Nano
Filtern
Dokumenttyp
- Zeitschriftenartikel (347)
- Vortrag (338)
- Posterpräsentation (100)
- Forschungsdatensatz (50)
- Sonstiges (20)
- Beitrag zu einem Tagungsband (16)
- Buchkapitel (10)
- Beitrag zu einem Sammelband (10)
- Forschungsbericht (9)
- Zeitschriftenheft (Herausgeberschaft für das komplette Heft) (6)
Sprache
- Englisch (870)
- Deutsch (52)
- Spanisch (2)
- Mehrsprachig (1)
Schlagworte
- Nanoparticles (124)
- Nano (70)
- SAXS (64)
- XPS (60)
- Laser-induced periodic surface structures (LIPSS) (59)
- Fluorescence (53)
- Quantum yield (51)
- Electron microscopy (48)
- Nanoparticle (46)
- X-ray scattering (46)
Organisationseinheit der BAM
- 6 Materialchemie (656)
- 6.1 Oberflächen- und Dünnschichtanalyse (345)
- 1 Analytische Chemie; Referenzmaterialien (184)
- 1.2 Biophotonik (159)
- 6.6 Physik und chemische Analytik der Polymere (134)
- 6.5 Synthese und Streuverfahren nanostrukturierter Materialien (129)
- 6.2 Material- und Oberflächentechnologien (90)
- 5 Werkstofftechnik (61)
- 4 Material und Umwelt (46)
- 5.4 Multimateriale Fertigungsprozesse (33)
Paper des Monats
- ja (15)
In our (dramatically understaffed) X-ray scattering laboratory, developing a systematic, holistic methodology let us provide scattering and diffraction information for more than 2100 samples for 200+ projects led by 120+ collaborators. Combined with automated data correction pipelines, and our analysis and simulation software, this led to more than 40 papers in the last 5 years with just over 2 full-time staff members.
This year, our new, modular synthesis platform has made more than 1000 additional samples for us to analyse and catalogue. By virtue of the automation, the synthesis of these samples is automatically documented in excruciating detail, preparing them for upload and exploitation in large-scale materials databases.
This talk is intended to spark ideas and invite collaborations by providing an overview of: 1) the current improvements in our wide-range X-ray scattering laboratory methodology, and 2) introducing our open, modular robotic platform for systematic sample preparation.
Hierarchically porous, high‐surface‐area silica materials are excellent candidates for multiple applications like catalysis and environmental remediation. Shaping these materials with additive manufacturing (AM) techniques, like robocasting, could enable their use with the benefit of on‐demand, customized shaping and maximizing performance. Herein, ordered mesoporous silica COK‐12 slurries were robocasted into monoliths, containing different ratios of uncalcined COK‐12 and sodium bentonite (0–25 wt.%). The rheology of the mixed slurries is characterized by lower flow indexes (0.69 vs. 0.32) and higher yield stresses (96 vs. 259 Pa) compared to pure COK‐12 ones. Monoliths were printed in woodpile structures and calcined at 600°C. Micro‐CT measurements showed a linear shrinkage of 25% after calcination. Mechanical characterization showed increased uniaxial strength (0.20 ± 0.07 to 1.0 ± 0.3 MPa) with increasing binder/solids ratio from 13 to 25%. The amorphous, mesoporous structure of COK‐12 was retained. The structures exhibited open porosities of 52 ± 4% and showed higher specific mesopore volumes, and increased average mesopore size (6 vs. 8 nm) compared to COK‐12. Small‐angle x‐ray scattering analysis revealed an increased lattice parameter (10.3 vs. 11.0 nm) and reduced wall thickness (3.1 nm vs. 4.1 nm) of the COK‐12 in the monoliths. These properties indicate suitability for their application as porous supports and adsorbents.
Due to the extremely high specific surface area of nanoparticles and corresponding potential for adsorption, the results of surface analysis can be highly dependent on the history of the particles, particularly regarding sample preparation and storage. The sample preparation method has, therefore, the potential to have a significant influence on the results. This report describes an interlaboratory comparison (ILC) with the aim of assessing which sample preparation methods for ToF-SIMS analysis of nanoparticles provided the most intra- and interlaboratory consistency and the least amount of sample contamination. The BAM reference material BAM-P110 (TiO2 nanoparticles with a mean Feret diameter of 19 nm) was used as a sample representing typical nanoparticles. A total of 11 participants returned ToF-SIMS data,in positive and (optionally) negative polarity, using sample preparation methods of “stick-and-go” as well as optionally “drop-dry” and “spin-coat.” The results showed that the largest sources of variation within the entire data set were caused by adventitious hydrocarbon contamination or insufficient sample coverage, with the spin-coating protocol applied in this ILC showing a tendency toward insufficient sample coverage; the sample preparation method or the participant had a lesser influence on results.
Test artifact for fs-LDW
(2023)
Ionic Liquid Crystals are ionic liquids that exhibit liquid crystalline mesomorphism together with ionic conductivity. As known confined liquid crystal mesophases can show an anomalous dynamics and phase behavior. Investigations considering the factors controlling the macroscopic properties of ILCs in confinement are scare in the literature. This study reports the molecular mobility, and the phase transition behavior of a guanidinium based columnar ILC confined in the nanopores of self-ordered anodic aluminum oxide membranes of various pore diameters (25 – 180 nm) using Broadband Dielectric Spectroscopy (BDS), calorimetry and X-ray scattering. It is aimed to reveal in which way the pore size as well as the pore surface wettability (hydrophobic or hydrophilic) alters the molecular dynamics, and phase transition behavior for this system. These properties are crucial for applications. The DSC investigations reveal: (i) the phase transition temperature for the transition from the plastic crystalline to the crystalline-liquid state has non-monotonic dependence versus the inverse pore diameter and (ii) the transition from the liquid crystalline to the isotropic phase is suppressed for all nanoconfined samples. This transition suppressed in the thermal signal was evidenced by BDS and X-ray scattering. It is discussed as a continuous phase transition taking place in the pores instead of a discontinuous first order transition as observed for the bulk. BDS investigations show different relaxation processes for the bulk and the nanoconfined ILC. Molecular origins for various relaxation processes are discussed and suggested. It is further shown that the self-assembly of this ILC is dynamic in nature which might apply for other ILCs too. The obtained results will have implications for the nanoscale applications of ionic liquid crystals.
Bulk metallic glasses (BMG) are amorphous metal alloys known for their unique physical and mechanical properties. In the present study, the formation of femtosecond (fs) laser-induced periodic surface structures (LIPSS) on the Zr-based BMGs Zr46Cu46Al8, Zr61Cu25Al12Ti2, Zr52.5Cu17.9Al10Ni14.6Ti5 (Vit105) and Zr57Cu15.4Al10Ni12.6Nb5 (Vit106) was investigated as a function of their different chemical composition. For this purpose, LIPSS were generated on the sample surfaces in an air environment by fs-laser irradiation (λ = 1025 nm, τ = 300 fs, frep = 100 kHz). The surface topography was characterized by scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy. Moreover, the impact of LIPSS formation on the structure and chemical surface composition was analyzed before and after fs-laser irradiation by X-ray diffraction and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy as well as by transmission electron microscopy in combination with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. Despite the different chemical composition of the investigated BMGs, the fs-laser irradiation resulted in almost similar properties of the generated LIPSS patterns. In the case of Zr61Cu25Al12Ti2, Vit105 and Vit106, the surface analysis revealed the preservation of the amorphous state of the materials during fs-laser irradiation. The study demonstrated the presence of a native oxide layer on all pristine BMGs. In addition, fs-laser irradiation results in the formation of laser-induced oxide layers of larger thickness consisting of an amorphous ZrAlCu-oxide. The precise laser-structuring of BMG surfaces on the nanoscale provides a versatile alternative to thermoplastic forming of BMG surfaces and is of particular interest for the engineering of functional material surfaces.
Iron Oxide Nanocubes as a New Certified Reference Material for Nanoparticle Size Measurements
(2023)
The rational design and increasing industrial use of nanomaterials require a reliable characterization of their physicochemical key properties like size, size distribution, shape, and surface chemistry. This calls for nanoscale reference materials (nanoRMs) for the validation and standardization of commonly used characterization methods closely matching real-world nonspherical nano-objects. This encouraged us to develop a nonspherical nanoRM of very small size consisting of 8 nm iron oxide nanocubes (BAM-N012) to complement spherical gold, silica, and polymer nanoRMs. In the following, the development and production of this nanoRM are highlighted including the characterization by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) as complementary methods for size and shape parameters, homogeneity and stability studies, and calculation of a complete uncertainty budget of the size features. The determination of the nanocubes’ edge length by TEM and SAXS allows a method comparison. In addition, SAXS measurements can also provide the mean particle number density and the mass concentration. The certified size parameters, area equivalent circular diameter and square edge length, determined by TEM with a relative expanded uncertainty below 9%, are metrologically traceable to a natural constant for length, the very precisely known (111) lattice spacing of silicon. Cubic BAM-N012 qualifies as a certified nanoRM for estimating the precision and trueness, validation, and quality assurance of particle size and shape measurements with electron microscopy and SAXS as well as other sizing methods suitable for nanomaterials. The production of this new iron oxide nanocube RM presents an important achievement for the nanomaterial community, nanomaterial manufacturers, and regulators.
The basic principles of generation of electrons and X-rays and the operation of SEM/EDS instruments are presented. Examples, recent successes and challenges in the analysis of nano-structures are given. Multi-method analytical approaches with the focus on imaging the nanoscale are highlighted. Details on the sample preparation and persepective on the automated analysis (sample preparation, measurement, data analyis and storage) are given. Metrological aspects, standardisation, and reference materials are also emphasized by examples.
With femtosecond-laser direct writing (fs-LDW) maturing in all aspects as a manufacturing technology, a toolset for quality assurance must be developed. In this work we introduce a first of its kind test artifact. Test artifacts are standardized 3D models with specific geometric features to evaluate the performance of writing parameters. Test artifacts are already common in other 3D additive manufacturing technologies e.g. selective laser melting. The test artifact introduced in this work was developed in particular to accommodate the high geometrical resolution of fs-LDW structures and the limited possibilities to examine the resulting structure. Geometric accuracy, surface adhesion as well as confocal Raman spectroscopy results were considered when evaluating the design of the test artifact. We will explain the individual features and design considerations of our fs-LDW test artifact. The difference between two slicers, Cura and 3DPoli, and the implications on measured feature sizes and the general shape is quantified. The measured geometries are used to derive a general design guide for a specific combination of photoresists, laser power and scanning speed and to analyze the geometric accuracy of a structure produced using these guidelines. The shown test artifact is publicly available as STL file on GitHub (https://github.com/BAMresearch/2PP-TestArtifact) and in the supplement.
