SERS performance of GaN/Ag substrates fabricated by Ag coating of GaN platforms

• Magdalena A. Zając,
• Bogusław Budner,
• Malwina Liszewska,
• Bartosz Bartosewicz,
• Łukasz Gutowski,
• Jan L. Weyher and
• Bartłomiej J. Jankiewicz

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2023, 14, 552–564, doi:10.3762/bjnano.14.46

• use in various applications, including biosensing and bioanalysis [4][5][6][7], and many defense and homeland security applications [8][9][10], such as forensic science [11] or detection of hazardous materials [12][13][14][15][16]. Any SERS technique application requires efficient, reproducible, and

• reliable SERS substrates, which often must be tailored toward specific applications [15][17][18]. The SERS substrates described in the literature include nanoparticles, core–shell nanoparticles, semicontinuous metal films, and many other nanostructures most commonly made of gold or silver [18][19][20][21

• substrates All fabricated GaN/Ag substrates were tested to assess their suitability for SERS applications using pMBA as a test analyte. Averaged pMBA SERS spectra acquired from GaN/Ag substrates fabricated using MS, PLD at room temperature, and PLD at higher temperatures are shown in Figure 6, Figure 7, and

Observation of multiple bulk bound states in the continuum modes in a photonic crystal cavity

• Rui Chen,
• Yi Zheng,
• Xingyu Huang,
• Qiaoling Lin,
• Chaochao Ye,
• Meng Xiong,
• Martijn Wubs,
• Yungui Ma,
• Minhao Pu and
• Sanshui Xiao

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2023, 14, 544–551, doi:10.3762/bjnano.14.45

• in the continuum (BICs) in photonic crystals gives rise to the realization of resonances with high quality factors for lasing and nonlinear applications. For BIC cavities in finite-size photonic crystals, the bulk resonance band turns into discrete modes with different mode profiles and radiation

• simulations. Our findings have potential applications regarding the mode selectivity in BIC devices to manipulate the lasing mode in photonic-crystal surface-emitting lasers or the radiation pattern in nonlinear optics. Keywords: bound states in the continuum; bulk modes analysis; photonic crystal

• confinement in a relatively simple way. Such strong resonances endow PhC-based BIC devices with a strong enhancement of light–matter interaction, indicating great potential for applications in ultrasensitive molecular fingerprint detection [12][13][35], hyperspectral biosensing imaging [36], novel flat light

Carbon nanotube-cellulose ink for rapid solvent identification

• Tiago Amarante,
• Thiago H. R. Cunha,
• Claudio Laudares,
• Ana P. M. Barboza,
• Ana Carolina dos Santos,
• Cíntia L. Pereira,
• Vinicius Ornelas,
• Bernardo R. A. Neves,
• André S. Ferlauto and
• Rodrigo G. Lacerda

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2023, 14, 535–543, doi:10.3762/bjnano.14.44

• and flexible devices are paradigms of the current “Industry 4.0”. One can envision applications such as multicomponent liquid and gas sensors, wearables for healthcare, paper-based sensors, and electronic solutions for smart city applications [1][2][3][4][5]. Another area of increasing demand is the

• production. Ink printing technology is one of the most promising approaches to fulfill all the demands and to mitigate the issues described above. This naturally leads to the challenge of developing new smart-ink-based materials for several applications [1][2][3][4][5][12][13][41][42][43]. Carbon nanotubes

• and other 1D/2D materials have been employed as ink components with great potential for a broad range of applications, for example, in flexible electronics, photoconductors, transparent conductors, and gas sensors [44][45][46][47]. Carbon nanotube ink films have been reported as field-effect

Nanoarchitectonics to entrap living cells in silica-based systems: encapsulations with yolk–shell and sepiolite nanomaterials

• Celia Martín-Morales,
• Jorge Fernández-Méndez,
• Pilar Aranda and
• Eduardo Ruiz-Hitzky

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2023, 14, 522–534, doi:10.3762/bjnano.14.43

