Parallel- and serial-contact electrochemical metallization of monolayer nanopatterns: A versatile synthetic tool en route to bottom-up assembly of electric nanocircuits

• Jonathan Berson,
• Assaf Zeira,
• Rivka Maoz and
• Jacob Sagiv

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2012, 3, 134–143, doi:10.3762/bjnano.3.14

• specimens are pressed together with a force of about 100 N in a water-saturated atmosphere (RH 100%). Deposited silver dots were removed (Figure 2) by immersion in HNO3/H2O (20% v/v) for ~3 h followed by rinsing with pure water. All monolayer nanopatterning (CNL) and serial metallization (CET) operations

• were carried out in the contact mode (in a regime of minimal repulsive force), under controlled humidity at 55–65% RH. A SOLVER P47 SFM system (NT-MDT) was used in the fabrication of the OTSeo@OTS nanopatterns in Figure 2 and Figure 3. The patterns were written with doped-silicon contact probes (CSC-38

Octadecyltrichlorosilane (OTS)-coated ionic liquid drops: Micro-reactors for homogenous catalytic reactions at designated interfaces

• Xiaoning Zhang and
• Yuguang Cai

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2012, 3, 33–39, doi:10.3762/bjnano.3.4

• . Next, the OTS-coated samples were rinsed in toluene and annealed in a sealed vial at 40 °C, 100% relative humidity (RH) for 12 h. Subsequently, the samples were incubated in a 5 mM OTS toluene solution again. The stabilization (rinsing-annealing-OTS solution incubating) process was repeated for three

• times in order to remove the pinholes inside the OTS film [17][19][20][21]. The final OTS film was an ultra-flat, pinhole-free, featureless film. The OTSpd patterns were fabricated by the scanning probe deep oxidation lithography. In a 100% RH environment (at 25 °C), a Pt–Ti coated conducting AFM tip

Size-dependent phase diagrams of metallic alloys: A Monte Carlo simulation study on order–disorder transitions in Pt–Rh nanoparticles

• Johan Pohl,
• Christian Stahl and
• Karsten Albe

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2012, 3, 1–11, doi:10.3762/bjnano.3.1

• Johan Pohl Christian Stahl Karsten Albe Institut für Materialwissenschaft, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Petersenstr. 32, D-64287 Darmstadt, Germany 10.3762/bjnano.3.1 Abstract Nanoparticles of Pt–Rh were studied by means of lattice-based Monte Carlo simulations with respect to the stability

• simulation; nanoparticles; nanothermodynamics; phase diagram; Pt-Rh; thermodynamics; Introduction Pt–Rh is an important alloy due to its catalytic activity in different reactions. In the past it was assumed that Pt–Rh is immiscible at low temperatures [1][2], but theoretical studies revealed that Pt–Rh

• were studied by means of lattice Monte Carlo simulations [25]. However, as far as we know, a complete size-dependent phase diagram of an ordering nanoalloy has not yet been studied. It is our intention to examine such a size-dependent phase diagram by using the model system of Pt–Rh particles and

Influence of water on the properties of an Au/Mpy/Pd metal/molecule/metal junction

• Jan Kučera and
• Axel Groß

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2011, 2, 384–393, doi:10.3762/bjnano.2.44

• -dicyanobenzene [4] molecules covered by monolayers of Pd [1], Pt [5], or Rh [6], respectively. In addition, further progress extended the limits of the method towards the preparation of a prototypical Au/Mpy/Pd/Mpy/Pt double decker junction [7]. These achievements can eventually open the way towards the rational

Characterization of protein adsorption onto FePt nanoparticles using dual-focus fluorescence correlation spectroscopy

• Pauline Maffre,
• Karin Nienhaus,
• Faheem Amin,
• Wolfgang J. Parak and
• G. Ulrich Nienhaus

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2011, 2, 374–383, doi:10.3762/bjnano.2.43

• scale of diffusion, τD. Based on the well-known spatial extension of the observation volume, the diffusion coefficient, D, and, by using the Stokes–Einstein equation (see Experimental), the hydrodynamic radius of the fluorescent particle, RH, can be calculated. Consequently, a NP size increase due to

• endowing the NPs with an overall negative charge and excellent colloidal stability [30]. To determine the affinity of the proteins to the NPs as well as the increase in RH, we took 2fFCS data on NPs freely diffusing in solutions, which contained the proteins at concentrations varying over several orders of

• foci and the cross-correlation curve. Note that FCS data and, therefore, also the derived RH values, are averages determined from a few thousand single-particle bursts. The autocorrelation curves in Figure 1 display two decay processes. The step on the millisecond time scale is due to NP diffusion and

