Institut für Chemie, Material- und Produktentwicklung
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- Brennstoffzelle (1)
- Design Methods ; Bionics ; Bio-inspired Design ; Inverse Kinematics (1)
- Nanotechnologie (1)
- aser transmission welding; quasi-simultaneous welding; irradiation strategies; offset-scanning technique; thermal degradation (1)
- biomimetic innovation; additive manufacturing; shape memory alloys; resource efficiency; sustainability (1)
- lubricating grease; oil separation; analytical photo-centrifuge; real-time measurements (1)
- metal-polymer hybrid structures surface structuring remote ablation cutting fast-modulated continous wave laser radiation (1)
Lubricating greases enclose oil in porous structures of aggregated thickener particles. Their tendency to separate oil under static conditions is evaluated according to DIN 51817 or DIN ISO 22285 in tests of up to 168 h with the mass fraction of separated oil as result. With an analytical photo-centrifuge, separated oil mass fractions can be tracked in real time in the instrument operating temperature range from 4–60 °C. Due to the higher mechanical load compared to standard tests, the grease samples separate more and faster oil, significantly speeding up the analysis process. Fitting the measured data from both methods with the function wO = wO,∞ exp(−t/tc), the parameters maximum oil separation wO,∞ and characteristic time tc are obtained as measures of oil separation extent and rate. Both parameters help to compare the two methods and to interpret the oil separation characteristics of greases. Using four commercial greases of NLGI classes 0–2, the analytical photo-centrifuge measuring method is presented in detail and its results are discussed in reference to those of standard DIN 51817.
Nature provides a considerable number of good examples for simple and very efficient joint assemblies. One example is the enormously flexible cervical spine of American barn owls, which consists of 14 cervical vertebrae. Each pair of vertebrae produces a comparatively small individual movement in order to provide a large overall movement of the entire cervical spine. The biomimetic replication of such joints is difficult due to the delicate and geometric unrestricted joint shapes as well as the muscles that have to be mimicked. Using X-ray as well as micro-computed tomography images and with the utilisation of additive manufacturing, it was possible to produce the owl neck vertebrae in scaled-up form, to analyse them and then to transfer them into technically usable joint assemblies. The muscle substitution of these joints was realised by smart materials actuators in the form of shape memory alloy wire actuators. This actuator technology is outstanding for its muscle-like movement and for its high-energy density. The disadvantage of this wire actuator technology is the low rate of contraction, which means that a large length of wire has to be installed to generate adequate movement. For this reason, the actuator wires were integrated into additively manufactured carrier components to mimic biological joints. This resulted in joint designs that compensate for the disadvantages of the small contraction of the actuators by intelligently installing large wire lengths on comparatively small installation spaces, while also providing a sufficient force output. With the help of a test rig, the developed technical joint variants are examined and evaluated. This demonstrated the technical applicability of this biomimetic joints.
Semiconducting transition metal oxides such as TiO 2 are promising photo(electro)catalysts for solar water splitting and photoreduction of CO 2 as well as for antibacterial, self-, water and air-cleaning coatings and admixtures in paints, building materials, on window glass or medical devices. In
photoelectrocatalytic applications TiO 2 is usually used as photoanode only catalyzing the oxidation reaction. In coatings and admixtures TiO 2 works as heterogeneous catalyst and has to catalyze a complete redox cycle. While photoelectrochemical charge transport parameters are usually quite
well accessible by electrochemical measurements, the quantitative description of photocatalytic properties is more challenging. Here, we present a systematic structural, photoelectrocatalytic, photocatalytic and antimicrobial study to understand if and how photoelectrochemical parameters can be used to predict the photocatalytic activity of TiO 2. For this purpose TiO 2 thin films on flourine-doped tin oxide substrates were prepared and annealed at temperatures between 200 and 600 ◦C. The film morphologies and thicknesses were studied by GIXRD, FESEM, and EDX. Photoelectrochemical properties were measured by linear sweep voltammetry, photoelectro-chemical impedance spectroscopy, chopped light chronoamperometry, and intensity modulated photocurrent/photovoltage spectroscopy. For comparison, photocatalytic rate constants were determined by methylene blue degradation and Escherichea coli inactivation and correlated with the deduced photoelectrocatalytic parameters. We found that the respective photoactivities of amorphous and such as charge transfer and recombination rates, charge transfer efficiencies and resistances are measured close to the open circuit potential (OCP). Hence, the interfacial charge transport parameters at the OCP can be indeed used as descriptors for predicting and understanding the photocatalytic activity of TiO 2 coatings. In photoelectro-catalytic applications TiO 2 is usually used as photoanode only catalyzing the oxidation reaction. In coatings and admixtures TiO 2 works as heterogeneous catalyst and has to catalyze a complete redox cycle. While photoelectro-chemical charge transport parameters are usually quite well accessible by electrochemical measurements, the quantitative description of photocatalytic properties is more challenging. Here, we present a systematic structural, photoelectrocatalytic, photocatalytic and antimicrobial study to understand if and how photoelectrochemical parameters can be used to predict the photocatalytic activity of TiO 2. For this purpose TiO 2 thin films on flourine-doped tin oxide substrates were prepared and annealed at temperatures between 200 and 600 Celsius. The film morphologies and thicknesses were studied by GIXRD, FESEM, and EDX. Photoelectrochemical properties were measured by linear sweep voltammetry, photoelectro-chemical impedance spectroscopy, chopped light chronoamperometry, and intensity modulated photocurrent/ photovoltage spectroscopy. For comparison, photocatalytic rate constants were determined by methylene blue degradation and Escherichea coli inactivation and correlated with the deduced photoelectro-catalytic parameters. We found that the respective photoactivities of amorphous and crystalline TiO 2 nanolayers can be best correlated, if the extracted photoelectrochemical parameters such as charge transfer and recombination rates, charge transfer efficiencies and resistances are measured close to the open circuit potential (OCP). Hence, the interfacial charge transport parameters at the OCP can be indeed used as descriptors for predicting and understanding the photocatalytic activity of TiO 2 coatings.