• biological functions that can be effectively manipulated through the inorganic components, with potential impact on leading applications within the fields of chemical synthesis and catalysis, energy, environment, and biomedicine. Examples of bionanohybrids include the bottom-up fabrication of

• confer a shell structure to the unicellular organisms to improve their inherent properties and functions. In fact, the so-called “cellular shellization” has been proposed to obtain a cell surface allowing for applications in advanced technologies and biomedicine including cell delivery and cell therapy

• it very attractive for various applications [34][36][37] including its controlled modification by assembling diverse components from biological origin [27][28][38][39][40]. According to the World Health Organization, this natural silicate is classified with “inadequate evidence” of toxicity and

On the use of Raman spectroscopy to characterize mass-produced graphene nanoplatelets

• Keith R. Paton,
• Konstantinos Despotelis,
• Naresh Kumar,
• Piers Turner and
• Andrew J. Pollard

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2023, 14, 509–521, doi:10.3762/bjnano.14.42

• spectroscopy; Introduction Graphene and related 2D materials (GR2Ms) are now well established with commercial products available across a range of sectors, from sports and leisure products [1][2], through mobile phones [3] to automotive applications [4]. There are also a large number of producers of these

• applications for GR2Ms expands, and with it the production volumes, there is an increasing need for faster methods that can be applied in-line or at-line. These quality control methods do not need the same level of accuracy and precision as those specified in international standards, but they do need to be

• %), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) (7.2%) or X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) (5.6%). It has the advantages of relatively low cost, simple sample preparation, quick measurements, and automated analysis, offering clear benefits for quality control applications. It has been demonstrated in several

Microneedle patches – the future of drug delivery and vaccination?

• Zahra Faraji Rad,
• Philip D. Prewett and
• Graham J. Davies

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2023, 14, 494–495, doi:10.3762/bjnano.14.40

• applications [2]. Recent research has also revealed a growing interest in diagnostic testing using the interstitial fluid (ISF) transdermally extracted, for example using suction devices [3], and there is increasing recognition by doctors and biomedical scientists of the potential role of the ISF in medical

• ][9]. Recent progress may be broadly categorised as MN design, fabrication, skin penetration studies, and applications, ranging from drug delivery and vaccination to diagnostics. The first two of these have received most attention, but considerable work is still to be done in all categories – more in

• vivo studies for example. In the meantime, progress towards large-scale manufacture of moulded polymer MNs is progressing at pace, with the aid of new advanced 3D mould fabrication tools [10]. This special edition provides a snapshot of current research into MNs and their applications. It focuses on

A mid-infrared focusing grating coupler with a single circular arc element based on germanium on silicon

• Xiaojun Zhu,
• Shuai Li,
• Ang Sun,
• Yongquan Pan,
• Wen Liu,
• Yue Wu,
• Guoan Zhang and
• Yuechun Shi

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2023, 14, 478–484, doi:10.3762/bjnano.14.38

• cover the wavelength of 6–15 μm. Hence, it is a suitable material for biosensors applications in the MIR band [6]. In recent years, researchers have verified the feasibility of Ge MIR waveguides on various substrate materials, such as germanium on silicon (Ge-on-Si), germanium on silicon-on-insulator

• proposed MIR grating coupler [14]. Finally, the transmission characteristics of the output fiber can be detected using an optical spectrum analyzer. There is a wide range of sensors for applications in, for example, biosensing, healthcare, disease detection, and gas detection. Therefore, research on those

• etch step. The manufacture is simple compared with multiple etching [1]. Therefore, after considering the production process, production cost and sensitivity, our proposed sensor based on Ge-on-Si is expected to have commercially available applications in the future. Conclusion In summary, we designed

Conjugated photothermal materials and structure design for solar steam generation

• Chia-Yang Lin and
• Tsuyoshi Michinobu

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2023, 14, 454–466, doi:10.3762/bjnano.14.36

• absorbers based on (1) various molecular designs of small molecules and polymers, (2) absorber structures from a thermal management perspective, and (3) applications to desalination, sterilization, wastewater treatment, and power generation. As we focus on the SSG application in this review, the other

