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Made available in DSpace on 2021-06-25T11:14:00Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2021-03-21 Photocatalyst-coated self-cleaning ceramic tiles are in high demand for indoor and outdoor applications aimed at keeping a clean environment. Their industrial processing, however, often requires firing at temperature (1000-1200 °C) much higher than the thermal stability limits of common photocatalysts (

Induction heating of timber/glass-joints at the level of lap-shear specimens is used to accelerate curing of a silane-terminated epoxy. It was shown that handling strength could be achieved within only 10 minutes of heating, instead of hours or days. This finding identifies inductive heating as a promising method for accelerated curing in the construction industry. The correlation of heat development with mixing ratio of particles was shown. This allows controlled post-curing until final strength is achieved. Fracture patterns were investigated using various surface analytical methods. The results showed almost no differences between induction cured and room temperature curing of the adhesives, regardless of the systems having different chemical composition due to the filler material. However, the results of the XPS have shown that in both cases, inductively cured samples and samples cured at room temperature, the added particles have good adhesion to the adhesive itself and therefore do not weaken the bond when it comes to mechanical testing.

Aqueous processes yielding hybrid or composite materials are widespread in natural environments and their control is fundamental for a multiplicity of living organisms. Their design and in vitro engineering require knowledge about the spatiotemporal evolution of the interactions between the involved liquid and solid phases and, especially, the interphases governing the development of adhesion during solidification. The present study illustrates the effects of distinct proteins on the precipitation of sodium chloride encompassing the size, shape and distribution of halite crystals formed during the drying of droplets containing equally concentrated saline protein solutions. The precipitates obtained from aqueous sodium chloride formulations buffered with tris(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane (Tris) contained either bovine serum albumin (BSA), fibrinogen or collagen and were characterized with respect to their structure and composition using optical and electron microscopy as well as x-ray analysis. The acquired findings highlight that depending on the protein type present during droplet drying the halite deposits predominantly exhibit cubic or polycrystalline dendritic structures. Based on the phenomenological findings, it is suggested that the formation of the interphase between the growing salt phase and the highly viscous saline aqueous jelly phase containing protein governs not only the material transport in the liquid but also the material exchange between the solid and liquid phases.

In this study, we propose new polymeric coatings for metallic implants that impart biocompatibility and antibacterial features to such surfaces. The starting material, poly(cyclic carbonate)-polydimethylsiloxane, was prepared from carbon dioxide fixation and then sequentially reacted by aminolysis with an organoaminosilane, affording the formation of an urethanic polydimethylsiloxane-based material. Finally, a hybrid coating was obtained by performing a sol-gel process on the metallic surfaces, catalyzed by phosphotungstic acid. We provide evidence that due to the polydimethylsiloxane segments governing the surface termination, the hybrid coatings show a hydrophobic character. Furthermore, due the presence of phosphotungstic acid in the upper surface, the adhesion of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria is suppressed in 4 h of contact with aqueous bacterial cultures. In addition, the coatings presented a >70% cytocompatibility besides a low cytotoxicity, making them interesting candidates as biocompatible materials and an alternative to avoiding the biofilm associated with bacterial infections.

The effect of the pre-bond contamination with fingerprint (FP), both during the production and the application of adhesively bonded patch repairs on composite aircraft parts, and the cumulative effect of fingerprint and hygrothermal ageing on the fracture toughness of carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) bonded joints are experimentally investigated. To this end, mode I and mode II fracture toughness tests were conducted on FP contaminated coupons and mode II fracture toughness tests on FP contaminated and aged coupons. The artificial FP was supposed to mimic the accidentally applied fingerprints on the CFRP adherent and was applied on the adherent in the size of a human thumb. The two investigated FP formulations consisted of an artificial hand perspiration solution for the production scenario, and of Skydrol hydraulic-oil for the repair scenario. Three levels of contamination with FP were considered for each scenario. The hygrothermal ageing conditions applied until moisture saturation achieved were 70 °C/ 85% RH. Prior to bonding, the CFRP adherent surfaces were inspected using full-scale monitoring with optically stimulated electron emission (OSEE), an extended nondestructive testing method, in order to analyze the physicochemical variations at the contaminated surface of the adherents before bonding. The ANOVA statistical method was used to assist the evaluation of the results and the deduction or reliable conclusions. The results revealed that the pre-bond FP contamination of the adherents leads to the reduction of the fracture toughness of the CFRP bonded joints. After-bond hygrothermal ageing under the prescribed conditions had no significant influence on the moisture absorption and load carrying capacity of the joint. However, it influenced the bondline integrity as it led to a significant reduction of the fracture toughness of the joint. The effect of the combination of pre-bond contamination and after-bond hygrothermal ageing is more severe than the two separate effects.

