Themed collection Nanoscale 10th Anniversary: Top Cited Articles

The summary and perspective on synthesis, properties and photocatalytic applications of defective TiO₂ with oxygen vacancies have been outlined in this review.

Silver nanoclusters are a class of fluorophores with attractive features, including brightness, photostability and subnanometer size. Here we overview the different stabilizers and we discuss the recent advances.

This paper presents a comprehensive review of the research progress in the carbon–metal oxide composites for supercapacitor electrodes.

Learn more about the methodology for preparing three-dimensional graphene micro-/nanoarchitectures and their potential applications.

The beneficial effects of proper nanostructuring and advanced compositing on lithium storage properties of three types of metal oxide anodes have been reviewed.

Microwave irradiation as heating tool offers unique opportunities for the synthesis of inorganic nanomaterials. We outline the general principles, advantages, limitations and applications of this approach.

Upscaling of the manufacture of polymer solar cells is detailed with emphasis on cost analysis and practical approach.

We present the science and technology roadmap for graphene, related two-dimensional crystals, and hybrid systems, targeting an evolution in technology, that might lead to impacts and benefits reaching into most areas of society.

This review summarizes recent advances in the design, synthesis, mechanistic understanding and multifunctional applications of g-C₃N₄ based heterojunctions/heterostructures.

The state of the art regarding the use of nanoparticles for photothermal therapies is reviewed in detail.

In this review, an overview of nanostructure engineering in BiOX (X = Cl, Br, I) semiconductors to achieve their highly efficient photocatalytic applications is surveyed.

Recent progress on graphene quantum dots is presented, mainly focusing on the top-down synthetic routes, optical properties and applications.

This article comprehensively reviews the recent progress and outlook of carbon nanotube film-based flexible electronics.

The current status of applications of graphene-based photocatalysts for conversion of solar to chemical energy has been updated; in particular, future perspectives including opportunities and challenges on this topic are proposed in this review.

Non-invasive precise thermometers working at the nanoscale with high spatial resolution, where the conventional methods are ineffective, have emerged over the last couple of years as a very active field of research.

The different approaches for luminescence based temperature sensing at the nanoscale are described, analyzed and compared.

This review describes recent advances and prospective applications of nanostructured electrode materials for redox-based supercapacitors.

TEMPO-oxidized cellulose nanofibers (TOCN) have uniform and ultrafine widths, high crystallinity and high aspect ratios, with surface carboxylate groups in high density. The TOCN films have extremely low oxygen permeability.

This review attempts to illustrate the different alternatives in the field of 2D materials (single-layers) from graphene to alternative inorganic materials such as metal chalcogenides, oxides, hydroxides, and metal–organic frameworks.

This review will focus on a special type of ultra-small (<2 nm) yet robust gold nanoparticles that are protected by thiolates, so-called gold thiolate nanoclusters.

CH₃NH₃PbI₃/PC₆₁BM solar cells fabricated using the NH₄Cl additive gave a decent PCE of 9.93% and a very outstanding FF of 80.11%.

A 3D highly conductive urchin-like NiCo₂S₄ nanostructure that exhibits excellent high-rate supercapacitive performance has been synthesized.

A networked MoS₂/CNT nanocomposite has been synthesized by a facile solvothermal method. The as-prepared sample exhibits high catalytic activity for electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution.

A novel organometal halide perovskite (CH₃NH₃PbI₂Br) is synthesized as a light absorber to sensitize one-dimensional (1D) TiO₂ nanowire arrays (NWAs) for all-solid-state hybrid solar cells with enhanced photovoltaic properties.

The preparation of water soluble and biocompatible fluorescent organic nanoparticles via the one-pot oxidation of polydopamine for cell imaging is presented.

Optically pH-sensitive carbon dots was facilely developed by directly heating ascorbic acid aqueous solution at 90 °C.

Porous graphitic carbon nitride synthesized with urea in a less-energy cost process leads to a greatly enhanced photocatalytic hydrogen production rate.

Hierarchical MoS₂ microspheres composed of few-layered nanosheets show enhanced lithium storage properties.

Highly efficient perovskite quantum-dot-sensitized solar cell.

Hydrophobic pristine graphene shows significantly different cell–material interactions and nanotoxicity compared to carboxyl functionalized hydrophilic graphene.

A straightforward method is presented to measure absolute quantum yields of upconverting nanoparticles based on an integrating sphere and a standard fluorimeter.

A hybrid composite of Co NPs embedded in N-doped carbon was prepared. With the synergistic interactions, the hybrid catalyst exhibits efficient bifunctional catalytic activity and stability toward both ORR and OER.

Graphene quantum dots synthesized from activated graphene using ultrasonication and chemical activation shows high edge-enriched states resulting in excellent luminescence and capacitance properties.

A facile method to prepare hierarchical porous carbon (HPC) aerogels using bagasse is proposed. The HPC aerogels exhibited high supercapacitive performance with excellent capacitance retention of about 93.9% over 5000 cycles.

Nitrogen-doped graphitic porous carbon nanopolyhedra synthesized by direct carbonization of ZIF-8 nanocrystals exhibited highly efficient oxygen reduction in alkaline media.

Novel and stable N-doped ZnO/g-C₃N₄ core–shell nanoplates with enhanced photocatalysis via direct Z-scheme mechanism were prepared by a facile self-assembly process.

Hierarchical structures of graphene@Fe₃O₄@SiO₂@NiO nanosheets were prepared by combining the versatile sol–gel process with a hydrothermal reaction.

We present multifunctional sensors for strain, pressure and touch detection, which exhibit a fast response, good wearability and pressure mapping function.

N-doped carbon dots were synthesized using ammonium citrate as a solo precursor under hydrothermal conditions.

Nitrogen-doped activated porous carbon fibres (ACFs) were prepared as anode materials for Na-ion batteries. They exhibit excellent electrochemical performance, especially rate performance. The influence of nitrogen functionalities on charge transfer and electrochemical performance of N-doped carbon anode for Na ion batteries is discussed.

A facile hydrothermal synthesis route to N and S, N co-doped graphene quantum dots (GQDs) was developed by using citric acid as the C source and urea or thiourea as N and S sources.

Characteristic A_1g and E_2g¹ phonon modes for WS₂ and WSe₂ show distinct thickness dependence, which allows rapid identification of layer thickness.

An electrochemically active biofilm was utilized to narrow the band gap of ZnO nanostructures.

Graphene/Fe₃O₄ incorporated polyaniline has been synthesized for EMI shielding which contributes to high microwave absorption value of 26 dB.

Multiporous MnCo₂O₄ and CoMn₂O₄ quasi-hollow microspheres are fabricated in a facile way and display excellent cycling stability and good rate capability, indicating their potential application in lithium ion batteries.

The remarkable photocatalytic performance of hollow and hierarchical Pt-ZnO nanocomposite microspheres originated from their unique nanostructures and low recombination rate of the e⁻/h⁺ pairs.

Dopamine has been used as coating agent and carbon precursor to prepare N-doped and thickness controlled carbon coated Fe₃O₄ composites.

Electrochemical performances of an olivine NaFePO₄ cathode in sodium-ion batteries are compared with an identical LiFePO₄ cathode in lithium-ion batteries.

An asymmetric supercapacitor is fabricated based on a Ni_xCo_1−x LDHs–Zn₂SnO₄ nanowires hybrid material with an enhanced faradic reaction area.

Wafer-scale MoS₂ thin layers can be obtained by a two-step thermal process.

A highly transparent and flexible conductor from very long silver nanowire percolation network electrodes was developed for touch panel demonstration.

Graphene oxide–Fe₃O₄ magnetic nanocomposites demonstrate intrinsic peroxidase-like activity and enhanced affinity toward H₂O₂. They were employed as novel peroxidase mimetics to catalyze oxidation of the peroxidase substrate 3,3,5,5-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) in the presence of H₂O₂. Kinetic analysis indicated that the catalysis is in accord with typical Michaelis–Menten kinetics, following a ping-pong mechanism.

Experimental measurements of films composed of nanowires with well-defined lengths and widths were combined with 3D finite-difference time-domain calculations to determine the structure-property relationships of transparent, conducting nanowire networks.

The combination of surface plasmon resonance effect of Ag nanoparticles and excellent electrical properties of graphene can significantly improve the photocatalytic activity of TiO₂ under visible light irradiation.

Graphene-modified TiO₂ nanosheet composites with 0.2–2.0 wt% graphene, prepared by a microwave-hydrothermal method, exhibit an enhanced photocatalytic H₂-production activity.

We synthesized carbon nanofibers/silver nanoparticles (CNFs/AgNPs) composite nanofibers which exhibited high catalytic activity in the reduction of 4-nitrophenol.

Graphene hydrogels and aerogels have been prepared by the self-assembly of reduced graphene oxide under mild reduction conditions.

NiO nanosheets were grown on graphene nanosheets and showed highly reversible capacities and good rate capability for Li-ion batteries.

Encapsulation of curcumin in MPEG-PCL micelles renders curcumin intravenously injectable, enhancing pharmacokinetics, antiangiogenesis and anticancer activity of curcumin in vivo.

Graphene is for the first time used as a non-toxic nano-vector for effective gene transfection.

A one-step solvothermal route was developed to prepare metal oxide/reduced graphene oxide (rGO) nanohybrids with promising Li storage properties.

A summary of the processes and solid phases involved in the two-stage crystallization pathway of calcite from Amorphous Calcium Carbonate (ACC).

The size-dependent magnetic properties of Fe_3−xO₄ nanocrystals synthesized by thermal decomposition were established by taking into account surface effect, nanocrystals compositions and dipolar interactions.

Formation of Au nanoparticle-graphene oxide and -reduced graphene oxide composites by simple physisorption is described. These nanocomposites exhibit significantly higher SERS and catalytic activities than the corresponding Au nanoparticles.

Dye-sensitized solar cells are fabricated based on anatase TiO₂ nanosheets with exposed {001} facets, exhibiting higher photoelectric conversion efficiencies than TiO₂ nanoparticles and Degussa P25 solar cells.

In this paper, a novel method for the preparation of a nanostructured polyaniline/graphene hybrid material was developed. In addition to its thin, uniformity and flexible merits, it also shows excellent electrochemical performances than pristine individuals for supercapacitors.

Ultrasmall NIR gold nanoclusters with bright NIR fluorescence, high photostability and biocompatibility appear as very promising contrast imaging agents for in vivo fluorescence tumor imaging.

We demonstrate the use of large-sized CVD grown graphene films configured as field-effect transistors for real-time biomolecular sensing.

Graphene oxide in a mixture of DMAc and water can be easily reduced to graphene by simply heating it.

Herein, we report the fabrication of hydrogen gas sensors based on noble nanometal decorated one dimensional multi walled carbon nanotubes and two dimensional graphene by a simple drop casting technique.