Heat-induced transformation of nickel-coated polycrystalline diamond film studied in situ by XPS and NEXAFS

• Olga V. Sedelnikova,
• Yuliya V. Fedoseeva,
• Dmitriy V. Gorodetskiy,
• Yuri N. Palyanov,
• Elena V. Shlyakhova,
• Eugene A. Maksimovskiy,
• Anna A. Makarova,
• Lyubov G. Bulusheva and
• Aleksandr V. Okotrub

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2025, 16, 887–898, doi:10.3762/bjnano.16.67

• sp3 hybridization is a metastable material. A significant activation barrier hampers its relaxation into sp2 graphitic carbon, and this transformation occurs during vacuum heating in the temperature range of 1500–1800 °C [9]. According to molecular dynamics simulations, graphitization of nonterminated

Synchrotron X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy study of sodium adsorption on vertically arranged MoS₂ layers coated with pyrolytic carbon

• Alexander V. Okotrub,
• Anastasiya D. Fedorenko,
• Anna A. Makarova,
• Veronica S. Sulyaeva,
• Yuliya V. Fedoseeva and
• Lyubov G. Bulusheva

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2025, 16, 847–859, doi:10.3762/bjnano.16.64

• capacity and cycle life of SIBs. Molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) has a layered structure and a high theoretical capacity of 669 mAh·g−1, so it is considered as a promising anode material for SIBs [1][2]. The large sodium ion can diffuse with a low energy barrier between the S−Mo−S layers due to the interlayer

• retained in the carbon layers. The horizontally oriented graphitic layers act as a barrier and prevent sodium from penetrating into the underlaying MoS2 film. In the PyC-MoS2 hybrid, sodium accumulation occurs more on the MoS2 surface or at the interface between MoS2 and PyC, than in the bulk of MoS2

Facile one-step radio frequency magnetron sputtering of Ni/NiO on stainless steel for an efficient electrode for hydrogen evolution reaction

• Ha Huu Do,
• Khac Binh Nguyen,
• Phuong N. Nguyen and
• Hoai Phuong Pham

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2025, 16, 837–846, doi:10.3762/bjnano.16.63

• smaller energy barrier for water electrolysis to produce hydrogen. These outcomes indicate that Ni/NiO/SS-10 shows the highest HER efficiency among the investigated electrodes. Its overpotential is comparable with Ni-based nanomaterials in the literature, as depicted in Table 2 [40][41][42][43][44][45][46

Changes of structural, magnetic and spectroscopic properties of microencapsulated iron sucrose nanoparticles in saline

• Sabina Lewińska,
• Pavlo Aleshkevych,
• Roman Minikayev,
• Anna Bajorek,
• Mateusz Dulski,
• Krystian Prusik,
• Tomasz Wojciechowski and
• Anna Ślawska-Waniewska

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2025, 16, 762–784, doi:10.3762/bjnano.16.59

• dissolve first. (The dissolution of the calcium alginate was proved by the XPS studies, and it will be presented and comment in section XPS results and analysis.) The next step is the dissolution of sucrose; whose molecules are polar, thus, they are not a barrier for saline. Without the sucrose shell, the

Thickness dependent oxidation in CrCl₃: a scanning X-ray photoemission and Kelvin probe microscopies study

• Shafaq Kazim,
• Rahul Parmar,
• Maryam Azizinia,
• Matteo Amati,
• Muhammad Rauf,
• Andrea Di Cicco,
• Seyed Javid Rezvani,
• Dario Mastrippolito,
• Luca Ottaviano,
• Tomasz Klimczuk,
• Luca Gregoratti and
• Roberto Gunnella

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2025, 16, 749–761, doi:10.3762/bjnano.16.58

• layer thicknesses are given. To overcome the visibility barrier, systematic optical and AFM studies were performed for CrCl3 flakes on an ITO substrate and are reported for comparison in Figure 2a,b. Based on the colors of the flakes seen in the optical microscope images, an interval of thickness values

High-temperature epitaxial growth of tantalum nitride thin films on MgO: structural evolution and potential for SQUID applications

• Michelle Cedillo Rosillo,
• Oscar Contreras López,
• Jesús Antonio Díaz,
• Agustín Conde Gallardo and
• Harvi A. Castillo Cuero

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2025, 16, 690–699, doi:10.3762/bjnano.16.53

• diffusion barrier with potential application for microelectronics were fabricated [10][11]. In contrast, the stoichiometric mononitride TaN phase with face-centered cubic (FCC) structure exhibits superconductivity with a Tc of 8.15 K [12]; when the thin films were grown epitaxially on an FCC substrate, Tc

The impact of tris(pentafluorophenyl)borane hole transport layer doping on interfacial charge extraction and recombination