Surface-functionalized polymer beads encoded with molecular luminophores and nanocrystalline emitters such as semiconductor nanocrystals, often referred to as quantum dots (QDs), or magnetic nanoparticles are broadly used in the life sciences as reporters and carrier beads. Many of these applications require a profound knowledge of the chemical nature and total number of their surface functional groups (FGs), that control bead charge, colloidal stability, hydrophobicity, and the interaction with the environment and biological systems. For bioanalytical applications, also the
number of groups accessible for the subsequent functionalization with, e.g., biomolecules or targeting ligands is relevant. In this study, we explore the influence of QD encoding on the amount of carboxylic acid (COOH) surface FGs of 2 μm polystyrene microparticles (PSMPs). This is done for frequently employed oleic acid and oleylamine stabilized, luminescent core/shell CdSe QDs and two commonly used encoding procedures. This included QD addition during bead formation by a thermally induced polymerization reaction and a post synthetic swelling procedure. The accessible number of COOH groups on the surface of QD-encoded and pristine beads was quantified by two colorimetric assays, utilizing differently sized reporters and electrostatic and covalent interactions. The results were compared to the total number of FGs obtained by a conductometric titration and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). In addition, a comparison of the impact of QD and dye encoding on the bead surface chemistry was performed. Our results demonstrate the influence of QD encoding and the QD-encoding strategy on the number of surface FG that is ascribed to an interaction of the QDs with the carboxylic acid groups on the bead surface. These findings are of considerable relevance for applications of nanoparticle-encoded beads and safe-by-design concepts for nanomaterials.
Current challenges and objectives for non-invasive optical bioimaging are deep tissue penetration, high detection sensitivity, high spatial and temporal resolution, and fast data acquisition. A promising spectral window to tackle these challenges is the short-wave infrared (SWIR) ranging from 900 nm to 1700 nm where scattering, absorption, and autofluorescence of biological components are strongly reduced compared to the visible/NIR. At present, the best performing SWIR contrast agents are based on nanomaterials containing toxic heavy-metal ions like cadmium or lead, which raises great concerns for biological applications. Promising heavy-metal free nanoscale candidates are gold nanoclusters (AuNCs) and Ag2S nanoparticles (NPs). The photoluminescence (PL) of both types of nanomaterials is very sensitive to their size, composition of their surface ligand shell, and element composition, which provides an elegant handle to fine-tune their absorption and emission features and boost thereby the size of the signals recorded in bioimaging studies.
Aiming for the development of SWIR contrast agents with optimum performance, we dived deeper into the photophysical processes occurring in these nanomaterials, thereby exploring in depth how the environment, surface ligand composition, and the incorporation of transition metals influence the optical properties of AuNCs and Ag2S NPs. We observed a strong enhancement of the SWIR emission of AuNCs upon exposure to different local environments (in solution, polymer, and in the solid state). Addition of metal ions such as Zn2+ to Ag2S based NPs led to a strong PL enhancement, yielding PL quantum yields of about 10% and thus making them highly suitable for non-invasive deep imaging of vascular networks and 3D fluid flow mapping.
Thin polymeric films are of great importance of high number of high-tech applications for instance in sensors and nanoelectronics. Form the scientific point of view thin films with thickness below 100 nm are ideal model systems to study confinement effects on its properties for instance on the molecular relaxation processes. In this contribution an overview is presented about the behavior of different systems as investigated by nanosized relaxation spectroscopy like broadband dielectric spectroscopy employing nano structured capacitors and AC chip calorimetry complimented by ellipsometry. The systems considered are PVME1, PVME/PS blends2,3 P2VP4, PBAC5 and polysulfone6. Besides the film also the adsorbed layer on the substrate prepared by a leaching approach and investigated by AFM is considered.1,4-7. For these investigationsss it is found that the adsorbed layer itself exhibits a relaxation dynamics which might be assigned either to molecular motions or to adsorptions desorption kinetics.
The rational design of next generation molecular and nanoscale reporters and the comparison of different emitter classes require the determination of the fluorometric key performance parameter fluorescence quantum yield (Φf), i.e., the number of emitted photons per number of absorbed photons. Main prerequisites for reliable Φf measurements, which are for transparent luminophore solutions commonly done relative to a reference, i.e., a fluorescence quantum yield standard of known Φf, are reliable and validated instrument calibration procedures to consider wavelength-, polarization-, and time-dependent instrument specific signal contributions, and sufficiently well characterized fluorescence quantum yield standards. As the standard’s Φf value directly contributes to the calculation of the sample’s Φf, its accuracy presents one of the main sources of uncertainty of relative Φf measurements. To close this gap, we developed a first set of 12 fluorescence quantum yield standards, which absorb and emit in the wavelength region of 330−1000 nm and absolutely determined their Φf values with two independently calibrated integrating sphere setups.
Criteria for standard selection and the configuration of these novel fluorescence reference materials are given, and the certification procedure is presented including homogeneity and stability studies and the calculation of complete uncertainty budgets for the certified Φf values. The ultimate goal is to provide the community of fluorescence users with available reference materials as a basis for an improved comparability and reliability of quantum yield data since the measurement of this spectroscopic key property is an essential part of the characterization of any new emitter.
In recent years, chromium (III) complexes have received a lot of attention as novel near-infrared (NIR) emitters. This interest was triggered by the report on the first molecular ruby Cr(ddpd)2(BF4)3 with a high photoluminescence quantum yield of 13.7% of its near infrared (NIR) emission band and a long luminescence lifetime of 1.122 ms at room temperature. Meanwhile, the influence of triplet oxygen, temperature, and pressure on the optical properties of different molecular rubies have been assessed. These features make these molecular rubies promising candidates for multi-analyte optical sensing applications and the generation of singlet oxygen for photocatalysis and photodynamic therapy. However, in an oxygen-containing environment, the photoluminescence quantum yields and luminescence lifetimes of these chromium(III) complexes show only very small values. This hampers their application as NIR luminescence labels. This application, that cannot be tackled by conventional deoxygenating approaches, requires suitable strategies to protect the luminescence of the chromium(III) complexes from oxygen quenching. Typical approaches to reduce the oxygen sensitivity of long-lived luminophores include the encapsulation into an oxygen-shielding matrix or less commonly employed, by tuning the bulkiness of the ligands for oxygen-sensitive coordination compounds. An elegant approach to reduce the undesired luminescence quenching by triplet oxygen explored by us presents the incorporation of these chromium(III) complexes into amorphous, non-porous silica nanoparticles, that can be simply surface functionalized, e.g., with targeting ligands and/or other sensor molecules. This can enable the use of such chromium(III) complexes as reporters for bioanalytical assays and bioimaging without the need to introduce reactive groups into the ligands and can pave the road to lifetime tuning.
In this work, as first proof-of-concept experiments, a set of chromium (III) complexes constituting of different ligands and counter anions, were embedded into the core of silica nanoparticles. As an alternative synthesis strategy, selected complexes were incorporated into a silica shell formed around the core of self-made silica nanoparticles. Subsequently, the optical properties of the resulting luminescent silica nanoparticles were spectroscopically assessed by steady state and time-resolved luminescence spectroscopy. First results of time-resolved luminescence measurements of the Cr(ddpd)2(PF6)3 complex incorporated into 25nm large silica nanoparticles dispersed in aerated water in comparison to the decay kinetics obtained for this complex in acetonitrile in air showed an increase in lifetime from 46 µs to 1147 µs. This confirming our design concept of nanoscale NIR emissive Cr(III) reporters.
At present, the field of research on nanostructures is actively developing, which is due to their unique physico-chemical properties compared to bulk materials. Many research activities are focused on obtaining nanocomposites, which combine various types of nanostructures with different properties and function. For example, the development of magneto-luminescent nanocomposites makes it possible to use their luminescence for optical imaging, and their magnetic properties for magnetic targeted delivery and as agents of hyperthermia and magnetic resonance imaging.
My master studies as part of the project Goszadanie 2019-1080 at ITMO were focused on the investigation of nanocomposites, consisting of semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) as luminescent component and superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) as magnetic one, in solution and during their incubation with HeLa cells. The spectrally resolved analysis of the QD photoluminescence (PL) kinetics of the free QDs and the QDs incorporated in these nanocomposites undergoing energy transfer processes allowed for (1) understanding the reasons for the quenching of QD luminescence in cells, (2) evaluating the average distance between the QDs and, based on this, concluding the degree of QD aggregation in cells, and (3) drawing conclusions about the QD-quencher composites integrity in cells. Overall, the analysis of the PL kinetics confirmed that QDs and SPIONs remain bound in the obtained nanocomposites during incubation with cells.
To ensure the successful advancement of nanomaterials in biomedicine and the transition from their laboratory preparation and studies to their use in different applications and in industry, it is crucial to develop reliable measurement methods and reference materials candidates for the characterization of functional nanomaterials and assessing the quality of the obtained nanostructures. My recently started project at BAM, which is part of the EU metrology project MeTrINo, will be devoted to this topic. There we will focus on the development of methodologies for the synthesis and characterization of iron oxide nanoparticles, already used in biomedicine, and multi-element lanthanide-based nanoparticles with attractive upconversion luminescence, as reference materials with high monodispersity and reproducibility. Also, these nanoparticles will be functionalized with organic dyes for optical imaging and, probably, the study of the energy transfer phenomena.
In recent years, the demand for reliable, versatile, fluorescent pH and oxygen sensors has increased rapidly in many biomedical applications since these analytes are important indicators of cell function or certain diseases. Therefore, sensor particles are needed that are small enough to penetrate cells, non-toxic, and allow for close-up optical monitoring. When developing such sensor systems, one must consider the pH and oxygen range detectable by the sensor dye and the matrix material of the used carrier particles. Here, we present the development of pH- and oxygen-responsive polymeric beads functionalized with fluorescent dyad molecules that consist of an analyte-responsive fluorophore and an analyte-inert dye.
Optical pH sensors utilizing colorimetric or fluorescent indicator dyes are highly promising in many biomedical and life science applications where electrochemical sensors fail. For instance, optical sensors are not prone to electrical interferences, they are noninvasive and enable remote measurements. Moreover, fluorescence detection is very fast, highly sensitive, and provides several readout parameters ideal for multiplexing with nanometer resolution using simple, inexpensive, and miniaturizable instrumentation. Here, we present the design of a dyad sensor molecule, consisting of an analyte-responsive and an analyte inert reference fluorophore.
