Oxygen-plasma-modified biomimetic nanofibrous scaffolds for enhanced compatibility of cardiovascular implants

• Anna Maria Pappa,
• Varvara Karagkiozaki,
• Silke Krol,
• Spyros Kassavetis,
• Dimitris Konstantinou,
• Charalampos Pitsalidis,
• Lazaros Tzounis,
• Nikos Pliatsikas and
• Stergios Logothetidis

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2015, 6, 254–262, doi:10.3762/bjnano.6.24

• surface hydrophilicity by forming oxygen-containing groups at the surface and thus to improve cell adhesion and proliferation. The conditions of the plasma modification were properly adjusted in order to induce the desirable chemical surface changes while maintaining surface integrity and morphology. The

• applied power of the plasma was selected with respect to its effect on the structural and chemical composition of the scaffold. The untreated and plasma-treated nanofibrous scaffolds were evaluated in terms of surface topography, hydrophilicity, and surface chemistry in order to find the conditions that

• P = 40 W, respectively). The insignificant difference in the surface hydrophilicity of the two modified systems, indicates that O2-plasma treatment alters the surface hydrophilicity even when applying relatively mild plasma conditions whereas the increase in the power of the plasma treatment does

Synthesis of boron nitride nanotubes and their applications

• Saban Kalay,
• Zehra Yilmaz,
• Ozlem Sen,
• Melis Emanet,
• Emine Kazanc and
• Mustafa Çulha

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2015, 6, 84–102, doi:10.3762/bjnano.6.9

• hydrophilicity, either covalent modifications or physical adsorption of a molecule or polymer is typically performed. Covalent modification can be achieved through –OH groups on B atoms and –NH2 groups converted from N atoms at the edges and at defects. The toxicity issues appear partially resolved in recent

Materials and characterization techniques for high-temperature polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells

• Roswitha Zeis

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2015, 6, 68–83, doi:10.3762/bjnano.6.8

• surface of the platinum catalyst and therefore hampers the reaction kinetics. Additionally, the binder material plays a key role in regulating the hydrophobicity and hydrophilicity of the catalyst layer. Subsequently, the binder controls the electrode–membrane interface that establishes the triple phase

Poly(styrene)/oligo(fluorene)-intercalated fluoromica hybrids: synthesis, characterization and self-assembly

• Giuseppe Leone,
• Francesco Galeotti,
• William Porzio,
• Guido Scavia,
• Luisa Barba,
• Gianmichele Arrighetti,
• Giovanni Ricci,
• Chiara Botta and
• Umberto Giovanella

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2014, 5, 2450–2458, doi:10.3762/bjnano.5.254

• conditions [34]. This is a clear indication that the polymer is not able to stabilize the water droplets forming at the solution/air interface, so that the microdroplets are free to float around and to coalesce in a disordered way. In order to increase the hydrophilicity of the system and hence the ability

Sequence-dependent electrical response of ssDNA-decorated carbon nanotube, field-effect transistors to dopamine

• Hari Krishna Salila Vijayalal Mohan,
• Jianing An and
• Lianxi Zheng

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2014, 5, 2113–2121, doi:10.3762/bjnano.5.220

• because of the negatively charged phosphate backbone of ssDNA. Moreover, this hydrophilicity further increases as ssDNA binds more to the SWCNT. Thus, ssDNA decoration causes successful conversion of the hydrophobic SWCNT surface to hydrophilic, thereby enhancing the possibility of formation of a set of

Controlling the dispersion of supported polyoxometalate heterogeneous catalysts: impact of hybridization and the role of hydrophilicity–hydrophobicity balance and supramolecularity

• Gijo Raj,
• Colas Swalus,
• Eglantine Arendt,
• Pierre Eloy,
• Michel Devillers and
• Eric M. Gaigneaux

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2014, 5, 1749–1759, doi:10.3762/bjnano.5.185

Influence of surface-modified maghemite nanoparticles on in vitro survival of human stem cells

• Michal Babič,
• Daniel Horák,
• Lyubov L. Lukash,
• Tetiana A. Ruban,
• Yurii N. Kolomiets,
• Svitlana P. Shpylova and
• Oksana A. Grypych

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2014, 5, 1732–1737, doi:10.3762/bjnano.5.183

• . These include high hydrophilicity, easy introduction of functional comonomers by copolymerization and the possibility to control both the molecular weight and the thickness of the shell. PDMAAm-coated γ-Fe2O3 particles seem to be thus a perspective basis of advanced core–shell architectures, e.g., for

Non-covalent and reversible functionalization of carbon nanotubes

• Antonello Di Crescenzo,
• Valeria Ettorre and
• Antonella Fontana

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2014, 5, 1675–1690, doi:10.3762/bjnano.5.178

• different surfactants with the aim to increase the affinity of the dispersant for the nanotube surface or favor its hydrophilicity. Indeed, we have demonstrated that, in order to increase the efficiency of dispersants, is essential to reach an optimal hydrophobic/hydrophilic balance which favors adsorption

Growth and structural discrimination of cortical neurons on randomly oriented and vertically aligned dense carbon nanotube networks

• Christoph Nick,
• Sandeep Yadav,
• Ravi Joshi,
• Christiane Thielemann and
• Jörg J. Schneider

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2014, 5, 1575–1579, doi:10.3762/bjnano.5.169

• reported ability to tailor the hydrophilicity and hydrophobicity of such 3D aligned CNT structures over a wide range from superhydrophilic to superhydrophobic [29] the directional cell growth on such structures should be possible and would thus allow understanding these observed preferences from a surface

Organic and inorganic–organic thin film structures by molecular layer deposition: A review

• Pia Sundberg and
• Maarit Karppinen

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2014, 5, 1104–1136, doi:10.3762/bjnano.5.123

DNA origami deposition on native and passivated molybdenum disulfide substrates

• Xiaoning Zhang,
• Masudur Rahman,
• David Neff and
• Michael L. Norton

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2014, 5, 501–506, doi:10.3762/bjnano.5.58

• MoS2 surface adopt many different structures, most likely originating partially from intra-strand base pairing and partially from the strong interaction between DNA bases and the MoS2 surface [11]. Recent studies indicate that the MoS2 surfaces have high polarity and hydrophilicity [20], which lead DNA

Morphological characterization of fullerene–androsterone conjugates

• Alberto Ruiz,
• Margarita Suárez,
• Nazario Martin,
• Fernando Albericio and
• Hortensia Rodríguez

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2014, 5, 374–379, doi:10.3762/bjnano.5.43

• aggregates can be attributed to the hydrophilic moiety that is linked to [60]fullerene in the C60–androsterone derivatives (Ia,b and IIa,b). The steroid linked to fullerene promotes hydrophilicity and steric repulsion to offset the C60 fragment, and therefore these derivatives tend to self-organize as

• of the difference in hydrophilicity of the androsterone moieties in both diasteromeric pairs. The presence of a carbonyl group in Ia,b instead of a less polar group such as acetoxy in IIa,b, promoted the formation of smaller vesicles. Dynamic light scattering DLS measurements gave further information

Near-infrared dye loaded polymeric nanoparticles for cancer imaging and therapy and cellular response after laser-induced heating

• Tingjun Lei,
• Alicia Fernandez-Fernandez,
• Romila Manchanda,
• Yen-Chih Huang and
• Anthony J. McGoron

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2014, 5, 313–322, doi:10.3762/bjnano.5.35

• control the degree of hydrophilicity and in turn the glass transition temperature (Tg). Characterization was performed by differential scanning calorimetry (for glass transition temperature) and gel permeation chromatography (for molecular weight, based on a calibration curve of polysterene standards

Extracellular biosynthesis of gadolinium oxide (Gd₂O₃) nanoparticles, their biodistribution and bioconjugation with the chemically modified anticancer drug taxol

• Shadab Ali Khan,
• Sanjay Gambhir and
• Absar Ahmad

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2014, 5, 249–257, doi:10.3762/bjnano.5.27

• simple biological protocol for the synthesis of gadolinium oxide nanoparticles, studied their biodistribution, and bioconjugated these nanoparticles with the chemically modified anticancer drug taxol. This particular bioconjugation may result in an enhancement of the hydrophilicity of taxol and may

Design criteria for stable Pt/C fuel cell catalysts

• Josef C. Meier,
• Carolina Galeano,
• Ioannis Katsounaros,
• Jonathon Witte,
• Hans J. Bongard,
• Angel A. Topalov,
• Claudio Baldizzone,
• Stefano Mezzavilla,
• Ferdi Schüth and
• Karl J. J. Mayrhofer

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2014, 5, 44–67, doi:10.3762/bjnano.5.5

• above catalyst degradation pathways, in mass transport limitations for the reactants [54]. It is also assumed that the formation of excessive oxygenated functional groups at the carbon surface can increase the hydrophilicity of the support and thus enhance flooding effects that can hamper the transport

Evolution of microstructure and related optical properties of ZnO grown by atomic layer deposition

• Adib Abou Chaaya,
• Roman Viter,
• Mikhael Bechelany,
• Zanda Alute,
• Donats Erts,
• Anastasiya Zalesskaya,
• Kristaps Kovalevskis,
• Vincent Rouessac,
• Valentyn Smyntyna and
• Philippe Miele

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2013, 4, 690–698, doi:10.3762/bjnano.4.78

• interstitials and adsorbed molecular oxygen on the surface of grains. The ultra-thin ZnO ALD films are attractive for optical sensor/biosensor applications due to their high oxygen to zinc ratio and variable optical properties. In addition, the presence of hydroxyl terminals leads to the hydrophilicity of the

New hybrid materials based on poly(ethyleneoxide)-grafted polysilazane by hydrosilylation and their anti-fouling activities

• Thi Dieu Hang Nguyen,
• François-Xavier Perrin and
• Dinh Lam Nguyen

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2013, 4, 671–677, doi:10.3762/bjnano.4.75

• hypothesized to explain the anti-fouling property of these surfaces. These include the hydrophilicity [7], the mobility, the large exclusion volume in water and the effect of steric repulsion [8][9][10][11]. The effect of the molecular weight and the grafting density of PEO on the anti-fouling capacity has

Porous polymer coatings as substrates for the formation of high-fidelity micropatterns by quill-like pens

• Michael Hirtz,
• Marcus Lyon,
• Wenqian Feng,
• Andrea E. Holmes,
• Harald Fuchs and
• Pavel A. Levkin

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2013, 4, 377–384, doi:10.3762/bjnano.4.44

• possess very high hydrophilicity due to the combination of the porous structure with the hydrophilic nature of the 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate used as a monomer [5]. The small size and narrow size distribution of both pores and polymer globules (about 20–200 nm) resulted in high transparency of the

Functionalization of vertically aligned carbon nanotubes

• Eloise Van Hooijdonk,
• Carla Bittencourt,
• Rony Snyders and
• Jean-François Colomer

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2013, 4, 129–152, doi:10.3762/bjnano.4.14

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

• responsible for an increase in contact angle of the damaged skin [39]. After treatment with skin cream, the contact angles of virgin and damaged skin decreased. The hydrophilic groups in skin cream, such as hydroxyl group, amines group, and carboxyl group in the humectants, increase the surface hydrophilicity

• decreases after treatment due to an increasing hydrophilicity. Skin cream increases the hydrophilic properties of the skin. For pig skin, the roughness shows a similar trend to that of rat skin, but the contact angle of damaged skin shows a significant increase as compared to virgin skin because of the

Magnetic-Fe/Fe₃O₄-nanoparticle-bound SN38 as carboxylesterase-cleavable prodrug for the delivery to tumors within monocytes/macrophages

• Hongwang Wang,
• Tej B. Shrestha,
• Matthew T. Basel,
• Raj K. Dani,
• Gwi-Moon Seo,
• Sivasai Balivada,
• Marla M. Pyle,
• Heidy Prock,
• Olga B. Koper,
• Prem S. Thapa,
• David Moore,
• Ping Li,
• Viktor Chikan,
• Deryl L. Troyer and
• Stefan H. Bossmann

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2012, 3, 444–455, doi:10.3762/bjnano.3.51

• the Tet-On Advanced system. It is noteworthy that the hydrophilicity of the SN38 prodrug (log P(13) = 0.55) is higher than that for the tetraethylene glycol stealth ligand (log P(7) = −0.51), which is the reason why we have selected the molar ratio of 1/10 for 13 and 7 at the surface of the Fe/Fe3O4

Variations in the structure and reactivity of thioester functionalized self-assembled monolayers and their use for controlled surface modification

• Inbal Aped,
• Yacov Mazuz and
• Chaim N. Sukenik

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2012, 3, 213–220, doi:10.3762/bjnano.3.24

• reaction based on the rate of disappearance of the carbonyl, but the high degree of hydrophilicity that is achieved with aqueous OXONE is not obtained in these longer chain systems. It seems that there is a buildup of longer chain byproducts that need organic solvents to effectively remove them. However

• , the exposure of the high-free-energy sulfonated surface to organic solvent leads to surface reorganization and loss of hydrophilicity. Thus, in order to take advantage of the enormous change in surface wetting achieved by the oxidation of a system such as 1g–i (from a water contact angle of over 100

Surface functionalization of aluminosilicate nanotubes with organic molecules

• Wei Ma,
• Weng On Yah,
• Hideyuki Otsuka and
• Atsushi Takahara

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2012, 3, 82–100, doi:10.3762/bjnano.3.10

• to 93°. This result indicates that the hydrophilicity of the external surface of imogolite is changed upon absorption of DDPO4, which converts the hydrophilic surface of imogolite nanotubes to a hydrophobic one. Poly(methyl methacrylate) grafted imogolite nanotubes The above content demonstrated the

Self-assembled monolayers and titanium dioxide: From surface patterning to potential applications

• Yaron Paz

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2011, 2, 845–861, doi:10.3762/bjnano.2.94

• semiconductors (Si, GaN, InP, InGaAs) provide a unique way to alter the properties of a surface at will. This ability may be manifested through a variety of phenomena, among which are wetting phenomena (hydrophobicity, hydrophilicity and oleophobicity), electronic phenomena (from affecting band bending and work

Synthesis and catalytic applications of combined zeolitic/mesoporous materials

• Jarian Vernimmen,
• Vera Meynen and
• Pegie Cool

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2011, 2, 785–801, doi:10.3762/bjnano.2.87

• dimensions of the nanoparticles often alter the properties of the materials as compared to the full-grown zeolite (e.g., hydrophilicity) [83][85][91]. Nevertheless, examples of beneficial materials obtained by the postsynthetic deposition approach also exist, namely the TS-1 coated MCF structure developed by

• suffer some major drawbacks: (i) They are less stable than TS-1, and especially the hydrothermal stability is significantly lower, and (ii) their hydrophilic nature, which is caused by their amorphous structure, leads to a lower catalytic activity [183][187]. This hydrophilicity will prevent efficient

• surface of mesoporous materials, resulting in a more hydrophobic structure, is also a solution in many cases [189]. However, this does not solve the stability problems. Combined zeolitic/mesoporous materials are expected to help to overcome these stability and hydrophilicity issues. Some successful