Key for crossing the BBB with nanoparticles: the rational design

• Sonia M. Lombardo,
• Marc Schneider,
• Akif E. Türeli and
• Nazende Günday Türeli

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2020, 11, 866–883, doi:10.3762/bjnano.11.72

• protein corona forming around them, by investigating the particle–cell interactions or by looking for biomimetic solutions. Blood–brain barrier anatomy. Inspired by [5]. Brain delivery routes. A) Local delivery. Drugs can reach the brain by direct injection through the meninges. B) Intranasal delivery

Multilayer capsules made of weak polyelectrolytes: a review on the preparation, functionalization and applications in drug delivery

• Varsha Sharma and
• Anandhakumar Sundaramurthy

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2020, 11, 508–532, doi:10.3762/bjnano.11.41

• [34]. Certain limitations such as low stability and low EE have been reported in organic and inorganic templates, respectively. Interestingly, the deposition of an additional silica layer through a biomimetic mineralization process onto a protamine/PSS microcapsule formed on a CaCO3 template improved

Nanoarchitectonics: bottom-up creation of functional materials and systems

• Katsuhiko Ariga

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2020, 11, 450–452, doi:10.3762/bjnano.11.36

• spectroscopy [37], bio-nanocomposites with clay nanoarchitectures for electrochemical devices [38], a biomimetic nanofluidic diode with polymeric carbon nitride nanotubes [39], and a unique Janus-micromotor applied as a luminescence sensor for sensitive TNT detection [40]. The variety of nanoarchitectonics

Understanding nanoparticle flow with a new in vitro experimental and computational approach using hydrogel channels

• Armel Boutchuen,
• Dell Zimmerman,
• Abdollah Arabshahi,
• John Melnyczuk and
• Soubantika Palchoudhury

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2020, 11, 296–309, doi:10.3762/bjnano.11.22

• scaffold materials for the 3D bioprinting of biomimetic structures [38][39]. Therefore, we chose pHEMA hydrogels to build straight cylindrical channels mimicking sections of human vasculature for our experimental investigation of NP flow. In addition, we aimed to synthesize the hydrogel flow channels via a

• new, facile, and cost-effective approach. Here, we report a combined experimental and computational technique to serve as an in vitro assessment of the flow of NPs using novel pHEMA hydrogel channels as the biomimetic flow path. The flow of NPs was experimentally investigated with different iron oxide

• diffusion and hydrodynamic forces for the flow of these aqueous NP dispersions and additional frictional forces in the NP flow path due to the soft and uneven surface of the hydrogel channels. This size-dependent flow behavior of aqueous NP solutions within soft biomimetic channels is a key finding in terms

Rational design of block copolymer self-assemblies in photodynamic therapy

• Maxime Demazeau,
• Laure Gibot,
• Anne-Françoise Mingotaud,
• Patricia Vicendo,
• Clément Roux and
• Barbara Lonetti

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2020, 11, 180–212, doi:10.3762/bjnano.11.15

• ones such as polyesters or polyacrylates. A second part focuses on important parameters for their design and the improvement of their efficiency. Finally, particular attention has been paid to the question of nanocarrier internalization and interaction with membranes (both biomimetic and cellular), and

• second part. A third part will focus on the interactions between the vectors with the cell membrane, either in its native form or in biomimetic models. Finally, cellular entrance processes and intracellular targeting will also be described, showing possible intracellular targeting methods as well as the

Molecular architectonics of DNA for functional nanoarchitectures

• Debasis Ghosh,
• Lakshmi P. Datta and
• Thimmaiah Govindaraju

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2020, 11, 124–140, doi:10.3762/bjnano.11.11

• nose for the selective detection of volatile organic components [65]. DNA tetrahedron nanostructures The structural analogy to virus particles makes DNA polyhedrons highly appealing architectures with biomimetic functional relevance. Among all polyhedrons, tetrahedrons are the simplest architectural

Nanostructured and oriented metal–organic framework films enabling extreme surface wetting properties

• Andre Mähringer,
• Julian M. Rotter and
• Dana D. Medina

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2019, 10, 1994–2003, doi:10.3762/bjnano.10.196

