Small MethodsPub Date : 2025-06-22DOI: 10.1002/smtd.202570037
Young Min Kim, Keonwook Nam, Hee Yeon Kim, Kyungjik Yang, Byeong-Su Kim, Dan Luo, Young Hoon Roh
{"title":"Multifunctional DNA-Metal Nanohybrids Derived From DNA-MgPPi Microhybrids by Rolling Circle Amplification (Small Methods 6/2025)","authors":"Young Min Kim, Keonwook Nam, Hee Yeon Kim, Kyungjik Yang, Byeong-Su Kim, Dan Luo, Young Hoon Roh","doi":"10.1002/smtd.202570037","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/smtd.202570037","url":null,"abstract":"<p><b>Front Cover</b></p><p>In article number 2401881, Luo, Roh, and co-workers introduce a metal ion-driven reconfiguration of DNA-MgPPi microhybrids into DNA-Au nanohybrids. These nanohybrids exhibit metal nanoparticle-based near-infrared absorbance and DNA aptamer-mediated targeted intracellular delivery, highlighting the successful integration of functional organic-inorganic molecules. This novel synthetic approach holds promise for a broad range of bio-related applications.\u0000\u0000 <figure>\u0000 <div><picture>\u0000 <source></source></picture><p></p>\u0000 </div>\u0000 </figure></p>","PeriodicalId":229,"journal":{"name":"Small Methods","volume":"9 6","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":10.7,"publicationDate":"2025-06-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/smtd.202570037","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144339497","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Ferroelectric Domains and Evolution Dynamics in Twisted CuInP<sub>2</sub>S<sub>6</sub> Bilayers.","authors":"Dongyu Bai, Junxian Liu, Yihan Nie, Yuantong Gu, Dongchen Qi, Arkady Krasheninnikov, Liangzhi Kou","doi":"10.1002/smtd.202500683","DOIUrl":"10.1002/smtd.202500683","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Polar domains and their manipulation-particularly the creation and dynamic control-have garnered significant attention, owing to their rich physics and promising applications in digital memory devices. In this work, using density functional theory (DFT) and deep learning molecular dynamics (DLMD) simulations, it is demonstrated that polar domains can be created and manipulated in twisted bilayers of ferroelectric CuInP<sub>2</sub>S<sub>6</sub>, as a result of interfacial ferroelectric (antiferroelectric) coupling in AA (AB) stacked region. Unlike the topological polar vortex and skyrmions observed in superlattices of (PbTiO<sub>3</sub>)<sub>n</sub>/(SrTiO<sub>3</sub>)<sub>n</sub> and sliding bilayers of BN and MoS<sub>2</sub>, the underlying mechanism of polar domain formation in this system arises from stacking-dependent energy barriers for ferroelectric switching and variations in switching speeds under thermal perturbations. Notably, the thermal stability and polarization lifetimes are highly sensitive to twist angles and temperature, and can be further manipulated by external electric fields and strain. Through multi-scale simulations, this study provides a novel approach to exploring how twist angles influence domain evolution and underscores the potential for controlling local polarization in ferroelectric materials via rotational manipulation.</p>","PeriodicalId":229,"journal":{"name":"Small Methods","volume":" ","pages":"e2500683"},"PeriodicalIF":10.7,"publicationDate":"2025-06-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144332221","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Investigation of Polarity Reversal of Bilayer AlN/Sc<sub>0.2</sub>Al<sub>0.8</sub>N Films and Its Influence on Film Bulk Acoustic Resonators.","authors":"Yupeng Zheng, Tingting Yang, Binghui Lin, Xiaoming Huang, Qinwen Xu, Yuqi Ren, Yaxin Wang, Haiyang Li, Shishang Guo, Yao Cai, Chengliang Sun","doi":"10.1002/smtd.202500147","DOIUrl":"10.1002/smtd.202500147","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Polarity is one of the key properties that affect the functionality of piezoelectric materials. For typical piezoelectric materials, aluminum nitride (AlN) and scandium-doped aluminum nitride (ScAlN), the polarity of the films will affect the electromechanical performance of their acoustic devices. Here, metal organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) and physical vapor deposition (PVD) are used to grow an AlN seed layer on a silicon substrate, and then use PVD to grow Sc<sub>0.2</sub>Al<sub>0.8</sub>N on the AlN layer. The polarity of bilayer AlN/Sc<sub>0.2</sub>Al<sub>0.8</sub>N is investigated theoretically by density functional theory based on a simplified atomic structure model, and is observed experimentally at the atomic scale with scanning transmission electron microscopy. It's found that AlN grown on silicon shows Al polarity while Sc<sub>0.2</sub>Al<sub>0.8</sub>N shows N polarity. Furthermore, film bulk acoustic wave resonators (FBARs) are fabricated based on these films, which show that the electromechanical performance of FBARs is changed sharply when the polarity of Sc<sub>0.2</sub>Al<sub>0.8</sub>N is opposite to AlN. After removing the AlN seed layer, the effective electromechanical coupling coefficient of the FBAR increases from 5.82% to 11.85%. This work proves the impact of the polarity reversal and provides a basis for the design of FBARs based on bilayer AlN/Sc<sub>0.2</sub>Al<sub>0.8</sub>N at the theoretical and experimental aspects.