Molecular and mechanical insights into gecko seta adhesion: multiscale simulations combining molecular dynamics and the finite element method

• Yash Jain,
• Saeed Norouzi,
• Tobias Materzok,
• Stanislav N. Gorb and
• Florian Müller-Plathe

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2025, 16, 2055–2076, doi:10.3762/bjnano.16.141

The cement of the tube-dwelling polychaete Sabellaria alveolata: a complex composite adhesive material

• Emilie Duthoo,
• Aurélie Lambert,
• Pierre Becker,
• Carla Pugliese,
• Jean-Marc Baele,
• Arnaud Delfairière,
• Matthew J. Harrington and
• Patrick Flammang

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2025, 16, 1998–2014, doi:10.3762/bjnano.16.138

• cement matrix. A better understanding of this complex composite material would provide valuable insights into the physical and chemical processes that underline the assembly of biological materials, which could inspire the design and fabrication of innovative hierarchical materials with diverse

Laser ablation in liquids for shape-tailored synthesis of nanomaterials: status and challenges

• Natalie Tarasenka

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2025, 16, 1963–1997, doi:10.3762/bjnano.16.137

• composition offers a simple and convenient way to manipulate nanoparticles during and after synthesis. This variation can alter the mechanisms governing not only nanoparticle formation but also their growth and assembly, leading to novel architectures and hierarchical structures. The influence of the liquid

• during Mn target ablation in a nickel chloride solution, by the involvement of hydrogen radicals, hydroxide ions, and hydroxyl groups reacting with Ni2+ ions. The authors state further shape transformation of the formed nanosheets into hierarchical spheres. In a similar process, Hunter et al. [51

Bioinspired polypropylene-based functionally graded materials and metamaterials modeling the mistletoe–host interface

• Lina M. Rojas González,
• Naeim Ghavidelnia,
• Christoph Eberl and
• Max D. Mylo

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2025, 16, 1592–1606, doi:10.3762/bjnano.16.113

• manufacturing processes [10][11]. Programming the mechanical properties and fracture behavior by combining FGMs and mechanical metamaterials represents an exciting frontier in materials engineering and computational design [12][13][14]. By embedding FGMs into the hierarchical architecture of mechanical

• versatility for a wide range of applications [16]. By strategically designing the gradient profiles within FGMs and integrating them into the hierarchical architectures of mechanical metamaterials, engineers can effectively program and manipulate the stiffness of the resulting structures at multiple length

Influence of laser beam profile on morphology and optical properties of silicon nanoparticles formed by laser ablation in liquid

• Natalie Tarasenka,
• Vladislav Kornev,
• Alena Nevar and
• Nikolai Tarasenko

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2025, 16, 1533–1544, doi:10.3762/bjnano.16.108

• induced, which is a substantial factor determining the morphology of the forming nanomaterials. As a result, the conditions created by different beam shapes might favor the formation of non-spherical NPs, nanoporous alloys, and hierarchical nanostructures. This is important to extend the application areas

Laser processing in liquids: insights into nanocolloid generation and thin film integration for energy, photonic, and sensing applications

• Akshana Parameswaran Sreekala,
• Pooja Raveendran Nair,
• Jithin Kundalam Kadavath,
• Bindu Krishnan,
• David Avellaneda Avellaneda,
• M. R. Anantharaman and
• Sadasivan Shaji

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2025, 16, 1428–1498, doi:10.3762/bjnano.16.104

Soft materials nanoarchitectonics: liquid crystals, polymers, gels, biomaterials, and others

• Katsuhiko Ariga

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2025, 16, 1025–1067, doi:10.3762/bjnano.16.77

• fabrication, and biochemical processes. The nanoarchitectonics method is particularly suited to the creation of asymmetric and hierarchical structures [130] due to the wide variety of processes that can be employed. In principle, all materials are composed of atoms and molecules, and thus, this methodology

• release of protein biopharmaceuticals in response to antibodies. It is anticipated that these hydrogels will prove useful in a number of biomedical applications, including the three-dimensional controlled release of drugs and proteins, the construction of hierarchical organoids, and the development of

