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Paper des Monats
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Planning an academic career is a bit like enjoying a box of chocolate – you never know what you are going to get next. In this talk, I will begin with sharing how luck, difficult decisions, fate, and family constraints affected my career path across continents, universities, the private sector, and to becoming a director at a national laboratory. This journey was certainly not planned and highlights how opportunities and compromises together allow you to make much more out of your engineering degree than you ever have dreamed of.
After this unusual journey as a materials scientist, I am transitioning to the technical part of my talk, where we will discuss transport in metallic glasses. This out-of-equilibrium material has a long suite of remarkable mechanical and physical properties but suffers from property deterioration via physical aging. As a function of time, relaxation may indeed constitute significant threads to safe applications, such as a complete loss of toughness.
In the search for a physical understanding of aging, we exploit here the ability to track atomic-scale dynamics with coherent x-ray scattering. Conducted across temperatures and under the application of stress, the results reveal unexpected transport. In concert with microsecond molecular dynamic simulations, we identify possible mechanisms of atomic-scale dynamics that underly physical aging of metallic glasses. We find that classical Kohlrausch-Williams-Watts behavior is only suited for the short relaxation-time regime, whereas anomalous diffusion emerges at practically relevant times. We discuss these results in terms of the structural relaxation modes and propose a picture of a true microstructure in metallic glasses.
Plastic deformation in crystals is mediated by the motion of line defects known as dislocations. For decades, dislocation activity has been treated as a homogeneous, smooth continuous process that relies on well-average quantities. However, it is now recognized that plasticity can be determined by long-range correlated and intermittent collective dislocation activity, known as avalanches. These abrupt plastic fluctuations often exhibit pure power-law scaling or truncated power-law scaling, which indicates at least some degree of scale-free dislocation behavior. Intriguingly, such statistical signatures can persist across scales exceeding those of the material’s microstructure, raising the question of what relationship there may be between structure and long-range correlated dislocation activity that underlie power-law scaling.
In this talk, we address this question by highlighting examples in which a transition from scale-free to scale-dependent plastic deformation is observed either due to changing external testing conditions (stress-state or temperature) or by tuning the microstructure. In particular, we will focus on the details of the temperature-driven change, that demonstrates how scale-free intermittent flow in body-centered cubic Nb is progressively quenched out with decreasing temperature. The plastic response of Nb is shown to be bimodal across the studied temperature regime, with conventional thermally-activated smooth plastic flow coexisting with sporadic bursts controlled by athermal screw dislocation activity, thereby violating the classical notion of temperature-dependent screw dislocation motion at low temperatures. An abrupt increase of the athermal avalanche component is identified at the critical temperature of the material. We combine the experimental observations with 3D dislocation dynamics simulations, identify a possible origin to athermal screw activity, and discuss the co-existence scale-free and scale-dependent plasticity.
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 computational materials science and some of our recent contributions will be discussed.
One contribution of materials science to energy efficiency is the continuous development of novel high-performance structural materials that push the strength-ductility envelope. A prominent example are modern advanced high-strength steels (AHSSs), which have enabled considerable weight reductions in the automotive sector, thereby enabling greenhouse emission reductions. To protect such advanced alloys from property degradation via corrosion, zinc (Zn) coatings are often applied through galvanization. Whilst protective, a Zn-coating comes with problems – the AHSS substrate becomes susceptible for liquid-metal embrittlement (LME) than can be the origin of significant mechanical property degradation when liquified Zn infiltrates into the steel substrate. Being for from understood, we focus here on non-cracked environments to capture the early stages of LME. This approach revealed the nucleation and growth of nano-scale intermetallic phases inside uncracked GBs (Materials Today Advances 13, 100196, 2022), highlighting the complex multi-phase microstructure developing before cracking occurs. To shed further light on the early stages of LME in AHSSs, we also consider the microstructural evolution of interrupted welds. We discuss our findings in the context of the time-resolved substructure evolution right beneath the interface between the AHSS and the Zn-based coating and track how Zn progressively infiltrates the substrate along phase and grain boundaries. The experimental results are further corroborated with thermodynamic simulations.
The investigation of the long-term performance of sealing systems employed in containers for radioactive waste and spent nuclear fuel is one research focus area for division 3.4 “Safety of Storage Containers” at the Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und -prüfung. Metallic seals are in use in interim storage casks for used fuel and high active waste. Their change in performance over time is of high importance for maintaining safe enclosure. Therefore, investigations on these systems were started at BAM to get a general understanding of the relevant processes. Our investigations comprise investigations on different parameters which influence the seal performance and the main part is focussed on the time and temperature dependent behaviour.
In this contribution an update on the performed tests and their respective results will be given in respect to the overview presented in 2020.
The understanding of the long-term behaviour of the sealing systems and the performance evaluation during interim storage and subsequent transportation are our goals.
The amount of absorbed energy in the keyhole as well as its distribution is essential to model the laser beam welding process. The recoil pressure is a key determining factor for the macroscopic flow of the molten metal in the weld pool during high-power laser beam welding. Consequently, a realistic implementation of the laser radiation on the weld metal is crucial to obtain accurate simulation results.
The following developments on the laser-material interaction are discussed for the numerical simulation of the laser beam welding process. The first implemented improvements relate to locating the exact reflection points in the ray tracing method in the determination algorithm for the intersection of the reflected rays and the keyhole surface. A second correction refers to the numerical treatment of the Gaussian distribution of the laser beam, whose beam width is defined by a decay of the laser intensity by a factor of 1/e2 thus ignoring around 14 % of the total laser beam energy. In a third step, the laser radiation distribution in vertical direction was approximated according to the beam caustics. Finally, a virtual mesh refinement was adopted in the ray tracing routine. The obtained numerical results were validated with experimental measurements.
The DACHS (Database for Automation, Characterization and Holistic Synthesis) project aims to create completely traceable experimental data, covering syntheses, measurements, analyses, and interpretations. DACHS_MOFs focuses on the synthesis and characterisation of metal-organic frameworks, across multiple, automation-assisted experimental series (AutoMOFs), with the overall goal of producing reproducible MOF samples through tracking of the synthesis parameters.
DACHS_MOFs is simultaneously used to test the DACHS principles.
This upload contain synthesis data from AutoMOFs_3 in HDF5 format (.h5). Each .h5 file contains detailed information on the chemical, experimenal, and synthesis parameters used during the synthesis of a single AutoMOF sample.
Since we are facing more extreme weathers, the occurrence
of wildfire has also increased accordingly. The EU project
TREEADS aims to adopt a holistic forest fire management
and an adaptive, collaborative governance approach based
on the deployment of a new systemic and technological
framework covering all three interconnected fire
management stages: prevention & preparedness, detection &
response, and restoration & adaptation.
As part of the task in the so-called German pilot, numerical
simulations are performed to investigate the influencing
factors for vegetation fires with fire dynamics simulator
(FDS). The characteristics of vegetation are strongly related
to the local weather and ecosystem. The investigation of the
fire behavior of vegetation must be based on the local
vegetation in Germany. Thus, the flame propagation of typical
vegetation in Germany (pine needles, oak leaves, European
beech leaves etc.) was investigated in small scale and medium
scale experiments. These results are used as validation case
studies for the further simulations.
Defects are still common in metal components built with Additive Manufacturing (AM). Process monitoring methods for laser powder bed fusion (PBF-LB/M) are used in industry, but relationships between monitoring data and defect formation are not fully understood yet. Additionally, defects and deformations may develop with a time delay to the laser energy input. Thus, currently, the component quality is only determinable after the finished process.
Here, active laser thermography, a nondestructive testing method, is adapted to PBF-LB/M, using the defocused process laser as heat source. The testing can be performed layer by layer throughout the manufacturing process. We study our proposed testing method along experiments carried out on a custom research PBF-LB/M machine using infrared (IR) cameras.
Our work enables a shift from post-process testing of components towards in-situ testing during the AM process. The actual component quality is evaluated in the process chamber and defects can be detected between layers.
L-Lactide (LA) was polymerized with neat tin(II) 2-ethylhexanoate (SnOct2) in toluene at 115 °C at low concentration with variation of the LA/Cat ratio. Cyclic polylactides (cPLAs) with number average molecular weights (Mn) between 7 000 and 17 000 were obtained. MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry also revealed the formation of a few percent of linear chains. Crystalline cPLAs with Mn around 9 000 and 14 000 were annealed at 140 °C in the presence of ScOct2 or dibutyl-2-stanna-1,3-dithiolane (DSTL). Simultaneously, crystallites of extended linear chains and crystallites of extended cycles were formed regardless of the catalyst, indicating that transesterification reaction proceeded different for linear chains and for cycles, governed by thermodynamic control. The formation of extended chain crystallites with low dispersity indicates the existence of symproportionation of short and long chains. A complementary experiment was carried out with a PLA ethyl ester composed mainly of linear chains with a small fraction of cycles
Validated and standardized methods in microplastic analysis are indispensable for robust monitoring and regulation. Alongside also reference materials are urgently needed. An interlaboratory comparison (ILC) offers a powerful tool to address both these challenges. The present study aimed to compare the precision and accuracy of various methods for the detection and quantification of microplastic in a water-soluble matrix. Additionally, it evaluated the suitability of the test materials (containing environmentally relevant plastic polymers) to serve as reference materials for the microplastic analysis.
In this ILC several most used thermo-analytical and spectroscopic methods have been addressed: Pyrolysis-Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (Py-GC/MS), Thermal Extraction-Desorption Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (TED-GC/MS), micro-Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (µ-FTIR), and micro-Raman Spectroscopy and Laser Direct Infrared Spectroscopy (LDIR). Microplastic powders of polyethylene (PE) and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) were used to assess suitability of the test materials (microplastic tablets) for method validation and use in the ILCs. The participants were guided with a SOP how to dissolve the test samples and, depending on their selected method, either quantify the number of particles (by the spectroscopic methods) or determine the mass fraction of microplastic particles per sample (by the thermo-analytical methods).
The DACHS (Database for Automation, Characterization and Holistic Synthesis) project aims to create completely traceable experimental data, covering syntheses, measurements, analyses, and interpretations. DACHS_MOFs focuses on the synthesis and characterisation of metal-organic frameworks, across multiple, automation-assisted experimental series (AutoMOFs), with the overall goal of producing reproducible MOF samples through tracking of the synthesis parameters.
DACHS_MOFs is simultaneously used to test the DACHS principles.
This upload contain synthesis data from AutoMOFs_2 in HDF5 format (.h5). Each .h5 file contains detailed information on the chemical, experimenal, and synthesis parameters used during the synthesis of a single AutoMOF sample.
In the approval process of dangerous goods packagings, drop tests onto a flat, essentially unyielding surface are used to assess resistance against mechanical damage. International adopted regulations like ADR and RID define filling good dependent drop heights and filling degrees whilst the user needs to define the maximum gross mass to be tested and approved. Maximum packaging gross mass is defined conservatively and not reached in practice. To meet the defined gross mass in testing, using additives is permitted. However, in some cases, additives are not desirable due to packaging design or filling substance properties. This leads to deviations from the initial gross mass definition. Hence, a certain drop height adjustment is necessary to achieve the required impact loading. Laboratories frequently adjust drop height assuming a perfectly elastic collision which is inaccurate. Appropriate adjustment is not trivial due to energy conversion processes, e.g., plastic deformation. In this work, a test stand is developed for measuring the change in kinetic energy of different packaging designs and filling substances in regulative drop tests. The experimental results are used to validate finite-element (FE) models so that packaging properties can be varied in simulated drop test scenarios. The findings intend to describe the appropriate drop height adjustment of the respective packaging with same design but deviating gross mass to produce comparable mechanical response. The results are highly beneficial for testing laboratories, approval issuing authorities and packaging institutes confronted with the problem of testing packages with gross masses other than those to be approved.
