Enhanced erosion resistance and radiation stability of WC–WO₃ nanocomposite films under 100 keV Kr⁺ ion irradiation

• Shristi Bist,
• Parswajit Kalita,
• Ratnesh K. Pandey,
• Sejal Shah,
• Richa Krishna,
• Umapathy G. R.,
• Sunil Ojha and
• Devesh K. Avasthi

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2026, 17, 922–934, doi:10.3762/bjnano.17.65

• potential ceramic-based PFC materials, specifically tungsten carbide (WC) thin films and their nanocomposite counterpart, WC–WO3, under 100 keV Kr+ ion irradiation. The films were irradiated at fluences of 1 × 1016, 3 × 1016, and 1 × 1017 ions/cm2. Rutherford backscattering spectrometry was employed to

• resilience to ion irradiation, reinforcing its potential as a radiation-resistant material in nuclear environments [13]. WO3, in contrast, has other advantages, including its capability to act as a radiation absorber and its chemical inertness [14][15][16]. However, hardness and toughness of the

• causes degradation of the PFC material, and the sputtered atoms contaminate the plasma of tokamaks, which is undesirable. The erosion (sputtering) of films is known to be dependent on several factors such as ion energy [55], composition of material and its properties [56][57], film thickness [58], and

Nanocarrier strategies to overcome P-glycoprotein-mediated drug resistance in cancer therapy

• Andreina Quevedo-Enríquez,
• Katty Yi Zhang,
• Denisse Yajaira Enriquez,
• Byron Raul Inapanta,
• Roxana Noemí Peroni and
• Christian Rafael Quijia

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2026, 17, 882–921, doi:10.3762/bjnano.17.64

He⁺ FIBID-fabricated 3D AFM tip architectures: an exploratory study of hollow pillars, helices, and spirals

• Alba Arroyo-Fructuoso,
• Ana Galet,
• Gregor Hlawacek and
• Rosa Córdoba

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2026, 17, 863–871, doi:10.3762/bjnano.17.62

• Alba Arroyo-Fructuoso Ana Galet Gregor Hlawacek Rosa Cordoba Institute of Molecular Science, Universitat de València, Catedrático José Beltrán 2, 46980 Paterna, Spain Institute for Ion Beam Physics and Materials Research, Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, Bautzner Landstraße 400, 01324 Dresden

• fabricated by helium ion beam-induced deposition (He+ FIBID) directly onto commercial AFM cantilevers bearing a pre-existing tip. Hollow nanopillars, nanohelices, and nanospirals were tested on a calibrated reference sample with a nominal step height of 20 nm using two AFM instruments under comparable

• required. Keywords: 3D-printed tips; AFM tips; beam induced nanomanufacturing; focused ion beam induced deposition (FIBID); helium ion microscope; nanohelix; nanopillar; nanospiral; scanning tip microscopy; surface topography; tungsten carbide; Introduction The atomic force microscope (AFM) is a

Light-driven ammonia electrooxidation via carbon nitride–ruthenium molecular interfaces

• Jan Holub and
• Pablo Jiménez-Calvo

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2026, 17, 854–862, doi:10.3762/bjnano.17.61

• absorbed excitation drives the oxidation of water (a thermodynamically demanding four-electron, four-proton process) at an inorganic cluster containing four manganese ions and one calcium ion (Mn4CaO5). The electrons extracted from water are passed along the electron transport chain to Photosystem I, where

• preliminary unpublished data, to strengthen the credibility of this strategy, RuBda covalently grafted onto polymeric C3N4 nanoparticles, achieved a ruthenium surface density of 5.5 mol % Ru (5.5 × 10−4 mol per gram of C3N4), validated by ion-coupled plasma and a turnover frequency for ammonia oxidation of

Cross-scale design of chemosensor arrays: from molecular self-assembly in water to paper-based devices for metal ion detection

• Yui Sasaki and
• Tsuyoshi Minami

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2026, 17, 828–838, doi:10.3762/bjnano.17.59