Inelastic incoherent neutron time-of-flight scattering was employed to investigate the low-frequency vibrational density of states (VDOSs) for a series of glassy Janus-poly(tricyclononenes), which consist of a rigid main chain and flexible alkyl side chains. Here, the length of the flexible side chains was systematically varied from propyl to octyl. Such materials have potential applications as active separation layers in gas separation membranes as a green future technology, especially for the separation of higher hydrocarbons. From the morphological point of view, the Janus polynorbornenes undergo a nanophase separation into alkyl side chain-rich nanodomains surrounded by a rigid polynorbornene matrix. Here, the influence of the nanophase-separated structure on the low-frequency VDOS is investigated from a fundamental point of view. The low-frequency VDOSs of these Janus polynorbornene show excess contributions to the Debye type VDOS known as the Boson peak (BP) for all side chain lengths. Due to the high incoherent scattering cross-section of hydrogen, most of the scattering comes from the alkyl side chain-rich domains.
Compared to conventional glass-forming materials, in the considered Janus polynorbornenes, the BP has a much lower intensity and its frequency position is shifted to higher values. These experimental results are discussed in terms of the nanophase-separated structure where the alkyl chain-rich domains were constrained by the surrounding matrix dominated by the rigid backbone. With increasing alkyl chain length, the size of the alkyl chain-rich domains increases. The frequency position of the BP shifts linearly to lower frequencies with the size of these nanodomains estimated from X-ray measurements. The obtained results support the sound wave interpretation to the BP
SASfit 0.94.12
(2023)
Small-angle scattering is an increasingly common method for characterizing particle ensembles in a wide variety of sample types and for diverse areas of application. SASfit has been one of the most comprehensive and flexible curve-fitting programs for decades, with many specialized tools for various fields.
Accurate characterisation of the morphology (size) and chemistry of graphene-related 2D materials (GR2M) is key in understanding their extraordinary functionalities. Hence, not only the tailoring of these functionalities aiming at applications of increased-performance becomes possible, but also the correlation of the physico-chemical properties with the understanding of the potential toxicity eventually enables a safe and sustainable development of the GR2M for new applications. Whilst AFM and Raman Spectroscopy are recommended to measure the thickness of GO flakes, Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) is the most suited method to assess their lateral size, which varies between tens of µm down to below 100 nm. In this paper, procedures for the accurate determination of lateral size of graphene oxide (GO) flakes by SEM are presented. The prerequisite for accurate flake size analysis is the proper sample preparation, i.e. deposition of ideally isolated flakes on a substrate, with the flakes being unfolded, non-overlapped, parallel with the substrate, and having a high coverage density. Examples of optimum image caption conditions and image analysis procedures will be presented. The size descriptors and their measurement are described in the context of the corresponding analysis approach: i) length and width of the flakes with a quick and rough, but robust procedure, and ii) exact contouring of the flakes as part of a highly accurate, but more time-consuming measurement approach. The possibility of application of automated image analysis is discussed as the alternative to the manual flakes analysis.
Since its isolation, graphene has received growing attention from academia and industry due to its unique properties. However, the “what is my material” barrier hinders further commercialization. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) is considered as a method of choice for the determination of the elemental and chemical composition. In this work the influence of the morphology of graphene particles on the XPS results is studied and investigated as a function of X-ray energy, using conventional XPS with Al K𝜶 radiation and hard X-ray photoemission spectroscopy (HAXPES) using Cr K𝜶 radiation. Thereby, the information depth is varied between 10 and 30 nm. For this purpose, two commercial powders containing graphene nanoplatelets with lateral dimensions of either ≈100 nm or in the micrometer range are compared. These larger ones exist as stack of graphene layers which is inspected with scanning electron microscopy. Both kinds of particles are then functionalized with either oxygen or fluorine. The size of the graphene particles is found to influence the degree of functionalization. Only the combination of XPS and HAXPES allows to detect the functionalization at the outermost surface of the particles or even of the stacks and to provide new insights into the functionalization process.
International standards describing reliable protocols will facilitate the commercialization of graphene and related 2D materials. One physico-chemical key property next to flake size and thickness is the chemical composition of the material. Therefore, an ISO standard is under development with X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy having a prominent role. With its information depth of around 10 nm which is the similar length scale as the thickness as of particles of 2D materials consisting of a few monolayer XPS seems to be highly suitable for this purpose. Different sample preparation methods like pressing the powders onto adhesive tapes, into recesses, or into solid pellets result in inconsistencies in the quantification. For the validation of the quantification with XPS an interlaboratory comparison was initiated under the auspice of the “Versailles Project on Advanced Materials and Standards” (VAMAS). First results confirm that the sample preparation method (pellet vs. powder) influences the quantification results clearly.
The datasets from (Hard Energy) X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction and Scanning Electron Microsopy are related to the publication
G. Chemello, X. Knigge, D. Ciornii, B.P. Reed, A.J. Pollard, C.A. Clifford, T. Howe, N. Vyas, V.-D. Hodoroaba, J. Radnik
"Influence of the morphology on the functionalization of graphene nanoplatelets analyzed by comparative photoelectron spectroscopy with soft and hard X-rays"
Advanced Materials Interfaces (2023), DOI: 10.1002/admi.202300116.
International standards describing reliable protocols will facilitate the commercialization of graphene and related 2D materials. One physico-chemical key property next to flake size and thickness is the chemical composition of the material. Therefore, an ISO standard is under development with X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy having a prominent role. With its information depth of around 10 nm which is the similar length scale as the thickness as of particles of 2D materials consisting of a few monolayer XPS seems to be highly suitable for this purpose. Different sample preparation methods like pressing the powders onto adhesive tapes, into recesses, or into solid pellets result in inconsistencies in the quantification. For the validation of the quantification with XPS an interlaboratory comparison was initiated under the auspice of the “Versailles Project on Advanced Materials and Standards” (VAMAS). First results confirm that the sample preparation method (pellet vs. powder) influences the quantification results clearly. Considering this effect, a good agreement of the results from the different participants were observed. Similar results were observed for raw, N- and F-functionalized graphene.
Mesoporous glasses are a promising class of bioresorbable biomaterials characterized by high surface area and extended porosity in the range of 2 to 50 nm. These peculiar properties make them ideal materials for the controlled release of therapeutic ions and molecules. Whilst mesoporous silicate-based glasses (MSG) have been widely investigated, much less work has been done on mesoporous phosphate-based glasses (MPG). In the present study, MPG in the P2O5–CaO–Na2O system, undoped and doped with 1, 3, and 5 mol% of Cu ions were synthesized via a combination of the sol–gel method and supramolecular templating. The non-ionic triblock copolymer Pluronic P123 was used as a templating agent. The porous structure was studied via a combination of Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Small-Angle X-ray Scattering (SAXS), and N2 adsorption–desorption analysis at 77 K. The structure of the phosphate network was investigated via solid state 31P Magic Angle Spinning Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (31P MAS-NMR) and Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. Degradation studies, performed in water via Inductively Coupled Plasma-Optical Emission Spectroscopy (ICP-OES), showed that phosphates, Ca2+, Na+ and Cu ions are released in a controlled manner over a 7 days period. The controlled release of Cu, proportional to the copper loading, imbues antibacterial properties to MPG. A significant statistical reduction of Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and Escherichia coli (E. coli) bacterial viability was observed over a 3 days period. E. coli appeared to be more resistant than S. aureus to the antibacterial effect of copper. This study shows that copper doped MPG have great potential as bioresorbable materials for controlled delivery of antibacterial ions.
This talk introduces the expanded view that comes from wide-range X-ray scattering investigations.
Compared to X-ray diffraction studies alone, the additional angular range of this technique provides information on the larger structural dimensions present in your samples. This allows for the extraction of information on the size and size distribution of nanostructural components, such as nanoparticles, nanovoids, and any other structure exhibiting an electron density contrast.
The talk introduces the technique, the MOUSE instrument used for these investigations, and provides several real-world examples of its uses. The audience is invited to choose which examples captures their interest from a range of options, in the latter segment of the talk.
Here a dataset of XPS, HAXPES and SEM measurements for the physico-chemical characterization of Au nanoparticles is presented. The measurements are part of the H2020 project “NanoSolveIT”.
Here a dataset of XPS, HAXPES and SEM measurements for the physico-chemical characterization of Fe3O4 nanoparticles is presented. The measurements are part of the H2020 project “NanoSolveIT”.
Interactions between a polymer and a substrate interface play a vital role in understanding the improvement in thin film material properties as well as serving as a model for nanocomposites. For any non-repulsive polymer-substrate interactions, polymer segments form an irreversibly adsorbed layer and show a slowdown in the glassy dynamics and thus an increase in the thermal glass transition temperature compared to the bulk-like values. The growth kinetics of the adsorbed layer obey a two-step mechanism: formation of immobilized layer with flat segmental conformations and a loosely bound layer with stretched chains pinned to the surface. Here the adsorbed layer was studied for: poly (bisphenol-A carbonate) (PBAC) and polysulfone (PSU), two bulky polymers containing a functional group (phenyl ring) in the backbone and compared to poly (2-vinyl pyridine) (P2VP), where the backbone is a vinyl-derivative and the functional group (pyridine) is in the side chain. The growth kinetics for PBAC and PSU were found to deviate from the well-known mechanism, observed for polymers such as P2VP. Atomic force microscopy and ellipsometry were used for this investigation and was additionally supported by broadband dielectric spectroscopy.
A few layer/multilayer graphene (MLG) with a specific surface area of BET ≥ 250 m2/g is proposed as an efficient multifunctional nanofiller for rubbers. The preparation method, i.e., ultrasonically-assisted solution or latex premixing of master batches followed by conventional two-roll milling, strongly influences the dispersion in the elastomeric matrix and is fundamental for the final properties. When homogenously dispersed, single stacks of only approximately 10 graphene sheets, with an aspect ratio of ca. 35, work at low loadings, enabling the replacement of large amounts of carbon black (CB), an increase in efficiency, and a reduction in filler load. The appropriate preparation yielded nanocomposites in which just 3 phr are sufficient to significantly improve the rheological, curing, gas barrier properties, electrical and thermal conductivity, as well as mechanical properties of different rubbers, as shown for chlorine-Isobutylene-Isoprene rubber (CIIR), nitrile-butadiene rubber (NBR), natural rubber (NR), and styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR).[1-5] 3 phr of MLG tripled the Young’s modulus of CIIR, an effect equivalent to 20 phr of CB. The stronger interactions between MLG and NR or SBR also resulted in a reduction in the elongation at break by 20% and 50%, respectively, while the same parameter was hardly changed for CIIR/MLG and NBR/MLG. CIIR/MLG and NBR/MLG were stiffer but just as defomable than CIIR and NBR. The strong reinforcing effect of 3 phr MLG was confirmed by the increase of greater than 10 Shore A in hardness. MLG reduces gas permeability, increases thermal and electrical conductivities, and retards flammability. We investigated MLG also as a synergist for reducing the aluminium trihydrate loading in flame retardant hydrogenated acrylonitrile-butadiene (HNBR), polybutadiene chloroprene (BR/CR), and chlorosulfonated polyethylene rubber(CSM).[6-8] The higher the nanofiller concentration is, the greater the improvement in the properties. For instance, the permeability decreased by 30% at 3 phr of MLG, 50% at 5 phr and 60% at 10 phr, respectively. Moreover, the MLG nanocomposites improve stability of mechanical properties against the effects of weathering. In key experiments an increase in UV-absorption and a pronounced radical scavenging were proved as stabilizing mechanisms. In a nutshell, MLG is an efficient multifunctional nanofiller ready to be used for innovative rubber development.
