power. Water electrolysis can be divided into the anodic Oxygen Evolution Reaction (OER) and the cathodic Hydrogen Evolution Reaction (HER). Both processes have to be heavily optimised to a large extent to avoid energy losses caused by overvoltage. The development of electrodes for these processes is especially difficult due to the many boundary conditions. Water splitting is a catalytic as well as electrochemical process. The contact area between the electrolyte and the electrode must be maximised maintaining the stability of the surface. Side reactions must be suppressed, and effective gas transport must be ensured. The whole process has to be tolerant with respect to temperature, harsh chemical conditions from the electrolyte as well as high current densities.
We present a hybrid analytical method combining several analytical techniques for determining the properties of thin layers of mixed oxides of the general composition Ir:TiOx. These materials are promising candidates for electrocatalytical top coatings of OER electrodes. To lower the costs of the electrolysers, the main goal is to lower the Ir content retaining the system efficiency. The main properties which are hard to determine are the porous volume fraction and the Ir:Ti element ratio. By a combination of electron microscopy, spectroscopic operando ellipsometry, ellipsometric porosimetry, and other techniques, we can determine key features of mesoporous thin layer materials. We aim to develop operando capable techniques used in process monitoring as well as measurement techniques optimised for accuracy. By developing reference materials, we support long term uptake of our methodology. This work can directly be used for optimising electrocatalytic layers and is a good example for the power of hybrid metrology for improving materials design.
Polydopamine (PDA) is a biological / biomimetic polymer which has spiked considerable interest in recent years. Its monomer is an important neurotransmitter and it is one of the strongest glues produced by biological organisms. Polydopamine is a candidate for several applications, mainly in the field of biology and medicine, but also - recently - for layer coatings with optical, electrical, and mechanical function.
In this work, we investigate PDA layers intended as reflectivity enhancers for mirror surfaces in X-ray astronomical observatories. It has previously been shown, that such X-ray telescopes can be improved by a coating of PDA in the thickness range of several nm. Accurate thickness determination is required to monitor and optimise the coating process. We use spectroscopic ellipsometry to determine first the dielectric function of the polydopamine layers using model coatings of sufficient thickness. This data is then used to accurately determine the layer thickness of much thinner PDA layers. This study resulted in data on the thickness and dielectric function of PDA layers that could lead to a better understanding of the correlation of layer thickness and layer properties depending on the process parameters.
Transparent conductive oxides such as indium tin oxide (ITO) are standards for thin film electrodes, providing a synergy of high optical transparency and electrical conductivity. In an electrolytic environment, the determination of an inert electrochemical potential window is crucial to maintain a stable material performance during device operation. We introduce operando ellipsometry, combining cyclic voltammetry (CV) with spectroscopic ellipsometry, as a versatile tool to monitor the evolution of both complete optical (i.e., complex refractive index) and electrical properties under wet electrochemical operational conditions. In particular, we trace the degradation of ITO electrodes caused by electrochemical reduction in a pH-neutral, water-based electrolyte environment during electrochemical cycling. With the onset of hydrogen evolution at negative bias voltages, indium and tin are irreversibly reduced to the metallic state, causing an advancing darkening, i.e., a gradual loss of transparency, with every CV cycle, while the conductivity is mostly conserved over multiple CV cycles. Post-operando analysis reveals the reductive (loss of oxygen) formation of metallic nanodroplets on the surface. The reductive disruption of the ITO electrode happens at the solid–liquid interface and proceeds gradually from the surface to the bottom of the layer, which is evidenced by cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy imaging and complemented by energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy mapping. As long as a continuous part of the ITO layer remains at the bottom, the conductivity is largely retained, allowing repeated CV cycling. We consider operando ellipsometry a sensitive and nondestructive tool to monitor early stage material and property changes, either by tracing failure points, controlling intentional processes, or for sensing purposes, making it suitable for various research fields involving solid–liquid interfaces and electrochemical activity.
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.