Fiber lasers are increasingly replacing the commonly used diode lasers in laser transmission welding of plastics for challenging applications due to their superior beam quality and the ability to use long working distances and small spot sizes. At the same time, these smaller spot sizes increase the risk of thermal degradation. In this work, we investigate different scanning strategies that allow controlling the weld seam widths. These strategies are characterized regarding the demands on the performance of the scanner system, the risk of thermal degradation and the mechanical properties of the resulting welds.
2.0 μm fiber lasers provide a high beam quality and a high‐power output, which makes them ideal for welding and cutting a wide variety of commercially used plastics, as well as marking plastics, metals or even food. At 2.0 μm wavelength the intrinsic absorption of most thermoplastics is high enough to weld or cut without applying any absorbent additives or coatings. Compared to commonly used near‐infrared systems, welding with 2.0 μm lasers can improve heat distribution and gap bridging and enable transmission welding for challenging materials.
Remote ablation cutting with continuous wave laser radiation is a process commonly used for the surface pretreatment of large area metallic parts before joining of metal-polymer hybrid structures, due to their cost-effectiveness and high average powers when compared to short-pulsed lasers. The process requires high power-densities and multiple irradiations at high scanning speeds to achieve the desired kerf depth. In this work a fast modulated cw fiber laser is used to investigate the possibilities of increasing the material removal rate by periodically dropping the laser power and therefore modifying the recoil pressure at the vapor-liquid interface in the interaction zone to assist in melt expulsion. It was found that power modulation with frequencies in excess of 10 kHz can lead to an increased material removal rate when compared to continuous wave processing at comparable average and peak power levels, enabling higher kerf aspect ratios in a single irradiation.
The use of electrophotographic polymer powder transfer for the preparation of patterned powder layers is discussed with respect to a possible multimaterial application in powder bed-based additive manufacturing technologies such as selective laser sintering (SLS). Therefore, an experimental setup with a two-chamber design was realized, enabling the electrophotographic transfer of SLS powder materials at typical process conditions. The powder development (pick-up) step was investigated thoroughly for different powder materials to provide deep understanding of the underlying electrostatic effects and the influence of distinct powder properties. While using two different development modes, differences in the development results were correlated to differences in their particle size distribution, bulk density, and relative permittivity. Moreover, a new strategy was invented, allowing the residual electrophotographic powder deposition to be in general independent from the already produced part height. This is known to be a huge challenge but is mandatory for the buildup of three-dimensional multimaterial components.
Carbon modified titanium dioxide (TiO2) is a promising candidate for catalytic applications or fuel cells, where the modified oxide could replace currently used catalyst support materials. Carbothermally treated TiO2 was successfully prepared by annealing under acetylene/nitrogen gas flow in a rotary tube furnace. The carbon content in the TiO2 samples ranged from 5 to 14.5 wt.-% as determined by thermogravimetric measurements. The powders showed suppression of the phase transition from anatase to rutile up to a treatment temperature of 825°C. Above 600°C rutile is the thermodynamically stable phase, therefore the suppression must be attributed to either carbon in the lattice or the reducing atmosphere in the furnace. Raman spectra revealed the characteristic G and D bands, indicating the formation of carbonaceous species in the samples. In addition, a shift of the anatase Eg(1) band was observed indicating a lattice disorder pointing toward carbon incorporation into the lattice. Diffuse reflectance spectra show sub band gap absorption together with a shift of the absorption edge. Depending on the extraction method of band gaps from spectra, the band gap values show a decrease or increase with increasing carbon content. Details of the evaluation and interpretation of the spectra are discussed.