High-stress study of bioinspired multifunctional PEDOT:PSS/nanoclay nanocomposites using AFM, SEM and numerical simulation

• Alfredo J. Diaz,
• Hanaul Noh,
• Tobias Meier and
• Santiago D. Solares

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2017, 8, 2069–2082, doi:10.3762/bjnano.8.207

• -resonance frequency and quality factor are often referred to as mechanical parameters. Although, there are methods to approximately calibrate for the Young’s modulus, they require a standard reference sample with similar properties to the unknown sample, and this includes the surface properties [51

• properties of typical cantilevers (traditional testing of polymeric or biological materials is performed at a frequency range several orders of magnitude lower [53]). For these reasons, CRFM typically only provides mapping of the relative surface properties, although with high spatial resolution. Given the

Imidazolium-based ionic liquids used as additives in the nanolubrication of silicon surfaces

• Patrícia M. Amorim,
• Ana M. Ferraria,
• Rogério Colaço,
• Luís C. Branco and
• Benilde Saramago

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2017, 8, 1961–1971, doi:10.3762/bjnano.8.197

• topography and chemical composition of the substrates surfaces were determined with atomic force microscopy (AFM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), respectively. Correlations between the obtained friction coefficients and the surface properties as well as the lubricants viscosity were attempted in

Fluorination of vertically aligned carbon nanotubes: from CF₄ plasma chemistry to surface functionalization

• Claudia Struzzi,
• Mattia Scardamaglia,
• Jean-François Colomer,
• Alberto Verdini,
• Luca Floreano,
• Rony Snyders and
• Carla Bittencourt

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2017, 8, 1723–1733, doi:10.3762/bjnano.8.173

• , the emerging demand in functionalizing the surface of carbon-based materials has led to the use of various atoms for the tuning of the surface properties [12][13][14][15][16] and fluorine-based gas precursors have also been employed, including CF4 [17], with special attention to their effect on carbon

• ][24]. In single- and multiwalled nanotubes the tuning of surface properties via fluorine-based plasma has been investigated highlighting the modification of morphology, chemical composition and electronic properties, as well as focusing on the field emission performances and the thermal stability [25

Surface functionalization of 3D-printed plastics via initiated chemical vapor deposition

• Christine Cheng and
• Malancha Gupta

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2017, 8, 1629–1636, doi:10.3762/bjnano.8.162

• flexibility and rapid prototyping. The ability to functionalize the surfaces of 3D-printed objects allows the bulk properties, such as material strength or printability, to be chosen separately from surface properties, which is critical to expanding the breadth of 3D printing applications. In this work, we

• . This limitation presents a problem for application-driven print objects, because consideration of material printability must supersede other functionalities, such as biocompatibility or responsiveness to stimuli. Thus, controlling post-printing surface properties is critical to expanding the breadth of

• hydrophobic surface properties and do not promote cellular differentiation [3][18]. Surface modification of printed scaffolds can allow for the tuning of surface functionalization to promote vascularization and tissue regeneration while maintaining control over the mechanical robustness of the bulk structure

Two-dimensional carbon-based nanocomposites for photocatalytic energy generation and environmental remediation applications

• Suneel Kumar,
• Ashish Kumar,
• Ashish Bahuguna,
• Vipul Sharma and
• Venkata Krishnan

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2017, 8, 1571–1600, doi:10.3762/bjnano.8.159

• morphology of catalytic material. Therefore the fabrication of g-C3N4 with different microstructures is expected to show different surface properties and ability to enhance the photocatalytic performance. As per one of the reports by Zhu et al., g-C3N4 synthesized by using melamine, thiourea, or urea as

• reactions but mainly hydrogen evolution reactions [67]. The lattice structure of g-C3N4 is composed of C–N with short interlayer distances and amino functional groups with larger periodic vacancies [67]. In addition to this, g-C3N4 possesses excellent chemical and thermal stability, unique surface