This chapter introduces various extended non-destructive testing (ENDT) techniques for surface quality assessment, which are first characterized, then enhanced, and finally applied to assess the level of pre-bond contaminations intentionally applied to carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) adherends following the procedures described in the previous chapter. Based on two user cases comprising different scenarios that are characteristic of either aeronautical production or repair, the detailed tests conducted on two types of sample geometry, namely flat coupons and scarfed pilot samples with a more complex shape, form the basis for applying the advanced ENDT procedures for the monitoring of realistic and real aircraft parts, as will be described in Chap. 10.1007/978-3-319-92810-4_5. Specifically, the reported investigations were performed to assess the surface quality of first ground and then intentionally contaminated CFRP surfaces using the following ENDT tools: the aerosol wetting test (AWT), optically stimulated electron emission (OSEE), two differently implemented approaches based on electronic noses, laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS), Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, laser-induced fluorescence (LIF), and laser vibrometry.

Despite the vast volume of literature regarding the interaction between carbon nanotubes and surfactants, the effect of the covalent attachment of an amphiphilic surfactant based on a biomimetic approach to multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) has not been explored. In this report, the functionalization of the MWCNT surface with cholic acid by a chemical route is described. A three-step MWCNT chemical modification route was carried out and the properties of the intermediate and final materials were evaluated employing X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM) and zeta potential measurements. After functionalization, the MWCNT showed a facial bio-amphiphilic behavior; improving the dispersion stability as compared to commercial and oxidized MWCNT. The resulting material preserved the pristine multi-walled structure and originated surprisingly stable dispersions in aqueous and organic polar and low-polarity solvents.

Despite the increasing need for universal polymer coating strategies, only a few approaches have been successfully developed, and most of them are suffering from color, high thickness, or high roughness. In this paper, we present for the first time a universal monolayer coating that is only a few nanometers thick and independent of the composition, size, shape, and structure of the substrate. The coating is based on a bioinspired synthetic amphiphilic block copolymer that combines two concepts from blood protein adsorption and mussel adhesion. This polymer can be rapidly tethered on various substrates including both planar surfaces and nanosystems with high grafting density. The resulting monolayer coatings are, on the one hand, inert to the adsorption of multiple polymer layers and prevent biofouling. On the other hand, they are chemically active for secondary functionalization and provide a new platform for selective material surface modification.

