Nanoglasses: a trail towards uncharted regions of vitreous materials and their properties?

• Gerhard Wilde and
• Horst Hahn

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2026, 17, 1047–1062, doi:10.3762/bjnano.17.72

• has always been closely tied to the continuous development of new and improved materials. From the earliest stages of material use, humans learned to modify the structure and composition of materials to enhance their performance and expand their applications. While chemical modifications play a key

• similar composition. This difference arises from the distinct atomic structures of crystalline or vitreous materials, where the rigidity of the crystalline order restricts significant changes in specific volume or local atomic arrangements within a given crystal structure and for the same chemical

• glasses with a given chemical composition undergo “microstructural” engineering beyond the well-known and limited changes in specific volume? Can we impose a tailored “microstructure” onto glasses to control their properties? This line of inquiry extends further, exploring the potential extent of

Influence of an external electric field on the catalytic CO oxidation of nanoscaled CeO₂ and its La³⁺ and Gd³⁺ congeners

• Parastoo Jamshidi,
• Silvio Heinschke and
• Jörg J. Schneider

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2026, 17, 1028–1038, doi:10.3762/bjnano.17.70

• potential, charge transport within nCeO2 is modulated. Our results show that both dopants Gd3+ and La3+ lead to an increasing VO concentration, whereas the impact of the applied potential on the oxidation behaviour varies with catalyst composition. The applied electric potential markedly improves the

• these dopants behave differently when coupling with such low-power electrical fields. In situ FTIR studies were used to follow and monitor the influence of the electrical field by measuring the change in the final gas composition over the headspace of the sample, giving substantial information about the

Synthesis and characterization of RF-sputtered ZnTe/Cu_2−xTe thin films for solar cell applications

• Gerardo Arreola Jardón,
• Susana Meraz Dávila,
• Claudia Elena Pérez García,
• Aime Margarita Gutiérrez Peralta and
• Sergio Joaquín Jiménez Sandoval

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2026, 17, 1016–1027, doi:10.3762/bjnano.17.69

• target, including the combined effects of composition and substrate temperature on phase evolution, microstructure, and functional properties, remains limited. In particular, the relationship between Cu-induced phase segregation, structural evolution, and the resulting electrical transition has not been

• fully established. Based on this approach, the present work investigates ZnTe-based films deposited from a ZnTe–CuO composite target over a broad nominal composition range (3–13 atom %) and at two substrate temperatures (300 and 350 °C). The objective is to establish the correlation between phase

• deposition time was fixed at 60 min for all samples. Structural and chemical characterization The chemical composition of the films grown on silicon substrates was determined by energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) using a scanning electron microscope (XL30, ESEM, Phillips) equipped with EDX (EDAX) and

Ultrasonic irradiation in the synthesis of nanohydroxyapatite: a chemically friendly technique for improving hemocompatibility and antibiofilm applications

• Juan Mendoza Turmero,
• Cristina Parra Pantoja,
• Marcos Sabino Gutiérrez,
• Milagro Fernández-Delgado,
• Claudia Alvarado-Castillo,
• Damarys Soto Gil,
• María E. Gomes Gomes,
• Yony Gutiérrez Barrios and
• Daniel Suárez Arteaga

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2026, 17, 991–1015, doi:10.3762/bjnano.17.68

• of ultrasonic waves promotes in the reaction medium the formation and coexistence of another distinct mineral phase with carbonate groups in its composition. Table 2 shows the carbonate content of the nHA samples, which was calculated by integrating the absorption bands in the ν3 region of the CO32

Development of Protium heptaphyllum essential oil-loaded nanocapsules: experimental design and biological activity

• Debora Freitas Silva,
• Kaidy Giselle Orellana,
• Allessya Lara Dantas Formiga,
• Jin Wang,
• Eloisa Helena de Aguiar Andrade,
• Aline Collares Valente Pinheiro,
• Maria Izabel de Jesus,
• Francisco Canindé Ferreira de Luna,
• Wallax Augusto Silva Ferreira,
• Edivaldo Herculano Correa de Oliveira,
• Francisco Humberto Xavier Junior,
• Emmanuel Abraham Ho and
• Marcele Fonseca Passos