• . Keywords: antifog; antifouling; biomimetic coatings; metal–organic frameworks (MOFs); superhydrophilic; superoleophobic; thin films; vapor-assisted conversion; Introduction Over millions of years, plants and animals have evolved a spectrum of surface designs enabling specific wetting properties tailored

Nanoarchitectonics meets cell surface engineering: shape recognition of human cells by halloysite-doped silica cell imprints

• Elvira Rozhina,
• Ilnur Ishmukhametov,
• Svetlana Batasheva,
• Farida Akhatova and
• Rawil Fakhrullin

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2019, 10, 1818–1825, doi:10.3762/bjnano.10.176

• -assembly of miniature building blocks to form biomimetic soft or rigid shells to encapsulate live cells rendering them with additional functionalities [7]. In general, there are three principal routes to engineer the cell walls or membranes of live cells: 1) deposition of charged or neutral polymers (that

Chiral nanostructures self-assembled from nitrocinnamic amide amphiphiles: substituent and solvent effects

• Hejin Jiang,
• Huahua Fan,
• Yuqian Jiang,
• Li Zhang and
• Minghua Liu

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2019, 10, 1608–1617, doi:10.3762/bjnano.10.156

• chiral self-assembly gained from various noncovalent interactions is a very good biomimetic system due to the intrinsic dynamic nature of such materials and smart response to external stimuli. There are some works on the dynamic helical inversion in self-assembled structures triggered by the change of pH

A biomimetic nanofluidic diode based on surface-modified polymeric carbon nitride nanotubes

• Kai Xiao,
• Baris Kumru,
• Lu Chen,
• Lei Jiang,
• Bernhard V. K. J. Schmidt and
• Markus Antonietti

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2019, 10, 1316–1323, doi:10.3762/bjnano.10.130

Biomimetic synthesis of Ag-coated glasswing butterfly arrays as ultra-sensitive SERS substrates for efficient trace detection of pesticides

• Guochao Shi,
• Mingli Wang,
• Yanying Zhu,
• Yuhong Wang,
• Xiaoya Yan,
• Xin Sun,
• Haijun Xu and
• Wanli Ma

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2019, 10, 578–588, doi:10.3762/bjnano.10.59

• . China Faculty of science, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, P.R. China Department of Mathematics, NC State University, Raleigh, NC 276968205, USA 10.3762/bjnano.10.59 Abstract In this work, we report a biomimetic synthesis route of 3D Ag nanofilm/glasswing butterfly wing

• . However, these chemical methods cannot avoid aggregation phenomena, which is a major drawback. Recent years have witnessed a very high level of research interest in well-defined biomimetic compounds. Because the micro/nanomaterials in nature usually possess intrinsic hydrophobicity and high adhesion

• 3D biomimetic SERS substrate with a high density of “hot spots” was formed on a template of cicada wings via a simple one-step and reagent-free direct-current ion sputtering techniques by Prof. Han’s group [26]. These 3D plasmonic nanostructures are adopted because these 3D substrates offer a great

Biological and biomimetic surfaces: adhesion, friction and wetting phenomena

• Stanislav N. Gorb,
• Kerstin Koch and
• Lars Heepe

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2019, 10, 481–482, doi:10.3762/bjnano.10.48

Ultraviolet patterns of flowers revealed in polymer replica – caused by surface architecture

• Anna J. Schulte,
• Matthias Mail,
• Lisa A. Hahn and
• Wilhelm Barthlott

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2019, 10, 459–466, doi:10.3762/bjnano.10.45

• structure and its reflective properties is also relevant for biomimetic applications, for example, in the field of photovoltaics. Based on previous work, we selected three model species with distinct UV-patterns to explore the possible contribution of the surface architecture to the UV-signaling. Using a

• differences even within just the three model plants. From a technical point of view, these results are promising and important for different types of applications given that the optical properties of surfaces are becoming more relevant, for example, for hierarchically structured solar panels, biomimetic

Pull-off and friction forces of micropatterned elastomers on soft substrates: the effects of pattern length scale and stiffness

• Peter van Assenbergh,
• Marike Fokker,
• Julian Langowski,
• Jan van Esch,
• Marleen Kamperman and
• Dimitra Dodou

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2019, 10, 79–94, doi:10.3762/bjnano.10.8

• performance of these biomimetic micropatterned adhesives is usually tested on hard substrates. Much less is known about the effect of geometry, feature size, and material properties on the performance of micropatterned adhesives when the substrate is deformable. Here, micropatterned adhesives of two stiffness

• substrate between the dimples. Keywords: adhesion; biomimetic micropatterned adhesive; colloidal lithography; friction; pull-off; soft substrate; Introduction Pull-off and friction forces of micropatterned adhesives as a function of geometry, feature size, and stiffness Over the last few decades

• , researchers have been developing micropatterned adhesives mimicking the geometry and material properties of biological dry adhesives [1][2][3][4][5]. Pull-off and friction forces of these biomimetic adhesives rely on the formation of intimate contact with the substrates [6], enabling physical interactions

Bidirectional biomimetic flow sensing with antiparallel and curved artificial hair sensors

• Claudio Abels,
• Antonio Qualtieri,
• Toni Lober,
• Alessandro Mariotti,
• Lily D. Chambers,
• Massimo De Vittorio,
• William M. Megill and
• Francesco Rizzi

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2019, 10, 32–46, doi:10.3762/bjnano.10.4

Contact splitting in dry adhesion and friction: reducing the influence of roughness

• Jae-Kang Kim and
• Michael Varenberg

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2019, 10, 1–8, doi:10.3762/bjnano.10.1

• more easily to the surface waviness and by reducing the effective average peeling angle. These findings can be used to guide the development of biomimetic shear-actuated adhesives suitable for operation not only on smooth but also on rough surfaces. Keywords: biomimetics; contact splitting; gecko

• their attachment abilities are reduced if the fibril dimensions are similar to the root-mean-square roughness, the mean spacing between local peaks, and the surface waviness characteristics of the substrate [20][21][22][23]. Analogous negative effects of roughness on adhesion and friction of biomimetic

• waviness as well as by allowing it to reduce the effective average peeling angle. These findings can guide the development of biomimetic shear-actuated adhesives that are suitable for operation not only on smooth but also on rough surfaces. Experimental Microstructured surfaces with 140 µm high flaps

A new bioinspired method for pressure and flow sensing based on the underwater air-retaining surface of the backswimmer Notonecta

• Matthias Mail,
• Adrian Klein,
• Horst Bleckmann,
• Anke Schmitz,
• Torsten Scherer,
• Peter T. Rühr,
• Goran Lovric,
• Robin Fröhlingsdorf,
• Stanislav N. Gorb and
• Wilhelm Barthlott

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2018, 9, 3039–3047, doi:10.3762/bjnano.9.282

• /bjnano.9.282 Abstract In technical systems, static pressure and pressure changes are usually measured with piezoelectric materials or solid membranes. In this paper, we suggest a new biomimetic principle based on thin air layers that can be used to measure underwater pressure changes. Submerged

• , we provide a biomimetic proof of principle to validate our hypothesis. The suggested sensory principle has never been documented before and is not only of interest for sensory biologists but can also be used for the development of highly sensitive underwater acoustic or seismographic sensory systems

• the course of about 3.7 billion years of biological evolution [1][2][3], a stunning diversity of surface architectures has evolved. Today, millions of living prototypes (species) exist, waiting to be used for the development of biomimetic technical innovations [4][5]. Well know examples are insect

Biomimetic surface structures in steel fabricated with femtosecond laser pulses: influence of laser rescanning on morphology and wettability

• Camilo Florian Baron,
• Alexandros Mimidis,
• Daniel Puerto,
• Evangelos Skoulas,
• Emmanuel Stratakis,
• Javier Solis and
• Jan Siegel

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2018, 9, 2802–2812, doi:10.3762/bjnano.9.262

• allows fabrication of specific micro- and nanostructures over extended areas. In this work, we exploit this approach to fabricate complex biomimetic structures on the surface of steel 1.7131 formed upon irradiation with high repetition rate femtosecond laser pulses. In particular, the fabricated

• objective to reproduce not only the geometry and morphology of structures found in natural systems, but – most importantly – their specific functionality. Biomimetic applications that aim to control the wetting properties of a material surface must take into account the surface topography, since it strongly

• much smoother than those reported in [26][27], which can possibly be attributed to heat accumulation at the high repetition rates used. From a biomimetic point of view, this type of structure resembles the integument of bark or flat bugs, found in South and Central American tropics [23][34], as

Adhesive contact of rough brushes

• Qiang Li and
• Valentin L. Popov

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2018, 9, 2405–2412, doi:10.3762/bjnano.9.225

• gecko feet and structured biomimetic materials. For rigid brushes, the contact splitting does not enhance adhesion even if all pillars of the brush are positioned at the same height. Introducing statistical scatter of height leads to a further decrease of the maximum adhesive strength. At the same time

High-throughput micro-nanostructuring by microdroplet inkjet printing

• Hendrikje R. Neumann and
• Christine Selhuber-Unkel

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2018, 9, 2372–2380, doi:10.3762/bjnano.9.222

• BCML can be biofunctionalized such that they serve as biomimetic anchorage sites for cell adhesion molecules, whereby their spacing has been shown to be highly decisive for cell adhesion [14]. Still, the anchorage site spacing required for cell adhesion depends on the chemistry of a particular adhesion

• be controlled at the micrometer scale. For example, the nanoparticles can serve as biomimetic anchorage sites for proteins in biosensor and biomaterial applications. Experimental Block copolymer micelle nanolithography (BCML) The samples were functionalized with gold nanoparticles using BCML [13][22

Nanoscale characterization of the temporary adhesive of the sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus

• Ana S. Viana and
• Romana Santos

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2018, 9, 2277–2286, doi:10.3762/bjnano.9.212

• functional amyloid, suggesting that among its proteinaceous constituents there are most likely proteins with amyloid quaternary structures or rich in β-sheets. These results extend our knowledge on sea urchin adhesive composition and mechanical properties essential for the engineering of biomimetic adhesives

The structural and chemical basis of temporary adhesion in the sea star Asterina gibbosa

• Birgit Lengerer,
• Marie Bonneel,
• Mathilde Lefevre,
• Elise Hennebert,
• Philippe Leclère,
• Emmanuel Gosselin,
• Peter Ladurner and
• Patrick Flammang

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2018, 9, 2071–2086, doi:10.3762/bjnano.9.196

• adhesion and might facilitate the development of biomimetic, reversible glues. Keywords: duo-gland adhesive system; lectins; marine temporary adhesion; starfish; Introduction Marine biological adhesives are environmentally friendly, biodegradable, and adhere to various surfaces in the challenging

• conditions of the sea [1]. These features make them ideal templates for biomimetic glues. However, only few marine adhesives have been characterized so far (reviewed in [2][3][4]). The best-investigated glues are produced by sessile organisms like mussels, tubeworms, and barnacles (reviewed in [5][6][7

• adhesive might help in designing new biomimetic glues. Experimental Maintenance of animals Individuals of Asterina gibbosa (Pennant, 1777) were obtained from the Biological Sample Collection Service of the Station Biologique de Roscoff, France. They were kept in a marine aquarium with closed circulation

Biomimetic and biodegradable cellulose acetate scaffolds loaded with dexamethasone for bone implants

• Aikaterini-Rafailia Tsiapla,
• Varvara Karagkiozaki,
• Veroniki Bakola,
• Foteini Pappa,
• Panagiota Gkertsiou,
• Eleni Pavlidou and
• Stergios Logothetidis

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2018, 9, 1986–1994, doi:10.3762/bjnano.9.189

Preparation of micro/nanopatterned gelatins crosslinked with genipin for biocompatible dental implants

• Reika Makita,
• Tsukasa Akasaka,
• Seiichi Tamagawa,
• Yasuhiro Yoshida,
• Saori Miyata,
• Hirofumi Miyaji and
• Tsutomu Sugaya

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2018, 9, 1735–1754, doi:10.3762/bjnano.9.165

• natural tooth and periodontium, or their biomimetic equivalents. Collagen is a basic component of the periodontium and plays an important role in the function of the periodontal unit [15]. Bundles of collagen fibers in the periodontal ligament, including Sharpey’s fibers, are vertically arranged from the

Bioinspired self-healing materials: lessons from nature

• Joseph C. Cremaldi and
• Bharat Bhushan

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2018, 9, 907–935, doi:10.3762/bjnano.9.85