• applications will be briefly discussed in the last part. Solar steam generation absorbers Numerous studies have been conducted of various materials and structures of solar energy absorbers for SSG. To achieve a high conversion efficiency in solar steam generation, three key factors must be considered. The

• focuses on solar energy applications for water evaporation, the light absorbing properties of materials are intended to achieve the highest conversion of sunlight radiation at sea level. The AM1.5 standard represents the average annual solar radiation at the temperate latitudes (Figure 2a). Therefore, the

Molecular nanoarchitectonics: unification of nanotechnology and molecular/materials science

• Katsuhiko Ariga

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2023, 14, 434–453, doi:10.3762/bjnano.14.35

• allows a wide variety of nonplanar aromatic hydrocarbons to be built and highly distorted structures to be synthesized. These nonplanar aromatic hydrocarbons are expected to have a wide range of applications, including semiconductors, light-emitting devices, bioimaging, and pharmaceuticals. As a polymer

• extended π-carbon systems is an important process for spintronics applications. On-surface synthetic nanoarchitectonics Besides manipulating molecules and atoms with a tip, in situ observation of specific chemical reactions occurring on surfaces with a probe microscope is a very significant approach to

• everything and as a completed form of general materials science, it is necessary to consider a wide range of applications and many combinations and possibilities. In the past, it has been difficult to apply the method to a seemingly infinite number of substances. However, the development of computational

Plasmonic nanotechnology for photothermal applications – an evaluation

• A. R. Indhu,
• L. Keerthana and
• Gnanaprakash Dharmalingam

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2023, 14, 380–419, doi:10.3762/bjnano.14.33

• tunability of optothermal properties and enhanced stability, these nanostructures show a wide range of applications in optical sensors, steam generation, water desalination, thermal energy storage, and biomedical applications such as photothermal (PT) therapy. The PT effect, that is, the conversion of

• absorbed light to heat by these particles, has led to thriving research regarding the utilization of plasmonic nanoparticles for a myriad of applications. The design of conventional nanomaterials for PT conversion has focussed predominantly on the manipulation of photon absorption through bandgap

• pondered on in the final section of the article, taking into account the specific requirements from different applications. Keywords: nanoparticle heating; phonons; photothermal; plasmonic; stability; surface plasmon resonance; Review 1 Introduction With an ever-increasing demand for energy and the

New trends in nanobiotechnology

• Pau-Loke Show,
• Kit Wayne Chew,
• Wee-Jun Ong,
• Sunita Varjani and
• Joon Ching Juan

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2023, 14, 377–379, doi:10.3762/bjnano.14.32

• -assembly; wet chemical reduction; The widespread use of nanotechnology has reached almost every sector in our daily lives and amazed the world by offering various potential applications in these sectors. The uprising wave of nanotechnology and its application are now prominent in the fields of chemistry

• nanobiotechnological processes to encourage the development of these converging technologies for a sustainable economic growth. The synthesis and the characterization of nanoscale biomaterials, the innovative applications of “smart nanoparticles”, and the technological/biological impact of nanoscale systems are just

• some of the areas of focus in the field known as nanobiotechnology [1]. Nanobiotechnology has a wide array of applications: from organ-on-a-chip technologies to nanobiosensors and nanocatalysts for advanced characterisation and imaging tools, from intelligent drug delivery systems to artificial

Quercetin- and caffeic acid-functionalized chitosan-capped colloidal silver nanoparticles: one-pot synthesis, characterization, and anticancer and antibacterial activities

• Akif Hakan Kurt,
• Elif Berna Olutas,
• Fatma Avcioglu,
• Hamza Karakuş,
• Mehmet Ali Sungur,
• Cansu Kara Oztabag and
• Muhammet Yıldırım

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2023, 14, 362–376, doi:10.3762/bjnano.14.31

• , especially chitosan–silver nanocomposites, which yield a new type of nanoparticles, has raised more attention regarding eco-friendly properties and applications in nanomedicine and environmental remediation. Syntheses of chitosan, silver, and quercetin alone or in binary combinations, that is, chitosan

• ). In addition, the amount of the capping agents (quercetin and caffeic acid) that may be of high importance for potential applications of NPs has been determined. As known, quercetin is one of the main reagents used as a reference standard for the quantification of flavonoids in a sample [67]. The

• comparable to that in the healthy ARPE-19 cells, suggesting that the effect may not be tissue specific. Another issue that may affect the results of biological applications of NPs in general and should be considered is how the colloidal distribution and stability of the NPs are affected in the cell culture

The steep road to nonviral nanomedicines: Frequent challenges and culprits in designing nanoparticles for gene therapy

• Yao Yao,
• Yeongun Ko,
• Grant Grasman,
• Jeffery E. Raymond and
• Joerg Lahann

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2023, 14, 351–361, doi:10.3762/bjnano.14.30

• biological interactions [12] to engineering nanomaterials for specific applications [13][14]. One particular topic of recent interest is NP-mediated nonviral gene delivery, which is the focal point of this perspective. Emerging NP-mediated nonviral gene delivery systems have gathered significant attention

Polymer nanoparticles from low-energy nanoemulsions for biomedical applications

• Santiago Grijalvo and
• Carlos Rodriguez-Abreu

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2023, 14, 339–350, doi:10.3762/bjnano.14.29

• , particularly by the phase inversion composition method, and the use of these nanoemulsions as templates for the preparation of polymer nanoparticles for biomedical applications are reviewed. The methods of preparation, nature of the components in the formulation, and their impact on the physicochemical

• research on the fabrication of polymer nanoparticles from low-energy nanoemulsions, focusing on phase inversion composition. We particularly emphasize their biomedical applications as drug carriers. 2 Nanoemulsions Nanoemulsions are constituted by nanoscale droplets (20–200 nm) dispersed in a continuous

• surfactant/water/oil systems through the use of phase diagrams is usually needed. For biomedical applications, this is further complicated by the fact that the list of available components is restricted by regulations. The most straightforward strategy to obtain polymer nanoparticles from nanoemulsions is to

Overview of mechanism and consequences of endothelial leakiness caused by metal and polymeric nanoparticles

• Magdalena Lasak and
• Karol Ciepluch

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2023, 14, 329–338, doi:10.3762/bjnano.14.28

• important permeability barrier for NPs, which is of key importance for their medical applications [5][14]. The ability of NPs to cross the endothelial monolayer depends on both the physicochemical properties of the NPs and the biology and physiology of the vessels themselves [20]. Understanding the

• form one of the most selective permeability barriers [33] (Figure 4). Studies on NanoEL are a valuable source of information with respect to the potential future of biomedical applications. Designing NPs with optimal physicochemical properties could enable predicted and controlled leakiness, thus

• providing a new therapeutic approach that could also be applied in noncancerous applications [41]. Therapeutic and pathological consequences of NanoEL The development of nanotechnology creates a number of possibilities in the synthesis of NPs with the desired physicochemical properties, which will determine

Quasi-guided modes resulting from the band folding effect in a photonic crystal slab for enhanced interactions of matters with free-space radiations

• Kaili Sun,
• Yangjian Cai,
• Uriel Levy and
• Zhanghua Han

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2023, 14, 322–328, doi:10.3762/bjnano.14.27

• Kaili Sun Yangjian Cai Uriel Levy Zhanghua Han Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Optics and Photonic Devices, Center of Light Manipulation and Applications, School of Physics and Electronics, Shandong Normal University, Jinan 250358, China Department of Applied Physics, The Hebrew University

• suspended disks made of high-index materials are another example of resonances to provide ultrahigh Q-factors [2]. However, above structures are still bulky. For example, the photonic crystal cavities need the surrounding periods to provide the bandgap, which is not favorable for nanoscale applications

• resonances [4] and quasi-bound state in the continuum (QBIC) modes [5] have attracted significant attention in nanophotonic research, with the latter proposed to address the problem of radiation losses associated with the former. A large variety of novel applications benefiting from such optical resonances

