Insights into the electronic and atomic structures of cerium oxide-based ultrathin films and nanostructures using high-brilliance light sources

• Paola Luches and
• Federico Boscherini

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2025, 16, 860–871, doi:10.3762/bjnano.16.65

• that form the film, while the Pt ions in the 2+ oxidation state are confined at the outermost layers [29]. The interplay of ceria surfaces with adsorbed molecules, a crucial factor in understanding reactivity, has become a significant research focus, also thanks to synchrotron-radiation-based XPS

• spectra in photoemission electron microscopy (PEEM) mode, in which the photon energy is scanned across the XAS edge and the intensity of the secondary electrons is detected using a PEEM. This allowed to image the shape and size of ceria nanoislands on Ru(0001) and to probe and compare the oxidation state

• XANES and gas chromatography was employed to correlate in real time the changes of the chemical state of Cu, Fe, and Ce cations with oxygen vacancy and water formation during thermal treatments in hydrogen at ambient pressure [58]. The pure ceria film, in the Ce4+ oxidation state with a dominant Ce L3

Nanostructured materials characterized by scanning photoelectron spectromicroscopy

• Matteo Amati,
• Alexey S. Shkvarin,
• Alexander I. Merentsov,
• Alexander N. Titov,
• María Taeño,
• David Maestre,
• Sarah R. McKibbin,
• Zygmunt Milosz,
• Ana Cremades,
• Rainer Timm and
• Luca Gregoratti

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2025, 16, 700–710, doi:10.3762/bjnano.16.54

• attributed to P in a +5 oxidation state, as in InPO4, and the other one as P0, probably due to metallic P defects at the nanowire surface [18][33][34]. A small oxide component is also found in the In 4d spectra, at a binding energy which is 0.6 eV higher than that of the bulk component. In addition, a small

Quantification of lead through rod-shaped silver-doped zinc oxide nanoparticles using an electrochemical approach

• Ravinder Lamba,
• Gaurav Bhanjana,
• Neeraj Dilbaghi,
• Vivek Gupta and
• Sandeep Kumar

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2025, 16, 422–434, doi:10.3762/bjnano.16.33

• . The 23 eV gap between two binding energies suggests that the Zn element is in a +2 oxidation state. The 1s orbital spectra of oxygen in Ag–ZnO samples are shown in Figure 7c, revealing a peak with a binding energy of 528 eV. The oxygen peak can be resolved into two distinct peaks, which indicates two

Pulsed laser in liquid grafting of gold nanoparticle–carbon support composites

• Madeleine K. Wilsey,
• Teona Taseska,
• Qishen Lyu,
• Connor P. Cox and
• Astrid M. Müller

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2025, 16, 349–361, doi:10.3762/bjnano.16.26

• (84.4 ± 0.1) eV for Au 4f7/2 and (88.0 ± 0.1) eV for Au 4f5/2 [7]. Additionally, peaks corresponding to the Au3+ oxidation state were observed at (87.0 ± 0.2) eV and (90.5 ± 0.2) eV corresponding to Au 4f7/2 and Au 4f5/2 of Au2O3, a result of oxide formation at the nanoparticle surface upon exposure to

Clays enhanced with niobium: potential in wastewater treatment and reuse as pigment with antibacterial activity

• Silvia Jaerger,
• Patricia Appelt,
• Mario Antônio Alves da Cunha,
• Fabián Ccahuana Ayma,
• Ricardo Schneider,
• Carla Bittencourt and
• Fauze Jacó Anaissi

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2025, 16, 141–154, doi:10.3762/bjnano.16.13

• mode. Powder and paint-applied samples were analyzed by colorimetry, based on the CIEL*a*b* system, using a portable colorimeter (NR60CP – 3NH). The oxidation state and elemental composition of the samples were evaluated using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) with a PHI Genesis instrument from

Ion-induced surface reactions and deposition from Pt(CO)₂Cl₂ and Pt(CO)₂Br₂

• Mohammed K. Abdel-Rahman,
• Patrick M. Eckhert,
• Atul Chaudhary,
• Johnathon M. Johnson,
• Jo-Chi Yu,
• Lisa McElwee-White and
• D. Howard Fairbrother

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2024, 15, 1427–1439, doi:10.3762/bjnano.15.115

• transfer from the incident ion to adsorbed precursor molecules. This precursor decomposition step is accompanied by a decrease in the oxidation state of the Pt(II) atoms and, in IBID, represents the elementary reaction step that converts the molecular precursor into an involatile PtX2 species. Upon further

