Photoclickable Surfaces for Profluorescent Covalent Polymer Coatings

The nitrile imine‐mediated tetrazole‐ene cycloaddition reaction (NITEC) is introduced as a powerful and versatile conjugation tool to covalently ligate macromolecules onto variable (bio)surfaces. The NITEC approach is initiated by UV irradiation and proceeds rapidly at ambient temperature yielding a highly fluorescent linkage. Initially, the formation of block copolymers by the NITEC methodology is studied to evidence its efficacy as a macromolecular conjugation tool. The grafting of polymers onto inorganic (silicon) and bioorganic (cellulose) surfaces is subsequently carried out employing the optimized reaction conditions obtained from the macromolecular ligation experiments and evidenced by surface characterization techniques, including X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy and FT‐IR microscopy. In addition, the patterned immobilization of variable polymer chains onto profluorescent cellulose is achieved through a simple masking process during the irradiation.     

Novel polyamide nanocomposites based on silicate nanotubes of the mineral halloysite

In this study, the silicate nanotubes of the mineral halloysite will be used as reinforcement in polyamide-6 (PA 6). The nanocomposites based on PA-6 and as-received halloysite were prepared by melt extrusion and an adjacent injection moulding process. Mechanical and thermomechanical properties have been investigated by tensile testing and dynamic mechanical analysis. The results show an increased strength and stiffness as well as an enhanced elongation at break at low halloysite content. To evaluate the potential of halloysite as a new candidate in the class of nanofillers, the properties of the halloysite nanocomposites has been compared to those of conventional nanocomposites based on organically modified montmorillonite. From this comparison it can be seen, that both types of nanocomposites show enhanced tensile properties as well as an increased storage modulus, but the increase in tensile strength is more pronounced in the organoclay nanocomposites, whereas the raise of the storage modulus is more prominent in the halloysite nanocomposites.     

The impact of the EU ETS on the sectoral innovation system for power generation technologies – Findings for Germany

This paper provides an overview of early changes in the sectoral innovation system for power generation technologies which have been triggered by the European Emission Trading System (EU ETS). Based on a broad definition of the sector, our research analyses the impact of the EU ETS on the four building blocks ‘knowledge and technologies’, ‘actors and networks’, ‘institutions’, and ‘demand’ by combining two streams of literature, namely systems of innovation and environmental economics. Our analysis for Germany is based on 42 exploratory interviews with experts in the field of the EU ETS, the power sector, and technological innovation. We find that the EU ETS mainly affects the rate and direction of technological change of power generation technologies within the large-scale, coal-based power generation technological regime, to which carbon capture technologies are added as a new technological trajectory. While this impact can be interpreted as the defensive behaviour of incumbents, the observed changes should not be underestimated. We argue that the EU ETS’ impact on corporate CO₂ culture and routines may prepare the ground for the transition to a low-carbon sectoral innovation system for power generation technologies.     

Resolving function-based conflicts in groupware systems

In groupware tools, the activation of a function may affect other users who might have conflicting interests. We developed technical mechanisms to support users in resolving them. Contrary to current implementations of groupware tools, these mechanisms strengthen the position of the users who are affected by the activation of said functions. Supporting the visibility of a function's activation, and providing a channel for communication or means to intervene against the function's activation are approaches which constitute a framework to implement these mechanisms. We conclude with showing implementation examples of the framework and their evaluation in the POLITeam project.     

Prediction of the effects of soil-based countermeasures on soil solution chemistry of soils contaminated with radiocesium using the hydrogeochemical code PHREEQC

For agriculturally used areas, which are contaminated by the debris from a nuclear accident, the use of chemical amendmends (e.g. potassium chloride and lime) is among the most common soil-based countermeasures. These countermeasures are intended to reduce the plant uptake of radionuclides (mainly 137Cs and 90Sr) by competitive inhibition by chemically similar ions. So far, the impacts of countermeasures on soil solution composition - and thus, their effectiveness - have almost exclusively been established experimentally, since they depend on mineral composition and chemical characteristics of the soil affected. In this study, which focuses on caesium contamination, the well-established code PHREEQC was used as a geochemical model to calculate the changes in the ionic compositions of soil solutions, which result from the application of potassium or ammonium in batch equilibrium experiments. The simple ion exchange model used by PHREEQC was improved by taking into account selective sorption of Cs+, NH4+ and K+ by clay minerals. Calculations were performed with three different initial soil solution compositions, corresponding to particular soil types (loam, sand, peat). For loamy and sandy soils, our calculational results agree well with experimental data reported by Nisbet (Effectiveness of soil-based countermeasures six months and one year after contamination of five diverse soil types with caesium-134 and strontium-90. Contract Report NRPB-M546, National Radiation Protection Board, Chilton, 1995.). For peat, discrepancies were found indicating that for organic soils a reliable set of exchange constants of the relevant cations still has to be determined experimentally. For cesium, however, these discrepancies almost disappeared if selective sites were assumed to be inaccessible. Additionally, results of sensitivity analyses are presented by which the influence of the main soil parameters on Cs+ concentrations in solution after soil treatment has been systematically studied. It is shown that calculating the impacts of soil-based chemical countermeasures on soil solution chemistry using geochemical codes such as PHREEQC offers an attractive alternative to establishing these impacts by often time-consuming and site-specific experiments.     

Engineering in the nanocosmos: Nanorobotics moves kilograms of mass

In recent years Klocke Nanotechnik and partners have developed a new Nanorobotics system that builds a bridge between nanotechnology and classical mechanical engineering. These products combine the advantages of the two technologies: the backlash-free movement of up to 2 kg of load over a stroke of up to 70 mm with a resolution of a few nanometers. This series of positioning modules offers numerous degrees of freedom in the smallest volume for microassembly, interconnection technology, analysis, and reliability testing. Integrated position sensors allow automatic usage, also in rough production technology applications. The repeatability of classical assembly lines is limited to a few microns. Nanorobotics modules allow absolute positioning within 50 nm.     

Frequency response of fiber-optic multilayer hydrophones: experimental investigation and finite element simulation

The frequency response of a fiber-optic hydrophone that uses a dielectric multilayer system as the sensing element for ultrasound detection is investigated. A primary interferometric calibration technique is applied to determine by experiment the frequency-dependent pressure-voltage transfer function up to 45 MHz. The interaction between an incident pressure wave and the fiber end is analyzed by finite element methods. The simulation yields the response of the sensor to a short Gaussian impulse in the time domain from which the transfer function is calculated. The results of the model simulations allowed the transfer function obtained to be interpreted as the result of the superposition of longitudinal, edge diffraction and lateral waves with a resonant vibration mode of the fiber body representing an elastic rod