afspm: A framework for manufacturer-agnostic automation in scanning probe microscopy

• Nicholas J. Sullivan,
• Julio J. Valdés,
• Kirk H. Bevan and
• Peter Grutter

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2026, 17, 653–667, doi:10.3762/bjnano.17.45

• , preparing, running, and analyzing such experiments requires significant domain knowledge and expertise. Dozens of works over the past decade have investigated SPM automation. Some have shown probe tip conditioning to ensure proper surface characterization and/or manipulation [2][3][4]. Others have

• system, we highlight [13], where atomic-level characterization is achieved via, among other processes, a thermal drift correction approach first described in [14]. Despite promising results, a lingering issue common to all these techniques is reusability. In most cases, the source code is written for a

Two-step laser synthesis of Ag@TiO₂ nanomaterials for the photocatalytic degradation of rhodamine B

• Marija Kovačević,
• Miloš Tošić,
• Rafaela Radičić,
• Vladimir Rajić,
• Nikša Krstulović,
• Miloš Momčilović and
• Sanja Živković

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2026, 17, 622–634, doi:10.3762/bjnano.17.43

• pulsed laser ablation in liquids (PLAL). Initially, silver was ablated using 200 and 2000 pulses and deposited onto titanium targets via PLD. Subsequently, these modified targets were submerged in water and processed using PLAL to generate the final nanomaterials. Characterization through HRTEM, EDS, and

• characterization was performed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) with energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), aiming to establish a clear correlation between synthesis parameters, nanostructure features, and photocatalytic activity. In our previous studies [6][7][21

Recent progress in enhancing built-in electric fields of perovskite solar cells via junction engineering

• Tong Xiao and
• Ke Xu

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2026, 17, 602–621, doi:10.3762/bjnano.17.42

• , significantly lowering migration barriers and enhancing charge-separation efficiency. SEM and GIWAXS characterization of the SnAc2 + DMS-treated perovskite film is shown in Figure 2. Accordingly, the devices demonstrated exceptional performance, with carrier lifetimes extended to 812 ns and a PCE increased to

Towards targeted drugs and next generation of nanomedicines

• Anna Salvati,
• Silvia Giordani and
• Wolfgang J. Parak

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2026, 17, 598–601, doi:10.3762/bjnano.17.41

• used for vaccination are composed of a complex mixture of different lipids, all of which have a particular function. Additionally, inorganic nanoparticles can be made with controlled size and shape out of many different materials. Nanotechnology has also made standardized characterization and quality

Probing tribological evolution in atomically thin MoS₂ at different scales

• Xingzhong Zeng and
• Miao Zhang

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2026, 17, 586–597, doi:10.3762/bjnano.17.40

• sequentially in acetone, ethanol, and deionized water via ultrasonic cleaning and then dried with high-purity nitrogen. Sample characterization MoS2 layer thickness was determined via AFM (MFP-3D, Asylum Research) and Raman spectroscopy (inVia Reflex, Renishaw). AFM topographic images were acquired in tapping

• is qualitatively inferred to intensify with increasing load. For quantitative characterization of this load dependence, the lateral force peak values within each stick–slip cycle during the strengthening stage were extracted. Figure 3c and Figure 3d depict these extracted peak values corresponding

• details of individual sub-nanoscale events are not resolvable, the load-dependent variation trend of slip distance still accurately characterizes the evolution of sub-nanoscale stick–slip activity (i.e., the frequency and intensity of sub-nanoscale events). This spatial characterization is sufficient to

Impacts of annealing on structural and photophysical properties of zinc phthalocyanine adsorbed on graphene

• Gautier Creutzer,
• Quentin Fernez,
• Nataliya Kalashnyk,
• Zohreh Safarzadeh,
• Lydia Sosa Vargas,
• Céline Fiorini-Debuisschert,
• Nicolas Fabre and
• Fabrice Charra

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2026, 17, 576–585, doi:10.3762/bjnano.17.39

• experienced by ZnPc self-assembled monolayer on graphene or HOPG. Single ZnPc molecules are guest-isolated within the nanocavities of a self-assembled 2D host matrix, preventing intermolecular interactions and allowing for individual characterization. This phase change, induced by annealing, is discussed in

