Implementation of the WEEE-directive — economic effects and improvement potentials for reuse and recycling in Germany

Reducing the quantity of waste for disposal and saving natural resources were main drivers for the introduction of the European Directive on waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE-directive). This policy focused on an extension of the producer responsibility (EPR) to the end-of-life-phase of their products. Because of the EPR concept, the national transposition of the WEEE-directive, especially the German transposition in the law ElektroG, caused changes in the organisation and material flows that are sometimes not in line with the aim of the directive, which is to enforce the waste management premise “avoidance prior recycling prior disposal”. Thus, the objective of this contribution is to analyse and compare the situation before and after implementation of the ElektroG in Germany, and deduce improvement potentials. Therefore, a co-operation of a municipality and a nearby disassembly company in Germany is analysed and evaluated, taking into account material flows and costs before/after implementation of the ElektroG, as well as degrees of freedom. Based on this analysis, recommendations are deduced for political decision makers and actors of the WEEE treatment system.     

A transient 2D-finite-element approach for the simulation of mixed lubrication effects of reciprocating hydraulic rod seals

This paper presents a method for the computation of soft elasto-hydrodynamic lubrication (EHL) based on the strong coupling of a non-linear finite-element model with the transient Reynolds equation for thin fluid films. This approach allows the usage of arbitrary non-linear elastic or inelastic material models for the finite deformations. The transient Reynolds equation is simultaneously solved within a finite-element computation. In order to account for the effect of surface roughness in the sealing contact, flow factors are incorporated into the transient Reynolds equation. The method is currently restricted to planar or axisymmetric geometries.     

Ultra-low-energy ion-beam-synthesis of Ge nanocrystals in thin ALD Al2O3 layers for memory applications

Structural and electrical properties of ALD-grown 5 and 7 nm-thick Al₂O₃ layers before and after implantation of Ge ions (1 keV, 0.5–1 × 10¹⁶ cm^?2) and thermal annealing at temperatures in the 700–1050 °C range are reported. Transmission Electron Microscopy reveals the development of a 1 nm-thick SiO₂-rich layer at the Al₂O₃/Si substrate interface as well as the formation of Ge nanocrystals with a mean diameter of ～5 nm inside the implanted Al₂O₃ layers after annealing at 800 °C for 20 min. Electrical measurements performed on metal–insulator–semiconductor capacitors using Ge-implanted and annealed Al₂O₃ layers reveal charge storage at low-electric fields mainly due to location of the Ge nanocrystals at a tunnelling distance from the substrate and their spatial dispersion inside the Al₂O₃ layers.     

<Superscript>63</Superscript>Cu and <Superscript>115</Superscript>In NMR study of CuInS<Subscript>2</Subscript> semiconductor

Two CuInS₂ semiconductor samples synthesized from chemical elements with the equiatomic cation ratio (N _Cu/N _In = 1) and either an excess or stoichiometric sulfur content have been investigated by ⁶³Cu and ¹¹⁵In nuclear magnetic resonance. The spectra were recorded on a Bruker Avance-400 spectrometer at a temperature of 290 K and frequencies of 106.14 MHz (⁶³Cu) and 87.67 MHz (¹¹⁵In). Numerical simulation made it possible to determine the quadrupole coupling constants: 0.34 MHz (⁶³Cu) and 1.1 MHz (¹¹⁵In). For the samples synthesized with excess sulfur (above stoichiometry), distortions are revealed in both the ⁶³Cu and ¹¹⁵In spectra.     

PY181 Pigment Microspheres of Nanoplates Synthesized via Polymer‐Induced Liquid Precursors

Organic pigments are important crystalline substances, and their properties and applications rely on size and shape control. Pigment Yellow 181 (PY181) is an industrial azo pigment that is light and weatherfast and suitable for high temperature processing. One disadvantage is its needle‐like shape in the default β‐phase, which makes the pigment difficult to process in industry, e.g., in polymer melts, where a spherical structure would be ideal. Here, we show for the first time, that polymer‐induced liquid precursor structures can be formed even in association to a chemical reaction. Furthermore, it is demonstrated that biomineralization principles can be exploited for the generation of advanced functional materials, such as pigments with novel complex morphology and different properties. Stable PY181 microspheres of nanoplates in the β‐phase were obtained in mixed solvents of water and isopropanol by direct azo coupling under the directing influence of a designed copolymer additive aminobenzoylaminobenzamide‐acetoacetyl‐poly(ethylene imine)‐block‐poly(ethylene glycol) (ABABA‐acetoacetyl‐PEI‐b‐PEG).     

