@phdthesis{Jordan2017,
  author    = {Jordan, Thomas},
  title     = {CxNy-materials from supramolecular precursors for "All-Carbon" composite materials},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-398855},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t Potsdam},
  pages     = {157},
  year      = {2017},
  abstract  = {Among modern functional materials, the class of nitrogen-containing carbons combines non-toxicity and sustainability with outstanding properties. The versatility of this materials class is based on the opportunity to tune electronic and catalytic properties via the nitrogen content and -motifs: This ranges from the electronically conducting N-doped carbon, where few carbon atoms in the graphitic lattice are substituted by nitrogen, to the organic semiconductor graphitic carbon nitride (g-C₃N₄), with a structure based on tri-s-triazine units. In general, composites can reveal outstanding catalytic properties due to synergistic behavior, e.g. the formation of electronic heterojunctions. In this thesis, the formation of an "all-carbon" heterojunction was targeted, i.e. differences in the electronic properties of the single components were achieved by the introduction of different nitrogen motives into the carbon lattice. Such composites are promising as metal-free catalysts for the photocatalytic water splitting. Here, hydrogen can be generated from water by light irradiation with the use of a photocatalyst. As first part of the heterojunction, the organic semiconductor g-C₃N₄ was employed, because of its suitable band structure for photocatalytic water splitting, high stability and non-toxicity. The second part was chosen as C₂N, a recently discovered semiconductor. Compared to g-C₃N₄, the less nitrogen containing C₂N has a smaller band gap and a higher absorption coefficient in the visible light range, which is expected to increase the optical absorption in the composite eventually leading to an enhanced charge carrier separation due to the formation of an electronic heterojunction. The aim of preparing an "all-carbon" composite included the research on appropriate precursors for the respective components g-C₃N₄ and C₂N, as well as strategies for appropriate structuring. This was targeted by applying precursors which can form supramolecular pre-organized structures. This allows for more control over morphology and atom patterns during the carbonization process. In the first part of this thesis, it was demonstrated how the photocatalytic activity of g-C₃N₄ can be increased by the targeted introduction of defects or surface terminations. This was achieved by using caffeine as a "growth stopping" additive during the formation of the hydrogen-bonded supramolecular precursor complexes. The increased photocatalytic activity of the obtained materials was demonstrated with dye degradation experiments. The second part of this thesis was focused on the synthesis of the second component C₂N. Here, a deep eutectic mixture from hexaketocyclohexane and urea was structured using the biopolymer chitosan. This scaffolding resulted in mesoporous nitrogen-doped carbon monoliths and beads. CO₂- and dye-adsorption experiments with the obtained monolith material revealed a high isosteric heat of CO₂-adsorption and showed the accessibility of the monolithic pore system to larger dye molecules. Furthermore, a novel precursor system for C₂N was explored, based on organic crystals from squaric acid and urea. The respective C₂N carbon with an unusual sheet-like morphology could be synthesized by carbonization of the crystals at 550 °C. With this precursor system, also microporous C₂N carbon with a BET surface area of 865 m²/g was obtained by "salt-templating" with ZnCl₂. Finally, the preparation of a g-C₃N₄/C₂N "all carbon" composite heterojunction was attempted by the self-assembly of g-C₃N₄ and C₂N nanosheets and tested for photocatalytic water splitting. Indeed, the composites revealed high rates of hydrogen evolution when compared to bulk g-C₃N₄. However, the increased catalytic activity was mainly attributed to the high surface area of the nanocomposites rather than to the composition. With regard to alternative composite synthesis ways, first experiments indicated N-Methyl-2-pyrrolidon to be suitable for higher concentrated dispersion of C₂N nanosheets. Eventually, the results obtained in this thesis provide precious synthetic contributions towards the preparation and processing of carbon/nitrogen compounds for energy applications.},
  language  = {en}
}
@phdthesis{Fettkenhauer2015,
  author    = {Fettkenhauer, Christian},
  title     = {Ionothermale Synthese funktioneller Kohlenstoffnitrid basierter Materialien},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-78087},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t Potsdam},
  pages     = {xii, 123},
  year      = {2015},