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2026, 17, 974–990, doi:10.3762/bjnano.17.67

• development of novel natural products and promotes the sustainable use of renewable biological resources with high therapeutic potential. Among these, essential oils are particularly important due to their complex chemical composition, rich in terpenoids and phenolic compounds known to exhibit antimicrobial

• , predominantly composed of α-pinene and p-cymene, on biological responses such as cytokine modulation and wound healing has not been systematically investigated. Previous studies have primarily focused on its chemical composition and biological activities in the free form, with limited exploration of its

• Discussion Chemical composition of P. heptaphyllum essential oil The chromatographic analysis of P. heptaphyllum essential oil revealed the presence of 31 distinct compounds, with a predominance of monoterpenes, accounting for 92.1% of the total composition (Table 1). The principal constituent identified was

Materials challenges in solid-state sensors for continuous monitoring of ions in water

• Maryam Darestani-Farahani and
• Peter Kruse

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2026, 17, 935–973, doi:10.3762/bjnano.17.66

• and with temperature fluctuations is required because real samples (biological fluids, environmental solutions, or industrial streams) differ widely in composition and operating conditions. In practice, this means the device must tolerate variations in ionic strength, pH, temperature, and fluid flow

• explored for online water monitoring (Figure 1). Each sensor type differs in its transduction mechanism, structural configuration, and material composition, which ultimately influence its analytical performance, stability, and ease of integration into autonomous systems [22]. Potentiometric sensors

• placed in contact with the water layer (or positioned above it) as a gate electrode. This geometry allows for stable operation in aqueous environments and enables continuous monitoring of bulk solution properties, though it similarly faces challenges with interference from electrolyte composition and

Enhanced erosion resistance and radiation stability of WC–WO₃ nanocomposite films under 100 keV Kr⁺ ion irradiation

• Shristi Bist,
• Parswajit Kalita,
• Ratnesh K. Pandey,
• Sejal Shah,
• Richa Krishna,
• Umapathy G. R.,
• Sunil Ojha and
• Devesh K. Avasthi

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2026, 17, 922–934, doi:10.3762/bjnano.17.65

• causes degradation of the PFC material, and the sputtered atoms contaminate the plasma of tokamaks, which is undesirable. The erosion (sputtering) of films is known to be dependent on several factors such as ion energy [55], composition of material and its properties [56][57], film thickness [58], and

Nanocarrier strategies to overcome P-glycoprotein-mediated drug resistance in cancer therapy

• Andreina Quevedo-Enríquez,
• Katty Yi Zhang,
• Denisse Yajaira Enriquez,
• Byron Raul Inapanta,
• Roxana Noemí Peroni and
• Christian Rafael Quijia

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2026, 17, 882–921, doi:10.3762/bjnano.17.64

• reduces the cytosolic availability of chemotherapeutics independently of P-gp, but pH-responsive nanocarriers engineered for endosomal escape indirectly address this barrier. EMT-associated phenotypic shifts alter membrane composition and uptake pathways in ways that affect nanoparticle internalization

• liposomes, first discovered in the 1960s, which were commonly used to deliver anticancer agents, antibiotics, and vaccines. The size, surface charge, and composition of liposomes influence their biological behavior, biodistribution, and shelf life [45]. Another important class are nanostructured lipid

He⁺ FIBID-fabricated 3D AFM tip architectures: an exploratory study of hollow pillars, helices, and spirals

• Alba Arroyo-Fructuoso,
• Ana Galet,
• Gregor Hlawacek and
• Rosa Córdoba

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2026, 17, 863–871, doi:10.3762/bjnano.17.62

