TY - JOUR A1 - Saloga, Patrick E. J. A1 - Rybak, Tina A1 - Thünemann, Andreas T1 - Microwave-Assisted Synthesis of ZnO Nanoparticles: Phase Transfer to Water N2 - Herein, a simple one-pot procedure is reported to obtain aqueous zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticle dispersions from ZnO nanoparticles dispersed in cyclohexane. In the process, polyoxyethylene (20) sorbitan monooleate (polysorbate 80, Tween 80) functions as a phase transfer agent and colloidal stabilizer. The particles grow in a defined manner during the transfer, presumably via coalescence. The final particle radii are tuneable in the range from 2.3 ± 0.1 nm to 5.7 ± 0.1 nm depending on the incubation time of the dispersion at 90 °C. Small-angle X-ray scattering is employed to determine the particle radius distributions before and after phase transfer. The larger ZnO particle radii are associated with a redshift of the optical bandgap and luminescence emission, as expected for semiconductor nanoparticles. The particles presented here exhibit a relative size distribution width of 20%, rendering them attractive for applications in, e.g., biology or catalysis. The latter application is demonstrated at the photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue dye. KW - SAXS KW - Small-angle X-ray scattering KW - nanoparticle PY - 2022 UR - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-551502 DO - https://doi.org/10.1002/adem.202101276 VL - 24 IS - 6 SP - 1 EP - 7 PB - Wiley AN - OPUS4-55150 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Paul, Maxi B. A1 - Böhmert, Linda A1 - Thünemann, Andreas A1 - Loeschner, Katrin A1 - Givelet, Lucas A1 - Fahrenson, Christoph A1 - Braeuning, Albert A1 - Sieg, Holger T1 - Influence of artificial digestion on characteristics and intestinal cellular effects of micro-, submicro- and nanoplastics N2 - The production of plastics is rising since they have been invented. Micro, submicro- and nanoplastics are produced intentionally or generated by environmental processes, and constitute ubiquitous contaminants which are ingested orally by consumers. Reported health concerns include intestinal translocation, inflammatory response, oxidative stress and cytotoxicity. Every digestive milieu in the gastrointestinal tract does have an influence on the properties of particles and can cause changes in their effect on biological systems. In this study, we subjected plastic particles of different materials (polylactic acid, polymethylmethacrylate, melamine formaldehyde) and sizes (micro- to nano-range) to a complex artificial digestion model consisting of three intestinal fluid simulants (saliva, gastric and intestinal juice). We monitored the impact of the digestion process on the particles by performing Dynamic Light Scattering, Scanning Electron Microscopy and Asymmetric Flow Field-Flow Fractionation. An in vitro model of the intestinal epithelial barrier was used to monitor cellular effects and translocation behavior of (un)digested particles. In conclusion, artificial digestion decreased cellular interaction and slightly increased transport of all particles across the intestinal barrier. The interaction with organic matter resulted in clear differences in the agglomeration behavior. Moreover, we provide evidence for polymer-, size- and surface-dependent cellular effects of the test particles. KW - Toxicology KW - Nanoparticles KW - Dynamic Light Scattering KW - Nanoplastics KW - Microplastics KW - Reference Method KW - Reference Material PY - 2024 UR - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-593947 DO - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fct.2023.114423 SN - 0278-6915 VL - 184 SP - 1 EP - 16 PB - Elsevier B.V. AN - OPUS4-59394 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Sieg, Holger A1 - Schaar, Caroline A1 - Fouquet, Nicole A1 - Böhmert, Linda A1 - Thünemann, Andreas A1 - Braeuning, Albert T1 - Particulate iron oxide food colorants (E 172) during artificial digestion and their uptake and impact on intestinal cells N2 - Iron oxide of various structures is frequently used as food colorant (E 172). The spectrum of colors ranges from yellow over orange, red, and brown to black, depending on the chemical structure of the material. E 172 is mostly sold as solid powder. Recent studies have demonstrated the presence of nanoscaled particles in E 172 samples, often to a very high extent. This makes it necessary to investigate the fate of these particles after oral uptake. In this study, 7 differently structured commercially available E 172 food colorants (2 x Yellow FeO(OH), 2 x Red Fe2O3, 1 x Orange Fe2O3 + FeO(OH) and 2 x Black