Comparative study of the co-assembly behaviour of 3-chloro-4-hydroxy-phenylazo dyes with DTAB
(2023)
The co-assembly of three one-fold negatively charged 3-chloro-4-hydroxy-phenylazo dyes (Yellow, Blue and Red) with the cationic surfactant dodecyltrimethylammoniumbromide (DTAB) was studied to probe dye–DTAB binding stoichiometry and assembly morphology. For each dye, phase separation was observed above a given dye : DTAB ratio with the ratio depending on the dye. While Yellow and DTAB showed liquid/liquid phase separation above Yellow : DTAB = 1 : 1.67, crystalline dye–DTAB complexes were observed for Blue–DTAB and Red–DTAB above Blue : DTAB = 1 : 2.56 and Red : DTAB = 1 : 2.94 respecively. In homogeneous solution, UV/vis spectroscopic investigations suggest stochiometries of Yellow : DTAB = 1 : 2, Blue : DTAB = 1 : 3 and Red : DTAB = 1 : 4. It was concluded, that Yellow exhibits the highest dye : DTAB binding stoichiometry in both, dye–surfactant complexes in the 2-phase region and in solution, whereas the lowest dye : DTAB binding stoichiometry was observed for Red–DTAB in both cases. The observed stoichiometries are inversely correlated to the impact dye addition has on the morphology of DTAB micelles. Generally, addition of dye to DTAB micelles leads to a reduction in spontaneous curvature of these micelles and to the formation of triaxial ellipsoidal or cylindrical micelles from oblate ellipsoidal DTAB micelles. At a DTAB concentration of 30 mM and a dye concentration of 5 mM, this effect was most pronounced for Red and least pronounced for Yellow, whilst Blue showed an intermediate effect.
X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) is widely used for characterising the chemistry of graphene-related two-dimensional materials (GR2M), however the careful preparation of the sample for analysis is important in obtaining representative quantifications. We report an investigation by three laboratories showing that the preparation method for oxygen-functionalised graphene nanoplatelet (GNP) powders has a significant effect on the homogeneous-equivalent elemental composition measured in XPS. We show that pressing GNP powders onto adhesive tapes, into recesses, or into solid pellets results in inconsistencies in the XPS quantification. The measured oxygen-to-carbon atomic ratio from GNP pellets depends upon the die pressure used to form them and the morphology of the GNPs themselves. We recommend that powder samples of GR2Ms are pelletised prior to XPS analysis to improve repeatability and reproducibility of measurements.
Im Vortrag werden das Messprinzip einer Photozentrifuge erläutert und die Anforderungen der zugrundeliegenden Normen diskutiert. Die praktische Durchführung der Messung und insbesondere auch die vorbereitenden Arbeiten, sowie die Auswertung der Rohdaten bilden den Schwerpunkt des Vortrags. Gezeigt werden auch die Validierung sowie ein Beispiel zur regelmäßigen Verifizierung des Verfahrens. Nach Anwendungsbeispielen und Vergleichen zu Ergebnissen mit anderen Messverfahren, wird das Verfahren in einer Zusammenfassung bewertet.
Since there is a lack of knowledge about the effects of nanomaterials on human health and the environment, and in order to get safe- and sustainable-by-design nanomaterials, it is necessary to find an easy way to assess their properties, without having to perform time-consuming experiments each time. In the European project NanoSolveIT, the behavior of nanoparticles is to be derived from a nanomaterial fingerprint database with standardized physico-chemical properties of nanomaterials. The key element for these grouping and reading across approaches is the collection of standardized information about nanomaterials in combination with modelling and simulations. As parameters the particle size, particle shape, chemical composition and surface chemistry are discussed here.
Measurements of the shape and size were performed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). For the chemical composition energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) and for the surface chemistry X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) were used. As an additional method hard X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (HAXPES) with a higher information depth than XPS was used, thus we were able to include information not only from the top surface, but also from deeper regions of about 30 nm. Therefore, this method is complementary to EDS.
All these methods have been correlatively used to study nanoparticles of different chemical composition that have been treated differently by sterilization. Such a sterilization step is common, before testing for toxicity. To date, the sterilization step has not been considered in establishing the structure-activity relationship of the nanomaterial.
The effects of sterilization are discussed on exemplary samples. The results demonstrate the influence of sterilization on all investigated properties, indicating a restructuring of the nanoparticles. This implies that samples that have been sterilized after synthesis, may show different toxicity from those used in applications without a sterilization step.
Acknowledgement: This research is part of the project “NanoSolveIT”, which has received funding from European Union Horizon 2020 Programme (H2020) under grant agreement no 814572. (https://nanosolveit.eu/)
Since its isolation, graphene has received growing attention from academia and industry due to its unique properties. Promising opportunities for applications are discussed in different field like electronics and optoelectronics, detection, and sensing devices, biosystems or chemical and environmental corrosion inhibition. Here, functionalization with elements like oxygen, nitrogen or fluorine can broaden the application, for example in composite materials. However, lack of generally accepted operation procedures hinders the commercialization, the so-called “what is my material” barrier. Therefore, first efforts were done to develop common, reliable, and reproducible ways to characterize the morphological and chemical properties of the industrially produced material.
In this contribution, our efforts in the development of reliable chemical characterizations protocols for functionalized graphene are presented. An ISO standard for the chemical characterization of graphene-related (GRM) is under development with X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) having a prominent role. With its information depth of around 10 nm, which is the similar length scale as the thickness of particles of 2D materials consisting of a few monolayers, XPS seems to be highly suitable for the quantitative analysis of (functionalized) GRM. Thereby, different sample preparation methods like pressing the powders onto adhesive tapes, into recesses, or into solid pellets result in inconsistencies in the quantification. Furthermore, different morphologies like stacks of graphene layers (left figure) or irregular particles (right figure) lead to different analysis results for the chemical composition.
For the validation of the quantification with XPS and the further development of standards an international interlaboratory comparison was initiated under the head of the “Versailles Project on Advanced Materials and Standards” (VAMAS). First results are reported showing the suitability of the protocols. Finally, the XPS results are compared with the elemental composition results obtained after quantification with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) as a fast analytical method which is usually combined with electron microscopy.
McSAS3 is a refactored software package for fitting large batches of (X-ray or Neutron) scattering data. It uses a Monte-Carlo acceptance-rejection algorithm to optimize model parameters - ideal for analysis of size-disperse scatterers.
The refactored code can exploit multiprocessing, traceably stores (multiple) results in the output file, and allows for re-histogramming of previous optimizations. Besides analysis of large batches, it can also be integrated in automated data processing pipelines.
The live demonstration will show how to use the software, what its limitations are, and what outcomes can look like for batches of results.
Elemental composition and thickness determination of thin films by electron probe microanalysis
(2023)
Electron probe microanalysis (EPMA) applies to solid samples of homogenous (bulk) chemical composition and can usually not be applied to structures which are inhomogeneous in the micrometer range such as thin film systems down to a few nm. However, in combination with the established thin film software Stratagem, the thickness as well as the elemental composition of thin films on a substrate can be determined. This has been recently successfully demonstrated for Fe-Ni on Si and Si-Ge on Al2O3 thin film systems. For both systems five samples of different elemental composition and a reference were produced and characterised by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), Rutherford backscattering (RBS), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) as reference values. Last year, a new and open-source thin film evaluation programme called BadgerFilm has been released. It can also be used to determine thin film composition and thickness from intensity ratios of the unknown sample and standards (k-ratios). In this contribution, we reevaluated the data acquired for the Fe-Ni and Si-Ge systems using the BadgerFilm software package and compared the obtained elemental compositions and thickness values with the results of the Stratagem software and the reference methods. The conclusion is that the BadgerFilm software shows good agreement with the elemental composition and thickness calculated by Stratagem (mostly <2% for both composition and thickness) and with the reference values for two representative thin film systems (<1%–2% for composition and <10%–20% for thickness).
The complex nature of liquid water saturation of polymer electrolyte fuel cell (PEFC) catalyst layers (CLs) greatly affects the device performance. To investigate this problem, we present a method to quantify the presence of liquid water in a PEFC CL using small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS). This method leverages the differences in electron densities between the solid catalyst matrix and the liquid water filled pores of the CL under both dry and wet conditions. This approach is validated using ex situ wetting experiments, which aid the study of the transient saturation of a CL in a flow cell configuration in situ. The azimuthally integrated scattering data are fitted using 3D morphology models of the CL under dry conditions. Different wetting scenarios are realized in silico, and the corresponding SAXS data are numerically simulated by a direct 3D Fourier transformation. The simulated SAXS profiles of the different wetting scenarios are used to interpret the measured SAXS data which allows the derivation of the most probable wetting mechanism within a flow cell electrode.
Laser-induced periodic surface structures (LIPSS) have gained remarkable attention as they represent a universal phenomenon that is often accompanying laser-processing. Such LIPSS enable a plethora of different surface functionalizations for applications in the fields of optics, fluidics, tribology, or medicine. Due to the inherent multiscale nature of processes involved in LIPSS formation, their in-situ observation requires experimental techniques that combine high temporal resolution with the appropriate spatial resolution. In this respect fourth generation light sources, namely short wavelength, short pulse free electron lasers (FELs) are offering new and fascinating possibilities. This work contribution will discuss the results of scattering experiments carried at the FLASH free electron laser at DESY (Hamburg, Germany), which allowed us to resolve laser-induced structure formation at surfaces on the nm to sub-µm length scale and in temporal regimes ranging from ps to several ns with sub-ps resolution. A ps-optical pump / fs-XUV scattering probe scheme was employed to 100 nm thick laser-excited silicon films, while recording snapshots of the transmitted XUV scattering patterns at various delay times after the laser pulse impact. On timescales ranging from hundred ps until several ns almost quantitative agreement was observed between certain features of the recorded scattering patterns and predictions of the first-principles theory of J.E. Sipe and coworkers. Other scattering features appearing with a delay of ~100 ps and lasting for ~1 ns are attributed to capillary surface waves being excited at the laser-melted film material while ablation proceeds. Our superior spatio-temporal resolution experiments allow to uniquely reveal and distinguish early signatures of coherent/plasmonic electromagnetic scattering effects, separately followed by hydrodynamic matter reorganization.