Bismuth-based nanostructured photocatalysts for the remediation of antibiotics and organic dyes

• Akeem Adeyemi Oladipo and
• Faisal Suleiman Mustafa

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2023, 14, 291–321, doi:10.3762/bjnano.14.26

• applications, are addressed. Keywords: advanced oxidation processes; emerging contaminants; low-dimensional nanomaterials; pharmaceutical by-products; Schottky junction; Review Introduction Worldwide, water pollution is rising, endangering the economic potential and development objectives of severely

• semiconductor as well as the redox levels of the substrate [11][21]. One of the main barriers preventing photocatalysis from being used in practical applications is the lack of suitable semiconductor photocatalysts. The commonly used nanometre-sized photocatalysts are metal oxides or sulfides (binary compounds

• . Different materials based on bismuth have been developed and used for a range of environmental remediation applications. For instance, Mu et al. [46] synthesised a Bi2S3/Bi4O7 heterostructure via an in situ sulfidation approach and utilised it for the degradation of rhodamine B dye under visible-light

Biocatalytic synthesis and ordered self-assembly of silica nanoparticles via a silica-binding peptide

• Mustafa Gungormus

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2023, 14, 280–290, doi:10.3762/bjnano.14.25

• challenge is the difficulty in manipulating nanoparticles due to size-related constraints. The self-assembly of nanoparticles is mainly governed through intermolecular interactions [9]. The high nanoparticle/volume fractions required for large-scale applications may result in electrostatic repulsion or

• refractive indices. These structures are referred to as photonic crystals and can be manufactured synthetically for various optical applications. Similar optical behavior of the opal-like structures formed in this study will be demonstrated and discussed below. The fast Fourier transform of the SEM images

Recent progress in cancer cell membrane-based nanoparticles for biomedical applications

• Qixiong Lin,
• Yueyou Peng,
• Yanyan Wen,
• Xiaoqiong Li,
• Donglian Du,
• Weibin Dai,
• Wei Tian and
• Yanfeng Meng

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2023, 14, 262–279, doi:10.3762/bjnano.14.24

• therapeutic benefits and lower normal tissue toxicity. Different types of applications related to cancer cell membranes are summarized in Table 2 and detailed in the following sections. 4.1 Traditional oncology treatment Although various treatments for cancer have emerged, surgical resection, radiotherapy

• patients and has shown promise for medical prospects. Some of the applications related to biomimetic cancer cell membrane-coated agents are listed and described below. 5.1 Magnetic resonance imaging Magnetic nanoparticles are widely used in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) because they can improve imaging

• -MRI of mice. Reproduced from [83]. (© 2022 Fu L et al., published by Elsevier, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 4.0 International License, http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/). This content is not subject to CC BY 4.0. Applications of

Cyclodextrins as eminent constituents in nanoarchitectonics for drug delivery systems

• Makoto Komiyama

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2023, 14, 218–232, doi:10.3762/bjnano.14.21

• nanoarchitectures are highly promising for future applications in medicine, pharmaceutics, and other relevant fields. Keywords: cyclodextrin; drug delivery system (DDS); nanoarchitecture; phototherapy; siRNA; Review 1 Introduction Recently, drug delivery systems (DDSs) have been attracting much interest [1][2][3

• , respectively. The inside of the cavity is apolar in nature, and thus apolar guests of suitable size are preferentially accommodated to form inclusion complexes. The CyD/guest ratio in inclusion complexes is usually 1:1. Very importantly for practical applications in DDSs, CyDs show no toxicity to the human

• body since they are enzymatic digests of starch. By various chemical modifications, the desired number and kind of functional groups can be easily and precisely introduced to predetermined sites, greatly widening the scope of applications [35][36][37]. In pharmaceutics, CyDs (and their derivatives

Concentration-dependent photothermal conversion efficiency of gold nanoparticles under near-infrared laser and broadband irradiation

• Vikas,
• Raj Kumar and
• Sanjeev Soni

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2023, 14, 205–217, doi:10.3762/bjnano.14.20