Fe3O4) were investigated for particle dissolution, ion release, cellular uptake, crossing of the intestinal barrier and toxicological impact on intestinal cells. Dissolution was analyzed in water, cell culture medium and artificial digestion fluids. Small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) was employed for determination of the specific surface area of the colorants in the digestion fluids. Cellular uptake, transport and toxicological effects were studied using human differentiated Caco-2 cells as an in vitro model of the intestinal barrier. For all materials, a strong interaction with the intestinal cells was observed, albeit there was only a limited dissolution, and no toxic in vitro effects on human cells were recorded. KW - Toxicology KW - Nanoparticles KW - Small-angle X-ray scattering KW - SAXS PY - 2024 UR - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-593935 DO - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tiv.2024.105772 VL - 96 SP - 1 EP - 12 PB - Elsevier BV AN - OPUS4-59393 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Pauw, Brian Richard A1 - Smales, Glen Jacob A1 - Anker, A. S. A1 - Annadurai, V. A1 - Balazs, D. M. A1 - Bienert, Ralf A1 - Bouwman, W. G. A1 - Breßler, Ingo A1 - Breternitz, J. A1 - Brok, E. S. A1 - Bryant, G. A1 - Clulow, A. J. A1 - Crater, E. R. A1 - De Geuser, F. A1 - Del Giudice, A. A1 - Deumer, J. A1 - Disch, S. A1 - Dutt, S. A1 - Frank, K. A1 - Fratini, E. A1 - Garcia, P. R. A. F. A1 - Gilbert, E. P. A1 - Hahn, Marc Benjamin A1 - Hallett, J. A1 - Hohenschutz, M. A1 - Hollamby, M. A1 - Huband, S. A1 - Ilavsky, J. A1 - Jochum, J. K. A1 - Juelsholt, M. A1 - Mansel, B. W. A1 - Penttilä, P. A1 - Pittkowski, R. K. A1 - Portale, G. A1 - Pozzo, L. D. A1 - Rochels, L. A1 - Rosalie, Julian A1 - Saloga, Patrick E. J. A1 - Seibt, S. A1 - Smith, A. J. A1 - Smith, G. N. A1 - Spiering, G. A. A1 - Stawski, Tomasz M. A1 - Taché, O. A1 - Thünemann, Andreas A1 - Toth, K. A1 - Whitten, A. E. A1 - Wuttke, J. T1 - The human factor - Results of a small-angle scattering data analysis round robin N2 - A round-robin study has been carried out to estimate the impact of the human element in small-angle scattering data analysis. Four corrected datasets were provided to participants ready for analysis. All datasets were measured on samples containing spherical scatterers, with two datasets in dilute dispersions and two from powders. Most of the 46 participants correctly identified the number of populations in the dilute dispersions, with half of the population mean entries within 1.5% and half of the population width entries within 40%. Due to the added complexity of the structure factor, far fewer people submitted answers on the powder datasets. For those that did, half of the entries for the means and widths were within 44 and 86%, respectively. This round-robin experiment highlights several causes for the discrepancies, for which solutions are proposed. KW - Round Robin KW - Data analysis KW - Small-angle scattering KW - Nanomaterials KW - Interlaboratory comparability KW - Nanostructure quantification KW - Methodology KW - MOUSE PY - 2023 UR - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-587091 DO - https://doi.org/10.1107/S1600576723008324 SN - 1600-5767 VL - 56 IS - 6 SP - 1618 EP - 1629 PB - Wiley-Blackwell CY - Oxford AN - OPUS4-58709 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Hildebrandt, Jana A1 - Taubert, Andreas A1 - Thünemann, Andreas T1 - Synthesis and Characterization of Ultra‐Small Gold Nanoparticles in the Ionic Liquid 1‐Ethyl‐3‐methylimidazolium Dicyanamide, [Emim][DCA] N2 - AbstractWe report on gold clusters with around 62 gold atoms and a diameter of 1.15±0.10 nm. Dispersions of the clusters are long‐term stable for two years at ambient conditions. The synthesis was performed by mixing tetrachloroauric acid (HAuCl4 ⋅ 3 H2O) with the ionic liquid 1‐ethyl‐3‐methylimidazolium dicyanamide ([Emim][DCA]) at temperatures of 20 to 80 °C. Characterization was performed with small‐angle X‐ray scattering (SAXS), UV‐Vis spectroscopy, and MALDI‐TOF mass spectrometry. A three‐stage model is proposed for the formation of the clusters, in which cluster growth from gold nuclei takes place according to the Lifshitz‐Slyozov‐Wagner (LSW) model followed by oriented attachment to form colloidal stable clusters. KW - Reference materials KW - SAXS KW - Gold KW - Nanoparticle KW - Small-angle X-ray scattering KW - Ionic liquid PY - 2023 UR - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-588203 DO - https://doi.org/10.1002/open.202300106 SN - 2191-1363 VL - 44 SP - 1 EP - 19 PB - Wiley AN - OPUS4-58820 