TY - CONF A1 - Resch-Genger, Ute T1 - Quantifying functional groups and coatings on nanoobjects N2 - Engineered nanomaterials (NM) of different size, shape, chemical composition, and surface chemistry are increasingly used for many key technologies of the 21st century and consumer products. This includes polymer and silica or silica-coated nanoparticles (NP) with covalently bound surface groups, semiconductor quantum dots (QD), metal and metal oxide NP, and lanthanide NP with coordinatively or electrostatically bound ligands, as well as surface-coated nanostructures like micellar encapsulated NP. Decisive for most applications of NMs are their specific surface properties, which are largely determined by the chemical nature and amounts of ligands and functional groups (FGs) on the NM surface. The surface chemistry can strongly affect the physicochemical properties of NM, their charge, hydrophilicity/hydrophobicity, reactivity, function, stability, and processability and thereby their impact on human health and environment. Knowledge of NM surface chemistry plays an important role for NM functionality and performance in (bio)applications and the fate, exposure, dissolution, transformation, and accumulation of NM, and thus, the potential risks for human health and the environment. This highlights the importance of reliable, validated, and eventually standardized analytical methods for analyzing and quantifying NM surface chemistry for process and quality control of NM production, safe use of NMs, design of novel NM, and sustainable concepts for NM fabrication.[1-3] In this context, interlaboratory comparisons (ILCs) are needed to assess method reliability and reference materials with known surface chemistries for establishing surface analytical methods and their performance validation.[2,4] Also, to respond to the increasing number of samples to be analyzed, cost-efficient automation concepts for surface analysis are needed that can be realized with affordable and preferably commercial instrumentation.[5] Here, we provide an overview of analytical methods for FG analysis and quantification used by us for quantifying broadly utilized FGs and ligands on different types of NMs with electrochemical titration methods, optical assays, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and vibrational (IR) spectroscopy, and X-ray based and thermal analysis methods.[1,2] Thereby, method- and material-related challenges are addressed, and the importance of multi-method characterization approaches easing method validation by method cross-validation. Special emphasis is dedicated to simple, versatile, and cost-efficient methods such as optical assays and electrochemical titration methods. T2 - eMRS Fall Meeting 2025 CY - Warsaw, Poland DA - 15.09.2025 KW - Quality assurance KW - Fluorescence KW - Nano KW - Particle KW - Synthesis KW - Characterization KW - Advanced material KW - Surface KW - Standardization KW - Reference material KW - Functional group KW - Quantification KW - Coating KW - Interlaboratory comparison KW - Uncertainty PY - 2025 AN - OPUS4-64183 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Resch-Genger, Ute T1 - Assessing different types of silica networks for the complete protection of nir luminescent molecular rubies from oxygen quenching in air N2 - The application of emerging luminophores such as near-infrared (NIR) emissive earth-abundant chromium(III) (CrIII) complexes and triplet-triplet annihilation upconversion (TTA-UC) systems in air as optical reporters for bioimaging or photonic materials for energy conversion requires simple and efficient strategies for their complete protection from luminescence quenching by oxygen. Therefore, we explored the influence of sol-gel synthesis routes on the oxygen protection efficiency of the resulting core and core/shell silica nanoparticles (SiO2 NPs), utilizing the molecular ruby-type luminophores CrPF6 ([Cr(ddpd)2](PF6)3; ddpd = N,N’-dimethyl- N,N’-dipyridin-2-ylpyridin-2,6-diamine) and CrBF4 ([Cr(ddpd)2](BF4)3) with their oxygen-dependent, but polarity-, proticity-, viscosity-, and concentration-independent luminescence as optical probes for oxygen permeability. The sol-gel chemistry routes we assessed include the classical Stöber method and the underexplored larginine approach, which relies on the controlled hydrolysis of tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) in a biphasic cyclohexane/water system with the catalyst l-arginine. As demonstrated by luminescence measurements of air- and argon-saturated dispersions of CrPF6- and CrBF4-stained SiO2 NPs of different size and particle architecture, utilizing the luminescence decay kinetics of argon-saturated solutions of CrPF6 and CrBF4 in acetonitrile (ACN) as benchmarks, only SiO2 NPs or shells synthesized by the l-arginine approach provided complete oxygen protection of the CrIII complexes under ambient conditions. We ascribe the different oxygen shielding efficiencies of the silica networks explored to differences in density and surface chemistry of the resulting nanomaterials and coatings, leading to different oxygen permeabilities. Our l-arginine based silica encapsulation strategy can open the door for the efficient usage of oxygen-sensitive luminophores and TTA-UC systems as optical reporters and spectral shifters in air in the future. T2 - eMRS Strasbourg CY - Strasbourg, France DA - 26.05.2025 KW - Quality assurance KW - Fluorescence KW - Nano KW - Particle KW - Synthesis KW - Quantum yield KW - NIR KW - Mechanism KW - Characterization KW - Electron microscopy KW - Silica KW - Oxygen sensing KW - Surface KW - Doping KW - Lifetime KW - Cr(III) complex PY - 2025 AN - OPUS4-63300 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Frenzel, F. A1 - Fiedler, S. A1 - Bardan, A. A1 - Güttler, Arne A1 - Würth, Christian A1 - Resch-Genger, Ute T1 - Influence