Nanoscale patterning of a self-assembled monolayer by modification of the molecule–substrate bond

• Cai Shen and
• Manfred Buck

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2014, 5, 258–267, doi:10.3762/bjnano.5.28

• . The local modification of the sulfur–substrate bond by intercalation of Cu at the Au–substrate interface yields a latent image, which is straightforwardly developed into a patterned binary SAM. Harnessing the significant difference in the strength of the S–Au and S–Cu bond this involves a potential

Surface assembly and nanofabrication of 1,1,1-tris(mercaptomethyl)heptadecane on Au(111) studied with time-lapse atomic force microscopy

• Tian Tian,
• Burapol Singhana,
• Lauren E. Englade-Franklin,
• Xianglin Zhai,
• T. Randall Lee and
• Jayne C. Garno

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2014, 5, 26–35, doi:10.3762/bjnano.5.3

• with a side-on configuration, with the alkyl backbone aligned parallel to the substrate. It is likely that one sulfur of the tridentate molecule attaches to the surface in the initial molecular adsorption step. As time progresses, a second sulfur attached to the surface with rearrangement to a canted

• ), which likely has all three sulfur groups attached to the surface. Although we have no direct evidence of the numbers of sulfur groups attached to the substrate using AFM characterizations, the range of intermediate height measurements of Figure 2 suggest a step-wise attachment of the sulfur moieties

• nanografted patterns is shorter than that expected for an upright configuration of TMMH, likely attributable to the dilute conditions of the experiment. This may be attributable to an incomplete surface assembly of all three sulfurs of the tridentate group, with only one or two sulfur atoms attaching to the

Synthesis of indium oxi-sulfide films by atomic layer deposition: The essential role of plasma enhancement

• Cathy Bugot,
• Nathanaëlle Schneider,
• Daniel Lincot and
• Frédérique Donsanti

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2013, 4, 750–757, doi:10.3762/bjnano.4.85

• pyrolysis technique, Maha et al. have inserted sulfur atoms in In2O3 thin films and obtained optical band gaps in the range from 3.85 to 3.96 eV [18]. Thus, based on our previous results and those studies, we became interested in adjusting the optical properties of In2S3 by incorporating oxygen atoms while

• increase with the number of In2O3 cycles during the deposition process of In2S3. The atomic ratios of oxygen, sulfur and indium determined by using EDX are presented in Table 2 and correlated to the optical band gap values. The dependence of the atomic ratio of oxygen and the optical band gap on the number

• the oxygen contained in In2(S,O)3 films is not generated from single layers of In2O3 but rather by exchange reactions as described in the previous section. Indeed, the O2 plasma can directly react with the film surface and induce an exchange reaction with surface sulfur atoms. Figure 7 presents a

AFM as an analysis tool for high-capacity sulfur cathodes for Li–S batteries

• Renate Hiesgen,
• Seniz Sörgel,
• Rémi Costa,
• Linus Carlé,
• Ines Galm,
• Natalia Cañas,
• Brigitta Pascucci and
• K. Andreas Friedrich

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2013, 4, 611–624, doi:10.3762/bjnano.4.68

• Center, Stuttgart, Germany 10.3762/bjnano.4.68 Abstract In this work, material-sensitive atomic force microscopy (AFM) techniques were used to analyse the cathodes of lithium–sulfur batteries. A comparison of their nanoscale electrical, electrochemical, and morphological properties was performed with

• cathodes. X-ray diffraction (XRD) measurements of Li2S exposed to ambient air showed that insulating Li2S hydrolyses to insulating LiOH. This validates the significance of electrical ex-situ AFM analysis after cycling. Conductive tapping mode AFM indicated the existence of large carbon-coated sulfur

• particles. Based on the analytical findings, the first results of an optimized cathode showed a much improved discharge capacity of 800 mA·g(sulfur)−1 after 43 cycles. Keywords: conductive AFM; high capacity; lithium-sulfur batteries; material-sensitive AFM; sulfur cathode; Introduction Lithium

Large-scale atomistic and quantum-mechanical simulations of a Nafion membrane: Morphology, proton solvation and charge transport

• Pavel V. Komarov,
• Pavel G. Khalatur and
• Alexei R. Khokhlov

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2013, 4, 567–587, doi:10.3762/bjnano.4.65

Current–voltage characteristics of single-molecule diarylethene junctions measured with adjustable gold electrodes in solution