• composition of the probe can be tailored beyond the constraints of standard conical or pyramidal commercial tips. Among direct-write methods, focused ion beam-induced deposition (FIBID) [8][9] and focused electron beam-induced deposition (FEBID) [10][11] provide a route to grow three-dimensional (3D

Nanoparticle delivery systems for HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP): advances and challenges

• Sonia Zahara and
• Björn M. Reinhard

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2026, 17, 839–853, doi:10.3762/bjnano.17.60

• , mechanical properties, and surface composition that need to be considered in the design of the nanoparticles. The choice of core material plays a pivotal role in defining the physicochemical properties, release behavior, biocompatibility, and clinical feasibility of nanoparticle formulations. Various

• systems, LBNPs in general allow for a higher flexibility in tuning surface charge and membrane composition to facilitate interactions with immune cells [56]. Both factors enhance the overall ability of targeted delivery. One example of surface functionalized LBNPs for targeted delivery are DRV-loaded SLNs

• nanoparticles surface provided some control over the intracellular trafficking pathways, achieving preferential enrichment of the nanoparticles in either endolysosomal compartments or VCCs [101]. Combined, these studies highlight the importance of lipid composition and ligand decoration on the nanoparticle

Glycerol photoelectrochemical oxidation reaction at carbon nitrides/BiVO₄ materials

• Charles Garcia da Cunha,
• Isabelle M. D. Gonzaga,
• Cristian Hessel,
• Izadora F. Reis,
• Ivo F. Teixeira,
• Lucia H. Mascaro and
• Elton Sitta

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2026, 17, 806–817, doi:10.3762/bjnano.17.57

• acquired from 10° to 80° at a rate of 2°·min−1 with a step size of 0.02°. Morphological features and elemental composition were determined by field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FEG-SEM; Zeiss Supra35) coupled with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), operating at 15 kV. Optical properties

Tuning the electronic properties of defect-rich MoS₂

• Eric Juriatti,
• Martina Binninger,
• Carolin Schüle,
• Maren Zirwick,
• Katarina Margetic,
• Erika Giangrisostomi,
• Marcus Scheele and
• Heiko Peisert

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2026, 17, 796–805, doi:10.3762/bjnano.17.56

• the partial reversal of the sputter-induced energetic shifts by a subsequent deposition of CoPcF16. Monitoring the Mo/S ratios (Supporting Information File 1, Table S7) yields no significant difference inflicted by sputtering, indicating that these actions do not change the composition of the bulk. In

Tailoring Ag–Pt nanoalloys through solid-state dewetting: structural and optical insights

• Marcin Łapiński,
• Piotr Okoczuk,
• Blaž Grobiša,
• Ewa Pawlikowska,
• Amelia Rozwadowska,
• Wojciech Sadowski and
• Barbara Kościelska

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2026, 17, 748–759, doi:10.3762/bjnano.17.52

• process. Optical measurements revealed the presence of a single resonance peak. The composition-dependent plasmonic resonance band was observed for low Pt contents, while progressively blue-shifting and decreasing in intensity with increasing Pt concentration. This behavior is consistent with the strong d

• decomposition of the thin Ag/Pt bilayer into isolated homogenous nanoislands. The chemical composition of the nanostructures was examined using energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) in point analysis mode. The example spectrum, shown in Figure 2b, confirms the coexistence of Ag and Pt in the analyzed

• greater control over the final alloy composition. However, SEM observations revealed that an annealing temperature of 650 °C was insufficient to produce spherical, isolated nanostructures, instead resulting in the formation of irregularly shaped nanoislands. Therefore, the annealing temperature was

Oxidative atmosphere-driven formation of single-phase spinel CuRh₂O₄ nanofibers for alkaline water oxidation

• Namhee Kim,
• Sumin Ko,
• Sohyeon Choi,
• Seoyoon Jang,
• Myung Hwa Kim and
• Dasol Jin

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2026, 17, 737–743, doi:10.3762/bjnano.17.50

