Article
Chemistry, Physical
Akaash Sharma, Khaled Mosharraf Mukut, Somesh P. Roy, Eirini Goudeli
Summary: Reactive molecular dynamics simulations were used to investigate the coalescence of incipient soot clusters. The structure and composition of the formed soot clusters were quantified, and the characteristic coalescence time was tracked at different temperatures. This approach provides significant insight into soot formation and growth mechanisms, facilitating a better understanding and control of soot in combustion processes.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Shruthi Dasappa, Joaquin Camacho
Summary: Studies have shown that soot formed in higher-temperature flames exhibits unique carbon structures and formation processes compared to typical soot. Experimental and modeling results suggest that higher temperature flames' PAH concentration profiles are more sensitive to combustion mechanism choice than specific flame conditions, and soot particle size and yield decrease with increasing flame temperature.
Editorial Material
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Telmo O. Paiva, Albertus Viljoen, Yves F. Dufrene
Summary: Advancements in atomic force microscopy (AFM) techniques and methodologies in microbiology have enhanced our understanding of microbial cell surfaces. Recent studies have shown that AFM imaging of cells and membranes at or near molecular resolution enables detailed visualization of membrane-drug interactions.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Rodrigo Barbano Weingrill, Men -Jean Lee, Paula Benny, Jonathan Riel, Kevin Saiki, Jacob Garcia, Lais Farias Azevedo de Magalhaes Oliveira, Eduardo Jorge da Silva Fonseca, Samuel Teixeira de Souza, Flavio de Oliveira Silva D'Amato, Ueslen Rocha Silva, Mariana Lima Dutra, Aldilane Lays Xavier Marques, Alexandre Urban Borbely, Johann Urschitz
Summary: This study reveals an increasing level of plastic pollution and accumulation of microplastics in human tissues in Hawai'i. It demonstrates the vulnerability and sensitivity of Pacific Island residents to plastic pollution and suggests the potential use of discarded human tissues as an innovative environmental plastic pollution monitoring system.
ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Divya Dixit, B. Ramachandran, M. Chitra, K. Madhuri, G. Mangamma
Summary: The photochromic performance of PLD-grown nanostructured MoO3 thin film was studied, showing a shift in Raman peak frequency with increasing LASER power due to coloration process. The Raman spectra characterized strong peaks at 819 and 994 cm-1, attributed to O-Mo6+-O and Mo6+-O bonds vibrations respectively, with the peak at 994 cm-1 associated with terminal oxygen stretching mode for orthorhombic MoO3. This study also revealed enhanced photochromic response of MoO3 nanostructures under LASER excitation, demonstrating a transition from Mo6+ to Mo5+ states and subsequent coloration.
APPLIED SURFACE SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Shruthi Dasappa, Joaquin Camacho
Summary: The study examines soot formation in premixed laminar flames burning C6 hydrocarbon fuels, finding that fuel structure significantly influences the onset and evolution of soot particles, with different fuels impacting soot formation speed and particle size distribution. The majority of the size distribution is composed of aggregates as indicated by atomic force microscopy analysis.
Article
Materials Science, Composites
Yuanyuan Cui, Guorui Wang, Wenxiang Wang, Xuwei Cui, Wenlong Dong, Congying Wang, Meihua Jin, Tao He, Zhong Zhang, Luqi Liu
Summary: In this study, mechanically exfoliated monolayer graphene was in situ oxidized and atomic force microscopy (AFM) and in situ Raman spectroscopy were used to investigate the relationship between the functionalization degree of graphene and its Young's modulus as well as the interfacial properties. The findings will be beneficial for designing nanofiller-based composites with high mechanical performance.
COMPOSITES SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Ewelina Lipiec, Kamila Sofinska, Sara Seweryn, Natalia Wilkosz, Marek Szymonski
Summary: DNA carries genetic information in all living organisms and its structure can be influenced by various factors. This paper reviews recent achievements in studying DNA structure at the nanoscale, particularly focusing on high-resolution imaging with AFM at liquid/solid interfaces. By combining structural and chemical details of samples, a comprehensive understanding of the investigated phenomenon can be achieved.
Review
Chemistry, Analytical
Monica Marini, Francesca Legittimo, Bruno Torre, Marco Allione, Tania Limongi, Luciano Scaltrito, Candido Fabrizio Pirri, Enzo di Fabrizio
Summary: This review examines the various methods, technologies, and materials dedicated to DNA research, focusing on the tailored and combined applications of DNA nanotechnology, micro-fabrication, imaging, and spectroscopies in medical-oriented fields. Recent advancements in miniaturization of devices, as well as the ongoing need to study biological material structures and interactions down to single molecules, have increased the interdisciplinary nature of emerging technologies.