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Hildebrandt, Jana A1 - Thünemann, Andreas T1 - Aqueous Dispersions of Polypropylene: Toward Reference Materials for Characterizing Nanoplastics N2 - Microplastics and nanoplastics pollute the natural environment all over the world, but the full extent of the hazards posed by this waste is unclear. While research on microplastics is well advanced, little work has been done on nanoplastics. This discrepancy is mainly due to the lacking ability to detect nanoplastics in biologically and environmentally relevant matrices. Nanoplastics reference materials can help the development of suitable methods for identifying and quantifying nanoplastics in nature. The aim is to synthesize nanoplastics made from one of the most commonly used plastics, namely polypropylene. An easy way to produce long-term stable aqueous dispersions of polypropylene nanoparticles (nano polypropylene) is reported. The nanoplastic particles, prepared by mechanical breakdown, show a mean hydrodynamic diameter of D h = 180.5 ± 5.8 nm and a polydispersity index of PDI = 0.084 ± 0.02. No surfactant is needed to obtain dispersion which is stable for more than 6 months. The colloidal stability of the surfactant-free nano polypropylene dispersions is explained by their low zeta potential of 𝜻 = −43 ± 2 mV. KW - Nanoparticles KW - Reference Material KW - Nanoplastics PY - 2023 UR - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-571799 DO - https://doi.org/10.1002/marc.202200874 SN - 1022-1336 VL - 44 IS - 6 SP - 1 EP - 15 PB - Wiley-VCH CY - Weinheim AN - OPUS4-57179 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Giannakopoulos, Antonios E. A1 - Zisis, Athanasios A1 - Zervaki, Anna D. A1 - Dimopoulos, Christos D. A1 - Platypodis, Efstathios A1 - Eberwein, Robert T1 - Effective elastic moduli and failure mechanisms of a random assembly of thin walled glass microbubbles N2 - In this work a methodology is presented to estimate the elastic properties and failure mechanisms of an assembly of random, brittle microbubbles. The approach is based on the mechanics of frictionless micro-contact between hollow spherical shells by employing relations from classical shell theory and verified by two dimensional axisymmetric Finite Elements. The estimated values are in agreement with available experimental values. Moreover, a granular type analytical homogenization model provides an isotropic elastic constitutive law to be used for the macroscopic deformation of an assembly of glass micro-bubbles when it is compressed by external loads. In addition, approximate estimates are also proposed for two important micro-failure mechanisms of such assemblies that relate either to the splitting or to the buckling of a brittle spherical shell, prior its complete crushing. The results are novel and are expected to enhance the application of glass microbubbles directly in acute thermal insulation problems such as liquid hydrogen storage. KW - LH2 KW - Cryogenic Vessels KW - Insulation PY - 2025 UR - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-634354 DO - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijsolstr.2025.113528 SN - 0020-7683 VL - 320 SP - 1 EP - 11 PB - Elsevier BV CY - Amsterdam AN - OPUS4-63435 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Sieg, H. A1 - Klusmann, L. A1 - Ellermann, A. L. A1 - Böhmert, L. A1 - Thünemann, Andreas A1 - Braeuning, A. T1 - Counterions determine uptake and effects of aluminum in human intestinal and liver cells N2 - Aluminum (Al) is highly abundant in the biosphere and can occur in different physico-chemical states. It is present in human food and undergoes transitions between dissolved and particulate species during the passage of the gastrointestinal tract. Moreover, in a complex matrix such as food different inorganic and organic counterions can affect the chemical behavior of Al following oral uptake. In this work, the effects of different counterions, namely chloride, citrate, sulfate, lactate and acetylacetonate, on Al uptake and toxicity in the human intestine are studied. The respective Al salts showed different dissolution behavior in biological media and formed nanoscaled particles correlating in reverse with the amount of their dissolved fraction. The passage through the intestinal barrier was studied using a Caco-2 Transwell® system, showing counterion-dependent variance in cellular uptake and transport. In addition, Al toxicity was investigated using Al species (Al3+, metallic Al0 and oxidic γAl2O3 nanoparticles) and counterions individually or in mixtures on Caco-2 and HepG2 cells. The strongest toxicity was observed using a