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

• structure was quantitatively described with confocal laser scanning microscopy and a surface analysis software. The data show a polar development of cuticular ridges and a basipetal ridge progression during leaf ontogeny. Traction experiments with Colorado potato beetles as model species showed low walking

• nanofibres do not stick. The authors use the geometry of the spider system to develop an elegant mathematical model of the interaction between the fibres and the surface. They then test their predictions using a structured metal mimic of the spider legs. They find that for some metals, in which they were

• 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

Ultralow-energy amorphization of contaminated silicon samples investigated by molecular dynamics

• Grégoire R. N. Defoort-Levkov,
• Alan Bahm and
• Patrick Philipp

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2023, 14, 834–849, doi:10.3762/bjnano.14.68

• -energy ion beams are hard to obtain experimentally, such beams are easy to model in simulations. In this paper, by studying the differences between higher (500 eV) and lower (50 eV) impact energies, we will show the differences in the amorphization processes. As expected, higher energies increase

• previous article [26]. To summarize, they are composed of a set of two interatomic potentials. One is the reactive force field (ReaxFF) [29] designed to compute the bonds between silicon, oxygen, and hydrogen atoms, as well as to compute the distribution of partial charges to model the formation and

• breaking of bonds in the sample. The second one is the Morse potential [32] used to model the interactions of the argon particles with other species. Since argon atoms interact only very weakly with the sample atoms, a simple Morse potential is enough to describe these interactions. ReaxFF potentials are

A wearable nanoscale heart sound sensor based on P(VDF-TrFE)/ZnO/GR and its application in cardiac disease detection

• Yi Luo,
• Jian Liu,
• Jiachang Zhang,
• Yu Xiao,
• Ying Wu and
• Zhidong Zhao

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2023, 14, 819–833, doi:10.3762/bjnano.14.67

• sensor, and a visual heart sound acquisition and classification system was designed using LabVIEW. A heart sound classification model was trained based on a fine K-nearest neighbor classification algorithm to predict whether the collected heart sounds are normal or abnormal. The heart sound detection

• neural network, and hidden Markov model-based and clustering-based methods. For example, Zheng et al. successfully implemented computer-aided diagnosis of chronic heart failure using a least squares SVM [17]. In this paper, to enable real-time monitoring and early detection of cardiovascular diseases, a

• preprocessed heart sound signals using MATLAB scripts. Finally, a K-nearest neighbor (KNN) heart sound classification model was trained and used to predict whether a heart sound is normal or abnormal, with the prediction result displayed. Experimental Preparation of films by high-voltage electrospinning In

Nanostructured lipid carriers containing benznidazole: physicochemical, biopharmaceutical and cellular in vitro studies

• Giuliana Muraca,
• María Esperanza Ruiz,
• Rocío C. Gambaro,
• Sebastián Scioli-Montoto,
• María Laura Sbaraglini,
• Gisel Padula,
• José Sebastián Cisneros,
• Cecilia Yamil Chain,
• Vera A. Álvarez,
• Cristián Huck-Iriart,
• Guillermo R. Castro,
• María Belén Piñero,
• Matias Ildebrando Marchetto,
• Catalina Alba Soto,
• Germán A. Islan and
• Alan Talevi

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2023, 14, 804–818, doi:10.3762/bjnano.14.66

• release is higher than that of similar systems previously reported [21]. The in vitro release data were fitted to different mathematical models. The model that best adjusted the data was the Korsmeyer–Peppas model followed by a first-order model (Supporting Information File 1, Table S1). The Korsmeyer

• –Peppas model, also called power law, was initially used to describe drug release in polymeric systems where the two predominant mechanisms were relaxation of the polymer chains and diffusion. In this model (Equation 2), Mt/M∞ is the fraction dissolved, K is a constant that incorporates structural and

• maximal accumulated release above 74% during 24 h. The release profile was adequately fitted to the Korsmeyer–Peppas model with an estimated release exponent of 0.56, suggesting a mixed mechanism of release with a dominant Fickian behavior. In vitro experiments on T. cruzi trypomastigotes and amastigotes

Silver-based SERS substrates fabricated using a 3D printed microfluidic device

• Phommachith Sonexai,
• Minh Van Nguyen,
• Bui The Huy and
• Yong-Ill Lee

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2023, 14, 793–803, doi:10.3762/bjnano.14.65

• microfluidic device is illustrated in Scheme S1 (Supporting Information File 1). The 3D model of the microfluidic device mold was designed using Solidworks Professional 2022 SP3.1 software and printed on a Formslab 3 SLA 3D printer (Formlabs Inc., Somerville, MA, USA) using Clear V4 resin. The mold was post

In situ magnesiothermic reduction synthesis of a Ge@C composite for high-performance lithium-ion batterie anodes

