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- ItemLiquid sensing: Smart polymer/CNT composites(Amsterdam [u.a.] : Elsevier, 2011) Villmow, T.; Pegel, S.; John, A.; Rentenberger, R.; Pötschke, P.Today polymer/carbon nanotube (CNT) composites can be found in sports equipment, cars, and electronic devices. The growth of old and new markets in this area has been stimulated by our increased understanding of relevant production and processing methods, as well as the considerable price reduction of industrial CNT grades. In particular, CNT based electrically conductive polymer composites (CPCs) offer a range of opportunities because of their unique property profile; they demonstrate low specific gravity in combination with relatively good mechanical properties and processability. The electrical conductivity of polymer/CNT composites results from a continuous filler network that can be affected by various external stimuli, such as temperature shifts, mechanical deformations, and the presence of gases and vapors or solvents. Accordingly, CNT based CPCs represent promising candidates for the design of smart components capable of integrated monitoring. In this article we focus on their use as leakage detectors for organic solvents.
- ItemProcessing metallic glasses by selective laser melting(Amsterdam [u.a.] : Elsevier, 2013) Pauly, S.; Löber, L.; Petters, R.; Stoica, M.; Scudino, S.; Kühn, U.; Eckert, J.Metallic glasses and their descendants, the so-called bulk metallic glasses (BMGs), can be regarded as frozen liquids with a high resistance to crystallization. The lack of a conventional structure turns them into a material exhibiting near-theoretical strength, low Young's modulus and large elasticity. These unique mechanical properties can be only obtained when the metallic melts are rapidly cooled to bypass the nucleation and growth of crystals. Most of the commonly known and used processing routes, such as casting, melt spinning or gas atomization, have intrinsic limitations regarding the complexity and dimensions of the geometries. Here, it is shown that selective laser melting (SLM), which is usually used to process conventional metallic alloys and polymers, can be applied to implement complex geometries and components from an Fe-base metallic glass. This approach is in principle viable for a large variety of metallic alloys and paves the way for the novel synthesis of materials and the development of parts with advanced functional and structural properties without limitations in size and intricacy.
- ItemLaser-Induced front Side Etching: An Easy and Fast Method for Sub-μm Structuring of Dielectrics(Amsterdam [u.a.] : Elsevier, 2012) Lorenz, P.; Ehrhardt, M.; Zimmer, K.Laser-induced front side etching (LIFE) is a method for the nanometer-precision structuring of dielectrics, e.g. fused silica, using thin metallic as well as organic absorber layer attached to the laser-irradiated front side of the sample. As laser source an excimer laser with a wavelength of 248 nm and an pulse duration of 25 ns was used. For sub-μm patterning a phase mask illuminated by the top hat laser beam was projected by a Schwarzschild objective. The LIFE process allows the fabrication of well-defined and smooth surface structures with sub-μm lateral etching regions (Δx < 350 nm) and vertical etching depths from 1 nm to sub-mm.
- ItemPattern transfer of sub-micrometre-scaled structures into solid copper by laser embossing(Amsterdam [u.a.] : Elsevier, 2014) Ehrhardt, M.; Lorenz, P.; Lotnyk, A.; Romanus, H.; Thelander, E.; Zimmer, K.Laser embossing allows the micron and submicron patterning of metal substrates that is of great interest in a wide range of applications. This replication process enables low-cost patterning of metallic materials by non-thermal, high-speed forming which is driven by laser-induced shock waves. In this study the surface topography characteristics as well as the material structure at laser embossing of sub-micrometre gratings into solid copper is presented. The topography of the laser-embossed copper pattern is analysed with atomic force microscopy (AFM) in comparison to the master surface. The height of the embossed structures and the replicated pattern fidelity increases up to a laser fluence of F ∼ 10 J/cm2. For higher laser fluences the height of the embossed structures saturates at 75% of the master pattern height and the shape is adequate to the master. Structural modifications in the copper mono crystals after the laser embossing process were investigated with transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD). Almost no modifications were detected. The residual stress after laser embossing of 32 MPa (F = 30 J/cm2) has only a limited influence on the surface pattern formation.
- ItemFormation dynamics of ultra-short laser induced micro-dots in the bulk of transparent materials(Amsterdam [u.a.] : Elsevier, 2013) Mermillod-Blondin, A.; Ashkenasi, D.; Lemke, A.; Schwagmeier, M.; Rosenfeld, A.In this paper, we study the formation dynamics of ultra-short laser-induced micro dots under the surface of transparent materials. Laser-induced micro dots find their application in direct part marking, to address full life cycle traceability. We first demonstrate the possibility of direct laser part marking into the cladding of an optical fiber. Then, we monitor the laser affected zone with the help of a time-resolved phase contrast microscopy setup in a fused silica substrate. We show that the transient energy relaxation processes affect the host material over a region that exceeds the micro dot size by several micrometers.
- ItemLaser Embossing of Micro-and Submicrometer Surface Structures in Copper(Amsterdam [u.a.] : Elsevier, 2012) Ehrhardt, M.; Lorenz, P.; Frost, F.; Zimmer, K.Micro- and submicrometer structures have been transferred from nickel foils into solid copper surfaces by laser microembossing. The developed arrangement for laser microembossing allows a large-area replication using multi- pulse laser scanning scheme, guaranties a low contamination of the embossed surface and enables the utilization of thick workpieces. In the micrometer range the replicated patterns feature a high accuracy regarding the shape. A significant difference between the master and the replication pattern could be observed for the laser embossing of submicrometer patterns. In conclusion, the results show that the proposed laser embossing process is a promising method with a number of applications in microengineering.