While the synthesis of Metal-Organic Framework (MOF) particles can be as easy as adding two solutions together, reproducibly obtaining the same particles, time and time again, is a lot harder. As laboratory-independent reproducibility is a cornerstone of the scientific method, we must put effort into finding and controlling all necessary parameters to achieve this.
An open-source Python/EPICS-controlled robotic platform (see picture) was adapted to systematically explore this for a 20 ml MOF synthesis of the Zeolitic Imidazole Framework-8 (ZIF-8) chemistry in methanol. Parameters that were explored included: 1) addition sequence, 2) addition speeds, 3) reaction times, 4) source chemicals, 5) stirring speeds, 6) stirring bar choice, 7) starting concentrations, and 8) workup methodologies. It was found that, by controlling these parameters, highly reproducible syntheses are obtained. Secondly, the variation of these parameters alone led to a dramatic difference in volume-weighted particle size means, which exceeds an order of magnitude as investigated by our in-house X-ray scattering instrument [1].
The syntheses are thoroughly documented in an automated fashion, and the synthesis libraries as well as analyses libraries will become available in batches soon. With this library, it will be possible to extract previously unknown correlations, and other laboratories can produce specific particles by following the exact procedures of the particles of their choice.
The growth kinetics of the adsorbed layer of poly(2-vinylpiridine) on silicon oxide is studied using a leaching technique which is based on the Guiselin brushes approach. The adsorbed layer is grown from a 200 nm thick P2VP film for several annealing time periods at different annealing temperatures. Then the film is solvent-leached, and the height of the remaining adsorbed layer is measured by atomic force microscopy. At the lowest annealing temperature only a linear growth regime is observed, followed by a plateau. Here, the molecular mobility of segments is too low to allow for a logarithmic growth. At higher annealing temperatures, both linear and logarithmic growth regimes are observed, followed by a plateau. At even higher annealing temperatures, the growth kinetics of the adsorbed layer changes.
A linear growth followed by logarithmic growth kinetics is observed for short annealing time periods. For longer annealing time periods, an upturn of the growth kinetics is observed. At the highest annealing temperature, only a logarithmic growth regime is found. The change in the growth kinetics is discussed by an alteration in the structure of the adsorbed layer. Moreover, the interaction between the polymer segments and the substrate becomes weaker due to both enthalpic and entropic effects. Therefore, at high annealing temperatures the polymer segments might more easily desorb from the substrate.
This paper reports a systematic study into the effect of nitrogen on iron-catalyzed graphitization of biomass. Chitin, chitosan, N-acetylglucosamine, gelatin and glycine were selected to represent nitrogen-rich saccharides and amino-acid/polypeptide biomass precursors. The materials were pyrolyzed with an iron catalyst to produce carbons with a wide range of chemical and structural features such as mesoporosity and nitrogen-doping. Many authors have reported the synthesis of nitrogen-doped carbons by pyrolysis and these have diverse applications. However, this is the first systematic study of how nitrogen affects pyrolysis of biomass and importantly the catalytic graphitization step. Our data demonstrates that nitrogen inhibits graphitization but that some nitrogen survives the catalytic graphitization process to become incorporated into various chemical environments in the carbon product.
The obvious benefits derived from the increasing use of engineered nano-, new, and advanced materials and associated products have to be weighed out by a governance process against their possible risks. Differences in risk perception (beliefs about potential harm) among stakeholders, in particular nonscientists, and low transparency of the underlying decision processes can lead to a lack of support and acceptance of nano-, new, and other advanced material enabled products. To integrate scientific outcomes with stakeholders needs, this work develops a new approach comprising a nine-level, stepwise categorization and guidance system entitled “Knowledge, Information, and Data Readiness Levels” (KaRLs), analogous to the NASA Technology Readiness Levels. The KaRL system assesses the type, extent, and usability of the available data, information, and knowledge and integrates the participation of relevant and interested stakeholders in a cocreation/codesign process to improve current risk assessment, communication, and governance. The novelty of the new system is to communicate and share all available and relevant elements on material related risks in a user/stakeholder-friendly, transparent, flexible, and holistic way and so stimulate reflection, awareness, communication, and a deeper understanding that ultimately enables the discursive process that is needed for the sustainable risk governance of new materials.
In the present paper we show an approach of measuring large numbers of nanoparticles in a single scan TKD. TiO2 anatase nanoparticles (NP) of bipyramidal shape were deposited on standard carbon grid used for TEM. The procedure used promoted formation of NP ‘monolayer’ islands with uniform distribution of NPs on the carbon surface which allowed mapping of large number of nanoparticles in the single island.
Collection of whole map covering ~2800 nanoparticles took nearly 20 minutes. Inverse pole figure color coded map indicates that the NPs are either lying on a {101} facet (within 10° range around perfect {101} parallel to the carbon surface orientation) on the carbon film or are lying on a {100} facet (within 10° range around the perfect {100} parallel to the carbon surface orientation). Very unlikely was the NP orientation standing on a {001} face. The NPs size distribution described as equivalent circle diameter (ECD) has been also evaluated and the mean NP ECD was 59 nm with standard deviation of 15 nm, i.e. in good agreement with electron microscopy or AFM results.
This study shows high potential of the technique for crystalline NPs analysis with respect to geometrical orientation of the particles on the substrate. With known orientation, the 3D dimensional characterisation of such non-spherical NPs becomes possible from 2D projection electron micrographs. Moreover, the NP size distribution can be easily extracted. Superior accuracies down to 1-2 nm are achievable. The approach is applicable also on thin lamellae extracted from particulate (or mesoporous) layers.
Photopolymer derived carbon grows in popularity, yet the range in available feature sizes is limited. Here we focus on expanding the field to low surface to volume ratio (SVR) structures. We describe a high temperature acrylic photopolymerizable precursor with FTIR and DSC and develop a thermal inert-gas treatment for producing architected carbon in the mm scale with SVR of 1.38 x10-3 μm-1. Based on TGA and MS, we distinguish two thermal regimes with activation energies of ~79 and 169 kJ mol-1, which we reason with mechanisms during the polymer’s morphologic conversion between 300 - 500 °C. The temperature range of the major dimensional shrinkage (300-440 °C, 50%) does not match the range of the largest alteration in elemental composition (440-600 °C, O/C 0.25-0.087%). The insights lead to an optimized thermal treatment with an initial ramp (2 °C min-1 to 350 °C), isothermal hold (14h), post hold ramp (0.5 °C min-1 to 440 °C) and final ramp (10 °C min-1 to 1000 °C). The resulting carbon structures are dimensionally stable, non-porous at the μm scale, and comprise an unprecedented variation in feature sizes (from mm to μm scale). The findings shall advance architected carbon to industrially relevant scales.
Following points are presented and discussed: i) nPSize as an EMPIR project on the nanoparticle size and shape distribution of (more) complex particles including sample preparation and machine learning approaches; ii) parallel development of ISO 21363 (PSSD by TEM), ISO 19749 (PSSD by SEM), ISO 22292 (3D TEM), ISO 52408 (NP Prep for AFM and EM), iii) VAMAS and pre-standardisation, TWA 34 „Nanoparticle Populations“ with two nPSize ILC projects P15 & P16 – results to be published and integrated in ISO 21363 (PSSD by TEM); iv) Remaining challenges: platelets, 2D materials (TiO2 and GR2M); v) Reference data sets as part of a complete Characterisation Workflow.
Electron probe microanalysis (EPMA)is a non-destructive technique which assumes a sample of homogenous (bulk) chemical composition and can, therefore, not be used for thin film samples. However, in combination with one of the possible thin film software packages, STRATAGEM, the thickness as well as the composition of such films on a substrate can be determined.
This has been demonstrated for FeNi on Si and SiGe on Al2O3 film systems. For both systems five samples with different elemental composition and a reference were produced and characterised by the Korean research institute KRISS using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), Rutherford backscattering (RBS), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM).
In 2021, a new and open source thin film evaluation programme called BADGERFILM has been released. It can also be used to determine thin film composition and thickness from intensity ratios of the unknown sample and standards (k-ratios).
In this contribution, we re-evaluated the data acquired for the FeNi and SiGe systems using the BADGERFILM software package and compared the resulting composition and thickness with the results of the established STRATAGEM software and other reference methods. With the current evaluation, the BADGERFILM software shows good agreement with the composition and thickness calculated by STRATAGEM and provided by the KRISS.
These results between two well-known layered material systems analysed with available conventional EMPA approaches (STRATAGEM and direct thickness measurement by TEM) and a new one (BADGERFILM) proves that reliable non-destructive thin film analysis is possible. In this way, we validate the performance of the new software, which is not at all self-explanatory for such
complex quantification algorithms lying behind the final quantified results.
(Pre)Standardisation and Metrology in Microbeam Analysis – Ongoing Activities and Opportunities
(2023)
The presentation addresses the current ongoing projects as well as the gaps and opportunities in microbeam analysis within ISO/TC 202 Microbeam Analysis standardisation body and in-liaison Technical Working Areas (TWAs) at the pre-standardization platform of VAMAS (Versailles Project on Advanced Materials and Standards).
The glass transition behavior of thin films of poly(bisphenol A carbonate) (PBAC) was studied employing ellipsometry. The glass transition temperature increases with the reduction of the film thickness. This result is attributed to the formation of an adsorbed layer with a reduced mobility compared to bulk PBAC. Therefore, for the first time, the growth kinetics of the adsorbed layer of PBAC was investigated, prepared by leaching samples from a 200 nm thin film which were annealed for several times at three different temperatures. The thickness of each prepared adsorbed layer was measured by multiple scans using atomic force microscopy (AFM). Additionally, an unannealed sample was measured. Comparison of the measurements of the unannealed and the annealed samples provides proof of a pre-growth regime for all annealing temperatures which was not observed for other polymers. For the lowest annealing temperature after the pre-growth stage only a growth regime with a linear time dependence is observed. For higher annealing temperatures the growth kinetics changes from a linear to a logarithmic growth regime at a critical time. At the longest annealing times the films showed signs of dewetting where segments of the adsorbed film were removed from the substrate (dewetting by desorption). The dependence of the surface roughness of the PBAC surface on annealing time also confirmed that the films annealed at highest temperatures for the longest times desorbed from the substrate.
Small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) can be used for structural de- termination of biological macromolecules and polymers in their na- tive states. To improve the reliability of such experiments, the re- duction of radiation damage occurring from exposure to X-rays is needed.One method, is the use of scavenger molecules that protect macromolecules against radicals produced by radiation exposure.In this study we investigate the feasibility to apply the compatible solute, osmolyte and radiation protector Ectoine (THP(B)) as a scavenger throughout SAXS measurements of single-stranded DNA-binding protein Gene-V Protein (G5P/GVP). Therefore we monitor the radiation induced changes of G5P during bio-SAXS. The resulting microscopic energy-damage relation was determined by particle scattering simu- lations with TOPAS/Geant4. The results are interpreted in terms of radical scavenging as well as post-irradiation effects, related to preferential-exclusion from the protein surface. Thus, Ectoine provides an non-disturbing way to improve structure-determination of proteins via bio-SAXS in future studies.