• Ha Tran Huu,
• Ngoc Phi Nguyen,
• Vuong Hoang Ngo,
• Huy Hoang Luc,
• Minh Kha Le,
• Minh Thu Nguyen,
• My Loan Phung Le,
• Hye Rim Kim,
• In Young Kim,
• Sung Jin Kim,
• Van Man Tran and
• Vien Vo

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2023, 14, 751–761, doi:10.3762/bjnano.14.62

• conductivity of the additional carbon matrix, indicating the decrease in charge transfer resistance of the composite electrodes. The EIS results were fitted using an equivalent circuit model, including an internal or electrolyte resistance (Re), a charge transfer resistance (Rct), and two constant phase

Control of morphology and crystallinity of CNTs in flame synthesis with one-dimensional reaction zone

• Muhammad Hilmi Ibrahim,
• Norikhwan Hamzah,
• Mohd Zamri Mohd Yusop,
• Ni Luh Wulan Septiani and
• Mohd Fairus Mohd Yasin

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2023, 14, 741–750, doi:10.3762/bjnano.14.61

• arrangement and grow vertically from the substrate [20]. Said growth model is similar to the mechanism proposed by Baker and co-workers [21][22][23]. At elevated temperatures, catalytic particles are formed on the substrate surface, and hydrocarbon molecules that undergo cracking in the flame diffuse to the

Cross-sectional Kelvin probe force microscopy on III–V epitaxial multilayer stacks: challenges and perspectives

• Mattia da Lisca,
• José Alvarez,
• James P. Connolly,
• Nicolas Vaissiere,
• Karim Mekhazni,
• Jean Decobert and
• Jean-Paul Kleider

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2023, 14, 725–737, doi:10.3762/bjnano.14.59

• KELSCAN [13], which evaluates the contact potential and surface photovoltage as a function of the position. The Silvaco ATLAS model solves the Poisson equation self-consistently coupled to carrier continuity and transport equations in the well-known drift diffusion model, which is given detail in [22] and

• section was used. KPFM is a surface technique; therefore, KPFM measurements are strongly influenced by the presence of surface defects. In order to provide a quantitative analysis of the experimental results, KELSCAN allows for the introduction of defects in a surface layer of arbitrary depth. The model

Current-induced mechanical torque in chiral molecular rotors

• Richard Korytár and
• Ferdinand Evers

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2023, 14, 711–721, doi:10.3762/bjnano.14.57

• the incoming flux is conserved. This situation arises typically with molecular rotors that exhibit an easy axis of rotation. For quantitative analysis we investigate here a classical model where molecule and wires are represented by a rigid curved path. We demonstrate that in the presence of chirality

• qualitative description of the current-induced mechanical torque within a toy model framework. We consider a classical model of the molecular rotor where the molecule is modeled as a one-dimensional curve (“molecular wire”) that guides the flow of the charge carriers (see Figure 1 (left) for illustration

• , specifically the velocity–current characteristics and threshold currents. Our results can support the design of nanoscale mechanical devices. Model Model geometry (kinematics) Our classical model contains a particle (mass m) moving on a rigid path, which can rotate around an axis, see left part of Figure 1

The microstrain-accompanied structural phase transition from h-MoO₃ to α-MoO₃ investigated by in situ X-ray diffraction

• Zeqian Zhang,
• Honglong Shi,
• Boxiang Zhuang,
• Minting Luo and
• Zhenfei Hu

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2023, 14, 692–700, doi:10.3762/bjnano.14.55

• initial structural models. One model (MoO3·H2O) contains six water molecules, that is, the oxygen atom sites at (0 0 0.25) in the MoO6 octahedra tunnel (note that H atoms of the H2O molecules in the model were disregarded because of the low X-ray scattering ability). The other model (MoO3) does not

Humidity-dependent electrical performance of CuO nanowire networks studied by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy

• Jelena Kosmaca,
• Juris Katkevics,
• Jana Andzane,
• Raitis Sondors,
• Liga Jasulaneca,
• Raimonds Meija,
• Kiryl Niherysh,
• Yelyzaveta Rublova and
• Donats Erts

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2023, 14, 683–691, doi:10.3762/bjnano.14.54

• −12, and “pseudo chi imaginary” was less than 1.0 × 10−10, meaning that these spectra are valid for further analysis [36]. The EIS model of the whole tested sample consisted of 152 electrochemical cells, formed by nanowires interconnecting a pair of electrodes, connected in a parallel circuit. Using

• the European Regional Development Fund project No. 1.1.1.1/20/A/144. K. Niherysh acknowledges the financial support of the “Strengthening of the capacity of doctoral studies at the University of Latvia within the framework of the new doctoral model”, identification No. 8.2.2.0/20/I/006.