of Measurement Geometry and Blank on Absolute Measurements of Photoluminescence Quantum Yields of Scattering Luminescent Films N2 - For a series of 500 μm-thick polyurethane films containing different concentrations of luminescent and scattering YAG:Ce microparticles, we systematically explored and quantified pitfalls of absolute measurements of photoluminescence quantum yields (Φf) for often employed integrating sphere (IS) geometries, where the sample is placed either on a sample holder at the bottom of the IS surface or mounted in the IS center. Thereby, the influence of detection and illumination geometry and sample position was examined using blanks with various scattering properties for measuring the number of photons absorbed by the sample. Our results reveal that (i) setup configurations where the scattering sample is mounted in the IS center and (ii) transparent blanks can introduce systematic errors in absolute Φf measurements. For strongly scattering, luminescent samples, this can result in either an under- or overestimation of the absorbed photon flux and hence an under- or overestimation of Φf. The size of these uncertainties depends on the scattering properties of the sample and instrument parameters, such as sample position, IS size, wavelength-dependent reflectivity of the IS surface coating, and port configuration. For accurate and reliable absolute Φf measurements, we recommend (i) a blank with scattering properties closely matching those of the sample to realize similar distributions of the diffusely scattered excitation photons within the IS, and (ii) a sufficiently high sample absorption at the excitation wavelength. For IS setups with center-mounted samples, measurement geometries should be utilized that prevent the loss of excitation photons by reflections from the sample out of the IS. KW - Quality assurance KW - Fluorescence KW - Nano KW - Particle KW - Quantum yield KW - Characterization KW - Silica KW - Scattering KW - Uncertainty KW - Film KW - Pphosphor KW - YAG:Ce KW - LED KW - Converter material KW - Solid material KW - Polymer KW - Composite material KW - Advanced material PY - 2025 UR - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-638304 DO - https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.analchem.4c06726 SN - 1520-6882 SP - 1 EP - 8 PB - ACS Publications AN - OPUS4-63830 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Güttler, Arne T1 - Certified Reference Materials for the Quantification and Standardization of Fluorescence-based Measurements N2 - The size and shape of photoluminescence signals is affected by wavelength-, polarization-, and time-dependent instrumentspecific contributions and the compound- and environment-specific photoluminescence quantum yield. The former hamper the comparability of fluorescence measurements performed on different measuring devices. The commonly relatively done determination of the performance parameter requires suitable quantum yield standards with well-known. The performance of such measurements is, e.g., described in the written standard IEC 62607 currently revised. T2 - Colloquium für Optische Spektrometrie 2025 CY - Jena, Germany DA - 24.09.2025 KW - Quality assurance KW - Fluorescence KW - Nano KW - Particle KW - Advanced material KW - Calibration KW - Characterization KW - Fluorescence quantum yield KW - Phosphor KW - Absolute KW - Integrating sphere spectroscopy KW - Dye KW - Standardization KW - Reference material KW - Interlaboratory comparison KW - Uncertainty PY - 2025 AN - OPUS4-64213 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Oskoei, Parastu T1 - Thermoresponsive UCNP@MSN Nanoparticles for Doxorubicin Delivery in Melanoma Cells N2 - Upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) possess unique photophysical characteristics, such as excita bility by near infrared (NIR) light, which facilitates deep tissue penetration, multi color emission , long luminescence lifetimes, and an excellent photostability. These features have made UCNPs promising tools for biomedical applications . M esoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) functionalized with stimuli responsive nanovalves or specific coatings enable the encapsulation and controlled release of therapeutic agen ts, thereby offering spatiotemporal precision in drug delivery 1 3 ]]. Among drug delivery strategies, photoresponsive systems have attracted growing attention due to their potential for clinical applications . This is especially relevant for melanoma, an aggressive skin cancer with increasing global incidence, for which conventional therapeutic modalities remain largely insufficient in advanced stage 4 In this work, core shell UCNP@MSN nanoparticles were synthetised by coating UCNPs with a mesoporous silica layer, which was subsequently functionalized with thermoresponsive retro Diels Alder nanovalves [ and loaded with the chemotherapeutic agent doxorubicin (DOX). Controlled drug release was effectively achieved under 980 nm NIR i llumination . Treatment with functionalized nanoparticles significantly reduced the viability of melanoma cell lines, with an enhanced cytotoxicity being observed upon combined nanoparticle exposure and NIR illumination . Mechanistic analyses revealed that neither UCNPs nor NIR i llumination alone could induce the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS); however, their combination induced a marked increase in ROS levels in two of the three tested cell lines. Furthermore, this dual treatment promoted substantial apoptotic and/or necrotic responses across all cell models. These findings underscore the potential of UCNP@MSN nanoplatforms, equipped with thermoresponsive ga tes , as efficient photoactivated drug delivery systems for melanoma therapy. T2 - Conference Jornadas CICECO CY - Aveiro, Portugal DA - 09.10.2025 KW - Nano KW - Particle