Messtechnische Herausforderungen bei der Analyse von hochdynamischen Aufprallbeanspruchungen

Metrological challenges analyzing high dynamic impact on reinforced slabs The comprehension of high dynamic impact processes on reinforced concrete structures is of essential importance for the dimensioning of structures regarding exceptional loading scenarios like airplane impacts. Since, for high strain rates in comparison with quasi‐static conditions an altered material behavior appears, an adequate methodology and application of appropriate measurement is required to assess the structural behavior of building components. The present paper describes the metrological methodology and the challenges of the experimental investigations of reinforced concrete slabs under impact with loading periods of only a few μs or ms. The determination of time history curves of impact velocities, bearing forces, displacements and the determination of sound wave velocities inside the structure requires an appropriate high sampling rate with the signal recording. The results lately lead to a holistic assessment of the structural behavior and the damage phenomena of such processes.     

Microchips for the Investigation of Thermal and Electrical Properties of Individual Nanowires

This paper focuses on the determination of thermal and electrical properties of individual thermoelectric nanowires, primarily bismuth and bismuth compound nanowires, as functions of their crystallinity, diameter, and composition. For measurements of the Seebeck coefficient and the electrical and thermal conductivity, specially designed microchips have been developed and employed. Finite-element simulations demonstrate that the temperature profiles of the microchips provide suitable temperature gradients for Seebeck-effect measurements and heat-sink conditions for thermal conductivity investigations. First measurements of thermal conductivity of metallic nanowires and of Seebeck coefficients of granular nanowires prepared by focused electron-beam-induced deposition are presented. Some of these results are discussed in the framework of finite-size-effect theory.     

Sekundäre Veränderungen im Holz akut belasteter Fichten (Picea abies [L.] Karst.) in Hochlagen des Osterzgebirges

Within the framework of an interdisciplinary research project “investigation of forest ecosystems in the ore-mountains as basis for an ecologically oriented silviculture” supported by the Federal-ministry for education, science, research and technology (BMBF), Bonn, a study of the wood quality of heavily SO₂-polluted and wind-exposed spruce trees from high altitude stands was conducted. For this study wood from 6 standing, wind-exposed and 6 storm-tossed trees with brash fractures was considered. By means of light microscopy (polarization, phase contrast) and electron microscopy the formation, distribution and extension of slip planes within the cell walls were examined and their significance for fracture initialization quantified. Wood discolouring and wood destroying fungi were isolated from the fracture zones and taxonomically determined. The extent of wood decay was characterized on a cellular and subcellular scale by means of fluorescence microscopy and UV spectroscopy. In the heavily SO₂-polluted and thinned-out spruce stands at the high altitudes of the ore-mountains extreme wind stresses initiate in some tress slip planes which accumulate in the vicinity of rays and branch tracers. The slip plane zones are subsequently infected by wood degrading fungi, in particular by Stereum sanguinolentum (Alb. et Schw.: Fr.) Fr. resulting in a simultaneous decay of carbohydrates and lignin in the cell walls. The combined effect of wind stress and cell-wall degradation apparently induces brash, staircase-like fractures in some stems, which limitates the utilization of the timber. Eventually reduced SO₂ immissions and an improved stand structure will help avert this kind of damage and spruce grown at this site will again satisfy standard wood quality requirements.     

Structure and Technofunctional Properties of Protein-Polysaccharide Complexes: A Review

Food proteins and polysaccharides are the two key structural entities in food materials. Generally, interactions between proteins and polysaccharides in aqueous media can lead to one- or two-phase systems, the latter being generally observed. In some cases of protein-polysaccharide net attraction, mainly mediated through electrostatic interactions, complex coac-ervation or associative phase separation occurs, giving rise to the formation of protein-polysac-charide complexes. Physicochemical factors such as pH, ionic strength, ratio of protein to polysaccharide, polysaccharide and protein charge, and molecular weight affect the formation and stability of such complexes. Additionally, the temperature and mechanical factors (pressure, shearing rate, and time) have an influence on phase separation and time stability of the system. The protein-polysacchaide complexes exhibit better functional properties than that of the proteins and polysaccharides alone. This improvement could be attributed to the simultaneous presence of the two biopolymers, as well as the structure of the complexes. Consequently, the interesting hydration (solubility, viscosity), structuration (aggregation, gelation) and surface (foaming, emulsifying) properties of these complexes can be used in a number of domains. Among others, these could be macromolecular purification, microencapsulation, food formulation (fat replacers, texturing agents), and synthesis of biomaterials (edible films, artificial grafts).     

Testing Damasio's somatic marker hypothesis with psychopathic individuals: Risk takers or risk averse?

Damasio and colleagues (A. R. Damasio, 1994; A. R. Damasio, D. Tranel, & H. Damasio, 1990) have theorized about a possible relationship between somatic markers and the behavior of psychopathic individuals (Ps), but, to date, there are no published data regarding the proposed relationship. The authors assessed 96 Caucasian and 71 African American male offenders using R. D. Hare's (1991) Psychopathy Checklist—Revised and used a modified version of Bechara and colleagues' (A. Bechara, A. R. Damasio, H. Damasio, & S. W. Anderson, 1994; A. Bechara, H. Damasio, D. Tranel, & A. R. Damasio, 1997) gambling task to test the hypothesis that Ps would, consistent with the somatic marker hypothesis, fail to become risk averse. Results indicated that level of anxiety, but not psychopathy, was predictive of response choices. Several limitations and implications of the study are noted. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

n-Type Doping of Vapor–Liquid–Solid Grown GaAs Nanowires

In this letter, n-type doping of GaAs nanowires grown by metal–organic vapor phase epitaxy in the vapor–liquid–solid growth mode on (111)B GaAs substrates is reported. A low growth temperature of 400°C is adjusted in order to exclude shell growth. The impact of doping precursors on the morphology of GaAs nanowires was investigated. Tetraethyl tin as doping precursor enables heavily n-type doped GaAs nanowires in a relatively small process window while no doping effect could be found for ditertiarybutylsilane. Electrical measurements carried out on single nanowires reveal an axially non-uniform doping profile. Within a number of wires from the same run, the donor concentrations N _D of GaAs nanowires are found to vary from 7 × 10¹⁷ cm^-3 to 2 × 10¹⁸ cm^-3. The n-type conductivity is proven by the transfer characteristics of fabricated nanowire metal–insulator-semiconductor field-effect transistor devices.     

25-W CW high-brightness tapered semiconductor laser-array

High-power high-brightness laser diode arrays comprising 25 tapered laser oscillators have been fabricated. The devices, based on recently developed low-modal gain epitaxial layer-structures, deliver a maximum output power of more than 25-W continuous-wave. A high beam quality uniformity is achieved with an average beam quality factor of M ²=2.6 for each individual emitter. Compared to conventional broad-area laser diode arrays the brightness of each emitter is improved by more than an order of magnitude in the slow-axis direction. These arrays have the potential to produce optical power densities as high as 1 MW/cm²     

Structural analysis of glycoconjugates by on-target enzymatic digestion and MALDI-TOF-MS

Exoglycosidase digestion combined with matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS) has been demonstrated to be an effective method for the structural characterization of glycoconjugates and oligosaccharides in picomolar amounts. A sample preparation method is described, in which 6-aza-2-thiothymine (ATT) in water is used as matrix and enzymes are dialyzed before use against a low concentration of volatile buffer such as ammonium acetate. Under these conditions, a series of sequential on-target exoglycosidase treatments was carried out in one single analyte spot in the presence of ATT matrix. Subsequent mass spectrometric analysis of the resulting products yielded information on both the completeness of the reaction and structural features of the glycoconjugates such as monosaccharide sequence, branching pattern, and anomeric configurations of the corresponding glycosidic linkages. The results show that all exoglycosidases used retain their activity in the presence of ATT matrix. Hence, structural analysis of carbohydrates or mixtures thereof can be performed very fast, without intermediate desalting steps or sample splitting. This approach is illustrated by the analysis of underivatized glycans, oligosaccharide derivatives, glycopeptides, and glycolipids. Depending on the analyte, amounts of sample required could be limited to a few picomoles.     

Validation of iGPS as an external measurement system for cooperative robot positioning

External metrology systems are increasingly being used in modern manufacturing to improve the accuracy of industrial robots. In this paper, the problem of achieving absolute accuracy in the positioning and movement of cooperating robots is addressed using the indoor GPS (iGPS) technology as an external position measurement system for real-time feedback and control. This metrology system is presented as an introduction to the iGPS-based 3D Pose Detector and a new concept using generalised measurement systems inspired by iGPS. Attached to the robot end-effectors, the receivers allow coordinate frame measurements to provide spatial information on the robot poses in six degrees of freedom. Experimental results show a strong correspondence between iGPS measurements of cooperating robot end-effector positioning and the control measurements obtained from a double ballbar. Ballbar measurements are further used to determine the relative accuracy between state-of-the-art cooperating manipulators. The iGPS system is validated as an external measurement system using a ballbar device, and its use in the external control of basic robotic tasks is demonstrated. The predicted accuracy achievable for the robots when being controlled or compensated is determined to be at least within 0.3 mm, subject to improvements with continuing research and refinements.