• Konstantinos Bidinakis and
• Stefan A. L. Weber

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2025, 16, 678–689, doi:10.3762/bjnano.16.52

• ) of the interfacial electron blocking layer into the spiro-OMeTAD. This interaction was said to de-dope spiro-OMeTAD and introduce a resistive layer that acted as a barrier for charge extraction. Such interaction between spiro-OMeTAD and iodide ions, as well as PTAA and iodide ions has also been

Aprepitant-loaded solid lipid nanoparticles: a novel approach to enhance oral bioavailability

• Mazhar Hussain,
• Muhammad Farooq,
• Muhammad Asad Saeed,
• Muhammad Ijaz,
• Sherjeel Adnan,
• Zeeshan Masood,
• Muhammad Waqas,
• Wafa Ishaq and
• Nabeela Ameer

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2025, 16, 652–663, doi:10.3762/bjnano.16.50

• blood–brain barrier [8]. Its mean volume of distribution is approximately 70 L. In the range of pH 2–10, APT has very low solubility (0.37 µg/mL) [9]. Because of the low water-solubility, the low permeability, and the rate-limiting step of poor gastrointestinal absorption, APT is categorized as a BCS

• through intestinal barrier was slower. Precipitation is another factor that could explain the slow absorption of pure APT [23]. The quick absorption of APT from SLN was in turn connected with high dissolution and improved solubility of APT. Furthermore, stearic acid in SLNs also influences the dissolution

Polyurethane/silk fibroin-based electrospun membranes for wound healing and skin substitute applications

• Iqra Zainab,
• Zohra Naseem,
• Syeda Rubab Batool,
• Muhammad Waqas,
• Ahsan Nazir and
• Muhammad Anwaar Nazeer

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2025, 16, 591–612, doi:10.3762/bjnano.16.46

• resident skin cells [36]. Inflammation At this stage of wound healing, skin regeneration begins and continues till the end. Skin regeneration is essential for maintaining homeostasis, avoiding infection, and repairing the skin’s barrier function [37]. The inflammation process kills pathogens, prevents the

• were used just as they were provided [155]. Because of its excellent barrier qualities and oxygen permeability, PU is commonly utilized in wound dressings [156]. Since PU is soft and hydrophobic, using it as a dressing material on its own would be unsuitable because the dressing might be too soft for

Nanomaterials in targeting amyloid-β oligomers: current advances and future directions for Alzheimer's disease diagnosis and therapy

• Shiwani Randhawa,
• Trilok Chand Saini,
• Manik Bathla,
• Rahul Bhardwaj,
• Rubina Dhiman and
• Amitabha Acharya

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2025, 16, 561–580, doi:10.3762/bjnano.16.44

• early detection and the identification of reliable biomarkers and therapeutic targets. Moreover, the blood–brain barrier (BBB) poses a significant obstacle to effective drug delivery, further hindering the development of successful treatments. Nanomaterials (NMs) offer promising solutions for the early

Retrieval of B1 phase from high-pressure B2 phase for CdO nanoparticles by electronic excitations in Cd_xZn_1−xO composite thin films

• Arkaprava Das,
• Marcin Zając and
• Carla Bittencourt

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2025, 16, 551–560, doi:10.3762/bjnano.16.43

• internal energy (ΔU). The ΔU value is positive and independent of the pressure, serving as a barrier that stabilizes the B1 phase during the transition to the B2 phase. Transition to the B2 occurs when ΔPV surpasses this barrier. The increasing chemical pressure resulting from the diffusion of Zn2SiO4

N₂⁺-implantation-induced tailoring of structural, morphological, optical, and electrical characteristics of sputtered molybdenum thin films

• Usha Rani,
• Kafi Devi,
• Divya Gupta and
• Sanjeev Aggarwal

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2025, 16, 495–509, doi:10.3762/bjnano.16.38

• volume, enhancing the cumulative distortion effects inside the films. Furthermore, nitrogen implantation improves densification and modifies the crystal structure. Nitrogen ions serve as a barrier in boundary relaxation and grain growth, hence increasing the stress. The divergent behavior illustrates the

Synthetic-polymer-assisted antisense oligonucleotide delivery: targeted approaches for precision disease treatment

• Ana Cubillo Alvarez,
• Dylan Maguire and
• Ruairí P. Brannigan

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2025, 16, 435–463, doi:10.3762/bjnano.16.34

• continue to the cellular nucleus. Certain cell surface receptors have demonstrated efficient binding to modified oligonucleotides, including integrins [50], toll-like receptors [51], and scavenger receptors [52]. However, the intracellular delivery to their specific site of action remains the major barrier

