IF 6.7 3区材料科学

Nanoscale Pub Date : 2025-05-19 DOI: 10.1039/d5nr00675a

Vyacheslav R Misko,Franco Nori,Wim De Malsche

{"title":"Motility-dependent selective transport of active matter in trap arrays: separation methods based on trapping-detrapping and deterministic lateral displacement.","authors":"Vyacheslav R Misko,Franco Nori,Wim De Malsche","doi":"10.1039/d5nr00675a","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/d5nr00675a","url":null,"abstract":"Selecting active matter based on its motility represents a challenging task, as it requires different approaches than common separation techniques intended for separation based on, e.g., size, shape, density, and flexibility. This motility-based selection is important for, e.g., selecting biological species, such as bacteria or highly motile sperm cells for medically assisted reproduction. Common separation techniques are not applicable for separating species based on motility as such species can have indistinguishable physical properties, i.e., size, shape, density, and differ only by their ability to execute self-propelled motion as, e.g., motile and immotile sperm cells. Therefore, selecting active species based on motility requires completely different approaches. Some of these have been developed including sperm cell selection techniques, e.g., swim-up techniques, passive selection methods based on the ability of highly-motile sperm cells to swim across stream lines, as well as more sophisiticated techniques. Here we theoretically demonstrate via numerical simulations various efficient methods of selection and separation based on the motility of active species using arrays of traps. Two approaches are proposed: one allowed the selective escape of motile species from traps, and the other one relying on a deterministic lateral displacement (DLD)-type method. As a model system, we consider self-propelled Janus particles whose motility can be tuned. The resulted separation methods are applicable for separation of biological motile species, such as bacteria or sperm cells, as well as for Janus micro- and nanoparticles.","PeriodicalId":92,"journal":{"name":"Nanoscale","volume":"22 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.7,"publicationDate":"2025-05-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144087687","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Metal-based micro/nanomaterials for hydrogen therapy and their biomedical applications. 氢治疗用金属基微纳米材料及其生物医学应用。

IF 6.7 3区材料科学

Nanoscale Pub Date : 2025-05-19 DOI: 10.1039/d5nr00271k

Yu Wang,Haoyu Wang,Handan Zhang,Tao Liu,Xin Chen

引用次数: 0

Rayleigh streaming phenomena at the physical origin of cellulose nanocrystals orientations during combined ultrasound and ultrafiltration processes. 超声和超滤联合过程中纤维素纳米晶体取向物理起源的瑞利流现象。

IF 6.7 3区材料科学

Nanoscale Pub Date : 2025-05-17 DOI: 10.1039/d5nr00521c

Fanny Bosson, Mathilde Challamel, Mohamed Karrouch, Nicolas Hengl, Henda Djeridi, Frédéric Pignon

{"title":"Rayleigh streaming phenomena at the physical origin of cellulose nanocrystals orientations during combined ultrasound and ultrafiltration processes.","authors":"Fanny Bosson, Mathilde Challamel, Mohamed Karrouch, Nicolas Hengl, Henda Djeridi, Frédéric Pignon","doi":"10.1039/d5nr00521c","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/d5nr00521c","url":null,"abstract":"Rayleigh acoustic streaming, a phenomenon resulting from the interaction of ultrasound (US) with a fluid, was revealed for the first time during simultaneous frontal filtration and ultrasound process on a cellulose nanocrystal (CNC) suspension. Dedicated to in situ Small-Angle X-ray Scattering (SAXS) and Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) measurements, channel-type filtration cells coupled with US have been developed to simultaneously generate a vertical acoustic force via an ultrasonic vibrating blade at the top and to concentrate the CNCs under a transmembrane pressure force at the bottom. SAXS measurements under different transmembrane pressure demonstrated a change in CNCs orientation as a function of the distance from the membrane surface to the vibrating blade, with the appearance of an orthotropic organization: CNCs are vertically oriented near the vibrating blade, then have an isotropic organization in the middle and exhibited horizontal orientations near the membrane surface. In this work it has been emphasis that this orthotropic organization appear above a threshold in transmembrane pressure of about 0.6 × 10⁵ Pa. Concurrently, in situ micro-PIV measurements revealed the formation of Rayleigh acoustic streaming in CNCs suspension, for the same threshold in transmembrane pressure and same US conditions, highlighting the origin of the orthotropic organization. It has been proposed that this threshold allows for sufficient accumulation of CNCs near the membrane surface, thus enabling confined flow, to generate the acoustic streaming. This work highlights the interplay between acoustic streaming and CNC particle orientations, advancing understanding of liquid crystal-like suspensions manipulation in microfluidic applications.","PeriodicalId":92,"journal":{"name":"Nanoscale","volume":"233 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.7,"publicationDate":"2025-05-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144066997","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Cuticular Proteins (Crusticuls) affect 3D Chitin Bundle Nanostructure 表皮蛋白（Crusticuls）影响三维几丁质束纳米结构