• characterization Morphology and elemental composition of the synthesized nanomaterials were examined using field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM; JEOL JSM-6700F) and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM; JEOL JEM-2100F). Surface chemical states and crystallographic structures were

Environmental applications of silver nanoparticles: state-of-the-art review and emerging trends

• Soni Prajapati,
• Akash Kumar and
• Ranjana Singh

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2026, 17, 697–736, doi:10.3762/bjnano.17.49

• particle size, surface composition, state stability, and organic matter, which ultimately generate bioavailability and toxicity concerns [34]. The regulatory framework governing AgNP environmental applications remains fragmented across jurisdictions; while OECD, ISO, EU, and US EPA guidelines address

• , which calculated the AgNP concentration as particles per millilitre [53]. Microscopic techniques, such as transmission electron microscopy, provide high-resolution images of individual nanoparticles, confirming morphology, size distribution, and elemental composition when coupled with energy-dispersive

• spectroscopy (SERS) using AgNP nanocomposites could selectively detect polystyrene nanoparticles with a detection limit of 14 μg/mL [55]. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) provides information on the elemental composition, surface oxidation states, and electronic configuration of AgNPs [56]. This

Molecular engineering of individual dye-based nanoparticle photostability for ultrabright two-photon fluorescence

• Eleonore Kurek,
• Sasha Cooper,
• Alexandre Clausolles,
• Karen Perronet,
• Jonathan Daniel,
• Mireille Blanchard-Desce and
• François Marquier

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2026, 17, 688–696, doi:10.3762/bjnano.17.48

• their molecular composition. Saturation measurements allowed to estimate the 2P absorption cross section of individual dye molecules aggregated in nanoparticles, in remarkable agreement with the values obtained with another independent method. The large value obtained for dFONs(2) correlates with a

Decontamination from water pollutants and pathogens by electrospun nanofibers doped with heavy-atom-free borafluorene-BODIPY photosensitizers

• Angelika Zaszczyńska,
• Paulina H. Marek-Urban,
• Karolina Wrochna,
• Agnieszka E. Kuklewska,
• Kacper Kręgielewski,
• Marta Grodzik,
• Dawid R. Natkowski,
• Jolanta Mierzejewska,
• Ewa Iwanek,
• Agata Blacha-Grzechnik,
• Paweł Sajkiewicz and
• Krzysztof Durka

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2026, 17, 668–682, doi:10.3762/bjnano.17.46

• successfully incorporated into electrospun polymeric nanofibers. Optimization of the material composition revealed that polycaprolactone (PCL), an FDA- and EMA-approved, biodegradable, easily accessible, and cost-efficient polymer, doped with BODIPY at a concentration of only 0.15 wt %, is an efficient

• -scale industrialized production of membrane filters [40][41][42][43][44][45][46][47][48][49]. We optimized electrospinning conditions and material composition using three different polymers, namely, poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), polycaprolactone (PCL), and polystyrene (PS), doped with various

• ± standard deviation. Reaction progress was monitored by 1H NMR spectra analysis of the reaction mixture sampled after a given time. From each of the taken samples, the water was evaporated, D2O was added, and the composition of the mixture was investigated with 1H NMR. Photoinactivation studies The

Two-step laser synthesis of Ag@TiO₂ nanomaterials for the photocatalytic degradation of rhodamine B

• Marija Kovačević,
• Miloš Tošić,
• Rafaela Radičić,
• Vladimir Rajić,
• Nikša Krstulović,
• Miloš Momčilović and
• Sanja Živković

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2026, 17, 622–634, doi:10.3762/bjnano.17.43

• the morphology, composition, and crystallinity of the resulting nanostructures with high precision. The absence of organic contaminants or residual reagents maximizes the catalytic surface area, while the presence of silver can influence the optical response of TiO2 through plasmon-related effects

• , Detroit, MI, USA) over the wavelength range of 300–700 nm, with absorbance monitored at 550 nm. SEM analysis A field-emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM), Scios 2 DualBeam (Thermo Fisher Scientific, Waltham, MA, USA), was used to determine the morphology and chemical composition, including

Recent progress in enhancing built-in electric fields of perovskite solar cells via junction engineering

• Tong Xiao and
• Ke Xu

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2026, 17, 602–621, doi:10.3762/bjnano.17.42

• advantages include a continuous potential distribution, fewer additional interfaces, and good compatibility with existing fabrication processes. In contrast, gradient junctions employ gradual variations in composition, ion concentration, dimensionality, or bandgap along the film thickness to create a

• recombination and charge accumulation characteristic of conventional flat-band architectures. To this end, the introduction of graded-junction structures into perovskite absorbers and adjacent interfacial layers, achieved by controlled through-thickness gradients in composition, ionic species or concentration

• primarily employed cation or anion composition gradients to directly tailor the band structure, and subsequent research has expanded to diverse routes such as dimensional-gradient engineering, synergistic ion regulation, and tailored interfacial optimization (see Table 2 for representative graded-junction

Probing tribological evolution in atomically thin MoS₂ at different scales

• Xingzhong Zeng and
• Miao Zhang

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2026, 17, 586–597, doi:10.3762/bjnano.17.40

• lengths above 100 nm) of MoS2 films induced by substrate adhesion, sliding velocity, and chemical composition of the tip [11][12]. These long-range distortions are present in our experimental system and modulate the tip–MoS2 contact geometry, which is not fully considered in the MD simulations [11][12

Laser–material interactions in liquids for the synthesis of nanomaterials: current status and perspectives

• Carlos Doñate Buendia,
• Bilal Gökce and
• Leonid V. Zhigilei

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2026, 17, 571–575, doi:10.3762/bjnano.17.38

• materials, including metals [2][3], oxides [4][5], semiconductors [6][7], and organics [8][9]. In addition, LSPC enables the synthesis of multicomponent nanomaterials, such as binary [10][11], ternary [12][13], and compositionally complex alloys [14][15], with a high degree of control over their composition

• changes in atomic structure, enabling defect engineering [20]. The broad materials library accessible through LSPC, combined with the wide range of laser, target, and solvent parameters, creates a complex multidimensional optimization space governing nanoparticle size, internal structure, composition, and

• melting to explosive fragmentation of Au nanoparticles under picosecond laser irradiation in water [42]. Further advances in LSPC can be facilitated by data-driven machine learning approaches, which provide new pathways for optimizing synthesis parameters toward targeted size, composition, phase, and

Synthesis of Cu–Mo/TiO₂ and Co–Mo/TiO₂ photocatalysts for the efficient degradation of organic pollutants in water

• Ilse Acosta,
• Brenda Zermeño,
• Edgar Moctezuma,
• Luis F. Garay-Rodríguez and
• Isaías Juárez-Ramírez

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2026, 17, 559–570, doi:10.3762/bjnano.17.37

• patterns of TiO2 and the co-doped TiO2 materials prepared by the sol–gel method. The sample TiO2 shows the crystalline structures anatase and rutile according to the crystallographic cards CPDS 121 and 4031 [25][26], respectively. The composition of each phase was determined using the MAUD software

• reaction of ketoprofen, indicating that the composition, the light absorption improvement, the generation of surface oxygen vacancy and defects by the dopants, and the surface charge properties in this material enhance the photocatalytic oxidation of ketoprofen. Degradation of ketoprofen was complete after

Electrochemical determination of ciprofloxacin using a MIL-101/reduced graphene oxide-modified electrode

• Nguyen Quang Man,
• Nguyen Ngoc Nghia,
• Nguyen Vinh Phu,
• Vo Thi Khanh Ly,
• Le Lam Son,
• Pham Khac Lieu,
• Le Thi Hong Phong,
• Nguyen Dinh Luyen and
• Dinh Quang Khieu

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2026, 17, 541–554, doi:10.3762/bjnano.17.35

• interfacial interactions between MIL-101 and rGO sheets. The EDX results confirm the successful formation of the MIL-101/rGO composite through the presence of C, O, and Cr as the main constituent elements. As summarized in the elemental composition table, carbon (C) accounts for 30.42 wt % (42.31 atom

• residual oxygen-containing functional groups on rGO. Chromium (Cr), the metal center of MIL-101, is detected at 20.72 wt % (6.66 atom %), confirming the successful introduction of the MIL-101 framework (Figure 2). The chemical composition and electronic states of the MIL-101/rGO composite were investigated

• by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The survey spectrum (Figure 3a) confirms the presence of Cr, C, and O, which is consistent with the expected composition of MIL-101(Cr) integrated with reduced graphene oxide (rGO). No obvious extraneous elemental signals were observed in the survey spectrum

Upcycling agroindustrial waste into graphene oxide supports for gold nanoparticles: toward sustainable nanomaterials

• Juan Marcos Castro-Tapia,
• Selene Acosta,
• Hiram Joazet Ojeda-Galván,
• Elsie Evelyn Araujo-Palomo,
• Edgar Giovanni Villabona-Leal and
• Mildred Quintana

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2026, 17, 489–504, doi:10.3762/bjnano.17.32

• room temperature in the 4000–540 cm−1 range with a spectral resolution of 4 cm−1, averaging 80 scans per sample. The surface chemical composition was assessed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) using a SPECS spectrometer equipped with a PHOIBOS 100 energy analyzer and an Al Kα X-ray source (hν

• domains [43][44]. Taken together, the Raman results corroborate the UV–vis spectroscopy analysis by confirming that Agro-GOs possess much smaller and more disrupted sp2 domains than GO. To further elucidate the chemical composition and bonding environments of the samples, XPS was performed. XPS survey

• spectra were measured to evaluate the surface elemental composition of the synthesized samples (Figure 3). The spectra reveal the presence of carbon and oxygen in all samples, as expected for GO-based materials, along with a minor nitrogen contribution in rGO and the Agro-GO samples. This nitrogen signals

Defects and defect-mediated engineering of two-dimensional materials: challenges and open questions

• Arkady V. Krasheninnikov,
• Matthias Batzill,
• Anouar-Akacha Delenda,
• Marija Drndić,
• Chris Ewels,
• Katharina J. Franke,
• Mahdi Ghorbani-Asl,
• Alexander Holleitner,
• Ado Jorio,
• Ute Kaiser,
• Daria Kieczka,
• Hannu-Pekka Komsa,
• Jani Kotakoski,
• Manuel Längle,
• David Lamprecht,
• Yun Liu,
• Steven G. Louie,
• Janina Maultzsch,
• Thomas Michely,
• Katherine Milton,
• Anna Niggas,
• Hanako Okuno,
• Joshua A. Robinson,
• Marika Schleberger,
• Bruno Schuler,
• Alexander Shluger,
• Kazu Suenaga,
• Kristian S. Thygesen,
• Richard A. Wilhelm,
• E. Harriet Åhlgren and
• Carla Bittencourt

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2026, 17, 454–488, doi:10.3762/bjnano.17.31

• for a given starting composition mixture. If the composition is determined by the element mixture (e.g., if the elements are sealed in a reactor or ampule) the system may separate into compositional phases that minimize the overall formation enthalpy. Materials with intermediate stoichiometries are

• difficult to obtain. Similarly, in thin film growth involving volatile components (e.g., chalcogens), the composition of the film is determined by the compound with the lowest formation enthalpy and not by the atom flux. For example, during molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) growth of chalcogenides, chalcogen

• atoms are generally supplied in excess, and the film will adopt the lowest-energy composition. In these cases, the stoichiometry of the film is not determined by the composition of the source materials but by the thermodynamic stability of the film. So again, in thin film growth, obtaining compositions