Made available in DSpace on 2019-10-04T12:13:39Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2019-06-05 Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq) Controlled synthesis of SiO2@TiO2 core@shell particles is important for effectively exploiting the unique properties associated with core@shell architecture and obtaining photocatalysts with enhanced photoactivity. Herein, we propose an alternative, simple and rational solvent-based synthetic strategy for the reproducible and controlled coating of anatase nanocrystals ((similar to)5 nm) over submicron SiO2 spheres. This strategy is based on the fact that titanium (IV) isopropoxide (TiP), the TiO2 precursor, exists in oligomeric (less reactive) and monomeric (more reactive) forms in ethanol-rich and isopropanol-rich solvent, respectively. The different reactivity of TiP in mixed solvents with varying ethanol/isopropanol ratio thus allows a precise control over the rate of titania deposition or TiO2 loading as well as the resultant particle morphology through simple manipulation of isopropanol/ethanol ratio of the solvent mixture used in the sol-gel process. Based on a detailed characterization of the samples using an array of complementary characterization techniques, a comprehensive discussion on the relationship between solvent composition, particle morphology and their photoactivity is presented. Photocatalytic dye degradation assays reveal that SiO2@TiO2 particles with uniform morphology obtained by solvent-controlled deposition show enhanced activity per mass unit of TiO2, thus confirming the importance of controlled deposition of titania for the design of efficient core@shell photocatalytic systems. The solvent-based synthetic strategy proposed here is facile, general and effective in controlling the structure and composition of the SiO2@TiO2 particles which, in turn, allows one to tune the photocatalytic properties and obtain core@TiO2 composite photocatalysts with improved photocatalytic activity. Univ Sao Paulo, Inst Quim Sao Carlos, BR-13560970 Sao Carlos, SP, Brazil Univ Estadual Paulista, Inst Quim, BR-14800060 Araraquara, SP, Brazil Univ Peshawar, Inst Chem Sci, Peshawar 25120, KP, Pakistan Univ Estadual Paulista, Inst Geociencias & Ciencias Exatas, BR-13500970 Rio Claro, SP, Brazil Fraunhofer Inst Mfg Technol & Adv Mat, D-28359 Bremen, Germany Univ Estadual Paulista, Inst Quim, BR-14800060 Araraquara, SP, Brazil Univ Estadual Paulista, Inst Geociencias & Ciencias Exatas, BR-13500970 Rio Claro, SP, Brazil FAPESP: 2013/24948-3 FAPESP: 2016/10939-0 CNPq: 302185/2017-8

Made available in DSpace on 2018-12-11T16:44:01Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2016-11-01 A robust procedure for the surface bio-functionalization of carbon surfaces was developed. It consists on the modification of carbon materials in contact with an aqueous suspension of the enzyme laccase from Trametes versicolor and the lyophilization agent maltodextrin, with the pH value adjusted close to the isoelectric point of the enzyme. We report in-situ investigations applying Quartz Crystal Microbalance with Dissipation (QCM-D) for carbon-coated sensor surfaces and, moreover, ex-situ measurements with static contact angle measurements, X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) and Scanning Force Microscopy (SFM) for smooth Highly Oriented Pyrolytic Graphite (HOPG) substrates, for contact times between the enzyme formulation and the carbon material surface ranging from 20 s to 24 h. QCM-D studies reveals the formation of rigid layer of biomaterial, a few nanometers thin, which shows a strongly improved wettability of the substrate surface upon contact angle measurements. Following spectroscopic characterization, these layers are composed of mixtures of laccase and maltodextrin. The formation of these adsorbates is attributed to attractive interactions between laccase, the maltodextrin-based lyophilization agent and the hydrophobic carbon surfaces; a short-term contact between the aqueous laccase mixture suspension and HOPG surfaces is shown to merely result in de-wetting patterns influencing the results of contact angle measurements. The new enzyme-based surface modification of carbon-based materials is suggested to be applicable for the improvement of not only the wettability of low energy substrate surfaces with fluid formulations like coatings or adhesives, but also their adhesion in contact with hardened polymers. UNESP São Paulo State University Av. Eng. Luiz Edmundo Carrijo Coube, 14-01, Bauru Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Technology and Advanced Materials IFAM, Wiener Strasse 12 Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology IZI, Perlickstrasse 1 UNESP São Paulo State University Av. Eng. Luiz Edmundo Carrijo Coube, 14-01, Bauru

We present a versatile and highly substrate-independent approach for preparing multisandwich layers based on thermally reduced Graphene Oxide (rGO) which gets strongly attached by bio-interfactants using a layer-by-layer (LBL) aqueous dipping and rinsing process. The process allows for the deposition of homogeneous ultra-thin films (∼5.5 nm) in distinct surface topographies, thicknesses and compositions by varying the bio-interfactant layer(s). The layers formed on quartz or other semi conductive material are electrically conductive, flexible, and transparent. The here-developed approach could be applied for the fabrication of wearables, sensors, and antistatic transparent films.