• Bernd M. Briechle,
• Youngsang Kim,
• Philipp Ehrenreich,
• Artur Erbe,
• Dmytro Sysoiev,
• Thomas Huhn,
• Ulrich Groth and
• Elke Scheer

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2012, 3, 798–808, doi:10.3762/bjnano.3.89

• , Germany Chemistry Department, University of Konstanz, D-78457 Konstanz, Germany 10.3762/bjnano.3.89 Abstract We report on an experimental analysis of the charge transport through sulfur-free photochromic molecular junctions. The conductance of individual molecules contacted with gold electrodes and the

• presence of sulfur atoms in the switching core. For this study we chose the recently developed class of sulfur-free diarylethenes (with proper side-arms and end-groups) in which the thiophene rings have been replaced by furans that are assumed to be less prone to unspecific binding to the metal electrodes

• molecules using the MCBJ technique in a liquid environment at room temperature. We have investigated three different diarylethene molecules with a sulfur-free switching core to reduce the possibility of unspecific binding. The conductance has been examined during repeated breaking and forming of the atomic

Nanolesions induced by heavy ions in human tissues: Experimental and theoretical studies

• Marcus Bleicher,
• Lucas Burigo,
• Marco Durante,
• Maren Herrlitz,
• Michael Krämer,
• Igor Mishustin,
• Iris Müller,
• Francesco Natale,
• Igor Pshenichnov,
• Stefan Schramm,
• Gisela Taucher-Scholz and
• Cathrin Wälzlein

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2012, 3, 556–563, doi:10.3762/bjnano.3.64

• of damage sites centrally induced within heterochromatic chromo centers. (a) The mouse embryo fibroblast (MEF) nucleus was irradiated with single sulfur ions and immunostained 5 min after irradiation. H2AX is phosphorylated and the repair protein XRCC1 accumulates at heterochromatic DSBs directly

Directed deposition of silicon nanowires using neopentasilane as precursor and gold as catalyst

• Britta Kämpken,
• Verena Wulf,
• Norbert Auner,
• Marcel Winhold,
• Michael Huth,
• Daniel Rhinow and
• Andreas Terfort

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2012, 3, 535–545, doi:10.3762/bjnano.3.62

• of “liquid bright gold”, also called “porcelain gold” or “gold ink”. This material, which is formed by heating gold dust with sulfur and terpenes, was commonly used in the manufacturing and refinement process of porcelain [45]. When the tar-like material is painted onto ceramic surfaces, it can be

Functionalised zinc oxide nanowire gas sensors: Enhanced NO₂ gas sensor response by chemical modification of nanowire surfaces

• Eric R. Waclawik,
• Jin Chang,
• Andrea Ponzoni,
• Isabella Concina,
• Dario Zappa,
• Elisabetta Comini,
• Nunzio Motta,
• Guido Faglia and
• Giorgio Sberveglieri

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2012, 3, 368–377, doi:10.3762/bjnano.3.43

• dodecanethiol ligand and the ZnO surface could readily be distinguished at 164.4 eV with these samples, while sulfur peaks in the XPS spectrum of the unfunctionalised sensors were completely absent. Similarly THMA-functionalisation led to a multicomponent nitrogen peak, which could be fitted to the C–N bond in

• ) dodecanethiol-coated ZnO nanowire sensor; and (c) THMA-coated ZnO nanowire sensor. XPS spectra of (a) the sulfur peak of DT-functionalised ZnO NW sensor surface and (b) the amide peak of THMA-functionalised ZnO NW sensor surface. TG and DTG of (a) DT-coated and (b) THMA-coated ZnO obtained in air at 5 °C·min−1

Junction formation of Cu₃BiS₃ investigated by Kelvin probe force microscopy and surface photovoltage measurements

• Fredy Mesa,
• William Chamorro,
• William Vallejo,
• Robert Baier,
• Thomas Dittrich,
• Alexander Grimm,
• Martha C. Lux-Steiner and
• Sascha Sadewasser

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2012, 3, 277–284, doi:10.3762/bjnano.3.31

• the buffer layer on the grain boundaries was addressed, providing evidence for a diffusion of sulfur from the CdS buffer layer into the grain boundaries of the Cu(In,Ga)Se2 absorber film [15][16]. In this work we present a comparative analysis of the nanoscale optoelectronic properties of Cu3BiS3 thin

