What is OPUS?

Siegen University Library provides a free of charge repository named OPUS Siegen (OPUS = Online PUblication Server) with the purpose to publish, archive and retrieve electronical documents produced at the University of Siegen.

What will you find here?

You will find Open-Access-Publications from all faculties of Siegen University and from the "universi" publishing house. The University Library applies acknowledged quality standards and offers support for publishing your documents.

How to participate?

For uploading documents, sign on to OPUS via Shibboleth using your ZIMT-Account.

Recently published
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    Reliability Assessment of Guided Wave Structural Health Monitoring Systems on Pipe Structures: Augmented POD Method
    (2025-12-11)
    Guided Wave-based Structural Health Monitoring (GWSHM) systems are used to monitor and assess the integrity of structures like pipelines, power plants, and aircraft non-destructively by permanently mounting transducers and automatically evaluating the recorded data. Even though having such systems increases the level of safety in life, the reliability assessment of GWSHM systems is a vital burden that prevents them from being widely deployed in more industrial applications as there is no clear guideline to assess their reliability. Early considerations suggested that the reliability assessment of SHM systems should be based on a pre-existing guideline like the Non-Destructive Evaluation (NDE) metric such as parametric Probability of Detection (POD) analysis, known as classical POD analysis. However, translating the parametric POD analysis precisely, as described in MIL-HDBK 1823A, is not applicable due to the statistical dependence of repeated measurements and the inability to use the considered structure after intentionally damaging it. The Model-Assisted Probability of Detection (MAPOD) technique emerges as a promising approach that enables the generation of a statistically independent dataset using numerical simulation models only. The same procedures as the classical parametric POD analysis, described in MIL-HDBK 1823A, are used to assess the reliability of the GWSHM system. Although simulation tools are highly effective in accounting for and simulating structural uncertainties, they fall short in modelling system, operational and environmental uncertainties. Moreover, the resulting POD analysis remains simulation-based, lacking seamless integration with reality. Above all, the classical parametric POD analysis is confined by specific guidelines mandating a linear relationship between damage size a and its corresponding damage indicator for applicability. This thesis presents an innovative method called the 'Augmented POD method', which addresses these issues by combining features extracted from experimental datasets taken from a real GWSHM system in its pristine state under environmental and system uncertainties with different 2D and 3D damage scenarios modelled using the Pogo software commercial tool. The Augmented POD (A-POD) method applies to any relationship between the damage indicator and damage size a. It is suitable for both linear and non-linear relationships. The A-POD method is demonstrated on a steel pipe with a GWSHM system employing an array of transducers bonded around the circumference of the pipe to excite the fundamental pure torsional mode. Different 2D and 3D damage growths are simulated, considering the structure uncertainties. Then, an artificial damage is introduced to the pipe to investigate the alignment between the simulation and the experimental damages. The resultant output of the novel A-POD method is higher than that of a purely simulation-based POD analysis due to the incorporation of realistic uncertainties.
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      3  6
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    Publication Open Access
    Kleidung, Kontrolle, Konsum - Eine ethnografische Untersuchung zur Gabe als soziale Praxis in der Kleiderkammer
    The master’s thesis “Clothing, Control, Consumption—An Ethnographic Study of Giving as a Social Practice in a Clothing Bank” examines the social and cultural dynamics within a clothing bank. It focuses on the question of how clothing functions as a medium of social recognition and social status. The thesis highlights how the donation, sorting, and distribution of clothing are not only material but also symbolic processes that reveal social order and inequality. The thesis adopts a media-ethnographic approach to analyze the clothing bank as a place where the consequences of textile excess and consumption become visible. It demonstrates that clothing in the clothing bank is not treated neutrally, but rather acquires social meanings through everyday practices such as sorting, evaluating, and pricing. The study demonstrates that the clothing bank is a complex social space in which aid, control, and consumption are intertwined. It offers insights into the everyday practices of volunteers who make decisions about accepting and distributing clothing, as well as into the experiences of clients and donors. In the process, notions of need, dignity, and social belonging are negotiated.
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      4  4
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    Entwicklung und Untersuchung pyrotechnischer Verzögerungspellets unter Berücksichtigung der Green Chemistry