Investigations on the optical forces from three mainstream optical resonances in all-dielectric nanostructure arrays

• Guangdong Wang and
• Zhanghua Han

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2023, 14, 674–682, doi:10.3762/bjnano.14.53

• , and the quasi-BIC resonances. For all cases, the metasurface structure is assumed to be immerged in water (n = 1.31) to model a realistic suspending condition for the PS nanospheres. The optical forces on the PS at the excitation values of those three resonances are all calculated based on the MST

Titania nanoparticles for photocatalytic degradation of ethanol under simulated solar light

• Evghenii Goncearenco,
• Iuliana P. Morjan,
• Claudiu Teodor Fleaca,
• Florian Dumitrache,
• Elena Dutu,
• Monica Scarisoreanu,
• Valentin Serban Teodorescu,
• Alexandra Sandulescu,
• Crina Anastasescu and
• Ioan Balint

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2023, 14, 616–630, doi:10.3762/bjnano.14.51

• detector (TCD, Buck Scientific, model 910). The total time of a photocatalytic test was 180 min. The photoreactor works thus under static conditions, which differs from the dynamic conditions used by other researchers where a continuous flow of ethanol vapors (mixed with water vapors) was employed via

Suspension feeding in Copepoda (Crustacea) – a numerical model of setae acting in concert

• Alexander E. Filippov,
• Wencke Krings and
• Stanislav N. Gorb

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2023, 14, 603–615, doi:10.3762/bjnano.14.50

• mechanical property gradients, the mechanical behavior and the adhesion of setae, and the feeding efficiency of the system. In this context, we set-up a simple dynamic numerical model that takes all of these parameters into account and describes the interaction with food particles and their delivery into the

• particles, but to which extent is unknown since these parameters cannot be manipulated in living organisms. To test how the feeding efficiency depends on the mechanical property gradients and the adhesion forces of the setae, we here present a numerical model that simulates the interplay between setae

• during suspension feeding. In the past, numerical simulations were used to study the detection of prey, mates, or predators and the feeding current generation by limb motion [28][39][40][41]. However, mechanical property gradients and adhesion of setae were previously not addressed. As model organism we

Thermal transport in kinked nanowires through simulation

• Alexander N. Robillard,
• Graham W. Gibson and
• Ralf Meyer

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2023, 14, 586–602, doi:10.3762/bjnano.14.49

• Fourier model. Keywords: ballistic transport; kinked nanowire; molecular dynamics; phonon Monte Carlo; thermal transport; Introduction The thermal conductivity of semiconductor nanostructures is of great interest because of potential applications in a wide variety of fields, such as thermal control

• distances without scattering off a surface. With a small ratio, we must take into account the nature of phonon scattering and reflection into our model of heat transport. This idea ties in to the familiar Knudsen number, Kn = λ/L, with λ being some transport mean free path and L being a measurement of the

• after reflection in contrast to diffuse reflections, which, in the limiting case, would result in flux being uniformly emitted in a semicircular region about the point of reflection. Essentially, in the PMC model, the statement that the flux appears concentrated in a band narrower than the system

Transferability of interatomic potentials for silicene

• Marcin Maździarz

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2023, 14, 574–585, doi:10.3762/bjnano.14.48

• graphene has also sparked interest in other non-carbon 2D materials [1][2]. One of such materials is 2D silicon, called silicene [3][4]. Using first-principles methods with current computer resources enables us to model structures up to about a few hundred atoms. For larger systems, approximate methods are

Carbon nanotube-cellulose ink for rapid solvent identification

• Tiago Amarante,
• Thiago H. R. Cunha,
• Claudio Laudares,
• Ana P. M. Barboza,
• Ana Carolina dos Santos,
• Cíntia L. Pereira,
• Vinicius Ornelas,
• Bernardo R. A. Neves,
• André S. Ferlauto and
• Rodrigo G. Lacerda

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2023, 14, 535–543, doi:10.3762/bjnano.14.44

• ) using a PerkinElmer STA 8000 device. Electrical measurements were performed using a lock-in amplifier (SR830 DSP Stanford Research Systems), a pre-amplifier (model 1211 DL instruments), and a multimeter (model 2000 Keithley), which were controlled by a computer. Conductive ink and conductive polymer

Nanoarchitectonics to entrap living cells in silica-based systems: encapsulations with yolk–shell and sepiolite nanomaterials

• Celia Martín-Morales,
• Jorge Fernández-Méndez,
• Pilar Aranda and
• Eduardo Ruiz-Hitzky

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2023, 14, 522–534, doi:10.3762/bjnano.14.43

• been used for yeast cultivation. Two different unicellular microorganisms have been used. The wild-type cyanobacteria Synechococcus elongatus PCC7942 was used as a representative model of phototrophic prokaryotic microorganisms, and a wild-type Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain was selected as a model of

