LTCC-based Y-type thermoelectric generator with an improved heat flow guide for automotive waste heat recovery. - In: Sustainable energy & fuels, ISSN 2398-4902, Bd. 6 (2022), 9, S. 2330-2342
Thermoelectric generators (TEGs) are essential devices that convert thermal energy into electrical energy. TEGs are well known for their reliability, environmental friendliness, and maintenance-free operation. The fabricated low-temperature co-fired ceramic (LTCC)-based silver/silver-palladium Y-type thermoelectric generator is designed to convert a vertical distribution of heat flow into voltage through 333 laterally oriented thermocouples. It is intended to be placed between the heat exchanger and the coolant channels in the exhaust system to harvest waste thermal energy. The novel design helps to minimize the overall internal electrical resistance of the generator, which leads to higher generated electrical power. We investigated the use of aluminum-plates with pillars as heat guides combined with LTCC built-in cavities to minimize heat losses and improve the thermal yield. This technique allows increasing the electrical power by 67% compared to flat heat guides. The paper presents both simulations, based on the finite element method, and experimental measurements to validate the proposed model's accuracy. Experiments gave an output voltage of 87.3 mV and a delivered power of 260 μW (equivalent to 1.51 μW K^-1) at ΔT = 172 ˚C for the generator TEG without cavities, while these results were 94.1 mV and 306.3 μW (equivalent to 1.78 μW K^-1) at the same temperature difference when cavities were added.
https://doi.org/10.1039/D2SE00048B
MatriGrid® based biological morphologies: tools for 3D cell culturing. - In: Bioengineering, ISSN 2306-5354, Bd. 9 (2022), 5, 220, S. 1-41
Recent trends in 3D cell culturing has placed organotypic tissue models at another level. Now, not only is the microenvironment at the cynosure of this research, but rather, microscopic geometrical parameters are also decisive for mimicking a tissue model. Over the years, technologies such as micromachining, 3D printing, and hydrogels are making the foundation of this field. However, mimicking the topography of a particular tissue-relevant substrate can be achieved relatively simply with so-called template or morphology transfer techniques. Over the last 15 years, in one such research venture, we have been investigating a micro thermoforming technique as a facile tool for generating bioinspired topographies. We call them MatriGrid®s. In this research account, we summarize our learning outcome from this technique in terms of the influence of 3D micro morphologies on different cell cultures that we have tested in our laboratory. An integral part of this research is the evolution of unavoidable aspects such as possible label-free sensing and fluidic automatization. The development in the research field is also documented in this account.
https://doi.org/10.3390/bioengineering9050220
Volume and thickness change of NMC811|SiOx-graphite large-format lithium-ion cells: from pouch cell to active material level. - In: Journal of power sources, ISSN 1873-2755, Bd. 537 (2022), 231443
In this study, the reversible thickness change of a large-format lithium-ion automotive pouch cell is investigated under precisely monitored cell pressure and temperature using an in-house built actively controlled pneumatic cell press. The quantitative and qualitative contribution of the state-of-the-art NMC811 cathode and the SiOx-graphite composite anode to the total pouch cell expansion is resolved by electrochemical dilatometry and validated. Results show that Ni-rich cathodes have a significant impact on the pouch cell expansion and exhibit highly nonlinear thickness change which is related to the change of the individual lattice parameters of the crystal structure. To resolve the contribution of both anode active materials to the total anode expansion, the capacities of SiOx and graphite are determined by differential voltage analysis and validated with half-cell measurements. Then, the volume expansion of SiOx and graphite as a function of the anode state of charge is calculated. By introducing fitting parameters and applying theories about the interaction of SiOx with the surrounding morphology the correlation between the volume expansion of the active materials and the thickness change of the SiOx-Gr composite anode is investigated. The findings suggest that there is significant nonlinear reduction of pore volume at low state of charge.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpowsour.2022.231443
On the acoustically induced fluid flow in particle separation systems employing standing surface acoustic waves - Part I. - In: Lab on a chip, ISSN 1473-0189, Bd. 22 (2022), 10, S. 2011-2027
By integrating surface acoustic waves (SAW) into microfluidic devices, microparticle systems can be fractionated precisely in flexible and easily scalable Lab-on-a-Chip platforms. The widely adopted driving mechanism behind this principle is the acoustic radiation force, which depends on the size and acoustic properties of the suspended particles. Superimposed fluid motion caused by the acoustic streaming effect can further manipulate particle trajectories and might have a negative influence on the fractionation result. A characterization of the crucial parameters that affect the pattern and scaling of the acoustically induced flow is thus essential for the design of acoustofluidic separation systems. For the first time, the fluid flow induced by pseudo-standing acoustic wave fields with a wavelength much smaller than the width of the confined microchannel is experimentally revealed in detail, using quantitative three-dimensional measurements of all three velocity components (3D3C). In Part I of this study, we focus on the fluid flow close to the center of the surface acoustic wave field, while in Part II the outer regions with strong acoustic gradients are investigated. By systematic variations of the SAW-wavelength λSAW and channel height H, a transition from vortex pairs extending over the entire channel width W to periodic flows resembling the pseudo-standing wave field is revealed. An adaptation of the electrical power, however, only affects the velocity scaling. Based on the experimental data, a validated numerical model was developed in which critical material parameters and boundary conditions were systematically adjusted. Considering a Navier slip length at the substrate-fluid interface, the simulations provide a strong agreement with the measured velocity data over a large frequency range and enable an energetic consideration of the first and second-order fields. Based on the results of this study, critical parameters were identified for the particle size as well as for channel height and width. Progress for the research on SAW-based separation systems is obtained not only by these findings but also by providing all experimental velocity data to allow for further developments on other sites.
