Ultrablack color in velvet ant cuticle

• Vinicius Marques Lopez,
• Wencke Krings,
• Juliana Reis Machado,
• Stanislav Gorb and
• Rhainer Guillermo-Ferreira

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2024, 15, 1554–1565, doi:10.3762/bjnano.15.122

• transparent scales into superwhite and melanized scales into superblack [25]. Melanin pigments can produce a black color with visible reflections, such as in shiny fur and feathers. The degree of such visible reflections depends on the surface structure. Ultrablack color lacks this gloss and instead displays

• µm in A, 20 µm in B, 15 µm in C, 3 µm in D, 5 µm in E and 1 µm in F. Scheme illustrating the functionality of the surface structure in Traumatomutilla bifurca (Hymenoptera: Mutillidae). Proposed mechanisms of structurally assisted absorption by surface sculpturing and setae, as light (yellow arrows

Atomistic insights into the morphological dynamics of gold and platinum nanoparticles: MD simulations in vacuum and aqueous media

• Evangelos Voyiatzis,
• Eugenia Valsami-Jones and
• Antreas Afantitis

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2024, 15, 995–1009, doi:10.3762/bjnano.15.81

• formation of a crystallized external surface, which deviates from the curved amorphous surface structure above the transition temperature. In the case of the small Pt NPs, the parameters are proportional to the temperature and vary from values close to zero at 100 K, implying a spheroid, to values close to

Effect of repeating hydrothermal growth processes and rapid thermal annealing on CuO thin film properties

• Monika Ozga,
• Eunika Zielony,
• Aleksandra Wierzbicka,
• Anna Wolska,
• Marcin Klepka,
• Marek Godlewski,
• Bogdan J. Kowalski and
• Bartłomiej S. Witkowski

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2024, 15, 743–754, doi:10.3762/bjnano.15.62

• system [52]. Both of these mechanisms contribute to an increase in grain size with each successive repetition of the HT+RTA cycle. Another consequence of thermal processing is a change in the surface structure. SEM images reveal that the number of sequencing cycles affects the continuity of the films

Laser synthesis of nanoparticles in organic solvents – products, reactions, and perspectives

• Theo Fromme,
• Sven Reichenberger,
• Katharine M. Tibbetts and
• Stephan Barcikowski

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2024, 15, 638–663, doi:10.3762/bjnano.15.54

• reactions are needed. Furthermore, properties such as surface structure or crystallinity can be tailored by adjusting experimental conditions while retaining the initial chemical composition of the educt material [13]. LSPC can be classified into the method variants of laser ablation in liquid (LAL), laser

Comparative analysis of the ultrastructure and adhesive secretion pathways of different smooth attachment pads of the stick insect Medauroidea extradentata (Phasmatodea)

• Julian Thomas,
• Stanislav N. Gorb and
• Thies H. Büscher

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2024, 15, 612–630, doi:10.3762/bjnano.15.52

• ) at their distal ends. The pretarsus features the arolium (ar) situated between a pair of claws (cl). The euplantulae, the cuticle between them, and the arolium bear a rather smooth surface structure. The remaining surface of the tarsomeres, where no attachment pads are situated, is covered with setae

unDrift: A versatile software for fast offline SPM image drift correction

• Tobias Dickbreder,
• Franziska Sabath,
• Lukas Höltkemeier,
• Ralf Bechstein and
• Angelika Kühnle

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2023, 14, 1225–1237, doi:10.3762/bjnano.14.101

• micrometer scale down to the atomic level. The common element of SPM techniques is that surface structure and properties are revealed by moving a probe over the sample covering a given area or volume. During this movement, the interaction between probe and sample is measured at fixed points in the scan area

• structure and scan directions of the SPM images, unDrift provides different algorithms to determine the drift velocity and to drift-correct the data. In terms of surface structure, we distinguish between images exhibiting a periodic structure and those without periodic structures. For images showing two

• contain stationary features. In the following two sections, we discuss the different algorithms clustered by the surface structures they are suitable for. Regardless of surface structure and scan direction, however, all drift correction algorithms applied by unDrift rely on information contained within

Spatial variations of conductivity of self-assembled monolayers of dodecanethiol on Au/mica and Au/Si substrates

• Julian Skolaut,
• Jędrzej Tepper,
• Federica Galli,
• Wulf Wulfhekel and
• Jan M. van Ruitenbeek

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2023, 14, 1169–1177, doi:10.3762/bjnano.14.97

