Progress and innovation of nanostructured sulfur cathodes and metal-free anodes for room-temperature Na–S batteries

• Marina Tabuyo-Martínez,
• Bernd Wicklein and
• Pilar Aranda

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2021, 12, 995–1020, doi:10.3762/bjnano.12.75

• favorable environmental and economic perspectives. However, scientific and technological problems are still hindering a commercial breakthrough of these batteries. This review discusses strategies to remedy some of the current drawbacks such as the polysulfide shuttle effect, catastrophic volume expansion

• overcome [10][19][20]. It is essential to solve these issues to achieve high efficiency devices that can be launched onto the market. In this review, we focus on the first three drawbacks and potential strategies, including advanced cathode materials, to overcome them. The polysulfide shuttle effect is a

• to the expansion of these batteries into wider consumer markets, for which hard carbon, Si, Sn and Sb alloys, as well as phosphorous compounds are currently investigated [25][26][27]. This review focuses on the most recent designs of cathode materials for RT Na–S batteries, which attempt to overcome

The role of deep eutectic solvents and carrageenan in synthesizing biocompatible anisotropic metal nanoparticles

• Nabojit Das,
• Akash Kumar and
• Raja Gopal Rayavarapu

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2021, 12, 924–938, doi:10.3762/bjnano.12.69

• utilizing safe nanomaterials for advanced biomedical and clinical applications. Keywords: anisotropic nanoparticles; carrageenan; cytotoxicity; eutectic solvents; surfactants; Review Introduction Plasmonic metals such as gold and silver, upon achieving nanoscale dimensions, exhibit unusual physicochemical

• synthesized using DESs received less interest, which is evident through a stagnant number of reports over the last five years. However, twenty reports have been published on using DESs for nanomaterial synthesis. This review attempts to illuminate the works from the last decade that involved DESs and

• carrageenan in the synthesis of nanomaterials that are nontoxic. The review begins by discussing widely used wet chemical methods of synthesizing anisotropic plasmonic metal nanomaterials. We also give insight in growth mechanisms during the initiation of anisotropy in the presence of a surfactant. This

The role of convolutional neural networks in scanning probe microscopy: a review

• Ido Azuri,
• Irit Rosenhek-Goldian,
• Neta Regev-Rudzki,
• Georg Fantner and
• Sidney R. Cohen

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2021, 12, 878–901, doi:10.3762/bjnano.12.66

• using that association to categorize, identify, and isolate subsets of the data. Scanning probe microscopy measures multimodal surface properties, combining morphology with electronic, mechanical, and other characteristics. In this review, we focus on a subset of deep learning algorithms, that is

• , convolutional neural networks, and how it is transforming the acquisition and analysis of scanning probe data. Keywords: atomic force microscopy (AFM); deep learning; machine learning; neural networks; scanning probe microscopy (SPM); Review Introduction: traditional machine learning vs deep learning Machine

• , regression (prediction of quantitative data values), translation (for instance of languages), anomaly detection, de-noising, clustering (grouping similar objects together), and data generation. In this review our major concern is with images, which are most relevant to certain aspects of machine learning as

Comprehensive review on ultrasound-responsive theranostic nanomaterials: mechanisms, structures and medical applications

• Sepand Tehrani Fateh,
• Lida Moradi,
• Elmira Kohan,
• Michael R. Hamblin and
• Amin Shiralizadeh Dezfuli

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2021, 12, 808–862, doi:10.3762/bjnano.12.64

• , and sonoporation. These effects can result in the release of encapsulated drugs or genes at the site of interest as well as cell death and considerable image enhancement. The present review discusses US-responsive theranostic nanomaterials under the following categories: MBs, micelles, liposomes

• therapy; sonoporation; theranostics; ultrasound; ultrasound responsive nanomaterials; Review Introduction Smart drug delivery vehicles It is well known that the administration of most anticancer drugs can produce considerable systemic toxicity, which in some cases can be dose-limiting. Whether oral

• several review articles [3][7][10][11]. Endogenous or internal stimuli can be hard to control because of the heterogeneous disease environment. On the other hand, the use of exogenous or external stimuli may cause tissue damage and the depth of penetration may not be sufficient to trigger drug release

9.1% efficient zinc oxide/silicon solar cells on a 50 μm thick Si absorber

• Rafal Pietruszka,
• Bartlomiej S. Witkowski,
• Monika Ozga,
• Katarzyna Gwozdz,
• Ewa Placzek-Popko and
• Marek Godlewski

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2021, 12, 766–774, doi:10.3762/bjnano.12.60

• statutory grant (No. 8201003902) of Department of Quantum Technologies of Wroclaw University of Science and Technology. Author Contributions R. Pietruszka: conceptualization, methodology, validation, formal analysis, investigation, writing of the original draft, writing – review and editing, vsualization; B

Recent progress in actuation technologies of micro/nanorobots

• Ke Xu and
• Bing Liu

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2021, 12, 756–765, doi:10.3762/bjnano.12.59

• different actuation methods for different micro/nanorobots will directly affect motion, so the research on actuation technologies of micro/nanorobots is very important and profound. This paper aims to review the research progress of micro/nanorobots from two aspects: external field actuation and self

• /nanorobots are explored. Review External field actuation Magnetic field actuation In recent years, the development of magnetic field-actuated micro/nanorobots has become increasingly mature. Back in 2005, Dreyfus et al. [17] created a micro/nanorobot actuated by a variant magnetic field. By applying a

Recent progress in magnetic applications for micro- and nanorobots

• Ke Xu,
• Shuang Xu and
• Fanan Wei

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2021, 12, 744–755, doi:10.3762/bjnano.12.58

• used in MNRs will be discussed. Finally, conclusions and an outlook will be provided. Review Magnetic materials used in MNRs Different magnetic materials exhibit different magnetic properties to external magnetic fields. When analyzing MNPs [30] in medical nanorobots, Martel [26] mentioned that

• nanowires. In order to change the swimming direction, the direction of the rotation axis could be controlled by adjusting the pitch angle, and different control effects could be achieved. Table 3 shows several different shapes of magnetic drive structures. Conclusion This review summarizes the latest

Physical constraints lead to parallel evolution of micro- and nanostructures of animal adhesive pads: a review

• Thies H. Büscher and
• Stanislav N. Gorb

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2021, 12, 725–743, doi:10.3762/bjnano.12.57

• attachment systems of different animal groups reveal similar mechanisms. Consequently, similar attachment organs evolved in a convergent manner and different attachment solutions can occur within closely related lineages. In this review, we present a summary of the literature on structural and functional

• influence of different factors, such as substrate roughness and pad stiffness, on contact forces, and review the chemical composition of pad fluids, which is an important component of an adhesive function. Attachment systems are omnipresent in animals. We show parallel evolution of attachment structures on

• might be potentially interesting for engineers as a kind of optimal solution by nature, the biomimetic implications of the discussed results are briefly presented. Keywords: adhesion; attachment devices; biomechanics; convergence; friction; substrate compliance; Review Animal attachment systems

Nanogenerator-based self-powered sensors for data collection

• Yicheng Shao,
• Maoliang Shen,
• Yuankai Zhou,
• Xin Cui,
• Lijie Li and
• Yan Zhang

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2021, 12, 680–693, doi:10.3762/bjnano.12.54

• -powered sensors in data-driven intelligent systems are proposed. Review Human physiological data collection based on self-powered sensors Self-powered wearable sensors and electronic skin Self-powered wearable sensors to collect human motion data can provide a data set for medical diagnosis and

A review of defect engineering, ion implantation, and nanofabrication using the helium ion microscope

• Frances I. Allen

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2021, 12, 633–664, doi:10.3762/bjnano.12.52

• characteristics of the beam and its interaction with the sample. A quick recap of these details will be given first. The intention of this review is to present the foundations and to summarize the state of the art. The list of referenced works is certainly not exhaustive in this extensive and rapidly evolving

• applications using the highest doses (many orders of magnitude higher than the largest dose shown in Figure 1c) are milling and gas-assisted ion beam-induced deposition. Review 1 Defect engineering The use of the HIM as a source of localized helium ion irradiation with which to tune material properties through

Nanoporous and nonporous conjugated donor–acceptor polymer semiconductors for photocatalytic hydrogen production

• Zhao-Qi Sheng,
• Yu-Qin Xing,
• Yan Chen,
• Guang Zhang,
• Shi-Yong Liu and
• Long Chen

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2021, 12, 607–623, doi:10.3762/bjnano.12.50

• -emitting diodes (OLEDs) [41]. However, it was only in recent years that researchers have started to use D–A design strategy to develop CP-based photocatalysts for PHP. As there is growing interests in this field, a timely review article about this area would be quite instructive and necessary [42]. This

• highlighted in red and blue, respectively. Review Donor–acceptor conjugated polymers Triazine-based conjugated polymers s-Triazine and tri-s-triazine (heptazine), as the building blocks of carbon nitride, represent two of the most widely studied acceptor units [43][44]. In contrast to the conventional

• and HERs of the CP-based photocatalysts introduced in this review article. Conclusion Donor–acceptor interactions facilitate the ICT effect and decrease the optical bandgaps of D–A polymers. Correspondingly, they improve both charge carrier mobility and light harvesting, which makes D–A polymers

A review on nanostructured silver as a basic ingredient in medicine: physicochemical parameters and characterization

• Gabriel M. Misirli,
• Kishore Sridharan and
• Shirley M. P. Abrantes

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2021, 12, 440–461, doi:10.3762/bjnano.12.36

• virucidal agent, places silver as one of the future biocidal candidates in the field of nanomedicine to eliminate bacteria and viruses, especially multidrug resistant ones. In this review, we have described the various morphologies of AgNPs and correlated the enhanced bactericidal activity with their

• studies of this promising agent in nanomedicine and in clinical practice. Keywords: bactericidal agent; {111} facets; mechanism of action; silver ion; silver nanoparticles; quality control; virucidal agent; Review Introduction Silver is one of the oldest bactericidal agents in history and is also

• distinct from the silver ion (Ag+). From the point of view of quality control, for a sensible assessment and to include all studies involving AgNPs, the identification and quantification of these species should be considered. This review addresses the methods of identification and quantification of these

The impact of molecular tumor profiling on the design strategies for targeting myeloid leukemia and EGFR/CD44-positive solid tumors

• Nikola Geskovski,
• Nadica Matevska-Geshkovska,
• Simona Dimchevska Sazdovska,
• Marija Glavas Dodov,
• Kristina Mladenovska and
• Katerina Goracinova

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2021, 12, 375–401, doi:10.3762/bjnano.12.31

• dual-targeted NDDSs capable of attacking multiple targets for a more efficacious cancer treatment [2]. With this in mind, in this article we will review novel NDDS design strategies, based on the unique morphological and molecular signatures of liquid (myeloid leukemia) and solid tumors. The focus on

• tumor profiles and targeting strategies on the future chemotherapeutic protocols. Review Molecular profile and characteristics of myeloid leukemia Leukemia comprises a heterogeneous group of diseases characterized by abnormal proliferation and differentiation of a clonal population of blood progenitor

Intracranial recording in patients with aphasia using nanomaterial-based flexible electronics: promises and challenges

• Qingchun Wang and
• Wai Ting Siok

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2021, 12, 330–342, doi:10.3762/bjnano.12.27

• processing. This review presents findings on aphasia, an impairment in language and communication, and discusses how different brain imaging techniques, including positron emission tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, and iEEG, have advanced our understanding of the neural networks underlying language and

• , and more flexible and sensitive; these characteristics lead to higher spatial and temporal resolution than that of conventional electrode arrays [6][7]. These features make them less harmful to brain tissue [6], indicating their potential application in the human brain. In this review, we first

• introduce classical neuropsychological research on aphasia. We then discuss how non-invasive neuroimaging methods have advanced our understanding of the brain mechanisms of language processing and review the findings of iEEG studies. Finally, we discuss the advantages and limitations of iEEG and discuss how

Doxorubicin-loaded gold nanorods: a multifunctional chemo-photothermal nanoplatform for cancer management

• Uzma Azeem Awan,
• Abida Raza,
• Shaukat Ali,
• Rida Fatima Saeed and
• Nosheen Akhtar

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2021, 12, 295–303, doi:10.3762/bjnano.12.24

• volunteers and used with Institutional Review Board (IRB) bioethics approval. The hemolysis assay was carried out according to the protocol from National Cancer Institute (NCI). Whole blood (5 mL) from two healthy human donors was drawn directly into K2-EDTA-coated tubes to prevent coagulation. Blood

Scanning transmission helium ion microscopy on carbon nanomembranes

• Daniel Emmrich,
• Annalena Wolff,
• Nikolaus Meyerbröker,
• Jörg K. N. Lindner,
• André Beyer and
• Armin Gölzhäuser

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2021, 12, 222–231, doi:10.3762/bjnano.12.18

• five times more secondary electrons (SE) than an SEM [5]) is advantageous when working with beam-sensitive samples. An overview of the imaging as well as recently added analytical capabilities using secondary ion mass spectroscopy can be found in a recent review [6]. Beyond imaging, the HIM has been

Determination of elastic moduli of elastic–plastic microspherical materials using nanoindentation simulation without mechanical polishing

• Hongzhou Li and
• Jialian Chen

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2021, 12, 213–221, doi:10.3762/bjnano.12.17

• Natural Science Foundation of China (51103173). Author Contributions Chen Jialian: Investigation. Li Hongzhou: Conceptualization, Methodology, Software, Validation, Formal analysis, Resources, Data Curation, Writing - Original Draft, Writing - Review & Editing, Visualization, Project administration

A review on the biological effects of nanomaterials on silkworm (Bombyx mori)

• Sandra Senyo Fometu,
• Guohua Wu,
• Lin Ma and
• Joan Shine Davids

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2021, 12, 190–202, doi:10.3762/bjnano.12.15

• , there are a few concerns regarding the safety of their application to the environment, in humans, and in experimental models. Some studies have shown that some nanomaterials exhibit toxicity to tissues and organs of the silkworm, while other nanomaterials exhibit therapeutic properties. This review

• nanomaterials in sericulture is new; therefore, it is imperative to exploit their effects on silkworms and on silk regarding the improvement of fecundity, survival rates, management of pests, and disease prevention. This review highlights the impacts of nanomaterials on larval body growth and on the development

• of silkworms. In addition, it discusses the effects of nanomaterial usage on silk quality as well as the effects caused by nanomaterials on silkworm tissues and organs. Review Applications of nanomaterials in various sectors Nanotechnology, which involves the use of nanomaterials with sizes in the

Imaging of SARS-CoV-2 infected Vero E6 cells by helium ion microscopy

• Natalie Frese,
• Patrick Schmerer,
• Martin Wortmann,
• Matthias Schürmann,
• Matthias König,
• Michael Westphal,
• Friedemann Weber,
• Holger Sudhoff and
• Armin Gölzhäuser

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2021, 12, 172–179, doi:10.3762/bjnano.12.13

• ], various phases of the life cycle of the bacterial predator Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus [9] and the vesicular structure of ethane-oxidizing archaea [10]. A comprehensive review on the subject of bioimaging with HIM has recently been published by Schmidt and co-workers [11]. In this work, we use HIM to

Paper-based triboelectric nanogenerators and their applications: a review

• Jing Han,
• Nuo Xu,
• Yuchen Liang,
• Mei Ding,
• Junyi Zhai,
• Qijun Sun and
• Zhong Lin Wang

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2021, 12, 151–171, doi:10.3762/bjnano.12.12

• many practical applications, leading to a simple yet effective way for the next generation of energy devices and paper electronics. In this review, we try to look back and summarize the latest developments in the field of P-TENGs. Figure 1 schematically shows the theme of this review article and

• paper, we then highlight the strategies to improve the output performance of P-TENGs. In another section, we give a detailed review on the application of P-TENGs, with two-dimensional patterns and three-dimensional structures, on self-powered sensing devices, human–machine interaction, electrochemistry

• and highly efficient energy-harvesting systems. To conclude the review, perspectives and proposals regarding future potential applications and research directions are discussed. Review Four working modes of TENGs and charge-transfer mechanisms TENGs, which are emerging and efficient apparatus for

A review on the green and sustainable synthesis of silver nanoparticles and one-dimensional silver nanostructures

• Sina Kaabipour and
• Shohreh Hemmati

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2021, 12, 102–136, doi:10.3762/bjnano.12.9

• methods. On the contrary, the number of green synthesis techniques has been increasing during the last decade and they have emerged as alternative routes towards facile and effective synthesis of silver nanostructures with different morphologies. In this review, we have initially outlined the most common

• nanostructures; Review 1 Introduction Nanotechnology has been ubiquitously applied in almost every scientific discipline. Nanomaterials have been utilized in innumerable applications due to their unique characteristics. Novel, successful applications of nanomaterials and nanostructures can be seen in drug

• ]. In this review, we first aim to discuss the most common AgNP synthesis methodologies and to compare them based on their cost, eco-friendliness, and energy consumption to show how green chemistry can improve the process and act as an alternative compared to physical and chemical synthesis. The

ZnO and MXenes as electrode materials for supercapacitor devices

• Ameen Uddin Ammar,
• Ipek Deniz Yildirim,
• Feray Bakan and
• Emre Erdem

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2021, 12, 49–57, doi:10.3762/bjnano.12.4

• supercapacitor device are important factors in this scenario. Nowadays, ZnO as metal oxide and MXene as 2D materials are the rising stars of electrode materials in supercapacitors due to their highly controllable properties. Therefore, we review the findings about ZnO and MXene in terms of defect structures and

• optical and electrical properties. This review will give a prospect to researchers working on the development of electrode materials for efficient supercapacitors. The discussion of MXenes along with ZnO, although different in chemistry, also highlights the differences in dimensionality when it comes to

• and 3D materials will be of utmost benefit to the interested community. Review ZnO as electrode material for supercapacitors Zinc oxide (ZnO) is a highly defective semiconductor material, regardless of its synthesis route, that has a large bandgap energy (Eg) at room temperature. However, defect types

Effect of different silica coatings on the toxicity of upconversion nanoparticles on RAW 264.7 macrophage cells

• Cynthia Kembuan,
• Helena Oliveira and
• Christina Graf

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2021, 12, 35–48, doi:10.3762/bjnano.12.3

• more than 7% of their F− ions in 24 h at a concentration of 50 µg/mL [19]. This comparison suggests that a 7 nm thick silica layer is enough to significantly reduce the disintegration process. In line with our findings, Saleh et al. also observed, in a study published during the review process of this

Bio-imaging with the helium-ion microscope: A review

• Matthias Schmidt,
• James M. Byrne and
• Ilari J. Maasilta

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2021, 12, 1–23, doi:10.3762/bjnano.12.1

• secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) or ionoluminescence with the HIM, also offer the possibility for new and exciting research on biological materials. In this review, we present a comprehensive overview of almost all currently published literature which has demonstrated the application of HIM for

• ; ionofluorescense; Review Introduction Since its commercialisation in 2006 [1][2][3][4][5], the helium-ion microscope (HIM) has become a well-established tool for nanoscale imaging and nanoscale fabrication in physics and materials science. It is attractive for those applications as it combines high-resolution

• HIM-SIMS was published by Lovric et al., who investigated E.coli bacteria exposed to TiO2 nanoparticles using the sector-field SIMS spectrometer [36]. In this review article, we build upon previous articles by Kim [37] and Gölzhäuser and Hlawacek [38] to present an overview on past discoveries and

Amorphized length and variability in phase-change memory line cells

• Nafisa Noor,
• Sadid Muneer,
• Raihan Sayeed Khan,
• Anna Gorbenko and
• Helena Silva

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2020, 11, 1644–1654, doi:10.3762/bjnano.11.147

• simulation results obtained from the “simulation program with integrated circuit emphasis” (SPICE). The measured threshold voltage, and the drifted threshold field at that time are used to extract the amorphized length (Figure 1). A literature review of threshold switching in PCM Threshold switching is a