https://doi.org/10.1039/D1LC01113H
On the acoustically induced fluid flow in particle separation systems employing standing surface acoustic waves - Part II. - In: Lab on a chip, ISSN 1473-0189, Bd. 22 (2022), 10, S. 2028-2040
Particle separation using surface acoustic waves (SAWs) has been a focus of ongoing research for several years, leading to promising technologies based on Lab-on-a-Chip devices. In many of them, scattering effects of acoustic waves on suspended particles are utilized to manipulate their motion by means of the acoustic radiation force (FARF). Due to viscous damping of radiated waves within a fluid, known as the acoustic streaming effect, a superimposed fluid flow is generated, which additionally affects the trajectories of the particles by drag forces. To evaluate the influence of this acoustically induced flow on the fractionation of suspended particles, the present study gives a deep insight into the pattern and scaling of the resulting vortex structures by quantitative three-dimensional, three component (3D3C) velocity measurements. Following the analysis of translationally invariant structures at the center of a pseudo-standing surface acoustic wave (sSAW) in Part I, the focus in Part II turns to the outer regions of acoustic actuation. The impact of key parameters on the formation of the outer vortices, such as the wavelength of the SAW λSAW, the channel height H and electrical power Pel, is investigated with respect to the design of corresponding separation systems. As a result of large gradients in the acoustic fields, broadly extended vortices are formed, which can cause a lateral displacement of particles and are thus essential for a holistic analysis of the flow phenomena. The interaction with an externally imposed main flow reveals local recirculation regions, while the extent of the vortices is quantified based on the displacement of the main flow.
https://doi.org/10.1039/D2LC00106C
Experimental demonstration of improved magnetorelaxometry imaging performance using optimized coil configurations. - In: Medical physics, ISSN 2473-4209, Bd. 49 (2022), 5, S. 3361-3374
Background: Magnetorelaxometry imaging is an experimental imaging technique capable of reconstructing magnetic nanoparticle distributions inside a volume noninvasively and with high specificity. Thus, magnetorelaxometry imaging is a promising candidate for monitoring a number of therapeutical approaches that employ magnetic nanoparticles, such as magnetic drug targeting and magnetic hyperthermia, to guarantee their safety and efficacy. Prior to a potential clinical application of this imaging modality, it is necessary to optimize magnetorelaxometry imaging systems to produce reliable imaging results and to maximize the reconstruction accuracy of the magnetic nanoparticle distributions. Multiple optimization approaches were already applied throughout a number of simulation studies, all of which yielded increased imaging qualities compared to intuitively designed measurement setups. Purpose: None of these simulative approaches was conducted in practice such that it still remains unclear if the theoretical results are achievable in an experimental setting. In this study, we demonstrate the technical feasibility and the increased reconstruction accuracy of optimized coil configurations in two distinct magnetorelaxometry setups. Methods: The electromagnetic coil positions and radii of a cuboidal as well as a cylindrical magnetorelaxometry imaging setup are optimized by minimizing the system matrix condition numbers of their corresponding linear forward models. The optimized coil configurations are manufactured alongside with two regular coil grids. Magnetorelaxometry measurements of three cuboidal and four cylindrical magnetic nanoparticle phantoms are conducted, and the resulting reconstruction qualities of the optimized and the regular coil configurations are compared. Results: The computed condition numbers of the optimized coil configurations are approximately one order of magnitude lower compared to the regular coil grids. The reconstruction results show that for both setups, every phantom is recovered more accurately by the optimized coil configurations compared to the regular coil grids. Additionally, the optimized coil configurations yield better signal qualities. Conclusions: The presented experimental study provides a proof of the practicality and the efficacy of optimizing magnetorelaxometry imaging systems with respect to the condition numbers of their system matrices, previously only demonstrated in simulations. From the promising results of our study, we infer that the minimization of the system matrix condition number will also enable the practical optimization of other design parameters of magnetorelaxometry imaging setups (e.g., sensor configuration, coil currents, etc.) in order to improve the achievable reconstruction qualities even further, eventually paving the way towards clinical application of this imaging modality.