• the same area, the center square of the image appears lower in topography compared to the sides when the scanning area is widened. Also, the measured current increases from image to image, while the etch pits remain intact, indicating that the Au surface structure remains unaffected. We attribute

• in Figure 4 this is slightly distorted by a probe effect duplicating features, the systematic difference in surface structure between Au/Si and Au/mica, already observed in the bare substrates, is reproduced. Just as for the bare Au/Si, the substructures of the substrate lead to strong variations in

• averaging of conductive properties of the surface. The 3D view in (c) emphasizes the correlation between the rougher surface structure and the high currents on the slopes of the grains. The point of view is adjusted for best visibility (Fsetpoint = 20 nN, Ubias = 1 V, RMN probe). Supporting Information

Biomimetics on the micro- and nanoscale – The 25th anniversary of the lotus effect

• Matthias Mail,
• Kerstin Koch,
• Thomas Speck,
• William M. Megill and
• Stanislav N. Gorb

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2023, 14, 850–856, doi:10.3762/bjnano.14.69

• able to generate surface geometries that corresponded to the boundary conditions of their model, the peel-off force is lower over the structured surface than over a polished one. Their understanding of the relationship between the surface structure and the peel-off force will now make it possible to

• the hierarchically structured surface of a lotus leaf. The first level of the surface structure consists of papillae formed by epidermal cells with a height and diameter of several microns. c) This structure is covered by wax crystals, leading to the extreme superhydrophobicity of the surface

• prevent insects from climbing out. This surface structure is the opposite of adhesive surfaces. e) A dragonfly. Archetype for robotic applications but also known for their superhydrophobic and transparent wings. f) An example of the early evolution of superhydrophobic surfaces: the leaf of a ginkgo tree

Carboxylic acids and light interact to affect nanoceria stability and dissolution in acidic aqueous environments

• Matthew L. Hancock,
• Eric A. Grulke and
• Robert A. Yokel

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2023, 14, 762–780, doi:10.3762/bjnano.14.63

• within the rhizosphere [12][13]. Colloid stability of nanoceria is affected by temperature, pH, surface structure, surface-adsorbed organic and inorganic ligands, and metal/nonmetal ions and their concentrations in the solution surrounding the particles [14]. Nanoceria interacts with soil and plant roots

The origin of black and white coloration of the Asian tiger mosquito Aedes albopictus (Diptera: Culicidae)

• Manuela Rebora,
• Gianandrea Salerno,
• Silvana Piersanti,
• Alexander Kovalev and
• Stanislav N. Gorb

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2023, 14, 496–508, doi:10.3762/bjnano.14.41

• illumination (Figure 6). Enhanced reflection at 30° detection and distal illumination (compared with proximal illumination) (Figure 6a,b) should be related to the tilt angle of the individual scales (Figure 3a). There is also relative strong light scattering on the thin scale surface structure (Figure 3c–e

Conjugated photothermal materials and structure design for solar steam generation

• Chia-Yang Lin and
• Tsuyoshi Michinobu

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2023, 14, 454–466, doi:10.3762/bjnano.14.36

• depends on the number of layers, which was caused by the surface structure of the multilayer PPy nanosheets. The high roughness and sharp local curvature of the multilayer PPy nanosheets were retained and incident light was effectively redistributed. In other words, transmitted light is confined in the

• spectrum (Figure 7b). The average absorbance (weighted by the AM1.5G solar spectrum) of the p-PEGDA hydrogel from 200–2500 nm was about 75.5%, whereas that of solid PEGDA is only 32.6%. The higher absorption capacity of p-PEGDA is due to its rough and porous surface structure, which promotes multiple

• films. Optical microscopy was employed to observe the surface structure of the films (Figure 10a–d). Figure 10a shows the filter paper. In the photothermal films, the filter paper is the supporting layer. The filter paper is indeed suitable for this purpose because the cellulose fibers are randomly

Dry under water: air retaining properties of large-scale elastomer foils covered with mushroom-shaped surface microstructures

• Matthias Mail,
• Stefan Walheim,
• Thomas Schimmel,
• Wilhelm Barthlott,
• Stanislav N. Gorb and
• Lars Heepe

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2022, 13, 1370–1379, doi:10.3762/bjnano.13.113

• , the silvery shine indicates the kept air. c) SEM image of the surface structure of the Salvinia leaf. d) SEM image of the MSM. Confirmation of the persistence of the air layer in low water depth and analysis of the shape of the air–water interface by confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM

Straight roads into nowhere – obvious and not-so-obvious biological models for ferrophobic surfaces