Hybrid additive manufacturing is becoming increasingly important in the field of additive manufacturing. Hybrid approaches combine at least two different manufacturing processes. The focus of this work is the build-up of geometries onto conventionally manufactured parts using laser-based powder bed fusion of metals (PBF-LB/M). The hybrid build-up requires a precise position detection system inside the PBF-LB/M machines to determine the exact position of the existing component. For this purpose, high-resolution camera systems can be utilized. However, the use of a camera system is associated with several challenges. The captured images are subject to various distortions of the optical path. Due to these distortions, it is not possible to use the images for measurements and, therefore, it is not possible to calculate the positions of objects. In this study a homography matrix is calculated to correct keystone distortion in the images. Different calibration patterns have been tested for the calculation of the homography matrix. The influence of the number of calibration points on the precision of position detection of objects is determined. Furthermore, the influence of an additional camera calibration by using ChArUco boards is evaluated. The result is a camera calibration workflow with associated calibration pattern for a precise position detection of parts inside PBF-LB/M machines allowing a hybrid build-up with minimum physical offset between base component and build-up.
Hybrid additive manufacturing is becoming increasingly important in the field of additive manufacturing. Hybrid approaches combine at least two different manufacturing processes. The focus of this work is the build-up of geometries onto conventionally manufactured parts using Powder Bed Fusion with Laser Beam of Metals (PBF-LB/M). The hybrid build-up requires a precise position detection system inside the PBF-LB/M machines to determine the exact position of the existing component. For this purpose, high-resolution camera systems can be utilized. However, the use of a camera system is associated with several challenges. The captured images are subject to various distortions of the optical path. Due to these distortions, it is not possible to use the images for measurements and, therefore, it is not possible to calculate the positions of objects. In this study a homography matrix is calculated to correct keystone distortion in the images. Different calibration patterns have been tested for the calculation of the homography matrix. The influence of the number of calibration points on the precision of position detection of objects is determined. Furthermore, the influence of an additional camera calibration by using ChArUco boards is evaluated. The result is a camera calibration workflow with associated calibration pattern for a precise position detection of parts inside PBF-LB/M machines allowing a hybrid build-up with minimum physical offset between base component and build-up.
The stress–strain behavior of certain ceramics, such as aluminum titanate (AT, Al2TiO5), has features that are unusual for brittle material. In particular, a substantial nonlinearity under uniaxial tension, and load–unload hysteresis caused by the increase of the incremental stiffness at the beginning of unloading. These features are observed experimentally and attributed to microcracking. In this study, we investigate the mechanical response of an AT material at room and high temperature. Microstructure and microcracking are analyzed by means of electron microscopy, and both synchrotron micro computed tomography (µCT) and refraction radiography (SXRR). Synchrotron refraction radiography is combined with in-situ heating at high-temperatures (up to 1400°C) to be able to monitor the relative closure of microcracks as a function of increasing/decreasing temperatures.
In der automatisierten Ultraschallprüfung von Komponenten mit komplexen Oberflächengeometrien werden zur Führung des Prüfkopfes zunehmend 6-Achsen-Roboter erprobt. Diese stellen die notwendige Automatisierbarkeit und Flexibilität bereit, um die lokal senkrechte Einschallung sicherzustellen. Durch den Einsatz von linearen Arrays und bildgebenden Verfahren können die Bilder oder die daraus extrahierten Merkmale zu einer Rekonstruktion in 3D zusammengesetzt werden. Die Anforderungen an die Prüfbahnen für die bildgebende Array-Ultraschallprüfung gehen dabei über konventionellen Bahnplanungsprogramme hinaus. Es wird ein Prozess vorgestellt, der Roboterbahnen auf der Grundlage des 3D-Modells von Körpern mit doppelt gekrümmter Oberfläche unter Berücksichtigung der Prüfparameter erzeugt. Hierbei wird zum einen die senkrechte Prüfkopfstellung und zum anderen eine optimale Abdeckung der Oberfläche realisiert. Dabei wird die lokale Oberflächengeometrie beachtet, da diese das Reflexionsverhalten beeinflusst und sich daher auf die optimale Verteilung und Orientierung der Prüfpositionen auswirkt. Damit einhergehend erfolgt eine Ablösung von konventionellen Konzepten, die auf linearen Prüfbahnen basieren, welches spannende neue Prüfstrategien eröffnet.
The stress–strain behavior of certain ceramics, such as aluminum titanate (AT, Al2TiO5), has features that are unusual for brittle material. In particular, a substantial nonlinearity under uniaxial tension, and load–unload hysteresis caused by the increase of the incremental stiffness at the beginning of unloading. These features are observed experimentally and attributed to microcracking. In this study, we investigate the mechanical response of an AT material at room and high temperature. Microstructure and microcracking are analyzed by means of electron microscopy, and both synchrotron micro computed tomography (µCT) and refraction radiography (SXRR). Synchrotron refraction radiography is combined with in-situ heating at high-temperatures (up to 1400°C) to be able to monitor the relative closure of microcracks as a function of increasing/decreasing temperatures.
Laboratory sources offer a unique advantage compared to synchrotron sources, largely in terms of freedom of operation. This freedom from user obligations, technology and software stacks and legacy decisions make the laboratory a very flexible place to develop and explore new ideas. The unparalleled availability furthermore allows for iterative improvement of instrumentation, sample environments and measurement methodologies to maximise the quality of the data obtained.
This talk will highlight the use of the laboratory as an agile test-bed and development space, by giving examples of some complete and incomplete investigations undertaken in our laboratory over the last years. Furthermore, it will introduce the concept of holistic experimentation, where the laboratory provides broad-ranging support for materials science investigations. This means that we assist in the experimental preparation, perform the measurements, correction and analysis, and follow-up with assistance in interpretation of our analyses in light of the results from other techniques applied to the investigation.
A chemical engineer by training, Brian drifted towards physics and now focuses on a broad spectrum of activities with the aim to improve scientific reproducibility. This includes studies on holistically improving data quality, data collection efficiency and traceability, as well as concomitant laboratory automation for the preparation of consistent, well-documented sample series. The need for pragmatism led to an inexpensive, flexible laboratory automation platform that can be implemented in a modest amount of time. This talk presents that effort.
Additive manufacturing is one of the most promising techniques for industrial production and maintenance, but the specifics of the layered structure must be considered. The Direct Energy Deposition-Arc process enables relatively high deposition rates, which is favourable for larger components. For this study, specimens with different orientations were prepared from one AISI316 steel block – parallel and orthogonal to the deposition plane. Quasistatic tensile loading tests were carried out, monitored by an infrared camera. The obtained surface temperature maps revealed structural differences between both orientations. The consideration of surface temperature transients yields more details about the behaviour of the material under tensile loading than the conventional stress-strain-curve. These preliminary investigations were supplemented by thermographic fatigue trials. Although the anisotropy was also observed during fatigue loading the fatigue behaviour in general was the same, at least for both inspected specimens. The presented results demonstrate the abilities and the potential of thermographic techniques for tensile tests.
ACCORDs is an Horizon Europe project working in the development of an imaging-based characterization framework (ACCORDs framework) for the holistic correlative assessment of Graphene Family Materials (GFMs) as a representative of 2D nanomaterials (NMs) to assess and predict 2D NMs health and environmental risks. The ACCORDs framework will operationalise safe and sustainable by design (SSbD) strategies proposed in past or ongoing H2020 projects or within OECD by correlating low-, medium-, and high-resolution physico-chemical-biological imaging-based methods with non-imaging methods in a tiered approach. ACCORDs will deliver the ACCORDs framework and user guidance, new imaging-based characterisation methods, reference in vitro tests, new reference 2D NMs for different matrices, a new minimum information reporting guideline for FAIR data sharing and reuse of images as well as an atlas with reference images for diagnostics of compromised safety of GFMs/GFM products. The new guidelines and standard proposals will be submitted to standardisation bodies to allow creation of regulatory ready products. The novelty of ACCORDs is in translating the principles of medical imaging-based diagnostics to 2D material hazard diagnostics. ACCORDs will accelerate industrial sectors in the area of aviation, marine construction, drone production, flexible electronics, photovoltaics, photocatalytics and print inks-based sensors. The value ACCORDs proposes to the graphene industry are practical, easy, imaging-based tools for GFM quality monitoring next to the production line with a possibility to be correlated with advanced highresolution imaging characterization methods in case hazard i.e. deviation from controls (benchmark values) are diagnosed. The ACCORDs framework and tools will contribute to the European Green Deal by addressing the topic: “Graphene: Europe in the lead” and to a new European strategy on standardization, released on 2nd February, 2022.
Im Rahmen des Projektes MRO2.0, das sich mit der digitalen Transformation des Servicezyklus von modernen Gasturbinenschaufeln beschäftigt, wurde gezeigt, wie sich automatisiert und flächendeckend die (Rest-)Wanddicke an variabel gekrümmten Prüfgeometrien bestimmen lässt. Es wurde ein Roboterarm verwendet, der ein lineares Ultraschallarray in Tauchtechnik führt und Prüfdaten aufnimmt, die mit einer adaptierten TFM (Total Focusing Method) zu Rekonstruktionen der Außen- und Innenoberfläche verarbeitet werden. In der aktuellen zweiten Projektphase wird die Methode für Werkstoffe erweitert, die anisotrope akustische Eigenschaften aufweisen. In diesem Beitrag wird eine Methode vorgestellt, wie sich die Kristallausrichtung bzw. die richtungsabhängige Schallgeschwindigkeit mittels eines linearen Ultraschallarrays bestimmen lässt. Für den Sendefall eines Randelements in Kontakttechnik können dabei Wellen identifiziert werden, die sich parallel zur Prüfkopfapertur im Prüfobjekt ausbreiten und mit der richtungsabhängigen Schallgeschwindigkeit skalieren. Die ermittelte Schallgeschwindigkeitsverteilung kann dann verwendet werden, um die lokale Wanddickenbestimmung für die Anisotropie zu adaptieren.
Ultrasonic testing (UT) of objects with complex geometries often requires the use of a robotic arm to position the probe perpendicular to the local surface. Using immersion makes it possible to test these objects with standard ultrasonic linear array probes. Here, the probe positions and orientations provided by the robot are used for merging the locally acquired image data into a 3D-reconstruction. The quality of this reconstruction is highly dependent on the alignment of the tool center point (TCP) of the physical probe with the TCP used in the digital model. For common industrial tools, the TCP is usually acquired using geometric features of the tools. However, for ultrasonic arrays in immersion, there is a water standoff between the probe and the test object, therefore the TCP is in free space in front of the array and cannot be acquired with the common method. To overcome this challenge, we propose a method that allows the robotic ultrasonic system to automatically self-adjust the positioning of the UT probe using a test block made of steel with defined geometric features as a target for referencing. For each of the six degrees of freedom, a scan and adjustment routine are established using the data acquired by the UT probe to update the TCP’s position and orientation in the robot control. Given a coarse pre-definition of the TCP and the known target test block, no human interaction is required while the system determines the optimum tool position and orientation. Part of this work will be used to improve and extend standards for robotic ultrasonic test systems, e.g. ISO 24647.
Guaranteeing safety and security of citizens requires a significant effort and innovative tools from national and international agencies and governments, especially when it comes to the field of explosives detection. The need to detect Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) and Home-made Explosives (HMEs) at a point of suspicion, has grown rapidly due to the ease with which the precursors can be obtained and the reagents synthesised. The limited availability of immunoanalytical tools for HME detection presents an opportunity for the development of new devices, which enable a rapid detection and recognise the target analyte with high specificity and sensitivity. In this work, we introduce an optical biosensor for highly specific and sensitive HME detection. The immunoassay system is placed in a hydrogel environment permeable to the analyte and transparent to light interrogating the fluorescently labelled antibodies. The readout of the immunoanalytical system is realized with Supercritical Angle Fluorescence (SAF), an advanced microscopy technique. To accomplish this, we made use of recent, commercial high resolution (< 22 µm) Liquid Crystal Display 3D printers to fabricate a parabolic optical element with high refractive index (RI>1.5) and transmission values (>90%) from photo-resin. Aiming at a new generation of sensors, which not only can meet the requirements of trace detection, but can also be used for substance identification, the combination of immunoanalytical recognition with SAF detection offers a modularity and versatility that is principally well suitable for the measurements of target analytes at trace levels.