KW - Lanthanide KW - Upconversion KW - Surface chemistry KW - Mesoporous silica KW - Doxorubicin KW - Nanomedicine KW - Triggered release KW - pH KW - Cellular uptake KW - Toxicity KW - Folate KW - Ligand PY - 2025 AN - OPUS4-64371 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Resch-Genger, Ute T1 - Quantifying the total and accessible amount of surface functionalities and ligands on nanomaterials N2 - Engineered nanomaterials (NMs) of various chemical composition and surface functionalization are routinely fabricated for industrial applications such as medical diagnostics, drug delivery, sensing, catalysis, energy conversion and storage, opto-electronics, and information storage. NM dispersibility, stability, processability, and function as well as the interaction with biological species and environmental fate are largely determined by NM surface functionalities, i.e., functional groups (FGs) and ligands. Therefore, reliable, reproducible, and eventually standardized surface characterization methods are vital for quality control of NMs, and mandatory to meet increasing concerns regarding their safety. Suitable methods for determining surface functionalities on ligand-stabilized core and core/shell NPs include advanced techniques such as traceable quantitative nuclear magnetic resonance (qNMR) as well as X-ray electron spectroscopy (XPS) and time of flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS), and simpler optical and electrochemical methods.[1] The latter less costly and fast methods, which can be automated, are often used by NM producers for process and quality control.[1,2] To validate methods, establish measurement uncertain-ties, test reference materials, and produce reference data, multi-method characterization studies are needed.[3,4] as well as interlaboratory comparisons (ILC) on determining NM surface chemistry and well characterized test and reference NMs providing benchmark values.[5,6] Here, we present examples for quantifying common surface FGs such as amino and carboxyl groups on functional NMs of different chemical composition such as silica, polymer, iron oxide, and lanthanide-based upconversion nanoparticles with optical assays, electrochemical titration methods, qNMR, and chromatographic separation techniques. In addition, ongoing interlaboratory comparisons will be presented. T2 - Yucomat 2025 CY - Herec Novi, Montenegro DA - 01.09.2025 KW - Quality assurance KW - Fluorescence KW - Nano KW - Particle KW - Synthesis KW - Characterization KW - Advanced material KW - Surface KW - Standardization KW - Reference material KW - Functional group KW - Quantification KW - Coating KW - Interlaboratory comparison KW - Uncertainty PY - 2025 AN - OPUS4-64182 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Resch-Genger, Ute T1 - Measurements of Photoluminescence Quantum Yields of Scattering LED Converter Materials N2 - How to Get it Right with the Absolute Measurement of Photoluminescence Quantum Yields of Scattering LED Converter Materials Saskia Fiedler+,a, Florian Frenzel+,a, Christian Würth a, Isabella Tavernaro a, Michelle Grüne c, Stefan Schweizer c,d, Axel Engel e, and Ute Resch-Genger a* a Division Biophotonics, Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing (BAM), Richard-Willstaetter-Strasse 11, D-12489 Berlin, Germany; email: ute.resch@bam.de b Present address: Photonic Materials, NWO-Institute AMOLF, Science Park 104, 1098 XG Amsterdam, The Netherlands c Faculty of Electrical Engineering, South Westphalia University of Applied Sciences, Lübecker Ring 2, 59494, Soest, Germany d Fraunhofer Application Center for Inorganic Phosphors, Branch Lab of Fraunhofer Institute for Microstructure of Materials and Systems IMWS, Lübecker Ring 2, 59494, Soest, Germany e Schott AG Technical Services, Hattenbergstrasse 10, D-55122 Mainz, Germany Optical measurements of scattering materials such as luminescent nano- and microparticles and phosphors dispersed in liquid and solid matrices play an important role in energy conversion, solid-state lighting, medical diagnostics, and security barcoding. A key performance parameter is the photoluminescence quantum yield QY, i.e., the number of emitted per number of absorbed photons. QY of transparent luminophore solutions can be obtained relative to a fluorescence QY standard of known QY, meanwhile available as certified reference materials.[1] The determination of QY of scattering liquid and solid samples like nanoparticle dispersions, phosphors, and optoceramics requires, however, absolute measurements with an integrating sphere setup. Despite the need for reliable absolute QY measurements, no interlaboratory comparison (ILCs) on measurement uncertainties has been performed and scattering standards with known QY are not available. We present the results of an ILC of 3 labs from academia and industry on measurements of transparent and scattering dye solutions and solid phosphors and converter materials like YAG:Ce optoceramics with commercial stand-alone integrating sphere setups of different illumination and detection geometries. Special emphasis was dedicated to the influence of measurement geometry, optical properties of the blank for determining the number of incident photons absorbed by the sample, and sample-specific surface roughness. Matching QY values could be obtained for transparent dye solutions and scattering dispersions with a blank with scattering properties closely matching those of the sample, QY measurements of optoceramic samples with different blanks revealed substantial differences of more than 20 %. Based on our data, we recommend non-absorbing blank materials with a high reflectivity (>95 %) such as a 2 mm-thick PTFE target placed on the sample holder as blanks. T2 - eMRS CY - Strasbourg, France DA - 26.05.2025 KW - Quality assurance KW - Fluorescence KW - Nano KW - Particle