• Wilfried Konrad,
• Christoph Neinhuis and
• Anita Roth-Nebelsick

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2022, 13, 1345–1360, doi:10.3762/bjnano.13.111

• granules may be present, which constitute an additional layer of structuring between the bristles and the combs (Figure 3d). Depending on systematic group and habitat, the surface structure is highly variable without changes of the basic pattern [21][23]. These specific surface structures are remarkable in

Growing up in a rough world: scaling of frictional adhesion and morphology of the Tokay gecko (Gekko gecko)

• Anthony J. Cobos and
• Timothy E. Higham

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2022, 13, 1292–1302, doi:10.3762/bjnano.13.107

• that shear adhesion was significantly reduced (up to 95% reduction of force produced on acrylic glass) on surfaces where the surface structure was close to matching the animal’s adhesive structure, highlighting the importance of considering length-scale and the impact it has on gecko adhesion when

• sandpaper grits and carried out adhesion trials over a large size range of G. gecko. This research is significant given that most studies are limited to using 2D profiles, missing an entire axis of surface structure variation. Additionally, no study to date has quantified the effect of body size on adhesive

Laser-processed antiadhesive bionic combs for handling nanofibers inspired by nanostructures on the legs of cribellate spiders

• Sebastian Lifka,
• Kristóf Harsányi,
• Erich Baumgartner,
• Lukas Pichler,
• Dariya Baiko,
• Karsten Wasmuth,
• Johannes Heitz,
• Marco Meyer,
• Anna-Christin Joel,
• Jörn Bonse and
• Werner Baumgartner

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2022, 13, 1268–1283, doi:10.3762/bjnano.13.105

• special fingerprint-like surface nanostructure. In this work, we present a theoretical model of the interaction of linear nanofibers with a sinusoidally corrugated surface. This model allows for a prediction of the adhesive interaction and, thus, the design of a suitable surface structure to prevent

• center spider). Its fingerprint-like outmost surface structure has an approximately sinusoidal cross section with a periodicity of 200–300 nm and a height (amplitude) of approx. 200 nm. During the combing process, the nanofibers are pulled orthogonally over these nanoripples. It was shown that the

• interaction and, thus, the design of a suitable surface structure to prevent sticking of an artificially nonwoven of nanofibers. Similar to the description of the Lotus effect [20][21][22][23], where the wettability of the hierarchical surface structure of the lotus leaf can be described with an energy

Studies of probe tip materials by atomic force microscopy: a review

• Ke Xu and
• Yuzhe Liu

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2022, 13, 1256–1267, doi:10.3762/bjnano.13.104

• , including the length, width, and thickness of the colloidal fibers. In addition, high-temperature calcination can increase the interaction force between particles, thus enhancing the mechanical properties of colloidal fibers. Due to the rough surface structure of colloidal fibers, we made them into surface

• , providing new opportunities for many fields. In practical applications, due to the surface structure of colloidal fibers, these fibers can be used as SERS sensor detection for trace detection of BPA. Although colloidal probes have many excellent properties, there are some problems in calibrating such probes

Interaction between honeybee mandibles and propolis

• Leonie Saccardi,
• Franz Brümmer,
• Jonas Schiebl,
• Oliver Schwarz,
• Alexander Kovalev and
• Stanislav Gorb

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2022, 13, 958–974, doi:10.3762/bjnano.13.84

• “propolis bees”. Imaging and structural studies Bee mandibles were prepared and subsequently examined with binoculars, a scanning electron microscope (SEM), and a confocal 3D laser scanning microscope in order to identify anatomy and surface structure. Anatomy of the honeybee mandible Mandibles of all

• adhesion, replicas of bee mandibles were made using a two-step moulding method [26][28]. The method allows one to replicate the surface structure with nanometre precision. Replication substitutes chemical complex and heterogeneous biological surfaces with a well-studied epoxy surface. In this way the

• ]. More alkanes have been found on the bodies of forager bees compared to nursing bees [47]. Effect of the mandible surface structure on adhesion In some cases, it has been described that microstructures can reduce adhesion by decreasing the contact area [48][49]. The trochanter of ants (Camponotus

Bioselectivity of silk protein-based materials and their bio-inspired applications

• Hendrik Bargel,
• Vanessa T. Trossmann,
• Christoph Sommer and
• Thomas Scheibel

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2022, 13, 902–921, doi:10.3762/bjnano.13.81

A non-enzymatic electrochemical hydrogen peroxide sensor based on copper oxide nanostructures