• combination of spectral and structural characterization techniques (absorption, Raman micro-spectroscopy, STM, absorption anisotropy) which reveal marked changes upon annealing. We tentatively interpret those changes as a transition of the adsorbed ZnPc molecules, individualized inside TSB35-C12 pores, from a

Laser–material interactions in liquids for the synthesis of nanomaterials: current status and perspectives

• Carlos Doñate Buendia,
• Bilal Gökce and
• Leonid V. Zhigilei

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2026, 17, 571–575, doi:10.3762/bjnano.17.38

• [25][26][27][28], nanoparticle fragmentation intertwined with the generation and collapse of nanobubbles in LFL [29], as well as defect generation during laser-induced melting and resolidification in liquids [30][31]. Experimental investigation of these processes, however, requires characterization

Synthesis of Cu–Mo/TiO₂ and Co–Mo/TiO₂ photocatalysts for the efficient degradation of organic pollutants in water

• Ilse Acosta,
• Brenda Zermeño,
• Edgar Moctezuma,
• Luis F. Garay-Rodríguez and
• Isaías Juárez-Ramírez

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2026, 17, 559–570, doi:10.3762/bjnano.17.37

• , copper and cobalt, were added at 0.2–0.5 wt %. The co-doped TiO2 photocatalysts were characterized by XRD, SEM, N2 physisorption, UV–vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, and photoluminescence spectroscopy. The structural characterization showed stabilization of the anatase phase, and lattice distortion

• was evidenced after dopant incorporation into the TiO2 structure. Morphological characterization showed poorly defined spherical particles that decreased in size with increasing Cu and Co concentrations. PL spectra showed an additional signal attributed to the ability of the metal dopants to capture

• environmental remediation processes. This research project reports the synthesis and characterization of two photocatalyst systems not reported before for water remediation, namely, co-doped photocatalysts Cu–Mo/TiO2 and Co–Mo/TiO2 synthesized by the sol–gel method. The structural, optical, and morphological

Advances in nanotechnology applied to natural products

• Douglas Dourado,
• Fábio Rocha Formiga,
• Éverton do Nascimento Alencar and
• Franceline Reynaud

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2026, 17, 555–558, doi:10.3762/bjnano.17.36

• , hybrid, and inorganic platforms, reflecting the interdisciplinarity of the field, from nanosystem synthesis and physicochemical characterization to biomedical, pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and environmental applications. Among the nanostructures, lipid-based carriers, including nanoemulsions, microemulsions

Electrochemical determination of ciprofloxacin using a MIL-101/reduced graphene oxide-modified electrode

• Nguyen Quang Man,
• Nguyen Ngoc Nghia,
• Nguyen Vinh Phu,
• Vo Thi Khanh Ly,
• Le Lam Son,
• Pham Khac Lieu,
• Le Thi Hong Phong,
• Nguyen Dinh Luyen and
• Dinh Quang Khieu

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2026, 17, 541–554, doi:10.3762/bjnano.17.35

• , reproducibility, selectivity, and stability of the sensor were evaluated using relative standard deviation (RSD) values. Results and Discussion Materials characterization Figure 1a presents the XRD patterns of GO, rGO, and pristine MIL-101, while Figure 1b shows the diffraction patterns of MIL-101/rGO composites

Probing internal continua and atomic ultrafast charge transfer within size-controlled nanoparticles by post-collision interaction in core-hole clock spectroscopy

• Johannes Lütgert,
• Erika Giangrisostomi,
• Nomi L. A. N. Sorgenfrei and
• Alexander Föhlisch

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2026, 17, 505–514, doi:10.3762/bjnano.17.33

• characterization of the QDs with UV–vis absorption spectroscopy, hard X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (HAXPES), and near-edge X-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS) spectroscopy has been performed by us to verify the size-dependence of quantum confinement (see further details in Supporting Information File 1

• charge transfer and collective dielectric response. The PCI core-hole clock analysis is, thus, a synchrotron approach of general relevance to the characterization of materials involving bound-state continua. S KL2,3L2,3 resonant Auger measurements of core–shell nanoparticles (core: 3.5 nm CdSe, shell: 7