• monitor changes in the Pt oxidation state. Peak fitting for the Pt 4f and Br 3d peaks was performed with 60/40 Gaussian/Lorentzian line shapes, GL(40), in CasaXPS [21][57][58]. Mass spectrometry, using a Pfeiffer QMS 200 mass analyzer, was used to identify the evolved species resulting from ion

• growth, as performed previously [55][57]. The Pt(CO)2Cl2 films were exposed to Ar+ (3.0 kV; 0.2 µA) and He+ (3.0 kV; 1.0 µA) ions, and the Pt(CO)2Br2 films were exposed to Ar+ (3.0 kV; 2.0 µA) and H2+ (3.0 kV; 2.0 µA) ions. XPS was used to monitor changes in the films’ composition and the Pt oxidation

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

• material, such as oxidation state, formal charge [8][16][20][23], softness [22], ionization potential [22], and weight percentage of the metal [23]. Furthermore, to include information regarding the particular nanoform, the crystal structure can be included as a categorical descriptor [24] or by using

Gold nanomakura: nanoarchitectonics and their photothermal response in association with carrageenan hydrogels

• Nabojit Das,
• Vikas,
• Akash Kumar,
• Sanjeev Soni and
• Raja Gopal Rayavarapu

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2024, 15, 678–693, doi:10.3762/bjnano.15.56

• colourless. This is due to the change in the oxidation state of gold ions. Finally, 25 μL of the seeds prepared in Step 1 was added to their respective surfactant growth solutions and was left undisturbed for 15 min. The colour of the samples appeared blue indicating the formation of anisotropic gold

Classification and application of metal-based nanoantioxidants in medicine and healthcare

• Nguyen Nhat Nam,
• Nguyen Khoi Song Tran,
• Tan Tai Nguyen,
• Nguyen Ngoc Trai,
• Nguyen Phuong Thuy,
• Hoang Dang Khoa Do,
• Nhu Hoa Thi Tran and
• Kieu The Loan Trinh

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2024, 15, 396–415, doi:10.3762/bjnano.15.36

• Gao’s group [37]. The Michaelis–Menten constant (Km) and maximum initial velocity (Vmax) values showed that copper-doped hollow carbon spheres had an eightfold higher CAT-like activity than pure carbon nanozymes. The oxidation state of copper may play a more important role regarding CAT-like activity

Controllable physicochemical properties of WO_x thin films grown under glancing angle

• Rupam Mandal,
• Aparajita Mandal,
• Alapan Dutta,
• Rengasamy Sivakumar,
• Sanjeev Kumar Srivastava and
• Tapobrata Som

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2024, 15, 350–359, doi:10.3762/bjnano.15.31

• , bandgap, and electrical conductivity, to a large extent by controlling the cationic oxidation state and the film stoichiometry [2]. As a matter of fact, adjustments in the film stoichiometry and microstructure are experimentally viable by the choice of a suitable growth technique [9][10][11]. As a result

• at 34.78 and 36.92 eV can be designated to 4f7/2 and 4f5/2 levels of the W5+ oxidation state [40]. Similarly, the presence of W6+ and W5+ is observed in the annealed WOx films, where the W 4f7/2 and W 4f5/2 peaks corresponding to the W6+ state are found at slightly smaller binding energies (35.82 and

Upscaling the urea method synthesis of CoAl layered double hydroxides

• Camilo Jaramillo-Hernández,
• Víctor Oestreicher,
• Martín Mizrahi and
• Gonzalo Abellán

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2023, 14, 927–938, doi:10.3762/bjnano.14.76

• Co atoms are in the same oxidation state (2+), they would be found in different environments, as suggested by PXRD and confirmed by UV–vis spectroscopy. This means the presence of the α-CoII LH impurity. To quantify its fraction, the spectrum of sample x25M was reproduced by using a linear

Carboxylic acids and light interact to affect nanoceria stability and dissolution in acidic aqueous environments

• Matthew L. Hancock,
• Eric A. Grulke and
• Robert A. Yokel

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2023, 14, 762–780, doi:10.3762/bjnano.14.63

• glucose oxidase, suggesting the use of this phenomenon as a colorimetric sensor for bioanalysis [49]. This color transition is an important observation since nanoceria degradation will likely result in the change in oxidation state of surface cerium ions from Ce4+ to Ce3+. Results and Discussion Nanoceria

• conditions, a color change from yellow to colorless was observed, indicating a valence state transition from Ce4+ to Ce3+. As nanoceria particles dissolve and become smaller, the surface oxidation state transitions from Ce4+ to Ce3+. Of the 16 carboxylic acids tested, nanoceria exposed to only three acids