</p>","PeriodicalId":229,"journal":{"name":"Small Methods","volume":" ","pages":"e2500147"},"PeriodicalIF":10.7,"publicationDate":"2025-06-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144332222","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"CMOS-Compatible ScAlN Ferroelectric Thin Films with Enhanced Polarization for High-Performance FeFET Memory and Artificial Synapses.","authors":"Bingqian Xu, Yao Cai, Zekai Wang, Qinwen Xu, Yuqi Ren, Xiang Chen, Chenxi Hu, Xiaohui Li, Jianping Shi, Chengliang Sun, Shishang Guo","doi":"10.1002/smtd.202500842","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/smtd.202500842","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>ScAlN is an emerging nitride ferroelectric material that exhibits exceptional remnant polarization (P<sub>r</sub>) at ultrathin scales (<50 nm), stable single-phase ferroelectricity, and CMOS compatibility, making it highly promising for next-generation low-power, high-density memory and neuromorphic devices. However, ScAlN films deposited by conventional physical vapor deposition (PVD) faces challenges such as Sc precipitation and crystal orientation degradation at high Sc concentrations (>20%) and reduced thicknesses, leading to deteriorated ferroelectricity and increased leakage. In this work, it is demonstrated that an optimized substrate structure enables PVD-grown Sc<sub>0.2</sub>Al<sub>0.8</sub>N films to achieve significantly enhanced ferroelectric properties compared to conventional substrates, retaining high P<sub>r</sub> even at 20 nm thickness. This improvement is further validated with Sc<sub>0.3</sub>Al<sub>0.7</sub>N and Sc<sub>0.35</sub>Al<sub>0.65</sub>N films across varying thicknesses. Additionally, a Sc<sub>0.2</sub>Al<sub>0.8</sub>N-based FeFET fabricated on this substrate exhibits a 17 V memory window, >10<sup>3</sup> switching ratio, >10<sup>4</sup> s retention, and >10<sup>4</sup> cycle endurance. When configured as an artificial synapse, the device achieves 98.7% recognition accuracy in neural network training under encoded pulse voltages, highlighting its potential for energy-efficient computing.</p>","PeriodicalId":229,"journal":{"name":"Small Methods","volume":" ","pages":"e2500842"},"PeriodicalIF":10.7,"publicationDate":"2025-06-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144324036","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Efficient Photoelectrochemical Hydrogen Evolution via Hydrogen-Bond-Driven Self-Assembly of 1D Covalent Organic Frameworks.","authors":"Qing Li, Guchuan Liang, Zhenshou Zhang, Boying Zhang, Jiapei Liu, Zhibo Zhang, Hongxing Han, Yue Wang","doi":"10.1002/smtd.202500641","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/smtd.202500641","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Covalent organic frameworks (COFs) have shown significant application potential in the field of photoelectrochemical hydrogen evolution. However, it is a pressing scientific challenge to improve their processing performance to meet the requirements of photoelectrode films. In this study, a 1D COF (BC1COF) has been developed successfully, which can form a stable and easily processable solution through hydrogen bonding interactions. Moreover, the presence of hydrogen bonds promotes the self-assembly behavior of the material during the solution spin-coating process, enabling the preparation of smooth and flat COF films. The obtained COF films not only exhibit controllable thickness and excellent stability but also significantly enhance the carrier density and photoresponse characteristics of the material, thereby greatly improving its photoelectrocatalytic hydrogen evolution performance. The prepared photoelectrode film exhibited a photocurrent density of up to 97.5 µA cm<sup>-</sup> <sup>2</sup> at 0.4 V versus the reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE), which is ≈40 times that of the bulk photoelectrode. This synthesis strategy of COF films with controllable thickness provides the possibility for them to exhibit excellent performance in the field of photoelectrocatalysis.