• properties with unsaturated N-atoms for anchoring active sites [69]. Furthermore, the stacked 2D layered structure of g-C3N4 consists of single-layer nitrogen heteroatom-substituted graphite nanosheets, formed through sp2 hybridization of C and N atoms, and various layers are bound together by van der Waals

Cationic PEGylated polycaprolactone nanoparticles carrying post-operation docetaxel for glioma treatment

• Cem Varan and
• Erem Bilensoy

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2017, 8, 1446–1456, doi:10.3762/bjnano.8.144

• . Nanoparticle-based drug delivery systems can be prepared with synthetic and natural polymers. As an advantage, their surface properties can be modified to increase cellular penetration and prolonged drug release. Additionally, suitable nanoparticle-based drug delivery systems can bypass biological barriers or

• distribution and surface properties. According to the results in Table 2, the addition of surfactant did not reduce the particle size; on the contrary, the mean particle size significantly increased proportional to the concentration of PF68 for both polymer PCL and mePEG-PCL (p < 0.05). Although it has been

Micro- and nano-surface structures based on vapor-deposited polymers

• Hsien-Yeh Chen

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2017, 8, 1366–1374, doi:10.3762/bjnano.8.138

• Hsien-Yeh Chen Department of Chemical Engineering, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan 10.3762/bjnano.8.138 Abstract Vapor-deposition processes and the resulting thin polymer films provide consistent coatings that decouple the underlying substrate surface properties and can be

• words, effective selectivity for the deposition of nonfunctional poly(p-xylylene) has been achieved, and the family of functionalized poly(p-xylylene) is now manageable [82]. Conclusion As more stringent specifications are required for designing the surface properties of prospective materials, and in

• addition, the development of new devices is pursued with complicated geometries and minimized sizes, the surface properties of such materials/devices now also require a more defined and flexible presentation of the chemical functionalities (e.g., multifunctional or gradient distribution) and the precise

Nanotopographical control of surfaces using chemical vapor deposition processes

• Meike Koenig and
• Joerg Lahann

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2017, 8, 1250–1256, doi:10.3762/bjnano.8.126

• achieved via various vapor deposition strategies, for instance, using masks, exploiting surface properties that lead to spatially selective deposition, via the use of additional porogens or by employing oblique angle polymerization deposition. Here, we provide a concise review of these studies. Keywords

• : polymer coatings; polymer structures; structured coatings; vapor deposition polymerization; Review Introduction Polymer coatings have wide-spread applications, from electronics [1], to sensor systems [2] to biotechnology [3]. The ability to spatially control the surface properties in order to further

Vapor-phase-synthesized fluoroacrylate polymer thin films: thermal stability and structural properties

• Paul Christian and
• Anna Maria Coclite

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2017, 8, 933–942, doi:10.3762/bjnano.8.95

• deposition techniques (e.g., plasma-enhanced CVD). Therefore, depending on the application and on the desired polymer properties, one can choose to work in conditions that drive crystallinity and hydrophobicity or thermally stable surface properties instead. Molecular structure of the monomers PFDA and EGDMA

Vapor deposition routes to conformal polymer thin films

• Priya Moni,
• Ahmed Al-Obeidi and
• Karen K. Gleason

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2017, 8, 723–735, doi:10.3762/bjnano.8.76

• films; vapor deposition; Review Introduction Conformal coverage is achieved when a film of uniform thickness precisely follows the geometry of the underlying substrate. Conformal coatings allow for surface properties to be optimized independently from the choice of the bulk material and shape of the

Diffusion and surface alloying of gradient nanostructured metals

• Zhenbo Wang and
• Ke Lu

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2017, 8, 547–560, doi:10.3762/bjnano.8.59

• works have been carried out on advancing surface alloying techniques of metals with a preformed nanostructured surface layer. The advantages are distinct, for example, improving surface properties such as wear and corrosion resistance with higher energy/time efficiency, reducing work-piece distortion

Study of the surface properties of ZnO nanocolumns used for thin-film solar cells

• Neda Neykova,
• Jiri Stuchlik,
• Karel Hruska,
• Ales Poruba,
• Zdenek Remes and
• Ognen Pop-Georgievski