Ceramic additive manufacturing (AM) requires a complex process chain with various post-processing steps that require expensive machines and special expertise. The key to further market penetration is AM that makes it possible to integrate into an already established ceramic process chain. Most successful AM technologies for ceramics are, however, based on processes that initially have been developed for polymeric materials. For ceramics AM, polymers or precursors are loaded with ceramic particles. This strategy facilitates the entry into AM, however the introduction of organic additives into the ceramic process chain represents a considerable technological challenge to ultimately obtain a ceramic component after additive shaping. In the present communication, two technologies based on ceramic suspensions will be introduced, the “layerwise slurry deposition” (LSD) and “laser induced slip casting” (LIS) technology. Both technologies take advantage of the high packing densities reached by conventional slip casting and moreover enable the processing of fines, even nanoparticles.
A key aspect in the development of multilayer inductors is the magnetic permeability of the ferrite layers. Here, the effects of different processing steps on the permeability of a NiCuZn ferrite is investigated. Dry pressed, tape cast, and co‐fired multilayer samples are analyzed. An automated data pipeline is applied to structure the acquired experimental data according to a domain ontology based on PMDco (Platform MaterialDigital core ontology). Example queries to the ontology show how the determined process‐property correlations are accessible to non‐experts and thus how suitable data for component design can be identified. It is demonstrated how the inductance of co‐fired multilayer inductors is reliably predicted by simulations if the appropriate input data corresponding to the manufacturing process is used.This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Fatigue test ontology (FTO)
(2024)
Fatigue Test Ontology (FTO) has developed for representing the fatigue testing process, testing equipment requirements, test pieces charactristics, and related testing parameters and their measurement procedure according to DIN EN ISO 12106 standard.
Versions info:
V2 developed using PROVO+PMDco top-level ontologies.
V3 developed using BFO+IOF top-level ontologies.
Repositories:
GitLab: https://gitlab.com/kupferdigital/process-graphs/lcf-test
GitHub: https://github.com/HosseinBeygiNasrabadi/Fatigue-Test-Ontology-FTO-
MatPortal: https://matportal.org/ontologies/FTO
IndustryPortal: https://industryportal.enit.fr/ontologies/FTO
Tensile Stress Relaxation Test Ontology (TSRTO) has developed for representing the tensile stress relaxation testing process, testing equipment requirements, test pieces charactristics, and related testing parameters and their measurement procedure according to DIN EN ISO 10319-1 standard.
Versions info:
V1 developed using BFO+CCO top-level ontologies.
V3 developed using PROV+PMDco top-level ontologies.
Repositories:
GitLab: https://gitlab.com/kupferdigital/process-graphs/relaxation-test
GitHub: https://github.com/HosseinBeygiNasrabadi/Tensile-Stress-Relaxation-Test-Ontology-TSRTO
MatPortal: https://matportal.org/ontologies/TSRTO
IndustryPortal: https://industryportal.enit.fr/ontologies/TSRTO
Tensile test ontology (TTO)
(2024)
Tensile Test Ontology (TTO) has developed for representing the Tensile testing process, testing equipment requirements, test pieces charactristics, and related testing parameters and their measurement procedure according to DIN EN ISO 6892-1 standard.
Versions info:
V2 developed using BFO+CCO top-level ontologies.
V3 developed using PROVO+PMDco top-level ontologies.
Repositories:
GitLab: https://gitlab.com/kupferdigital/process-graphs/tensile-test
GitHub: https://github.com/HosseinBeygiNasrabadi/Tensile-Test-Ontology-TTO-
MatPortal: https://matportal.org/ontologies/TTO
IndustryPortal: https://industryportal.enit.fr/ontologies/TTO
Standardised methods need validation. The main validation parameters like trueness, repeatability and intermediate precision and reproducibility are presented. Furthermore, different methods for the validation are disussed: (certified) reference materials, representative testing materials and interlaboratory comparisons. At last, the need of proficiency testing is stressed.
Vickers test ontology (VTO)
(2024)
Vickers Test Ontology (VTO) has developed for representing the Vickers testing process, testing equipment requirements, test pieces charactristics, and related testing parameters and their measurement procedure according to DIN EN ISO 6507-1 standard.
Versions info:
V2 developed using BFO+CCO top-level ontologies.
Repositories:
GitLab: https://gitlab.com/kupferdigital/process-graphs/vickers-hardness-test
GitHub: https://github.com/HosseinBeygiNasrabadi/Vickers-Test-Ontology-VTO-
MatPortal: https://matportal.org/ontologies/VTO
IndustryPortal: https://industryportal.enit.fr/ontologies/VTO
Revealing surface functionalities of micro- and nanoplastic particles’ surface by means of XPS
(2024)
Over the last 20 years, many researchers, politicians, and citizens themselves have become increasingly aware of the growing plastic problem of our time. Inadequate recycling concepts, collection points, and careless dumping of plastic products in the environment lead to an accumulation of plastic. External weather influences can cause these to degrade and fractionate, so that today microplastics (1-1000 µm, ISO/TR 21960:2020) [1] of different polymer materials can be detected in all parts of the world.
The precautionary principle applies to microplastics. The particles can break down further to form nanoplastics (<1 µm, ISO/TR 21960:2020) [1]. Whether microplastics or nanoplastics pose a toxicological hazard is being investigated in a variety of ways. Valid results are still pending, however, investigations into the frequency, transport, possible sinks and entry paths must be taken into account. This is why monitoring of microplastics is already required in the revision of the Drinking Water Framework Directive [2]. The same is still pending in the final version of the revision of the Waste Water Framework Directive this year, but is expected.
Nanoplastics are particularly under discussion for having a toxic effect on humans and animals, as these particles are small enough to be absorbed by cells. For targeted toxicological studies, it is important to have test and reference materials that resemble the particles found in the environment. To mimic environmental samples, these materials should also have an irregular shape and show aging at the surface, which can be detected with XPS or SEM/EDS.
BAM in collaboration with the EMPIR project "PlasticTrace" works on a reference material candidate of nano-sized polypropylene (nano-PP) [3]. The nano-PP vials were tested for homogeneity with PTA and further characterized with bulk and surface-sensitive techniques. An SEM image and a corresponding XPS spectrum are presented in Figure 1. Raman measurements as well as XPS indicate an aged surface.
Brinell test ontology (BTO)
(2024)
Brinell Test Ontology (BTO) has developed for representing the Brinell testing process, testing equipment requirements, test pieces charactristics, and related testing parameters and their measurement procedure according to DIN EN ISO 6506-1 standard.
Versions info:
V2 developed using BFO+CCO top-level ontologies.
V3 developed using EMMO+CHAMEO top-level ontologies.
V4 developed using PROVO+PMDco top-level ontologies.
V5 developed using BFO+IOF top-level ontologies.
Repositories:
GitLab: https://gitlab.com/kupferdigital/process-graphs/brinell-hardness-test
GitHub: https://github.com/HosseinBeygiNasrabadi/Brinell-Test-Ontology-BTO-
MatPortal: https://matportal.org/ontologies/BTO
IndustryPortal: https://industryportal.enit.fr/ontologies/BTO
Small-area XPS analysis is one of the most popular and powerful methods for analysing the surface of features in the micro-range. When measuring microstructures, the ques-tion arises whether the measuring point is really located at the point intended to be ana-lysed. Information in a measured spectrum might originate within the field of view (FoV) on the surface of the sample, from outside the FoV, or even from inherent contamination. To ensure that small structures can be measured correctly regardless of user and instru-ment, certain instrument and sample settings must be known and selected correctly: beam and aperture size as well as the aperture settings and the approximate dimensions of the structure to be analysed. This is the only way to ensure that the information in the spectrum originates only from the FoV on the analysed structure.
To test the performance of the XPS instruments, a dedicated test material was developed that consists of a gold surface on which 8 circles and 8 squares of chrome are incorpo-rated using a masking process, so that the Au substrate and the Cr structure surfaces are in the same surface plane. In order to be able to test as many as possible instruments from different manufacturers, the structures have been designed with a size ranging from 300 µm down to 7 µm. The layout of the test material has been optimised in regard of the handling. The structures are arranged along lines instead of a circumference, marking arrows around the smaller structures (≤50 µm) are added, and the lithography mask is optimised regarding edge and diffraction effects. Furthermore, the manufacturing process was changed from electron-beam deposition to mask lithography due to costs reasons. The structures on the test material were measured with a metrological SEM to determine their accurate dimensions and check the repeatability of the manufacturing process. XPS investigations with a Kratos AXIS Ultra DLD and an ULVAC-Phi Quantes demonstrates the suitability of this new test material for measuring the analysed area.
The main properties and main methods which are needed for the physico-chemical characterisation of graphene related 2D materials are discussed. As expample for standardization, protocols for the measurement of the chemical composition with XPS are discussed. The results of an interlaboratory comparisons led to new recommendations for the reliable measurments protocols.
Graphene and related 2D materials (GR2Ms) are now entering an exciting phase of commercialization and use in products. Graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs) can be obtained in rather large quantities, but the properties of these industrially produced powders can vary depending on the production method, and even from batch to batch. Understanding and optimizing the surface chemistry of GNPs, modified through chemical functionalization processes is crucial, because it affects their dispersibility in solvents and matrices for the purpose of embedding them into real-world products. Therefore, reliable and repeatable measurements of the surface chemistry of functionalized GNPs are an important issue for suppliers as well as users of these materials. To address these concerns, international documentary ISO standards for measurement methodologies are under development which incorporate protocols that are becoming widely accepted in the community.
Recently, it was shown that pelletizing led to lower average O/C atomic ratios than those measured for powders [1]. In another study, the influence of the morphology on the degree of functionalization was shown [2]. As expected, a higher degree of functionalization was detected for smaller GNPs. The functionalization was located at the outermost surfaces of the GNPs by comparing experiments using photoelectron with soft (Al Kα, 1.486 keV) and hard X-rays (Cr Kα, 5.405 keV). Therefore, it is important for those using GNPs to understand both the physical and chemical properties of these particles, when considering their use in different applications.
The next step for reliable characterization protocols was the realization of an interlaboratory comparison under the auspices of VAMAS (Versailles Project on Advanced Materials and Standards) with 22 participating laboratories from all over the world. Samples of oxygen-, nitrogen-, and fluorine- functionalized GNPs were provided to the participants along with a measurement protocol. Participants were asked to prepare the samples as powders on a tape, powders in a sample holder recess, or as pellets. The lower measured O/C ratio reported for pelletized samples [1] was confirmed. The lowest scattering of the results was observed for the powders measured in the recess (Fig. 1). Furthermore, an influence of the humidity on the results was observed.
Interlaboratory comparisons (ILCs) are an important tool for the validation of characterisation methods, and, herwith, a prerequisite for standardisation. The "Versailles Project on Advanced Materials and Standards" offers a framework for performing such ILCs: (i) TiO2 nanoparticles using ToF-SIMS, and (ii) the chemical composition of functionalized graphene using XPS. The results of both ILCs underline the importance of sample preparation for the measured results.
This data article presents a set of primary, analyzed, and digitalized mechanical testing datasets for nine copper alloys. The mechanical testing methods including the Brinell and Vickers hardness, tensile, stress relaxation, and low-cycle fatigue (LCF) testing were performed according to the DIN/ISO standards. The obtained primary testing data (84 files) mainly contain the raw measured data along with the testing metadata of the processes, materials, and testing machines. Five secondary datasets were also provided for each testing method by collecting the main meta- and measurement data from the primary data and the outputs of data analyses. These datasets give materials scientists beneficial data for comparative material selection analyses by clarifying the wide range of mechanical properties of copper alloys, including Brinell and Vickers hardness, yield and tensile strengths, elongation, reduction of area, relaxed and residual stresses, and LCF fatigue life. Furthermore, both the primary and secondary datasets were digitalized by the approach introduced in the research article entitled “Toward a digital materials mechanical testing lab” [1]. The resulting open-linked data are the machine-processable semantic descriptions of data and their generation processes and can be easily queried by semantic searches to enable advanced data-driven materials research.