• gray area is governed by the S 3p atomic resonance. Supporting Information Supporting Information File 2: Experimental details, sample characterization (UV–vis/HAXPES/NEXAFS), fitting procedure and details about PCI line shape not included in the main text. Acknowledgements We thank the Helmholtz

Upcycling agroindustrial waste into graphene oxide supports for gold nanoparticles: toward sustainable nanomaterials

• Juan Marcos Castro-Tapia,
• Selene Acosta,
• Hiram Joazet Ojeda-Galván,
• Elsie Evelyn Araujo-Palomo,
• Edgar Giovanni Villabona-Leal and
• Mildred Quintana

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2026, 17, 489–504, doi:10.3762/bjnano.17.32

• synthesized from peanut shells and spent coffee grounds via a ferrocene-assisted green pyrolysis–oxidation approach. The resulting materials were compared with GO prepared via the Marcano-modified Hummers' method and its hydrazine-reduced counterpart (rGO). Comprehensive characterization was performed using

• for 24 h and ground in an agate mortar to obtain a fine powder suitable for further characterization. The Agro-GO materials derived from peanut shells, coffee waste from Xilitla, and commercial coffee waste are referred to as Agro-GOP, Agro-GOX, and Agro-GOC, respectively. Reduction of graphene oxide

• , ozone-free emission in the 310–450 nm range, λmax = 360 nm) for 60 min under continuous stirring. A purple dispersion was obtained, confirming the formation of AuNPs. Characterization techniques The optical properties of the samples were analyzed by ultraviolet–visible (UV–vis) spectroscopy with a Cary

Defects and defect-mediated engineering of two-dimensional materials: challenges and open questions

• Arkady V. Krasheninnikov,
• Matthias Batzill,
• Anouar-Akacha Delenda,
• Marija Drndić,
• Chris Ewels,
• Katharina J. Franke,
• Mahdi Ghorbani-Asl,
• Alexander Holleitner,
• Ado Jorio,
• Ute Kaiser,
• Daria Kieczka,
• Hannu-Pekka Komsa,
• Jani Kotakoski,
• Manuel Längle,
• David Lamprecht,
• Yun Liu,
• Steven G. Louie,
• Janina Maultzsch,
• Thomas Michely,
• Katherine Milton,
• Anna Niggas,
• Hanako Okuno,
• Joshua A. Robinson,
• Marika Schleberger,
• Bruno Schuler,
• Alexander Shluger,
• Kazu Suenaga,
• Kristian S. Thygesen,
• Richard A. Wilhelm,
• E. Harriet Åhlgren and
• Carla Bittencourt

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2026, 17, 454–488, doi:10.3762/bjnano.17.31

• graphene, local versus extended defect-induced potential [110], p versus n substitutional doping atoms, [111], and armchair versus zigzag edges [112] can be differentiated. A fundamental characterization enabled by Raman spectroscopy was the distinction between defect dimensionalities. Geometrically, a 2D

• , promise to further enhance defect characterization and accelerate the development of high-performance materials for various applications. The fundamental principle of XPS lies in its ability to probe the binding energies of core electrons, which are influenced by the local electronic environment

• defects in 2D materials under various environmental conditions [187][188][189][190][191][192]. Despite its strengths, XPS has several limitations that must be addressed for accurate defect characterization. One major challenge is surface contamination, which can obscure defect signals. Hydrocarbon

Nanocarrier-integrated multilayer films produced by 3D printing for improved skin adhesion and curcumin photostability

• Thayse Viana de Oliveira,
• Ana Paula Farias Leão,
• Júlia Leão,
• Cesar Liberato Petzhold and
• Ruy Carlos Ruver Beck

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2026, 17, 440–453, doi:10.3762/bjnano.17.30

•  2 provides a summary of results from physicochemical characterization. Printing ink During the 3D printing process, the rheological behaviour of a printing ink is directly related to printability and the ability to form stable, structured layers, in order to avoid collapse after addition of

Biomimetic nanoparticles in cancer photodynamic therapy: a review of targeted delivery systems and therapeutic outcomes