KW - Quantum yield KW - NIR KW - Characterization KW - Electron microscopy KW - Film KW - Integrating sphere spectroscopy KW - Calibration KW - Lifetime KW - Advanced materials KW - LED converter KW - YAG:Ce KW - ILC KW - Measurement uncertainty KW - Absolute quantum yield PY - 2025 AN - OPUS4-63327 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Rezvani, A. A1 - Wang, Z. A1 - Wegner, Karl David A1 - Soltanmoradi, H. A1 - Kichigin, A. A1 - Zhou, X. A1 - Gantenberg, T. A1 - Schram, J. A1 - Zubiri, B. A. A1 - Spiecker, E. A1 - Walter, J. A1 - Resch-Genger, Ute A1 - Segets, D. T1 - Separation of Indium Phosphide/Zinc Sulfide Core−Shell Quantum Dots from Shelling Byproducts through Multistep Agglomeration N2 - Semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) possess unique electronic and optical properties, making them promising candidates for applications in lightemitting diodes, solar cells, bioimaging, and photocatalysis. Precise control over their size, shape, and chemical and electronic structure is crucial to ensure the desired functional properties and optimize device performance. However, challenges in QD synthesis and post-synthesis modification persist, especially in large-scale production. This study addresses the classification of QDs synthesized in a tubular flow reactor consisting of a mixture of the desired InP/ZnS core−shell QDs and QDs made from the shell material, i.e., here ZnS QDs formed as a byproduct during the formation step of the ZnS shell. The homogeneous nucleation of ZnS nanoparticles from the shelling material introduces a heterogeneity in size and composition and affects the optical properties of the resulting QDs. To address this issue, we developed a size-selective agglomeration (SSA) technique by incrementally introducing ethanol as a poor solvent and classified the synthesized QDs into 13 distinct fractions. These 13 fractions are sorted into three distinct groups: (i) larger InP/ZnS QDs, (ii) a combination of smaller InP/ZnS QDs and larger ZnS QDs, and (iii) predominant ZnS QDs with some very tiny InP/ZnS QDs. The comprehensive characterization of the fractions was conducted using UV−visible absorption spectroscopy, photoluminescence spectroscopy, high-resolution scanning transmission electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, total reflection X-ray fluorescence, and analytical ultracentrifugation. We could demonstrate that our method effectively separated unwanted ZnS QDs from the target InP/ZnS QDs. In addition, the fractions enriched in smaller InP/ZnS QDs exhibited a higher photoluminescence quantum yield compared to the fractions with larger QDs. This demonstrates the efficacy of SSA in finetuning the composition of QD mixtures produced on a larger scale to improve their functional properties. This approach provides fundamental understanding toward the development of a scalable two-dimensional classification process for such ultrasmall nanoparticles by particle size and composition. KW - Quality assurance KW - Reference material KW - Nano KW - Particle KW - Quantum dot KW - Synthesis KW - Flow reactor KW - InP KW - Shell KW - ZnS KW - Surface chemistry KW - Method KW - Fluorescence KW - Quantum yield KW - TEM PY - 2025 DO - https://doi.org/10.1021/acsnano.4c18530 SN - 1936-086X VL - 19 IS - 20 SP - 19080 EP - 19094 PB - ACS Publications AN - OPUS4-63215 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Oskoei, Párástu T1 - Cell mechanisms induced by doxorubicin-loaded UCNP@MSN nanoparticles with a thermosresponsive nanovalve in melanoma cells N2 - Upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) exhibit several remarkable optical properties, including excitation by near infrared (NIR) light, which enables deep tissue penetration, multiple distinct emission bands across a wide range of wavelengths, long luminescen ce lifetimes, and high photostability. These features make them particularly attractive for various biomedical applications. Mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs), functionalized with nanovalves or specific coatings, have been explored for controlled and targeted drug delivery, where therapeutic agents are encapsulated within the nanopores, allowing spatiotemporal release 1 3 ]]. Among the promising approaches, photoactivated drug delivery systems have drawn considerable interest due to their versatility and potential. One relevant application is in the treatment of melanoma, an aggressive form of skin cancer with a rising global incidence. In advanced stages, conventional therapies often fail to achieve complete tumour eradication, resulting in poor prognose s 4 In this study, UCNPs were coated with a mesoporous silica shell to form core shell UCNP@MSN nanoparticles, which were further functionalized with thermoresponsive retro Diels Alder nanovalves and loaded with doxorubicin (DOX), a chemotherapeutic drug used in melanoma treatment. Upon exposure to 980 nm NIR light, DOX release was successfully triggered in the culture medium. Exposure to functionalized UCNPs decreased the viability of the tested melanoma cell lines, with further reductions observed when the ex posure to the nanoparticles was combined with irradiation. Subsequently, t he toxicity mechanisms were evaluated and showed that w hile individual treatments with either the functionalized UCNPs or NIR irradiation alone had no effect on reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, their combination significantly increased ROS levels in two of the three tested cell lines. This combined treatment also led to notable increases in apoptotic , necrotic or both type of cells’ percentages on all cell lines. Overall, these findings highlight the potential of these nanoparticles with thermoresponsive gating mechanisms as effective platforms for targeted drug delivery in melanoma therapy. T2 - EUROTOX 2025 