Metal-organic framework-based nanomaterials as opto-electrochemical sensors for the detection of antibiotics and hormones: A review

• Akeem Adeyemi Oladipo,
• Saba Derakhshan Oskouei and
• Mustafa Gazi

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2023, 14, 631–673, doi:10.3762/bjnano.14.52

• , which are commonly referred to as rare earth elements. All lanthanoids, with the exception of Eu2+ and Ce4+, exist in the trivalent oxidation state (Ln3+). Ln3+ has a firmly seated 4f orbital in its ground state electronic configuration ([Xe]4fn, where n = 0–14), and the electrons in this orbital are

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

• structure. The pigments are obtained via the addition of coloring ions to boehmite from recycled metallic aluminium. X-ray diffractometry (XRD) and Raman spectroscopy confirmed the crystallographic phase. Additionally, the oxidation state 3+ responsible for the greenish (chromium) and reddish (iron

• a color change with increasing particle size from brighter yellow-green to darker blue-green [14]. Usually, chromium oxide pigments are synthesized starting from dichromats with chromium in the oxidation state +6, which are toxic [15]. However, using boehmite as a host matrix, the opportunity arises

• together with recycled boehmite. The absorbance spectra indicate the presence of 3+ ions in the samples, which are responsible for the colors. The spectra also confirm the type of structure found via XRD and the oxidation state determined from XPS. SEM images show the characteristic morphology of this type

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

• substitutional GO (carbon) [30]. In the case of the edge of iron (Figure 3b), the XAS spectra indicate the presence of iron atoms in the oxidation state Fe3+ in each of the studied catalysts [28][29]. The iron edge peak observed at 707 eV disappeared after the addition of GO to CoNiFe, indicating a change in the

• depending on the type of the catalyst, that is, it was 57%/43% for NiFe-GO and 46%/54% for CoNiFe-GO. The species in the oxidation state 3+ can be related to the presence of the (oxy)hydroxide form of the deposited catalysts, desirable for the OER process. The presence of a nickel (oxy)hydroxide LDH

• , Eonset: 1.34 V). Thus, the presence of both nickel in the oxidation state 3+ and the LDH structure results in a more efficient OER reaction. XAS analysis indicated the change in the electronic structure of the catalysts after the addition of GO (Figure 3). The analysis showed that the electronic

A novel approach to pulsed laser deposition of platinum catalyst on carbon particles for use in polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells

• Bogusław Budner,
• Wojciech Tokarz,
• Sławomir Dyjak,
• Andrzej Czerwiński,
• Bartosz Bartosewicz and
• Bartłomiej Jankiewicz

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2023, 14, 190–204, doi:10.3762/bjnano.14.19

• the reference catalyst 20% Pt XC-72R, along with the analysis of the oxidation state of platinum, are shown in Figure 4. The method of analysis used, its justification, and the Pt 4f band model have been described in detail in our earlier work [41]. The analysis showed that in both materials, Pt is in

Combining physical vapor deposition structuration with dealloying for the creation of a highly efficient SERS platform

• Adrien Chauvin,
• Walter Puglisi,
• Damien Thiry,
• Cristina Satriano,
• Rony Snyders and
• Carla Bittencourt

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2023, 14, 83–94, doi:10.3762/bjnano.14.10

• a sample and on two samples made in the same conditions. To evaluate the surface composition and oxidation state, XPS was used. The XPS measurements were carried out on a PHI 5000 VersaProbe using a monochromatic Al Kα X-ray source (1486.6 eV). The high-resolution spectra were recorded with a pass

Recent advances in green carbon dots (2015–2022): synthesis, metal ion sensing, and biological applications

• Aisha Kanwal,
• Naheed Bibi,
• Sajjad Hyder,
• Arif Muhammad,
• Hao Ren,
• Jiangtao Liu and
• Zhongli Lei

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2022, 13, 1068–1107, doi:10.3762/bjnano.13.93

Electrocatalytic oxygen reduction activity of AgCoCu oxides on reduced graphene oxide in alkaline media

• Iyyappan Madakannu,
• Indrajit Patil,
• Bhalchandra Kakade and
• Kasibhatta Kumara Ramanatha Datta

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2022, 13, 1020–1029, doi:10.3762/bjnano.13.89

• high-resolution spectrum lie at 367.9 and 373.9 eV, respectively, with a splitting of 6 eV (Figure 6a), indicating the elemental oxidation state of Ag metal [28][33]. The Co 2p high-resolution spectrum has two primary peaks assigned to 2p1/2 and 2p3/2 at 797.3 and 781.3 eV, respectively, as well as two