Optical measurements of scattering luminescent materials dispersed in liquid and solid matrices and luminescent powders play an important role in fundamental research and industry. Typical examples are luminescent nano- and microparticles and phosphors of different composition in different matrices or incorporated into ceramics with applications in energy conversion, solid-state lighting, medical diagnostics, and security barcoding. The key parameter for the performance of these materials is the photoluminescence quantum yield QY, i.e., the number of emitted photons per number of absorbed photons. QY of transparent luminophore solutions can be determined relatively to a fluorescence quantum yield standard of known QY. Such standards are meanwhile available as certified reference materials.[1] The determination of QY of scattering liquid and solid samples like dispersions of luminescent nanoparticles, solid phosphors, and optoceramics requires, however, absolute measurements with an integrating sphere setup. Although the importance of reliable absolute QY measurements has been recognized, no interlaboratory comparisons (ILCs) on measurement uncertainties and the identification of typical sources of uncertainty have been yet reported. Also, no scattering reference materials with known QY are available.
We present here the results of a first ILC of 3 laboratories from academia and industry performed to identify and quantify sources of uncertainty of absolute QY measurements of scattering samples. Thereby, two types of commercial stand-alone integrating sphere setups with different illumination and detection geometries were utilized for measuring QY of transparent and scattering dye solutions and solid phosphors. As representative and industrially relevant solid and scattering samples, YAG:Ce optoceramics of varying surface roughness were chosen, applied, e.g., as converter materials for blue light emitting diodes. Special emphasis was dedicated to the influence of the measurement geometry, the optical properties of the blank, utilized to determine the number of photons of the incident excitation light absorbed by the sample, and the sample-specific surface roughness. While matching QY values could be obtained for transparent dye solutions and scattering dispersions, here using a blank with scattering properties closely matching those of the sample, QY measurements of optoceramic samples with different blanks revealed substantial differences, with the blank's optical
properties accounting for measurement uncertainties of more than 20 %. Based upon the ILC results, we recommend non-absorbing blank materials with a high reflectivity (>95 %) such as a 2 mm-thick PTFE target placed on the sample holder which reveals a near-Lambertian light scattering behavior, yielding a homogeneous light distribution within the integrating sphere.
AbstractTwo‐photon polymerization (2PP) additive manufacturing (AM) utilizes feedstocks of ceramic nanoparticles of a few nanometers in diameter, enabling the fabrication of highly accurate technical ceramic design with structural details as small as 500 nm. The performance of these materials is expected to differ from conventional AM ceramics, as nanoparticles and three‐dimensional printing at high resolution introduce new microstructural aspects. This study applies 2PP‐AM of yttria‐stabilized zirconia to investigate the mechanical response behavior under compressive load, probing the influence of smallest structural units induced by the line packing during the printing process, design of sintered microblocks, and sintering temperature and thereby microstructure. We find a dissipative mechanical response enhanced by sintering at lower temperatures than conventional. The pursued 2PP‐AM approach yields a microstructured material with an increased number of grain boundaries that proposedly play a major role in facilitating energy dissipation within the here printed ceramic material. This microplastic response is further triggered by the filigree structures induced by hollow line packing at the order of the critical defect size of ceramics. Together, these unique aspects made accessible by the 2PP‐AM approach contribute to a heterogeneous nano‐ and microstructure, and hint toward opportunities for tailoring the mechanical response in future ceramic applications.
Characterization and quantification of functional groups and coatings on nanoobjects an overview
(2024)
Characterization of Nanoparticles – Questions to Ask, Functional Nanoparticles (NPs) – Organic, Inorganic, and Hybrid Nanoparticles Nanomaterial Characterization Standardization – Addressing Remaining Gaps Surface FGs Particle Surface Chemistry - Why is it Important? Particle Surface Chemistry - A Key Driver for Performance, Applications, and Safety Aspects Method Development for Quantifying FGs and Ligands on Particle Surfaces FG Quantification – Method Choice & Criteria Relevant for Data Interpretation Quantifying the Amount of Total and Accessible FGs on Aminated Silica Nanoparticles (SiO2-NH2) Comparing the Total and Accessible –NH2 Content on Aminated Silica NPs of Different Size Characterization of Nanoparticles Standardization Standardized Measurements of Surface FGs on Nanoparticles EMP Project SMURFnano EMP Project SMURFnano Work Packages & Goals Certified Reference Materials from BAM
Analyzing materials composed of multiple elements with spectroscopic techniques such as X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS), Auger-Electron Spectroscopy (AES) or Electron Probe Microanalysis (EPMA), can be challenging due to spectral overlap. Moreover, each analytical method introduces its own set of challenges, e.g., the strong secondary fluorescence effect for neighbor elements in EPMA, thus, making the accurate elemental quantification in such materials difficult. When the material is available as thin film, additional constraints are inherently present. To provide a reference material for these analytical challenges high entropy alloys (HEAs) are excellent candidates. Currently, there is no thin film reference available containing more than 2 elements.
Unlike traditional alloys, which typically consist of one or two main elements and smaller amounts of secondary elements, HEAs are characterized by the presence of multiple principal elements in almost equal proportions. This unique composition results in a high degree of disorder at the atomic level, leading to exceptional mechanical, physical, and often unexpected properties. HEAs have garnered significant attention in materials science and engineering due to their potential applications in a wide range of industries, from aerospace and automotive to electronics and renewable energy.
For the preparation of a dedicated thin film reference material, we have chosen to prepare HEAs by magnetron sputtering, since it is not associated with elemental segregation that may occur due to the high configurational entropy of HEAs, which promotes atomic rearrangements. Our goal was to prepare films with a homogeneous thickness and defined chemical composition to be analyzed by various methods dedicated to surface analysis.
The material, consisting of titanium, chromium, manganese, iron, and nickel was deposited as film on silicon substrates - to our knowledge the first HEA thin film of this type reported in literature. A set of different thickness of the films was chosen, on the one hand to facilitate the analysis with different techniques, and on the other side to evaluate the limitations of the respective methods. The films morphology was characterized as prepared by SEM followed by the analysis of their 2D compositional homogeneity by EDX, XRF, ToF-SIMS and XPS. in-depth chemical composition was evaluated by ToF-SIMS and AES. The outcomes of analyzing the initial batches of films will be presented.
Nanopipettes are a type of solid-state nanopore with needle-like geometry. Their applications range from imaging, sensing, diagnostics, and use as injectors. The response of nanopipette sensors is highly dependent on the size, geometry and chemical properties of the sensing region. As nanopipettes are increasingly tuned and modified for specific analytes, a better understanding of the surface chemistry and morphology of the inner channel is necessary. For exploring these effects, quartz nanopipettes were modified by gas phase silanization, a well-utilised technique in the field to enhance performance of nanopipettes, and further functionalised with a metal bis thiolate complex, to aid in chemical analysis. The inner channel of the sensing region was exposed with focused ion beam (FIB) milling as a dedicated sample preparation method for nanoscale surface analysis. The sample characterisation involved scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Auger electron spectroscopy (AES) and low-energy energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDX). The results demonstrate the first steps towards full characterisation of nanopipettes at the nanoscale, notably with access to the inner channel. The methods used here can be applied to gain further understanding of the response of these sensors to complex analytes, and allow for the study of different surface functionalisation at the all-important sensing region.
Laser Powder Bed Fusion (PBF-LB/M) is a layer wise metal additive manufacturing (AM) technology, which enables significant advancements of component design, leading to potential efficiency and performance improvements. However, the thermal cycles inherent to the process comprising large localized thermal gradients and repeated melting and solidification cycles leads to the generation of high magnitude residual stresses. These residual stresses can be detrimental both during manufacturing of components and in subsequent application. Therefore, a deep understanding of the influence of process parameters on the residual stresses are crucial for efficient manufacturing and safe application. The experimental characterization of these residual stresses is therefore crucial and can provide a reliable baseline for simulations of both the process and applications.
Diffraction-based methods for residual stress analysis using penetrating neutrons and high energy X-rays enable non-destructive spatially resolved characterization of both surface and bulk residual stresses. However, the unique microstructural features inherent to the process can challenge some of our assumptions when using these methods. These challenges include the determination of a stress-free reference, the use of correct elastic constants (both SCEC and DEC) and the influence of surface roughness, texture, and porosity on residual stresses.
This presentation will detail recent insights and recommendations for the characterization of residual stresses in a range of PBF-LB/M metallic alloys (Fe, Ni, Al and Ti)
Nanopipettes are a type of solid-state nanopore with needle-like geometry. Their applications range from imaging, sensing, diagnostics, and use as injectors. The response of nanopipette sensors is highly dependent on the size, geometry and chemical properties of the sensing region. As they are increasingly tuned and modified for specific analytes, a better understanding of the surface chemistry and morphology of the inner channel is necessary. With the aim of developing a comprehensive approach for characterisation of such nanopipettes, this research focuses on combining surface-sensitive analysis methods with advanced sample preparation techniques. Quartz substrates were modified by gas phase silanization, a well-utilised technique in the field to enhance performance of nanopipettes, and further functionalised with a metal bis thiolate complex, to aid in chemical analysis. The sample characterisation involved scanning electron microscopy (SEM), low-energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDX), time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS) and Auger electron spectroscopy (AES). Using focused ion beam (FIB) milling under gentle conditions, the inner surface of quartz nanopipettes was exposed whilst preserving the integrity of the overall structure (see figure). Owing to the challenging analysis conditions, modification and analysis of flat quartz substrates has been performed in parallel for optimisation purposes. The results demonstrate the first steps towards full characterisation of nanopipettes at the nanoscale, notably with access to the inner channel. The methods used here can be applied to gain further understanding of the response of these sensors to complex analytes and allow for the study of different surface functionalisations at the all-important sensing region.
Graphene has been commercialized for over a decade. It is usually used in the form of suspensions or inks. In this study, we analyze the starting material for commercial functionalized graphene (FG) solutions and inks as well as their starting material (FG powders) using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), scanning electron microscope (SEM), energy-dispersive X-Ray spectroscopy (EDX), time of flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS) and Auger electron spectroscopy (AES). Graphene was functionalized with fluorine, oxygen, ammonia, and carboxylic acid.
Our results suggest a significant effect of water and commercial resins on the presence as well as the morphological behavior of graphene and associated functionalized group. For example, XPS analysis shows some significant differences between the solutions and the starting materials (powders). These changes can be explained by the location of the functionalization at the outer most surface as indicated by Chemello et al.
The determination of residual stress in additively manufactured materials is a challenge, even after decades from the establishment of the basics of residual stress analysis. This is due to the peculiar microstructure of such materials. In fact, researchers have discovered that conventional methods for the determination of RS in materials do not properly work for AM materials. In this tutorial, the basics of RS analysis will be explained, together with the basics of AM manufacturing techniques. The microstructure of the peculiar materials (AM) dealt with here will be elucidated. Successively, the necessary modifications to the conventional approaches to RS analysis will be explained and case studies will be displayed, for the attendant to touch with hands the peculiarities of the approaches. Finally, a few experimental and theoretical tips will be given on dos and don’ts for a correct determination of RS in AM materials.
Graphene has been commercialized for over a decade. It is usually used in the form of suspensions or inks. In this study, we analyze the starting material for commercial functionalized graphene (FG) solutions and inks as well as their starting material (FG powders) using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), scanning electron microscope (SEM), energy-dispersive X-Ray spectroscopy (EDX), time of flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS) and Auger electron spectroscopy (AES). Graphene was functionalized with fluorine, oxygen, ammonia, and carboxylic acid.
Our results suggest a significant effect of water and commercial resins on the presence as well as the morphological behavior of graphene and associated functionalized group. For example, XPS analysis shows some significant differences between the solutions and the starting materials (powders). These changes can be explained by the location of the functionalization at the outer most surface as indicated by Chemello et al.
Ensuring the purity of air and water is essential for the overall well-being of life on earth and the sustainability of the planet's diverse ecosystems. To achieve the goal of zero pollution, as outlined in the 2020 European Green Deal by the European Commission,[1] significant efforts are in progress. A key aspect of this commitment involves advancing more efficient and economically viable methods for treating wastewater. This includes the systematic monitoring of harmful pollutants such as heavy metals, microplastics, pesticides, and pharmaceuticals.