CY - Athens, Greece DA - 14.09.2025 KW - Nano KW - Particle KW - Lanthanide KW - Upconversion KW - Surface chemistry KW - Mesoporous silica KW - Doxorubicin KW - Nanomedicine KW - Triggered release KW - pH KW - Cellular uptake KW - Toxicity KW - Folate KW - Ligand PY - 2025 AN - OPUS4-64372 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Tavernaro, Isabella A1 - Simon, Fabian A1 - Gehrenkemper, Lennart A1 - Tobias, Charlie A1 - Resch-Genger, Ute A1 - Meermann, Björn T1 - Quantification of the amount of surface groups of aminated silica nano- and microparticles utilizing a fluorine tag and HR-CS-GFMAS N2 - The performance, bioavailability, and safe use of engineered nanomaterials (NMs) depends not only on properties such as size, shape, and surface area, but largely on surface chemistry. While many sizing methods have been established, there is still a lack of validated screening methods for determining NM surface functional groups (FGs). In this context, we present a fast and simple method for FG quantification using high resolution-continuum source-graphite furnace molecular absorption spectrometry (HR-CS-GFMAS) and assess its applicability for the surface analysis of representatively chosen aminated silica nanoparticles (NPs) and microparticles (MPs) in conjunction with amino FG labeling with a fluorine tag. For this proof-of-concept study, first surface amino FG screening of the silica NPs and MPs was done with a potentiometric back titration method, providing the total amount of protonatable surface FGs, and two optical assays relying on reporter dyes with sizes and spatial requirements, i.e., surface binding areas smaller or larger than that of the fluorine tag to estimate the maximum and reporter-accessible number of amino FGs. Subsequently, the surface amino FGs were labeled with the fluorine tag 4-(trifluoromethyl)benzoic acid (TFMB) and the amount of fluorine originating from the bound TFMB molecules was quantified by HR-CS-GFMAS in two common organic solvents, i.e., dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) or ethanol (EtOH) to assess possible interferences from organic matrices. Our study revealed limits of detection (LODs) and quantification (LOQs) for fluorine of 1.0 µg/L and 3.5 µg/L in EtOH and 1.5 µg/L and 5.0 µg/L in DMSO, respectively. Overall, a quick and simple method for analyzing surface FGs on NPs and MPs was presented utilizing broadly available fluorine tags and HR-CS-GFMAS for fluorine quantification, which can be applied, e.g., for homogeneity, stability, and aging studies of surface-modified particles. This could contribute to ease the understanding of property-safety relationships for surface-functionalized NMs. KW - Fluorine Analysis KW - Nano- and microparticles KW - Surface group quantification PY - 2025 UR - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-641965 DO - https://doi.org/10.1007/s00216-025-06107-4 SN - 1618-2642 SP - 1 EP - 11 PB - Springer Science and Business Media LLC CY - Berlin ; Heidelberg AN - OPUS4-64196 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Oskoei, Párástu T1 - Effects of upconversion nanoparticles with a thermo-responsive nanovalve loaded with doxorubicin in melanoma cells N2 - Melanoma skin cancer has an increasingly higher incidence , and w hen detected in advanced stages, tumour eradication is often incomplete, contributing to poor prognosis with conventional treatments. Upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) have unique properties, such as excitability under near infrared (NIR) excitation light, which confers a relatively high penetration depth in tissue that allow their effective use in several biomedical applications Mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSN) with nanovalves or derived coatings have widely been used for triggered and targeted drug delivery in the past. Anticancer drugs can be loaded into the pores of MSN, enabling controlled drug release. In this work, UCNPs were coated with a mesoporous silica shell yielding UCNP@MSN core shell nanoparticles which were equipped with thermoresponsive retro Diels Alder nanovalves and then loaded with DOX , a chemotherapeutic agent for melanoma treatmen t (UCNP@MSN DOX) Subsequent DOX release from this drug delivery system was triggered by 980 nm NIR light. Melanoma cells exposed to UCNP@MSN DOX or the NIR laser exhibited no change in ROS production , while the combination of both induced an increase in ROS production. This combination of conditions also induced changes on apoptosis and necrosis levels. These findings underscore the potential use of UCNP @MSN drug delivery systems with thermoresponsive caps as effective drug delivery platforms for melanoma therapy. T2 - VII iBiMED Symposium CY - Aveiro, Portugal DA - 23.05.2025 KW - Nano KW - Particle KW - Lanthanide KW - Upconversion KW - Surface chemistry KW - Mesoporous silica KW - Doxorubicin KW - Nanomedicine KW - Triggered release KW - pH KW - Cellular uptake KW - Toxicity KW - Folate KW - Ligand PY - 2025 AN - OPUS4-64373 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - GEN A1 - Resch-Genger, Ute A1 - Richter, Maria A1 - Güttler, Arne A1 - Pauli, Jutta A1 - Vogel, K. A1 - Homann, Christian A1 - Würth, Christian T1 - Extending Certified Spectral Fluorescence Standards for the Calibration and Performance Validation of Fluorescence Instruments to the NIR – Closing the Gap from 750 nm to 940 nm with Two Novel NIR Dyes N2 - Fluorescence methods provide spectral, intensity, polarization, and lifetime information, which contain sample- and instrument-specific contributions. Fluorescence data, comparable across instruments and laboratories, require validated calibration procedures and certified fluorescence standards. KW - Quality assurance KW - Reference material KW - Fluorescence KW - Dye KW - Traceability KW - Metrology KW - Calibration