News
New tool for nanoobject spectroscopy
Peter Guttmann, Carla Bittencourt, Stefan Rehbein, Polona Umek, Xiaoxing Ke, Gustaaf Van Tendeloo, Chris P. Ewels & Gerd Schneider reported a scheme that combines the high spatial resolution of full-field transmission X-ray microscopy (TXM) with high-spectral-resolution near-edge X-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS). The idea could lead to a wide range of new material studies that combine high-resolution spectroscopic techniques with nanoscale tomographic imaging."Nanoscale spectroscopy with polarized X-rays by NEXAFS-TXM"
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1 December 2011
Gas Sensing with Au-Decorated Carbon Nanotubes
From ab initio quantum transport simulations to the actual sensor device, CNTs decorated with Au nanocluster succeed to detect NO2 and CO! Read the full story on
Z. Zanolli et al, ACS Nano, 2011, 5 (6), pp 4592–4599
[More]18 July 2011
Commensurate-incommensurate phase transition in bilayer graphene
Analytic expressions are derived to estimate the critical unit elongation of one of the graphene layers at which the transition to the incommensurate phase takes place, i.e. formation of the first incommensurability defects (dislocation) in the system. The possibility to measure the barrier to relative motion of graphene layers by the study of formation of incommensurability defects in bilayer graphene is discussed. Physical Review B 84, 045404 (2011).
[More]14 July 2011
The GraphITA- COST BEST POSTER award winner 2011
Dr. Navaratnarajah Kuganathan was awarded the best poster prize presented at the European workshop GraphITA, for "Nanoribbon in a nanotube: self-assembly of a spiral sulphur-terminated strip of graphene".[More]10 June 2011
The COST Team interview Konstantin Novoselov at GraphITA
The COST Team have interviewed Nobel prize winner Konstantin Novoselov while at the GraphITA graphene meeting in L'Aquila, Italy. You can see the video by clicking on the 'videos' link on the NanoTP home page. Thanks again to the GraphITA organising team for a really excellent meeting![More]24 May 2011
New potential for interlayer interaction of graphene layers
New potential for interlayer interaction of graphene layers is devoloped based on the van der Waals corrected first-principles approach. Molecular dynamics simulations of relative translational vibrations of graphene layers show that graphene should be perfect for the use in fast-responding nanorelays and nanoelectromechanical memory cells.I.V. Lebedeva, A.A. Knizhnik, A.M. Popov, Yu.E. Lozovik, B.V. Potapkin Interlayer interaction and relative vibrations of bilayer graphene, Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics, 13, 5687-5695 (2011). http://dx.doi.org/10.1039/C0CP02614J[More]
15 April 2011
A new mechanism of diffusion and drift of graphene flake
A new mechanism of diffusion and drift of graphene flake on grapphene surface is proposed.
[More]15 April 2011
Organic photovoltaics: Can a perfect match between a boron electron donor and SWCNT acceptor be achieved?
Silvia Giordani and collaborators report the preparation of a novel donor-acceptor material, consisting of a red/near infrared absorbing boron azadipyrromethene donor covalently attached to a highly functionalized SWNT acceptor.
[More]11 February 2011
Metal Nanorods: Size and Shape issues
Using in-situ electron microscopy and ab initio calculations Maureen Lagos and colleagues discuss the elongation of Au and Pt nanorods .
See: Mechanical Deformation of Nanoscale Metal Rods: When Size and Shape Matter. Phys. Rev. Lett. 106, 055501 (2011)
[More]5 February 2011
Structural Defects in Graphene: should we always look for perfection?
You can find the answer in ACS Nano, 2011, 5 (1), pp 26–41 by Florian Banhart, Jani Kotakoski, and Arkady Krasheninnikov
The electronic and mechanical properties of graphene samples with high perfection of the atomic lattice are outstanding, but structural defects, which may appear during growth or processing, deteriorate the performance of graphene based devices. However, deviations from perfection can be useful ...
[More]1 February 2011
Raman spectroscopy of graphene zigzag edges
Our research group led by Dr. László P. Biró and colleagues from the Max Planck Institute in Stuttgart have been able to prepare graphene nanostructures with zigzag edge terminations. Furthermore, with the help of Raman spectroscopy we have shown that the zigzag edges of these nanostructures are nearly perfect, having very few defects. In this way it was possible for the first time to confirm experimentally the theoretical predictions concerning the difference in the Raman signature of zig-zag and armchair edges.
[1] B. Krauss, P. Nemes-Incze, V. Skakalova, L.P. Biro, K.V. Klitzing, J.H. Smet, Raman Scattering at Pure Graphene Zigzag Edges., Nano Lett. 10 (2010) 4544-4548.
dx.doi.org/10.1021/nl102526s
30 November 2010
Graphene: Why the Au clusters are at the edges?
You can find the answer in: Physical Review B, 81, 125425 (2010)
Using DFT calculations Arkady Kraseheninnikov, Florian Banhart and colleagues discuss the dynamics of Au atoms and their agglomeration at defects and edges of graphene ribbons.
[More]20 November 2010
Nature Methods. 3D-ultrastructural imaging
Pushing borders of the nanotechnology, Peter Guttmann and colleagues developed an X-ray microscope that allows the incorporation of a cryogenic tilt stage enabling tomography of frozen-hydrated, intact cells. They were able to visualize the nuclear membrane channels and lysosomal inclusions in 3-D reconstructions of mouse adenocarcinoma cells at ~36-nm (Rayleigh) and ~70-nm (Fourier ring correlation) resolution.
Nature Methods
Published online: 14 November 2010 | doi:10.1038/nmeth.1533
17 November 2010
Berlin Marathon
Felicitations to Polona Umek for finishing the 42km Marathon in Berlin![More]30 October 2010
Sustainable Energy Europe Awards
Any groups interested in applying for the Sustainable Energy Europe Awards? Let Carla or Chris know if you'd be interested in doing this within the umbrella of NanoTP...
http://www.eusew.eu/newsletter/2010/alerte_DC_19102010.html
[More]21 October 2010
NanoTP Scientists explore spin in doped nanotubes
Indirect Magnetic Coupling in Light-Element-Doped Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes
A NanoTP collaboration between labs in Dublin, Nantes,Umeå, Delft, Orsay and Oslo has for the first time seen the signature of indirect magnetic coupling between low concentration light element impurities in single-walled carbon nanotubes. The work represents collaboration between synthesis and characterisation groups, transport studies of individual tubes, coupled to density functional calculations of phosphorus and phosphorus oxide dopants. It has recently appeared in "ACS Nano":
13 October 2010
Nature publication on fullerene superconductivity
Recent publication on fullerene superconductivity from Denis Arcon, member of the NanoTP network..
http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v466/n7303/full/nature09120.html
[More]28 September 2010