</p>","PeriodicalId":229,"journal":{"name":"Small Methods","volume":" ","pages":"e2500641"},"PeriodicalIF":10.7,"publicationDate":"2025-06-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144324038","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Analyzing DNA Origami Nanostructure Assembly by Dynamic Light Scattering and Nanoparticle Tracking Analysis.","authors":"Qiaochu Zhang, Xu Chang, Alireza Ebrahimimojarad, Akshay Shah, Fei Zhang, Jinglin Fu","doi":"10.1002/smtd.202500295","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/smtd.202500295","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The field of nucleic acid self-assembly has advanced significantly, enabling the creation of multi-dimensional nanostructures with precise sizes and shapes. These nanostructures hold great potential for various applications, including biocatalysis, smart materials, molecular diagnosis, and therapeutics. Here, dynamic light scattering (DLS) and nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA) are employed to investigate DNA origami nanostructures, focusing on size distribution and particle concentration. Compared to DLS, NTA provided higher resolution in size measurement with a smaller full-width at half-maximum (FWHM), making it particularly suitable for characterizing DNA nanostructure. To enhance sensitivity, a fluorescent NTA method is developed by incorporating an intercalation dye to amplify the fluorescence signals of DNA origami. This method is validated by analyzing various DNA origami structures, ranging from 1 and 2D flexible structures to 3D compact shapes, and evaluating structural assembly yields. Additionally, NTA is used to analyze dynamic DNA nanocages that undergo conformational switches among linear, square, and pyramid shapes in response to the addition of trigger strands. Quantitative size distribution data is crucial not only for production quality control but also for providing mechanistic insights into the various applications of DNA nanomaterials.</p>","PeriodicalId":229,"journal":{"name":"Small Methods","volume":" ","pages":"e2500295"},"PeriodicalIF":10.7,"publicationDate":"2025-06-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144324035","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Dynamic Shielding of Arsenic-loaded Transferrin with Calcium Manganese Carbonate Potentiates Antitumor Effects via Self-enhanced Synergistic Therapy.","authors":"Xiaoyang Gao, Zhaowei Li, Yanwei Zhang, Haina Tian, Xiaolu Li, Fengying Shao, Changlong Wang","doi":"10.1002/smtd.202500665","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/smtd.202500665","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Arsenic trioxide is a frontline drug for leukemia treatment; however, its successful application in solid tumors has not yet been fully achieved. Transferrin is an endogenous protein containing iron-binding sites that can be used for loading arsenic for targeted delivery to solid tumors. However, the nonspecific expression of the transferrin receptor greatly limits transferrin-based nanomedicines. Herein, the dynamic shielding of arsenic-loaded transferrin with calcium manganese carbonate is proposed to potentiate strong antitumor effects via self-enhanced synergistic therapy. The nanocloak enhances tumor accumulation and realizes responsive release in an acidic tumor microenvironment. The re-exposed arsenic-loaded transferrin penetrates deep into the tumor, binds specifically to the receptor, and exerts cytotoxicity via chemotherapy. Along with this process, the protein levels of NOX4, which is responsible for H<sub>2</sub>O<sub>2</sub> production, are upregulated. This biological effect facilitates self-enhanced chemodynamic therapy and the co-loaded glucose oxidase further ensures the initiation of this reaction. The released manganese ions catalyze the conversion of H<sub>2</sub>O<sub>2</sub> into hydroxyl radicals and effectively activate the cGAS-STING signaling pathway for tumor inhibition. Collectively, these findings reveal the potent antitumor effects of the biomineralized nanomedicine and pave the way for translating arsenic into solid tumor therapy via targeted delivery and synergistic therapy.</p>","PeriodicalId":229,"journal":{"name":"Small Methods","volume":" ","pages":"e2500665"},"PeriodicalIF":10.7,"publicationDate":"2025-06-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144324037","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Near-Infrared Imaging of Localized Longitudinal Nanoparticle Transport in Living Animals.","authors":"Chenxi Duan, Meiling Yan, Tingting Zuo, Xue Liu, Yiyang Wang, Qian Li, Jiang Li, Ying Zhu, Daishun Ling, Chunhai Fan, Yanhong Sun","doi":"10.1002/smtd.202402012","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/smtd.202402012","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Visualizing the in vivo dynamic transport behavior of substances following acupoint injection has remained a significant challenge due to the limitations of conventional imaging techniques. Near-infrared (NIR) imaging, with its superior tissue penetration, reduced autofluorescence, and real-time tracking capability, presents a promising approach for acupoint-associated imaging; however, its application in this context is yet to be experimentally validated. Here, NIR imaging is utilized to uncover highly localized, longitudinal transport of nanoparticles on the body surface in an acupoint-injection mouse model. By employing three distinct NIR fluorophores-Cy5, Cy5-labeled tetrahedral DNA nanostructures (TDN-Cy5), and silver sulfide (Ag<sub>2</sub>S) nanocrystals-it is demonstrated that acupoint injection induces directional migration along tissue-specific pathways, with nanoparticles exhibiting significantly prolonged retention compared to small molecules like Cy5. Notably, nanoparticles display minimal systemic distribution, with organ accumulation reduced to ≈1/50th of that observed with intravenous injection. This study underscores the unique capability of NIR imaging to visualize acupoint-associated transport dynamics, establishing a robust methodological framework to explore meridian-based substance delivery and its translational biomedical potential.</p>","PeriodicalId":229,"journal":{"name":"Small Methods","volume":" ","pages":"e2402012"},"PeriodicalIF":10.7,"publicationDate":"2025-06-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144324039","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Small MethodsPub Date : 2025-06-18DOI: 10.1002/smtd.202402238
Pengcheng Zhang, Tingting Zhan, Guoqiang Gu, Changle Li, Xiaotian Tan, Yi Zhang, Hui Yang
{"title":"On-Chip Light-Scattering Enhancement Enabled by a Microlens Array for High-Performance Single-Particle Tracking under Conventional Bright-Field Microscopy.","authors":"Pengcheng Zhang, Tingting Zhan, Guoqiang Gu, Changle Li, Xiaotian Tan, Yi Zhang, Hui Yang","doi":"10.1002/smtd.202402238","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/smtd.202402238","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Scattering-based single-particle tracking (S-SPT) has revolutionized the label-free detection and characterization of nanoscopic objects, offering immense potential for diverse analytical applications. However, the high technical demands placed on optical systems have long impeded its widespread adoption. To address this, an on-chip microlens-based approach that significantly enhances light scattering, thereby reducing the requirements on back-end optical systems, is introduced. Unlike existing field enhancement techniques, which are limited by their highly localized field, this approach leverages enhanced long-range optical fields and complex interactions between nanoparticles and the microlens to achieve an enhancement range ten times greater. This method enables high-performance S-SPT using a conventional bright-field microscope under incoherent light sources with relatively low illumination powers. The approach achieves nanometer localization precision for 60 nm gold nanoparticles in an aqueous medium within a substantial 750 µm<sup>2</sup> field of view at a 200 µs exposure time. This advancement will significantly facilitate the practical application of S-SPT in biosensors and related fields, making it more accessible and versatile for a broad range of research and industrial applications.</p>","PeriodicalId":229,"journal":{"name":"Small Methods","volume":" ","pages":"e2402238"},"PeriodicalIF":10.7,"publicationDate":"2025-06-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144324040","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Spatial-Temporal Scanning Kelvin Probe Microscopy for Evaluating Ionic Velocity in Solid-State Electrolytes.","authors":"Fang Wang, Shi Cheng, Xuyang Wang, Chunlin Song, Jiangyu Li, Hongyun Jin, Boyuan Huang","doi":"10.1002/smtd.202401135","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/smtd.202401135","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Solid-state electrolytes (SSEs) with high ionic conductivity are crucial for the development of high-performance all-solid-state batteries. While a growing number of strategies based on nanoengineering are emerging to enhance the ionic conductivity of SSEs, understanding nanoscale ionic transport remains a nontrivial challenge. In this work, a simple yet effective approach is developed for in situ measuring microscopic ionic velocity in SSEs. Ionic transport under an electric field is directly captured using spatial-temporal scanning Kelvin probe microscopy (SKPM). This method reliably quantifies the microscopic ionic conductivity of SSEs, consistent with the results of macroscopic electrochemical impedance spectra, while providing nanoscale spatial resolution that is essential for comprehending ionic migration in nanostructured systems. The spatial-temporal SKPM, validated on LiZr<sub>2</sub>(PO<sub>4</sub>)<sub>3</sub> and Li<sub>1.05</sub>Zr<sub>1.95</sub>Fe<sub>0.05</sub>(PO<sub>4</sub>)<sub>3</sub>, can be further extended to other SSEs for direct visualization of ionic migration dynamics. This work contributes to the understanding of ionic transport mechanisms and paves the way for advancements in the ionic conductivity of SSEs.</p>","PeriodicalId":229,"journal":{"name":"Small Methods","volume":" ","pages":"e2401135"},"PeriodicalIF":10.7,"publicationDate":"2025-06-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144315632","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}