Beilstein Journal of Nanotechnology

Theragnostics has become a popular term nowadays, since it enables both diagnosis and therapy at the same time while only using one carrier platform. Therefore, formulating a nanocarrier system that could serve as theragnostic agent by using simple techniques would be an advantage during production. In this project, we aimed to develop a nanocarrier that can be loaded with the chemotherapeutic medication chlorambucil and magnetic resonance imaging agents (e.g., iron oxide nanoparticles and near-infrared fluorophore IR780) for theragnostics...

Modification of graphene oxide (GO) by vinyltriethoxysilane (VTES) was investigated to study the effect of silanized GO on radical graft copolymerization of GO onto deproteinized natural rubber (DPNR). The modified GO, GO-VTES (a and b), was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, contact angle, thermal gravimetric analysis, and scanning electron microscopy. The XRD results showed the appearance of an amorphous region of silica particles at a diffraction angle of 22°...

Organic solar cells are a promising candidate for practical use because of their low material cost and simple production procedures. The challenge is selecting materials with the right properties and how they interrelate in the context of manufacturing the device. This paper presents studies on CdSe/ZnS nanodots as dopants in a polymer-fullerene matrix for application in organic solar cells. An assembly of poly(3-hexylthiophene-2,5-diyl) and 6,6-phenyl-C71-butyric acid methyl ester was used as the active reference layer...

Dynamic atomic force microscopy (AFM) modes that operate at frequencies far away from the resonance frequency of the cantilever (off-resonance tapping (ORT) modes) can provide high-resolution imaging of a wide range of sample types, including biological samples, soft polymers, and hard materials. These modes offer precise and stable control of vertical force, as well as reduced lateral force. Simultaneously, they enable mechanical property mapping of the sample. However, ORT modes have an intrinsic drawback: a low scan speed due to the limited ORT rate, generally in the low-kilohertz range...

Porous anodic aluminum oxide (PAAO), sometimes referred to as nanoporous anodic alumina, serves as a cost-effective template for nanofabrication in many fields of science and engineering. However, production of ultrathin PAAO membranes with precise thickness in the optical sub-wavelength range remains challenging because of difficulties regarding process control at the initial stage of anodic oxidation. In this study, we demonstrate a technique for consistently manufacturing PAAO with the targeted thickness...

The escalating release of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) into the environment poses a substantial threat, potentially leading to increased concentrations of zinc (Zn) in the soil and subsequent phytotoxic effects. This study aimed to assess the effects of ZnO NPs on Raphanus sativus ( R. sativus ) concerning its tolerance levels, toxicity, and accumulation. ZnO NPs were synthesized by the wet chemical method and characterized by powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering (DLS), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM)...

In the case of a biological threat, early, rapid, and specific detection is critical. In addition, ease of handling, use in the field, and low-cost production are important considerations. Immunological devices are able to respond to these needs. In the design of these immunological devices, surface antibody immobilisation is crucial. Nylon nanofibres have been described as a very good option because they allow for an increase in the surface-to-volume ratio, leading to an increase in immunocapture efficiency...

Plant-based insecticides offer advantages such as negligible residual effects, reduced risks to both humans and the environment, and immunity to resistance issues that plague conventional chemicals. However, the practical use of monoterpenes in insect control has been hampered by challenges including their poor solubility and stability in aqueous environments. In recent years, the application of nanotechnology-based formulations, specifically nanoemulsions, has emerged as a prospective strategy to surmount these obstacles...

A fast and sensitive aptasensor was developed using nanoplates with peroxidase activity as a novel approach . E. coli detection is described using a silver/platinum nanoplate (Ag/Pt NPL) that interacts with an oligonucleotide aptamer as a bioreceptor. The size of the Ag/Pt NPLs was about 42 nm according to the FE-SEM images. The EDS result indicates that a thin layer of Pt ions was coated on the surface of the Ag NPLs. This nanobiosensor has the ability to specifically bind to E. coli , increasing the peroxidase activity of the apt-Ag/Pt NPL...

In this work, a strategy for one-stage synthesis of polymer composites based on PNIPAAm hydrogel was presented. Both conductive particles in the form of conductive carbon black (cCB) and MnCo2 O4 (MCO) spinel particles were suspended in the three-dimensional structure of the hydrogel. The MCO particles in the resulting hydrogel composite acted as an electrocatalyst in the oxygen evolution reaction. Morphological studies confirmed that the added particles were incorporated and, in the case of a higher concentration of cCB particles, also bound to the surface of the structure of the hydrogel matrix...

We investigate Josephson dynamics of highly transparent superconducting nanojunctions at subgap voltages and temperatures. In this limit, intrinsic dissipation in such junctions turns out to be sub-Ohmic, which yields a linear dependence of the average voltage on the bias current I slightly exceeding the critical one I c . We demonstrate a strong impact of intrinsic sub-Ohmic dissipation on integer Shapiro steps appearing on the I - V curve in the presence of external microwave radiation.