• study, Min et al. investigated the use of PLL to develop glucose-coated polymeric nanocarriers for the systemic delivery of ASOs across the blood–brain barrier (BBB) [71]. The authors utilised a polyion complex micelle (PIC/M) platform based on poly(ethylene glycol)-b-poly(ʟ-lysine) (PEG–PLL, DPPLL = 42

Development of a mucoadhesive drug delivery system and its interaction with gastric cells

• Ahmet Baki Sahin,
• Serdar Karakurt and
• Deniz Sezlev Bilecen

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2025, 16, 371–384, doi:10.3762/bjnano.16.28

• assessed with a similar approach in a newly designed synthetic mucus hydrogel barrier system. The authors used differently sized polystyrene nanoparticles with polyethylene glycol (PEG) modifications. PEGylated nanoparticles exhibited better penetration than non-PEGylated formulations, regardless of the

Tailoring of physical properties of RF-sputtered ZnTe films: role of substrate temperature

• Kafi Devi,
• Usha Rani,
• Arun Kumar,
• Divya Gupta and
• Sanjeev Aggarwal

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2025, 16, 333–348, doi:10.3762/bjnano.16.25

• than 5.78 eV, that is, the sum of CdTe electron affinity (4.28 eV) and bandgap (1.5 eV), would be required. Such a material is not available; therefore, the formation of a Schottky barrier is unavoidable. Because of the small 0.1 eV valance band offset at the CdTe/ZnTe interface, which is best for

Enhancing mechanical properties of chitosan/PVA electrospun nanofibers: a comprehensive review

• Nur Areisman Mohd Salleh,
• Amalina Muhammad Afifi,
• Fathiah Mohamed Zuki and
• Hanna Sofia SalehHudin

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2025, 16, 286–307, doi:10.3762/bjnano.16.22

• chitosan/PVA nanofibers using dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma and reported enhanced wettability, mechanical properties, and biocompatibility of the fibers. The argon and oxygen plasma treatments led to significant cross-linking of the fibers, which improved tensile strength and Young’s modulus

Correction: 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. 2025, 16, 252–253, doi:10.3762/bjnano.16.19

• migration barrier for the use of postconsumer recycled materials in food contact” (TRR 87 - T07 Project number 138690629). This work was supported by the German Research Foundation (DFG) under grant number 407752136 and North Rhine-Westphalia based on the funding for large appliances (AFM-IR).

Radiosensitizing properties of dual-functionalized carbon nanostructures loaded with temozolomide

• Radmila Milenkovska,
• Nikola Geskovski,
• Dushko Shalabalija,
• Ljubica Mihailova,
• Petre Makreski,
• Dushko Lukarski,
• Igor Stojkovski,
• Maja Simonoska Crcarevska and
• Kristina Mladenovska

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2025, 16, 229–251, doi:10.3762/bjnano.16.18

• aim to prepare nanocarriers with the potential to prolong the drug circulation time, cross the blood–brain–tumor barrier (BBTB), and provide targeted and controlled drug release in the brain tumor cells. Cytotoxicity and effects on cell membrane integrity of the blank and TMZ-loaded dual

• for active agent loading and functionalization with (intra)cellular component targeting ligands, and extremely small size for crossing the blood–brain barrier (BBB) and targeted delivery to the brain. The hydrophobic nature of the CNs offers good membrane permeability. Through chemical modifications

• surrounding, high levels and different mechanisms of drug resistance and radiation tolerance, as well as a blocking effect of the blood–brain–tumor barrier (BBTB) for drug permeation into the brain extracellular matrix lead to high recurrence rates (in up to 90% of patients) even when complete treatment is

Recent advances in photothermal nanomaterials for ophthalmic applications

• Jiayuan Zhuang,
• Linhui Jia,
• Chenghao Li,
• Rui Yang,
• Jiapeng Wang,
• Wen-an Wang,
• Heng Zhou and
• Xiangxia Luo

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2025, 16, 195–215, doi:10.3762/bjnano.16.16

• photothermal nanomaterials enhances their ability to penetrate the blood–ocular barrier, ensuring more precise control over thermal field distribution, thereby reducing the need for high optical power and improving safety [14]. The functional versatility of photothermal nanomaterials, attributable to their

• adjacent healthy cells [109]. After eliminating tumor cells, small gold nanorods can penetrate the blood–brain barrier and be effectively excreted from the body through renal excretion, thereby avoiding the production of VNBs near non-cancerous cells. 3.2 Posterior capsule opacity after cataract surgery

• bovine ILM and the unusually thick human ILM. In addition, this photoporation strategy allowed model nanoparticles to break through the ILM barrier for highly successful delivery to the retina and was also able to increase the efficacy of mRNA-loaded lipid nanoparticles in the bovine retina fivefold. In

