Ingenieurwissenschaften und zugeordnete Tätigkeiten
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There is an urgent demand for reliable data on microplastic analysis, particularly on its physico-chemical properties as well as validated methodology to obtain such data. Through interlaboratory comparisons (ILCs) it becomes possible to assess accuracy and precision of methods by involving many laboratories around the world. At BAM, my tasks focused around organisation of an ILC on physico-chemical characterisation of microplastic detection methods 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” under the Technical Working Area TWA 45 “Micro and Nano Plastics in the Environment”.
With a proud number of 84 participants this ILC is able to provide superior statistical results. Thermoanalytical (Py-GC/MS and TED-GC/MS) and vibrational (µ-IR and µ-Raman) methods were asked for identification and quantification of microplastic test samples according to mass or particle number. Preliminary results indicate which methods show a higher accuracy and precision and reveal some sample preparation ideas which work best for microplastics characterisation. At the end of the ILC an overall plausibility of the results will be assessed.
Since its isolation, graphene has received growing attention from academia and industry due to its unique properties. However, the “what is my material” barrier hinders further commercialization. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) is considered as a method of choice for the determination of the elemental and chemical composition. In this work the influence of the morphology of graphene particles on the XPS results is studied and investigated as a function of X-ray energy, using conventional XPS with Al K𝜶 radiation and hard X-ray photoemission spectroscopy (HAXPES) using Cr K𝜶 radiation. Thereby, the information depth is varied between 10 and 30 nm. For this purpose, two commercial powders containing graphene nanoplatelets with lateral dimensions of either ≈100 nm or in the micrometer range are compared. These larger ones exist as stack of graphene layers which is inspected with scanning electron microscopy. Both kinds of particles are then functionalized with either oxygen or fluorine. The size of the graphene particles is found to influence the degree of functionalization. Only the combination of XPS and HAXPES allows to detect the functionalization at the outermost surface of the particles or even of the stacks and to provide new insights into the functionalization process.
The obvious benefits derived from the increasing use of engineered nano-, new, and advanced materials and associated products have to be weighed out by a governance process against their possible risks. Differences in risk perception (beliefs about potential harm) among stakeholders, in particular nonscientists, and low transparency of the underlying decision processes can lead to a lack of support and acceptance of nano-, new, and other advanced material enabled products. To integrate scientific outcomes with stakeholders needs, this work develops a new approach comprising a nine-level, stepwise categorization and guidance system entitled “Knowledge, Information, and Data Readiness Levels” (KaRLs), analogous to the NASA Technology Readiness Levels. The KaRL system assesses the type, extent, and usability of the available data, information, and knowledge and integrates the participation of relevant and interested stakeholders in a cocreation/codesign process to improve current risk assessment, communication, and governance. The novelty of the new system is to communicate and share all available and relevant elements on material related risks in a user/stakeholder-friendly, transparent, flexible, and holistic way and so stimulate reflection, awareness, communication, and a deeper understanding that ultimately enables the discursive process that is needed for the sustainable risk governance of new materials.