Observing Proteins as Single Molecules Encapsulated in Surface‐Tethered Polymeric Nanocontainers

Protein unfolding inside immobilized polymerosomes : One of the most interesting properties of polymeric vesicles is their remarkable stability against extreme temperatures and osmotic stress, and their longevity even under harsh environmental conditions. We have demonstrated, in an application on protein folding, that surface‐tethered polymerosomes are suitable for performing time‐resolved single molecule studies with encapsulated proteins, as illustrated here.

     

Effects of Weight Loss on Lipid Transfer Proteins in Morbidly Obese Women

Obesity is associated with lipid abnormalities leading to an increased morbidity and mortality from atherosclerotic disease. Lipid transfer proteins such as Cholesteryl Ester Transfer Protein (CETP) and Phospholipid Transfer Protein (PLTP), and lipases such as lipoprotein lipase (LPL) and hepatic lipase (HL) are involved in the pathogenesis of the obesity associated proatherogenic dyslipidemia. Nineteen severely obese female subjects undergoing laparosopic gastric banding participated in this prospective study. Subjects were examined with respect to body composition, lipid profile, CETP, PLTP, LPL and HL before and 1 year after surgical treatment. Mean weight loss was 22.2 kg, mainly due to losses in the fat depots. Triglycerides decreased and HDL₂-C increased significantly. In respect to transfer proteins mean CETP mass decreased from 1.82 to 1.71 μg mL^?1 (P = 0.043) and mean PLTP activity was reduced from 7.15 to 6.12 μmol mL^?1 h^?1 (P = 0.002), in parallel. In addition, both mean LPL activity and mean HL activity tended to decrease from 297 to 248 nmol mL^?1 h^?1 for LPL (P = 0.139) and from 371 to 319 nmol mL^?1 h^?1 for HL (P = 0.170), respectively. We conclude that weight loss induced by bariatric surgery is associated with the amelioration of the obesity-associated dyslipidemic state. This improvement may be attributable to decreased mass and action of the adipocyte tissue derived lipid transfer proteins CETP and PLTP.     

Physical and microstructural aspects of sulfate attack on ordinary and limestone blended Portland cements

The consequences of external sulfate attack were investigated by traditional test methods, i.e. length and mass change, as well as by a newly developed, surface sensitive ultrasonic method, using Leaky Rayleigh waves (1 MHz). The macroscopic changes are discussed and compared with thermodynamic calculations and microstructural findings (SEM/EDS). The results show that the main impact of limestone additions on resistance to sulfate degradation are physical — i.e. addition of a few percent in Portland cement reduces the porosity and increases the resistance of Portland cement systems to sulfate; but higher addition of 25% increase porosity and lower resistance to sulfate. The kinetics of degradation were dramatically affected by the solution concentration (4 or 44 g Na₂SO₄/l) and the higher concentration also resulted in the formation of gypsum, which did not occur at the low concentration. However the pattern of cracking was similar in both cases and it appears that gypsum precipitates opportunistically in pre-formed cracks so it is not considered as making a significant contribution to the degradation. At 8 °C limited formation of thaumasite occurred in the surface region of the samples made from cement with limestone additions. This thaumasite formation led to loss of cohesion of the paste and loss of material from the surface of the samples. However thaumasite formation was always preceded by expansion and cracking of the samples due to ettringite formation and given the very slow kinetics of thaumasite formation it was probably facilitated by the opening up of the structure due to ettringite induced cracking.The expansion of the samples showed a steady stage, followed by a rapidly accelerating stage, with destruction of the samples. The onset of the rapidly accelerating stage occurred when the thickness of the cracked surface layer reached about 1–1.5 mm–10–15% of the total specimen thickness (10 mm).