• , Tokyo 153-8505, Japan 10.3762/bjnano.17.59 Abstract Monitoring metal ions in aquatic environments is essential for understanding ecosystem dynamics and assessing water quality. Chemosensors have emerged as powerful analytical tools at the molecular level that transduce ion-recognition events into

• optical signals. In particular, coordination with metal ions enables cross-reactive sensing, allowing for simultaneous detection of multiple analytes based on pattern recognition. This perspective summarizes advances in self-assembled chemosensor systems for metal ion detection and further developments to

• ions in various water environments across microscopic and macroscopic scales. Keywords: chemosensor; metal ion; paper device; pattern recognition; self-assembly; Introduction Metal ions are essential species in biological systems; however, heavy metal ions act as pollutants and can damage organs and

Tuning the electronic properties of defect-rich MoS₂

• Eric Juriatti,
• Martina Binninger,
• Carolin Schüle,
• Maren Zirwick,
• Katarina Margetic,
• Erika Giangrisostomi,
• Marcus Scheele and
• Heiko Peisert

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2026, 17, 796–805, doi:10.3762/bjnano.17.56

• intentionally by sputtering with noble gases, yielding conflicting results in different reports, apparently depending on detailed experimental conditions and the source of the substrates [18][19][20][21]. Recently, a TMDC surface cleaning by noble gas ion bombardment was considered [22]. Amongst other

• in multilayered MoS2 by gentle ion sputtering with argon or neon and analyze the electronic structure after each treatment with PES, XAS, and ARPES. Subsequently, cobalt(II) hexadecafluorophthalocyanine (CoPcF16) is deposited, and the interfacial electronic structure of the defect-rich MoS2/TMPc

• GmbH) and a hemispherical analyzer (Phoibos 150, SPECS). The energy was calibrated to the binding energies of Au 4f7/2 (84.00 eV), Ag 3d5/2 (368.21 eV) and Cu 2p3/2 (932.63 eV) using Ar-ion sputtered foils of Au, Ag, and Cu (Goodfellow Cambridge Ltd.). At the LowDosePES endstation the samples were

Substrate-dependent pore formation in molybdenum disulfide monolayers under ion irradiation

• Yossarian Liebsch,
• Umair Javed,
• Lucia Skopinski,
• Leon Daniel,
• Franziska Appel,
• Radia Rahali,
• Clara Grygiel,
• Henning Lebius,
• Carolin Frank,
• Lars Breuer,
• Leon Kirsch,
• Frieder Koch,
• Jani Kotakoski and
• Marika Schleberger

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2026, 17, 769–780, doi:10.3762/bjnano.17.54

• Abstract Ion irradiation is a versatile tool for nanostructuring surfaces, yet the roles of energy deposition and dissipation at the surface and in ultrathin materials remain poorly understood. In this study, we investigate nanopore formation in monolayer MoS2 on different substrates under irradiation of

• under both HCI and SHI irradiation conclusively demonstrate the central role of substrate and interface-dependent electronic dissipation pathways regarding damage under these types of ion irradiation. Keywords: defects; MoS2; nanopores; SiO2; scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM

• ); Introduction Ion beams provide a controllable route to engineer defects in two-dimensional (2D) materials, enabling property tuning from doping to nanopore formation [1][2][3][4]. Because kinetic energy, charge state, and mass can be varied over wide ranges, ion irradiation offers a large parameter space for

Tailoring Ag–Pt nanoalloys through solid-state dewetting: structural and optical insights

• Marcin Łapiński,
• Piotr Okoczuk,
• Blaž Grobiša,
• Ewa Pawlikowska,
• Amelia Rozwadowska,
• Wojciech Sadowski and
• Barbara Kościelska

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2026, 17, 748–759, doi:10.3762/bjnano.17.52

• focused ion beam (FIB) lift-out technique. For this purpose, a dual-beam Thermo Fisher Scientific Helios 5 UX scanning electron microscope equipped with a Phoenix Ga+ ion column was used. Prior to sample preparation, the particles were coated with a protective carbon layer using a gas injection system

Environmental applications of silver nanoparticles: state-of-the-art review and emerging trends

