Possibilities and limitations of advanced transmission electron microscopy for carbon-based nanomaterials

• Xiaoxing Ke,
• Carla Bittencourt and
• Gustaaf Van Tendeloo

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2015, 6, 1541–1557, doi:10.3762/bjnano.6.158

• metal-oxide semiconductor) sensor up to 1600 fps [50]. The high sensitivity and fast acquisition in detecting has made possible the automated and ultra-fast acquisition of a series of under-exposed images from the same region. After drift correction, the images of such a sequence are stacked and can

Electronic interaction in composites of a conjugated polymer and carbon nanotubes: first-principles calculation and photophysical approaches

• Florian Massuyeau,
• Jany Wéry,
• Jean-Luc Duvail,
• Serge Lefrant,
• Abu Yaya,
• Chris Ewels and
• Eric Faulques

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2015, 6, 1138–1144, doi:10.3762/bjnano.6.115

• at 4.64 eV with a 100 fs pulsed laser at low photon density (below 1017 cm−3) and PL images were recorded with a streak camera [16][17]. Steady-state PL spectra and quantum yields Q were measured at 3.1 eV excitation energy [18]. Photoconductivity measurements were performed at 2.54 eV with a high

• sensitivity Keithley electrometer. Figure 1 compares photoconductivity (PC) data and quantum yield estimates for the composite PPV/SWNT series x = 0–32%. We observe that the quantum yield decreases from a value of 19% (x = 0, standard PPV) in good agreement with the literature [19][20] down to 4% for x = 32

High sensitivity and high resolution element 3D analysis by a combined SIMS–SPM instrument

• Yves Fleming and
• Tom Wirtz

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2015, 6, 1091–1099, doi:10.3762/bjnano.6.110

• has increased during the last decade [1]. In particular, nano-analytical techniques and instruments providing both excellent spatial resolution and high-sensitivity chemical information are of utmost importance for investigations at the nanoscale. Secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) is a method of

• choice for high sensitivity analysis, including isotopic ratio measurements [2][3]. State-of-the-art SIMS imaging instruments can provide chemical 2D and 3D maps with a lateral resolution of around 50 nm [4][5]. However, several important artefacts result from the fact that conventional 3D image

Tunable magnetism on the lateral mesoscale by post-processing of Co/Pt heterostructures

• Oleksandr V. Dobrovolskiy,
• Maksym Kompaniiets,
• Roland Sachser,
• Fabrizio Porrati,
• Christian Gspan,
• Harald Plank and
• Michael Huth

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2015, 6, 1082–1090, doi:10.3762/bjnano.6.109

• with a CS probe corrector (DCOR) was used. The TEM was equipped with a X-FEG high-brightness electron gun, the high-end post-column electron energy filter Quantum ERSTM from Gatan, and four high sensitivity SDD X-ray detectors from Bruker (Super-X). The measurements were performed at an accelerating

Synergic combination of the sol–gel method with dip coating for plasmonic devices

• Cristiana Figus,
• Maddalena Patrini,
• Francesco Floris,
• Lucia Fornasari,
• Paola Pellacani,
• Gerardo Marchesini,
• Andrea Valsesia,
• Flavia Artizzu,
• Daniela Marongiu,
• Michele Saba,
• Franco Marabelli,
• Andrea Mura,
• Giovanni Bongiovanni and
• Francesco Quochi

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2015, 6, 500–507, doi:10.3762/bjnano.6.52

• 10.3762/bjnano.6.52 Abstract Biosensing technologies based on plasmonic nanostructures have recently attracted significant attention due to their small dimensions, low-cost and high sensitivity but are often limited in terms of affinity, selectivity and stability. Consequently, several methods have been

Hollow plasmonic antennas for broadband SERS spectroscopy

• Gabriele C. Messina,
• Mario Malerba,
• Pierfrancesco Zilio,
• Ermanno Miele,
• Michele Dipalo,
• Lorenzo Ferrara and
• Francesco De Angelis

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2015, 6, 492–498, doi:10.3762/bjnano.6.50

• be considered that some of the biomolecules of interest are present in very low concentrations. Therefore, monitoring such an environment requires techniques that can offer both flexibility and high sensitivity for all cases. In other words, the investigation of the biological functions of living

• cells requires the acquisition of information from many different cell parts. For example, considering the most common investigation method in biology, namely fluorescence spectroscopy, it offers very high sensitivity, but at the cost of being sensitive only to those molecules for which the label has