The plastic value chain, central part of modern living, caused environmental pollution and bioaccumulation of plastic nanoparticles (PNPs). Their ubiquitous presence in different environmental and biological compartments has become a serious threat to human health and ecosystems. Frequently used plastic materials such as polypropylene (PP), polystyrene (PS) and polyethylene (PE) have been detected in the form of PNPs in the food chain, soil, water and air, as well as in human feces and blood. In this study, we aimed to provide novel insights in endocrine disrupting properties of PNPs using in vitro estrogen receptor (ER) transactivation assay. The effects of PP-NPs, PE-NPs and PS-NPs and their mixture on T47D-KBluc cell line stably transfected with luciferase as reporter enzyme was evaluated by means of cytotoxicity, cellular uptake and ER activation. Tested dose range for PNPs was 0.001 – 10 mg/L. Both cellular uptake and cytotoxicity for all PNPs was found to be dose-dependent. Only the highest dose of PP-NPs and PE-NPs induced apoptosis and cell death, while PS-NPs were not cytotoxic in tested dose range. For tested concentrations, PP-NPs and PE-NPs showed significant agonistic activity on ER, while PS-NPs cannot be considered ER active. When, applied as mixture, PNP demonstrated additive toxicity effects compared to the effect of each individual PNPs. Additivity was also observed for ER agonistic effect of PNPs mixture according to the benchmark dose-addition modelling approach. This study provides missing science-based evidence on endocrine disrupting effects of PE-NPs, PP-NPs, PS-NPs and their mixtures and highlights the importance of considering unintentional, aggregate and combined exposure to different PNPs in risk management.
Bonds and local atomic environments are crucial descriptors of material properties. They have been used to create design rules and heuristics and as features in machine learning of materials properties. Implementations and algorithms (e.g., ChemEnv and LobsterEnv) for identifying local atomic environments based on geometrical characteristics and quantum-chemical bonding analysis are nowadays available. Fully automatic workflows and analysis tools have been developed to use quantum-chemical bonding analysis on a large scale. The lecture will demonstrate how our tools, that assess local atomic environments and perform automatic bonding analysis, help to develop new machine learning models and a new intuitive understanding of materials. Furthermore, the general trend toward automation in density functional-based materials science and some of our recent contributions will be discussed.
Multi-principal element alloys (MPEAs) are gaining interest in corrosion and electrocatalysis research due to their electrochemical stability across a broad pH range and the design flexibility they offer. Using the equimolar CrCoNi alloy, we observe significant metal dissolution in a corrosive electrolyte (0.1 M NaCl, pH 2) concurrently with the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) in the transpassive region despite the absence of hysteresis in polarization curves or other obvious corrosion indicators. We present a characterization scheme to delineate the contribution of OER and alloy dissolution, using scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM) for OER-onset detection, and quantitative chemical analysis with inductively coupled-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and ultraviolet visible light (UV-Vis) spectroscopy to elucidate metal dissolution processes. In-situ electrochemical atomic force microscopy (EC-AFM) revealed that the transpassive metal dissolution on CrCoNi is dominated by intergranular corrosion. These results have significant implications for the stability of MPEAs in corrosion systems, emphasizing the necessity of analytically determining metal ions released from MPEA electrodes into the electrolyte when evaluating Faradaic efficiencies of OER catalysts. The release of transition metal ions not only reduces the Faradaic efficiency of electrolyzers but may also cause poisoning and degradation of membranes in electrochemical reactors.
Corrosion behaviour of AlCrFe2Ni2Mox (x = 0.0, 0.1, 0.15, 0.3 and 0.6) high-entropy alloys was investigated in a 0.1 M H2SO4 solution. Passive films formed upon anodic polarisation, built of Al-based inner layer and (Cr, Fe, Mo)-based outer layer, had good protective properties. In particular, they prevented corrosion of the (Al, Ni)-rich BCC-B2 phase, which was observed under open-circuit conditions. Moderate amounts of Mo, up to x = 0.3, positively affected the passivation ability of AlCrFe2Ni2. Significant changes in microstructure and phase composition of the alloy at higher Mo concentrations (x = 0.6) resulted in deterioration of its corrosion resistance.