Dual-functionalized architecture enables stable and tumor cell-specific SiO₂NPs in complex biological fluids

• Iris Renata Sousa Ribeiro,
• Raquel Frenedoso da Silva,
• Romênia Ramos Domingues,
• Adriana Franco Paes Leme and
• Mateus Borba Cardoso

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2024, 15, 1238–1252, doi:10.3762/bjnano.15.100

• anticancer nanomedicines are administered intravenously. This route is fast and precise as the drug enters directly into the systemic circulation, without undergoing absorption processes. When nanoparticles come into direct contact with the blood, however, they interact with physiological components that can

• of NPs accumulates in tumors and <0.0014% are internalized by the cells [8][9][10][11]. Once in contact with blood, NPs interact with a series of physiological components (e.g., amino acids, salts, and proteins), which can induce poor colloidal stability or changes in the original chemical and

Introducing third-generation periodic table descriptors for nano-qRASTR modeling of zebrafish toxicity of metal oxide nanoparticles

• Supratik Kar and
• Siyun Yang

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2024, 15, 1142–1152, doi:10.3762/bjnano.15.93

• radius of the nanomaterial components but positively by the molecular bulk of the nanomaterials. Electronegativity and atomic size determine the reactivity and contact strength of nanomaterials with biological systems, whereas the molecule bulk affects the mechanism of inhibition through steric effects

Photocatalytic methane oxidation over a TiO₂/SiNWs p–n junction catalyst at room temperature

• Qui Thanh Hoai Ta,
• Luan Minh Nguyen,
• Ngoc Hoi Nguyen,
• Phan Khanh Thinh Nguyen and
• Dai Hai Nguyen

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2024, 15, 1132–1141, doi:10.3762/bjnano.15.92

• are highly susceptible to mechanical failure because of their brittle nature; in contrast, the etched SiNW arrays exhibit superior optical absorption and enhanced surface catalytic reaction properties. The intimate contact between 1D Si NWs and thin TiO2 layers reduces the recombination rate of

• surface interaction with gases during photocatalytic oxidative coupling can be analyzed using water contact angle analysis (as shown in Supporting Information File 1, Figure S2). The wettability of pure p-Si and the p-Si NW array are illustrated in Figure S3 (Supporting Information File 1). Pure p-Si had

• a water contact angle of 50.24°. Because of the nanowire array morphology, the p-Si NWs were more hydrophilic nature with a water contact angle of 3.36°, which manifests superior photocatalytic oxidative coupling. Raman spectra were conducted to confirm the surface composition of the synthesized

Local work function on graphene nanoribbons

• Daniel Rothhardt,
• Amina Kimouche,
• Tillmann Klamroth and
• Regina Hoffmann-Vogel

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2024, 15, 1125–1131, doi:10.3762/bjnano.15.91

• exotic nature of the charge carriers and to local confinement as well as atomic-scale structural details. The local work function provides evidence for such structural, electronic, and chemical variations at surfaces. Kelvin prove force microscopy can be used to measure the local contact potential

• nanoribbons; Kelvin probe force microscopy; local contact potential difference; Introduction Graphene’s electronic properties are determined by its two-dimensionality as well as by its semimetallic gapless conical band structure [1]. Its electronic behavior depends strongly on the location of the Fermi level

• acquisition [21][22]. In this way, an image of the local contact potential difference between tip and sample is obtained. This has been shown not only for general surfaces, for example, insulating surfaces, but also for molecules and molecular layers [18][23][24][25]. Here, we study the local work function

Direct electron beam writing of silver using a β-diketonate precursor: first insights

• Katja Höflich,
• Krzysztof Maćkosz,
• Chinmai S. Jureddy,
• Aleksei Tsarapkin and
• Ivo Utke

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2024, 15, 1117–1124, doi:10.3762/bjnano.15.90

• (Strem Chemicals, CAS 148630-66-4), with a stoichiometry of Ag/P/F/O/C = 1:1:6:2:8 was evaporated using a fully integrated custom-built gas injection system (GIS) consisting of chemically inert steel [28]. No injection needles were used. The components of the GIS that were in direct contact with the

Signal generation in dynamic interferometric displacement detection

• Knarik Khachatryan,
• Simon Anter,
• Michael Reichling and
• Alexander von Schmidsfeld

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2024, 15, 1070–1076, doi:10.3762/bjnano.15.87

• . In a non-contact atomic force microscope (NC-AFM), it facilitates the force measurement by recording the periodic displacement of an oscillating microcantilever. To understand signal generation in a NC-AFM-based Michelson-type interferometer, we evaluate the non-linear response of the interferometer

• highly stable interferometer can detect displacements with an accuracy far beyond nanometer resolution [3], where the final physical limit is set by the photon emission statistics of the light source [4]. In non-contact atomic force microscopy (NC-AFM), interferometry is used to measure the periodic

Interface properties of nanostructured carbon-coated biological implants: an overview

• Mattia Bartoli,
• Francesca Cardano,
• Erik Piatti,
• Stefania Lettieri,
• Andrea Fin and
• Alberto Tagliaferro

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2024, 15, 1041–1053, doi:10.3762/bjnano.15.85

• biocompatibility because the implant interfaces are the first line of contact between a foreign body and living organisms. The bulk materials used in implants are carefully chosen to minimize adverse reactions, but the immune system may still recognize them as external entities and trigger inflammatory responses

• bone tissues [137] to reduce wear. Such layers have been widely studied as coating agents onto several metal surfaces directly in contact with bone, including steel [138], titanium [139], and magnesium [140]. As reported by Deenoi et al. [141], CNT coatings on titanium nitride at the interface with

Bolometric IR photoresponse based on a 3D micro-nano integrated CNT architecture

• Yasameen Al-Mafrachi,
• Sandeep Yadav,
• Sascha Preu,
• Jörg J. Schneider and
• Oktay Yilmazoglu

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2024, 15, 1030–1040, doi:10.3762/bjnano.15.84

• presented in the conference proceedings [12]. This configuration 1 (called sample 1) had additional parasitic contact resistances to the M-shaped CNT block. The new configuration 2 (called sample 2) used direct Au whisker contacts to the CNT block with much lower contact resistances for reliable

• was deposited by atomic layer deposition to support the elongated growth of CNTs (Figure 1a). The contact pad regions were opened by an optical lithography process prior to the evaporation of Cr/Au (20 nm, e-beam/100 nm, thermal) (Figure 1b). The overall M-shape for the CNT growth as shown in Figure

•  1c was defined by overlapping two tantalum-based growth stop strips (150 nm, sputtering) with a rectangular Fe layer (2 nm, e-beam) on the Si wafer. Only regions with direct Fe/AlOx contact were active for CNT growth. This combination allows for the definition of any shape, offering versatility for

Recent progress on field-effect transistor-based biosensors: device perspective

• Billel Smaani,
• Fares Nafa,
• Mohamed Salah Benlatrech,
• Ismahan Mahdi,
• Hamza Akroum,
• Mohamed walid Azizi,
• Khaled Harrar and
• Sayan Kanungo

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2024, 15, 977–994, doi:10.3762/bjnano.15.80

• sensing membrane is accommodated between the contact of the metal gate and the insulator part. The carrier concentration in the body channel might change as a result of an accumulation, depletion, or inversion process when an external voltage is applied [51]. This results in the formation of a band

• in human urine and serum. 2.2.11 Organic TFET-based biosensors. Jain et al. [111] proposed a concept of bilayer electrodes for top-contact organic tunnel FET (BE TC OTFT)-based biosensors aiming for enhanced detection of charged and neutral biomolecules. Figure 15 shows the schematic view of a BE TC

Beyond biomimicry – next generation applications of bioinspired adhesives from microfluidics to composites

• Dan Sameoto

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2024, 15, 965–976, doi:10.3762/bjnano.15.79

• functional in contact with these liquids and have enabled for a variety of flexible electronics applications. While the geckofluidics project was an example of a traditional application enhanced through the use of an improved bonding solution, the key to advancing the utility of biomimetic adhesives lies in

• contact with surfaces and achieve large adhesive strength [21]. A material that was soft when making contact and rigid when supporting a load would be ideal, and in fact this is still an area where modern efforts continue [31][44][45]. Our closest demonstration at the time to achieve this stiffness tuning

• perfectly suited for biomimetic adhesives, as their coefficient of friction could be significantly higher than one, and our work on geckofluidics with rigid backing materials was already indicating similar capabilities. Once in contact with a smooth surface, isotropic biomimetic adhesives do not require

Effects of cutting tool geometry on material removal of a gradient nanograined CoCrNi medium entropy alloy

• Yu-Sheng Lu,
• Yu-Xuan Hung,
• Thi-Xuyen Bui and
• Te-Hua Fang

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2024, 15, 925–940, doi:10.3762/bjnano.15.76

• damage is limited to a shallow layer at the surface. Since thermal energy is generated in the high grain boundary density, the temperature of the contact zone between the substrate and the cutting tool increases as the GNG size decreases. The cutting chips removed from the GNG CoCrNi MEA substrates will

• because, as the material pile-up increases, the contact area between the cutting tool and the specimen also increases. This leads to a rise in the average resultant force. Thicker chips result in higher cutting resistance strength. The sample with a grain size gradient of 15-13-10 nm with the thinnest

• . The temperature is proportional to the kinetic energy, so the system releases much kinetic energy when the deformation process changes from elastic to plastic deformation. The kinetic energy of the atoms in the contact area between the cutting tool and the substrate is the highest, leading to the

The effect of age on the attachment ability of stick insects (Phasmatodea)

• Marie Grote,
• Stanislav N. Gorb and
• Thies H. Büscher

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2024, 15, 867–883, doi:10.3762/bjnano.15.72

• sign of ageing is the loss of locomotory functions due to neuronal disorders or tissue wear. Soft and pliable attachment pads on the tarsi of insects adapt to the substrate texture to maximize their real contact area and, thereby, generate attachment during locomotion. In the majority of stick insects

• the pads, scarring of the cuticle, and alteration of the autofluorescence, likely indicating stiffening of the cuticle, were observed to accumulate over time. This would reduce the attachment ability of the insect, as pads lose their pliant properties and cannot properly maintain sufficient contact

• different attachment mechanisms evolved in insects, namely, hairy pads consisting of flexible setae, which adapt to the surface topography, and smooth pads possessing a soft and deformable cuticle to comply with the substrate profile [9]. Both pad types, hairy and smooth, aim to maximize contact area with

Investigation on drag reduction on rotating blade surfaces with microtextures

• Qinsong Zhu,
• Chen Zhang,
• Fuhang Yu and
• Yan Xu

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2024, 15, 833–853, doi:10.3762/bjnano.15.70

• mm, which has a processing residue at the corner of the bottom rib area (Figure 20a). Figure 19b indicates slight height fluctuations on the surface of the smooth blade, reaching a maximum deviation of 0.007 mm. This can be attributed to the point contact nature of the ball tip tool during the

Exploring surface charge dynamics: implications for AFM height measurements in 2D materials

• Mario Navarro-Rodriguez,
• Andres M. Somoza and
• Elisa Palacios-Lidon

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2024, 15, 767–780, doi:10.3762/bjnano.15.64

• oscillation amplitudes, the tip mechanically touches the surface during part of the oscillation. This mode is known as “intermittent contact” or tapping mode, and incorrect height measurements are usually ascribed to variations in the local elasticity [32][33] or differences in the local adhesion, related to

• differences of the wetting properties [34]. At moderate oscillation amplitudes, intimate tip–sample contact is avoided, and the energy dissipation takes place at the lower turning point of the oscillation cycle because of the formation and rupture of liquid necks [35][36][37]. When operating in this less

• be overestimated, especially in comparison to those obtained in contact mode [8][47][48][49][50][51][52]. As discussed above, the extent of the discrepancy depends on the operation mode [53][54] and environmental conditions [8] and is notably pronounced in samples grown on insulating substrates [55

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

• silicon nitride probe, ScanAsyst-AIR (Bruker). Scanning capacitance microscopy (SCM) measurements were conducted in contact mode using a silicon probe coated with a PtIr layer, SCM-PIT-V2 (Bruker). Capacitance measurements were taken with VAC = 2 V and VDC = 1 V applied. The carrier distribution maps at a

• resolution of 256 × 256 pixels presented in the paper were derived from the “SCM data” channel. Contact potential difference (VCPD) measurements were carried out using Kelvin probe force microscopy (KPFM) in amplitude modulation mode, also employing SCM-PIT-V2 probes from Bruker. These measurements were

• crystal quality among the studied structures because they have well-resolved and the most exposed CuO-like Ag, , and phonon modes in their Raman spectra. The surface potential (i.e., contact potential difference, VCPD) and work function (ϕ) variations resulting from the HT+RTA sequencing were examined

Enhancing higher-order modal response in multifrequency atomic force microscopy with a coupled cantilever system

• Wendong Sun,
• Jianqiang Qian,
• Yingzi Li,
• Yanan Chen,
• Zhipeng Dou,
• Rui Lin,
• Peng Cheng,
• Xiaodong Gao,
• Quan Yuan and
• Yifan Hu

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2024, 15, 694–703, doi:10.3762/bjnano.15.57

• beam. They are shown in Figure 1a. The Bode plots of the non-contact tip–sample interaction [12] and the contact tip–sample interaction [23] can be obtained through transfer function analysis. The results indicate that the higher-order modal response of the traditional rectangular cantilever gradually

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

• enhance the actual contact area between the pad and the substrate for the realisation of efficient attachment due to adhesion and friction forces [3][9][12][13][14]. Smooth attachment pads have independently evolved in most large insect groups, possessing multiple specialized types of pads on the same leg

• that are adapted to attachment through the division of labour by preferably generating more adhesion or friction [5]. Adhesive secretion in the contact zone between the attachment pad and substrate supports the functionality of the pads [15]. The adhesive secretion can fill the gaps in the substrate

• roughness and thereby increase the contact area [14][16][17][18][19]. It can aid in the enhancement of viscous and capillary forces further increasing the attachment strength [9][14][20][21][22][23][24]. The adhesive secretion can be essential for the self-cleaning mechanism by binding smaller contamination

AFM-IR investigation of thin PECVD SiO_x films on a polypropylene substrate in the surface-sensitive mode

• Hendrik Müller,
• Hartmut Stadler,
• Teresa de los Arcos,
• Adrian Keller and
• Guido Grundmeier

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2024, 15, 603–611, doi:10.3762/bjnano.15.51

• /bjnano.15.51 Abstract Thin silicon oxide films deposited on a polypropylene substrate by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition were investigated using atomic force microscopy-based infrared (AFM-IR) nanospectroscopy in contact and surface-sensitive mode. The focus of this work is the comparison of

• the different measurement methods (i.e., contact mode and surface-sensitive mode) with respect to the chemical surface sensitivity. The use of the surface-sensitive mode in AFM-IR shows an enormous improvement for the analysis of thin films on the IR-active substrate. As a result, in this mode, the

• signal of the substrate material could be significantly reduced. Even layers that are so thin that they could hardly be measured in the contact mode can be analyzed with the surface-sensitive mode. Keywords: AFM-IR; polypropylene; surface-sensitive mode; silicon oxide; thin films; XPS; Introduction

Stiffness calibration of qPlus sensors at low temperature through thermal noise measurements

• Laurent Nony,
• Sylvain Clair,
• Daniel Uehli,
• Aitziber Herrero,
• Jean-Marc Themlin,
• Andrea Campos,
• Franck Para,
• Alessandro Pioda and
• Christian Loppacher

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2024, 15, 580–602, doi:10.3762/bjnano.15.50

• University, CNRS, Centrale Marseille, FSCM (FR1739), CP2M, 13397 Marseille, France 10.3762/bjnano.15.50 Abstract Non-contact atomic force microscopy (nc-AFM) offers a unique experimental framework for topographical imaging of surfaces with atomic and/or sub-molecular resolution. The technique also permits

• the framework focuses on a particular kind of sensor, it may be adapted to any high-k, high-Q nc-AFM probe used under similar conditions, such as silicon cantilevers and LERs. Keywords: low temperature; non-contact atomic force microscopy; qPlus sensors; quartz tuning fork; stiffness calibration

• ; thermal noise; ultrahigh vacuum; Introduction Since the 2000s, non-contact atomic force microscopy (nc-AFM) has established itself as a scanning probe method for the topographical, chemical, and electrical mapping of the surface of a sample down to the atomic scale [1][2][3]. When used in an ultrahigh

Photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue under visible light by cobalt ferrite nanoparticles/graphene quantum dots

• Vo Chau Ngoc Anh,
• Le Thi Thanh Nhi,
• Le Thi Kim Dung,
• Dang Thi Ngoc Hoa,
• Nguyen Truong Son,
• Nguyen Thi Thao Uyen,
• Nguyen Ngoc Uyen Thu,
• Le Van Thanh Son,
• Le Trung Hieu,
• Tran Ngoc Tuyen and
• Dinh Quang Khieu

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2024, 15, 475–489, doi:10.3762/bjnano.15.43

• of CF and CF/GQDs-200, respectively, and the corresponding particle size distribution. CF has very fine particles of around 15–20 nm. The intimate interfacial contact between GQDs sheets and the CF nanoparticle is further depicted in the TEM image (Figure 4e). In this image, the deposited

• nanoparticles of around 9.2 nm are obvious on the GQDs. Such a good interfacial contact between CF and GQDs is favourable for the separation of the photogenerated charge carriers in the CF/GQDs. The elemental distribution of CF/GQDs was studied by EDX mapping. The elements Fe, Co, O, and C are present, as

Superconducting spin valve effect in Co/Pb/Co heterostructures with insulating interlayers

• Andrey A. Kamashev,
• Nadir N. Garif’yanov,
• Aidar A. Validov,
• Vladislav Kataev,
• Alexander S. Osin,
• Yakov V. Fominov and
• Ilgiz A. Garifullin

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2024, 15, 457–464, doi:10.3762/bjnano.15.41

• ][10]. The interest in these structures is due to the possibility to observe and exploit the reciprocal influence of superconductivity (S) and ferromagnetism (F) on each other when they are put into a close contact [11][12][13][14][15][16][17]. Moreover, SSV structures appear as promising devices for

• Co1/Pb and Pb/Co2 interfaces following the recipe of [40][42]. We studied the dependence of the magnitude of the SSV effect ΔTc on the Pb layer thickness and found that ΔTc reached 0.2 K for the optimal thickness, surpassing most of the values previously observed for SSVs with perfect metallic contact

• those found before in [30][33][34][48] for structures with elemental metallic ferromagnetic layers but without insulating interlayers. This observation is not trivial as it apparently contradicts the paramount prerequisite of the S/F proximity effect of having a perfect metallic contact between the S

Heat-induced morphological changes in silver nanowires deposited on a patterned silicon substrate

• Elyad Damerchi,
• Sven Oras,
• Edgars Butanovs,
• Allar Liivlaid,
• Mikk Antsov,
• Boris Polyakov,
• Annamarija Trausa,
• Veronika Zadin,
• Andreas Kyritsakis,
• Loïc Vidal,
• Karine Mougin,
• Siim Pikker and
• Sergei Vlassov

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2024, 15, 435–446, doi:10.3762/bjnano.15.39

• fragmentation of NWs is attributed to the interplay between heat-enhanced diffusion and Rayleigh instability. In this work, we demonstrated that contact with the substrate plays an important role in the fragmentation process and can strongly affect the outcome of the heat treatment. We deposited silver NWs onto

• Au NWs have a pentagonal cross-section, meaning that for NWs deposited on a flat substrate, 1/5 of the NW surface is in contact with the substrate [35]. This aspect should unavoidably have an influence on the total surface energy of NW. Therefore, in addition to parameters such as temperature, time

• , and geometry of NWs, contact with the substrate can potentially have a considerable effect on heat-induced changes in NWs. Understanding the fragmentation behavior of metal NWs under different conditions and on various substrates could improve the degree of control in cost-effective production methods

Insect attachment on waxy plant surfaces: the effect of pad contamination by different waxes

• Elena V. Gorb and
• Stanislav N. Gorb

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2024, 15, 385–395, doi:10.3762/bjnano.15.35

• tarsal attachment devices) are able to establish a highly reliable contact and adhere successfully to a great variety of substrates having both smooth and microrough topographies [1][2][3]. However, in cases of waxy plant surfaces, where the plant cuticle is covered by micro/nanoscopic three-dimensional

• of insect adhesive pads by plant wax during the contact (contamination hypothesis), (3) absorption of the insect pad secretion by the wax coverage (fluid absorption hypothesis), (4) hydroplaning induced by dissolution of the wax in the pad fluid (wax dissolution hypothesis), and (5) detached wax

• 0.3 and 1 μm rough surfaces, where the range of asperity dimensions corresponded to that of typical plant wax projections [1][14][15][16][17][18][19]. This great reduction in the adhesion force was explained by the strong decrease of the real contact area between the micro/nanorough surface profile

On the mechanism of piezoresistance in nanocrystalline graphite

• Sandeep Kumar,
• Simone Dehm and
• Ralph Krupke

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2024, 15, 376–384, doi:10.3762/bjnano.15.34

• in the structure shown in Figure 1b using e-beam lithography. There were no metal films deposited on NCG, and the electrical contact was made between gold spring contacts and NCG directly. For Raman measurements, S1805 (1:10 dilution with PGMEA) was spin-coated on both sides of the flexible glass

Modulated critical currents of spin-transfer torque-induced resistance changes in NiCu/Cu multilayered nanowires

• Mengqi Fu,
• Roman Hartmann,
• Julian Braun,
• Sergej Andreev,
• Torsten Pietsch and
• Elke Scheer

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2024, 15, 360–366, doi:10.3762/bjnano.15.32

• steps were necessary to define the contact area and to obtain a small contact array, which complicates the fabrication process [18][19]. Compared with these works, our process does not need any additional etching step to either define the contact area of the nanowire or electrodes for the top contact