Effect of spherical Au nanoparticles on nanofriction and wear reduction in dry and liquid environments

• Dave Maharaj and
• Bharat Bhushan

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2012, 3, 759–772, doi:10.3762/bjnano.3.85

• be reduced with liquids of low viscosities [25]. Liquids such as glycerol and dodecane have been shown to reduce friction and wear. Glycerol has a dynamic viscosity (934 mPa·s) that is significantly higher than water (0.89 mPa·s) and studies were performed on the macroscale by using pin-on-disk

• testers [26]. In these studies, glycerol was also combined with water to lower the viscosity, which may be feasible for micro/nanoscale applications. Dodecane has been used as a base fluid with ZnS nanorod additives [27], which also resulted in a reduction in the coefficient of friction and wear. Tests

• reduce the coefficient of friction and wear. Au nanoparticles are also suitable for manipulation studies since they are found in applications requiring controlled manipulation and targeting. Liquids such as glycerol and dodecane have been shown to reduce friction and wear, as previously mentioned

Friction and durability of virgin and damaged skin with and without skin cream treatment using atomic force microscopy

• Bharat Bhushan,
• Si Chen and
• Shirong Ge

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2012, 3, 731–746, doi:10.3762/bjnano.3.83

• , and propylene glycol are the humectants in common skin creams [11]. In general, polyols are the most effective humectants, especially the trihydroxylated molecule glycerol. Moisturizers containing glycerol provide enduring moisturization by binding and retaining water or by minimization of water loss

• . Glycerol can also hinder crystal-phase transitions induced by humidity in stratum corneum lipids and thus enhance the function of the skin as a barrier. In healthy skin, as corneocytes migrate to the skin surface they mature from a fragile to a resilient phenotype. Envelopes of fragile corneocytes can be

Conducting composite materials from the biopolymer kappa-carrageenan and carbon nanotubes

• Ali Aldalbahi,
• Jin Chu,
• Peter Feng and
• Marc in het Panhuis

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2012, 3, 415–427, doi:10.3762/bjnano.3.48

• commonly referred to as E407 (European Union specification) as well as being approved by the US Food and Drug Administration as a direct food additive [40]. Recent demonstrations of other applications include their use in drug delivery for the inhibition of viral infections [41][42]. Glycerin (or glycerol

Hierarchically structured superhydrophobic flowers with low hysteresis of the wild pansy (Viola tricolor) – new design principles for biomimetic materials

• Anna J. Schulte,
• Damian M. Droste,
• Kerstin Koch and
• Wilhelm Barthlott

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2011, 2, 228–236, doi:10.3762/bjnano.2.27

• ], was used. In this method a sample–droplet (glycerol–water mixture of 1:3) complex was frozen with liquid nitrogen. A water–glycerol mixture was used as the liquid to prevent crystallization patterns on the droplet surface, which occur on pure water droplets. After this the sample was separated from

• (uncoated and coated flat polymer; n = 10). Cryo-SEM micrograph of the micropapillae of a Viola petal in contact with the surface of a water-glycerol droplet. Many micropapillae are not in contact with the droplet surface (a) while others are in contact with the droplet surface (b). Micropapillae

Superhydrophobicity in perfection: the outstanding properties of the lotus leaf

• Hans J. Ensikat,
• Petra Ditsche-Kuru,
• Christoph Neinhuis and
• Wilhelm Barthlott

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2011, 2, 152–161, doi:10.3762/bjnano.2.19

• (SEM) image of the upper leaf side prepared by ‘glycerol substitution’ shows the hierarchical surface structure consisting of papillae, wax clusters and wax tubules. (c) Wax tubules on the upper leaf side. (d) Upper leaf side after critical-point (CP) drying. The wax tubules are dissolved, thus the