X-ray photoelectron-spectroscopy (XPS) allows simultaneous irradiation and damage monitoring. Although water radiolysis is essential for radiation damage, all previous XPS studies were performed in vacuum. Here we present near-ambient-pressure XPS experiments to directly measure DNA damage under water atmosphere. They permit in-situ monitoring of the effects of radicals on fully hydrated double-stranded DNA. Our results allow us to distinguish direct damage, by photons and secondary low-energy electrons (LEE), from damage by hydroxyl radicals or hydration induced modifications of damage pathways. The exposure of dry DNA to x-rays leads to strand-breaks at the sugar-phosphate backbone, while deoxyribose and nucleobases are less affected. In contrast, a strong increase of DNA damage is observed in water, where OH-radicals are produced. In consequence, base damage and base release become predominant, even though the number of strand-breaks increases further.
This study investigated the effect of incorporating three types of nanosilica (NS), two powders, and one colloidal suspension on the hydration, strength, and microstructure of calcium sulfoaluminate (CSA) cement pastes prepared with and without a superplasticizer (SP). X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and compressive strength tests were performed after 2, 5, and 28 days of hydration. The results showed that both NS powders delayed cement hydration at an early age, which was attributed to particle agglomeration (confirmed by dynamic light scattering). Whereas well-dispersed colloidal NS did not significantly affect the hydration of CSA at the investigated ages. SP incorporation improved the dispersion of CSA cement particles, resulting in a 10% increase in the degree of hydration of ye’elimite at 28 days for the system without NS. Conversely, when the SP was incorporated in NS-containing mixtures, it hindered cement hydration of the systems with powdered NS, but did not significantly affect the cement hydration of the system containing colloidal NS. The SEM images suggested that the SP changed the ettringite morphology, thereby negatively affecting the mechanical strength of the CSA pastes.
Inorganic nanocrystals with linear and nonlinear luminescence in the ultraviolet, visible, near infrared and short-wave infrared like semiconductor quantum dots and spectrally shifting lanthanide-based nanophosphors have meanwhile found many applications in the life and material sciences. This includes optical reporters for bioimaging and sensing, security and authentication barcodes, solid state lighting, converter materials, and photovoltaics. The identification of optimum particle structures requires quantitative spectroscopic studies under application-relevant conditions, focusing on the key performance parameter photoluminescence quantum yield, ideally flanked by single particle studies to assess spectroscopic inhomogeneities on a particle-to-particle level for typical preparation methods. In this context, methods to quantify the photoluminescence of these different nanoscale emitters are shown and utilized as a basis for a profound mechanistic understanding of the nonradiative deactivation pathways in semiconductor and upconversion nanocrystals of different size and particle architecture in different environments. Exemplary for the application potential of such nanomaterials, in addition, the design of optical sensors from different nanomaterials and functional organic dyes is briefly summarized.
Photodynamic therapy (PDT) used for treating cancer relies on the generation of highly reactive oxygen species, for example, singlet oxygen 1O2, by light-induced excitation of a photosensitizer (PS) in the presence of molecular oxygen, inducing DNA damage in close proximity of the PS. Although many precious metal complexes have been explored as PS for PDT and received clinical approval, only recently, the potential of photoactive complexes of nonnoble metals as PS has been discovered. Using the DNA origami technology that can absolutely quantify DNA strand break cross sections, we assessed the potential of the luminescent transition metal complex [Cr(ddpd)2]3+ (ddpd=N,N’-dimethyl-N,N’-dipyridine-2-ylpyridine-2,6-diamine) to damage DNA in an air-saturated aqueous environment upon UV/Vis illumination. The quantum yield for strand breakage, that is, the ratio of DNA strand breaks to the number of absorbed photons, was determined to 1–4%, indicating efficient transformation of photons into DNA strand breaks by [Cr(ddpd)2]3+.
Suppressed Transition and Dynamic self-asembly of ionic superdiscs in cylindrical nanochannels
(2023)
Liquid crystalline mesophases in nanoconfinement exhibit intriguing phase transition behaviors and relaxation dynamics. Here, we investigate the molecular mobility and electrical conductivity of a columnar ionic liquid crystal confined in self-ordered nanoporous alumina oxide membranes of pore size ranging from 180 nm down to 25 nm. We use nano-broadband dielectric spectroscopy (BDS) and calorimetry to study the dynamics and phase behavior. Calorimetric investigation reveals a complete suppression of the columnar – isotropic transition, while the plastic crystalline – columnar transition temperature decreases with inverse pore size and deviates from the Gibbs – Thomson equation.
For the bulk case, BDS detects two relaxation modes in the crystalline phase, the γ relaxation and the α1 relaxation, and two relaxation modes in the columnar phase, the α2 and α3 relaxation. All relaxation modes slow down for the confined case compared to the bulk. However, a new relaxation mode reflecting the interfacial layer emerges for the 80 and 25 nm. We discuss the possible molecular origins of the different relaxation modes observed. For the bulk ILC, a clear jump of 4 orders of magnitude in the absolute values of DC conductivity occurs at the transition from the plastic crystalline to hexagonal columnar phase, for the confined ILC, this transition is smooth. DC conductivity is reduced for the confined case, except for the 25nm, where the values are similar to the bulk.
Suppressed Transition and Dynamic self-asembly of ionic superdiscs in cylindrical nanochannels
(2023)
Liquid crystalline mesophases in nanoconfinement exhibit intriguing phase transition behaviors and relaxation dynamics. Here, we investigate the molecular mobility and electrical conductivity of a columnar ionic liquid crystal confined in self-ordered nanoporous alumina oxide membranes of pore size ranging from 180 nm down to 25 nm. We use nano-broadband dielectric spectroscopy (BDS) and calorimetry to study the dynamics and phase behavior. Calorimetric investigation reveals a complete suppression of the columnar – isotropic transition, while the plastic crystalline – columnar transition temperature decreases with inverse pore size and deviates from the Gibbs – Thomson equation.
For the bulk case, BDS detects two relaxation modes in the crystalline phase, the γ relaxation and the α1 relaxation, and two relaxation modes in the columnar phase, the α2 and α3 relaxation. All relaxation modes slow down for the confined case compared to the bulk. However, a new relaxation mode reflecting the interfacial layer emerges for the 80 and 25 nm. We discuss the possible molecular origins of the different relaxation modes observed. For the bulk ILC, a clear jump of 4 orders of magnitude in the absolute values of DC conductivity occurs at the transition from the plastic crystalline to hexagonal columnar phase, for the confined ILC, this transition is smooth. DC conductivity is reduced for the confined case, except for the 25nm, where the values are similar to the bulk.
Ionic Liquid Crystals (ILCs) are emerging class of materials that combine the properties of liquid crystals with the ionic conduction similar to ionic liquids. It’s known that liquid crystals exhibit intriguing properties when confined and are of importance from both fundamental and technological perspective. Here, we study the molecular dynamics and electrical conductivity of a homologous series of Dopamine (DOPA) based ILCs, ILCn (n = 12,14,16) confined in self ordered nanoporous alumina oxide membrane of 180 nm pore size using Broadband Dielectric Spectroscopy (BDS). We aim to understand how the alkyl chain length and confinement influence the dynamics in this system.
In the bulk, for all ILCs, we observe two relaxation modes in the crystalline phase, the and α1 relaxation respectively, and one relaxation mode in the columnar phase, the α2 relaxation, but for ILC16, where two relaxation modes (α2 and α3) are detected in the columnar phase.
For the confined case, all relaxation processes slowdown compared to the bulk. For ILC16, the α1 relaxation is completely suppressed. For all ILCs, the absolute values of DC conductivity are reduced by some three orders of magnitude. We discuss in detail the possible molecular origin of the relaxation processes and the charge transport in this system.
We report the dielectric and calorimetric investigations of an homologous series of Janus polynorbornenes with rigid main backbone and flexible -Si(OR)3 side groups, of differing length alkyl chains (R = Propyl, Butyl, Hexyl, Octyl, Decyl). Dielectric dispersion reveals two active processes at low temperatures, denoted as β- and α- relaxation. The former can be assigned to localized fluctuations, whilst the latter relates to the glassy dynamics of the flexible -Si(OR)3 side groups, that creates a nanophase separation in both the alkyl chain rich and backbone rich domains. Temperature modulated DSC measurements and X-ray scattering experiment confirm the nanophase separation. Fast Scanning Calorimetry employing both fast heating and cooling rates detects the glass transition temperatures of the backbone rich domains, which are beyond or near to their degradation temperatures in terms of conventional DSC. The cooperative length scale of glass transition and the size of the alkyl chain rich domains increases with chain length. Alongside these results, a significant conductivity contribution was observed for all Poly(tricyclononenes) with Si(OR)3 side groups, which is interpreted in terms of a percolation model.
Ionic Liquid Crystals (ILCs) are materials that combine the properties of liquid crystals together with ionic conduction. It is known that liquid crystal mesophases in confinement exhibit anomalous dynamics and phase behavior. However, similar studies about factors that control the macroscopic properties of ILCs in confinement are limited. Here, Broadband Dielectric Spectroscopy (BDS), X-ray scattering, and calorimetry were applied to study the molecular dynamics, and phase behavior of a guanidinium based columnar ionic liquid crystal confined in self-ordered alumina oxide nanopores of pore sizes ranging from 180 nm down to 25 nm. It is aimed to understand how pore size and pore surface wettability (hydrophilic or hydrophobic) influence the molecular dynamics, and phase behavior for this system which are crucial for applications. The DSC measurements show: (i) the crystalline-liquid crystalline transition temperature has non-monotonic dependence on inverse pore diameter and (ii) the liquid crystalline-isotropic transition is completely suppressed for all the confined samples. This thermally suppressed transition was detected by BDS and X-ray scattering and is considered as a continuous phase transition instead of a discontinuous first order transition. BDS investigations reveal several relaxation processes for the bulk and confined scenarios. The relaxation modes are suppressed and become slower for the confined scenarios compared to the bulk. Possible molecular origins for these relaxation processes are discussed, and it is shown that the self-assembly of these ILCs is dynamic in nature.