- ItemOptimization of the energy deposition in glasses with temporally-shaped femtosecond laser pulses(Amsterdam [u.a.] : Elsevier, 2011) Mauclair, C.; Mishchik, K.; Mermillod-Blondin, A.; Rosenfeld, A.; Hertel, I.V.; Audouard, E.; Stoian, R.Bulk machining of glasses with femtosecond laser pulses enables the fabrication of embedded optical functions. Due to the nonlinear character of the laser-matter interaction, structural modifications can occur within the focal region. To reach a full control of the process, ways of controlling the deposition of the laser energy inside the material have to be unveiled. From static and time-resolved pictures of bulk-excitation of a-SiO2 and borosilicate glass, we show that particular laser temporal shapes such as picosecond sequences can better confine the energy deposition than the femtosecond sequence by reducing the propagation artifacts.
- ItemAb initio based study of finite-temperature structural, elastic and thermodynamic properties of FeTi(Amsterdam [u.a.] : Elsevier, 2014) Zhu, L.-F.; Friák, M.; Udyansky, A.; Ma, D.; Schlieter, A.; Kühn, U.; Eckert, J.; Neugebauer, J.We employ density functional theory (DFT) to calculate pressure dependences of selected thermodynamic, structural and elastic properties as well as electronic structure characteristics of equiatomic B2 FeTi. We predict ground-state single-crystalline Young's modulus and its two-dimensional counterpart, the area modulus, together with homogenized polycrystalline elastic parameters. Regarding the electronic structure of FeTi, we analyze the band structure and electronic density of states. Employing (i) an analytical dynamical matrix parametrized in terms of elastic constants and lattice parameters in combination with (ii) the quasiharmonic approximation we then obtained free energies, the thermal expansion coefficient, heat capacities at constant pressure and volume, as well as isothermal bulk moduli at finite temperatures. Experimental measurements of thermal expansion coefficient complement our theoretical investigation and confirm our theoretical predictions. It is worth mentioning that, as often detected in other intermetallics, some materials properties of FeTi strongly differ from the average of the corresponding values found in elemental Fe and Ti. These findings can have important implications for future materials design of new intermetallic materials.
- ItemEstablishment, morphology and properties of carbon nanotube networks in polymer melts(Amsterdam [u.a.] : Elsevier, 2012) Alig, I.; Pötschke, P.; Lellinger, D.; Skipa, T.; Pegel, S.; Kasaliwal, G.R.; Villmow, T.As for nanofillers in general, the properties of carbon nanotube (CNT) -polymer composites depend strongly on the filler arrangement and the structure of the filler network. This article reviews our actual understanding of the relation between processing conditions, state of CNT dispersion and structure of the filler network on the one hand, and the resulting electrical, melt rheological and mechanical properties, on the other hand. The as-produced rather compact agglomerates of CNTs (initial agglomerates, >1 μm), whose structure can vary for different tube manufacturers, synthesis and/or purification conditions, have first to be well dispersed in the polymer matrix during the mixing step, before they can be arranged to a filler network with defined physical properties by forming secondary agglomerates. Influencing factors on the melt dispersion of initial agglomerates of multi-walled CNTs into individualized tubes are discussed in context of dispersion mechanisms, namely the melt infiltration into initial agglomerates, agglomerate rupture and nanotube erosion from agglomerate surfaces. The hierarchical morphology of filler arrangement resulting from secondary agglomeration processes has been found to be due to a competition of build-up and destruction for the actual melt temperature and the given external flow field forces. Related experimental results from in-line and laboratory experiments and a model approach for description of shear-induced properties are presented.
- ItemAmyloids: From molecular structure to mechanical properties(Amsterdam [u.a.] : Elsevier, 2013) Schleeger, M.; Vandenakker, C.C.; Deckert-Gaudig, T.; Deckert, V.; Velikov, K.P.; Koenderink, G.; Bonn, M.Many proteins of diverse sequence, structure and function self-assemble into morphologically similar fibrillar aggregates known as amyloids. Amyloids are remarkable polymers in several respects. First of all, amyloids can be formed from proteins with very different amino acid sequences; the common denominator is that the individual proteins constituting the amyloid fold predominantly into a β-sheet structure. Secondly, the formation of the fibril occurs through non-covalent interactions between primarily the β-sheets, causing the monomers to stack into fibrils. The fibrils are remarkably robust, considering that the monomers are bound non-covalently. Finally, a common characteristic of fibrils is their unbranched, straight, fiber-like structure arising from the intertwining of the multiple β-sheet filaments. These remarkably ordered and stable nanofibrils can be useful as building blocks for protein-based functional materials, but they are also implicated in severe neurodegenerative diseases. The overall aim of this article is to highlight recent efforts aimed at obtaining insights into amyloid proteins on different length scales. Starting from molecular information on amyloids, single fibril properties and mechanical properties of networks of fibrils are described. Specifically, we focus on the self-assembly of amyloid protein fibrils composed of peptides and denatured model proteins, as well as the influence of inhibitors of fibril formation. Additionally, we will demonstrate how the application of recently developed vibrational spectroscopic techniques has emerged as a powerful approach to gain spatially resolved information on the structure-function relation of amyloids. While spectroscopy provides information on local molecular conformations and protein secondary structure, information on the single fibril level has been developed by diverse microscopic techniques. The approaches to reveal basic mechanical properties of single fibrils like bending rigidity, shear modulus, ultimate tensile strength and fracture behavior are illustrated. Lastly, mechanics of networks of amyloid fibrils, typically forming viscoelastic gels are outlined, with a focus on (micro-) rheological properties. The resulting fundamental insights are essential for the rational design of novel edible and biodegradable protein-based polymers, but also to devise therapeutic strategies to combat amyloid assembly and accumulation during pathogenic disorders.
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