combination of Al species, depending on solubility, and the lipophilic counterion acetylacetonate. Notably, only the combination of both led to toxicity, while both substances individually did not show toxic effects. A toxification of previously non-toxic Al-species by the presence of acetylacetonate is shown here for the first time. The dependency on the concentration of free Al ions was demonstrated using sodium hydrogen phosphate, which was able to counteract the toxic effects by complexing free Al ions. These findings, using Al salts as an example for a common food contaminant, underline the importance of a consideration of the chemical properties of human nutrition, especially dissolution and hydrophobicity, which can significantly influence the cellular uptake and effects of xenobiotic substances. KW - SAXS KW - Small-angle X-ray scattering KW - Nanoparticle PY - 2022 DO - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tiv.2021.105295 VL - 79 SP - 1 EP - 7 PB - Elsevier AN - OPUS4-54110 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Ihlenburg, R. B. J. A1 - Mai, T. A1 - Thünemann, Andreas A1 - Baerenwald, R. A1 - Saalwächter, K. A1 - Koetz, J. A1 - Taubert, A. T1 - Sulfobetaine Hydrogels with a Complex Multilength-Scale Hierarchical Structure N2 - Hydrogels with a hierarchical structure were prepared from a new highly water-soluble crosslinker N,N,N′,N′-tetramethyl-N,N′-bis(2-ethylmethacrylate)-propyl-1,3-diammonium dibromide and from the sulfobetaine monomer 2-(N-3-sulfopropyl-N,N-dimethyl ammonium)ethyl methacrylate. The free radical polymerization of the two compounds is rapid and yields near-transparent hydrogels with sizes up to 5 cm in diameter. Rheology shows a clear correlation between the monomer-to-crosslinker ratio and the storage and loss moduli of the hydrogels. Cryo-scanning electron microscopy, low-field nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, and small-angle X-ray scattering show that the gels have a hierarchical structure with features spanning the nanometer to the sub-millimeter scale. The NMR study is challenged by the marked inhomogeneity of the gels and the complex chemical structure of the sulfobetaine monomer. NMR spectroscopy shows how these complications can be addressed via a novel fitting approach that considers the mobility gradient along the side chain of methacrylate-based monomers. KW - Small-angle X-ray scattering KW - SAXS KW - Gel PY - 2021 DO - https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jpcb.0c10601 SN - 1520-6106 VL - 125 IS - 13 SP - 3398 EP - 3408 PB - American Chemical Society AN - OPUS4-52403 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - de Oliveira Guilherme Buzanich, Ana A1 - Kulow, Anicó A1 - Kabelitz, Anke A1 - Grunewald, C. A1 - Seidel, R. A1 - Chapartegui-Arias, Ander A1 - Radtke, Martin A1 - Reinholz, Uwe A1 - Emmerling, Franziska A1 - Beyer, S. T1 - Observation of early ZIF-8 crystallization stages with X-ray absorption spectroscopy N2 - The present study investigates early stages of ZIF-8 crystallization up to 5 minutes post mixing of precursor solutions. Dispersive X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy (DXAS) provides a refined understanding of the evolution of the coordination environment during ZIF-8 crystallization. Linear Combination Fiting (LCF) suggests tetrakis(1-methylimidazole)zinc2+ to be a suitable and stable mononuclear structure analogue for some early stage ZIF-8 intermediates. Our results pave the way for more detailed studies on physico-chemical aspects of ZIF-8 crystallization to better control tailoring ZIF-8 materials for specific applications. KW - In-situ KW - XANES KW - ZIF-8 KW - Crystallization PY - 2020 DO - https://doi.org/10.1039/D0SM01356K SN - 1744-6848 VL - 17 IS - 2 SP - 331 EP - 334 PB - Royal Scociety of Chemistry AN - OPUS4-51723 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Fortes Martin, R. A1 - Thünemann, Andreas A1 - Stockmann, Jörg Manfred A1 - Radnik, Jörg A1 - Koetz, J. T1 - From Nanoparticle Heteroclusters to Filament Networks by Self-Assembly at the Water–Oil Interface of Reverse Microemulsions N2 - Surface self-assembly of spherical nanoparticles of sizes below 10 nm into hierarchical heterostructures is under arising development despite the inherent difficulties of obtaining complex ordering patterns on a larger scale. Due to template-mediated interactions between oil-dispersible superparamagnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) and polyethylenimine-stabilized gold nanoparticles (Au(PEI)NPs) at the water–oil interface of microemulsions, complex nanostructured films can be formed. Characterization