  abstract  = {Die Doktorarbeit behandelt die Synthese Kohlenstoffnitrid basierter Materialien in eutektischen Mischungen bivalenter Metallchloride. Der Fokus liegt dabei auf ZnCl2-, SnCl2- und CoCl2-haltigen eutektischen Mischungen, in denen die Kondensation gebr{\"a}uchlicher organischer Precursoren durchgef{\"u}hrt wird. Im Rahmen dessen wird untersucht wie durch die Reaktionsf{\"u}hrung in Salzschmelzen unterschiedlicher Lewis-Acidit{\"a}t, neben der Molek{\"u}lstruktur andere charakteristische Eigenschaften, wie Morphologie, Kristallinit{\"a}t und spezifische Oberfl{\"a}chen, der Materialien kontrolliert werden k{\"o}nnen. Dar{\"u}ber hinaus werden die optischen Eigenschaften der Materialien er{\"o}rtert und in diesem Zusammenhang die Eignung als Photokatalysatoren f{\"u}r den oxidativen Abbau organischer Farbstoffe und f{\"u}r die photokatalytische Wasserreduktion bzw. -oxidation untersucht. Zus{\"a}tzlich wird gezeigt, wie im System LiCl/KCl in einem einstufigen Prozess edelmetallfreie Kohlenstoffnitrid Komposite zur photokatalytischen Wasserreduktion hergestellt werden k{\"o}nnen.},
  language  = {de}
}
@phdthesis{Zaupa2010,
  author    = {Zaupa, Alessandro},
  title     = {Physical crosslinking of gelatin : a supramolecular approach to biomaterials},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus-52888},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t Potsdam},
  year      = {2010},
  abstract  = {This work describes the realization of physically crosslinked networks based on gelatin by the introduction of functional groups enabling specific supramolecular interactions. Molecular models were developed in order to predict the material properties and permit to establish a knowledge-based approach to material design. The effect of additional supramolecular interactions with hydroxyapaptite was then studied in composite materials. The calculated properties are compared to experimental results to validate the models. The models are then further used for the study of physically crosslinked networks. Gelatin was functionalized with desaminotyrosine (DAT) and desaminotyrosyl-tyrosine (DATT) side groups, derived from the natural amino acid tyrosine. These group can potentially undergo to π-π and hydrogen bonding interactions also under physiological conditions. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations were performed on models with 0.8 wt.-\% or 25 wt.-\% water content, using the second generation forcefield CFF91. The validation of the models was obtained by the comparison with specific experimental data such as, density, peptide conformational angles and X-ray scattering spectra. The models were then used to predict the supramolecular organization of the polymer chain, analyze the formation of physical netpoints and calculate the mechanical properties. An important finding of simulation was that with the increase of aromatic groups also the number of observed physical netpoints increased. The number of relatively stable physical netpoints, on average zero 0 for natural gelatin, increased to 1 and 6 for DAT and DATT functionalized gelatins respectively. A comparison with the Flory-Rehner model suggested reduced equilibrium swelling by factor 6 of the DATT-functionalized materials in water. The functionalized gelatins could be synthesized by chemoselective coupling of the free carboxylic acid groups of DAT and DATT to the free amino groups of gelatin. At 25 wt.-\% water content, the simulated and experimentally determined elastic mechanical properties (e.g. Young Modulus) were both in the order of GPa and were not influenced by the degree of aromatic modification. The experimental equilibrium degree of swelling in water decreased with increasing the number of inserted aromatic functions (from 2800 vol.-\% for pure gelatin to 300 vol.-\% for the DATT modified gelatin), at the same time, Young's modulus, elongation at break, and maximum tensile strength increased. It could be show that the functionalization with DAT and DATT influences the chain organization of gelatin based materials together with a controlled drying condition. Functionalization with DAT and DATT lead to a drastic reduction of helical renaturation, that could be more finely controlled by the applied drying conditions. The properties of the materials could then be influenced by application of two independent methods. Composite materials of DAT and DATT functionalized gelatins with hydroxyapatite (HAp) show a drastic reduction of swelling degree. In tensile tests and rheological measurements, the composites equilibrated in water had increased Young's moduli (from 200 kPa up to 2 MPa) and tensile strength (from 57 kPa up to 1.1 MPa) compared to the natural polymer matrix without affecting the elongation at break. Furthermore, an increased thermal stability from 40 °C to 85 °C of the networks could be demonstrated. The differences of the behaviour of the functionalized gelatins to pure gelatin as matrix suggested an additional stabilizing bond between the incorporated aromatic groups to the hydroxyapatite.},
  language  = {en}
}