Made available in DSpace on 2018-11-26T15:29:57Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2016-01-01 Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) Science Without Borders This work aims to improve the adhesion of a hybrid non-isocyanate polydimethylsiloxane urethane (PDMSUr) coating by producing active layers on titanium alloy (Ti6Al4V) and stainless steel (SS316L) applying pulsed Nd:YAG laser and oxygen plasma. The PDMSUr is a hybrid adhesive and, when functionalized with alkoxysilane groups, can bind onto the interfacial hydroxyl groups of a (hydr)oxide/carbonate layer by sol-gel reactions. These reactions are acid catalysed and the silanol groups can bind through Si-O-metal links. The pull-off-strength of such sustainable coatings raised more than 100% for both substrates after the physical treatments, compared with the substrates etched. X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) of a freshly pre-treated substrate revealed the formation of thin oxide-based reactive layers on the surface of Ti6Al4V and SS316L after the surface treatments. Both physical procedures were efficient to create oxide layers on top of metallic substrates and contributed to the improvement of adhesion strength of PDMSUr on biomedical grade metals. Univ Sao Paulo, Inst Chem Sao Carlos, BR-13563120 Sao Carlos, SP, Brazil Fraunhofer Inst Mfg Technol & Adv Mat IFAM, D-28359 Bremen, Germany Pontif Catholic Univ Rio Grande do Sul, BR-90619900 Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil State Univ Julio de Mesquita Filho, Fac Engn, BR-15385000 Ilha Solteira, SP, Brazil State Univ Julio de Mesquita Filho, Fac Engn, BR-15385000 Ilha Solteira, SP, Brazil FAPESP: 2011/06019-0 FAPESP: 2013/05279-3 FAPESP: 2011/08120-0 CAPES: 57060300

This work describes the fabrication and evaluation of a transparent hydrogel based spray coating to reduce marine biofouling on glass surfaces. A glycerol based copolymer was synthesized and covalently immobilized by applying a simple spray coating procedure. To test its nonfouling behavior, modified glass surfaces were exposed to different marine fouling species including bacteria, green algae, and blue mussels. For all tested species the coating could considerably reduce the settlement as compared to pristine glass surfaces. The settlement of blue mussels on coated surfaces was additionally compared to polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) substrates. The glycerol based copolymer showed an even better resistance against blue mussel adhesion than PTFE. Furthermore, the nonfouling performance of the coating was tested via fibrinogen adsorption after aging coated silica slides under marine conditions. The major aim of this study is to provide an easy synthesis and application procedure for a polyglycerol based nonfouling coating and the evaluation of its nonfouling properties in marine environments.

In order to ensure the performance of adhesively joined load-critical composite structures, suitable technologies are needed to steadily monitor adherent surfaces prior to bonding and to detect adhesion properties of bonded components. A novel class of non-destructive testing (NDT) techniques, classified as extended non-destructive testing (ENDT), is required to ascertain selected physicochemical properties which are important for the performance of adhesive bonds in place of detecting material defects like conventional NDT methods do. The European FP7 project, 'ENCOMB - Extended non-destructive testing of composite bonds' aims in the identification, development, adaptation and validation of ENDT methods for characterisation of adherent surfaces and adhesive bond quality. Here, recent NDT techniques such as optically stimulated electron emission (OSEE) and aerosol wetting test (AWT) as well as laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) were advanced and applied in field, and without contacting carbon fibre-reinforced polymer (CFRP) surfaces for detecting different contamination layers such as release agent, moisture or hydraulic oil as well as thermal degradation of CFRP adherent surfaces before performing an adhesive bonding process. Sensitivity and accuracy of these techniques allow distinguishing surface states which are suitable for bonding of CFRP adherents from surface states which are unfavourable for bonding. ENDT using OSEE, AWT and LIBS facilitated the detection of layers of release agent as thin as one nanometre and thin layers resulting from hydraulic oil. OSEE investigations of adherent surfaces before adhesive bonding allowed the indication of all surface states of potential CFRP adherents, which according to previous studies, were related to application scenarios reducing the joint strength of resulting adhesive joints by 20-70%.