• simultaneous evaporation of Bi and S. In the second stage the Cu3BiS3 compound is formed by evaporation of Cu, in a sulfur environment, onto the BixSy layer, with the substrate temperature kept at 300 °C during the complete process [6]. Layers of Cu3BiS3 (thickness about 1 µm) were deposited on glass coated

• metallic precursors evaporated from a tungsten boat for Zn and a tantalum effusion cell for sulfur. The substrate was heated to ~250 °C. A thickness monitor (Maxtec TM-400) with a quartz-crystal sensor was used to measure the deposition rate of Zn. The thickness of the films was ~120 nm, as measured with a

Variations in the structure and reactivity of thioester functionalized self-assembled monolayers and their use for controlled surface modification

• Inbal Aped,
• Yacov Mazuz and
• Chaim N. Sukenik

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2012, 3, 213–220, doi:10.3762/bjnano.3.24

• also followed by XPS. SAMs of compounds 1 and 2 showed peaks corresponding to the expected divalent sulfur of the thioester at 163.8 ± 0.2 eV and 164.8 ± 0.2 eV in the expected 2:1 ratio (±10%), see for example Figure 4A. The additional (thiophene) sulfur in both compounds 3 and 4 leads to a broad

• for each sulfur and the expected 1:1 ratio for the two kinds of sulfurs in a single thiophene-bearing SAM show error bars of as much as 30%. Nevertheless, the XPS result confirms the presence of the thioester and thiophene sulfurs and attests to their complete disappearance (in all cases) upon

• oxidation to a sulfonic acid SAM (in which the one sulfur is at 168.2 ± 0.2 eV and 169.9 ± 0.2 eV). Finally, the photo-oxidations of the various types of thioesters were compared by using UV radiation of different wavelengths. A lamp whose output was around 254 nm was used for irradiation at shorter

When “small” terms matter: Coupled interference features in the transport properties of cross-conjugated molecules

• Gemma C. Solomon,
• Justin P. Bergfield,
• Charles A. Stafford and
• Mark A. Ratner

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2011, 2, 862–871, doi:10.3762/bjnano.2.95

• to gold electrodes. The systems that we compare have the same underlying carbon skeleton but differ in the fact that the sulfur binding groups appear explicitly, rather than being effectively absorbed as part of the electrodes in the Hückel calculations. The gDFTB method [22][24][25] allows us to

Self-assembled monolayers and titanium dioxide: From surface patterning to potential applications

• Yaron Paz

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2011, 2, 845–861, doi:10.3762/bjnano.2.94

• , demonstrating the usefulness of using SAM mediators. The same concept of using SAMs as mediators was demonstrated in a system comprising quantum dots and self-assembled-monolayer-coated titanium dioxide. Here, cadmium–sulfur–selenium (CdSSe) quantum dots were physically attached to hydrothermally synthesized

Direct monitoring of opto-mechanical switching of self-assembled monolayer films containing the azobenzene group

• Einat Tirosh,
• Enrico Benassi,
• Silvio Pipolo,
• Marcel Mayor,
• Michal Valášek,
• Veronica Frydman,
• Stefano Corni and
• Sidney R. Cohen

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2011, 2, 834–844, doi:10.3762/bjnano.2.93

• . It uses an atomistic (although empirical) description of the molecules and of their interactions in the SAM, and allows simulation of the compression of the SAM by a nanoindenter. It includes an annealed SAM surface fixed at the base by sulfur atoms, with no explicit inclusion of the gold substrate

• ). Therefore: where A0 = A/N is the area of gold surface that one single molecule covers, and l0 is obtained in our model as the projection of the molecular length d0 (calculated as the largest interatomic distance between sulfur atom and an hydrogen atom) on the normal direction n with respect to the gold

• geometry. The structure of the SAM was built to reproduce the experimentally observed periodicity [10] (Figure 6) and the gold surface is described, in this first model, only implicitly by fixing the sulfur atom positions. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations within the canonical ensemble at T = 300 K were

Terthiophene on Au(111): A scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy study

• Berndt Koslowski,
• Anna Tschetschetkin,
• Norbert Maurer,
• Elena Mena-Osteritz,
• Peter Bäuerle and
• Paul Ziemann

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2011, 2, 561–568, doi:10.3762/bjnano.2.60

• , and given in panels Figure 4(c) and Figure 4(g), respectively, suggests that the observed asymmetry can be attributed to the fact that the central sulfur atom does not contribute significantly to the HOMO of a free molecule, as opposed to its contribution to the LUMO. Thus, with respect to symmetry