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2017, 8, 446–451, doi:10.3762/bjnano.8.48

• surface properties of ZnO NCs and the binding state of present elements were investigated before and after different plasma treatments, typically used in plasma-enhanced CVD solar cell deposition processes, by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Photothermal deflection spectroscopy (PDS) was used to

Biological and biomimetic materials and surfaces

• Stanislav Gorb and
• Thomas Speck

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2017, 8, 403–407, doi:10.3762/bjnano.8.42

• %) environmental humidity leads to a decrease of attachment forces generated by beetles [18]. The paper by England et al. systematically investigated beetle attachment ability on eight different surfaces having different structural and physico-chemical properties. The results show that chemical surface properties

Functionalized TiO₂ nanoparticles by single-step hydrothermal synthesis: the role of the silane coupling agents

• Antoine R. M. Dalod,
• Lars Henriksen,
• Tor Grande and
• Mari-Ann Einarsrud

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2017, 8, 304–312, doi:10.3762/bjnano.8.33

• route was demonstrated, and by selecting the type of silane coupling agent the surface properties of the TiO2 nanoparticles could be tailored. This synthesis route has been further developed into a two-step synthesis to TiO2–SiO2 core–shell nanoparticles. Combustion of the silane coupling agents up to

• , surface coverage, and hydrophobicity. Tuning the surface properties of the nanoparticles for different applications by selecting the silane coupling agent is discussed. We further report the effect of heat treatment of the nanoparticles for the formation of core–shell TiO2–SiO2 nanoparticles. Experimental

• offer versatility for tuning the surface properties of the TiO2 nanoparticles that are required for selected applications. Further modifications of the synthesis route are also possible for tuning the properties towards various types of applications. For example, applying the nanoparticles as filler in

Colorimetric gas detection by the varying thickness of a thin film of ultrasmall PTSA-coated TiO₂ nanoparticles on a Si substrate

• Urmas Joost,
• Andris Šutka,
• Meeri Visnapuu,
• Aile Tamm,
• Meeri Lembinen,
• Mikk Antsov,
• Kathriin Utt,
• Krisjanis Smits,
• Ergo Nõmmiste and
• Vambola Kisand

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2017, 8, 229–236, doi:10.3762/bjnano.8.25

• 2p photoemission line in the overview spectrum (168.2 eV, Figure 3c) is consistent with the sulfonic acid group [30]. This demonstrates that the nanoparticles are covered with PTSA molecules, yielding specific surface properties such as polarity and affinity towards the specific compounds. The vapor

Effective intercalation of zein into Na-montmorillonite: role of the protein components and use of the developed biointerfaces

• Ana C. S. Alcântara,
• Margarita Darder,
• Pilar Aranda and
• Eduardo Ruiz-Hitzky

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2016, 7, 1772–1782, doi:10.3762/bjnano.7.170

• in which the structural stability of the protein, the ionic strength, the pH value as well as the surface properties can influence the affinity of the biomolecule toward the inorganic interface. In addition to the particular characteristics of each protein, the structural size and proportion of

Fingerprints of a size-dependent crossover in the dimensionality of electronic conduction in Au-seeded Ge nanowires

• Maria Koleśnik-Gray,
• Gillian Collins,
• Justin D. Holmes and
• Vojislav Krstić

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2016, 7, 1574–1578, doi:10.3762/bjnano.7.151

• components for high-performance applications [1][2][3]. Besides representing prospective field-effect devices [4][5], they have attracted interest as building blocks for nanoscaled electrooptical components [6] and, due to their specific surface properties [4] can be envisaged as high-potential chemical and

Surface roughness rather than surface chemistry essentially affects insect adhesion

• Matt W. England,
• Tomoya Sato,
• Makoto Yagihashi,
• Atsushi Hozumi,
• Stanislav N. Gorb and
• Elena V. Gorb

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2016, 7, 1471–1479, doi:10.3762/bjnano.7.139