• Irena Mihailova,
• Vjaceslavs Gerbreders,
• Marina Krasovska,
• Eriks Sledevskis,
• Valdis Mizers,
• Andrejs Bulanovs and
• Andrejs Ogurcovs

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2022, 13, 424–436, doi:10.3762/bjnano.13.35

• nanostructures were obtained by a one-step hydrothermal oxidation method. The resulting coating is uniform and dense and shows good adhesion to the wire surface. Structure, surface, and composition of the obtained samples were studied using field-emission scanning electron microscopy along with energy-dispersive

The effect of metal surface nanomorphology on the output performance of a TENG

• Yiru Wang,
• Xin Zhao,
• Yang Liu and
• Wenjun Zhou

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2022, 13, 298–312, doi:10.3762/bjnano.13.25

• image that when a pressure of 3 MPa is applied to the PTFE surface at the top of the Cu nanoparticles, the surface structure of the PTFE polymer is bent (Figure 11). The large nanostructures on both edges are in contact with the polymer surface, but the small nanostructure in the middle is not in

The effect of cobalt on morphology, structure, and ORR activity of electrospun carbon fibre mats in aqueous alkaline environments

• Markus Gehring,
• Tobias Kutsch,
• Osmane Camara,
• Alexandre Merlen,
• Hermann Tempel,
• Hans Kungl and
• Rüdiger-A. Eichel

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2021, 12, 1173–1186, doi:10.3762/bjnano.12.87

• formation of significant amounts of turbostratic carbon, leading to a mesopore-like surface structure, seems to add to the performance, as does, of course, the inherent catalytic activity of the employed cobalt species. Electrode stability testing In applications, performance is important, but electrode

Interface interaction of transition metal phthalocyanines with strontium titanate (100)

• Reimer Karstens,
• Thomas Chassé and
• Heiko Peisert

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2021, 12, 485–496, doi:10.3762/bjnano.12.39

• ) layer. In contrast, the top layer of SrO-terminated STO in Figure 1b contains Sr2+ (green) and O2− (red) ions, only. The length of the cubic lattice vectors is 3.91 Å [28] for both terminations. Due to the same symmetry of the surface structure, unfortunately, we cannot distinguish between different

• terminations by LEED. It might be expected that the presence of the different metal ions on the substrate surface (Sr or Ti) affects possible interactions with deposited organic molecules. We note that the surface structure in the topmost layer of TiO2-terminated STO significantly differs from most rutile TiO2

• , we will apply two different, well-characterized preparation procedures. For preparation I, the STO single crystal was cleaned in vacuo as described above. Routinely, the cleanliness is checked by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and the quality of the surface structure by LEED. Examples of LEED

Reconstruction of a 2D layer of KBr on Ir(111) and electromechanical alteration by graphene

• Zhao Liu,
• Antoine Hinaut,
• Stefan Peeters,
• Sebastian Scherb,
• Ernst Meyer,
• Maria Clelia Righi and
• Thilo Glatzel

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2021, 12, 432–439, doi:10.3762/bjnano.12.35

• a new surface structure, different from the one on other metal substrates such as Cu(111) [42]. Now, the question arises if this structure is a moiré lattice (lateral relaxation) induced by an alternating strength of interaction forces or a new reconstruction of the KBr layer. To search for this

• surface structure (e.g., cubic or stripe-like) and, with this, also to a strong change in physical surface properties, such as the work function. The in-depth understanding of such processes might allow us to tune and build up more complex 2D layered systems and adapt them to a specific application

PTCDA adsorption on CaF₂ thin films

• Philipp Rahe

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2020, 11, 1615–1622, doi:10.3762/bjnano.11.144

• calculated molecular orbital shapes with the experimental STM data suggests a strong influence of the LUMO in filled-state STM imaging on the CaF1 interface layer. Instead, the absence of long-range order on the CaF2 films is explained by a mismatch of the common PTCDA motifs with the CaF2 surface structure

Adsorption and self-assembly of porphyrins on ultrathin CoO films on Ir(100)

• Feifei Xiang,
• Tobias Schmitt,
• Marco Raschmann and
• M. Alexander Schneider

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2020, 11, 1516–1524, doi:10.3762/bjnano.11.134

• we imply that the surface is oxygen-terminated and shows a wurtzite-type of surface termination [19]. This has been confirmed by surface X-ray diffraction analysis of the 2BL film [21]. Although the 2BL film is structurally close to a c(10 × 2) surface structure it may be considered as a flat, quasi