Overview about the localization of nanoparticles in tissue and cellular context by different imaging techniques

• Anja Ostrowski,
• Daniel Nordmeyer,
• Alexander Boreham,
• Cornelia Holzhausen,
• Lars Mundhenk,
• Christina Graf,
• Martina C. Meinke,
• Annika Vogt,
• Sabrina Hadam,
• Jürgen Lademann,
• Eckart Rühl,
• Ulrike Alexiev and
• Achim D. Gruber

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2015, 6, 263–280, doi:10.3762/bjnano.6.25

• sensitivities [71]. Both LMA and EMA offer high sensitivity due to the possibility of long exposure times with even small amounts of radioactive decay being detectable [56][58][72]. Importantly, after counterstaining the same slides with standard histostains, such as HE, routine pathohistologic examination of

Mechanical properties of MDCK II cells exposed to gold nanorods

• Anna Pietuch,
• Bastian Rouven Brückner,
• David Schneider,
• Marco Tarantola,
• Christina Rosman,
• Carsten Sönnichsen and
• Andreas Janshoff

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2015, 6, 223–231, doi:10.3762/bjnano.6.21

• in the context of human exposure to nanoparticles. Hence, biosensors with high sensitivity, selectivity, fast real-time readout, and non-invasiveness are desirable design criteria for screening toxicity of nanoparticles varying in size, shape, and surface functionalization. Most cytotoxicity assays

The distribution and degradation of radiolabeled superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles and quantum dots in mice

• Denise Bargheer,
• Artur Giemsa,
• Barbara Freund,
• Markus Heine,
• Christian Waurisch,
• Gordon M. Stachowski,
• Stephen G. Hickey,
• Alexander Eychmüller,
• Jörg Heeren and
• Peter Nielsen

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2015, 6, 111–123, doi:10.3762/bjnano.6.11

• respective trace element homeostasis, it can also limit the relevance of such trace material-based approaches in nanobioscience. By monitoring 51Cr-SPIOs after oral gavage, the gastrointestinal non-absorption of intact SPIOs in a hydrophilic or lipophilic surrounding was measured in mice with such high

• sensitivity for the first time. After intravenous injection, polymer-coated, 65Zn-Qdots were mainly taken up by the liver and spleen, which was different from that of ionic 65ZnCl2. Following the label for 4 weeks, an indication of substantial degradation of the nanoparticles and the release of the label into

Localized surface plasmon resonances in nanostructures to enhance nonlinear vibrational spectroscopies: towards an astonishing molecular sensitivity

• Dan Lis and
• Francesca Cecchet

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2014, 5, 2275–2292, doi:10.3762/bjnano.5.237

• molecule detection. Furthermore, this weak molecular contribution was still higher than the non-resonant contributions of water and silver particles. The authors confirmed the high sensitivity of the system with the peptide angiotensin I, as testified by the 40 times higher signal than that of SERS, while

• metallic nanoshells could be used as well for accurate imaging with SE-CARS (Figure 9). They showed the high sensitivity of the method to selectively image basal cell proteins p63 in normal prostate tissues. The authors also underlined the key advantages of immuno-SE-CARS microscopy: it enables to get very

Sequence-dependent electrical response of ssDNA-decorated carbon nanotube, field-effect transistors to dopamine

• Hari Krishna Salila Vijayalal Mohan,
• Jianing An and
• Lianxi Zheng

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2014, 5, 2113–2121, doi:10.3762/bjnano.5.220

• : carbon nanotube; deoxyribonucleic acid; dopamine; field-effect transistor; uric acid; Introduction Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) are excellent chemical/biological sensing materials because of their ultra-high sensitivity, fast response, and size compatibility, as compared to traditional

Effect of channel length on the electrical response of carbon nanotube field-effect transistors to deoxyribonucleic acid hybridization

• Hari Krishna Salila Vijayalal Mohan,
• Jianing An,
• Yani Zhang,
• Chee How Wong and
• Lianxi Zheng

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2014, 5, 2081–2091, doi:10.3762/bjnano.5.217

• comparable to the size of single biomolecules, and to the electrostatic screening length in physiological solutions, which offers high sensitivity because of their large specific area; ii) their tubular structure allows fabrication of ultrasensitive, single nanotube-based devices; and iii) their excellent

Optical properties and electrical transport of thin films of terbium(III) bis(phthalocyanine) on cobalt

• Peter Robaschik,
• Pablo F. Siles,
• Daniel Bülz,
• Peter Richter,
• Manuel Monecke,
• Michael Fronk,
• Svetlana Klyatskaya,
• Daniel Grimm,
• Oliver G. Schmidt,
• Mario Ruben,
• Dietrich R. T. Zahn and
• Georgeta Salvan

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2014, 5, 2070–2078, doi:10.3762/bjnano.5.215

• performed in AC tapping mode, which guarantees minimal contact between the AFM probe and the organic film. Ultra sharp (4–10 nm radius) Olympus cantilevers allowed high sensitivity measurements. cs-AFM measurements were performed in contact mode using special Pt-coated Si cantilevers with a spring constant

Real-time monitoring of calcium carbonate and cationic peptide deposition on carboxylate-SAM using a microfluidic SAW biosensor

• Anna Pohl and
• Ingrid M. Weiss

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2014, 5, 1823–1835, doi:10.3762/bjnano.5.193

• concerned [14][19]. Especially in the field of biomineralization it is therefore of major importance to quantify biomolecular interactions as a solid–liquid system with high sensitivity. Recent progress in the field of biosensors based on surface acoustic wave (SAW) technology has made it possible to

• perform experiments with very high sensitivity in extremely small volumes of liquid media [29]. Surface acoustic wave biosensors operate with different types of waves [30]. Not all of them are useful for fluidic applications due to an enormous energy loss [31]. The propagation of the surface acoustic wave

In vitro and in vivo interactions of selected nanoparticles with rodent serum proteins and their consequences in biokinetics

• Wolfgang G. Kreyling,
• Stefanie Fertsch-Gapp,
• Martin Schäffler,
• Blair D. Johnston,
• Nadine Haberl,
• Christian Pfeiffer,
• Jörg Diendorf,
• Carsten Schleh,
• Stephanie Hirn,
• Manuela Semmler-Behnke,
• Matthias Epple and
• Wolfgang J. Parak

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2014, 5, 1699–1711, doi:10.3762/bjnano.5.180

• of higher affinity to the NP surface. When applying high sensitivity proteomics technologies such as LC–MS/MS, surprisingly many proteins were detected within the different coronas of different NP. Besides opsonizing proteins, other proteins were identified such as transport and immuno-related

Probing viscoelastic surfaces with bimodal tapping-mode atomic force microscopy: Underlying physics and observables for a standard linear solid model

• Santiago D. Solares

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2014, 5, 1649–1663, doi:10.3762/bjnano.5.176

• frequency) can be adjusted almost at will to explore a wider range of interactions with high sensitivity. There currently exists a variety of other multi-frequency techniques that use multi-eigenmode excitation with two or three drive signals [9][11][12][14][15][16][17][18][19][20], discrete multi-frequency

Precise quantification of silica and ceria nanoparticle uptake revealed by 3D fluorescence microscopy

• Adriano A. Torrano and
• Christoph Bräuchle

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2014, 5, 1616–1624, doi:10.3762/bjnano.5.173

• with the cells, e.g., membrane-associated particles and intracellular particles. Mass spectroscopy offers very high sensitivity, but is a sample-destructive technique and spatial information is not obtained. Moreover, results are normally expressed in arbitrary units, and not in absolute numbers

Donor–acceptor graphene-based hybrid materials facilitating photo-induced electron-transfer reactions

• Anastasios Stergiou,
• Georgia Pagona and
• Nikos Tagmatarchis

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2014, 5, 1580–1589, doi:10.3762/bjnano.5.170

• demonstrates the usage of a GO–coumarin conjugate as an activated fluorescent imaging probe with high sensitivity in the visualization of cancer cells [54]. The fluorescence of the probe can be switched off or on during intracellular imaging. Normally, the probe shows no or weak fluorescence (off) due to the

Effects of palladium on the optical and hydrogen sensing characteristics of Pd-doped ZnO nanoparticles

• Anh-Thu Thi Do,
• Hong Thai Giang,
• Thu Thi Do,
• Ngan Quang Pham and
• Giang Truong Ho

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2014, 5, 1261–1267, doi:10.3762/bjnano.5.140

• the gas sensing response characteristics allows us to suggest that the dissociation of hydrogen takes place at PdZn-vacancies ([Pd 2+(4d9)]). The design of this sensor allows for a continuous monitoring in the range of 0–100% LEL H2 concentration with high sensitivity and selectivity. Keywords

• concentration in the range of 0–100% LEL with high sensitivity and selectivity. Experimental ZnO nanopowders were synthesized by a wet chemical method with zinc acetate dihydrate, Zn(CH3COO)2·2H2O, sodium hydroxide, NaOH, and absolute ethanol (analytical reagents, Merck) as starting materials. In a typical

Highly NO₂ sensitive caesium doped graphene oxide conductometric sensors

• Carlo Piloto,
• Marco Notarianni,
• Mahnaz Shafiei,
• Elena Taran,
• Dilini Galpaya,
• Cheng Yan and
• Nunzio Motta

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2014, 5, 1073–1081, doi:10.3762/bjnano.5.120

• power consumption is a critical parameter. Carbon-based materials, such as graphene and chemically derived graphene, offer high sensitivity to cost ratio even when operating at room temperature [52]. In this article, we report for the first time the fabrication, characterization and gas sensing

Growth and characterization of CNT–TiO₂ heterostructures

• Yucheng Zhang,
• Ivo Utke,
• Johann Michler,
• Gabriele Ilari,
• Marta D. Rossell and
• Rolf Erni

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2014, 5, 946–955, doi:10.3762/bjnano.5.108

• the research frontier due to their extraordinary properties [1][2][3][4][5]. Applications based on CNTs including high sensitivity sensors, next generation transistors and high efficiency solar cells have been proposed, and tremendous progress has been achieved. A particularly interesting research

Gas sensing with gold-decorated vertically aligned carbon nanotubes

• Prasantha R. Mudimela,
• Mattia Scardamaglia,
• Oriol González-León,
• Nicolas Reckinger,
• Rony Snyders,
• Eduard Llobet,
• Carla Bittencourt and
• Jean-François Colomer

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2014, 5, 910–918, doi:10.3762/bjnano.5.104

• based on nanomaterials have been developed to fabricate small and inexpensive gas sensors with high sensitivity and able to work at room temperature [1]. Among the possible active materials in gas sensing devices, good candidates are carbon nanotubes (CNTs), thanks to their intrinsic properties such as

• nanotube occurs upon exposure to different gases, including NO2 [5]. Since this first study, gas sensors based on CNT films, i.e., random CNT networks (single- or multi-walled nanotubes) were intensively investigated and shown to exhibit, in some particular cases, high sensitivity (even when operated at

An analytical approach to evaluate the performance of graphene and carbon nanotubes for NH₃ gas sensor applications

• Elnaz Akbari,
• Vijay K. Arora,
• Aria Enzevaee,
• Mohamad. T. Ahmadi,
• Mehdi Saeidmanesh,
• Mohsen Khaledian,
• Hediyeh Karimi and
• Rubiyah Yusof

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2014, 5, 726–734, doi:10.3762/bjnano.5.85

• /graphene, the carrier concentration will change due to the variability of the current in the drain and the source, which is a measurable parameter [5][25][26][27][28][29]. The best gas sensor has a high sensitivity and is capable of sensing even one atom or molecule of gas [3][30]. Numerous recent

• in conductivity depends on gas concentration, for which the equation can be written as: where the constants are calculated in the same manner to be c = 1.4129 and d = 8.0494. Conclusion Outstanding properties such as high sensitivity as well as remarkable carrier transport features make both graphene

Analytical development and optimization of a graphene–solution interface capacitance model

• Hediyeh Karimi,
• Rasoul Rahmani,
• Reza Mashayekhi,
• Leyla Ranjbari,
• Amir H. Shirdel,
• Niloofar Haghighian,
• Parisa Movahedi,
• Moein Hadiyan and
• Razali Ismail

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2014, 5, 603–609, doi:10.3762/bjnano.5.71

• -based EGFETs device performance. Conclusion Graphene as a 2D sheet of hexagonally arranged carbon atoms exhibits amazing carrier transport properties and a high sensitivity at the single-molecule level, which makes it a promising material for nanoscale devices. According to the graphene structure, it

Hole-mask colloidal nanolithography combined with tilted-angle-rotation evaporation: A versatile method for fabrication of low-cost and large-area complex plasmonic nanostructures and metamaterials

• Jun Zhao,
• Bettina Frank,
• Frank Neubrech,
• Chunjie Zhang,
• Paul V. Braun and
• Harald Giessen

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2014, 5, 577–586, doi:10.3762/bjnano.5.68

• extremely small resonance width. Furthermore, Fano resonances show a very high sensitivity for the change of the surrounding refractive index, which is a singularly appropriate platform for localized surface plasmon resonant (LSPR) sensing [5][6][7][8]. In order to evaluate the suitability of this first