KW - Reference data KW - Reference product KW - Digital certificate KW - NIR KW - Instrument performance validation PY - 2025 SP - 1 EP - 4 PB - Springer Nature CY - London AN - OPUS4-62739 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Andreato, E. A1 - Panov, N. A1 - Artiga, A. A1 - Osipova, Viktoriia A1 - Resch-Genger, Ute A1 - Ximendes, E. A1 - Molina, P. A1 - Canton, P. A1 - Marin, R. T1 - Indium-Based Fluoride Nanoparticles Doped with Chromium for Near-Infrared Luminescence N2 - Transition metal (TM) and rare earth (RE) ion-doped nanoparticles (NPs) are photoluminescent materials of technological relevance in bioimaging, sensing, and light conversion. Fluoride NPs are particularly attractive in this context, since they combine low-energy phonons, high chemical stability, optical transparency, size, and architecture tunability. Yet, nearly all reported colloidal fluoride NPs (e.g., NaYF4 and LiYF4) can only be efficiently doped with RE3+ and not with luminescent TM ions. Herein, we contribute to filling this gap in materials science by reporting Na3InF6 NPs doped with Cr3+ as a model luminescent TM ion. We unveil the heat-driven NP formation mechanism, which involves a cubic-to-monoclinic phase conversion, similarly to the cubic-tohexagonal phase conversion in NaYF4. Reaction temperatures above 225 °C and reaction time have a limited impact on the NP morphology, while the amount of fluoride precursor and oleylamine grants control over the NP size. After verifying that Na3InF6 NPs show negligible cytotoxicity toward U-87 cell line, we study the optical properties of these NPs upon Cr3+ doping. Temperature-dependent photoluminescence measurements indicate that Cr3+ ions experience a weak crystal field in the Na3InF6 host lattice, while their photoluminescence lifetime varies linearly in the 20−50 °C range. These results set the ground for further studies of photoluminescent TM-doped fluoride NPs, toward their applications in bioimaging, sensing, and light-converting devices. KW - Quality assurance KW - Fluorescence KW - Traceability KW - Nano KW - Particle KW - Synthesis KW - Quantum yield KW - NIR KW - Mechanism KW - Characterization KW - XRD KW - Phase transition KW - Ligand KW - Surface KW - Doping KW - Lifetime PY - 2025 DO - https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.chemmater.4c03335 SN - 1520-5002 SP - 1 EP - 14 PB - American Chemical Society AN - OPUS4-63073 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Matiushkina, Anna T1 - Quantification of Citrate Ligands on Nanoparticle Surfaces N2 - To ensure the successful advancement of nanomaterials (NM) in applications and their safe use, it is crucial to develop reliable methods to control and quantify ligands and functional groups (FG) on the nanoparticle (NP) surface as surface chemistry largely determines the interactions of NPs with their surroundings. Many analytical methods can be used for this purpose. However, their applicability strongly depends on the type of NM and ligand(s) and most of them require challenging protocols for sample preparation, i.e., the removal of the NPs or their dissolution, which can influence the accuracy of the measurements. While some methods allow the precise quantification of specific ligands such as quantitative nuclear magnetic resonance (qNMR), others provide only semi-quantitative results like Fourier Transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) or target more general analyte groups like thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) detecting mass losses (total organic content) or conductometry (e.g., (de)protonable FGs such as carboxyl or amine groups). [1] The calculation of the coverage of the NP surface with ligands, additionally requires knowledge of their total surface area, which can be obtained, e.g., from a precise characterization of NP size and concentration. Citrate is one of the most frequently utilized surface ligand for stabilizing metal, metal oxide, and lanthanide-based upconversion NPs in hydrophilic environments. However, its quantification on NP surfaces has rarely been addressed although it is a frequent analyte in medical or food analysis. In this study we compare several methods for quantifying citrate as capping ligands of iron oxide NPs (IONPs), exemplarily chosen because of their broad applications in the life science. [2] The size of the IONPs was characterized by electron microscopy (EM) and dynamic light scattering (DLS), while their concentration was determined by quantifying iron ions after acidic particle dissolution using a colorimetric assay and inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES). The simplest approach for citrate quantification, direct photometric UV-detection after acidic digestion of the IONPs, yielded only reasonable results when combined with reversed phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). These results were cross validated with qNMR that required the development of a reliable sample preparation protocol addressing not only particle dissolution in deuterated solvents but also the removal of the paramagnetic iron ions interfering with NMR measurements. Comparison with results from TGA gives insight into the sensitivity and specificity of these methods and their potential for quantifying surface ligands on NPs. T2 - Anakon 2025 CY - Leipzig, Germany DA - 10.03.2025 KW - Advanced material KW - Functional group KW - Iron oxide KW - Ligand KW - Nano KW - Particle KW - Quantification KW - Surface analysis PY - 2025 AN - OPUS4-64861 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Gawlitza, Kornelia T1 - Using Dual Fluorescent Molecularly Imprinted Particles Coupled with a Miniaturized Opto-Microfluidic Platform for On-Site Detection of Perfluoroalkyl Carboxylic Acids N2 - Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a group of synthetic organofluorine chemicals widely used in the production of various materials, including firefighting foams, adhesives, and coatings that resist stains and oil. In recent years, PFAS have gained attention as emerging environmental contaminants, with particular emphasis on perfluoroalkyl carboxylic acids (PFCAs), the most common type of PFAS. PFCAs are defined by a fully fluorinated carbon chain and a charged carboxylic acid group. They have been classified as Substances of Very High Concern and included in the REACH Candidate List due to their persistence, resistance to biodegradation, and toxicological impacts. Traditional methods for analyzing PFCAs, like GC-MS, HRMS, and HPLC-based techniques, are time-consuming, non-portable, expensive, and require specialized expertise. On the other hand, fluorescence assays offer a user-friendly, portable, and cost-effective alternative with high sensitivity and quick results, particularly when the binding of the analyte causes a specific increase in the probe’s fluorescence. Combining these probes with a carrier platform and a miniaturized optofluidic device presents a promising approach for PFCA monitoring. In this study, a new guanidine BODIPY fluorescent indicator monomer was synthesized, characterized, and incorporated into a molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) designed for the specific detection of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA). The MIP layer was formed on silica core nanoparticles doped with tris(bipyridine)ruthenium(II) chloride, serving as an optical internal reference for calibration-free assays. In combination with an extraction step prior to sample analysis, this system enables selective and reliable detection of PFCAs in surface water samples, minimizing interference from competing substances, matrix effects, and other factors. When integrated into an opto-microfluidic setup, the assay provided a compact, user-friendly detection system capable of detecting micromolar levels of PFOA in under 15 minutes from surface water samples. T2 - ANAKON2025 CY - Leipzig, Germany DA - 10.03.2025 KW - Perfluorooctanoic Acid (PFOA) KW - On-site detection KW - Fluorescence KW - Microfluidics KW - Molecularly Imprinted Polymers PY - 2025 AN - OPUS4-62712 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Fayis Kalady, Mohammed A1 - Schultz, Johannes A1 - Weinel, Kristina A1 - Wolf, Daniel A1 - Lubk, Axel T1 - Geometry-dependent localization of surface plasmons on random gold nanoparticle assemblies N2 - Assemblies of plasmonic nanoparticles (NPs) support hybridized modes of localized surface plasmons (LSPs), which delocalize in geometrically well-ordered arrangements. Here, the hybridization behavior of LSPs in geometrically completely disordered two-dimensional arrangements of Au NPs fabricated by an e-beam synthesis method is studied. Employing electron energy loss spectroscopy in a scanning transmission electron microscope and numerical simulations, the disorder-driven spatial and spectral localization of the coupled LSP modes that depends on the NP thickness is revealed. Below a NP thickness of 0.4 nm, localization increases toward higher hybridized LSP mode energies. In comparison, above 10 nm thickness, a decrease of localization toward higher mode energies is observed. In the intermediate thickness regime, a transition of the energy dependence of the localization between the two limiting cases, exhibiting a mode energy with minimal localization, is observed. It is shown that this behavior is mainly driven by the energy and thickness dependence of the polarizability of the individual NPs. KW - Gold Nanoparticles KW - Surface plasmons KW - Electron enerdy loss spectroscopy (EELS) KW - scanning transmission electron microscopy PY - 2025 UR - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-647230 DO - https://doi.org/10.1103/44nk-6bp2 SN - 2643-1564 VL - 7 IS - 043053 EP - 4 PB - American Physical Society AN - OPUS4-64723 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Homann, Christian A1 - Peeters, Régis A1 - Mirmajidi, Hana A1 - Berg, Jessica A1 - Fay, Michael A1 - Rodrigues, Lucas Carvalho Veloso A1 - Radicchi, Eros A1 - Jain, Akhil A1 - Speghini, Adolfo A1 - Hemmer, Eva T1 - Rapid microwave-assisted synthesis of morphology-controlled luminescent lanthanide-doped Gd2O2S nanostructures N2 - Gadolinium oxysulfide (Gd2O2S) is an attractive material of demonstrated suitability for a variety of imaging applications, leveraging its magnetic, scintillating, and luminescent properties, particularly when doped with optically active lanthanide ions (Ln3+). For many of these applications, control over size and morphology at the nanoscale is crucial. This study demonstrates the rapid microwave-assisted Synthesis of colloidal Ln2O2S (Ln = Gd and dopants Yb, Er, Tb) nanostructures in as little as 20 min. Structural characterization using X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, as well as Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), including elemental mapping via energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), unveiled the key role of elemental sulphur (S8) in the reaction mixtures for materials growth. By systematically varying the Ln-to-S ratio from 1 : 0.5 to 1 : 15, controlled morphologies ranging from triangular nanoplatelets to berry- and flower-like shapes were achieved. Doping with Er3+/Yb3+ endowed the nano-triangles with upconverting and near-infrared emitting properties. Tb3+-doped Gd2O2S exhibited the characteristic green Tb3+ emission under UV excitation, while also showing X-ray excited optical luminescence (XEOL), rendering the material interesting as a potential nano-scintillator. KW - Upconversion KW - Microwave-assisted synthesis KW - Synthesis KW - Fluorescence KW - Nano KW - Particle KW - NIR KW - XRD KW - X-ray fluoressence KW - Morphology