Mn-doped ZnO nanopowders prepared by sol–gel and microwave-assisted sol–gel methods and their photocatalytic properties

• Cristina Maria Vlăduț,
• Crina Anastasescu,
• Silviu Preda,
• Oana Catalina Mocioiu,
• Simona Petrescu,
• Jeanina Pandele-Cusu,
• Dana Culita,
• Veronica Bratan,
• Ioan Balint and
• Maria Zaharescu

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2024, 15, 1283–1296, doi:10.3762/bjnano.15.104

• their newly proved functionality, namely, the ability to photogenerate distinct reactive oxygen species (·OH or O2−) and to act as photoactive materials in aqueous media. The solar light-induced mineralization of oxalic acid by Mn-doped ZnO materials was clearly observed while similar amounts of

• generated CO2 were measured for both catalysts. These inexpensive semiconductor materials, which proved to be light-responsive, can be further used for developing water depollution technologies based on solar light energy. Keywords: microwave-assisted synthesis; oxalic acid mineralization; semiconductor

• toxic, and light-responsive. Up to now, advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) were used for the cleaning of waste water. Although AOPs based on engineered materials were performed in conjunction with biological treatments, the need for optimization still remains. Many photoactive semiconductors were

Functional morphology of cleaning devices in the damselfly Ischnura elegans (Odonata, Coenagrionidae)

• Silvana Piersanti,
• Gianandrea Salerno,
• Wencke Krings,
• Stanislav Gorb and
• Manuela Rebora

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2024, 15, 1260–1272, doi:10.3762/bjnano.15.102

• Ischnura elegans males and females were collected in the field at Centro Ittiogenico del Trasimeno - Sant’Arcangelo (Perugia, Umbria region, Italy), in spring and summer 2023–2024. They were maintained for 2–3 days in a controlled climate chamber (14:10 light–dark rhythm, at a temperature of 25 ± 1 °C and

• relative humidity of 70 ± 10%) inside net cages (25 cm × 25 cm × 25 cm). Drosophila melanogaster flies were used to feed the damselflies. Adult insects of both sexes were used in the study. Light microscopy To count the mean number of foretibial grooming structures in males and females, we anaesthetized 13

• slides, stained with 1% methylene blue with sodium borate, and observed and photographed using a KOPPACE microscope camera KP-2100 (KOPPACE, Kepuaisi Science Technology, Shenzhen, China) mounted on a light microscope Leica DMLB (Leica Microsystem GmbH, Wetzlar, Germany). Scanning electron microscopy

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

• Iris Renata Sousa Ribeiro Raquel Frenedoso da Silva Romenia Ramos Domingues Adriana Franco Paes Leme Mateus Borba Cardoso Institute of Chemistry (IQ), University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Postal Code 13083- 970, Post Office Box 6154, Campinas, SP, Brazil Brazilian Synchrotron Light Laboratory (LNLS

• 1.0 mg·mL–1) and later used for the quantification of captured SiO2NPs-ZW-FO. The calculations were performed using the value obtained at the maximum of the emission band. Stability of SiO2NPs in cell culture medium and human plasma Dynamic light scattering (DLS) measurements were performed to

Enhanced catalytic reduction through in situ synthesized gold nanoparticles embedded in glucosamine/alginate nanocomposites

• Chi-Hien Dang,
• Le-Kim-Thuy Nguyen,
• Minh-Trong Tran,
• Van-Dung Le,
• Nguyen Minh Ty,
• T. Ngoc Han Pham,
• Hieu Vu-Quang,
• Tran Thi Kim Chi,
• Tran Thi Huong Giang,
• Nguyen Thi Thanh Tu and
• Thanh-Danh Nguyen

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2024, 15, 1227–1237, doi:10.3762/bjnano.15.99

• microscopy (TEM) and selected area electron diffraction (SAED) were carried out using a JEOL JEM-2100 instrument. Crystal structure characterizations of AuNPs were carried out via XRD diffraction. Zeta potential and dynamic light scattering (DLS) measurements were carried out on gel solutions (1.0 mg·mL−1

A low-kiloelectronvolt focused ion beam strategy for processing low-thermal-conductance materials with nanoampere currents