• Soni Prajapati,
• Akash Kumar and
• Ranjana Singh

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2026, 17, 697–736, doi:10.3762/bjnano.17.49

• irreproducibility, ecotoxicological risks arising from Ag+ ion release and environmental persistence, and the current absence of harmonised regulatory frameworks for AgNP deployment, are critically discussed. This review provides a structured, evidence-based foundation for researchers and engineers working toward

• prevent aggregation [36]. The capping agents can be polymers, surfactants, and small and large biomolecules, providing colloidal nanoregime stability [37]. The size-controlled synthesis of AgNPs capped with ʟ-carnosine was developed for metal ion detection and nitrophenol removal [8]. Another study

• min−1, respectively. Additionally, NPs demonstrated metal ion sensing and antibacterial activity against various strains [65]. The above studies concluded that the capping agent played a prominent role in nanoparticle-mediated applications by providing an interaction site for targeted molecules and by

Decontamination from water pollutants and pathogens by electrospun nanofibers doped with heavy-atom-free borafluorene-BODIPY photosensitizers

• Angelika Zaszczyńska,
• Paulina H. Marek-Urban,
• Karolina Wrochna,
• Agnieszka E. Kuklewska,
• Kacper Kręgielewski,
• Marta Grodzik,
• Dawid R. Natkowski,
• Jolanta Mierzejewska,
• Ewa Iwanek,
• Agata Blacha-Grzechnik,
• Paweł Sajkiewicz and
• Krzysztof Durka

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2026, 17, 668–682, doi:10.3762/bjnano.17.46

• , and p indicates the porosity. Photocatalyst distribution in the mats The presence of BODIPY in the PCL, PMMA, and PS matrices was verified using energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) as well as time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF SIMS) measurements performed on a Helios 5 Dual

• Beam microscope (ThermoFisher) equipped with a focused electron beam and a Xe ion beam. The EDS experiments were performed with a working distance of 4 mm, an accelerating voltage of 15 kV, a probe current of 0.2 nA, a magnification of 15000×, and a collection time of 30 min. Prior to ToF SIMS

• measurements, the samples were sputtered with 10 nm of gold using a CCU-010 Compact Coating Unit (Safematic). The ToF SIMS maps were acquired in the positive ion mode spectrum using 8 kV accelerating voltage and 10 nA beam current. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS

Recent progress in enhancing built-in electric fields of perovskite solar cells via junction engineering

• Tong Xiao and
• Ke Xu

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2026, 17, 602–621, doi:10.3762/bjnano.17.42

• advantages include a continuous potential distribution, fewer additional interfaces, and good compatibility with existing fabrication processes. In contrast, gradient junctions employ gradual variations in composition, ion concentration, dimensionality, or bandgap along the film thickness to create a

• distortions, create defects, and promote ion migration. To address these challenges, recent research has focused on precisely tuning the local potential via surface or near-surface doping and functionalization while preserving lattice continuity. Current efforts are also directed toward extending these

• and surface modification, they enhance the BEF, reduce interfacial defects, and prevent degradation. For example, Ag-doped NiOx/NiOx p/p+ homojunctions have been shown to reduce defect clusters and prevent halide ion migration, improving stability. However, challenges like phase separation and ion

Impacts of annealing on structural and photophysical properties of zinc phthalocyanine adsorbed on graphene

• Gautier Creutzer,
• Quentin Fernez,
• Nataliya Kalashnyk,
• Zohreh Safarzadeh,
• Lydia Sosa Vargas,
• Céline Fiorini-Debuisschert,
• Nicolas Fabre and
• Fabrice Charra

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2026, 17, 576–585, doi:10.3762/bjnano.17.39

• conjugated ring and in-plane bending of C–H. Such intensity changes in the bands corresponding to out-of-plane vibrations have been reported to be a consequence of an axial displacement of the zinc ion and subsequent out-of-plane distortion of the ring [43]. It results from a lowering of the symmetry of ZnPc

Synthesis of Cu–Mo/TiO₂ and Co–Mo/TiO₂ photocatalysts for the efficient degradation of organic pollutants in water