control KW - Raman PY - 2025 UR - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-647907 DO - https://doi.org/10.1039/D5TC01646K SN - 2050-7526 VL - 13 IS - 35 SP - 18492 EP - 18507 PB - Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) AN - OPUS4-64790 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Adamski, Paweł A1 - Zgrzebnicki, Michał A1 - Albrecht, Aleksander A1 - Jurkowski, Artur A1 - Wojciechowska, Agnieszka A1 - Ekiert, Ewa A1 - Sielicki, Krzysztof A1 - Mijowska, Ewa A1 - Smales, Glen J. A1 - Maximenko, Alexey A1 - Moszyński, Dariusz T1 - Ammonia synthesis over γ-Al2O3 supported Co-Mo catalysts N2 - Novel ammonia synthesis catalysts are sought due to energetic transformation and increasing environmental consciousness. Materials containing cobalt and molybdenum are showing state-of-art activities in ammonia synthesis. The application of γ-alumina support was proposed to enhance the properties of Co-Mo nanoparticles. The wet impregnation of the support was conducted under reduced pressure. The active catalysts were obtained by ammonolysis of precursors. The chemical and phase composition, as well as morphology, porosity, and surface composition of precursors and catalysts, were characterized. The Co-Mo nanoparticles phase composition as well as their size and dispersion were determined using X-ray absorption spectroscopy utilizing synchrotron radiation, electron microscopy, and X-ray scattering. The catalytic activity was tested in the ammonia synthesis process under atmospheric pressure. The activity and stability of the supported catalysts were compared with unsupported cobalt molybdenum nitride Co3Mo3N, revealing the superiority of the present approach. KW - Ammonia synthesis KW - Supported catalyst KW - Cobalt molybdenum nitrides KW - Scattering KW - X-ray scattering KW - Gamma-alumina KW - Stability PY - 2025 DO - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mcat.2025.114907 SN - 2468-8231 VL - 575 SP - 1 EP - 9 PB - Elsevier B.V. AN - OPUS4-64827 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Gugin, Nikita T1 - ZIF-8-Based Biocomposites via Reactive Extrusion: Towards Industrial-Scale Manufacturing N2 - Mechanochemistry offers a solvent-free, sustainable alternative to conventional synthesis of metal-organic framework (MOF) biocomposites, which hold great promise for applications in drug delivery, biocatalysis, and biosensing,[1] yet the field remains limited to batch-type, gram-scale processes that restrict industrial application. To overcome these limitations, we present a scalable solid-state method for producing MOF-based biocomposites via continuous reactive extrusion. The process begins with rapid model reactions using hand-mixing[2] to encapsulate a variety of biomolecules into zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 (ZIF-8), including proteins, carbohydrates, and enzymes, thereby enabling rapid screening and optimization of reaction conditions. The mild synthesis conditions preserve the catalytic activity of glucose oxidase, confirming the suitability of the method to sensitive biomaterials. Building on this, we translated the batch protocol to twin-screw extrusion,[3] enabling continuous and scalable synthesis of biocomposites such as bovine serum albumin (BSA)@ZIF-8 with tunable protein content. The extrusion process yielded highly crystalline, porous materials with protein loadings of up to 26 wt% and encapsulation efficiencies as high as 96%. The production rate reached 1.2 kg d⁻¹, significantly exceeding previously reported continuous methods.[4] To demonstrate the industrial viability of the method, we extended the approach to produce shaped ZIF-8 monoliths loaded with hyaluronic acid (HA) in a single-step extrusion. These monoliths retained their structural integrity during washing and released HA without measurable degradation, as confirmed by size-exclusion chromatography. Our study opens new avenues for the industrial implementation of MOF biocomposites and establishes reactive extrusion as a robust platform for their scalable synthesis and shaping, expanding the toolkit for drug delivery and biocatalytical applications. T2 - Tag der Chemie 2025 CY - Berlin, Germany DA - 03.07.2025 KW - Mechanochemistry PY - 2025 AN - OPUS4-63802 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Voss, Heike A1 - Zahedi-Azad, Setareh A1 - Ernst, Owen C. A1 - Lucaßen, Jan A1 - Mann, Guido A1 - Bonse, Jörn A1 - Boeck, Torsten A1 - Martin, Jens A1 - Schmid, Martina A1 - Krüger, Jörg T1 - Chemical vapor deposition of indium precursors for solar microabsorbers using continuous laser radiation BT - A, Materials science & processing N2 - Localized deposition of indium on an amorphous glass surface covered with a thin molybdenum layer is demonstrated utilizing laser-assisted chemical vapor deposition. A continuous-wave laser causes a temperature rise on the molybdenum layer resulting in the selective aggregation of liquid and ultimately crystalline structures of indium. The formation sites of the indium are determined by the decomposition of gaseous trimethylindium. The deposited indium islands can serve as precursors and could be further processed into compound semiconductors like CuInSe2 for micro-concentrator solar cells. The experimental investigations were supported by theoretical simulations of the laser heating process to calculate the local temperature distribution on the surface of the molybdenum-covered glass substrate. KW - Laser-assisted Chemical Vapor Deposition KW - CW Laser KW - Indium Islands KW - Micro-concentrator Solar Cell PY - 2025 UR - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-641069 DO - https://doi.org/10.1007/s00339-025-08895-z SN - 0947-8396 VL - 131 SP - 1 EP - 10 PB - Springer CY - Berlin ; Heidelberg [u.a.] AN - OPUS4-64106 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER -