Single-Chain Origami - En Route to Artificial Proteins?

Platform technologies on the basis of metal complexes and reversible host/guest complexation are introduced for the folding of single polymer chains. Based on the concept of Pd2+ coordination, catalytically active single-chain nanoparticles (SCNPs) are synthesized. Furthermore, photochemical ligation protocols are applied for the preparation of functional SCNPs under mild conditions. Due to their ability of a triggered payload release, stimulus responsive water-soluble SCNPs are investigated

Intelligent Link-Management for the Support of Integration in Building Life Cycle

The processes in the life cycle of buildings are characterised by highly distinct teamwork. The integration of all the distributed working participants, by providing an environment, which especially supports the communication and collaboration between the actors, is a fundamental step to improve the efficiency of the involved processes and to reduce the total costs. In this article, a link based modelling approach and its “intelligent” link management is introduced (1). This approach realises an integration environment based on a special building model that acts as a decision support system. The link-based modelling is characterised by the definition and specialisation of links between partial models. These intelligent managed links enable a very flexible and task specific data access and exchange between all the different views and partial models of the participants

Intelligentes Verknüpfungsmanagement am Beispiel einer 3D-Visualisierung

Bauprojekte sind in immer stärkerem Maße durch räumlich verteilt und zeitlich variant tätige hochspezialisierte Fachplaner auf Basis stark differenzierter Hard- und Softwaresysteme gekennzeichnet. Daraus ergibt sich die Notwendigkeit einer durchgängig computergestützten prozeßübergreifenden Informationsbereitstellung. Eine deklarativ orientierte integrierte Arbeits- und Planungsumgebung auf Basis eines digitalen Bauwerksmodells bietet das Potential zur Realisierung des erforderlichen Informationsaustausches. Der im Sonderforschungsbereich 524 entwickelte verknüpfungsbasierte Bauwerksmodellierungsansatz stellt einen derartigen Ansatz dar und bietet adäquate Möglichkeiten zur Modellintegration und zur modellübergreifenden Navigation im Gesamtdatenbestand auf Basis dynamisch manipulierbarer Verknüpfungen zwischen Modellelementen. Die Erstellung von Verknüpfungen stellt einen komplizierten Prozeß dar. Um ein effizientes dynamisches Definieren von Verknüpfungstypen zu gewährleisten sind unterstützende Tools im Sinne eines intelligenten Verknüpfungsmanagements notwenig. Die Hauptaufgabe dieser Hilfsmittel besteht darin, die Partialmodelle zielgerichtet zu analysieren und entsprechende Vorschläge für die Elemente eines Verknüpfungstyps zu generieren und diese auch entsprechend zu verarbeiten. Hierzu wird ein regelbasierter Ansatz mit Visualisierungsmethoden zur Erhöhung der Transparenz des Verknüpfungsmanagements kombiniert. Die Wissensbasis stellt dabei das objektorientiert strukturiert vorgehaltene Domänenwissen in den jeweiligen Partialmodellen dar. Der deklarativen Wissensabbildung folgend steht zur Erkennung von Zusammenhängen zwischen Elementen verschiedener Partialmodelle ein explizit definierter und extern vorgehaltener Regelapparat zur Verfügung. Am Beispiel einer 3D-Visualiserung der Elemente eines Partialmodells Architektur werden die entwickelten Konzepte evaluiert

Phase-Change-Enabled, Rapid, High-Resolution Direct Ink Writing of Soft Silicone

Soft silicone is an ideal flexible material for application, e.g., in soft robotics, flexible electronics, bionics, or implantable biomedical devices. However, gravity-driven sagging, filament stretching, and deformation can cause inevitable defects during rapid manufacturing, making it hard to obtain complex, high-resolution 3D silicone structures with direct ink writing (DIW) technology. Here, rapid DIW of soft silicone enabled by a phase-change-induced, reversible change of the ink\u27s hierarchical microstructure is presented. During printing, the silicone-based ink, containing silica nanoparticles and wax microparticles, is extruded from a heated nozzle into a cold environment under controlled stress. The wax phase change (solid–liquid–solid) during printing rapidly destroys and rebuilds the particle networks, realizing fast control of the ink flow behavior and printability. This high-operating-temperature DIW method is fast (maximum speed ≈3100 mm min$^{-1}$) and extends the DIW scale range of soft silicone. The extruded filaments have small diameters (50 ± 5 µm), and allow for large spans (≈13-fold filament diameter) and high aspect ratios (≈1), setting a new benchmark in the DIW of soft silicone. Printed silicone structures exhibit excellent performance as flexible sensors, superhydrophobic surfaces, and shape-memory bionic devices, illustrating the potential of the new 3D printing strategy

Effect of Polymeric Binders on Dispersion of Active Particles in Aqueous LiFePO4_{4}-Based Cathode Slurries as well as on Mechanical and Electrical Properties of Corresponding Dry Layers

We investigated the effect of carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) and the particulate fluorine/acrylate hybrid polymer (FAHP) on the flow behavior of LiFePO$_{4}$-based cathode slurries as well as on electrical and mechanical properties of the corresponding dry layers. CMC dissolves in water and partly adsorbs on the active particles. Thus, it has a strong impact on particle dispersion and a critical CMC concentration distinguished by a minimum in yield stress and high shear viscosity is found, indicating an optimum state of particle dispersion. In contrast, the nanoparticulate FAHP binder has no effect on slurry rheology. The electrical conductivity of the dry layer exhibits a maximum at a CMC concentration corresponding to the minimum in slurry viscosity but monotonically decreases with increasing FAHP concentration. Adhesion to the current collector is provided by FAHP, and the line load in peel tests strongly increases with FAHP concentration, whereas CMC does not contribute to adhesion. The electrical conductivity and adhesion values obtained here excel reported values for similar aqueous LiFePO$_{4}$-based cathode layers using alternative polymeric binders. Both CMC and FAHP contribute to the cohesive strength of the layers; the contribution of CMC, however, is stronger than that of FAHP despite its lower intrinsic mechanical strength. We attribute this to ist impact on the cathode microstructure since high CMC concentrations result in a strong alignment of LiFePO$_{4}$ particles, which yields superior cohesive strength