Towards a Better Prediction of Cell Settling on Nanostructure Arrays—Simple Means to Complicated Ends

Vertical arrays of nanostructures (NSs) are emerging as promising platforms for probing and manipulating live mammalian cells. The broad range of applications requires different types of interfaces, but cell settling on NS arrays is not yet fully controlled and understood. Cells are both seen to deform completely into NS arrays and to stay suspended like tiny fakirs, which have hitherto been explained with differences in NS spacing or density. Here, a better understanding of this phenomenon is provided by using a model that takes into account the extreme membrane deformation needed for a cell to settle into a NS array. It is shown that, in addition to the NS density, cell settling depends strongly on the dimensions of the single NS, and that the settling can be predicted for a given NS array geometry. The predictive power of the model is confirmed by experiments and good agreement with cases from the literature. Furthermore, the influence of cell‐related parameters is evaluated theoretically and a generic method of tuning cell settling through surface coating is demonstrated experimentally. These findings allow a more rational design of NS arrays for the numerous exciting biological applications where the mode of cell settling is crucial.     

Controlled Synthesis of Ag2S,Ag2Se,and Ag Nanofibers by Using a General Sacrificial Template and Their Application in Electronic Device Fabrication

Nanofiber bundles of Ag₂S, Ag₂Se, and Ag have been successfully synthesized by making use of Ag₂C₂O₄ template nanofiber bundles, utilizing both anion‐exchange and redox reactions. The obtained bundles were polycrystalline nanofibers composed of nanoparticles in which the precursor morphology was well‐preserved, indicating that Ag₂C₂O₄ nanofiber bundles acted as a general sacrificial template for the synthesis of silver‐based semiconductor and metal nanofibers. Dispersing media and transforming reactants were found to be key factors influencing the chemical transformation in the system. In particular, separate single‐crystalline Ag nanofibers were obtained via a nontemplate route when ascorbic acid was used as a relatively weak reductant. An electrical transfer and switching device was built with the obtained Ag₂S and Ag nanofiber bundles, utilizing the unique ion‐conductor nature of Ag₂S and revealing their potential applications in electronics.     

Growth and optical property of zinc oxide thornballs

A new microstructure, thornball, of zinc oxide (ZnO) was synthesized by a very simple solid vapor deposition process under lead oxide (PbO) atmosphere. The microthornballs consist of numerous needles, which extend outwards in all directions symmetrically. They have dimensions of 120 μm in diameter, while the average diameter of the needles is about 100-200 nm. The needles on the balls grow along the 〈0 0 0 1〉 orientation and have gradient compositions along radial. Control experiments proved that PbO played an important role in the growth. Additionally, photoluminescence property was observed and provided the evidence that PbO did not deteriorate the optical properties of ZnO thornballs. This kind of microstructures has potential applications in the field of photochemical catalysis.     

Aggregate States and Energetic Disorder in Highly Ordered Nanostructures of para‐Sexiphenyl Grown by Hot Wall Epitaxy

We report on photoluminescence (PL) and thermally stimulated luminescence (TSL) in highly ordered nanostructures of para‐sexiphenyl (PSP) grown by hot wall epitaxy (HWE). A low‐energy broad band is observed in the PL spectra that can be attributed to the emission from molecular aggregates. While the intrinsic exciton emission in steady‐state PL dominates at low temperatures, the emission from aggregates increases with elevating temperature and its magnitude depends sensitively on film preparation conditions. Time‐resolved PL measurements showed that the aggregate emission decays with a life‐time of ≈ 4 ns, which is approximately an order of magnitude larger than the lifetime of singlet excitons. TSL data suggests the presence of an energetically disordered distribution of localized states for charge carriers in PSP films, which results from an intrinsic disorder in this material. A low‐temperature TSL peak with the maximum at around 30 K evidences for a weak energy disorder in PSP films, and has been interpreted in terms of a hopping model of TSL in disordered organic materials.     

Measurement of metal nanolayers optical parameters using surface plasmon resonance method

The results of experimental definition of optical parameters of silver nanolayers by the method of surface plasmon resonance (SPR) are described. The goniometric installation for measurement of angular dependences of reflection of light by layered nanosructures at the attenuated internal reflection (angular spectrum of reflection) is designed. Calculation of optical parameters of nanolayers is executed taking into account the form of a curve of tin angular spectrum of reflection. The text was submitted by the authors in English.     

Morphology and thermomechanical properties of nanostructured thermosetting blends of epoxy resin and poly(?-caprolactone)-block-polydimethylsiloxane-block-poly(?-caprolactone) triblock copolymer

Poly(?-caprolactone)-block-polydimethylsiloxane-block-poly(?-caprolactone) triblock copolymer (PCL-b-PDMS-b-PCL) was synthesized via the ring-opening polymerization of ?-caprolactone with dihydroxypropyl-terminated PDMS (HTPDMS) as the initiator. The triblock block copolymer was characterized by means of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR) and gel permeation chromatography (GPC). The triblock copolymer was incorporated to prepare nanostructured thermosetting blends. The morphology of the epoxy thermosets containing PCL-b-PDMS-b-PCL were investigated by means of atomic force microscopy (AFM), transmission electronic microscopy (TEM) and small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS). The thermomechanical properties of the nanostructured blends were investigated by means of differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA). The formation of the nanostructures in the thermosetting composites was judged to follow the self-assembly mechanism in terms of the difference in miscibility of PDMS and PCL subchains with epoxy resin after and before curing reaction.     

Electrocatalytic activity of tungsten trioxide microspheres, tungsten carbide microspheres and multi-walled carbon nanotube-tungsten carbide composites

Tungsten trioxide micropheres were prepared by spray pyrolysis, and tungsten carbide microspheres were produced by spray pyrolysis-low temperature reduction and carbonization technology. Multi-walled carbon nanotube-tungsten carbide composites were prepared by the continuous reduction and carbonization process using multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and WO₃ precursor by molecular level mixing and calcination. The morphology and structure of the samples were characterized by scanning electron microscope and transmission electron microscope. Furthermore, the crystal phase was identified by X-ray diffraction. The electrocatalytic activity of the sample was analyzed by means of methanol oxidation. Tungsten carbide microspheres were catalytic active for methanol oxidation reaction. Nevertheless tungsten trioxide microspheres and multi-walled carbon nanotube-tungsten carbide composites were not catalytic active for methanol oxidation reaction. These results indicate that tungsten carbide micropheres are promising catalyst for methanol oxidation.     

碳热法合成具有蓝光发射特性的氧化镓纳米线、纳米带和纳米片

利用碳纳米管通过碳热法合成了氧化镓纳米线、纳米带和纳米片。采用扫描电镜和透射电镜对其进行了形态和结构表征。合成的氧化镓纳米结构是单晶体。室温光致发光谱分析发现，氧化镓纳米晶在蓝光区域487nm处产生明显的发射峰。