Nanocarriers and macrophage interaction: from a potential hurdle to an alternative therapeutic strategy

• Naths Grazia Sukubo,
• Paolo Bigini and
• Annalisa Morelli

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2025, 16, 97–118, doi:10.3762/bjnano.16.10

• . Intranasal delivery has emerged as a promising strategy for targeting the central nervous system by bypassing the blood–brain barrier (BBB). This approach was demonstrated by the nose-to-brain administration of D6-cholestrol-loaded liposomes, which led to an accumulation of D6-cholesterol in the brain in

Advanced atomic force microscopy techniques V

• Philipp Rahe,
• Ilko Bald,
• Nadine Hauptmann,
• Regina Hoffmann-Vogel,
• Harry Mönig and
• Michael Reichling

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2025, 16, 54–56, doi:10.3762/bjnano.16.6

• al. present the application of AFM-based infrared nanospectroscopy to coated polymer surfaces [11]. The authors prepare thin films of SiOx on polypropylene surfaces by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PE-CVD), which is commonly done to improve gas barrier properties of polypropylene. They

Theoretical study of the electronic and optical properties of a composite formed by the zeolite NaA and a magnetite cluster

• Joel Antúnez-García,
• Roberto Núñez-González,
• Vitalii Petranovskii,
• H’Linh Hmok,
• Armando Reyes-Serrato,
• Fabian N. Murrieta-Rico,
• Mufei Xiao and
• Jonathan Zamora

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2025, 16, 44–53, doi:10.3762/bjnano.16.5

• behavior. In this figure, the enlarged region around the Fermi level highlights a distinct bandgap of 1.26 eV, which is solely attributable to the interaction between the Fe and O atoms within the magnetite cluster. Moreover, Figure 4b shows that overcoming this potential energy barrier enables a

Bioinspired nanofilament coatings for scale reduction on steel

• Siad Dahir Ali,
• Mette Heidemann Rasmussen,
• Jacopo Catalano,
• Christian Husum Frederiksen and
• Tobias Weidner

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2025, 16, 25–34, doi:10.3762/bjnano.16.3

• , which serve as a barrier against unwanted wetting [4][5]. Collembola breathe through their skin and, since they live in humid environments, need to retain air near their skin for survival in diverse habitats [6] (Figure 1A,B). Drawing inspiration from Collembola, our study delves into the potential

• protrusions that have an overhanging shape and low surface energy can effectively render a surface super-hydrophobic (Figure 1D,F). This texture creates an energy barrier, causing water droplets to rest on the protrusions while trapping air beneath them. In analogy with the texture of Collembola skin, this

Mechanistic insights into endosomal escape by sodium oleate-modified liposomes

• Ebrahim Sadaqa,
• Satrialdi,
• Fransiska Kurniawan and
• Diky Mudhakir

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2024, 15, 1667–1685, doi:10.3762/bjnano.15.131

• are frequently confined within endosomes, where they risk degradation in lysosomes or expulsion back to the cell surface. This endosomal barrier critically impedes the effective release of encapsulated drugs into the cytosol, limiting their therapeutic impact [2][3]. Consequently, facilitating

• potential of oleic acid (OLA), the protonated form of sodium oleate (SO), to enhance membrane fluidity in specific lipid bilayer models, including dioleoylphosphatidylcholine (DOPC) and dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC), as well as in complex biological systems such as the human skin barrier [9][10][11

• thinning observed in the extended simulations reduces the physical distance between opposing bilayers, lowering the energy barrier for membrane fusion by bringing the bilayers closer together. Thinner membranes are more susceptible to curvature and deformation, which are essential for fusion events. The

Biomimetic nanocarriers: integrating natural functions for advanced therapeutic applications

• Hugo Felix Perini,
• Beatriz Sodré Matos,
• Carlo José Freire de Oliveira and
• Marcos Vinicius da Silva

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2024, 15, 1619–1626, doi:10.3762/bjnano.15.127

• drug absorption by the mononuclear phagocytic system due to its hydrophilic barrier [59]. Although PEG-coated nanostructures exhibit promising physicochemical properties, they have shown limitations; studies point to cases of hypersensitivity in PEGylated vaccines [60][61]. Potential adverse immune

• employed in treating other diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease. Current medications for Alzheimer's face the challenge of the blood–brain barrier (BBB), which includes the blood–brain, cerebrospinal fluid–brain, and blood–cerebrospinal fluid barriers. These barriers exhibit high selectivity in drug

• nonpermissive characteristics at the barrier [69]. Polymeric nanoparticles, as well as those based on lipids and inorganic materials, are extensively studied for Alzheimer's disease treatment due to their tissue selectivity, potential circulation time, encapsulation capacity, and, importantly, their ability to