Hydrophobic berberine powder (BBR) and hydrophilic BBR nanoparticles (BBR NPs) were loaded into an electrospun polylactic acid (PLA) nanofiber scaffold for modulating the release behavior of BBR in an aqueous medium. The BBR release from the BBR/PLA and BBR NPs/PLA nanofiber scaffolds was investigated in relation to their chemical characteristics, BBR dispersion into nanofibers, and wettability. The BBR release profiles strongly influenced the antibacterial efficiency of the scaffolds over time. When the BBR was loaded, the BBR/PLA nanofiber scaffold exhibited an extremely hydrophobic feature, causing a triphasic release profile in which only 9...

Leishmaniasis is a neglected tropical disease that has affected more than 350 million people worldwide and can manifest itself in three different forms: cutaneous, mucocutaneous, or visceral. Furthermore, the current treatment options have drawbacks which compromise efficacy and patient compliance. To face this global health concern, new alternatives for the treatment of leishmaniasis have been explored. Curcumin, a polyphenol obtained from the rhizome of turmeric, exhibits leishmanicidal activity against different species of Leishmania spp ...

We have prepared ferromagnetic nanostructures intended for the investigation of high-frequency magnetization dynamics in permalloy (Py) nanodisks using Lorentz transmission electron microscopy (LTEM) and electron holography. Py nanodisks were fabricated on thin silicon nitride (SiN) membranes using three different fabrication methods: lift-off, ion beam etching (IBE), and stencil lithography. They were further analyzed using different instruments, including scanning electron microscopy, LTEM, and electron holography...

Schistosomiasis causes over 200,000 deaths annually. The current treatment option, praziquantel, presents limitations, including low bioavailability and resistance. In this context, nanoparticles have emerged as a promising option for improving schistosomiasis treatment. Several narrative reviews have been published on this topic. Unfortunately, the lack of clear methodologies presented in these reviews leads to the exclusion of many important studies without apparent justification. This integrative review aims to examine works published in this area with a precise and reproducible method...

We consider properties of dichroic antenna arrays on a silicon substrate with integrated cold-electron bolometers to detect radiation at frequencies of 210 and 240 GHz. This frequency range is widely used in cosmic microwave background experiments in space, balloon, and ground-based missions such as BICEP Array, LSPE, LiteBIRD, QUBIC, Simons Observatory, and AliCPT. As a direct radiation detector, we use cold-electron bolometers, which have high sensitivity and a wide operating frequency range, as well as immunity to spurious cosmic rays...

Scanning probe microscopy (SPM) techniques are widely used to study the structure and properties of surfaces and interfaces across a variety of disciplines in chemistry and physics. One of the major artifacts in SPM is (thermal) drift, an unintended movement between sample and probe, which causes a distortion of the recorded SPM data. Literature holds a multitude of strategies to compensate for drift during the measurement (online drift correction) or afterwards (offline drift correction). With the currently available software tools, however, offline drift correction of SPM data is often a tedious and time-consuming task...

Inspired by the eumelanin aggregates in human skin, polydopamine nanoparticles (PDA NPs) are promising nanovectors for biomedical applications, especially because of their biocompatibility. We synthesized and characterized fluorescent PDA NPs of 10-25 nm diameter based on a protein containing a lysine-glutamate diad (bovine serum albumin, BSA) and determined whether they can penetrate and accumulate in bacterial cells to serve as a marker or drug nanocarrier. Three fluorescent PDA NPs were designed to allow for tracking in three different wavelength ranges by oxidizing BSA/PDA NPs (Ox-BSA/PDA NPs) or labelling with fluorescein 5-isothiocyanate (FITC-BSA/PDA NPs) or rhodamine B isothiocyanate (RhBITC-BSA/PDA NPs)...

AFM sharp tips are used to characterize nanostructures and quantify the mechanical properties of the materials in several areas of research. The analytical results can show unpredicted errors if we do not know the exact values of the AFM tip radius. There are many techniques of in situ measurements for determining the actual AFM tip radius, but they are limited to uncoated tips. This paper presents an alternative and simple method to determine the radii of coated tips and an uncoated tip. Pt-coated, Cr/Au-coated, and uncoated Si tips were used to scan a calibration standard grating in AFM contact mode with sub-nanonewton load to obtain the curved scan profile of the edge corner of the grating structure...

Motivated by the potential of focused-electron-beam-induced deposition (FEBID) in the fabrication of functional gold nanostructures for application in plasmonic and detector technology, we conducted a comprehensive study on [Au(CH3 )2 Cl]2 as a potential precursor for such depositions. Fundamental electron-induced dissociation processes were studied under single collision conditions, and the composition and morphology of FEBID deposits fabricated in an ultrahigh-vacuum (UHV) chamber were explored on different surfaces and at varied beam currents...