Platinum nanoparticles from size adjusted functional colloidal particles generated by a seeded emulsion polymerization process

• Nicolas Vogel,
• Ulrich Ziener,
• Achim Manzke,
• Alfred Plettl,
• Paul Ziemann,
• Johannes Biskupek,
• Clemens K. Weiss and
• Katharina Landfester

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2011, 2, 459–472, doi:10.3762/bjnano.2.50

• spectroscopy (XPS), the lumps always contain PtO2. In this state also sodium and sulfur was detected when SDS was used as surfactant. Similar observations for Pt NPs produced from precursor-loaded colloids, prepared with emulsion or miniemulsion polymerization, have already been reported but were not

• with or without the precursor complex, and with SDS or Lutensol AT50 as surfactant. In contrast to SDS, which contains sodium and sulfur, Lutensol AT50 only consists of carbon, oxygen and hydrogen, which are likely to be transformed into volatile products during plasma treatment. The according etching

• proved by HRSEM (Figure 7, linear fit). In summary, the Pt precursor within the colloids as well as the surfactant SDS interferes with the etching process and, thus, leads to the saturated state. As they are not present in dispersion 4, non-volatile components such as metals (Pt, Na) and/or sulfur were

Towards a scalable and accurate quantum approach for describing vibrations of molecule–metal interfaces

• David M. Benoit,
• Bruno Madebene,
• Inga Ulusoy,
• Luis Mancera,
• Yohann Scribano and
• Sergey Chulkov

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2011, 2, 427–447, doi:10.3762/bjnano.2.48

• vibrational structure, STM–IETS can be used to determine the adsorption geometry of a 4-mercaptopyridine molecule on the Au(111) surface [4]. This study confirmed that a coordination of the sulfur atoms by two gold atoms (bridge site or defect site) is likely to be the preferred binding mode for the adsorbate

• ) adsorbed on Au(111) (Figure 7) for different sizes of the partial Hessian matrix. The largest active system, mpy-ads-5, contains five gold atoms (the two gold atoms directly bonded to the sulfur atom, and the gold atoms which are bonded to both the first two gold atoms), thus yielding 48 normal modes. The

• next size down, mpy-ads-2, contains two gold atoms, both connected to the sulfur atom, giving 39 normal modes. Finally, mpy-ads-0 is a minimal model that does not include any gold atoms in the partial Hessian matrix (33 modes). The calculations were carried out using the Vasp [48] program and projector

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

• significant reduction of the DOS at the Fermi level results. Only upon the consideration of additional adsorbents, such as sulfur, nitrogen, thiolates, amines, or H on the Pd layer, can a downshift of the DOS in agreement with the experiment be obtained in the calculations [12]. However, there is no clear

• as Mpy since the sulfur head group of Mpy hardly affects the N–Pd contact. Upon the attachment of an up-right standing pyridine molecule to the Pd monolayer, with the water molecule adsorbed at the other side, the water adsorption energy was lowered to Eads = −1.10 eV, i.e., the water binding became

Studies towards synthesis, evolution and alignment characteristics of dense, millimeter long multiwalled carbon nanotube arrays

• Pitamber Mahanandia,
• Jörg J. Schneider,
• Martin Engel,
• Bernd Stühn,
• Somanahalli V. Subramanyam and
• Karuna Kar Nanda

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2011, 2, 293–301, doi:10.3762/bjnano.2.34

• CNT synthesis, growth promoters such as thiophene, pure sulfur or hydrogen, and chemical oxidants such as oxygen, organic molecules (e.g., ethanol, ethers, aldehydes, ketones) or water have been employed for preparing ultra-long, aligned CNTs [8][23][24][25]. The ratio of the carbonaceous CxHy

Twofold role of calcined hydrotalcites in the degradation of methyl parathion pesticide

• Alvaro Sampieri,
• Geolar Fetter,
• María Elena Villafuerte-Castrejon,
• Adriana Tejeda-Cruz and
• Pedro Bosch

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2011, 2, 99–103, doi:10.3762/bjnano.2.11

• . Conclusion In this work, the basic character of hydrotalcite oxides (M2+/Al3+) is reported for the first time to be essential for MP degradation. The resulting compounds are (p-NP) and other inorganic (sulfur and phosphorus containing compounds etc.) substances. The degradation of MP with hydrotalcite oxides