TiO₂ immobilized on 2D mordenite: effect of hydrolysis conditions on structural, textural, and optical characteristics of the nanocomposites

• Marina G. Shelyapina,
• Rosario Isidro Yocupicio-Gaxiola,
• Gleb A. Valkovsky and
• Vitalii Petranovskii

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2025, 16, 128–140, doi:10.3762/bjnano.16.12

• hydrolysis medium. Keywords: 2D zeolite; hierarchical porosity; mordenite; TEOT; TiO2; titanium tetraethoxide; Introduction Zeolites are important heterogeneous catalysts in various industrial processes. More and more functional materials based on zeolites are being searched for, including zeolites with

• hierarchical micro- and mesoporosity [1][2][3][4][5][6]. Zeolites with hierarchical porous structures can be synthesized using different strategies [4], for example, aggregation of nanocrystals, use of templates, and creation of mesoporosity by forming pillars between 2D lamellae of zeolites separated by

• . Nitrogen sorption and thermogravimetric studies Figure 5a,b shows the N2 adsorption/desorption isotherms of the studied nanocomposites. They demonstrate features characteristic of hierarchical porous structures possessing both micro- and mesoporosity. At low pressure, there is a sharp gas absorption

Ultrablack color in velvet ant cuticle

• Vinicius Marques Lopez,
• Wencke Krings,
• Juliana Reis Machado,
• Stanislav Gorb and
• Rhainer Guillermo-Ferreira

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2024, 15, 1554–1565, doi:10.3762/bjnano.15.122

• a matte black appearance due to the presence of (often hierarchical) surface microstructures. For example, in the beetle Alaus oculatus (Coleoptera: Elateridae), there are two large dorsal circular spots known as eyespots. Within these spots, fixed setae are present in a concave structure, and the

Lithium niobate on insulator: an emerging nanophotonic crystal for optimized light control

• Midhun Murali,
• Amit Banerjee and
• Tanmoy Basu

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2024, 15, 1415–1426, doi:10.3762/bjnano.15.114

• distributed Bragg reflectors. Supporting Information This file contains supplementary materials related to the COMSOL simulation model builder and essential mesh parameters. It includes images of the hierarchical tree of the COMSOL model builder and mesh discretization of the PhC geometry, a table of

Hymenoptera and biomimetic surfaces: insights and innovations

• Vinicius Marques Lopez,
• Carlo Polidori and
• Rhainer Guillermo Ferreira

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2024, 15, 1333–1352, doi:10.3762/bjnano.15.107

• ), with the leaf-cutter genus Atta overrepresented in cuticular composition investigations (reviewed in [59]). Within Hymenoptera, ants are particularly fascinating because of their division into castes with distinct tasks and sizes, showcasing a hierarchical organization in their societies [60]. Among

• with a smaller contact area [128]. In honeybees, these pads function in response to specific drag activities, even without neuromuscular reflexes [129]. This passive mechanism is attributed to the structural characteristics of the soft pads, which work in concert with hierarchical structures supported

Photocatalytic methane oxidation over a TiO₂/SiNWs p–n junction catalyst at room temperature

• Qui Thanh Hoai Ta,
• Luan Minh Nguyen,
• Ngoc Hoi Nguyen,
• Phan Khanh Thinh Nguyen and
• Dai Hai Nguyen

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2024, 15, 1132–1141, doi:10.3762/bjnano.15.92

• reactor. Plausible charge transport mechanism Figure 8 shows a schematic mechanism of the photocatalytic activity of the p–n TiO2/SiNWs hierarchical structures. According to previous studies the energy bandgaps of p-Si and n-type TiO2 were assumed to be 1.1 eV and 3.3 eV, respectively [54][55][56

Electrospun nanofibers: building blocks for the repair of bone tissue

• Tuğrul Mert Serim,
• Gülin Amasya,
• Tuğba Eren-Böncü,
• Ceyda Tuba Şengel-Türk and
• Ayşe Nurten Özdemir

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2024, 15, 941–953, doi:10.3762/bjnano.15.77

• for supporting and protecting the red bone marrow. In order to understand the regeneration process of bone, it is important to understand the structural arrangement of it. Both compact and cancellous bone tissue consist of hierarchical structural units at different levels [14]. Compact bone is

• house nerves, lymphatics, as well as the blood vessels that are responsible for the transport of nutrients necessary for the maintenance of bone cells and tissues. The hierarchical organization and the multichannel structure of bone tissue support both nutrition and metabolism, increase bone strength

A review on the structural characterization of nanomaterials for nano-QSAR models

• Salvador Moncho,
• Eva Serrano-Candelas,
• Jesús Vicente de Julián-Ortiz and
• Rafael Gozalbes

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2024, 15, 854–866, doi:10.3762/bjnano.15.71

• nanotubes [40][65]. Alternatively, Trinh and collaborators directly encoded the size of multiwalled nanotubes by both their diameter and length. They also included the surface area as a structural descriptor, by using a hierarchical clustering method to classify the values in ten categories [66]. The

Synthesis of silver–palladium Janus nanoparticles using co-sputtering of independent sources: experimental and theorical study

• Maria J. Martínez-Carreón,
• Francisco Solís-Pomar,
• Abel Fundora,
• Claudio D. Gutiérrez-Lazos,
• Sergio Mejía-Rosales,
• Hector N. Fernández-Escamilla,
• Jonathan Guerrero-Sánchez,
• Manuel F. Meléndrez and
• Eduardo Pérez-Tijerina

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2024, 15, 808–816, doi:10.3762/bjnano.15.67

• this paper. Figure 2 shows two TEM micrographs. In Figure 2a, it can be seen that the nanoparticles have a Janus-type structure. Their growth in a preferential orientation in the assembly process enabled the formation of this complex and hierarchical structure. In addition, it is observed that, in the

Functional fibrillar interfaces: Biological hair as inspiration across scales

• Guillermo J. Amador,
• Brett Klaassen van Oorschot,
• Caiying Liao,
• Jianing Wu and
• Da Wei

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2024, 15, 664–677, doi:10.3762/bjnano.15.55

• providing insulation (Figure 2A), prevent the penetration of water through hierarchical superhydrophobicity (Figure 2B), or provide protection from predators or disease vectors through mechanical interactions (Figure 2C). Thermoregulation Regarding thermal regulation, mammals have evolved certain traits

Comparative analysis of the ultrastructure and adhesive secretion pathways of different smooth attachment pads of the stick insect Medauroidea extradentata (Phasmatodea)

• Julian Thomas,
• Stanislav N. Gorb and
• Thies H. Büscher

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2024, 15, 612–630, doi:10.3762/bjnano.15.52

• distinct structures, thereby augmenting the actual contact area and, consequently, enhancing attachment. Smooth attachment pads accomplish this through hierarchical organization and the viscoelastic properties of the cuticle [1][2][72][73]. Differences between the two attachment pad types Despite the

•  5 (euplantulae)). In general, the hierarchical organization of the fibres enables local deformation to adjust to the surface profile of the substrate (e.g., [20][45][70]). This results in anisotropic material properties (i.e., the pads are soft during compression); however, those withstand high

Hierarchically patterned polyurethane microgrooves featuring nanopillars or nanoholes for neurite elongation and alignment

• Lester Uy Vinzons,
• Guo-Chung Dong and
• Shu-Ping Lin

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2023, 14, 1157–1168, doi:10.3762/bjnano.14.96

• patterned nano-/microstructured PU films enhance both PC12 neurite elongation and alignment, showing the potential use of our proposed method for the micro-/nanopatterning of polymers for nerve tissue engineering. Keywords: hierarchical; nanopatterning; neurite alignment; neurite outgrowth; topography

• , the question arises: Can discrete structures be combined with continuous structures for possible synergistic effects? Indeed, several studies have fabricated hierarchical discrete nanostructures on continuous microstructures in order to better mimic the micro- and the nanostructure of the native nerve

• nerves are few and far between. Thus, further work is necessary to ascertain the potential of such structures for peripheral nerve regeneration. One of the reasons for the limited work on discrete nanostructures and hierarchical structures may be the expensive or non-versatile techniques for substrate

Biomimetics on the micro- and nanoscale – The 25th anniversary of the lotus effect

• Matthias Mail,
• Kerstin Koch,
• Thomas Speck,
• William M. Megill and
• Stanislav N. Gorb

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2023, 14, 850–856, doi:10.3762/bjnano.14.69

• colour is produced by the hierarchical micro- and nanostructure of the surface. The reflection of light depends on the angle of incidence. In addition to superhydrophobicity, these results suggest that the scales have another function – their hierarchical structures produce the brilliant white colour

Metal-organic framework-based nanomaterials as opto-electrochemical sensors for the detection of antibiotics and hormones: A review

• Akeem Adeyemi Oladipo,
• Saba Derakhshan Oskouei and
• Mustafa Gazi

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2023, 14, 631–673, doi:10.3762/bjnano.14.52

ZnO-decorated SiC@C hybrids with strong electromagnetic absorption

• Liqun Duan,
• Zhiqian Yang,
• Yilu Xia,
• Xiaoqing Dai,
• Jian’an Wu and
• Minqian Sun

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2023, 14, 565–573, doi:10.3762/bjnano.14.47

• same time, wide effective absorption bandwidth (EAB ≥ 7 GHz) remains a great challenge. A good strategy is to form hierarchical heterostructures, characterized by diverse components, abundant heterogeneous interfaces, multiple reflective paths, and enrichment of structural defects [18][19][20

The origin of black and white coloration of the Asian tiger mosquito Aedes albopictus (Diptera: Culicidae)

• Manuela Rebora,
• Gianandrea Salerno,
• Silvana Piersanti,
• Alexander Kovalev and
• Stanislav N. Gorb

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2023, 14, 496–508, doi:10.3762/bjnano.14.41

• hierarchical randomized multiscale 3D structures (Figure 4a–d, Figure 3d). The coherent contribution (interference), which was estimated to be around 10%, appears due to structure regularity. Functional significance of the mosquito leg scale system Structural colors producing matte white and bright silver

Molecular nanoarchitectonics: unification of nanotechnology and molecular/materials science

• Katsuhiko Ariga

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

• asymmetric and hierarchical. Compared to structures created by self-assembly based on simple equilibrium processes, more hierarchical and complex structures are obtained in nanoarchitectonics processes [54]. In addition, several uncertainties in the nanoscale world from which architectures are derived have a

• synthesis are usually difficult to incorporate into functional nanodevices because of the random arrangement of the heterojunctions. Bronner, Fischer, Crommie, and co-workers have developed a single hierarchical fabrication strategy via on-surface synthesis of graphene nanoribbons with a single

• changing size and topology of inner and outer rims in their structures. Especially, extended hexagonal coronoids with zigzag outer edges still pose synthetic challenges. Sun, Yan, Yu, and co-workers have successfully synthesized a C144 hexagon with a zigzag outer edge by hierarchical Ullmann coupling and

Evaluation of electrosynthesized reduced graphene oxide–Ni/Fe/Co-based (oxy)hydroxide catalysts towards the oxygen evolution reaction

• Karolina Cysewska,
• Marcin Łapiński,
• Marcin Zając,
• Jakub Karczewski,
• Piotr Jasiński and
• Sebastian Molin

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2023, 14, 420–433, doi:10.3762/bjnano.14.34

• 260 mV (Tafel slope: 72 mV·dec−1) and 320 mV (65 mV∙dec−1) determined at 10 mA·cm−2 in 1 M potassium hydroxide (KOH), respectively. In another work, nickel/nickel oxide (Ni-NiO) and cobalt/cobalt oxide (Co-CoO) were chemically synthesized with three-dimensional hierarchical porous graphene (3DHPG) on

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