• 953.3 and 933.8 eV, respectively, with a peak at 933.1 eV (Figure 6c) for Cu–O, showing that Cu is in the +2 oxidation state. The main O 1s peak can be deconvoluted into two peaks at 533.06 and 531.62 eV, where the oxygen coordinated with metal is responsible for the major peak and the minor corresponds

Theoretical investigations of oxygen vacancy effects in nickel-doped zirconia from ab initio XANES spectroscopy at the oxygen K-edge

• Dick Hartmann Douma,
• Lodvert Tchibota Poaty,
• Alessio Lamperti,
• Stéphane Kenmoe,
• Abdulrafiu Tunde Raji,
• Alberto Debernardi and
• Bernard M’Passi-Mabiala

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2022, 13, 975–985, doi:10.3762/bjnano.13.85

• is due to the structural disorder induced by the 2Ni dopants and the O vacancies. Furthermore, the analysis of the XANES signatures shows that the oxidation state of nickel atoms changes with the introduction of oxygen vacancies. Our study therefore shows a possibility to control the oxidation state

• and magnetic order in a typical diluted magnetic oxide. Such a finding may be crucial for spintronics-related applications. Keywords: defect; ligand field; nickel; oxidation state; oxides; spectroscopy; spintronics; vacancy; X-ray absorption; X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES); zirconia

• TM atom usually occupies the Zr site substitutionally. However, due to the difference in the oxidation state of the TM atom and Zr, oxygen vacancies are created to maintain an overall charge neutrality. This is aptly demonstrated in the experimental investigations of Fe-doped zirconia using X-ray

Investigation of a memory effect in a Au/(Ti–Cu)Ox-gradient thin film/TiAlV structure

• Damian Wojcieszak,
• Jarosław Domaradzki,
• Michał Mazur,
• Tomasz Kotwica and
• Danuta Kaczmarek

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2022, 13, 265–273, doi:10.3762/bjnano.13.21

• transitions using the Tauc method. Structure and elemental composition Surface properties The oxidation state of copper on the surface of (Ti0.48Cu0.52)Ox thin film was analyzed with the XPS Cu 2p core level spectrum (Figure 6). The Cu 2p core level has split spin–orbit components with ΔBE of 19.8 eV and an

• oxidation state +4 of titanium present at the surface. The ratio between the areas of the Ti 2p3/2 and Ti 2p1/2 peaks is equal to 2:1, which confirms the presence of stoichiometric TiO2 at the surface of (Ti0.48Cu0.52)Ox thin film. Furthermore, the O 1s spectrum (Figure 6c) was deconvoluted into three peaks

Impact of device design on the electronic and optoelectronic properties of integrated Ru-terpyridine complexes

• Max Mennicken,
• Sophia Katharina Peter,
• Corinna Kaulen,
• Ulrich Simon and
• Silvia Karthäuser

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2022, 13, 219–229, doi:10.3762/bjnano.13.16

• the oxidation state of the Ru ions bound to the respective molecular compounds is not feasible by these methods. In contrast, XPS BE highly depend on the oxidation state and/or the chemical composition and are, thus, a suitable means to reveal details of the Ru(TP)2-complex wire growth process

• has been successfully conducted and reveal the oxidation state of Ru during complex wire growth [19]. Electrical properties of Ru(TP)2-complex devices Here, we study the relation between device design and device performance and compare the transport and optical switching properties of functional Ru(TP

Tin dioxide nanomaterial-based photocatalysts for nitrogen oxide oxidation: a review

• Viet Van Pham,
• Hong-Huy Tran,
• Thao Kim Truong and
• Thi Minh Cao

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2022, 13, 96–113, doi:10.3762/bjnano.13.7

• oxide (not to be confused with stannous oxide with tin in the oxidation state of 2+ [13], also known as cassiterite [14]. SnO2 materials have many interesting properties. For instance, the structure and electronic structure can be manipulated easily due to the highly tunable valence state and oxygen

Sputtering onto liquids: a critical review

• Anastasiya Sergievskaya,
• Adrien Chauvin and
• Stephanos Konstantinidis

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2022, 13, 10–53, doi:10.3762/bjnano.13.2

Identifying diverse metal oxide nanomaterials with lethal effects on embryonic zebrafish using machine learning

• Richard Liam Marchese Robinson,
• Haralambos Sarimveis,
• Philip Doganis,
• Xiaodong Jia,
• Marianna Kotzabasaki,
• Christiana Gousiadou,
• Stacey Lynn Harper and
• Terry Wilkins

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2021, 12, 1297–1325, doi:10.3762/bjnano.12.97