Abstract: Currently, ultrathin colloidal CdSe semiconductor nanoplatelets (NPLs) with a uniform thickness that is controllable up to the atomic scale can be prepared. The optical properties of these 2D semiconductor systems are the subject of extensive research. Here, we reveal their natural morphology and atomic arrangement. Using cryo-TEM (cryo-transmission electron microscopy), we show that the shape of rectangular NPLs in solution resembles a helix. Fast incorporation of these NPLs in silica preserves and immobilizes their helical shape, which allowed us to perform an in-depth study by high angle annular dark field scanning transmission electron microscopy (HAADF-STEM). Electron tomography measurements confirm and detail the helical shape of these systems. Additionally, high-resolution HAADF-STEM shows the thickness of the NPLs on the atomic scale and furthermore that these are consistently folded along a ?110? direction. The presence of a silica shell on both the top and bottom surfaces shows that Cd atoms must be accessible for silica precursor (and ligand) molecules on both sides.

Abstract: A polycrystalline sample of LaSr2Cr2SbO9 has been synthesised using a standard ceramic method and characterized by x-ray and neutron diffraction, magnetometry and electron microscopy. The perovskite-related compound crystallises in the triclinic space group I1 with unit cell parameters of a=5.5344(6) angstrom, b=5.5562(5) angstrom, c=7.8292(7) angstrom, a=89.986(12)degrees, beta=90.350(5)degrees and gamma=89.926(9)degrees at room temperature. The two crystallographically-distinct, six-coordinate cation sites are occupied by Cr3+ and Sb5+ in ratios of 0.868(2):0.132(2) and 0.462(2):0.538(2). Ac and de magnetometry revealed that LaSr2Cr2SbO9 is ferrimagnetic below 150 K with a magnetisation of similar to 1.25 mu(B) per formula unit in 50 kOe at 5 K. Neutron diffraction showed that the cations on the two sites order in a G-type arrangement with a mean Cr3+ moment of 2.17(1) mu(B) at 5 K, consistent with a magnetisation of 1.32 mu(B) per formula unit.

Abstract: While the concept of ecosystem services which links biodiversity to human wellbeing, is by now well-known, its translation into actual management decisions is still uneven. African Biosphere Reserves, which are to be living labs for sustainable development, embody the idea of synergies between people and nature. Gaining knowledge about the provision, the use and the trends of ecosystem services in these reserves is essential to ensure their global change-proof management. The diversity of rapidly evolving ecosystem services assessment tools requires a systematic and informed selection, in order to ensure that prospective tool users select the most adequate tool, aligned to their needs and context. Based on a Delphi survey of future tool users, and on a review of ecosystem services assessment tools, we propose guidance to users to select the most suited tool based on the context of African Biosphere Reserves, and on tool requirements regarding data input, necessary skills, outputs and types of ecosystem services addressed. The use of the Delphi survey and the focus on African Biosphere Reserves are new elements that contribute to the theory and practice of ecosystem services assessment.

Abstract: Nickel foams were used as catalysts to dissociate acetylene and deposit carbon atoms. Graphite nanofibers with distinct structures were developed at 550degreesC with nickel foams pretreated with hydrogen. HREM observations showed that the graphite layers of the nanofibers were aligned at a certain angle to the fiber axis. It is suggested that hydrogen treatment and metal catalysts have a tremendous impact on the yields and microstructures of the graphite nanofibers. The growth mechanism of these fish-bone graphite nanofibers is also discussed.

Abstract: Many cross-sectional shapes of plants have been found to approximate a superellipse rather than an ellipse. Square bamboos, belonging to the genus Chimonobambusa (Poaceae), are a group of plants with round-edged square-like culm cross sections. The initial application of superellipses to model these culm cross sections has focused on Chimonobambusa quadrangularis (Franceschi) Makino. However, there is a need for large scale empirical data to confirm this hypothesis. In this study, approximately 750 cross sections from 30 culms of C. utilis were scanned to obtain cross-sectional boundary coordinates. A superellipse exhibits a centrosymmetry, but in nature the cross sections of culms usually deviate from a standard circle, ellipse, or superellipse because of the influences of the environment and terrain, resulting in different bending and torsion forces during growth. Thus, more natural cross-sectional shapes appear to have the form of a deformed superellipse. The superellipse equation with a deformation parameter (SEDP) was used to fit boundary data. We find that the cross-sectional shapes (including outer and inner rings) of C. utilis can be well described by SEDP. The adjusted root-mean-square error of SEDP is smaller than that of the superellipse equation without a deformation parameter. A major finding is that the cross-sectional shapes can be divided into two types of superellipse curves: hyperellipses and hypoellipses, even for cross sections from the same culm. There are two proportional relationships between ring area and the product of ring length and width for both the outer and inner rings. The proportionality coefficients are significantly different, as a consequence of the two different superellipse types (i.e., hyperellipses and hypoellipses). The difference in the proportionality coefficients between hyperellipses and hypoellipses for outer rings is greater than that for inner rings. This work informs our understanding and quantifying of the longitudinal deformation of plant stems for future studies to assess the influences of the environment on stem development. This work is also informative for understanding the deviation of natural shapes from a strict rotational symmetry.