    Due to the toxic and carcinogenic properties of substances used in pyrotechnic delay compositions, the aim of this work was the production and investigation of alternative pyrotechnic delay mixtures. The development process was accom-panied by the “rules of green chemistry”. The oxidizing agents CaO2, Li2O2, SrO2, KClO4, LiClO4 and SiO2 and the reducing agents Al, CaSi2, Fe, Mg, Mn, Si, pSi, Ti and Zr were used as alternative substances. The delay compositions were produced as pellets and then loaded into tubes for further investigation. In addition, the use of solvents was avoided and dry binders (HPMC, MgSt, PEG1, PEG2 and PVP) were used as adhesion promoters between the parti-cles. Furthermore, selected mixtures were subjected to an ageing simulation over 11 days at 80 °C with ambient air humidity. The delay pellets achieved combustion rates ranging from 1,1 mm s-1 to 91,4 mm s-1. The combustion rate depended on the particle size of the oxidizing agents, the pellet diameter, the binder type and content, the fuel content, the tube material and if the pellets were post pressed into the delay tubes. It was also found that the addition of binders lowers the ignition temperature of mixtures with peroxides. No reduction in the ignition temperature was determined for the perchlorates. In addition, the mechanical stability of the pellets depended on the binder content, binder type and the actual components (oxidizing agent and reducing agent). Furthermore, Raman spectroscopic investigations were carried out to examine the reaction products for residual oxidants, to characterize the two silicon powders and to investigate aging processes. No residues of oxidizing agents could be detected in the reaction products, the two silicon powders were classified as crystalline and non-porous (also using BET and grain size analysis) and indications of ag-ing processes could be detected but not fully assigned. Using DSC analyses, the earlier ignition of the peroxide mixtures with the binders could be attributed to the combustion/decomposition of the binders. Most of the mixtures were classified as impact- and friction-sensitive, but unwanted ignition with the bind-ers HPMC, PEG1, PEG2 and PVP occurred during pellet production. Even if the mixtures are classified as “gasless”, a pressure increase of up to 13 bar can be expected during the combustion of SrO2/Al/MgSt pellets. However, this de-pends on the binder content. Finally, the investigation of the aged pellets SrO2/Al/MgSt and CaO2/pSi/MgSt led to the conclusion that both mixtures are stable in the long term and can therefore be regarded as possible substitution candidates for use in delay elements.
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      6  4
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    Die Staatliche Ingenieurschule für Bauwesen Siegen
    Der Band widmet sich der Staatlichen Ingenieurschule für Bauwesen Siegen als einem der ersten Bildungsbauten auf dem Haardter Berg. Errichtet 1965-67 von den Architekten Friedrich Wilhelm Bertram und Elmar Lang (Aachen), Preisträger des 1962 ausgelobten Wettbewerbs, bildet sie den Kern des heutigen Campus Paul-Bonatz-Straße. Einführend geht es um den Schulbau im Kontext der geplanten Bebauung des Haardter Bergs mit seiner spezifischen Verbindung von Bildungsbauten und Wohnarealen. Thomas Schiffmann rekonstruiert in seinem Beitrag anhand zahlreicher historischer Fotografien das ursprüngliche Erscheinungsbild der Ingenieurschule und stellt erstmals die gestalterischen Qualitäten von Architektur und Innenraumgestaltung dar.
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      8  9
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    Folded nanocrystalline-stacked WO3 with photo-enhanced functionality for high-performance ammonium-ion storage
    (2025-11-10)
    The integration of light harvesting with electrochemical energy storage has been increasingly recognized as a promising pathway to address the global energy crisis. By directly coupling photon absorption with ion storage processes, photo-assisted energy storage systems offer unique advantages over conventional batteries and capacitors. This intrinsic synergy not only enhances device performance but also opens new opportunities for solar-rechargeable energy storage technologies. Among various aqueous energy-storage systems, ammonium-ion-based devices have recently emerged as promising candidates owing to the unique hydrogen-bond-driven insertion mechanism of NH4+, which enables fast ion transport and high reversibility in mild aqueous electrolytes. Integrating such NH4+ storage chemistry with photoactive electrodes could further expand the functionality of aqueous systems toward light-assisted charge storage. Married this context with ammonium-ion hybrid supercapacitors (AIHSs), this concept represents an attractive and novel aqueous energy storage system, thanks to their low cost, intrinsic safety, environmental benignity, and unique hydrogen-bond-driven insertion mechanisms. To achieve these distinctive features, AIHSs particularly need to be coupled with photoactive electrodes featuring both high-performance and light-enhanced charge storage. This dissertation thus focuses on the rational design of WO3-based electrode owning photo-enhanced functionality for efficient ammonium-ion storage. Through the development of folded nanocrystalline–amorphous WO3 structures, WO3/TiO2 heterojunctions, and WO3/BDD composites, this work systematically establishes structure–property–performance relationship and demonstrates new design principles to construct high-performance, solar-responsive aqueous energy storage devices. Three experimental parts are detailed as follows. I) Folded nanocrystalline–amorphous WO3 electrodes: The folded nanocrystalline-stacked amorphous WO3 (a-WO3) electrodes were synthesized via a rapid electrochemical deposition method. They own hierarchical frameworks where ~5 nm crystallites are loosely assembled within an amorphous matrix. Their comprehensive characterization was conducted using microscopy, spectroscopy, electrochemical techniques, and density functional theory simulations. More importantly, the relationship between structural architecture, defect chemistry, and NH4+ storage performance was investigated in detail. The a-WO3 electrodes demonstrated superior electrochemical activity with a capacitance of 2783 mF cm−2 and excellent rate performance compared to crystalline counterparts. The amorphous structure is confirmed to provide abundant grain boundaries, oxygen vacancies, and mixed-valence tungsten states, facilitating rapid NH4+ transport through hydrogen bonding mechanisms. As a demonstration, the a-WO3 electrode was employed to construct a full ammonium-ion hybrid supercapacitor with a polyaniline cathode. This supercapacitor delivers remarkable energy and power densities of 620 mWh cm−2 and 23,980 mW cm−2, respectively, further with 81.5% capacity retention after 3000 cycles. These results highlight the effectiveness of controlled amorphization as a strategy to overcome the intrinsic limitations of crystalline WO3 and achieve both high capacity and durability. All these are shown in Chapter 3. II) WO3/TiO2 heterojunctions for light-assisted energy storage: The WO3/TiO2 heterojunction composites were designed with an aim to harness photo-enhanced energy storage capabilities through synergistic light and electrochemical properties. The band alignment between WO3 and TiO2 was utilized to engineer Type II heterojunctions, which leverage the superior photocatalytic activity of TiO2 and charge separation capability, eventually enhancing electrochemical performance of WO3. Through controlled electrochemical deposition parameters, island-like distributed WO3 nanocrystals have been coated on TiO2, ensuring simultaneous exposure of both materials to the electrolyte and meanwhile achieving true synergistic effects rather than simple serial coupling. This island-like growth mode maximizes the heterojunction interface area, promoting efficient charge separation and transport. The TiO2 component provides superior photocatalytic activity and extends the photoactive spectral range, while WO3 offers high-capacity NH4+ storage capability. Comprehensive characterization of these composite electrodes reveals their enhanced light absorption, improved charge carrier dynamics, and accelerated ion transport kinetics under illumination. Under light irradiation, the typical composite material showed 40% capacity enhancement compared to that under dark conditions, with a significantly reduced charge transfer resistance by a factor of 80-85%, a photocurrent density of 0.47 mA cm−2, and substantially improved carrier density and interfacial kinetics. All these validate the effectiveness of heterojunction design in achieving photo-assisted energy storage. These details are summarized in Chapter 4. III) WO3/BDD p-n junction for light-assisted energy storage: This session addresses the persistent conductivity limitations of WO3 electrodes by incorporating boron-doped diamond (BDD), a carbon material known for its wide potential window, high conductivity, and chemical robustness. The strategic combination creates a p–n junction configuration that exploits the ultra-wide bandgap of diamond (5.5 eV) and the superior electronic properties of p-type BDD interfaced with n-type WO3. The intrinsic electric field at the junction enhances charge separation efficiency, while the exceptional conductivity of BDD complements the NH4+ storage capability of WO3. Compared with pristine WO3, the composite delivered a ~1.7-fold higher photocurrent density and the areal capacitance under light was enhanced by nearly 20%. In addition, the electrode maintained over 90% of its capacity after extended cycling, outperforming pristine WO3. Therefore, the WO3/BDD p–n junction delivers significantly enhanced photocurrent response, improved NH4+ storage capacity under illumination, and extended cycling lifetime compared to pristine WO3. The built-in electric field facilitates directional charge transport and suppresses recombination losses, resulting in superior photoelectrochemical performance. These results are demonstrated in Chapter 5. In summary, this thesis provides several successful approaches to design and optimize WO3-based electrode materials for sustainable ammonium-ion energy storage applications in the way of both advanced structural engineering and innovative photo-enhancement strategies. By developing folded nanocrystalline-stacked architectures, engineering Type II and p-n heterojunctions, and integrating photocatalytic functionalities, the great potential of WO3 in achieving high-performance, environmentally friendly energy storage devices have been proved in this thesis. They also feature dual solar energy harvesting and electrochemical storage capabilities. Such systematic investigation of photo-assisted mechanisms clarifies that heterojunction formation enables efficient charge separation, reduces recombination losses, and significantly enhances electrochemical performance under illumination. This work establishes fundamental design principles for photo-responsive electrode materials. Beyond ammonium-ion storage, the strategies presented here open new avenues for multifunctional aqueous devices capable of simultaneously harvesting solar energy and storing ions.
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      4  7