• of surface, each with different chemical and topographical properties. The results of traction force tests clearly demonstrated that chemical surface properties, such as static/dynamic de-wettability of water and oil caused by specific chemical compositions, had no significant effect on the

• surfaces. Surface properties of the samples. Sample surface compositions as estimated by XPS. Acknowledgements The authors thank Charlotte Bellmann and Ingo Grawe (both Kiel University) for their assistance with the force measurements and Emre Kizilkan (Kiel University) for the introduction into the

Three-gradient regular solution model for simple liquids wetting complex surface topologies

• Sabine Akerboom,
• Marleen Kamperman and
• Frans A. M. Leermakers

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2016, 7, 1377–1396, doi:10.3762/bjnano.7.129

Gold nanoparticles covalently assembled onto vesicle structures as possible biosensing platform

• M. Fátima Barroso,
• M. Alejandra Luna,
• Juan S. Flores Tabares,
• Cristina Delerue-Matos,
• N. Mariano Correa,
• Fernando Moyano and
• Patricia G. Molina

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2016, 7, 655–663, doi:10.3762/bjnano.7.58

• electrode (AuE). For that, a simple and well-defined redox system was used consisting of K4[Fe(CN)6] [26], which first was employed to characterize the surface properties of the AuE modified with the SH–DOPC LUVs without AuNPs. To perform this electrochemical characterization, firstly a clean AuE surface

Characterization of spherical domains at the polystyrene thin film–water interface

• Khurshid Ahmad,
• Xuezeng Zhao,
• Yunlu Pan and
• Danish Hussain

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2016, 7, 581–590, doi:10.3762/bjnano.7.51

• properties of glass [4][5], and for the modification of surface properties [6][7][8] (e.g., hydrophobicity, oleophobicity). The study of the thermal [4], optical [5], mechanical [9][10], and interfacial [6][7][8] properties of thin films is a broader area of interest. Various physical and chemical processes

Nanoscale effects in the characterization of viscoelastic materials with atomic force microscopy: coupling of a quasi-three-dimensional standard linear solid model with in-plane surface interactions

• Santiago D. Solares

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2016, 7, 554–571, doi:10.3762/bjnano.7.49

• subject to errors due to changes in material properties. In the case under consideration, the relaxed surface is located at the same position with respect to the cantilever for all simulations labeled with the same cantilever height. However, changes in the surface properties can lead to changes in the

Rigid multipodal platforms for metal surfaces

• Michal Valášek,
• Marcin Lindner and
• Marcel Mayor

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2016, 7, 374–405, doi:10.3762/bjnano.7.34

• (Figure 3) and used them for the fabrication of SAMs on gold [88][105]. In this study they particularly focused to reveal the surface properties of various sulfanylmethyl- and methylsulfanylmethyl-terminated tripodal platforms in order to get fairly densely packed, contamination free and homogeneous

Surface coating affects behavior of metallic nanoparticles in a biological environment

• Darija Domazet Jurašin,
• Marija Ćurlin,
• Ivona Capjak,
• Tea Crnković,
• Marija Lovrić,
• Michal Babič,
• Daniel Horák,
• Ivana Vinković Vrček and
• Srećko Gajović

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2016, 7, 246–262, doi:10.3762/bjnano.7.23

• collected and thoroughly analyzed data presented in this study will provide further insight into the behavior of AgNPs and SPIONs in complex biological media and the influence of surface properties on their colloidal stability. Furthermore, the obtained results contribute to the understanding of principal

Large area scanning probe microscope in ultra-high vacuum demonstrated for electrostatic force measurements on high-voltage devices

• Urs Gysin,
• Thilo Glatzel,
• Thomas Schmölzer,
• Adolf Schöner,
• Sergey Reshanov,
• Holger Bartolf and
• Ernst Meyer

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2015, 6, 2485–2497, doi:10.3762/bjnano.6.258

• conditions to predict bulk information from measured surface properties. Here we have a complex SiC structure influenced by some surface defects and states within the band gap, which induce a laterally homogeneous downward band bending for p-type and opposite for n-type material. Therefore, Equation 2 can be