Mixed oxides with corundum-type structure obtained from recycling can seals as paint pigments: color stability

• Dienifer F. L. Horsth,
• Julia de O. Primo,
• Nayara Balaba,
• Fauze J. Anaissi and
• Carla Bittencourt

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2023, 14, 467–477, doi:10.3762/bjnano.14.37

• , USA), equipped with optical fiber, tungsten halogen source, and silicon (350–720 nm) and germanium (720–1050 nm) detectors. The colorimetric analysis was performed on the pigments in the form of powder, and after application on the plaster specimens using a portable colorimeter (3nh, model NR60CP

Evaluation of electrosynthesized reduced graphene oxide–Ni/Fe/Co-based (oxy)hydroxide catalysts towards the oxygen evolution reaction

• Karolina Cysewska,
• Marcin Łapiński,
• Marcin Zając,
• Jakub Karczewski,
• Piotr Jasiński and
• Sebastian Molin

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2023, 14, 420–433, doi:10.3762/bjnano.14.34

• RHE with a scan rate of 5 mV·s−1. The EIS spectra were recorded in the frequency range from 10 kHz to 1 Hz at 1.6 V vs RHE and amplitude of 10 mV. In order to determine Rct, EIS spectra were fitted with a simple Randles model with the solution resistance, charge transfer resistance, and the constant

Plasmonic nanotechnology for photothermal applications – an evaluation

• A. R. Indhu,
• L. Keerthana and
• Gnanaprakash Dharmalingam

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2023, 14, 380–419, doi:10.3762/bjnano.14.33

• the equation quantifying the absorption frequency of plasmons, followed by a discussion on the changes to this frequency that can be induced by changing the governing parameters of this equation, and conclude with a few examples that model the optical scattering properties of generic morphologies such

• through pump–probe laser spectroscopy [83]. From the slope of this transient reflectivity curve, the coupling constant is arrived at, from which the lattice temperature is calculated through the two-temperature model by means of two coupled diffusion equations, where Te and Tl are, respectively, the

The steep road to nonviral nanomedicines: Frequent challenges and culprits in designing nanoparticles for gene therapy

• Yao Yao,
• Yeongun Ko,
• Grant Grasman,
• Jeffery E. Raymond and
• Joerg Lahann

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2023, 14, 351–361, doi:10.3762/bjnano.14.30

• be reached, the identification of structure–function and material–biological relations of NPs could be dramatically accelerated. Prevalence of reporting imaging and (or) flow cytometry techniques, protein corona, 3D cell culture model(s), and serum content during nanoparticle incubation with cells in

Polymer nanoparticles from low-energy nanoemulsions for biomedical applications

• Santiago Grijalvo and
• Carlos Rodriguez-Abreu

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2023, 14, 339–350, doi:10.3762/bjnano.14.29

• encapsulated in these ethyl cellulose nanoparticles by dissolving it in the hydrophobic droplet phase of the starting nanoemulsions. The drug release from the nanoparticles appeared to follow a coupled diffusion/relaxation model. Nanoemulsions containing ethyl cellulose have also been prepared at room

Overview of mechanism and consequences of endothelial leakiness caused by metal and polymeric nanoparticles

• Magdalena Lasak and
• Karol Ciepluch

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2023, 14, 329–338, doi:10.3762/bjnano.14.28

• mechanism based on the transcellular pathway as the dominant mechanism of NP transport through the endothelium. They supported their observations by quantitatively measuring the uptake of 15, 50, and 100 nm PEGylated Au NPs in various mouse tumor models using ICP-MS. Similarly, in a Zombie mouse model, they

• penetrate the BBB using a six-cell spheroid model. They reported the ease of the NPs to enter the spheroid and suggested the existence of a mechanism allowing NPs to cross the BBB [35]. The NanoEL mechanism may also play a key role in the treatment of cancer. In fact, NPs can pass the endothelium due to the

Biocatalytic synthesis and ordered self-assembly of silica nanoparticles via a silica-binding peptide

• Mustafa Gungormus

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2023, 14, 280–290, doi:10.3762/bjnano.14.25

• silica precipitation in vitro [29][30][31][32]. The catalytic activity of these proteins is thought to be similar to the serine–histidine–aspartic acid (SHD) catalytic triad [33][34]. In this model, a hydrogen bond between serine and histidine increases the nucleophilicity of serine. Aspartic acid

• NH3 alone, NH3 + 0.04 mM SiBP, and NH3 + 0.4 mM SiBP, the growth regime followed the classical aggregative growth and monomer addition model [37]. According to this model, at the early stages of the reaction, the dominant regime is homogeneous nucleation of SiO2 particles. The growth continues by