of the reverse microemulsion phase by UV–vis absorption revealed the formation of heteroclusters from Winsor type II phases (WPII) using Aerosol-OT (AOT) as the surfactant. SAXS measurements verify the mechanism of initial nanoparticle clustering in defined dimensions. XPS suggested an influence of AOT at the MNP surface. Further, cryo-SEM and TEM visualization demonstrated the elongation of the reverse microemulsions into cylindrical, wormlike structures, which subsequently build up larger nanoparticle superstructure arrangements. Such WPII phases are thus proven to be a new form of soft template, mediating the self-assembly of different nanoparticles in hierarchical network-like filaments over a substrate during solvent evaporation. KW - Small-angle X-ray scattering KW - SAXS KW - Nanoparticle KW - Nano structure PY - 2021 DO - https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.langmuir.1c01348 VL - 37 IS - 29 SP - 8876 EP - 8885 PB - American Chemical Society AN - OPUS4-53034 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Tu, Z. A1 - Donskyi, Ievgen A1 - Qiao, H. A1 - Zhu, Z. A1 - Unger, Wolfgang A1 - Hackenberger, C. P. R. A1 - Chen, W. A1 - Adeli, M. A1 - Haag, R. T1 - Graphene Oxide-Cyclic R10 Peptide Nuclear Translocation Nanoplatforms for the Surmounting of Multiple-Drug Resistance N2 - Multidrug resistance resulting from a variety of defensive pathways in Cancer has become a global concern with a considerable impact on the mortality associated with the failure of traditional chemotherapy. Therefore, further research and new therapies are required to overcome this challenge. In this work, a cyclic R10 peptide (cR10) is conjugated to polyglycerol-covered nanographene oxide to engineer a nanoplatform for the surmounting of multidrug resistance. The nuclear translocation of the nanoplatform, facilitated by cR10 peptide, and subsequently, a laser-triggered release of the loaded doxorubicin result in efficient anticancer activity confirmed by both in vitro and in vivo experiments. The synthesized nanoplatform with a combination of different features, including active nucleus-targeting, highloading capacity, controlled release of cargo, and photothermal property, provides a new strategy for circumventing multidrug resistant cancers. KW - Graphen Oxide KW - Nanoplatform KW - Cancer PY - 2020 UR - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-510061 DO - https://doi.org/10.1002/adfm.202000933 VL - 30 IS - 35 SP - 2000933 PB - Wiley VCH AN - OPUS4-51006 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Kulka, M.W. A1 - Nie, C. A1 - Nickl, P. A1 - Kerkhoff, Y. A1 - Garg, A. A1 - Salz, D. A1 - Radnik, Jörg A1 - Grunwald, I. A1 - Haag, R. T1 - Surface-Initiated Grafting of Dendritic Polyglycerol from Mussel-Inspired Adhesion-Layers for the Creation of Cell-Repelling Coatings N2 - Biofouling is a major challenge in the application of textiles, biosensors, and biomedical implants. In the current work, a straightforward method for the solvent-free polymerization of antifouling dendritic polyglycerol (dPG) from mussel-inspired dendritic polyglycerol (MI-dPG) coatings on hydrophilic titanium dioxide (TiO2) and hydrophobic polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) is reported. Surface characterization is performed by static water contact angle (CA) measurements, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Significant lower CA values are obtained after dPG grafting from MI-dPG-coated TiO2 and MI-dPG coated PDMS. Furthermore, XPS shows a time-dependent increase of the CO bond content upon dPG grafting from MI-dPG-coated TiO2 and MI-dPG-coated PDMS. Analysis of the surface morphology by SEM shows a clear time-dependent increase in the surface roughness upon dPG grafting from MI-dPG-coated TiO2 and MIdPG-coated PDMS. When the viability of two adhesive cell types is studied via LIVE/DEAD staining, a strong reduction in the cell density is observed after the dPG grafting from MI-dPG-coated TiO2 and MI-dPG-coated PDMS (a decrease of >95% in all cases). The combined results show that biocompatible but highly cell-repelling surfaces are efficiently constructed via the grafting of dPG from MI-dPG-coated TiO2 and MI-dPG-coated PDMS. KW - Repelling surface coatings KW - Dendritic polyglycerol KW - Mussel-inspired adhesives KW - Surface-initated grafting PY - 2020 UR - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-516590 DO - https://doi.org/10.1002/admi.202000931 SN - 2196-7350 VL - 7 IS - 24 SP - 931 PB - Wiley VCH AN - OPUS4-51659 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Weigert, Florian A1 - Müller, A. A1 - Häusler, I. A1 - Geißler, Daniel A1 - Skroblin, D. A1 - Unger, Wolfgang A1 - Radnik, Jörg A1 - Resch-Genger, Ute T1 - Combining HR‑TEM and XPS to elucidate the core–shell structure of ultrabright CdSe/CdS semiconductor quantum dots N2 - Controlling thickness and tightness of surface passivation shells is crucial for many applications of core–shell nanoparticles (NP). Usually, to determine shell thickness, core and core/shell particle are measured individually requiring the availability of both nanoobjects. This is often not fulfilled for functional nanomaterials such as many photoluminescent semiconductor quantum dots (QD) used for bioimaging, solid state lighting, and display technologies as the core does not show the applicationrelevant functionality like a high photoluminescence (PL) quantum yield, calling for a whole nanoobject approach. By combining high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), a novel whole nanoobject approach is developed representatively for an ultrabright oleic acid-stabilized, thick shell CdSe/CdS QD with a PL quantum yield close to unity. The size of this spectroscopically assessed QD, is in the range of the information depth of usual laboratory XPS. Information on particle size and monodispersity were validated with dynamic light scattering (DLS) and small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) and compared to data derived from optical measurements. In addition to demonstrating the potential of this novel whole nanoobject approach for determining architectures of small nanoparticles, the presented results also highlight challenges faced by different sizing and structural analysis methods and method-inherent uncertainties. KW - Photoluminescence KW - Single particle KW - Microscopy KW - Particle architecture KW - Thickness KW - SAXS KW - Shell KW - XPS KW - TEM KW - Semiconductor KW - Quantum dot KW - Photophysics KW - Quantum yield PY - 2020 UR - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-517911 DO - https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-77530-z VL - 10 IS - 1 SP - 20712 PB - Springer Nature AN - OPUS4-51791 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Müller, Anja A1 - Krahl, T. A1 - Radnik, Jörg A1 - Wagner, Andreas A1 - Werner, W. S. M. A1 - Ritter, B. A1 - Kemnitz, E. A1 - Unger, Wolfgang T1 - Chemical in-depth analysis of (Ca/Sr)F2 core–shell like nanoparticles by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy with tunable excitation energy N2 - The fluorolytic sol–gel synthesis is applied with the intention to obtain two different types of core–shell nanoparticles, namely, SrF2–CaF2 and CaF2–SrF2. In two separate fluorination steps for core and shell formation, the corresponding metal lactates are reacted with anhydrous HF in ethylene glycol. Scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) and dynamic light scattering (DLS) confirm the formation of particles with mean dimensions between 6.4 and 11.5 nm. The overall chemical composition of the particles during the different reaction steps is monitored by quantitative Al Kα excitation X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Here, the formation of stoichiometric metal fluorides (MF2) is confirmed, both for the core and the final core–shell particles. Furthermore, an in-depth analysis by synchrotron radiation XPS (SR-XPS) with tunable excitation energy is performed to confirm the core–Shell character of the nanoparticles. Additionally, Ca2p/Sr3d XPS intensity ratio in-Depth profiles are simulated using the software Simulation of Electron Spectra for Surface Analysis (SESSA). In principle, core–shell like particle morphologies are formed but without a sharp interface between calcium and strontium containing phases. Surprisingly, the in-depth chemical distribution of the two types of nanoparticles is equal within the error of the experiment. Both comprise a SrF2-rich core domain and CaF2-rich shell domain with an intermixing zone between them. Consequently, the internal morphology of the final nanoparticles seems to be independent from the synthesis chronology. KW - Metal fluorides KW - Sol-gel synthesis KW - Synchrotron radiation KW - X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy PY - 2021 UR - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-522284 DO - https://doi.org/10.1002/sia.6937 SN - 0142-2421 VL - 53 IS - 5 SP - 494 EP - 508 PB - Wiley VCH AN - OPUS4-52228 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Bennet, Francesca A1 - Müller, Anja A1 - Radnik, Jörg A1 - Hachenberger, Y. A1 - Jungnickel, H. A1 - Laue, P. A1 - Luch, A. A1 - Tentschert, J. T1 - Preparation of Nanoparticles for ToF-SIMS and XPS