One example is the presence of the anti-inflammatory drug diclofenac in water systems, primarily originating from its use as a gel or lotion for joint pain treatment. Diclofenac contamination in surface waters has been detected at approximately 10 μg L-1 (0.03 μM)[2] which is not solely due to widespread usage but also because of the drug's resistance to microbial degradation. Conventional wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), which rely on biodegradation, sludge sorption, ozone oxidation, and powdered activated carbon treatment, struggle to efficiently remove diclofenac from wastewater.[3],[4] For instance, to enable WWTPs to efficiently monitor and optimize their processes, it would be advantageous to develop on-site detection and extraction methods for persistent pharmaceutical residues in aqueous samples.
In this work, a sol-gel process was used to prepare Nile blue-doped silica nanoparticles (dSiO2-NPs) with a diameter of ca. 30 nm that were further functionalized to enable reversible-addition-fragmentation chain-transfer (RAFT) polymerization. To achieve fluorescence detection, a fluorescent monomer was used as a probe for diclofenac in ethyl acetate, generating stable complexes through hydrogen bond formation. The diclofenac/fluorescent monomer complexes were imprinted into thin molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) shells on the surface of the dSiO2-NPs. Thus, the MIP binding behaviour could be easily evaluated by fluorescence titrations to monitor the spectral changes upon addition of the analyte. Doping the core substrate with Nile blue generates effective dual fluorescent signal transduction. This approach does not solely depend on a single fluorescence emission band in response to analyte recognition. Instead, it enables the fluorescent core to function as an internal reference, minimizing analyte-independent factors such as background fluorescence, instrumental fluctuation, and operational parameters.[5] Rebinding studies showed that the MIP particles have excellent selectivity towards the imprinted template and good discrimination against the competitor ibuprofen, with a discrimination factor of 2.5. Additionally, the limit of detection was determined to be 0.6 μM. Thus, with further optimization of the MIP, there is potential for the development of a MIP-based biphasic extract-&-detect fluorescence assay for simple, sensitive and specific sensing of diclofenac in aqueous samples down to the required concentrations of 0.03 μM.
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) represent a class of synthetic organofluorine chemicals extensively utilized in the manufacturing of various materials such as firefighting foams, adhesives, and stain- and oil-resistant coatings. In recent years, PFAS have been considered as emerging environmental contaminants, with particular focus on perfluoroalkyl carboxylic acids (PFCAs), the most prevalent type among PFAS. PFCAs are characterized by a fully fluorinated carbon backbone and a charged carboxylic acid headgroup. Notably, they have been designated as Substances of Very High Concern and added to the REACH Candidate List due to their persistence in the environment, non-biodegradability and toxicological effects.
Conventional techniques for the analysis of PFCA, such as GC-MS, HRMS and HPLC-based methods, are laborious, not portable, costly and require skilled personnel. In contrast, fluorescence assays can be designed as easy-to-operate, portable and cost-effective methods with high sensitivity and fast response, especially when analyte binding leads to a specific increase of a probe’s emission. Integration of such probes with a carrier platform and a miniaturized optofluidic device affords a promising alternative for PFCA monitoring.
Here, a novel guanidine BODIPY fluorescent indicator monomer has been synthesized, characterized, and incorporated into a molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) for the specific detection of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA). The MIP layer was formed on tris(bipyridine)ruthenium(II) chloride doped silica core particles for optical internal reference and calibration-free assays. Such system allows selective and reliable detection of PFCA from surface water samples, with minimum interference by competitors, matrix effects and other factors. Integration of the assay into an opto-microfluidic setup resulted in a miniaturized and easy-to-operate detection system allowing for micromolar detection of PFOA in less than 15 minutes from surface water sample.
Graphene and graphene-oxide (GO) are advanced materials which – similar to other graphene-related 2D materials (GR-2M) - are already used for instance in catalysis processes, biomedical applications, in inks and resins, or as composite materials for the aviation industry. The lateral/structural characterization of graphene oxide (GO) flakes is a challenging task, with steps like sample preparation, representative image selection and exact determination of the particle size distribution of well-defined size and shape descriptors being crucial for an accurate analysis. To ensure that safe-by-design principles are met within the various application fields, the commercial material must be thoroughly characterized and specified through well-known and standardized procedures.
GO flakes with different degrees of complexity were selected to assess the requirements for an accurate evaluation of their physico-chemical properties. These samples show inherent features with complex nanoscale characteristics such as porosity and edge roughness; further, the lateral size (quantified via equivalent circular diameter (ECD), minimum Feret and maximum Feret) of isolated and overlapping particles deposited on a substrate span over several orders of magnitude (nano to micron scale). The samples showed different degrees of agglomeration (and possible aggregation) with sizes ranging between submicron to a few tens of micrometers.
One focus is the automated segmentation and evaluation of images obtained by electron microscopy. The GO samples appear translucent with well-defined contrast between single and overlapping flakes both with the secondary electron detector of type InLens as well as with SEM in the transmission mode (STEM) utilizing a dedicated sample holder. To this end it is of utmost importance for the accurate image segmentation to carefully select thresholds both manually and through semi-automatic approaches using well-known threshold algorithms such as “IsoData” and pre-defined segmentation applications such as the ParticleSizer software package.
Further specific challenges in identifying and extracting key features of selected graphene oxide flakes are being discussed and approaches towards accurate and representative characterization are presented.
Due to the advantages of Laser Powder Bed Fusion (PBF-LB), i.e., design freedom and the possibility to manufacture parts with filigree structures, and the considerable amount of knowledge available for 316L in its conventional variant, the mechanical behavior, and related microstructure-property relationships of PBF-LB/316L are increasingly subject of research. However, many aspects regarding the - application-relevant - mechanical behavior at high temperatures are not yet fully understood. Here, we present the results of an experimental study on the LCF behavior of PBF-LB/316L featuring a low defect population, which makes this study more microstructure-focused than most of the studies in the literature. The LCF tests were performed between room temperature (RT) and 600 °C. The mechanical response is characterized by strain-life curves, and hysteresis and cyclic deformation curves. The damage and deformation mechanisms are studied with X-ray computed tomography, and optical and electron microscopy. The PBF-LB/M/316L was heat treated at 450 °C for 4 h, and a hot‑rolled (HR) 316L variant with a fully recrystallized equiaxed microstructure was tested as a reference. Besides, selected investigations were performed after a subsequent heat treatment at 900 °C for 1 h. The PBF-LB/316L exhibits higher cyclic stresses than HR/316L for most of the fatigue life, especially at room temperature. At the smallest strain amplitudes, the fatigue lives of PBF-LB/M/316L are markedly shorter than in HR/316L. The main damage mechanisms are multiple cracking at slip bands (RT) and intergranular cracking (600 °C). Neither the melt pool boundaries nor the gas porosity have a significant influence on the LCF damage mechanism. The cyclic stress-strain deformation behavior of PBF-LB/M/316L features an initial hardening followed by a continuous softening. The additional heat treatment at 900 °C for 1 h led to decreased cyclic stresses, and a longer fatigue life.
Die additive Fertigung mittels Schweißverfahren bietet große ökonomische Vorteile für eine ressourceneffiziente Bauteilherstellung. Offene Fragen bezüglich Homogenität, Anisotropie der Schweißgefüge und den damit verbundenen Bauteileigenschaften stehen einer wirtschaftlichen Verarbeitung oftmals im Wege. Finale Bauteilgeometrie und Oberflächengüte erfordern meist komplementäre subtraktive Fertigungsschritte. Werkstoffe für hochbelastbare Komponenten sind oftmals schwer spanbar. In einem Vorhaben der BAM und des ISAF wurde untersucht, wie die Modifikation der AM-Schweißzusätze und das ultraschallunterstützte Fräsen (US) die Zerspanungssituation verbessern. Der vorliegende Artikel stellt wesentliche Zusammenhänge zwischen Legierung, Gefüge und Zerspanung zweier schwer spanbarer Hochleistungslegierungen (FeNi und CoCr) dar. Großes Potenzial zeigte neben dem US die Modifikation mit Zr und Hf bei Zulegierung in das Schweißgut mittels Beschichtung von Massivdrähten bzw. Herstellung von Fülldrähten.
The strength of age-hardenable aluminum alloys is based on the controlled formation of nm-sized precipitates, which represent obstacles to dislocation movement. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) is generally used to identify precipitate types and orientations and to determine their size. This geometric quantification (e.g., length, diameter) is often performed by manual image analysis, which is very time consuming and sometimes poses reproducibility problems. The present work aims at the digital representation of this characterization method by proposing an automatable digital approach. Based on DF-TEM images of different precipitation states of alloy EN AW-2618A, a modularizable digital workflow is described for the quantitative analysis of precipitate dimensions. The integration of this workflow into a data pipeline concept is also presented. The semantic structuring of data allows data to be shared and reused for other applications and purposes, which enables interoperability.
The determination of residual stress in additively manufactured materials is a challenge, even after decades from the establishment of the basics of residual stress analysis. This is due to the peculiar microstructure of such materials. In fact, researchers have discovered that conventional methods for the determination of RS in materials do not properly work for AM materials. In this tutorial, the basics of RS analysis will be explained, together with the basics of AM manufacturing techniques. The microstructure of the peculiar materials (AM) dealt with here will be elucidated. Successively, the necessary modifications to the conventional approaches to RS analysis will be explained and case studies will be displayed, for the attendant to touch with hands the peculiarities of the approaches. Finally, a few experimental and theoretical tips will be given on dos and don’ts for a correct determination of RS in AM materials.
The experimental determination of residual stress becomes more complicated with increasing complexity of the structures investigated. Unlike the conventional and most of the additive manufacturing (AM) fabrication techniques, laser powder bed fusion (PBF-LB) allows the production of complex structures without any additional manufacturing step. However, due to the extremely localized melting and solidification, internal stress-induced deformation and cracks are often observed. In the best case, significant residual stress is retained in the final structures as a footprint of the internal stress during manufacturing.
Here we report solutions to the most prevalent challenges when dealing with the diffraction-based determination of residual stress in AM structures, in particular the choice of the correct diffraction elastic constants. We show that for Nickel-based alloys, the diffraction elastic constants of AM material significantly deviate from their conventional counterparts. Furthermore, measurement strategies to overcome the hurdles appearing when applying diffraction-based techniques to complex-shaped lattice structures are presented: a) proper sample alignment within the beam, b) the proper determination of the residual stress field in a representative part of the structure (i.e., with an engineering meaning). Beyond the principal stress magnitude, the principal direcions of residual stress are discussed for different geometries and scan strategies, as they are relevent for failure criteria.
We show that the RS in the lattice struts can be considered to be uniaxial and to follow the orientation of the strut, while the RS in the lattice knots is more hydrostatic. Additionally, we show that strain measurements in at least seven independent directions are necessary for the correct estimation of the principal stress directions. The measurement directions should be chosen according to the sample geometry and to an informed choice on the possible strain field (i.e., reflecting the scan strategy).
We finally show that if the most prominent direction is not measured, the error in the calculated stress magnitude increases in such a manner that no reliable assessment of RS state can be made.
The influence of test temperature and frequency on the fatigue life of the alloy EN AW-2618A (2618A) was characterized. The overaged condition (T61 followed by 1000 h/230 °C) was investigated in load-controlled tests with a stress ratio of R = -1 and two test frequencies (0.2 Hz, 20 Hz) at room temperature and at 230°C, respectively. An increase in the test temperature reduces fatigue life, whereby this effect is more pronounced at lower stress amplitudes. Decreasing the test frequency in tests at high temperatures further reduces the service life.
The determination of residual stress in additively manufactured materials is a challenge, even after decades from the establishment of the basics of residual stress analysis. This is due to the peculiar microstructure of such materials. In fact, researchers have discovered that conventional methods for the determination of RS in materials do not properly work for AM materials. In this tutorial, the basics of RS analysis will be explained, together with the basics of AM manufacturing techniques. The microstructure of the peculiar materials (AM) dealt with here will be elucidated. Successively, the necessary modifications to the conventional approaches to RS analysis will be explained and case studies will be displayed, for the attendant to touch with hands the peculiarities of the approaches. Finally, a few experimental and theoretical tips will be given on dos and don’ts for a correct determination of RS in AM materials.
A damaging action of HNO3-55% only occurs in combination with its decomposition into nitrous gases, which can be caused by UV radiation. In a laboratory test, transparent HDPE jerrycans have been exposed to both UV radiation and 55 wt-% nitric acid solution at (41 ± 2)°C, for up to 20 days. For comparison, UV radiant exposure (21 days) and nitric acid exposure (up to 6 weeks) were performed separately, at nearly equal temperatures. The respective damages are compared with FTIR spectroscopy in ATR and HT-gel permeation chromatography (GPC) on a molecular level and with hydraulic internal pressure testing as a component test. For the used jerrycans, relevant oxidation can only be found after the combined exposure. The gradual increase in oxidative damage shows the good reproducibility of the lab exposure. The decomposition of nitric acid into nitrous gases by UV radiation – as well as the jerrycan oxidation – is also observed at lower HNO3 concentration (28 wt- %). Similar results are obtained after outdoor tests. Again, the damage occurs only after combined exposure, in contrast to the exposures to UV only and to HNO3 only, which were conducted in parallel. Outdoor exposures are most readily accepted as they represent possible end-use conditions. However, the reproducibility of these exposures is poor due to the large temporal variations in weather. There are also several safety risks, which is why the number of replicates remains limited. Since the outdoor and lab exposure tests show the same qualitative results, it is appropriate to conduct systematic studies in the laboratory. After 6 days of lab exposure, the oxidation damage is rated as critical, which corresponds to about 1/10 year in Central Europe, according to the UV radiant exposure. It should be noted that this amount can also occur in two sunny weeks.
Revolutionizing our polymer industry for adaption to a sustainable carbon circular economy has become one of today’s most demanding challenges. Exploiting renewable resources to replace fossil-fuel—based plastics with biopolymers such as poly(lactic acid) (PLA) is inevitable while using waste streams as a raw material resource at least is promising. When it comes to using PLA as technical polymer, its high flammability must be addressed by flame retardants compatible with the thermoplastic processing of PLA and its compostability. This study proposes microalgae enriched with phosphorus from wastewater (P-Algae) as an elegant way towards a kind of sustainable organophosphorus flame retardant. The concept is demonstrated by investigating the processing, pyrolysis, flammability, and fire behavior of PLA/P-Algae, while varying the P-Algae content and comparing P-Algae with four alternative bio-fillers (phosphorylated lignin, biochar, thermally treated sewage sludge, and metal phytate) with different P-contents as meaningful benchmarks.
A damaging action of HNO3-55% only occurs in combination with its decomposition into nitrous gases, which can be caused by UV radiation. In a laboratory test, transparent HDPE jerrycans have been exposed to both UV radiation and 55 wt-% nitric acid solution at (41 ± 2)°C, for up to 20 days. For comparison, UV radiant exposure (21 days) and nitric acid exposure (up to 6 weeks) were performed separately, at nearly equal temperatures. The respective damages are compared with FTIR spectroscopy in ATR and HT-gel permeation chromatography (GPC) on a molecular level and with hydraulic internal pressure testing as a component test. For the used jerrycans, relevant oxidation can only be found after the combined exposure. The gradual increase in oxidative damage shows the good reproducibility of the lab exposure. The decomposition of nitric acid into nitrous gases by UV radiation – as well as the jerrycan oxidation – is also observed at lower HNO3 concentration (28 wt- %). Similar results are obtained after outdoor tests. Again, the damage occurs only after combined exposure, in contrast to the exposures to UV only and to HNO3 only, which were conducted in parallel. Outdoor exposures are most readily accepted as they represent possible end-use conditions. However, the reproducibility of these exposures is poor due to the large temporal variations in weather. There are also several safety risks, which is why the number of replicates remains limited. Since the outdoor and lab exposure tests show the same qualitative results, it is appropriate to conduct systematic studies in the laboratory. After 6 days of lab exposure, the oxidation damage is rated as critical, which corresponds to about 1/10 year in Central Europe, according to the UV radiant exposure. It should be noted that this amount can also occur in two sunny weeks.
Optical glasses and glass ceramics are present in many devices often used in our daily routine, such as the mobile phones and tablets. Since the 1960´s with the development of glass lasers, and more recently, within the search for efficient W-LEDs, sensors and solar converters, this class of materials has experienced extreme research progress. In order to tailor a material for such applications, it is very important to understand and characterize optical properties such as refractive index, transmission window, absorption and emission cross sections, quantum yields, etc. These properties can often be tuned by appropriate compositional choice and post-synthesis processing. In this lecture we will discuss the optical properties of glasses and glass ceramics, relevant to that end.
Society is currently confronted with two global challenges, climate change and sustainable development. This reality reverberates amongst the leading nations of the world and is articulated as a priority by the United Nations through the Framework Convention on Climate Change and its seventeen Sustainable Development Goals. In 2016, under the Paris Accord, Mission Innovation, MI, emerged as a global response to climate change and developed eight innovation challenges to mitigate its effect, including Clean Energy Materials, IC6. This innovation challenge focused its efforts on accelerating the development and deployment of clean energy materials by more than a factor of ten through Materials Acceleration Platforms, MAPs – autonomous, self-driving materials laboratories and renewed itself under the current mandate as Materials for Energy, M4E.
Self-driving labs deploy artificial intelligence, robotic automation and high-performance simulation and modeling in a closed loop system of material synthesis and characterization. An international ecosystem for accelerated materials discovery has been established and finds applications in many enabling materials technologies, including nanomaterials. The importance of nanomaterials to catalysis for hydrogen production and carbon dioxide conversion as well as energy storage in batteries is well known. In this work, the international efforts under Materials for Energy will be elaborated including the development of MINERVA - MAP for Intelligent Nanomaterial synthesis Enabled by Robotics for Versatile Applications. MINERVA was specifically built to include the specialized equipment required for the synthesis, characterization and closed-loop optimization of various nano- and advanced materials, ranging from simple inorganic (silica, metal, metal oxide) or polymeric nanoparticles to more complex core-shell architectures and materials with well-defined porosity or surface chemistry. Currently, we are investigating materials for applications in antimicrobial and antibiofouling surface coatings, sensor materials, as well as the reproducible synthesis of reference materials with this platform.
Material Acceleration Platforms (MAPs) represent a transformative approach to the development of resilient and sustainable technology value chains. These platforms can identify candidate chemistries and structures via simulations, and database searches and leverage machine learning-based rapid screening to accelerate the discovery and deployment of novel materials, thereby addressing critical challenges in modern technology sectors.
Incorporating high-fidelity advanced characterization in the early phases of material development is crucial for early de-risking. Advanced characterization techniques, such as X-ray diffraction, advanced electrochemical and spectroscopic techniques provide comprehensive insights into the structural, chemical, and physical properties of materials. Long-term testing further contributes to the de-risking process by evaluating the durability and stability of materials under various environmental and operational conditions. Early identification of potential degradation mechanisms enables the refinement of material compositions and processing methods, ultimately leading to the development of more resilient materials.
Early upscaling attempts are integral to assessing the feasibility of material leads generated through machine learning-based rapid screening to evaluate the scalability of synthesis and processing techniques. This step is critical for identifying potential challenges in manufacturing, such as issues related to reproducibility, yield, and cost-effectiveness. Process design has to be a major part of the MAP-based material design to cope with the increasing share of secondary raw materials in supply chains.
This presentation will briefly summarize possible strategies to address these issues and provide deep-dives on best practices. As the demand for advanced materials continues to grow, MAPs will play an increasingly vital role in driving technological advancements and addressing global challenges.
Following the new paradigm of materials development, design and optimization, digitalization is the main goal in materials sciences (MS) which imposes a huge challenge. In this respect, the quality assurance of processes and output data as well as the interoperability between applications following FAIR (findability, accessibility, interoperability, reusability) principles are to be ensured. For storage, processing, and querying of data in contextualized form, Semantic Web Technologies (SWT) are used since they allow for machine-understandable and human-readable knowledge representations needed for data management, retrieval, and (re)use.
The project ‘platform MaterialDigital’ (PMD) is part of an initiative that aims to bring together and support interested parties from both industrial and academic sectors in a sustainable manner in solving digitalization tasks and implementing digital solutions. Therefore, the establishment of a virtual material data space and the systematization of the handling of hierarchical, process-dependent material data are focused. Core points to be dealt with are the development of agreements on data structures and interfaces implemented in distinct software tools and to offer users specific added values in their projects. Furthermore, the platform contributes to a standardized description of data processing methods in materials research. In this respect, selected MSE methods are ontologically represented which are supposed to serve as best practice examples with respect to knowledge representation and the creation of knowledge graphs used for material data.
Accordingly, this presentation shows the efforts taken within the PMD project to store data in accordance with a testing standard compliant ontological representation of a tensile test of metals at room temperature (ISO 6892-1:2019-11). This includes the path from developing an ontology in accordance with the respective standard up to connecting the ontology and data. The semantic connection of the ontology and data leads to interoperability and an enhanced ability of querying. For further enhanced reusability of data and knowledge from synthesis, production, and characterization of materials, the PMD core ontology (PMDco) was developed as mid-level ontology in the field of MSE. The semantic connection of the tensile test ontology (TTO) to the PMDco leads to enhanced expressivity and interoperability.
Moreover, as a best practice example, generation and acquisition of test data semantically connected to the ontology (data mapping) was realized by applying an electronic laboratory notebook (ELN). Corresponding tensile tests were performed by materials science students at university. This enabled a fully digitally integrated experimental procedure that can be transferred to other test series and experiments. In addition to facilitating the acquisition, analysis, processing, and (re)usability of data, this also raises the awareness of students with respect to data structuring and semantic technologies in the sense of education and training. The entire data pipeline is further seamlessly integrable in a laboratory information management system (LIMS). More specifically, the integration of semantic conceptualization and knowledge graphs may become essential parts in LIMS as this would be very beneficial. Therefore, some first approaches of SWT integration in LIMS will also be presented briefly.
The digital era has led to a significant increase in innovation in scientific research across diverse fields and sectors. Evolution of data-driven methodologies lead to a number of paradigm shifts how data, information, and knowledge is produced, understood, and analyzed. High profile paradigm shifts in the field of materials science (MS) include exploitative usage of computational tools, machine learning algorithms, and high-performance computing, which unlock novel avenues for investigating materials. In these presentations, we highlight prototype solutions developed in the context of the Platform MaterialDigital (PMD) project that addresses digitalization challenges. As part of the Material Digital Initiative, the PMD supports the establishment of a virtual materials data space and a systematic handling of hierarchical processes and materials data using a developed ontological framework as high priority work items. In particular, the mid-level ontology PMDco and its augmentation through application-specific ontologies are illustrated. As part of the conclusion, a discussion encompasses the evolutionary path of the ontological framework, taking into account standardization efforts and the integration of modern AI methodologies such as natural language processing (NLP). Moreover, demonstrators illustrated in these presentations highlight: The integration and interconnection of tools, such as digital workflows and ontologies, Semantic integration of diverse data as proof of concept for semantic interoperability, Improved reproducibility in image processing and analysis, and Seamless data acquisition pipelines supported by an ontological framework. In this context, concepts regarding the application of modern research data management tools, such as electronic laboratory notebooks (ELN) and laboratory information management systems (LIMS), are presented and elaborated on. Furthermore, the growing relevance of a standardized adoption of such technologies in the future landscape of digital initiatives is addressed. This is supposed to provide an additional basis for discussion with respect to possible collaborations.
Im Projekt GlasDigital sollen digitale Werkzeuge für die Hochdurchsatzentwicklung neuartiger Glaswerkstoffe erarbeitet werden. Dies soll durch die Kombination robotischer Syntheseverfahren mit selbstlernenden Maschinen und ihre Einbindung in eine Ontologie-basierte digitale Infrastruktur realisiert werden.
Glasses stand out by their wide and continuously tunable chemical composition and large variety of unique shaping techniques making them a key component of modern high technologies. Glass development, however, is still often too cost-, time- and energy-intensive. The use of robotic melting systems embedded in an ontology-based digital environment is intended to overcome these problems in future.
For this purpose, a robotic high throughput glass melting system is equipped with novel inline sensors for process monitoring, machine learning (ML)-based, adaptive algorithms for process monitoring and optimization, novel tools for high throughput glass analysis and ML-based algorithms for glass design. This includes software tools for data mining as well as property and process modelling. The presentation provides an overview of how all these tools merge into a digital infrastructure and illustrates their usability using examples.
All infrastructural parts were developed by a consortium consisting of the Fraunhofer ISC in Würzburg, the Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena (OSIM), the Clausthal University of Technology (INW) and the Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing (BAM, Division Glasses) as part of a joint project of the German research initiative MaterialDigital.
Digital Transformation in Materials Science: Insights From the Platform MaterialDigital (PMD)
(2024)
The digital era has led to a significant increase in innovation in scientific research across diverse fields and sectors. Evolution of data-driven methodologies lead to a number of paradigm shifts how data, information, and knowledge is produced, understood, and analyzed. High profile paradigm shifts in the field of materials science (MS) include exploitative usage of computational tools, machine learning algorithms, and high-performance computing, which unlock novel avenues for investigating materials. In these presentations, we highlight prototype solutions developed in the context of the Platform MaterialDigital (PMD) project that addresses digitalization challenges. As part of the Material Digital Initiative, the PMD supports the establishment of a virtual materials data space and a systematic handling of hierarchical processes and materials data using a developed ontological framework as high priority work items. In particular, the mid-level ontology PMDco and its augmentation through application-specific ontologies are illustrated. As part of the conclusion, a discussion encompasses the evolutionary path of the ontological framework, taking into account standardization efforts and the integration of modern AI methodologies such as natural language processing (NLP). Moreover, demonstrators illustrated in these presentations highlight: The integration and interconnection of tools, such as digital workflows and ontologies, Semantic integration of diverse data as proof of concept for semantic interoperability, Improved reproducibility in image processing and analysis, and Seamless data acquisition pipelines supported by an ontological framework. In this context, concepts regarding the application of modern research data management tools, such as electronic laboratory notebooks (ELN) and laboratory information management systems (LIMS), are presented and elaborated on. Furthermore, the growing relevance of a standardized adoption of such technologies in the future landscape of digital initiatives is addressed. This is supposed to provide an additional basis for discussion with respect to possible collaborations.
Gläser zeichnen sich durch eine breite und kontinuierlich abstimmbare chemische Zusammensetzung sowie einzigartige Formgebungstechniken aus, was sie oft zur Schlüsselkomponente moderner Hochtechnologien macht. Die Glasentwicklung ist jedoch oft noch zu kosten-, zeit- und energieintensiv. Der Einsatz von robotergestützten Schmelzsystemen, eingebettet in eine Ontologie-basierte digitale Umgebung, soll diese Probleme in Zukunft überwinden. Im Rahmen der BMBF Forschungsinitiative MaterialDigital unternimmt das Verbundprojekt GlasDigital „Datengetriebener Workflow für die beschleunigte Entwicklung von Glas“ erste Schritte in diese Richtung. Das Projektkonsortium, an dem das Fraunhofer ISC in Würzburg, die Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena (OSIM), die Technische Universität Clausthal (INW) und die Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und -prüfung (BAM, Fachgruppe Glas) beteiligt sind, will alle wesentlichen Basiskomponenten für eine beschleunigte datengetriebene Glasentwicklung zusammenführen. Zu diesem Zweck wird ein robotergestütztes Hochdurchsatz-Glasschmelzsystem mit neuartigen Inline-Sensoren zur Prozessüberwachung, auf maschinellem Lernen (ML) basierenden adaptiven Algorithmen zur Prozessüberwachung und -optimierung, neuartigen Werkzeugen für die Hochdurchsatz-Glasanalyse sowie ML-basierten Algorithmen zum Glasdesign, Data Mining sowie Eigenschafts- und Prozessmodellierung ausgestattet. Der Vortrag gibt einen Überblick darüber, wie all diese Komponenten miteinander verzahnt sind, und veranschaulicht ihre Nutzbarkeit anhand einiger Beispiele.
Age-hardenable aluminum alloys undergo precise heat treatments to yield nanometer-sized precipitates that increase their strength and durability by hindering the dislocation mobility. Tensile tests provide mechanical properties, while microstructure evaluation relies on transmission electron microscopy (TEM), specifically the use of dark-field TEM images for precise dimensional analysis of the precipitates. However, this manual process is time consuming, skill dependent, and prone to errors and reproducibility issues.
Our primary goal is to digitally represent these processes while adhering to FAIR principles. Ontologies play a critical role in facilitating semantic annotation of (meta)data and form the basis for advanced data management. Publishing raw data, digital workflows, and ontologies ensures reproducibility.
This work introduces innovative solutions to traditional bottlenecks and offers new perspectives on digitalization challenges in materials science. We support advanced data management by leveraging knowledge graphs and foster collaborative and open data ecosystems that potentially revolutionize materials research and discovery.
Spectroscopy Lectures
(2024)
As a guest professor of FUNGLASS, I delivered 3 lectures on spectroscopy to the Graduate School Program, the postdoctoral fellows and other researchers: 1) Introduction to spectroscopy applied to solid state materials (with focus on glass and glass ceramics); 2) Vibrational spectroscopy (Infrared and Raman); 3) Electron Paramagnetic Resonance
lasses stand out by their wide and continuously tunable chemical composition and large variety of unique shaping techniques making them a key component of modern high technologies. Glass development, however, is still often too cost-, time- and energy-intensive. The use of robotic melting systems embedded in an ontology-based digital environment is intended to overcome these problems in future. As part of the German research initiative MaterialDigital, the joint project GlasDigital takes first steps in this direction. The project consortium involves the Fraunhofer ISC in Würzburg, the Friedrich Schiller University Jena (OSIM), the Clausthal University of Technology (INW), and the Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing (BAM, Division Glasses) and aims to combine all main basic components required for accelerated data driven glass development. For this purpose, a robotic high throughput glass melting system is equipped with novel inline sensors for process monitoring, machine learning (ML)-based, adaptive algorithms for process monitoring and optimization, novel tools for high throughput glass analysis and ML-based algorithms for glass design, including software tools for data mining as well as property and process modelling. The talk gives an overview how all these tools are interconnected and illustrates their usability with some examples.
GlasDigital
(2023)
When it comes to dental treatments, success is not only measured by attained functionality but, to a large extent, the associated aesthetics. This can become challenging for certain restorations and implants due to the complex optical characteristic of a tooth, which reflects, absorbs, diffuses, transmits, and even emits light. Thus, to get acceptable aesthetic results, favourable shade matching of ceramic restorations and implants should be achieved by strict control of optical response, which translates into a materials design question. Optical response is affected by several factors such as the composition, crystalline content, porosity, additives, grain size and the angle of incidence of light on the dental ceramics. The properties to be characterized are colour (and its stability), translucency, opalescence, refractive index, and fluorescence. Several techniques can be applied for the characterization of these properties and in this presentation, an overview will be given. Moreover, particular emphasis will be given on the capacitation of less familiarized public to UV-Vis absorption and photoluminescence (PLE) spectroscopies that are versatile and widely employed for functional and structural characterization of glasses and glass ceramic materials.
Knowledge representation in the materials science and engineering (MSE) domain is a vast and multi-faceted challenge: Overlap, ambiguity, and inconsistency in terminology are common. Invariant and variant knowledge are difficult to align cross-domain. Generic top-level semantic terminology often is too abstract, while MSE domain terminology often is too specific.
This poster presents an approach to create and maintain a comprehensive and intuitive MSE-centric terminology by developing a mid-level ontology–the PMD core ontology (PMDco)–via MSE community-based curation procedures.
The PMDco is designed in direct support of the FAIR principles to address immediate needs of the global experts community and their requirements. The illustrated findings show how the PMDco bridges semantic gaps between high-level, MSE-specific, and other science domain semantics, how the PMDco lowers development and integration thresholds, and how to fuel it from real-world data sources ranging from manually conducted experiments and simulations as well as continuously automated industrial applications.
Suitable material solutions are of key importance in designing and producing components for engineering systems – either for functional or structural applications. Materials data are generated, transferred, and introduced at each step along the complete life cycle of a component. A reliable
materials data space is therefore crucial in the digital transformation of an industrial branch.
A great challenge in establishing a materials data space lies in the complexity and diversity of materials science and engineering. It must be able to handle data from different knowledge areas over several magnitudes of length scale.
The Platform MaterialDigital (PMD) is expected to network a large number of repositories of materials data, allowing the direct contact of different stakeholders as materials producers, testing labs, designers and end users. Following the FAIR principles, it will promote the semantic
interoperability across the frontiers of materials classes. In the frame of a large joint initiative, PMD works intensively together with currently near 20 research consortia in promoting this exchange (www.material-digital.de).
In this presentation we will describe the status of our Platform MaterialDigital. We will also present in more detail the activities of GlasDigital, one of the joint projects mentioned above dealing with the digitalization of glass design and manufacturing.
(https://www.bam.de/Content/EN/Projects/GlasDigital/glasdigital.html)
Glasses stand out by their wide and continuously tunable chemical composition and large variety of unique shaping techniques making them a key component of modern high technologies. Glass development, however, is still often too cost-, time- and energy-intensive. The use of robotic melting systems embedded in an ontology-based digital environment is intended to overcome these problems in future. As part of the German research initiative MaterialDigital, the joint project GlasDigital takes first steps in this direction. The project consortium involves the Fraunhofer ISC in Würzburg, the Friedrich Schiller University Jena (OSIM), the Clausthal University of Technology (INW), and the Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing (BAM, Division Glasses) and aims to combine all main basic components required for accelerated data driven glass development. For this purpose, a robotic high throughput glass melting system is equipped with novel inline sensors for process monitoring, machine learning (ML)-based, adaptive algorithms for process monitoring and optimization, novel tools for high throughput glass analysis and ML-based algorithms for glass design, including software tools for data mining as well as property and process modelling. The talk gives an overview how all these tools are interconnected and illustrates their usability with some examples.
Recently, detection and conversion of high energy radiation such as ultraviolet and X-rays has gained renewed attention. In part, technological applications in radioimaging and tomography have developed considerably as to allow lower dosages and higher resolutions, which require optimized scintillators and dosimeters. On the other hand, the increasing effort to reduce carbon footprint in energy production has triggered an intensive search for materials that can be excited with sunlight, ranging from photocatalysts to solar concentrators. At LEMAF – Laboratory of Spectroscopy of Functional Materials at IFSC/USP, we have been developing bulk glasses, polycrystalline and composite materials designed to target both challenges and, in this work an overview of recent progresses and of the state of art of these materials will be given.
For instance, the few available comercial scintillators are crystalline materials with costly and time consuming growth which hinders the development of new compositions. Glasses and glass ceramics, such as the NaPGaW composition developed in our lab, present high density, very good optical properties and high chemical stability which allow them radioluminescent response when doped with low concentrations of Ce3+, Eu3+ and Tb3+ offering a promise as alternatives to crystal scintillators. On the other hand, phosphor in glass (PiG) composites based on the persistent luminescent polycrystalline material Sr2MgSi2O7:Eu2+,Dy3+ (SMSO) embedded into NaPGa glasses offer interesting perspectives for the of UV light into visible, useful for white light generation (lighting), improved harvesting and conversion of solar light when coupled to c-Si PV cells and photocatalysis. These and other examples will be discussed.
The glasses are prepared through the conventional melt quenching technique, followed by controlled heating when glass ceramics are desired. The persistent luminescent phosphor is prepared by the microwave assisted technique (MAS) much faster and with considerable energy consumption reduction than in the usual solid state synthesis. The materials are characterized from the structural, morphological and spectroscopic (optical – UV-Vis, PL, PLE, and structural – NMR, EPR) points of view such that structure-property correlations are constantly sought to feedback synthesis and processing. Fig. 1, illustrates two examples of scintillator glasses doped with Tb3+ and PiG composites doped with Eu2+ and Dy3+.
As the development of optimized glass compositions by traditional trial-and-error methods is laborious, time consuming, and expensive, it is desirable to develop glass compositions based on a fundamental understanding of the glass structure and to establish structure-property relation models. Particularly, when it comes to optical applications of glasses doped with emissive trivalent rare earth ions (RE), the chemical environmental around the ions will have a direct influence on the radiative/non-radiative emission probabilities. The local vibrational environment and the chemical nature of the bonds in the first coordination sphere of the ions can be tailored, to good extent, based on structural information given by magnetic resonance techniques (NMR and EPR), associated to Raman and photophysical characterization. For the past 5 years, while still employed at the University of São Paulo, in Brazil, one of the interests of my research group has been the development of high-density fluoride-phosphate glasses as promising UV and X-ray scintillator materials. The targeted glasses offer a lower vibrational energy, less hygroscopic fluoride environment for the RE ions whereas the phosphate network provides better mechanical and chemical stability than a purely fluoride glass matrix. Different sets of glasses, based on the compositional system (Ba/Sr)F2-M(PO3)3-MF3-(Sc/Y)F3 where M = Al, In, Ga, and the phosphate component is substituted by the fluoride analogue in 10 - 30 mol%, were investigated, using Sc3+, Y3+, and the Eu3+ and Yb3+ dopants, as structural probes. Overall, results show that the desired RE coordination by fluorine, at a given F/P ratio, is proportional to the atomic mass of M (In> Ga> Al) and that the Ga- and In- based systems differ from the Al- one by near absence of P-O-P network linkages. That is, the network structures are dominated by Ga-O-P or In-O-P linkages, as evidenced by 31P MAS-NMR and Raman. These results are nicely corroborated by observation of decreased intensity of the vibronic band in Eu3+-doped glasses and marked increase in excited state lifetime values. Radioluminescence studies were carried out for a series of In-based glasses doped with Ce3+ and Tb3+, yielding intense emissions in the blue and green, respectively, compatible to the spectral region of the highest sensitivity of radiation sensor detectors. The aim of the presentation is to show how powerful the NMR and EPR techniques can be to provide decisive structural information, and to present the research perspectives in my new role as the Head of Division 5.6 – Glass at BAM.
Quantum dots (QDs) are remarkable semiconductor nanoparticles, whose optical properties are strongly size-dependent. Therefore, the real-time monitoring of crystal growth pathway during synthesis gives an excellent opportunity to a smart design of the QDs luminescence. In this work, we present a new approach for monitoring the formation of QDs in aqueous solution up to 90 °C, through in situ luminescence analysis, using CdTe as a model system. This technique allows a detailed examination of the evolution of their light emission. In contrast to in situ absorbance analysis, the in situ luminescence measurements in reflection geometry are particularly advantageous once they are not hindered by the concentration increase of the colloidal suspension. The synthesized particles were additionally characterized using X-ray diffraction analysis, transition electron microscopy, UV-Vis absorption and infrared spectroscopy. The infrared spectra showed that 3-mercaptopropionic acid (MPA)-based thiols are covalently bound on the surface of QDs and microscopy revealed the formation of CdS. Setting a total of 3 h of reaction time, for instance, the QDs synthesized at 70, 80 and 90 °C exhibit emission maxima centered at 550, 600 and 655 nm. The in situ monitoring approach opens doors for a more precise achievement of the desired emission wavelength of QDs.
The glass system (50NaPO3–20BaF2–10CaF2–20GdF3)-xTbCl3 with x = 0.3, 1, 3, 5, and 10 wt % was investigated. We successfully produced transparent glass ceramic (GC) scintillators with x = 1 through a melt-quenching process followed by thermal treatment. The luminescence and crystallization characteristics of these materials were thoroughly examined using various analytical methods. The nanocrystallization of Tb3+-doped Na5Gd9F32 within the doped fluoride-phosphate glasses resulted in enhanced photoluminescence (PL) and radioluminescence (RL) of the Tb3+ ions. The GC exhibited an internal PL quantum yield of 33 % and the integrated RL intensity across the UV-visible range was 36 % of that reported for the commercial BGO powder scintillator. This research showcases that Tb-doped fluoridephosphate GCs containing nanocrystalline Na5Gd9F32 have the potential to serve as efficient scintillators while having lower melting temperature compared to traditional silicate and germanate glasses.
The present work deals with the recently confirmed widening of the weld pool interface, known as a bulging effect, and its relevance in high power laser beam welding. A combined experimental and numerical approach is utilized to study the influence of the bulge on the hot cracking formation and the transport of alloying elements in the molten pool. A technique using a quartz glass, a direct-diode laser illumination, a high-speed camera, and two thermal imaging cameras is applied to visualize the weld pool geometry in the longitudinal section. The study examines the relevance of the bulging effect on both, partial and complete penetration, as well as for different sheet thicknesses ranging from 8 mm to 25 mm. The numerical analysis shows that the formation of a bulge region is highly dependent on the penetration depth and occurs above 10 mm penetration depth. The location of the bulge correlates strongly with the cracking location. The obtained experimental and numerical results reveal that the bulging effect increases the hot cracking susceptibility and limits the transfer of alloying elements from the top of the weld pool to the weld root.
Hydrogen will be one of the most important energy carriers of tomorrow. For the necessary large-scale and long-distance transportation, a reliable pipeline infrastructure is required. It is meanwhile in the most countries accepted to follow a two-way strategy by (I) repurposing the existing natural gas (NG) grid combined with (II) the installation of new pipelines. For example, in Europe a so-called European Hydrogen Backbone (EHB) is planned for 2040. Currently, 28 countries work together to establish a hydrogen pipeline grid of several thousands of kilometers. In that connection, a wide number of materials are used with different thicknesses, strength levels, chemical composition, surface conditions and so on. Worldwide research projects suggest the general compatibility of the currently applied pipeline steels e.g., in Germany the “SysWestH2” project. Nonetheless, the hydrogen gas grid will require regular inspections, repair, and maintenance. In addition, sometimes pipeline tees are required to connect new grids or pipelines the existing infrastructure. From that point of view, existing concepts from NG-grids must be investigated in terms of the transferability to hydrogen service. An overview on occurring challenges for this hydrogen transition, especially for in-service weld repair procedures is given in this presentation.
Surface-modification platforms that are universally applicable are vital for the development of new materials, surfaces, and nanoparticles. Mussel-inspired materials (MIMs) are widely used in various fields because of their strong adhesive properties and post-functionalization reactivity. However, conventional MIM coating techniques have limited deposition selectivity and lack structural control, which has limited their use in microdevices that require full control over deposition. To overcome these limitations, we developed a micropatterning technique for MIMs using multiphoton lithography, which does not require photomasks, stamps, or multistep procedures. This method enables the creation of MIM patterns with micrometer resolution and full design freedom and paves the way for innovative applications of MIMs in various multifunctional systems and microdevices, such as microsensors, MEMS, and microfluidics.
The thermal history during additive manufacturing of complex components differs significantly from the thermal history of geometrically primitive test specimens. This can result in differences in properties that can lead to different material behavior. In this talk, the concept of representative test specimens is introduced, which enables the transfer of thermal histories from complex geometries to simple geometries, which can lead to better comparability of material properties.
Laser Powder Bed Fusion (PBF-LB/M) of AISI 316L stainless steel has gained popularity due to its exceptional capacity to produce complex geometries and hierarchical microstructures, which can increase the yield strength while maintaining good ductility. Nevertheless, owing to high thermal gradients encountered during the process, the as printed 316L stainless steel often exhibit microstructural heterogeneities and residual stresses, which can limit its performance in demanding environments. Hence, employing heat treatments which balance the reduction of residual stresses while retaining improved static strength may be beneficial in various scenarios and applications. This study investigates the impact of post-processing heat treatments on the microstructure of 316L stainless steel manufactured via PBF-LB/M, along with its correlation with micro-hardness properties. To this end, 6 different heat treatments, i.e., 450 °C for 4h, 700 °C for 1h, 700 °C for 3h, 800 °C for 1h, 800 °C for 3h, and 900 °C for 1h, were applied to different specimens and Vickers hardness measurements (HV1) were performed in all states. At 800 °C, although the cellular structure appears to be retained, there is an observable increase in cellular size. However, while treatments exceeding 900 °C indicate no significant grain growth compared to other conditions, the cellular structure is entirely dissolved, which leads to a reduced Vickers hardness. The effect of the heat treatments on other microstructural features such as grain size and morphology, melt pool boundaries (MPB), crystallographic texture, chemical segregation, dispersoids and phase stability are also discussed in the present work
This study provides insights into the properties of 316L stainless steel produced by additive manufacturing using fused filament fabrication (FFF). One key finding is particularly noteworthy: in significant contrast to cold-rolled 316L, FFF316L develops a pronounced martensite phase after fabrication. The comprehensive comparative analysis shows that FFF316L not only retains the ferrite volume content, but that this is also significantly influenced by the build-up direction. Despite the sintering process, which typically involves densification of the material, a pore volume fraction of 8.45 % remains, which influences the mechanical properties. Although FFF316L has lower elastic
modulus and tensile strength values compared to cold-rolled 316L, its ductility is still competitive. The study further reveals that deformation-induced martensite forms at the intersections of the deformation twins and ferrite islands form at the grain boundaries during the compression and sintering phases. These findings highlight the challenges associated with FFF316L in specific application fields and signal the need to continue to carefully evaluate and improve the development of manufacturing technologies.
The general term additive manufacturing (AM) encompasses processes that enable the production of parts in a single manufacturing step. Among these, laser powder bed fusion (PBF-LB) is one of the most commonly used to produce metal components. In essence, a laser locally melts powder particles in a powder bed layer-by-layer to incrementally build a part. As a result, this process offers immense manufacturing flexibility and superior geometric design capabilities compared to conventional processes. However, these advantages come at a cost: the localized processing inevitably induces large thermal gradients, resulting in the formation of large thermal stress during manufacturing. In the best case, residual stress remains in the final parts produced as a footprint of this thermal stress. Since residual stress is well known to exacerbate the structural integrity of components, their assessment is important in two respects. First, to optimize process parameter to minimize residual stress magnitudes. Second, to study their effect on the structural integrity of components (e.g., validation of numerical models). Therefore, a reliable experimental assessment of residual stress is an important factor for the successful application of PBF-LB. In this context, diffraction-based techniques allow the non-destructive characterization of the residual stress. In essence, lattice strain is calculated from interplanar distances by application of Braggs law. From the known lattice strain, macroscopic stress can be determined using Hooke’s law. To allow the accurate assessment of the residual stress distribution by such methods, a couple of challenges in regard of the characteristic PBF-LB microstructures need to be overcome.
This presentation highlights some of the challenges regarding the accurate assessment of residual stress in PBF-LB on the example of the Nickel-based alloy Inconel 718. The most significant influencing factors are the use of the correct diffraction elastic constants, the choice of the stress-free reference, and the consideration of the crystallographic texture. Further, it is shown that laboratory X-ray diffraction methods characterizing residual stress at the surface are biased by the inherent surface roughness. Overall, the impact of the characteristic microstructure is most significant for the selection of the correct diffraction elastic constants. In view of the localized melting and solidification, no significant gradients of the stress-free reference are observed, even though the cell-like solidification sub-structure is known to be heterogeneous on the micro-scale.
Unter Passivität versteht man den Korrosionsschutz durch dünne, festhaftende Schichten aus Korrosionsprodukten. Für den schadensfreien Einsatz nichtrostender Stähle ergeben sich daraus zwei grundsätzliche Anforderungen.
Erstens muss sich die Passivschicht vollständig ausbilden können. Dabei sind die Oberflächenausführung, die mechanische Bearbeitung, die Elementverteilung, Ausscheidungen, die Wärmeeinbringung z.B. bei der schweißtechnischen Verarbeitung, Anlauffarben, sowie die chemische Nachbehandlung bzw. Konditionierung der Oberflächen von großer Bedeutung. Zweitens muss die Repassivierung von Defektstellen unter den Einsatzbedingungen möglich sein. Für das Repassivierungsvermögen sind die Legierungszusammensetzung, mögliche kritische Betriebszustände, prozessbedingte Besonderheiten, wie etwa Stagnationsbedingungen und Reinigungsprozesse von Bedeutung.