https://doi.org/10.1002/mp.15594
Quantifying force and energy in single-molecule metalation. - In: Journal of the American Chemical Society, ISSN 1520-5126, Bd. 144 (2022), 16, S. 7054-7057
An atomic force microscope is used to determine the attractive interaction at the verge of adding a Ag atom from the probe to a single free-base phthalocyanine molecule adsorbed on Ag(111). The experimentally extracted energy for the spontaneous atom transfer can be compared to the energy profile determined by density functional theory using the nudged-elastic-band method at a defined probe-sample distance.
https://doi.org/10.1021/jacs.2c00900
Lichtschichtfluoreszenzmikroskopische Untersuchung von Silikatmaterialien :
Light-sheet fluorescence microscopic probing of silicate materials. - In: Technisches Messen, ISSN 2196-7113, Bd. 89 (2022), 6, S. 447-454
Light-sheet fluorescence microscopy (LSFM) is a powerful method for 3D characterization of fluorescent samples. In this contribution we introduce the technique for the application in material analytics by demonstrating the 3D imaging of Ce 3+ -doped YAG (Y 3 Al 5 O 12 ) crystals isolated in a glass matrix. When excited with short wavelength laser radiation, the Ce 3+ doping enables fluorescence in the wavelength range between about 450 nm and 680 nm. Since the excitation wavelengths of Ce 3+ in the YAG and glass phases of the glass ceramic differ substantially, a suitable laser wavelength can be used to excite only the YAG phase. Thus, an imaging contrast to the surrounding glass matrix is generated. We exploit the crystal dendrites for monitoring the image contrast and improve it by a deconvolution operation of the images. This field of application of LSFM offers great potential, e. g. for fundamental understanding of the microstructuring processes in silicate glasses.
https://doi.org/10.1515/teme-2021-0141
Aerostatically sealed chamber as a robust aerostatic bearing. - In: Tribology international, ISSN 1879-2464, Bd. 173 (2022), 107614, S. 1-10
Aerostatic bearings are typically used in ultra precision and high speed applications in controlled environments. The present study expands this operating domain. The present study experimentally investigates the performance and feasibility of a novel design for a robust air bearing consisting of an aerostatically sealed pressurized volume. A suitable operating domain for the bearing system was characterized based on measurements of the load capacity, friction moment, chamber flow, and seal flow rate at various opposing surface run-outs and supply pressures. The highest measured load capacity was 18.86 kN at 0.330 mm run-out, and decreased to 12.22 kN load at 3.804 mm run-out. The study provided corroborative evidence on the feasibility of the proposed chamber based bearing design.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.triboint.2022.107614
Perception thresholds and qualitative perceptions for electrocutaneous stimulation. - In: Scientific reports, ISSN 2045-2322, Bd. 12 (2022), 7335, S. 1-12
Our long-term goal is the development of a wearable warning system that uses electrocutaneous stimulation. To find appropriate stimulation parameters and electrode configurations, we investigate perception amplitude thresholds and qualitative perceptions of electrocutaneous stimulation for varying pulse widths, electrode sizes, and electrode positions. The upper right arm was stimulated in 81 healthy volunteers with biphasic rectangular current pulses varying between 20 and 2000 μs. We determined perception, attention, and intolerance thresholds and the corresponding qualitative perceptions for 8 electrode pairs distributed around the upper arm. For a pulse width of 150 μs, we find median values of 3.5, 6.9, and 13.8 mA for perception, attention, and intolerance thresholds, respectively. All thresholds decrease with increasing pulse width. Lateral electrode positions have higher intolerance thresholds than medial electrode positions, but perception and attention threshold are not significantly different across electrode positions. Electrode size between 15 × 15 mm2 and 40 × 40 mm2 has no significant influence on the thresholds. Knocking is the prevailing perception for perception and attention thresholds while mostly muscle twitching, pinching, and stinging are reported at the intolerance threshold. Biphasic stimulation pulse widths between 150 μs and 250 μs are suitable for electric warning wearables. Within the given practical limits at the upper arm, electrode size, inter-electrode distance, and electrode position are flexible parameters of electric warning wearables. Our investigations provide the basis for electric warning wearables.
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-10708-9