Accessing radiation damage to biomolecules on the nanoscale by particle-scattering simulations
(2023)
Radiation damage to DNA plays a central role in radiation therapy to cure cancer. The physico-chemical and biological processes involved encompass huge time and spatial scales. To obtain a comprehensive understanding on the nano and the macro scale is a very challenging tasks for experimental techniques alone. Therefore particle-scattering simulations are often applied to complement measurements and aide their interpretation, to help in the planning of experiments, to predict their outcome and to test damage models. In the last years, powerful multipurpose particle-scattering framework based on the Monte-Carlo simulation (MCS) method, such as Geant4 and Geant4-DNA, were extended by user friendly interfaces such as TOPAS and TOPAS-nBio. This shifts their applicability from the realm of dedicated specialists to a broader range of scientists. In the present review we aim to give an overview over MCS based approaches to understand radiation interaction on a broad scale, ranging from cancerous tissue, cells and their organelles including the nucleus, mitochondria and membranes, over radiosensitizer such as metallic nanoparticles, and water with additional radical scavenger, down to isolated biomolecules in the form of DNA, RNA, proteins and DNA-protein complexes. Hereby the degradation of biomolecules by direct damage from inelastic scattering processes during the physical stage, and the indirect damage caused by radicals during the chemical stage as well as some parts of the early biological response is covered. Due to their high abundance the action of hydroxyl radicals (•OH) and secondary low energy electrons (LEE) as well as prehydrated electrons are covered in additional detail. Applications in the prediction of DNA damage, DNA repair processes, cell survival and apoptosis, influence of radiosensitizer on the dose distribution within cells and their organelles, the study of linear energy transfer (LET), the relative biological effectiveness (RBE), ion beam cancer therapy, microbeam radiation therapy (MRT), the FLASH effect, and the radiation induced bystander effect are reviewed.
Irradiation of solid surfaces with intense ultrashort laser pulses represents a unique way of depositing energy into materials. It allows to realize states of extreme electronic excitation and/or very high temperature and pressure and to drive materials close to and beyond fundamental stability limits. As a consequence, structural changes and phase transitions often occur along unusual pathways and under strongly nonequilibrium conditions. Due to the inherent multiscale nature—both temporally and spatially—of these irreversible processes, their direct experimental observation requires techniques that combine high temporal resolution with the appropriate spatial resolution and the capability to obtain good quality data on a single pulse/event basis. In this respect, fourth-generation light sources, namely, short wavelength and short pulse free electron lasers (FELs), are offering new and fascinating possibilities. As an example, this chapter will discuss the results of scattering experiments carried out at the FLASH free electron laser at DESY (Hamburg, Germany), which allowed us to resolve laser-induced structure formation at surfaces on the nanometer to submicron length scale and in temporal regimes ranging from picoseconds to several nanoseconds with sub-picosecond resolution.
Surface nanostructures provide the possibility to create and tailor surface functionalities mainly via controlling their topography along with other chemical and physical material properties. One of the most appealing technologies for surface functionalization via micro- and nanostructuring is based on laser processing. This can be done either via direct contour-shaping of the irradiated material using a tightly focused laser beam or in a self-ordered way that allows employing larger laser beam diameters along with areal scanning to create a variety of laser-induced periodic surface structures (LIPSS). For the latter approach, particularly ultrashort pulsed lasers have recently pushed the borders across long-lasting limitations regarding the minimum achievable feature sizes and additionally boosted up the production times. This chapter reviews the plethora of recently investigated applications of LIPSS—for example, via imposing diffractive or plasmonic structural colors, the management of liquids and surface wetting properties, biomedical and bioinspired functionalities, beneficial effects in tribology for reducing friction and wear, the manipulation of optical scattering and absorption in photovoltaics, or the modification of magnetic or superconducting surface properties in other energy applications. The footprint of the LIPSS-based technology is explored in detail regarding the current state of industrialization, including an analysis of the market and associated LIPSS production costs.
Long seen as “a solution seeking a problem,” laser pulses are nowadays – more than 60 years after their first practical demonstration – paramount in shaping and structuring matter. Harnessing their capabilities to direct intense beams of light, the number of scientific and technological developments and daily-life applications is continuously increasing. Today, the presence of lasers is ubiquitous in all sites of scientific and technological interest, from the most advanced research laboratories to industrial factories and medical hospitals.
The directionality of the laser beam determines equally a local character on lightmatter interaction and as such a local modification to a material target. Furthermore, the coherence of laser radiation enables near-field or far-field scattering and interference effects that widen significantly the capabilities of controlling and tracking laser-matter interactions in space and time. Already with the advent of lasers, powerful beams of light have been directed at solid materials for a variety of purposes, making this application as old as the laser itself. The roots of the major applications for laser structuring were developed already in the 1960s, setting the base of both theoretical and experimental studies on laser ablation, with the number of publications expanding explosively during the next decades.
Within this dynamic context, laser processing of materials experienced an impressive development over the years. Laser processing means specifically the capability to structure and tailor a material on its surface or even within its volume, rendering new functions and properties that are impacting the mechanical, electrical, or optical characteristics of the material. These properties are scaledependent, generating thus over the years an equally impressive quest for spatial or temporal resolution. Therefore, the developments in laser engineering with major breakthroughs, notably in pulse duration and power, always closely accompanied the efforts in material structuring with two milestones in sight: (1) yield and (2) resolution. Every step in shrinking the laser pulse duration led to a subsequent strong-impact development in process precision – particularly when the ultrashort pulse durations surpassed the fundamental electron-phonon relaxation times. Thus, minimizing heat diffusion, the advent of pulses with duration smaller than molecular or lattice vibration times has managed to confine the spatial resolution to the optical diffraction limit and sometimes even beyond. The nanoscale was already in sight at the turn of the millennium. An important question may be raised now; is there any fundamental limit in the processing resolution, a barrier defined by the intrinsic properties of light and matter? The answer has an inherently multidisciplinary nature, following the conversion of free-propagating electromagnetic radiation into
material-confined energy potentially usable to drive or transform matter, and will be the focus of the present book.
Relying on the experience and expertise of the leading researchers in the field, the present book intends to explore the current efforts in achieving laser processing resolution beyond the diffraction limit, laying down a perspective towards extreme laser nanostructuring. Following the most recent advances and developments, it puts forward a concept of extreme processing scales enabled by optical pulses that are able to bypass diffraction limits and achieve structuring characteristic scales beyond 100 nm. This objective can be achieved by a comprehensive understanding on how light can change matter and how, in turn, matter can change light, allowing jointly for actively controlling light and material processes. In order to give an extended perspective on the current state-of-the-art in the field of precision laser structuring, the book is divided into three main parts.
The first part of the book (Part I: Fundamental Processes) offers a perspective into the fundamentals of laser-matter interaction on extreme spatial scales, with a description of the most advanced modeling efforts in understanding energy deposition in matter, a plethora of material-relaxation pathways, as well as advanced concepts for probing and observing matter in motion. Roadmaps for energy localization will be developed, and the atomistic perspective of laser ablation visualized. Theoretical modelling enables in-depth insights on ultrafast quantum processes at the nanoscale. Laser-driven self-organization at surfaces will be dissected regarding the question of how light drives material periodic patterns down to the nanoscale, explored and transmitted to its ultimate limits of an atomic printer, and immediately complemented by the unprecedented capabilities of ultrafast in-situ observation approaches for tracking the laser-induced material response with extreme spatial and temporal resolution.
In the second part of the book (Part II: Concepts of Extreme Nanostructuring), distinct concepts will be developed and explored that allow confinement of light and harnessing of a material response restricted to nano- or mesoscopic scales at surfaces or in the volume of irradiated materials. A special focus will be on optical near-field related approaches for localizing light on scales even below the optical diffraction limit and plasmonic printing. Spatial and temporal beam-shaping and tailored interference techniques are discussed in the context of ultrashort laser pulses, and insights into some extreme states of matter realized by the tight confinement of laser energy are presented. The ultimate limits of writing waveguides in the bulk of dielectrics and for manifesting 3D-nanolithography are elucidated. Plasma-based surface treatments can significantly enhance the vertical precision of surface processing through etching processes.
Finally, the third part of the book (Part III: Applications) leads us to a number of resuming applications, unveiling the tremendous capabilities of surface functionalization through laser micro- and nanostructuring, assessing the 3D-writing of waveguides in the bulk of dielectrics or semiconductors for enabling new branches of integrated photonics, and summarizing related applications ranging from nanophotonics to nanofluidics and from optical sensing to biomedical applications, including the latest capabilities of refractive eye surgery. This part will analyze the applications’ compatibility in yield and reproducibility with current industrial requirements, costs, and intellectual property aspects. It expands the involved spatial scales by more than eight orders of magnitude, when extending extremely small structures featuring sizes of few tens of nanometers to larger dimensions in the meter range.
Thus, from surfaces to the bulk, from subtractive to additive manufacturing approaches, from advanced theoretical frames to practical technological processes – we invite the readers here to an exciting journey into the varicolored landscape of extreme laser nanostructuring.
The idea of this book project was seeded in early 2020. We were delighted about the numerous and extremely positive responses from the laser-processing community, quickly receiving commitments for more than 30 individual book chapters. About 2500 communications later, the book is published. We would like to thank all authors of this book project for their insightful and detailed chapters, reviewing and reporting on this fascinating topic of the pursuit of extreme scales in ultrafast laser nanostructuring. Moreover, we would like to acknowledge the professional help and guidance of the staff of Springer Nature. Finally, we hope you will enjoy reading this book as much as we have enjoyed putting it together.
Saint Etienne, France Razvan Stoian
Berlin, Germany Jörn Bonse
December 2022
Today there are hundreds of products available containing silver in form of nanoparticles, so-called nanosilver. This situation and the foreseeable future growing market of nanosilver will supposedly cause an increased release of silver into the environment. In this way, silver can be also incorporated into the human body and accumulated in different organs, which can be toxic or at least an unknown risk to human health. For these reasons, it is important to constantly study materials containing silver nanoparticles, their production, application in products and technical processes, dissemination of silver nanoparticles in the environment, and effects on humans and nature. The state-of-the-art nanoparticle size and concentration characterization are illustrated in an extensive interlaboratory comparison. To guarantee the traceability of measurements and to secure the comparison of results of different analytical methods, reference materials (RM) and certified reference materials (CRM) are essential. As a case study, the objective of the presented project was to provide an aqueous suspension of silver nanoparticles as a reference material with a nominal diameter below 10 nm for application in the determination of the size and concentration of nanoparticles in an aqueous surrounding. Measurands are the particles’ diameter D, size distribution width σ, number density N, and concentration c. Target uncertainties, defined as one sigma of the measurand values, are 5% for D, 10% for σ, 20% for N, and 20% for c. The certification was carried out based on ISO 17867 and the relevant ISO-Guides to produce reference material. The process of using SAXS as a reliable method for testing homogeneity and short-term and long-term stability of the material is reported. The particle preparation is described in detail so that the user can carry out the steps of synthesis and characterization in his own laboratory if required. Optionally, one can also contact the author for the provision of the silver nanoparticles. Detailed information can be found elsewhere (BAM Certification Reports, BAM-N008 (2022)).