The aim of this work was to synthesize a non-isocyanate poly(dimethylsiloxane) hydroxyurethane with biomimetic terminal catechol moieties, as a candidate for inorganic and metallic surface modification. Such surface modifier is capable to strongly attach onto metallic and inorganic substrates forming layers and, in addition, providing water-repellent surfaces. The non-isocyanate route is based on carbon dioxide cycloaddition into bis-epoxide, resulting in a precursor bis(cyclic carbonate)-polydimethylsiloxane (CCPDMS), thus fully replacing isocyanate in the manufacture process. A biomimetic approach was chosen with the molecular composition being inspired by terminal peptides present in adhesive proteins of mussels, like Mefp (Mytilus edulis foot protein), which bear catechol moieties and are strong adhesives even under natural and saline water. The catechol terminal groups were grafted by aminolysis reaction into a polydimethylsiloxane backbone. The product, PDMSUr-Dopamine, presented high affinity towards inhomogeneous alloy surfaces terminated by native oxide layers as demonstrated by quartz crystal microbalance (QCM-D), as well as stability against desorption by rinsing with ethanol. As revealed by QCM-D, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and computational studies, the thickness and composition of the resulting nanolayers indicated an attachment of PDMSUr-Dopamine molecules to the substrate through both terminal catechol groups, with the adsorbate exposing the hydrophobic PDMS backbone. This hypothesis was investigated by classical molecular dynamic simulation (MD) of pure PDMSUr-Dopamine molecules on SiO2 surfaces. The computationally obtained PDMSUr-Dopamine assembly is in agreement with the conclusions from the experiments regarding the conformation of PDMSUr-Dopamine towards the surface. The tendency of the terminal catechol groups to approach the surface is in agreement with proposed model for the attachment PDMSUr-Dopamine. Remarkably, the versatile PDMSUr-Dopamine modifier facilitates such functionalization for various substrates such as titanium alloy, steel and ceramic surfaces.

A new “adsorption-cross-linking” technology is presented to generate a highly dense polymer brush coating on various nonpolar substrates, including the most inert and low-energy surfaces of poly(dimethylsiloxane) and poly(tetrafluoroethylene). This prospective surface modification strategy is based on a tailored bifunctional amphiphilic block copolymer with benzophenone units as the hydrophobic anchor/chemical cross-linker and terminal azide groups for in situ postmodification. The resulting polymer brushes exhibited long-term and ultralow protein adsorption and cell adhesion benefiting from the high density and high hydration ability of polyglycerol blocks. The presented antifouling brushes provided a highly stable and robust bioinert background for biospecific adsorption of desired proteins and bacteria after secondary modification with bioactive ligands, e.g., mannose for selective ConA and Escherichia coli binding.

Surface engineering of magnesium alloys requires adequate strategies, processes and materials permitting corrosion protection. Liquid formulations containing corrosion inhibitors often are to be optimized according to the demands of the respective substrate and following the service conditions during its application. As an interdisciplinary approach, a combination of several techniques for instantly monitoring or elaborately analyzing the surface state of magnesium was accomplished in order to characterize the performance of new adsorbing sustainable amphiphilic polymers which recently were developed to facilitate a multi-metal corrosion protection approach. The application of established techniques like Contact Angle measurements and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy investigations was supplemented by introducing related and yet faster online-capable and larger-scale techniques like Aerosol Wetting Test and Optically Stimulated Electron Emission. Moreover, an inexpensive setup was configured for scaling the inset and the extent of degradation processes which occur at local electrochemical circuits and lead to hydrogen bubble formation. Using these analytical tools, changes of the surface state of emeried AM50 samples were investigated. Even in contact with water, being a moderate corrosive medium, the online techniques facilitated detecting surface degradation of the unprotected magnesium alloy within some seconds. In contrast, following contact with a 1 weight% formulation of a polymeric corrosion inhibitor, surface monitoring indicated a delay of the onset of degradation processes by approximately two orders of magnitude in time. Mainly based on the spectroscopic investigations, the corrosion inhibiting effects of the investigated polymer are attributed to the adsorption of a primary polymer layer with a thickness of a few nanometers which occurs within some seconds. Immersion of magnesium for several hours brings up a protective film with around ten nanometers thickness.

Quality assured surface pre-treatment may greatly enhance adhesive interactions and, thus, the performance and durability of material joints. This holds true as well for substrates used in coating processes as for adherents introduced into bonding processes. Wettable polymeric wetting agents—shortly called polymeric interfactants—contribute to modifying surfaces and governing the properties of interphases. This is demonstrated for amphiphilic polymers directing the adsorption of graphene oxide (GO) nano-sheets from aqueous dispersion on alumina surfaces. In this contribution, contact angle measurements as well as X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and scanning force microscopy investigations are applied for the characterization of thin films. GO is adsorbed either from a buffered dispersion on pristine aluminum oxide surfaces or on alumina modified with a few nanometers thin layer of a polymeric interfactant. Laterally extended nanoparticles and GO nano-sheets are preferentially found on interfactant layers whereas on pristine aluminum oxide smaller adsorbates dominate. The driving forces directing the GO attachment are discussed using a phenomenological model based on polymer/substrate interactions governing the sticking probabilities of GO nano-sheets with different sizes.

Made available in DSpace on 2018-12-11T16:46:24Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2016-01-01 The formation of nano-scale biofilms on hydrophilic silica surfaces from aqueous polypeptide/polysaccharide mixtures containing laccase and maltodextrin was investigated in situ with quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring (QCM-D). Surface analysis techniques such as X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), optically stimulated electron emission (OSEE) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) were applied for characterizing the resulting layers obtained after periods varying from a few seconds to several hours of contact between the substrate and the biopolymers formulation. The biofilm formation in contact with the aqueous laccase/maltodextrin suspension was studied at pH level 4.75, under conditions close to the isoelectric point of the enzyme. The few nanometers rough biofilms obtained were composed of a laccase/maltodextrin mixture, and their thickness was observed to steadily increase during 4 h of contact with the aqueous mixture of biopolymers. Remarkably, the still adhesive films obtained after 1 h of contact with aqueous polypeptide/polysaccharide mixture resisted a 30 min rinsing with acetate buffer. The biofilms growing process was monitored using OSEE, due to the effected attenuation of the UV-induced electron emission from the SiO2/Si substrate, which was found to be more pronounced than the attenuation of the photoelectrons from the substrate which contribute to the XPS signals. Layers as thin as 1 nm were detected by the OSEE. Pós-Graduação em Ciência e Tecnologia de Materiais (POSMAT) São Paulo State University (UNESP), Av. Eng. Luiz Edmundo Carrijo Coube 14-01 Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Technology and Advanced Materials (IFAM), Wiener Straße 12 Federal University of Ceará, Av. Da Universidade 2853 São Paulo State University (UNESP), Av. Eng. Luiz Edmundo Carrijo Coube 14-01 Pós-Graduação em Ciência e Tecnologia de Materiais (POSMAT) São Paulo State University (UNESP), Av. Eng. Luiz Edmundo Carrijo Coube 14-01 São Paulo State University (UNESP), Av. Eng. Luiz Edmundo Carrijo Coube 14-01

Made available in DSpace on 2018-12-11T16:46:24Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2016-01-01 Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq) Magnesium and its alloys are the lightest metallic materials used for structural applications. Tuning the surface functionalization of magnesium alloys may contribute to increasing their durability. Dry or wet processes may be effective for the modification of magnesium alloy surfaces. The resulting layers may cover surface inhomogeneities and separate the substrate surface from molecular films. This work demonstrates the feasibility and effectiveness of the concepts and techniques comprising laser or plasma based pretreatment processes or dipping procedures that involve synthetic amphiphilic polymers or biopolymers. In detail, the effects of barrier layers that have been applied by the deposition of siliceous polymer coatings in low pressure plasma processes, by laser surface treatments in controlled gas atmospheres or by dipping in liquid formulations containing a recently developed polymeric inhibitor or a mixture of the enzyme laccase and the polysaccharide maltodextrin are monitored. In this respect, a time-resolved hydrogen bubble formation test is performed, revealing interactions between water films and the modified surfaces. The surface modification is shown with X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy investigations and, in addition, the alloy surface and grain structure is characterized using energy dispersive X-ray analysis, scanning electron microscopy and scanning force microscopy. These investigations reveal that the thus established layer/substrate and layer/environment interphases differ in their composition as a result of the non-centrosymmetric layer concepts for surface functionalization applied here. Department of Adhesive Bonding Technology and Surfaces Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Technology and Advanced Materials IFAM, Wiener Straße 12 Department of Chemistry Federal University of Santa Catarina (UFSC) Campus Universitário Trindade Department of Materials UEPG State University of Ponta Grossa, Avenida de General Carlos Cavalcanti 4748 Pós-Graduacao em Ciência e Tecnologia de Materiais (POSMAT) São Paulo State University (UNESP), Av. Eng. Luiz Edmundo Carrijo Coube 14-01 National Nanotechnology Laboratory LANOTEC Centro Nacional de Alta Tecnología, 1.3 km, Norte de la Embajda de EE.UU. Pavas Pós-Graduacao em Ciência e Tecnologia de Materiais (POSMAT) São Paulo State University (UNESP), Av. Eng. Luiz Edmundo Carrijo Coube 14-01