• Vikas Raj Kumar Sanjeev Soni Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad-201002, India Biomedical Applications Group, CSIR ­ Central Scientific Instruments Organisation, Sector-30C, Chandigarh-160030, India Micro and Nano Optics Centre, CSIR ­ Central Scientific Instruments

• applications. Keywords: broadband irradiation; gold nanoparticles; laser; near-infrared; photothermal conversion efficiency; plasmonics; Introduction Plasmonic photothermal properties of gold nanoparticles (GNPs) are useful for a variety of applications including those in biomedicine, such as drug delivery

• , and the characteristics of irradiation source [12][13][14][15][16][17]. For biomedical applications, to achieve maximum light penetration, a light source of spectral output within 700–900 nm (NIR-I range, termed therapeutic window) is required [18][19][20]. Here, the photothermal conversion efficiency

A novel approach to pulsed laser deposition of platinum catalyst on carbon particles for use in polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells

• Bogusław Budner,
• Wojciech Tokarz,
• Sławomir Dyjak,
• Andrzej Czerwiński,
• Bartosz Bartosewicz and
• Bartłomiej Jankiewicz

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2023, 14, 190–204, doi:10.3762/bjnano.14.19

• [12][13][14]. Recently, nanoarchitectonics approaches have been used to fabricate various materials for energy-related applications, including carbon-based composites [15][16], Pt-based nanostructures and composites with carbon materials [17][18][19], and metal alloys deposited on TiO2 [20]. The most

• applications. The method developed still requires additional investigations on production scalability, repeatability, and automation of the Pt deposition process. It is also crucial to test the chemical stability of the material in the working polymer fuel cell system over a long period. Experimental Materials

Structural, optical, and bioimaging characterization of carbon quantum dots solvothermally synthesized from o-phenylenediamine

• Zoran M. Marković,
• Milica D. Budimir,
• Martin Danko,
• Dušan D. Milivojević,
• Pavel Kubat,
• Danica Z. Zmejkoski,
• Vladimir B. Pavlović,
• Marija M. Mojsin,
• Milena J. Stevanović and
• Biljana M. Todorović Marković

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2023, 14, 165–174, doi:10.3762/bjnano.14.17

• o-phenylenediamine did not disrupt the cytoplasmic membrane. Cytotoxicity testing Low cytotoxicity is one of the mandatory requirements for biomedical applications. In this paper, we performed cell viability tests by applying the MTT assay toward MRC5 human lung fibroblast cells. Lung fibroblasts

Formation of nanoflowers: Au and Ni silicide cores surrounded by SiO_x branches

• Feitao Li,
• Siyao Wan,
• Dong Wang and
• Peter Schaaf

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2023, 14, 133–140, doi:10.3762/bjnano.14.14

• VLS mechanism [3][4]. This has inspired the possible fabrication of nanoflowers from multicomponent nanoparticles and surrounding SiOx NWs, on which, to date, there is no relevant research. The addition of the second element brings more tailorable properties and broadens the range of applications. For

Intermodal coupling spectroscopy of mechanical modes in microcantilevers

• Ioan Ignat,
• Bernhard Schuster,
• Jonas Hafner,
• MinHee Kwon,
• Daniel Platz and
• Ulrich Schmid

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2023, 14, 123–132, doi:10.3762/bjnano.14.13

• ][22] for drastically reducing noise and directional amplifiers [23][24]. The group of proposed applications is even larger and hosts ideas such as quantum circulators [23][24], Ising model simulators [25], and improved gravity wave detection experiments [8]. All these techniques can be migrated to AFM

• repeating lock-in measurements of the eigenmodes whenever necessary to avoid any issues caused by daily thermal drift. The applications we envision for AFM benefit from stronger coupling rates. Therefore, we extend these measurements to the first nine modes of the cantilever under test. Figure 4 shows both

• couplings at the same time. Innumerable applications include those studied in optomechanics and electromechanics, as well as theoretical implementations yet to be seen in practice, all powered by phonon–phonon interactions. Not only bringing improvements to common AFM tools, but providing opportunities for