• Ilse Acosta,
• Brenda Zermeño,
• Edgar Moctezuma,
• Luis F. Garay-Rodríguez and
• Isaías Juárez-Ramírez

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2026, 17, 559–570, doi:10.3762/bjnano.17.37

• could be balanced by the doping levels in TiO6 octahedra [3]. Mo6+ is a transition metal ion with high valence that exhibits exceptional optical, electronic, and catalytic characteristics [12]. There are a few reports about the doping of TiO2 with molybdenum [13][14][15][16]; it has been shown that Mo

• can improve light absorption and photocatalytic activity of the material through the generation of oxygen vacancies, which act as electron traps [12]. The Mo6+ ion has a radius similar to that of Ti4+; thus, it is ideal for introduction into the TiO2 lattice without causing significant disturbances

Probing internal continua and atomic ultrafast charge transfer within size-controlled nanoparticles by post-collision interaction in core-hole clock spectroscopy

• Johannes Lütgert,
• Erika Giangrisostomi,
• Nomi L. A. N. Sorgenfrei and
• Alexander Föhlisch

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2026, 17, 505–514, doi:10.3762/bjnano.17.33

• electric field of the ionized atom, creating a three-body problem. This is particularly pronounced for photoexciation above, but close to, the ionization threshold, where the high-energy Auger electron can overtake the slowly advancing photoelectron within the potential of the ion, subsequently gaining

• efficiently screen the ion charge, reducing the PCI effect [38]. Conversely, strong electron scattering reduces the effective attenuation length, slowing the photoelectron advancement; thus, it increases the PCI strength [39]. An increasing PCI effect is observed in growing multilayers of xenon on palladium

Defects and defect-mediated engineering of two-dimensional materials: challenges and open questions

• Arkady V. Krasheninnikov,
• Matthias Batzill,
• Anouar-Akacha Delenda,
• Marija Drndić,
• Chris Ewels,
• Katharina J. Franke,
• Mahdi Ghorbani-Asl,
• Alexander Holleitner,
• Ado Jorio,
• Ute Kaiser,
• Daria Kieczka,
• Hannu-Pekka Komsa,
• Jani Kotakoski,
• Manuel Längle,
• David Lamprecht,
• Yun Liu,
• Steven G. Louie,
• Janina Maultzsch,
• Thomas Michely,
• Katherine Milton,
• Anna Niggas,
• Hanako Okuno,
• Joshua A. Robinson,
• Marika Schleberger,
• Bruno Schuler,
• Alexander Shluger,
• Kazu Suenaga,
• Kristian S. Thygesen,
• Richard A. Wilhelm,
• E. Harriet Åhlgren and
• Carla Bittencourt

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2026, 17, 454–488, doi:10.3762/bjnano.17.31

• with low-dimensional targets, and defect-mediated engineering of the properties of 2D systems. We further discuss possible solutions to these problems or suggest “work-arounds”, which should accelerate the progress in the field. Keywords: 2D materials; defects; electron irradiation; ion bombardment

• of impurities, see [6][7][8][9][10] for an overview. Specifically, low-energy ion implantation [11][12][13][14][15][16][17] can be employed to directly create impurities in 2D materials. Alternatively, due to the 2D geometry, impurities can be introduced through filling the vacancies previously

• material-dependent. A counterintuitive approach to decrease the concentration of surface defects in layered TMDs was also suggested [76], namely, a two-step process including low-energy (500 eV) Ar ion bombardment followed by annealing. It was demonstrated that the concentration of Te vacancies on the as

Eco-efficient materials for agricultural crops based on a mineral rich in MOR- and HEU-type zeolites

• Esperanza Yamile de la Nuez-Pantoja,
• Inocente Rodríguez-Iznaga,
• Gerardo Rodríguez-Fuentes,
• Vitalii Petranovskii,
• Ariel Martínez García,
• José Juan Calvino Gámez and
• Daniel Goma Jiménez

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2026, 17, 381–395, doi:10.3762/bjnano.17.26

• by XRD) and other qualities of these zeolites, highlighting their ion-exchange and adsorption properties for nutrient release and reversible water retention. This is essential for the use of this material as a slow-release fertilizer that efficiently provides nutrients for the agroecological

• development of plants, as evidenced in the cultivation tests. Keywords: adsorption; agroecological fertilizer; ion exchange; MOR–HEU zeolite mixture; natural zeolite; Introduction Traditional chemical fertilizers, widely used in agriculture, undergo significant nutrient losses resulting from dissolution and

• negative charge of the structure. As a result, these materials have important intrinsic properties such as ion exchange and adsorption [5]. These qualities allow them to retain and carry chemical species of agricultural interest, such as PO43−, NH4+, NO3−, and molecular compounds (CO(NH2)2) minimizing

Polycatecholamine nanocoatings on stainless steel: the effect on attachment of human fibroblasts and platelets

• Paulina Trzaskowska,
• Ewa Rybak,
• Maciej Trzaskowski,
• Kamil Kopeć,
• Jakub Krzemiński,
• Rafał Podgórski,
• Hatice Genc,
• Mehtap Civelek and
• Iwona Cicha

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2026, 17, 365–380, doi:10.3762/bjnano.17.25

• homeostasis and suppress thrombogenic and proliferative responses [6]. Under long-term hemodynamic loading, stainless steel implants may also suffer from localized corrosion and metal-ion release, leading to chronic inflammation at the tissue–implant interface [8]. While rapid colonization of implant surfaces

Interconnection morphology effects on the radio frequency response of carbon nanotube sponges

• Manuela Scarselli,
• Javad Rezvani,
• Zeno Zuccari,
• Mattia Scagliotti and
• Simone Tocci

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2026, 17, 343–351, doi:10.3762/bjnano.17.23

• Information File 40: Additional details on CNS preparation, XPS analysis, and antenna characterization. Funding MS would like to acknowledge the INFN (Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare) MANIFOLD (Multidimensional nANodevice archItectures For lOw-perturbation singLe-ion Detection) grant.

Fast vortex dynamics and relaxation times in NbRe-based heterostructures

• Francesco De Chiara,
• Zahra Makhdoumi Kakhaki,
• Francesco Avitabile,
• Francesco Colangelo,
• Abhishek Kumar,
• Carmine Attanasio and
• Carla Cirillo

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2026, 17, 292–302, doi:10.3762/bjnano.17.20

• optical lithography using a direct laser writer exposure followed by an ion-etching procedure. This technique results in microstrips with straight edges, ensuring a uniform width, w, of the device [39]. The geometrical values of the microstrips are reported in Table 1. Electrical contacts were realized

Advancing nanolithography: a comprehensive review of materials for local anodic oxidation with AFM

• Matteo Lorenzoni

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2026, 17, 275–291, doi:10.3762/bjnano.17.19

• stress and trapped charges hinder further ion transport. Together, these effects progressively slow oxidation and ultimately halt growth [48]. This explains why local oxidation experiments on Si report maximum features below 10 nm, while oxide features grown on SiC (with different stoichiometry and

• of the fabrication steps to enhance the aspect ratio of such features is out of the scope of this work. But it is worth mentioning that most oxides exhibit good selectivity against many common etchants used for dry etching, including reactive ion etching with fluorine- or chlorine-based plasmas

Durable antimicrobial activity of fabrics functionalized with zeolite ion-exchanged nanomaterials against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli

• Perla Sánchez-López,
• Kendra Ramirez Acosta,
• Sergio Fuentes Moyado,
• Ruben Dario Cadena-Nava and
• Elena Smolentseva

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2026, 17, 262–274, doi:10.3762/bjnano.17.18

• , silver (Ag+), copper (Cu2+), and zinc (Zn2+) cations are ion-exchanged with Y-type zeolite (CBV-600) and subsequently applied to cotton fabrics using the pad–dry–cure method, with an acrylic resin serving as binder. The resulting functionalized fabrics, containing metal cation concentrations of 1.0–1.5