Analysis N2 - Nanoparticles have gained increasing attention in recent years due to their potential and application in different fields including medicine, cosmetics, chemistry, and their potential to enable advanced materials. To effectively understand and regulate the physico-chemical properties and potential adverse effects of nanoparticles, validated measurement procedures for the various properties of nanoparticles need to be developed. While procedures for measuring nanoparticle size and size Distribution are already established, standardized methods for analysis of their surface chemistry are not yet in place, although the influence of the surface chemistry on nanoparticle properties is undisputed. In particular, storage and preparation of nanoparticles for surface analysis strongly influences the analytical results from various methods, and in order to obtain consistent results, sample preparation must be both optimized and standardized. In this contribution, we present, in detail, some standard procedures for preparing nanoparticles for surface analytics. In principle, nanoparticles can be deposited on a suitable substrate from suspension or as a powder. Silicon (Si) Wafers are commonly used as substrate, however, their cleaning is critical to the process. For sample preparation from suspension, we will discuss drop-casting and spin-coating, where not only the cleanliness of the substrate and purity of the suspension but also its concentration play important roles for the success of the preparation methodology. For nanoparticles with sensitive ligand shells or coatings, deposition as powders is more suitable, although this method requires particular care in fixing the sample. KW - Titania nanoparticles KW - X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy KW - Secondary ion mass spectrometry KW - Surface chemisttry PY - 2020 UR - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-520103 UR - https://www.jove.com/video/61758 DO - https://doi.org/10.3791/61758 VL - 163 SP - e61758 AN - OPUS4-52010 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Donskyi, Ievgen A1 - Nie, C. A1 - Ludwig, K. A1 - Trimpert, J. A1 - Ahmed, R. A1 - Quaas, E. A1 - Achazi, K. A1 - Radnik, Jörg A1 - Adeli, M. A1 - Haag, R. A1 - Osterrieder, K. T1 - Graphene Sheets with Defined Dual Functionalities for the Strong SARS-CoV-2 Interactions N2 - Search of new strategies for the inhibition of respiratory viruses is one of the urgent health challenges worldwide, as most of the current therapeutic agents and treatments are inefficient. Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARSCoV-2) has caused a pandemic and has taken lives of approximately two Million people to date. Even though various vaccines are currently under development, virus, and especially its spike glycoprotein can mutate, which highlights a Need for a broad-spectrum inhibitor. In this work, inhibition of SARS-CoV-2 by graphene platforms with precise dual sulfate/alkyl functionalities is investigated. A series of graphene derivatives with different lengths of aliphatic chains is synthesized and is investigated for their ability to inhibit SARS-CoV-2 and feline coronavirus. Graphene derivatives with long alkyl chains (>C9) inhibit coronavirus replication by virtue of disrupting viral envelope. The ability of these graphene platforms to rupture viruses is visualized by atomic force microscopy and cryogenic electron microscopy. A large concentration window (10 to 100-fold) where graphene platforms display strongly antiviral activity against native SARS-CoV-2 without significant toxicity against human cells is found. In this concentration range, the synthesized graphene platforms inhibit the infection of enveloped viruses efficiently, opening new therapeutic and metaphylactic avenues against SARS-CoV-2. KW - Graphene KW - Graphene-based polyglycerol sulfates KW - SARS-CoV2 inhibitor KW - Virucidality PY - 2021 UR - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-520858 DO - https://doi.org/10.1002/smll.202007091 VL - 17 IS - 11 SP - 7091 PB - Wiley VCH AN - OPUS4-52085 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Radnik, Jörg A1 - Knigge, Xenia A1 - Andresen, Elina A1 - Resch-Genger, Ute A1 - Cant, D.J.H. A1 - Shard, A.G. A1 - Clifford, C.A. T1 - Composition, thickness, and homogeneity of the coating of core–shell nanoparticles—possibilities, limits, and challenges of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy N2 - Core–shell nanoparticles have attracted much attention in recent years due to their unique properties and their increasing importance in many technological and consumer products. However, the