• Annalena Wolff,
• Nico Klingner,
• William Thompson,
• Yinghong Zhou,
• Jinying Lin and
• Yin Xiao

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2024, 15, 1197–1207, doi:10.3762/bjnano.15.97

• light interactions with biological tissue [18] as well as focused electron beam-induced deposition (FEBID) [19]. The general approach to assess the beam-induced heat damage and undesired artifacts, regardless if working with ions [17], photons [18], or electrons [19], compares experiments to models

• based on heat transfer and to Monte Carlo or finite element simulations [17][18][19]. Open source programs that assess heat deposition and diffusion are readily available to assess damage in light–tissue interactions [18]. For electron beams, multidimensional models predicting electron beam-induced

Quantum-to-classical modeling of monolayer Ge₂Se₂ and its application in photovoltaic devices

• Anup Shrivastava,
• Shivani Saini,
• Dolly Kumari,
• Sanjai Singh and
• Jost Adam

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2024, 15, 1153–1169, doi:10.3762/bjnano.15.94

• and relatively low manufacturing cost [3][4]. These solar cells are based on perovskite-structured compounds, which have demonstrated excellent light absorption, charge-carrier mobilities, and tunable bandgaps [5]. Despite the rapid advancements in PSC technology, some critical issues, such as long

• , which further leads to higher transition possibilities. The absorption coefficient elucidates the rate at which light intensity diminishes while entering the material. It primarily depends upon the imaginary part of the refractive index k(λ) = Im{n(λ)} and the wavelength of the incident light λ, as per

• CBM around a wide range of spectra at the S point. Refractive index and extinction coefficient The real part of the material’s refractive index defines the angle of refraction that the light undergoes while entering a medium. Higher refractive indices refer to lower refraction angles measured from the

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

• of TiO2 on p-type SiNWs. The TiO2/SiNWs heterostructure exhibited an outstanding OCM performance under simulated solar light irradiation compared to the single components. This enhanced efficiency was attributed to the intrinsic electrical field formed between n-type TiO2 and p-type SiNWs, which

• because of its high stability, good dispersibility, and narrow energy bandgap. However, pristine TiO2 shows only low photocatalytic efficiency because of the high recombination rate between holes and electrons and the low visible-light harvesting ability [20][21][22]. The rapid recombination of charge

• electron–hole pairs. Additionally, TiO2/SiNWs offer flexibility, improved bandgap energy, and enhanced light harvesting across a broad spectrum, leading to higher photocatalytic efficiency. Combining SiNWs and TiO2 presents an opportunity to leverage the strengths of both materials while mitigating their

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

• . “Experimental” section) for focused electron beam-induced deposition (FEBID). (hfac)AgPMe3 is a white to light yellow solid, which was used before for chemical vapor deposition [32] and for growing silver nanoparticles by atomic layer deposition [33]. Like for other silver precursors, a pronounced halo and a

Unveiling the potential of alginate-based nanomaterials in sensing technology and smart delivery applications

• Shakhzodjon Uzokboev,
• Khojimukhammad Akhmadbekov,
• Ra’no Nuritdinova,
• Salah M. Tawfik and
• Yong-Ill Lee

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2024, 15, 1077–1104, doi:10.3762/bjnano.15.88

• [61]. Nanoparticle size: The nanoparticle size can be determined using a variety of methods including dynamic (DLS) and static (SLS) light scattering; TEM, SEM, and AFM are also widely employed [62][63]. DLS and SLS can detect particle size by determining changes in distribution of particle size

• sensor. Another fluorescence-based smart sensor from alginate nanofilms was prepared [122]. Scientists proved that relative humidity could be detected using a guar gum–sodium alginate (GGSA) nanocomposite film. The study found that the fluorescence of biocomposite films under UV light varies at various

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

• to the harmonic displacement of the cantilever in the time domain. As the interferometer signal is limited in amplitude because of the spatial periodicity of the interferometer light field, an increasing cantilever oscillation amplitude creates an output signal with an increasingly complex temporal

• . Keywords: amplitude calibration; displacement detection; force microscopy; interferometer signal; NC-AFM; Introduction Optical interferometry is a reliable technique utilizing light waves to measure distance and displacement with high precision [1][2]. With the light wavelength as the length standard, a

• 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

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

• (TCR) [6], and high mechanical stability [7]. Vertically aligned CNTs (VACNTs) are considered to be nearly ideal blackbody absorbers because of their ability to absorb light over a broad spectral range (0.2–200 μm), closely resembling the theoretical blackbody that absorbs all wavelengths of light [3

• VACNTs (water-assisted CVD on silicon substrates with ethylene as the carbon source) has been investigated by [3]. They showed that vertically aligned SWCNTs can absorb light almost perfectly with a reflectance of 0.01–0.02 over a very wide spectral range (0.2–200 μm). The UV-to-mid-IR absorption

• reduced by more than one order of magnitude. Assuming a similar temperature increase in the CNT walls, the responsivity will increase by an order of magnitude. In addition, the CNT height can be reduced to the effective light absorption depth to achieve a more homogeneous temperature rise over the wall

Entry of nanoparticles into cells and tissues: status and challenges

• Kirsten Sandvig,
• Tore Geir Iversen and
• Tore Skotland

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2024, 15, 1017–1029, doi:10.3762/bjnano.15.83

• [29]. Other microscopy techniques that are useful for such studies are correlative light and electron microscopy (CLEM) [30], confocal microscopy with Z-stacks [4], and structured illumination microscopy (SIM) which can also demonstrate in which organelles the NPs are localized. The SIM image shown in

Atomistic insights into the morphological dynamics of gold and platinum nanoparticles: MD simulations in vacuum and aqueous media

• Evangelos Voyiatzis,
• Eugenia Valsami-Jones and
• Antreas Afantitis

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2024, 15, 995–1009, doi:10.3762/bjnano.15.81

• cooling, is still hindered by several factors. For instance, observing NPs under real working conditions remains a challenge for experimentalists, as the capability to conduct in situ experiments has not yet been fully realized [21]. Experimental methods, such as confocal microscopy [22], laser light

• clusters consisting of 1157 atoms [51]. Some light on the microscopic origin of the anisotropic growth of gold NPs has been cast via molecular dynamics simulations [52]. In a similar way, Lümmen and Kraska investigated the homogeneous nucleation and cluster growth of Pt clusters from supersaturated vapour

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

• under light loads but become adhesive upon applying a certain minimum pressure level. This concept inspired the first generation of gecko-jammed composites presented at the Adhesion Society annual meeting in 2020 [46]. To achieve a cost-effective system, we opted for commercial biomimetic materials from

Therapeutic effect of F127-folate@PLGA/CHL/IR780 nanoparticles on folate receptor-expressing cancer cells

• Thi Ngoc Han Pham,
• Phuong-Thao Dang-Luong,
• Hong-Phuc Nguyen,
• Loc Le-Tuan,
• Xuan Thang Cao,
• Thanh-Danh Nguyen,
• Vy Tran Anh and
• Hieu Vu_Quang

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2024, 15, 954–964, doi:10.3762/bjnano.15.78

• ]. Therefore, it is essential to prevent CHL hydrolysis by incorporating it into nanoparticles, boosting its stability. IR780 iodide is a lipophilic heptamethine NIR fluorophore that absorbs light with a peak at 780 nm. It turns NIR (750–1000 nm) laser energy into heat after being exposed to it. It was

• then collected by 30 min of centrifugation at 12,000 rpm. Another set of particles, such as F127@PLGA/Cou-6, and F127-folate@PLGA/Cou-6, were used in the cell targeting experiment, which were prepared under similar conditions. Characterization of F127-folate@PLGA/CHL/IR780 nanoparticles Dynamic light

• fluorescent dye used to visualize particle location using infrared light [25]. Researchers have also found that F127-folate helps the nanoparticle to penetrate cancer cells through the folate receptor. This makes the treatment work better [12][13][14][34][35][36][37]. Our nanoparticles were also modified with

Electrospun nanofibers: building blocks for the repair of bone tissue

• Tuğrul Mert Serim,
• Gülin Amasya,
• Tuğba Eren-Böncü,
• Ceyda Tuba Şengel-Türk and
• Ayşe Nurten Özdemir

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2024, 15, 941–953, doi:10.3762/bjnano.15.77

• osteoconduction, adaptability to the target area, biodegradation, and appropriate mechanical properties, which are among the main parameters that are important in the design of polymeric bone grafts. The aim of this review is to cast light on the increasing use of nanofiber-based scaffolds in bone tissue

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

• extending over a larger time frame. Ageing effects on the morphology of the attachment pads and the autofluorescence of the cuticle were documented using light, scanning electron, and confocal laser scanning microscopy. The results show that both adhesion and friction forces decline with age. Deflation of

• abovementioned attachment measurements (see sections 2 and 3) were repeated once a week for six consecutive weeks. The measurements started ca. 1.5 months post adult molt. The order of substrates and the direction to be measured first were randomized per animal and week. 5 Light microscopy The tarsi of all

• , the degree of sclerotization [50][55]. Both methods indicate the degree of sclerotization through the autofluorescence of the materials excited with light of different wavelengths. The detected autofluorescence signals are visualized in different colors according to the excitation wavelength [50

A review on the structural characterization of nanomaterials for nano-QSAR models

• Salvador Moncho,
• Eva Serrano-Candelas,
• Jesús Vicente de Julián-Ortiz and
• Rafael Gozalbes

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2024, 15, 854–866, doi:10.3762/bjnano.15.71

• features. In this review, we survey the literature for existing predictive models for NMs and discuss the variety of calculated and experimental features used to define and describe NMs. In the light of this research, we propose a classification of the descriptors including those that directly describe a

• light scattering (DLS) is another technique that can be used to describe the hydrodynamic size or the aggregation of the nanoforms in larger nanostructures, depending on the medium and other conditions. In some cases, the size values reported in the papers are not measured on purpose, but are the

• worth to note that Pathakoti et al. [61] included the light exposure as a variable in their toxicity models of metal oxides versus E. coli, obtaining two series of toxicity data for the same set of NMs. Analogously, Basant and collaborators considered toxicity values measured under different light

Intermixing of MoS₂ and WS₂ photocatalysts toward methylene blue photodegradation

• Maryam Al Qaydi,
• Nitul S. Rajput,
• Michael Lejeune,
• Abdellatif Bouchalkha,
• Mimoun El Marssi,
• Steevy Cordette,
• Chaouki Kasmi and
• Mustapha Jouiad

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2024, 15, 817–829, doi:10.3762/bjnano.15.68

• Arab Emirates 10.3762/bjnano.15.68 Abstract Visible-light-driven photocatalysis using layered materials has garnered increasing attention regarding the degradation of organic dyes. Herein, transition-metal dichalcogenides MoS2 and WS2 prepared by chemical vapor deposition as well as their intermixing

• several cycles. This finding underscores the advantageous outcomes of intermixing WS2 and MoS2, shedding light on the development of an efficient and enduring photocatalyst for visible-light-driven photodegradation of methylene blue. Keywords: methylene blue; MoS2/WS2 composite; photocatalysis

• transport [14][15]. At each stage of the photocatalytic process sequence, the intermixing of TMD materials is intended to efficiently enhance light absorption, photogeneration of charge carriers, and activation of the surface redox reaction [16][17]. Furthermore, TMD materials are known to possess favorable

Electron-induced ligand loss from iron tetracarbonyl methyl acrylate

• Hlib Lyshchuk,
• Atul Chaudhary,
• Thomas F. M. Luxford,
• Miloš Ranković,
• Jaroslav Kočišek,
• Juraj Fedor,
• Lisa McElwee-White and
• Pamir Nag

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2024, 15, 797–807, doi:10.3762/bjnano.15.66

• . Interesting differences also appear when this precursor is compared to structurally similar iron pentacarbonyl. The present findings shed light on the recent electron-induced chemistry of Fe(CO)4MA on a surface under ultrahigh vacuum. Keywords: electron collision; focused electron beam-induced deposition

Electrospun polysuccinimide scaffolds containing different salts as potential wound dressing material

• Veronika Pálos,
• Krisztina S. Nagy,
• Rita Pázmány,
• Krisztina Juriga-Tóth,
• Bálint Budavári,
• Judit Domokos,
• Dóra Szabó,
• Ákos Zsembery and
• Angela Jedlovszky-Hajdu

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2024, 15, 781–796, doi:10.3762/bjnano.15.65

• research group [34]. The tests were performed first on tumor cells to optimize the experimental conditions and then on fibroblasts to investigate if the scaffolds have a cytotoxic effect. The discs with diameters of 16 mm (m = 0.5 ± 0.1 mg) were sterilized under UV light for 1 h. After that, they were

Green synthesis of biomass-derived carbon quantum dots for photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue

• Dalia Chávez-García,
• Mario Guzman,
• Viridiana Sanchez and
• Rubén D. Cadena-Nava

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2024, 15, 755–766, doi:10.3762/bjnano.15.63

• 24 h, CQDs were successfully synthesized. A comprehensive characterization of the CQDs was performed using UV–visible spectroscopy, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering, Raman spectroscopy, and luminescence spectroscopy, confirming their high quality. The photocatalytic

• activity of the CQDs in degrading methylene blue was evaluated under both sunlight and incandescent light irradiation, with measurements taken at 20 min intervals over a 2 h period. The CQDs, with sizes ranging from 1–10 nm, demonstrated notable optical properties, including upconversion and down

• are designed to be resistant to light, detergents, and cleaning products, making them difficult to remove. When these dyes are released into water bodies, they cause pollution problems such as chemical oxygen demand, toxicity, and reduced light penetration, which affects aquatic life. As a result, the

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

• × magnification. The spectral resolution was of the order of 0.5 cm−1. A 532 nm semiconductor laser was used to illuminate the samples. The measurements were performed without detection of polarization of the scattered light. A liquid nitrogen-cooled multichannel silicon CCD camera was used as a detector. Results

Simultaneous electrochemical determination of uric acid and hypoxanthine at a TiO₂/graphene quantum dot-modified electrode

• Vu Ngoc Hoang,
• Dang Thi Ngoc Hoa,
• Nguyen Quang Man,
• Le Vu Truong Son,
• Le Van Thanh Son,
• Vo Thang Nguyen,
• Le Thi Hong Phong,
• Ly Hoang Diem,
• Kieu Chan Ly,
• Ho Sy Thang and
• Dinh Quang Khieu

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2024, 15, 719–732, doi:10.3762/bjnano.15.60

• storage derived from their conjugate structure makes them effectively utilizable over the full light spectrum [13][14]. GQDs can be prepared through solvothermal/hydrothermal processes or carbonization from suitable organic molecules (polymers or biomass) [15]. Biomass waste (e.g., agricultural residues

• µL of 500 µM URI and 20 µL of 500 µM HYT before dilution to 10 mL. Results and Discussion Characterization of materials The mixtures of GQDs and TiO2/GQDs suspensions were exposed to visible and UV light to confirm their fluorescence behavior. Under visible light, the aqueous suspension of GQDs is

• transparent and brown in color, while the suspension of the peroxo titanium complex is opaque yellow. The prepared TiO2/GQD aqueous suspensions, in contrast, display a light yellow color, which gets darker as the ratio of TiO2/GQD in the complex increases (Figure 1a). Under 365 nm UV irradiation (Figure 1b

Elastic modulus of β-Ga₂O₃ nanowires measured by resonance and three-point bending techniques

• Annamarija Trausa,
• Sven Oras,
• Sergei Vlassov,
• Mikk Antsov,
• Tauno Tiirats,
• Andreas Kyritsakis,
• Boris Polyakov and
• Edgars Butanovs

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2024, 15, 704–712, doi:10.3762/bjnano.15.58

• chemical stability [4][5]. Ga2O3 is a promising candidate for visible-blind UV-light sensors [3], power devices and optoelectronics [6][7][8][9], gas sensors [10], and memory devices [8]. These applications can be scaled down to the nanoscale, including flexible nanodevices. Ga2O3 nanowires (NWs) could be