Intermolecular vs molecule–substrate interactions: A combined STM and theoretical study of supramolecular phases on graphene/Ru(0001)

• Michael Roos,
• Benedikt Uhl,
• Daniela Künzel,
• Harry E. Hoster,
• Axel Groß and
• R. Jürgen Behm

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2011, 2, 365–373, doi:10.3762/bjnano.2.42

• favorable valley as compared to the formation of a 2D adlayer phase covering the entire surface, or islands of that phase covering part of the surface. Comparable structures were reported for graphene/Rh(111) [18]. Pronounced lateral variations in the adsorption potential on metal supported graphene

• limitation to specific adsorption sites in combination with the distinct positions of the hydrogen bond donors and acceptors within the molecule results in the formation of 1D chain structures (Figure 3b), similar to findings recently reported for the adsorption of PTCDI molecules on graphene/Rh(111) [18

Manipulation of gold colloidal nanoparticles with atomic force microscopy in dynamic mode: influence of particle–substrate chemistry and morphology, and of operating conditions

• Samer Darwich,
• Karine Mougin,
• Akshata Rao,
• Enrico Gnecco,
• Shrisudersan Jayaraman and
• Hamidou Haidara

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2011, 2, 85–98, doi:10.3762/bjnano.2.10

• RH%, are presented and discussed. The dependency of the energy dissipation during the manipulation was particularly studied as a function of size, coating of particles, substrate and temperature. Finally, interpretation of the physico-chemical mechanisms involved at both interfaces – tip–particle and

• the effect of functional (hydrophilic vs hydrophobic) molecules grafted on the Au nanoparticles on their mobility. In addition, we will address the important issue of environmental conditions (T, RH%), surface topography and tip scan velocities on the manipulation performance of gold nanoparticles

• ) substrate [41][42][43]. As we can see here, the eventual role of relative humidity (RH%) which is an environmental parameter, strongly depends on the chemistry of the NP–substrate interface. Another environmental parameter, namely temperature, also affects the mobility of the nanoparticles. The influence of

Single-pass Kelvin force microscopy and dC/dZ measurements in the intermittent contact: applications to polymer materials

• Sergei Magonov and
• John Alexander

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2011, 2, 15–27, doi:10.3762/bjnano.2.2

• measurements were made in air at 20–25% humidity. An environmental chamber of the microscope was used for studies in humid air (2% < RH < 95%, as measured by a humidity meter) and also for experiments in organic solvent vapors. One or two milliliters of water, methanol or toluene was injected into the

• the images of the 7M3S blend obtained after the sample was exposed to high humidity (RH > 95%) overnight (Figure 8C). The surface potential image was unchanged but multiple droplets appeared inside the dimples in the topography image. Most likely these are due to condensed water droplets on

• might suspect some environmental effects in our preliminary measurements at low humidity (3% RH) and in different gases (N2, Ar) as revealed by the the contrast variations. The humidity-induced changes are very noticeable and well as those caused by methanol and toluene vapors. These observations might

The description of friction of silicon MEMS with surface roughness: virtues and limitations of a stochastic Prandtl–Tomlinson model and the simulation of vibration-induced friction reduction

• W. Merlijn van Spengen,
• Viviane Turq and
• Joost W. M. Frenken

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2010, 1, 163–171, doi:10.3762/bjnano.1.20

• normal force, while keeping the support position speed and environmental conditions constant. This resulted in a friction force that is more or less linear in the normal force, with a friction coefficient of 0.27 at a temperature of 27 °C and 25% RH (Figure 4). The fact that the friction force becomes

• .; Frenken, J. W. M. Tribol. Lett. 2007, 28, 149–156.] Typical 1000-cycle-average friction loops obtained with the tribometer of Figure 1 [19], at 27 °C and a relative humidity (RH) of 30%. The sliding speed was constant at 5 µm/s. Support position 0 μm is where the loop was started every cycle. This loop is

Ultrafine metallic Fe nanoparticles: synthesis, structure and magnetism

• Olivier Margeat,
• Marc Respaud,
• Catherine Amiens,
• Pierre Lecante and
• Bruno Chaudret

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2010, 1, 108–118, doi:10.3762/bjnano.1.13

• ferromagnetic metals [1][2][3][4]. More surprisingly, the study of small Rh NPs revealed a paramagnetic to ferromagnetic phase transition induced by size reduction for clusters containing less than 40 atoms [5]. Band structure calculations have investigated the role of size reduction and demonstrated that it

• various temperatures between 293 K and 5 K, are shown in Figure 4. The measurements were performed with a 57Co source in a Rh matrix and were calibrated against bulk α-Fe. Upon decreasing the temperature, the spectrum progressively splits but still remains broad, even at the lowest temperature. Such