chemistry of nanoparticles is still rarely investigated in comparison to their size and morphology. In this review, the possibilities, limits, and challenges of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) for obtaining more insights into the composition, thickness, and homogeneity of nanoparticle coatings are discussed with four examples: CdSe/CdS quantum dots with a thick coating and a small core; NaYF4-based upconverting nanoparticles with a large Yb-doped core and a thin Er-doped coating; and two types of polymer nanoparticles with a poly(tetrafluoroethylene) core with either a poly(methyl methacrylate) or polystyrene coating. Different approaches for calculating the thickness of the coating are presented, like a simple numerical modelling or a more complex simulation of the photoelectron peaks. Additionally, modelling of the XPS background for the investigation of coating is discussed. Furthermore, the new possibilities to measure with varying excitation energies or with hard-energy X-ray sources (hard-energy X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy) are described. A discussion about the sources of uncertainty for the determination of the thickness of the coating completes this review. KW - X-ray spectroscopy KW - Nanoparticles KW - Spectroscopy / Instrumentation KW - Spectroscopy / Theory PY - 2022 UR - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-548305 DO - https://doi.org/10.1007/s00216-022-04057-9 VL - 414 IS - 15 SP - 4331 EP - 4345 PB - SpringerNature AN - OPUS4-54830 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Page, T.M. A1 - Nie, C. A1 - Neander, L. A1 - Povolotsky, T.L. A1 - Sahoo, A.K. A1 - Nickl, Philip A1 - Adler, J.M. A1 - Bawadkji, O. A1 - Radnik, Jörg A1 - Achazi, K. A1 - Ludwig, K. A1 - Lauster, D. A1 - Netz, R.R. A1 - Trimpert, J. A1 - Kaufer, B. A1 - Haag, R. A1 - Donskyi, Ievgen T1 - Functionalized Fullerene for Inhibition of SARS-CoV-2 Variants N2 - As virus outbreaks continue to pose a challenge, a nonspecific viral inhibitor can provide significant benefits, especially against respiratory viruses. Polyglycerol sulfates recently emerge as promising agents that mediate interactions between cells and viruses through electrostatics, leading to virus inhibition. Similarly, hydrophobic C60 fullerene can prevent virus infection via interactions with hydrophobic cavities of surface proteins. Here, two strategies are combined to inhibit infection of SARS-CoV-2 variants in vitro. Effective inhibitory concentrations in the millimolar range highlight the significance of bare fullerene’s hydrophobic moiety and electrostatic interactions of polysulfates with surface proteins of SARS-CoV-2. Furthermore, microscale thermophoresis measurements support that fullerene linear polyglycerol sulfates interact with the SARS-CoV-2 virus via its spike protein, and highlight importance of electrostatic interactions within it. All-atom molecular dynamics simulations reveal that the fullerene binding site is situated close to the receptor binding domain, within 4 nm of polyglycerol sulfate binding sites, feasibly allowing both portions of the material to interact simultaneously. KW - Covalent functionalization KW - Fullerene KW - SARS-CoV 2 KW - Sulfated materials KW - Virus inhibition PY - 2023 UR - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-568672 DO - https://doi.org/10.1002/smll.202206154 SN - 1613-6810 SP - 1 EP - 8 PB - Wiley VCH AN - OPUS4-56867 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Bawadkji, O. A1 - Cherri, M. A1 - Schäfer, A. A1 - Herziger, S. A1 - Nickl, Philip A1 - Achazi, K. A1 - Donskyi, Ievgen A1 - Adeli, M. A1 - Haag, R. T1 - One-pot covalent functionalization of 2D black phosphorus by anionic ring opening polymerization N2 - In this work, a one-pot approach for the covalent functionalization of few-layer black phosphorus (BP) by anionic ring opening polymerization of glycidol to obtain multifunctional BP-polyglycerol (BP-PG) with high amphiphilicity for near-infrared-responsive drug delivery and biocompatibility is reported. Straightforward synthesis in combination with exceptional biological and physicochemical properties designates functionalized BP-PG as a promising candidate for a broad range of biomedical applications. KW - 2D nanomaterial KW - Amphiphilicity KW - Black phosphorus KW - Hyperbranched KW - Polyglycerol KW - Water dispersibility PY - 2022 UR - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-568833 DO - https://doi.org/10.1002/admi.202201245 SN - 2196-7350 VL - 9 SP - 1 EP - 8 PB - Wiley-VCH CY - Weinheim AN - OPUS4-56883 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER -