The effect of surface anisotropy in the slippery zone of Nepenthes alata pitchers on beetle attachment

• Elena V. Gorb and
• Stanislav N. Gorb

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2011, 2, 302–310, doi:10.3762/bjnano.2.35

• downward pitcher direction, since, in this direction, they could interlock with overhanging edges of lunate cells. Keywords: adhesive pads; claws; Coccinella septempunctata; insect–plant interactions; traction force; Introduction Pitcher-shaped trapping organs produced at the tips of tendrils are

• decades, different aspects of Nepenthes biology, among them the structure and functions of pitchers, especially with respect to their trapping efficiency, have been the focus of numerous structural and experimental studies and field observations (review in [7]). For example, the importance of the pitcher

• highly viscous thus preventing trapped insects from escaping [12][13]. Although the slippery zone, situated inside the pitcher just below the peristome in the majority of Nepenthes species, was recognised long ago as an important structure for insect trapping and retention, due to its particular downward

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

• manipulation systems. In the former, laser trapping (optical tweezers) or electrostatic or magnetic field forces are utilized. Thus, Yamomoto et al. [4] cut DNA using restriction enzymes on a laser trapped bead, Vonna et al. used magnetic tweezers and beads to stretch cell membranes [5] and Stroscio et al. [6

Oriented growth of porphyrin-based molecular wires on ionic crystals analysed by nc-AFM

• Thilo Glatzel,
• Lars Zimmerli,
• Shigeki Kawai,
• Ernst Meyer,
• Leslie-Anne Fendt and
• Francois Diederich

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2011, 2, 34–39, doi:10.3762/bjnano.2.4

• kinks of the alkali halide crystals act as trapping points for the polar molecules, preventing them from diffusing freely over the surface. Simultaneously, intermolecular interactions force the cyano-porphyrins to form π–π stacks. These wires grow along the edges, forming long one-dimensional molecular

Defects in oxide surfaces studied by atomic force and scanning tunneling microscopy

• Thomas König,
• Georg H. Simon,
• Lars Heinke,
• Leonid Lichtenstein and
• Markus Heyde

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2011, 2, 1–14, doi:10.3762/bjnano.2.1

• single point defects or single adsorbates, instead of integrating over a square millimeter range. However, absolute values of the work function cannot be measured directly, only work function differences. Point defects Oxygen vacancies, also known as color centers, are electron trapping point defects and

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

• process involving the coalescence of small clusters. This emphasises the importance of the solution phase synthesis for the trapping of unstable intermediates and the growth of metastable structures often kinetically favoured. Magnetic properties A. Mössbauer spectra The Mössbauer spectra, recorded at

Enhanced visible light photocatalysis through fast crystallization of zinc oxide nanorods

• Sunandan Baruah,
• Mohammad Abbas Mahmood,
• Myo Tay Zar Myint,
• Tanujjal Bora and
• Joydeep Dutta

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2010, 1, 14–20, doi:10.3762/bjnano.1.3

• within the band gap (surface defects) [16], thereby affecting the optical and electronic properties [17]. Increased electron trapping due to higher defect sites leads to enhancement in the photocatalytic efficiency. This increase in photocatalytic efficiency is possible provided the electron-hole pair