Classical molecular dynamics were carried out in order to obtain insights into proper conditions to perform chemical fixation of carbon dioxide (CO2) with epoxide molecules into cyclic carbonates. Two different molecules containing epoxide groups were investigated: 1,2–Epoxybutane (EB), called linear aliphatic epoxide molecule, and 3-Ethyl-7-oxabicyclo(4.1.0)heptane (EC), called cycloaliphatic epoxide molecule. The reaction systems involving carbon dioxide additionally were catalyzed by tetraethylammonium bromide (TEAB). The dynamics of the molecular groups were studied by taking into account known reaction mechanisms to investigate whether the optimal reaction conditions were observed. Radial distribution functions and self-diffusion coefficients were calculated and revealed that in case of the systems with cycloaliphatic epoxide groups as reagent the CO2 molecules were located far away from the agglomerate formed by the dispersed tetraethylammonium bromide catalyst and epoxide groups (EC), and they do not present enough mobility to overcome the long distances to react. Additionally, it was observed that, in the case of the linear aliphatic epoxide groups (EB), the dynamics of the groups tends to facilitate the reaction mechanisms by presenting a considerable amount of available CO2 molecules in the neighborhood of the epoxy rings. Thus, via the Molecular Dynamics insights, the systems containing linear aliphatic epoxide groups presented a much more accessible condition for the subsequent reaction steps of the carbon dioxide fixation to occur as compared to systems containing cycloaliphatic epoxide groups. The simulation results are in agreement with the experimental findings, which showed via infrared spectroscopy the successful conversion of epoxy rings from linear aliphatic epoxide molecules into five-membered cyclic carbonates after reacting with carbon dioxide.

Assessing adhesion or strength of composites or adhesive joints in a non-destructive way is highly challenging. Therefore, instead of performing retrospective quality assurance, i.e. investigating manufactured joints, it is advantageous to safeguard performance and quality of each layer and each interface already during manufacture. This approach still is challenging, as it requires a systematic quantitative evaluation of threshold criteria, but appreciably it gets more and more feasible. We present approaches for an inline-capable and non-destructive quality assurance of steps in manufacturing processes used for tailoring the state of substrate surfaces. Benefits from applying techniques for inline surface analysis like Optically Stimulated Electron Emission (OSEE) and Aerosol Wetting Test (AWT) will be detailed. The performed procedures contribute to a novel class of non-destructive testing (NDT) techniques, classified as Extended NDT (ENDT). The principle of ENDT methods is based on the detection of selected physico-chemical properties which are important for the anticipated performance of the functional interfaces in the products to be manufactured. A prerequisite for obtaining reliable composite materials is to reproducibly prepare a suitable surface state of the substrates before the first step of a coating or bonding process. As demonstrative application scenarios, we highlight first an exemplary surface pretreatment process for steel substrates, and second the identification of a surface state for carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) adherents suitable for joining. Concerning steel substrates we investigated two types of steel both in the as-received state and a state after grinding. We demonstrate that the removal of the topmost material layer comprising the reaction layer and mechanically deformed metal grains strongly affects the properties of the resulting adherent surface. As a consequence, a material-specific time slot for a steel substrate exposure in air after grinding is suggested in which the surface properties probed by OSEE remain unchanged. Moreover, we work out that the sensitivity and accuracy of inline-capable NDT techniques allow distinguishing surface states suitable for bonding of CFRP adherents from surface states unfavourable for adhesive bonding, and we exemplarily verify this statement for bonding processes applying freshly ground CFRP or, respectively, CFRP covered with thin layers of release agents.