• Valentina I. Gorbacheva,
• Alexey S. Grabovoy,
• Polina S. Marukhina,
• Anastasiia O. Syrocheva and
• Ekaterina P. Kolesova

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2026, 17, 396–422, doi:10.3762/bjnano.17.27

• coating thickness, core material, and release mechanisms. Addressing these challenges through standardized production protocols, improved characterization, and enhanced biocompatibility will be critical to advancing BNPs toward clinical application. Biomimetic nanocarriers, designed to replicate structure

Eco-efficient materials for agricultural crops based on a mineral rich in MOR- and HEU-type zeolites

• Esperanza Yamile de la Nuez-Pantoja,
• Inocente Rodríguez-Iznaga,
• Gerardo Rodríguez-Fuentes,
• Vitalii Petranovskii,
• Ariel Martínez García,
• José Juan Calvino Gámez and
• Daniel Goma Jiménez

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2026, 17, 381–395, doi:10.3762/bjnano.17.26

• microscopy (SEM), scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM), N2 physisorption, and other research methods. Results and Discussion Characterization of DAP-modified zeolite CLIM The chemical compositions of natural zeolite (CLIM) from the San Andrés deposit and its modified forms (CLIMf) with ammonium

• movement. The treatments were applied following a procedure similar to that described in [13][14]. Characterization The elemental composition of CLIM and modified materials resulting from the applied treatments was determined by X-ray fluorescence analysis (XRF), with the exception of nitrogen, which was

• Materials Science and Technology (IMRE) – University of Havana for the characterization of the samples.

Polycatecholamine nanocoatings on stainless steel: the effect on attachment of human fibroblasts and platelets

• Paulina Trzaskowska,
• Ewa Rybak,
• Maciej Trzaskowski,
• Kamil Kopeć,
• Jakub Krzemiński,
• Rafał Podgórski,
• Hatice Genc,
• Mehtap Civelek and
• Iwona Cicha

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2026, 17, 365–380, doi:10.3762/bjnano.17.25

• layers on stainless steel 316L via a novel in situ oxidation process and evaluated their physicochemical properties and cellular interactions at the nano/microscale. Surface characterization revealed that the polymeric coatings formed a homogenous layer with distinct topographical features and thickness

Interconnection morphology effects on the radio frequency response of carbon nanotube sponges

• Manuela Scarselli,
• Javad Rezvani,
• Zeno Zuccari,
• Mattia Scagliotti and
• Simone Tocci

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2026, 17, 343–351, doi:10.3762/bjnano.17.23

• Information File 40: Additional details on CNS preparation, XPS analysis, and antenna characterization. Funding MS would like to acknowledge the INFN (Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare) MANIFOLD (Multidimensional nANodevice archItectures For lOw-perturbation singLe-ion Detection) grant.

Fast vortex dynamics and relaxation times in NbRe-based heterostructures

• Francesco De Chiara,
• Zahra Makhdoumi Kakhaki,
• Francesco Avitabile,
• Francesco Colangelo,
• Abhishek Kumar,
• Carmine Attanasio and
• Carla Cirillo

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2026, 17, 292–302, doi:10.3762/bjnano.17.20

• characterization The normalized resistive transitions, R/R10K, of the two microbridges are reported in Figure 1a. The critical temperatures are = 6.8 K and = 5.6 K. The obtained values are smaller than those reported for NbRe thin films of similar thickness [19][22], with a stronger reduction observed in the

Advancing nanolithography: a comprehensive review of materials for local anodic oxidation with AFM

• Matteo Lorenzoni

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2026, 17, 275–291, doi:10.3762/bjnano.17.19

• Matteo Lorenzoni Materials Characterization Facility, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, via Morego 30, 16163 Genoa, Italy 10.3762/bjnano.17.19 Abstract Local anodic oxidation (LAO), also known as local oxidation nanolithography or oxidation scanning probe lithography has emerged as a versatile

Durable antimicrobial activity of fabrics functionalized with zeolite ion-exchanged nanomaterials against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli

• Perla Sánchez-López,
• Kendra Ramirez Acosta,
• Sergio Fuentes Moyado,
• Ruben Dario Cadena-Nava and
• Elena Smolentseva

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2026, 17, 262–274, doi:10.3762/bjnano.17.18

• physicochemical characterization of these materials, including metal content, morphology, and structural properties was reported in [4]. Materials characterization The morphology of the fabrics with and without NPs was analyzed by SEM. Images were acquired in a Hitachi SU3500 microscope operating at an

Multilayered hyperbolic Au/TiO₂ nanostructures for enhancing the nonlinear response around the epsilon-near-zero point

• Fernando Arturo Araiza-Sixtos,
• Mauricio Gomez-Robles,
• Rafael Salas-Montiel and
• Raúl Rangel-Rojo

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2026, 17, 251–261, doi:10.3762/bjnano.17.17

• function of the resonance conditions around the ENZ point. The characterization of the linear properties of the samples was done using spectrophotometry and spectral ellipsometry. We studied the nonlinear response with the z-scan technique at different incident irradiances using a Ti:sapphire femtosecond

• the nonlinear response of a Ru/TiO2 multilayered structure as reported in [22]. This sample was designed to have an ENZ point at 800 nm and was fabricated using atomic layer deposition. During the linear characterization of the optical properties, spectral ellipsometry showed that the ENZ point

• tune the material to the laser wavelength rather than the other way around. We make a characterization of the linear optical properties of the samples and present a study of the nonlinear optical properties. For the linear characterization of the samples, we study the absorption using spectrophotometry

Gold nanoparticle-decorated reduced graphene oxide as a highly effective catalyst for the selective α,β-dehydrogenation of N-alkyl-4-piperidones

• Brenda Flore Kenyim,
• Mihir Tzalis,
• Marilyn Kaul,
• Robert Oestreich,
• Aysenur Limon,
• Chancellin Pecheu Nkepdep and
• Christoph Janiak

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2026, 17, 218–238, doi:10.3762/bjnano.17.15

• and selectivity with an exceptionally low gold loading. Results and Discussion Description and characterization of the carbon supports The morphological and textural properties of the carbon supports are critical for their performance as catalysts in AuNP-supporting systems. To assess these properties

• supports follows the order rGO > AC > CB, making rGO probably the most active and efficient support for NPs. Synthesis and characterization of carbon-supported gold nanoparticles The synthesis of the Au-Cit/carbon and of the Au-SiW9/carbon composites was carried out by the RD method as schematically

• ketones. The corresponding catalytic data and product characterization have been included in Supporting Information File 1. As shown in Table 1, catalysts with CB as support demonstrated lower conversion and yields, while AuNPs supported on AC and rGO achieved nearly complete or complete conversion of the

Micro- and nanoscale effects in biological and bioinspired materials and surfaces

• Thies H. Büscher,
• Rhainer Guillermo Ferreira,
• Manuela Rebora and
• Stanislav N. Gorb

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2026, 17, 214–217, doi:10.3762/bjnano.17.14

• interdisciplinary forum for exploring emerging trends related to biological and bioinspired surfaces. The topics covered ranged across various aspects of biomimetic research from characterization of biological functions to bioinspired technical applications, with central themes including micro- and nanostructured

• ” consists of 15 articles representing all facets of research on biological and bioinspired surfaces, ranging from experimental and microscopy studies on biological objects, translational approaches with characterization of artificial replicas, bioinspired prototypes to theoretical studies including modeling

• characterization of functional plant tissues [19] integrating experiments and finite element models, and animal tissues [20] incorporating molecular dynamics and finite element methods. Investigating the anisotropic hygroscopic behavior of the involved materials in bending in pine cone scales, Ulrich et al. [19

Safe and sustainable by design with ML/AI: A transformative approach to advancing nanotechnology

• Georgia Melagraki

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2026, 17, 176–185, doi:10.3762/bjnano.17.11

• ecotoxicological endpoints, standardized test methods, and physicochemical characterization protocols, and the development of nano-specific life cycle inventory data suitable for reliable LCAs. Without these foundational elements, even the most sophisticated ML models may yield biased or non-transferable results