Themed collection Celebrating nanoscience in Germany

The insights into the formation of ultra-thin gold layers on solid, soft, and nanostructured substrates, as well as the corresponding applications in optical response, electronic device, and as seed layers are reviewed.

Herein, highly stable colloidal LiYF₄:Pr³⁺ nanocrystals are presented for the first time. Through extensive comparison of their spectroscopic behavior with bulk crystals an unusual intense bulk like emission in the visible spectrum was observed.

We demonstrate the possibility of tracking clustering, aggregation, and immobilization processes of magnetic nanoparticles with high sensitivity by measuring their thermal magnetic noise spectra with optically pumped magnetometers.

Extracellular vesicles (EV) are cell-derived vesicles released by all cells in health and disease.

A novel combined setup of a gas aggregation source and a secondary radio frequency discharge is used to generate, confine, and coat nanoparticles. The approach is demonstrated by generating Ag@SiO₂ nanoparticles with a well-defined surface coating.

We report large exciton energy tuning (∼62 meV) in WSe₂ monolayers via substrate induced non-degenerate electron doping.

The development of precision cancer medicine relies on novel formulation strategies for targeted drug delivery to increase the therapeutic outcome.

Different kinds of alkyne-terminated siRNA duplexes were conjugated to azide-terminated ultrasmall gold nanoparticles (2 nm) via copper-catalyzed azide–alkyne cycloaddition, depending on the gene to be silenced.

The sintering behavior of OMS COK-12 into mechanically stable, porous monoliths was analyzed, including a customized multi-scale SAXS model.

(Im-)miscible elemental combinations were co-sputtered on solid substrates and ionic liquids. The results reveal the formation mechanism of multinary NPs in ionic liquids and information concerning nanoscale elemental miscibility.

Plasma sintering lines imprinted from oleylamine-capped Au nanowires yields conductors with porous Au shell and hybrid core. Thick conductors retain more organics and age faster than thin ones. PEDOT:PSS coatings stabilize the shell and stop ageing.

Adrenaline functionalised gold nanoparticles had no influence on respiratory smooth muscle cells which are regulated by β₂-receptors, while the stimulation of β₁-receptors led to an increased contractility of cardiomyocytes.

A new method for efficiently guiding motile nano- and microparticles to a target in a complex environment such as the human vasculature is proposed and computationally demonstrated, with potential applications in targeted drug delivery.

SnO₂:Sb nanoparticles with a small size of 5 nm and a low dopant concentration of 2% allow the fabrication of fast-switching electrochromic devices even with large, non-intercalating cations in the electrolyte.

Light induced electron transfer reactions of molecules on the surface of noble metal nanoparticles (NPs) depend significantly on the electronic properties of the metal–organic interface.