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
S. Katsiaounis, N. Chourdakis, E. Michail, M. Fakis, I Polyzos, J. Parthenios, K. Papagelis
Summary: In this work, we introduce an experimental protocol to engineer nanometer scale pores in CVD graphene membranes under ambient conditions, using low power ultra-short laser pulses and overcoming the drawbacks of other perforation techniques. We visualized and quantified the nanopore network using Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), while Raman spectroscopy is utilized to correlate the nano-perforated area with the nanotopographic imaging. Our results suggest that Raman imaging provides the identification of nanoporous area and, in combination with AFM, we provide solid evidence for the reproducibility of the method, as nanopores of a certain size distribution are formed under these experimental conditions.
Article
Materials Science, Composites
Raphael Coste, Mikhael Soliman, Nicolas B. Bercu, Sylvain Potiron, Karima Lasri, Veronique Aguie-Beghin, Laurene Tetard, Brigitte Chabbert, Michael Molinari
Summary: The study examines the impact of resin embedding on the mechanical properties of plant tissues at small scales through a comparison of prepared samples. Significant variations in stiffness are found between different layers of plant cell walls, with acrylic LR White identified as the least diffusive resin for exploring plant cell wall studies. The findings shed light on the importance of considering resin diffusion effects in molecular interaction studies in plants.
COMPOSITES SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Spectroscopy
Erwan Y. Darussalam, Orsolya Peterfi, Tanja Deckert-Gaudig, Ludovic Roussille, Volker Deckert
Summary: Insulin aggregation into amyloid fibrils is influenced by pH changes, resulting in the disintegration of filamentous morphology and the formation of unordered aggregates. pH regulation disrupts the beta-sheet structure network and induces local changes in the protonation state within the peptide chains.
SPECTROCHIMICA ACTA PART A-MOLECULAR AND BIOMOLECULAR SPECTROSCOPY
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Emanuela Schiliro, Raffaella Lo Nigro, Salvatore E. Panasci, Simonpietro Agnello, Marco Cannas, Franco M. Gelardi, Fabrizio Roccaforte, Filippo Giannazzo
Summary: The authors demonstrated the growth of highly homogeneous and ultrathin Al2O3 films with good insulating properties on monolayer MoS2 exfoliated on gold using atomic layer deposition. The study showed that the nucleation process of the high-k film is better on the 1L MoS2/Au system compared to common insulating substrates, and the density of Al2O3 on bilayer MoS2 is significantly reduced. Raman and photoluminescence spectroscopy indicated p-type doping and tensile strain in the MoS2 induced by the Au substrate after Al2O3 deposition.
ADVANCED MATERIALS INTERFACES
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Yuyao Zhang, Xiaoying Zhu, Bokai Zhu, Chiheng Chu, Baoliang Chen
Summary: The hydrophobicity of nanomaterials plays a crucial role in various interfacial phenomena. However, it is challenging to study the high-resolution surface hydrophobicity at the nanoscale. In this study, a chemical force microscopy technique is used to profile in situ hydrophobicity images with nanoscale resolution, providing significant improvement compared to traditional methods. The method is applied to recognize the spatial fine structure hydrophobicity of different materials and reveals new findings regarding the hydrophobicity of graphene oxides (GO) and the influence of wrinkles/edges on hydrophobicity. Furthermore, the technique enables the observation of local oxidation variation during interfacial reactions.
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Bryant L. Doss, Jakub A. Konkol, Yangxi Liu, Tatiana Brinzari, Long Pan
Summary: The study of the physical and chemical properties of human dentin is important, and a combined atomic force microscope and confocal Raman spectrometer were used to investigate these properties. It was found that the hardness of dentin is highly correlated with the ratio of inorganic to organic material, especially in the peritubular regions.
MICROSCOPY AND MICROANALYSIS
(2023)
Article
Thermodynamics
Stefano Veronesi, Mario Commodo, Luca Basta, Gianluigi De Falco, Patrizia Minutolo, Nikolaos Kateris, Hai Wang, Andrea D'Anna, Stefan Heun
Summary: In this study, the morphological and electronic properties of incipient soot particles formed during combustion were investigated using STM and STS techniques. The results revealed the size and semiconductor behavior of the incipient soot particles.
COMBUSTION AND FLAME
(2022)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Serafina Bocchicchio, Mario Commodo, Lee Anne Sgro, Massimo Chiari, Andrea D'Anna, Patrizia Minutolo
Summary: The elemental and organic carbon content of flame-generated soot nanoparticles were determined by thermo-optical-transmission measurements, while the carbon structure was characterized by Raman spectroscopy analysis. The study found that elemental carbon content is lower in young soot nanoparticles and increases in mature soot particles, while organic carbon content shows the opposite trend. Raman spectroscopy results revealed a consistent trend in the graphitization order of different soot particles.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Elena Scaglione, Gianluigi De Falco, Giuseppe Mantova, Valeria Caturano, Alessia Stornaiuolo, Andrea D'Anna, Paola Salvatore
Summary: This study describes five decontamination methods for used surgical masks using common household equipment, aiming to reduce the environmental impact of single-use masks. Results show that immersion in 80 degrees C water and microwave-assisted sterilization are the most effective methods, without altering mask filtration efficiency and breathability.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH
(2022)
Article
Energy & Fuels
G. De Falco, S. Bocchicchio, M. Commodo, P. Minutolo, A. D'Anna
Summary: The effect of oxidation on nascent soot particles was investigated using Raman spectroscopy. The study found that different samples of soot particles had different chemical compositions and structures, and subsequent oxidation treatments resulted in various changes.
FRONTIERS IN ENERGY RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Francesco Parrillo, Carmine Boccia, Giovanna Ruoppolo, Mario Commodo, Franco Berruti, Umberto Arena
Summary: This study investigates the effect of temperature and steam concentration on water-gas and reforming reactions for tar cleaning in syngas production. Two catalysts were used and the Fe/gamma-Al2O3 catalyst showed better performance. The nature of coke layers deposited on the catalyst surface was examined using microscopy and spectroscopy techniques.
CANADIAN JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING
(2023)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Mario Commodo, Gianluca Serra, Serafina Bocchicchio, Patrizia Minutolo, Matteo Tommasini, Andrea D'Anna
Summary: The study investigates different types of soot particles formed by flames and examines their temperature dependence behavior using off-line variable-temperature Raman spectroscopy. The results show that the nanostructural order of different types of soot particles affects their thermal expansion behavior.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Patrizia Minutolo, Gianluigi De Falco, Mario Commodo, Alberto Aloisio, Andrea D'Anna
Summary: A porous nanostructured film of flame-formed carbon nanoparticles has been produced, and its morphological and structural characteristics have been characterized. The film exhibits nonmetallic behavior, with a monotonic decrease in resistance as temperature increases. Electrical conduction is explained by charge carriers tunneling and percolation between carbon grains. The film shows a high absolute temperature coefficient of resistance (TCR) and is ideal for temperature sensing.
APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL
(2022)
Article
Thermodynamics
Patrizia Minutolo, Mario Commodo, Andrea D'Anna
Summary: Accurate understanding of the optical properties of soot nanoparticles is crucial for applications such as measuring soot concentration in combustion environments and assessing environmental impact. While there is considerable agreement on the optical properties of mature soot particles, the properties of incipient soot nanoparticles remain uncertain. This study revisits the determination of refractive index and optical properties of inception particles in lightly sooting flames. By analyzing both light absorption and particle size measurements, the study confirms a significant decrease in absorptivity in the visible to near-infrared region for inception particles with a unimodal size distribution of d 63 & SIM;3 nm. The results also highlight the strong dependence of soot optical properties on particle size.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE COMBUSTION INSTITUTE
(2023)
Article
Thermodynamics
Luigi Miniero, Khushboo Pandey, Gianluigi De Falco, Andrea D'Anna, Nicolas Noiray
Summary: This study investigates the flame topology and spray characteristics of a low-emission LEAF combustor fueled with Jet A-1 and hydrogen at atmospheric condition. The results show that injecting hydrogen into the combustor can stabilize a LEAF topology at low air-to-liquid massflow ratio (ALR) and achieve very low emissions of soot and NO x at the combustor exhaust, even without preheating of the combustor air.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE COMBUSTION INSTITUTE
(2023)
Editorial Material
Energy & Fuels
Matteo Pelucchi, Maria Abian, Mario Commodo
FRONTIERS IN ENERGY RESEARCH
(2022)
Correction
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Katharina Kaiser, Leonard-Alexander Lieske, Jascha Repp, Leo Gross
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Katharina Kaiser, Leonard-Alexander Lieske, Jascha Repp, Leo Gross
Summary: In this study, the authors investigated the charge-state lifetimes of single molecules through NaCl films and revealed the critical role of the substrate's level alignment with the insulator and metal-insulator interface state.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