• functionalization. This method demonstrates a simple and industry-compatible approach for producing durable antimicrobial cotton fabrics. Keywords: antimicrobial activity; Escherichia coli; fabrics functionalization; ion exchange; nanomaterial; Staphylococcus aureus; zeolite; Introduction The development of

• -exchanged Y-type zeolites, which offer high ion-exchange capacity and a well-defined framework structure that facilitate efficient antimicrobial ion delivery. By applying those nanomaterials to commercial cotton fabrics via the pad–dry–cure method, we aim to further explore the feasibility and effectiveness

Time of flight secondary ion mass spectrometry imaging of contaminant species in chemical vapour deposited graphene on copper

• Barry Brennan,
• Vlad-Petru Veigang-Radulescu,
• Philipp Braeuninger-Weimer,
• Stephan Hofmann and
• Andrew J. Pollard

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2026, 17, 200–213, doi:10.3762/bjnano.17.13

• Cambridge, Cambridge CB3 0FA, United Kingdom 10.3762/bjnano.17.13 Abstract Time of flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS) was used to probe the chemistry of graphene grown on copper foil substrates by chemical vapour deposition (CVD) under various growth conditions. The surface sensitivity, mass

• characterisation techniques with the ability to distinguish different chemical species present, combined with surface sensitivity and suitably high spatial resolution. We here focus on time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS) imaging of Cu-catalysed graphene CVD samples. ToF-SIMS offers high

• reactor cooled to room temperature in an Ar only atmosphere. During all stages of the process, a pressure of 50 mbar was regulated via a PID controlled outlet valve. Ex situ ToF-SIMS measurements were performed using a TOF SIMS IV instrument (ION-TOF Gmbh, Germany) at a vacuum pressure of <5 × 10−9 mbar

From shield to spear: Charge-reversible nanocarriers in overcoming cancer therapy barriers

• Madhuri Yeduvaka,
• Pooja Mittal,
• Ameer Boyalakuntla,
• Usman Bee Shaik,
• Himanshu Sharma,
• Thakur Gurjeet Singh,
• Siva Nageswara Rao Gajula and
• Lakshmi Vineela Nalla

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2026, 17, 159–175, doi:10.3762/bjnano.17.10

• calcium-ion-crosslinked sodium-alginate-coated mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) for ultrasound-triggered drug delivery. High- or low-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU/LIFU) induced reversible disruption of carboxyl–calcium bonds, enabling precise, on-demand release [58]. This confirms that

• ultrasound-responsive CRNs employing calcium-ion-crosslinked sodium-alginate coatings on mesoporous silica nanoparticles offer reversible, on-demand, and biocompatible drug release options. Such systems harness ultrasound-induced cavitation to disrupt and reform ionic bonds, showing considerable promise for

Influence of surface characteristics on the in vitro stability and cell uptake of nanoliposomes for brain delivery

• Dushko Shalabalija,
• Ljubica Mihailova,
• Nikola Geskovski,
• Andreas Zimmer,
• Otmar Geiss,
• Sabrina Gioria,
• Diletta Scaccabarozzi and
• Marija Glavas Dodov

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2026, 17, 139–158, doi:10.3762/bjnano.17.9

• incomplete uptake, are suitable adjustments in the incubation time, temperature, and NL concentration, as well as pH and ion concentrations. Optimization of these factors is essential for accurate identification of transport mechanisms, like diffusion or receptor-mediated endocytosis, also reflecting the

Functional surface engineering for cultural heritage protection: the role of superhydrophobic and superoleophobic coatings – a comprehensive review

• Giuseppe Cesare Lama,
• Marino Lavorgna,
• Letizia Verdolotti,
• Federica Recupido,
• Giovanna Giuliana Buonocore and
• Bharat Bhushan

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2026, 17, 63–96, doi:10.3762/bjnano.17.6

• interfacial adhesion under various environmental conditions, including immersion in saline solutions. It also effectively reduced chloride ion penetration, contributing to the durability of concrete substrates. Additionally, the coating was also able to promote temperature regulation by lowering surface