Material-independent and bioinert hierarchical polymer multilayer coatings are presented. Chemically active catecholic hyperbranched polyglycerols (hPGs) form a foundation layer on a versatile surface via multivalent anchoring and crosslinking, the activity of which is shielded by the bioinert catecholic hPGs. Mono-catecholic hPGs finally terminate all of the free catechols to build a flexible bioinert top layer. These coatings perfectly prevent protein and cell adhesion.

X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) was applied to investigate the surface reactivity of polycrystalline Al films in contact with a gas mixture of carbon dioxide and oxygen at room temperature. Based on the characterization of interactions between these substrates and the individual gases at selected exposures, various surface functionalities were identified. Simultaneously dosing both carbon dioxide and oxygen is shown to create surface-terminating carbonate species, which contribute to inhibiting the formation of an Al 2 O 3 layer. Finally, a reaction scheme is suggested to account for the observed dependence of surface group formation on the dosing conditions.

The polymers PET, PA6, PVDF, HD-PE, and PP are activated by a commercially available plasma jet system at atmospheric pressure to improve adhesive bondability. The adhesion properties of the activated surfaces are evaluated by lap shear tests. The results are correlated with the surface properties that are investigated by XPS, AFM, and contact angle measurements. In addition the influence of operational parameters of the plasma treatment is studied. The activated samples exhibit a substantially increased bonding strength. The improvement can be related to an increase of oxygen concentration, and to changes of the topology of the substrate surface induced by the thermal component of the plasma. The most influential parameters in the plasma treatment are the distance between substrate and nozzle exit and the treatment time.

Ultrathin films of a symmetrical polystyrene-block-poly(2-vinylpyridine) diblock copolymer with a degree of polymerization of 600 were prepared by spin coating from a nonselective solvent, i.e., CHCl3, on mica. The concentration of the casting solutions was chosen to be too low to allow homogeneous coverage of the substrate without significant stretching of the macromolecules. Scanning force microscopy demonstrated the formation of uniform polystyrene clusters with a height of about 5 nm and a distance of about 100 nm between them. In between the substrate was covered by ≈1 nm thick film of poly(2-vinylpyridine). The large periodicity of the two-dimensional phase pattern is explained by the strong interaction of poly(2-vinylpyridine) with mica, favoring a highly stretched conformation. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy showed that about every third poly(2-vinylpyridine) unit was in chemical contact with the substrate. When the film thickness was increased, the X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy N(1s) signal decreased in comparison to the C(1s) signal indicating that the adsorbed poly(2-vinylpyridine) got increasingly covered by polystyrene. An estimation of the free energy indicates that the lateral phase separation is mainly controlled by the length of the polystyrene blocks affecting the incompatibility of the polystyrene and the poly(2-vinylpyridine) covered mica.

The present work describes pretreatment processes of thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer (TPU) material, used as an adhesive in powder form, that results in the increased peeling resistance of joints. The TPU in powder form is an environmentally friendly adhesive and provides safer bonding conditions in the shoe manufacturing industry. TPU particles are soft and require an anti-blocking agent to prevent agglomeration. However, particles covered by such an anti-blocking agent may account for a low peeling resistance in the resulting joints. To overcome this disadvantage, two pretreatment processes for the TPU adhesive were evaluated. The results of a two-step wet washing process, representing a conventional solvent-based procedure that involves both the application of a solvent and a powder separation step, are compared to the performance of a one-step dry plasma treatment process. The process type did not affect the size and agglomeration behavior of the particles, and both processes were effective in improving joint strength according to peeling test results. Spectroscopic investigation of the particle surface after washing or plasma treatment indicated some zinc concentration, which is interpreted to result from the anti-blocking agent. The crystallinity of the TPU, investigated by thermal analysis, was higher after pretreatment. The obtained results indicate that TPU in powder form is a versatile adhesive for the shoe industry with a safer application compared to solvent based adhesive systems.