Interactions between a polymer and a substrate interface play a vital role in understanding the improvement in thin film material properties as well as serving as a model for nanocomposites. For any non-repulsive polymer-substrate interactions, polymer segments form an irreversibly adsorbed layer and show a slowdown in the glassy dynamics and thus an increase in the thermal glass transition temperature compared to the bulk-like values. The growth kinetics of the adsorbed layer obey a two-step mechanism: formation of immobilized layer with flat segmental conformations and a loosely bound layer with stretched chains pinned to the surface. Here the adsorbed layer was studied for: poly (bisphenol-A carbonate) (PBAC) and polysulfone (PSU), two bulky polymers containing a functional group (phenyl ring) in the backbone and compared to poly (2-vinyl pyridine) (P2VP), where the backbone is a vinyl-derivative and the functional group (pyridine) is in the side chain. The growth kinetics for PBAC and PSU were found to deviate from the well-known mechanism, observed for polymers such as P2VP. Atomic force microscopy and ellipsometry were used for this investigation and was additionally supported by broadband dielectric spectroscopy.
An overview on the VAMAS technical working areas (TWA) and projects where Germany is active has been given. The role of VAMAS as an international pre-standardisation platform, including its intense collaboration with international bodies ISO, CEN, OECD and CCQM and national organizations like DIN has been highlighted.
The cowpea chlorotic mottle virus (CCMV) is a plant virus explored as a nanotechnological platform. The robust self-assembly mechanism of its capsid protein allows for drug encapsulation and targeted delivery. Additionally, the capsid nanoparticle can be used as a programmable platform to display different molecular moieties. In view of future applications, efficient production and purification of plant viruses are key steps. In established protocols, the need for ultracentrifugation is a significant limitation due to cost, difficult scalability, and safety issues. In addition, the purity of the final virus isolate often remains unclear. Here, an advanced protocol for the purification of the CCMV from infected plant tissue was developed, focusing on efficiency, economy, and final purity. The protocol involves precipitation with PEG 8000, followed by affinity extraction using a novel peptide aptamer. The efficiency of the protocol was validated using size exclusion chromatography, MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry, reversed-phase HPLC, and sandwich immunoassay. Furthermore, it was demonstrated that the final eluate of the affinity column is of exceptional purity (98.4%) determined by HPLC and detection at 220 nm. The scale-up of our proposed method seems to be straightforward, which opens the way to the large-scale production of such nanomaterials. This highly improved protocol may facilitate the use and implementation of plant viruses as nanotechnological platforms for in vitro and in vivo applications.
Dose enhancement by gold nanoparticles (AuNP) increases the biological effectiveness of radiation damage in biomolecules and tissue.
To apply them effectively during cancer therapy their influence on the locally delivered dose has to be determined. Hereby, the AuNP locations strongly influence the energy deposit in the nucleus, mitochondria, membrane and the cytosol of the targeted cells. In this work, two newly developed continuous and discrete-geometric models for simulations of AuNP in cells are presented. We apply the presented models in Monte-Carlo particle scattering simulations to characterize the energy deposit in cell organelles by radioactive 198AuNP. They emit beta and gamma rays and are therefore considered for applications
with solid tumors. Differences in local dose enhancement between randomly distributed and nucleus targeted nanoparticles are compared.
Hereby nucleus targeted nanoparticels showed a strong local dose enhancement in the radio sensitive nucleus.
This talk highlights a proof-of-concept that demonstrates the ability to calculate high-resolution Fourier transforms. These can be combined with multi-scale modeling to simulate scattering over a wide range, from small-angle scattering to XRD and PDF.
The preprint documenting this is available on the ArXiv here:
https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2303.13435
The Jupyter notebook, VASP calculation details and MOUSE measured scattering patterns are available from this Zenodo repository: https://dx.doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.7764045
## Summary:
This notebook and associated datasets (including VASP details) accompany a manuscript available on the ArXiv (https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2303.13435) and hopefully soon in a journal as short communication as well. Most of the details needed to understand this notebook are explained in that paper with the same title as above. For convenience, the abstract is repeated here:
## Paper abstract:
We demonstrate a strategy for simulating wide-range X-ray scattering patterns, which spans the small- and wide scattering angles as well as the scattering angles typically used for Pair Distribution Function (PDF) analysis. Such simulated patterns can be used to test holistic analysis models, and, since the diffraction intensity is presented coupled to the scattering intensity, may offer a novel pathway for determining the degree of crystallinity.
The ``Ultima Ratio'' strategy is demonstrated on a 64-nm Metal Organic Framework (MOF) particle, calculated from $Q<0.01$\,$\mathrm{nm}^{-1}$ up to $Q\approx150$\,$\mathrm{nm}^{-1}$, with a resolution of 0.16\,\AA. The computations exploit a modified 3D Fast Fourier Transform (3D-FFT), whose modifications enable the transformations of matrices at least up to $8000^3$ voxels in size. Multiple of these modified 3D-FFTs are combined to improve the low-$Q$ behaviour.
The resulting curve is compared to a wide-range scattering pattern measured on a polydisperse MOF powder.
While computationally intensive, the approach is expected to be useful for simulating scattering from a wide range of realistic, complex structures, from (poly-)crystalline particles to hierarchical, multicomponent structures such as viruses and catalysts.
The progress of the VAMAS Project 16 "Measurement of (relative) number concentration of bimodal silica nanoparticles including deposition from liquid suspension" in TWA 34 Nanoparticle Populations is presented. Follwowing points are discusssed:
- Validate the performance of imaging methods to measure the relative number concentration
• electron microscopy (SEM, TEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM)
• two modes of bimodal (30 and 60 nm) silica nanoparticles
- Validate the performance of small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) for the traceable measurement of the number concentration of the two modes.
The progress in the VAMAS Project #15" Measurement of particle size and shape distribution of bipyramidal titania including deposition from liquid suspension" within TWA 34 Nanoparticle Populations is presented with highlight of the following points:
- Determine and compare particle size and shape distribution by means of:
• electron microscopy (SEM, TEM, STEM-in-SEM)
• atomic force microscopy (AFM)
• small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS)
- Determine uncertainty induced by deposition protocol from liquid suspension with comparison to known values from a prior ILC with already deposited nanoparticles on TEM grids.
- Provide comparative validation of protocols for the techniques other than TEM.
Die Bestimmung der Nanopartikelgrößen- und -formverteilung nach OECD TG 125 mit der Transmission and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM/TEM) wird punktuell vorgestellt:
- Generelles Messprinzip
- Beispiele
- Korrelative Mikroskopie
- Welchen Durchmesser misst die Methode?
- Welche Partikel kann diese Methode messen?
- Welche Informationen kann diese Methode liefern?
- Wo stößt die Methode an ihre Grenzen?
- Implementierung und Datenauswertung,
- Reporting.
Anschließend wurde eine Q&A-Session für die Imaging-Methoden organisiert.
A broad range of inorganic nanoparticles (NPs) and their dissolved ions possess a possible toxicological risk for human health and the environment. Reliable and robust measurements of dissolution effects may be influenced by the sample matrix, which challenges the analytical method of choice. In this study, CuO NPs were investigated in several dissolution experiments. Two analytical techniques (dynamic light scattering (DLS) and inductively-coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS)) were used to characterize NPs (size distribution curves) time-dependently in different complex matrices (e.g., artificial lung lining fluids and cell culture media). The advantages and challenges of each analytical approach are evaluated and discussed. Additionally, a direct-injection single particle (DI sp)ICP-MS technique for assessing the size distribution curve of the dissolved particles was developed and evaluated. The DI technique provides a sensitive response even at low concentrations without any dilution of the complex sample matrix. These experiments were further enhanced with an automated data evaluation procedure to objectively distinguish between ionic and NP events.
With this approach, a fast and reproducible determination of inorganic NPs and ionic backgrounds can be achieved. This study can serve as guidance when choosing the optimal analytical method for NP characterization and for the determination of the origin of an adverse effect in NP toxicity.
We demonstrate a strategy for simulating wide-range X-ray scattering patterns, which spans the small- and wide scattering angles as well as the scattering angles typically used for Pair Distribution Function (PDF) analysis. Such simulated patterns can be used to test holistic analysis models, and, since the diffraction intensity is on the same scale as the scattering intensity, may offer a novel pathway for determining the degree of crystallinity.
The "Ultima Ratio" strategy is demonstrated on a 64-nm Metal Organic Framework (MOF) particle, calculated from Q < 0.01 1/nm up to Q < 150 1/nm, with a resolution of 0.16 Angstrom. The computations exploit a modified 3D Fast Fourier Transform (3D-FFT), whose modifications enable the transformations of matrices at least up to 8000^3 voxels in size. Multiple of these modified 3D-FFTs are combined to improve the low-Q behaviour. The resulting curve is compared to a wide-range scattering pattern measured on a polydisperse MOF powder. While computationally intensive, the approach is expected to be useful for simulating scattering from a wide range of realistic, complex structures, from (poly-)crystalline particles to hierarchical, multicomponent structures such as viruses and catalysts.
The investigations into the complicated effects of film thickness on bulk properties of thin polymer films has yielded conflicting results. The reduction in molecular mobility, and with it an increase in the glass transition temperature, for thin films of poly (bisphenol A carbonate) (PBAC) was assigned to the formation of an adsorbed layer. The adsorbed layer was obtained by washing away the loosely bounded chains using a good solvent. Next, using atomic force microscopy (AFM), the thickness of each sample was measured after annealing for various times at three different annealing temperatures. The growth of this adsorbed layer was shown to deviate from the previously reported 2-step mechanism seen for other polymers. For PBAC, after very long annealing times at high temperatures the thin films were dewetted, where segments of the adsorbed layer were removed from the substrate.
The study described in this paper was conducted in the framework of the European nPSize project (EMPIR program) with the main objective of proposing new reference certified nanomaterials for the market in order to improve the reliability and traceability of nanoparticle size measurements. For this purpose, bimodal populations as well as complexly shaped nanoparticles (bipyramids, cubes, and rods) were synthesized. An inter-laboratory comparison was organized for comparing the size measurements of the selected nanoparticle samples performed with electron microscopy (TEM, SEM, and TSEM), scanning probe microscopy (AFM), or small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS). The results demonstrate good consistency of the measured size by the different techniques in cases where special care was taken for sample preparation, instrument calibration, and the clear definition of the measurand. For each characterization method, the calibration process is described and a semi-quantitative table grouping the main error sources is proposed for estimating the uncertainties associated with the measurements. Regarding microscopy-based techniques applied to complexly shaped nanoparticles, data dispersion can be observed when the size measurements are affected by the orientation of the nanoparticles on the substrate. For the most complex materials, hybrid approaches combining several complementary techniques were tested, with the outcome being that the reliability of the size results was improved.