IF 6.7 3区材料科学

Nanoscale Pub Date : 2025-05-17 DOI: 10.1039/d5nr01455g

Shai Avraham Shaked, Simy Weil, Rivka Manor, Eliyahu Aflalo, Sharon Moscovitz, nitzan maman, Raquel Maria, Benjamin Kruppke, Thomas Hanke, Jerry Eichler, Barak Ratzker, Maxim Sokol, Amir Sagi

{"title":"Cuticular Proteins (Crusticuls) affect 3D Chitin Bundle Nanostructure","authors":"Shai Avraham Shaked, Simy Weil, Rivka Manor, Eliyahu Aflalo, Sharon Moscovitz, nitzan maman, Raquel Maria, Benjamin Kruppke, Thomas Hanke, Jerry Eichler, Barak Ratzker, Maxim Sokol, Amir Sagi","doi":"10.1039/d5nr01455g","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/d5nr01455g","url":null,"abstract":"The crustacean exoskeleton features a micrometric, three-dimensional chitin scaffold. The intricate organization of this structure makes it an ideal model for investigating scaffold proteins at the nanoscale. Periodic exoskeleton replacement during a rapid and punctual molt cycle involves proteins that govern exoskeleton formation. Relying on binary expression pattern analysis of a molt-related transcriptomic library generated from the cuticle-forming epithelium of the crayfish Cherax quadricarinatus, a family of crustacean cuticle structural proteins termed ‘crusticuls’ was discovered and shown to present an exoskeleton formation-related expression pattern. All nine crusticuls include a chitin-binding domain bordered by two acidic residue-rich regions, putative functional domains related to exoskeletal formation and biomineralization. Crusticuls knock-down via RNAi resulted in over 95% reduced relative expression in treated versus control crayfish, with phenotypic effects ranging from prolonged molt cycles to lethality. Crusticuls were largely absent from newly formed cuticles following knockdown, resulting in exoskeletal deformities in the three-dimensional organization of chitinous bundles at the micro- and nanometric scales. These structural alterations were phenotypically translated into changes in cuticular hardness and elasticity. The identification of crusticuls as being key for proper nanometric three-dimensional organization of cuticular chitinous scaffolds opens new avenues for synthetic scaffold bio-mimetic applications.","PeriodicalId":92,"journal":{"name":"Nanoscale","volume":"234 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.7,"publicationDate":"2025-05-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144083328","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Ultra-uniform high-quality plasmonic metasurfaces through electrostatic self-assembly of gold nanoparticles on chemically unmodified glass 通过金纳米粒子在未经化学修饰的玻璃上静电自组装获得超均匀的高质量等离子体超表面

IF 6.7 3区材料科学

Nanoscale Pub Date : 2025-05-16 DOI: 10.1039/d5nr01116g

Adriano Acunzo, Maria De Luca, Daniele Marra, BARTOLOMEO DELLA VENTURA, Andreas Offenhäusser, Dirk Mayer, Raffaele Velotta

{"title":"Ultra-uniform high-quality plasmonic metasurfaces through electrostatic self-assembly of gold nanoparticles on chemically unmodified glass","authors":"Adriano Acunzo, Maria De Luca, Daniele Marra, BARTOLOMEO DELLA VENTURA, Andreas Offenhäusser, Dirk Mayer, Raffaele Velotta","doi":"10.1039/d5nr01116g","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/d5nr01116g","url":null,"abstract":"We present a novel method for the fabrication of ultra-uniform metasurfaces through the direct electrostatic self-assembly of positively charged gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) on chemically unmodified glass. The method was successfully applied to two types of ultra-uniform AuNPs like nanospheres and nanocubes differing in shape, size, and cationic surfactants ligands, proving the versatility of the proposed methods. Unlike previous studies, we found that the AuNPs clustering was due to an unproper drying of the metasurfaces after the deposition and not to instabilities of the colloids. Our fabrication methods resulted in metasurfaces of high densities and ultra-uniform arrangements with negligible clustering at both the microscale and macroscale, as confirmed by microscopic, spectroscopic, and nanophotonic analyses. Furthermore, thanks to far-field dipole couplings, the metasurfaces plasmon resonances resulted significantly narrower (and blueshifted) than the corresponding colloid. Combined to the ultra-uniformity feature, these plasmon phenomena increased the metasurfaces quality factors (Q) up to ∼15. Densities, uniformities, and Q-factors of our metasurfaces are among the highest reported until now for similar nanostructures realized through the electrostatic self-assembly technique. Our findings demonstrate new possibilities to achieve higher Q-factors through simple, scalable, and cost-effective electrostatic self-assembly processes, with practical implications in optical sensing and nanophotonics. Moreover, the ultra-uniformity achieved by our methods opens new opportunities to study the far-field dipole couplings in random arrays of anisotropic AuNPs.","PeriodicalId":92,"journal":{"name":"Nanoscale","volume":"122 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.7,"publicationDate":"2025-05-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144066999","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Understanding Structure-Property Relationships in Coordination Polymers: A Comparative Study of Copper(II) and Zinc(II) Coordination mechanism 铜（II）和锌（II）配位机理的比较研究

IF 6.7 3区材料科学

Nanoscale Pub Date : 2025-05-16 DOI: 10.1039/d5nr01087j

Vasiliki Benekou, Zhe Zhang, Lukas Sporrer, Andrea Candini, Filippo Monti, Alessandro Kovtun, Fabiola Liscio, Stefan C. B. Mannsfeld, Xinliang Feng, Renhao Dong, Vincenzo Palermo

{"title":"Understanding Structure-Property Relationships in Coordination Polymers: A Comparative Study of Copper(II) and Zinc(II) Coordination mechanism","authors":"Vasiliki Benekou, Zhe Zhang, Lukas Sporrer, Andrea Candini, Filippo Monti, Alessandro Kovtun, Fabiola Liscio, Stefan C. B. Mannsfeld, Xinliang Feng, Renhao Dong, Vincenzo Palermo","doi":"10.1039/d5nr01087j","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/d5nr01087j","url":null,"abstract":"Coordination polymers (CPs) are an interesting class of materials due to their tunable structure and electrical properties, where, however, the correlation between the former and latter are still not fully understood. Here we compare the structure and properties of CPs derived from copper(II) and zinc(II) ions coordinating a triphenylene derivative (OHPTP). To focus on the effect of the coordinating ion used and avoid possible differences due to the processing method, we synthesized the different CPs using a novel two-step technique, potentially scalable for applications in transistors, sensors, and photovoltaics: first, the organic ligand is deposited using a shear-coating technique which ensures uniform deposition on macroscopic scale. Then, in a second step, the sample is exposed to solutions of the metal ions, which can penetrate in the organic layer to coordinate with the ligand. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations show that Cu ions have a higher affinity for the ligand and form square-planar CP structures due to their d9 electronic configuration. Conversely, Zn ions can coordinate with the chelating ligands using only their empty 4s and 4p orbitals to achieve sp3 hybridisation, thus preferring to adopt a tetrahedral geometry and leading to less ordered structures with significantly hampered conductivity. FT-IR and UV-Vis spectra, XPS and conductive atomic force microscopy confirm the distinct coordination behaviour of Cu and Zn ions. Thermal stability analysis further shows that Zn-based CPs retain their structural integrity at temperatures up to 300°C, whereas Cu-based CPs degrade earlier. These results show how metal-ligand interactions impact CP properties, enhancing the understanding of structure-property relationships, and provide practical insights for designing CPs with desired electronic and thermal properties by varying the coordinating metal ions.","PeriodicalId":92,"journal":{"name":"Nanoscale","volume":"119 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.7,"publicationDate":"2025-05-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144066003","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Optimization of the hole-injection layer for quantum dot light-emitting diodes. 量子点发光二极管空穴注入层的优化。

IF 6.7 3区材料科学

Nanoscale Pub Date : 2025-05-16 DOI: 10.1039/d5nr01052g

Zirui Wang,Meng Liang,Yongqiang Wang,Haoran Wang,Lei Wang,Ling Zhao,Shuhong Li,Yunlong Liu

{"title":"Optimization of the hole-injection layer for quantum dot light-emitting diodes.","authors":"Zirui Wang,Meng Liang,Yongqiang Wang,Haoran Wang,Lei Wang,Ling Zhao,Shuhong Li,Yunlong Liu","doi":"10.1039/d5nr01052g","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/d5nr01052g","url":null,"abstract":"Quantum dot light-emitting diodes (QLEDs) are regarded as cornerstones of next-generation display technologies owing to their broad spectral tunability, high color purity, and exceptional efficiency. However, the deep valence band energy levels of quantum dots (QDs) result in a high hole-injection barrier, leading to a charge-injection imbalance and limiting the device performance. This review systematically summarizes the optimization strategies for the hole-injection layer (HIL) in QLEDs, focusing on the design and application of organic single-layer HILs (e.g., PEDOT : PSS), inorganic single-layer HILs (e.g., MoO3, NiOx, and V2O5), dual HIL structures (e.g., PEDOT : PSS/metal oxide), and doped HILs (e.g., metal-ion doping and organic-inorganic hybridization). Studies have demonstrated that dual HILs reduce the hole-injection barrier through stepped energy levels, doping strategies enhance the carrier mobility and interfacial stability, and metal oxide HILs exhibit superior thermal stability and environmental adaptability. Additionally, post-treatment processes such as rapid thermal annealing (RTA) can further optimize the interfacial properties. Although QLEDs possess immense potential in display and lighting applications, challenges remain in addressing the insufficient efficiency of cadmium-free blue QLEDs and the interfacial strain mismatch in flexible devices. This review provides a comprehensive reference for the rational design of HILs and outlines future directions for developing high-efficiency, stable, and scalable QLEDs.","PeriodicalId":92,"journal":{"name":"Nanoscale","volume":"20 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.7,"publicationDate":"2025-05-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144065780","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Advances in Multimodal Electrohydrodynamic Printing for High-Resolution Sensor Fabrication: Mechanisms, Materials, and Applications 用于高分辨率传感器制造的多模态电流体动力打印的进展：机制、材料和应用

IF 6.7 3区材料科学

Nanoscale Pub Date : 2025-05-15 DOI: 10.1039/d5nr01375e

Boxuan Zhang, Jinzhe Li, Zhifu Yin, Xue Yang

{"title":"Advances in Multimodal Electrohydrodynamic Printing for High-Resolution Sensor Fabrication: Mechanisms, Materials, and Applications","authors":"Boxuan Zhang, Jinzhe Li, Zhifu Yin, Xue Yang","doi":"10.1039/d5nr01375e","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/d5nr01375e","url":null,"abstract":"With the rapid development of micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) and the manufacturing industry, the trends toward sensor intelligence, miniaturization, and flexibility have attracted significant attention, while posing higher demands for high-resolution patterning and large-scale production. However, traditional manufacturing technologies exhibit significant limitations in achieving high resolution and multifunctional integration. Electrohydrodynamic (EHD) printing technology, which harnesses the synergistic effects of electric fields and fluid dynamics, enables precise control over the formation and deposition of micro-nanometer jets. It offers ultra-high resolution, broad material compatibility, and controllable three-dimensional structural formation, providing innovative solutions for the intelligent, miniature, and flexible integration of sensors. This paper systematically reviews the mechanisms and applications of three EHD printing modes—EHD jet printing, electrospray and electrospinning. It further describes the progress in the printing of materials suitable for EHD printing, including metal nanoparticles, conductive polymers, carbon-based materials, and piezoelectric ceramics. Additionally, the application progress of gas, temperature, humidity, and piezoelectric sensors based on the three EHD printing modes is summarized, highlighting their advantages in sensitivity, response speed, and environmental adaptability. The paper also explores the challenges of low efficiency and future development directions, such as multi-nozzle coordination, nozzle structure optimization, roll-to-roll integration manufacturing, and intelligent process control. Finally, a brief summary and the outlook for future research effort are presented.","PeriodicalId":92,"journal":{"name":"Nanoscale","volume":"111 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.7,"publicationDate":"2025-05-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143979426","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Advancements in DNA-PAINT: applications and challenges in biological imaging and nanoscale metrology DNA-PAINT的进展：在生物成像和纳米尺度计量中的应用和挑战

IF 6.7 3区材料科学

Nanoscale Pub Date : 2025-05-15 DOI: 10.1039/d4nr04544k

Luca Piantanida, Isaac T. S. Li, William Hughes

{"title":"Advancements in DNA-PAINT: applications and challenges in biological imaging and nanoscale metrology","authors":"Luca Piantanida, Isaac T. S. Li, William Hughes","doi":"10.1039/d4nr04544k","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/d4nr04544k","url":null,"abstract":"Super-Resolution Microscopy (SRM) has revolutionized bioimaging by breaking the diffraction limit of light, enabling visualization of structures at the nanometer scale. DNA-PAINT (Point Accumulation for Imaging in Nanoscale Topography) is a versatile SRM technique that leverages the programmability of DNA hybridization to achieve high-resolution and multiplexed imaging of molecular targets. This review examines recent advancements in DNA-PAINT, including improvements in imaging resolution, acquisition speed, and imager design, which have enhanced its applications in biological imaging and nanoscale metrology. DNA-PAINT’s unique capacities in programming specific interactions have made it indispensable in a range of biological and non-biological settings, from cellular visualization of structure and function to molecular data storage. Here, we highlight recent advancements in DNA-PAINT and its main practical challenges, focusing on how persistent optimization drives innovation. Addressing these challenges continues to drive its expanding role in biological imaging and broader applications across interdisciplinary fields. This review also highlights the interdependence of DNA-PAINT and other techniques that are fundamental to broadening the impact of SRM and shaping the future of biological and biomedical imaging.","PeriodicalId":92,"journal":{"name":"Nanoscale","volume":"6 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.7,"publicationDate":"2025-05-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144066004","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Role of Polycrystalline F-SnO2 Substrate Topography on Formation Mechanism and Morphology of Pt Nanoparticles by Solid-State-Dewetting 多晶F-SnO2衬底形貌对固态脱湿法制备Pt纳米颗粒形成机理和形貌的影响

IF 6.7 3区材料科学

Nanoscale Pub Date : 2025-05-15 DOI: 10.1039/d5nr00729a

Martin Dierner, Sophia Peters, Mingjian Wu, C. Rubach, Shreyas Harsha, Rakesh Kumar Sharma, Z. Y. Siah, Memet Tursun Abudukade, Siowwoon Ng, Erdmann Spiecker, Marco Altomare, Johannes Will

{"title":"Role of Polycrystalline F-SnO2 Substrate Topography on Formation Mechanism and Morphology of Pt Nanoparticles by Solid-State-Dewetting","authors":"Martin Dierner, Sophia Peters, Mingjian Wu, C. Rubach, Shreyas Harsha, Rakesh Kumar Sharma, Z. Y. Siah, Memet Tursun Abudukade, Siowwoon Ng, Erdmann Spiecker, Marco Altomare, Johannes Will","doi":"10.1039/d5nr00729a","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/d5nr00729a","url":null,"abstract":"Solid-state-dewetting (SSD) of thin films is increasingly utilized to fabricate nanoparticles for catalysis. In-depth understanding of particle formation mechanism is crucial to control key properties of catalytic particles such as size, size distribution, and structure. In contrast to most studies on SSD of thin metal films on smooth substrates (e.g., SiO2/Si, …), here we investigate how the topography of practical substrates, such as electrically conductive F-SnO2 (FTO), affects the formation mechanism and size of Pt particles – with potential use as nanoparticle electrodes, e.g., in electrochemical conversion or sensing applications. For this, we combined in situ scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) with ex situ rapid thermal annealing (RTA) methodologies. Our results indicate that, by dewetting 5 nm of Pt films on FTO, the arrangement of Pt nanoparticles exhibits a bimodal particle distribution. This is driven by: i) a thinner initial Pt film thickness in the “depths” of the FTO substrate due to shadowing effects, and ii) the formation of varying surface curvatures in the Pt film, both caused the topography and grain structure of the FTO substrate. Particularly, the latter introduces an additional driving force for Pt diffusion from peaks and ridges (positive local curvature) to flat terraces (no curvature) and valleys (negative local curvature).","PeriodicalId":92,"journal":{"name":"Nanoscale","volume":"141 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.7,"publicationDate":"2025-05-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143979423","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

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