| 1. |
- Allali, Naoual, et al.
(författare)
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Accurate control of the covalent functionalization of single-walled carbon nanotubes for the electro-enzymatically controlled oxidation of biomolecules
- 2018
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Ingår i: Beilstein Journal of Nanotechnology. - : Beilstein-Institut. - 2190-4286. ; 9, s. 2750-2762
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) were functionalized by ferrocene through ethyleneglycol chains of different lengths (FcETGn) and the functionalized SWCNTs (f-SWCNTs) were characterized by different complementary analytical techniques. In particular, high-resolution scanning electron transmission microscopy (HRSTEM) and electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) analyses support that the outer tubes of the carbon-nanotube bundles were covalently grafted with FcETGn groups. This result confirms that the electrocatalytic effect observed during the oxidation of the reduced form of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) co-factor by the f-SWCNTs is due to the presence of grafted ferrocene derivatives playing the role of a mediator. This work clearly proves that residual impurities present in our SWCNT sample (below 5 wt. %) play no role in the electrocatalytic oxidation of NADH. Moreover, molecular dynamic simulations confirm the essential role of the PEG linker in the efficiency of the bioelectrochemical device in water, due to the favorable interaction between the ETG units and water molecules that prevents π-stacking of the ferrocene unit on the surface of the CNTs. This system can be applied to biosensing, as exemplified for glucose detection. The well-controlled and well-characterized functionalization of essentially clean SWCNTs enabled us to establish the maximum level of impurity content, below which the f-SWCNT intrinsic electrochemical activity is not jeopardized.
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| 2. |
- Aslibeiki, Bagher, et al.
(författare)
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Co-doped MnFe2O4 nanoparticles : magnetic anisotropy and interparticle interactions
- 2019
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Ingår i: Beilstein Journal of Nanotechnology. - : Beilstein Institut. - 2190-4286. ; 10, s. 856-865
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The effect of cobalt doping on the magnetic properties of Mn1−xCoxFe2O4 nanoparticles was investigated. All samples consist of ensembles of nanoparticles with a spherical shape and average diameter of about 10 nm, showing small structural changes due to the substitution. Besides having the same morpho-structural properties, the effect of the chemical composition, i.e., the amount of Co doping, produces marked differences on the magnetic properties, especially on the magnetic anisotropy, with evident large changes in the coercive field. Moreover, Co substitution has a profound effect on the interparticle interactions, too. A dipolar-based interaction regime is detected for all samples; in addition, the intensity of the interactions shows a possible relation with the single particle anisotropy. Finally, the sample with the strongest interaction regime shows a superspin glass state confirmed by memory effect dynamics.
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| 3. |
- Baruah, Sunandan, et al.
(författare)
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Enhanced visible light photocatalysis through fast crystallization of zinc oxide nanorods
- 2010
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Ingår i: Beilstein Journal of Nanotechnology. - : Beilstein-Institut. - 2190-4286. ; 1:1, s. 14-20
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Hydrothermally grown ZnO nanorods have inherent crystalline defects primarily due to oxygen vacancies that enhance optical absorption in the visible spectrum, opening up possibilities for visible light photocatalysis. Comparison of photocatalytic activity of ZnO nanorods and nanoparticle films on a test contaminant methylene blue with visible light irradiation at 72 kilolux (klx) showed that ZnO nanorods are 12–24% more active than ZnO nanoparticulate films. This can be directly attributed to the increased effective surface area for adsorption of target contaminant molecules. Defects, in the form of interstitials and vacancies, were intentionally created by faster growth of the nanorods by microwave activation. Visible light photocatalytic activity was observed to improve by ≈8% attributed to the availability of more electron deficient sites on the nanorod surfaces. Engineered defect creation in nanostructured photocatalysts could be an attractive solution for visible light photocatalysis.
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| 4. |
- Björnson, Kristofer, et al.
(författare)
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Solid-state Stern-Gerlach spin splitter for magnetic field sensing, spintronics, and quantum computing
- 2018
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Ingår i: Beilstein Journal of Nanotechnology. - : Beilstein Institut. - 2190-4286. ; 9, s. 1558-1563
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We show conceptually that the edge of a two-dimensional topological insulator can be used to construct a solid-state Stern-Gerlach spin splitter. By threading such a Stern-Gerlach apparatus with a magnetic flux, Aharanov-Bohm-like interference effects are introduced. Using ferromagnetic leads, the setup can be used to both measure magnetic flux and as a spintronics switch. With normal metallic leads a switchable spintronics NOT-gate can be implemented. Furthermore, we show that a sequence of such devices can be used to construct a single-qubit SU(2)-gate, one of the two gates required for a universal quantum computer. The field sensitivity, or switching field, b, is related to the characteristic size of the device, r, through b = h/(2 pi qr(2)), with q being the unit of electric charge.
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| 5. |
- Bora, T., et al.
(författare)
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Highly efficient ZnO/Au Schottky barrier dye-sensitized solar cells : Role of gold nanoparticles on the charge-transfer process
- 2011
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Ingår i: Beilstein Journal of Nanotechnology. - : Beilstein Institut. - 2190-4286. ; 2:1, s. 681-690
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Zinc oxide (ZnO) nanorods decorated with gold (Au) nanoparticles have been synthesized and used to fabricate dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSC). The picosecond-resolved, time-correlated single-photon-count (TCSPC) spectroscopy technique was used to explore the charge-transfer mechanism in the ZnO/Au-nanocomposite DSSC. Due to the formation of the Schottky barrier at the ZnO/Au interface and the higher optical absorptions of the ZnO/Au photoelectrodes arising from the surface plasmon absorption of the Au nanoparticles, enhanced power-conversion efficiency (PCE) of 6.49% for small-area (0.1 cm(2)) ZnO/Au-nanocomposite DSSC was achieved compared to the 5.34% efficiency of the bare ZnO nanorod DSSC. The TCSPC studies revealed similar dynamics for the charge transfer from dye molecules to ZnO both in the presence and absence of Au nanoparticles. A slower fluorescence decay associated with the electron recombination process, observed in the presence of Au nanoparticles, confirmed the blocking of the electron transfer from ZnO back to the dye or electrolyte by the Schottky barrier formed at the ZnO/Au interface. For large area DSSC (1 cm(2)), similar to 130% enhancement in PCE (from 0.50% to 1.16%) was achieved after incorporation of the Au nanoparticles into the ZnO nanorods.
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| 6. |
- Bora, Tanujjal, et al.
(författare)
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Modulation of defect-mediated energy transfer from ZnO nanoparticles for the photocatalytic degradation of bilirubin
- 2013
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Ingår i: Beilstein Journal of Nanotechnology. - : BEILSTEIN-INSTITUT. - 2190-4286. ; 4:1, s. 714-725
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- In recent years, nanotechnology has gained significant interest for applications in the medical field. In this regard, a utilization of the ZnO nanoparticles for the efficient degradation of bilirubin (BR) through photocatalysis was explored. BR is a water insoluble byproduct of the heme catabolism that can cause jaundice when its excretion is impaired. The photocatalytic degradation of BR activated by ZnO nanoparticles through a non-radiative energy transfer pathway can be influenced by the surface defect-states (mainly the oxygen vacancies) of the catalyst nanoparticles. These were modulated by applying a simple annealing in an oxygen-rich atmosphere. The mechanism of the energy transfer process between the ZnO nanoparticles and the BR molecules adsorbed at the surface was studied by using steady-state and picosecond-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy. A correlation of photocatalytic degradation and time-correlated single photon counting studies revealed that the defect-engineered ZnO nanoparticles that were obtained through post-annealing treatments led to an efficient decomposition of BR molecules that was enabled by Forster resonance energy transfer.
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| 7. |
- Borysov, Stanislav S., et al.
(författare)
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Dynamic calibration of higher eigenmode parameters of a cantilever in atomic force microscopy by using tip-surface interactions
- 2014
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Ingår i: Beilstein Journal of Nanotechnology. - : Beilstein Institut. - 2190-4286. ; 5, s. 1899-1904
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We present a theoretical framework for the dynamic calibration of the higher eigenmode parameters (stiffness and optical lever inverse responsivity) of a cantilever. The method is based on the tip-surface force reconstruction technique and does not require any prior knowledge of the eigenmode shape or the particular form of the tip-surface interaction. The calibration method proposed requires a single-point force measurement by using a multimodal drive and its accuracy is independent of the unknown physical amplitude of a higher eigenmode.
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| 8. |
- Cayao, Jorge, et al.
(författare)
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Andreev spectrum and supercurrents in nanowire-based SNS junctions containing Majorana bound states
- 2018
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Ingår i: Beilstein Journal of Nanotechnology. - : BEILSTEIN-INSTITUT. - 2190-4286. ; 9, s. 1339-1357
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Hybrid superconductor-semiconductor nanowires with Rashba spin-orbit coupling are arguably becoming the leading platform for the search of Majorana bound states (MBSs) in engineered topological superconductors. We perform a systematic numerical study of the low-energy Andreev spectrum and supercurrents in short and long superconductor-normal-superconductor junctions made of nanowires with strong Rashba spin-orbit coupling, where an external Zeeman field is applied perpendicular to the spin-orbit axis. In particular, we investigate the detailed evolution of the Andreev bound states from the trivial into the topological phase and their relation with the emergence of MBSs. Due to the finite length, the system hosts four MBSs, two at the inner part of the junction and two at the outer one. They hybridize and give rise to a finite energy splitting at a superconducting phase difference of p, a wellvisible effect that can be traced back to the evolution of the energy spectrum with the Zeeman field: from the trivial phase with Andreev bound states into the topological phase with MBSs. Similarly, we carry out a detailed study of supercurrents for short and long junctions from the trivial to the topological phases. The supercurrent, calculated from the Andreev spectrum, is 2 pi-periodic in the trivial and topological phases. In the latter it exhibits a clear sawtooth profile at a phase difference of pi when the energy splitting is negligible, signalling a strong dependence of current-phase curves on the length of the superconducting regions. Effects of temperature, scalar disorder and reduction of normal transmission on supercurrents are also discussed. Further, we identify the individual contribution of MBSs. In short junctions the MBSs determine the current-phase curves, while in long junctions the spectrum above the gap (quasi-continuum) introduces an important contribution.
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| 9. |
- Chen, Tao, et al.
(författare)
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Colloidal lithography for fabricating patterned polymer-brush microstructures
- 2012
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Ingår i: Beilstein Journal of Nanotechnology. - : Beilstein Institut. - 2190-4286. ; 3, s. 397-403
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We exploit a series of robust, but simple and convenient colloidal lithography (CL) approaches, using a microsphere array as a mask or as a guiding template, and combine this with surface-initiated atom-transfer radical polymerization (SI-ATRP) to fabricate patterned polymer-brush microstructures. The advantages of the CL technique over other lithographic approaches for the fabrication of patterned polymer brushes are (i) that it can be carried out with commercially available colloidal particles at a relatively low cost, (ii) that no complex equipment is required to create the patterned templates with micro-and nanoscale features, and (iii) that polymer brush features are controlled simply by changing the size or chemical functionality of the microspheres or the substrate.
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| 10. |
- Devid, E. J., et al.
(författare)
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The influence of molecular mobility on the properties of networks of gold nanoparticles and organic ligands
- 2014
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Ingår i: Beilstein Journal of Nanotechnology. - : Beilstein Institut. - 2190-4286. ; 5:1, s. 1664-1674
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We prepare and investigate two-dimensional (2D) single-layer arrays and multilayered networks of gold nanoparticles derivatized with conjugated hetero-aromatic molecules, i.e., S-(4-{[2,6-bipyrazol-1-yl)pyrid-4-yl]ethynyl}phenyl) thiolate (herein S-BPP), as capping ligands. These structures are fabricated by a combination of self-assembly and microcontact printing techniques, and are characterized by electron microscopy, UV-visible spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy. Selective binding of the S-BPP molecules to the gold nanoparticles through Au-S bonds is found, with no evidence for the formation of N-Au bonds between the pyridine or pyrazole groups of BPP and the gold surface. Subtle, but significant shifts with temperature of specific Raman S-BPP modes are also observed. We attribute these to dynamic changes in the orientation and/or increased mobility of the molecules on the gold nanoparticle facets. As for their conductance, the temperature-dependence for S-BPP networks differs significantly from standard alkanethiol-capped networks, especially above 220 K. Relating the latter two observations, we propose that dynamic changes in the molecular layers effectively lower the molecular tunnel barrier for BPP-based arrays at higher temperatures.
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