Abstract: Well shaped single crystalline Mn3O4 nano-octahedra with exposed highly active {011} facets at different particle sizes have been synthesized and used as anode materials for lithium ion batteries. The electrochemical results show that the smallest sized Mn3O4 nano-octahedra show the best cycling performance with a high initial charge capacity of 907 mA h g−1 and a 50th charge capacity of 500 mA h g−1 at a current density of 50 mA g−1 and the best rate capability with a charge capacity of 350 mA h g−1 when cycled at 500 mA g−1. In particular, the nano-octahedra samples demonstrate a much better electrochemical performance in comparison with irregular shaped Mn3O4 nanoparticles. The best electrochemical properties of the smallest Mn3O4 nano-octahedra are ascribed to the lower charge transfer resistance due to the exposed highly active {011} facets, which can facilitate the conversion reaction of Mn3O4 and Li owing to the alternating Mn and O atom layers, resulting in easy formation and decomposition of the amorphous Li2O and the multi-electron reaction. On the other hand, the best electrochemical properties of the smallest Mn3O4 nano-octahedra can also be attributed to the smallest size resulting in the highest specific surface area, which provides maximum contact with the electrolyte and facilitates the rapid Li-ion diffusion at the electrode/electrolyte interface and fast lithium-ion transportation within the particles. The synergy of the exposed {011} facets and the smallest size (and/or the highest surface area) led to the best performance for the Mn3O4 nano-octahedra. Furthermore, HRTEM observations verify the oxidation of MnO to Mn3O4 during the charging process and confirm that the Mn3O4 octahedral structure can still be partly maintained after 50 dischargecharge cycles. The high Li-ion storage capacity and excellent cycling performance suggest that Mn3O4 nano-octahedra with exposed highly active {011} facets could be excellent anode materials for high-performance lithium-ion batteries.

Abstract: Black phosphorus (BP) has recently triggered an unprecedented interest in the 2D community. However, many of its unique properties are not exploited and the well-known environmental vulnerability is not conquered. Herein, a type-I mixed-dimensional (0D-1D) van der Waals heterojunction is developed, where three-atomic-layer BP quantum dots (QDs) are assembled on a single ZnO nanorod (NR). By adjusting the indium (In) content in ZnO NRs, the degree and even the direction of surface charge transfer doping within the heterojunction can be tuned, which result in selective Raman scattering enhancements between ZnO and BP. The maximal enhancement factor is determined as 4340 for BP QDs with sub-ppm level. Furthermore, an unexpected long-term ambient stability (more than six months) of BP QDs is revealed, which is ascribed to the electron doping from ZnO:In NRs. The first demonstration of selective Raman enhancements between two inorganic semiconductors as well as the improved stability of BP shed light on this emerging 2D material.

Abstract: Although it is now relatively straightforward to identify protein binders in works of art, their proper localization within the corresponding layer still represents a significant analytical challenge. Until now, the identification of proteins has mainly been performed by peptide mass fingerprinting using mass spectrometric methods and their localization in polished paint cross-sections have been realized by optical microscopy via the use of fluorescent stain Sypro Ruby (SR). In this work we propose a simplified protocol for immuno-surface enhanced Raman scattering (immuno-SERS) using gold nanoparticles attached to biphenyl-4,4-dithiol (BPDT) as the SERS-nanotag. These nanoparticles are easily obtainable in the lab and have been used to label multilayered mock up samples prepared as cross-sections to estimate the detection limits of the suggested method. The layers contain egg, casein, and different animal glues binders (prepared in various ratios with linseed oil or a carbohydrate component) mixed with the pigments azurite, vermilion and chalk. The sensitivity of staining agent SR is compared to that of the immuno-SERS protocol for the first time.

Abstract: The structural and electronic properties of silicene and germanene on metallic and non-metallic substrates are investigated theoretically, using first-principles simulations. We first study the interaction of silicene with Ag(111) surfaces, focusing on the (4x4) silicene/Ag structure. Due to symmetry breaking in the silicene layer (nonequivalent number of top and bottom Si atoms), silicene is predicted to be semiconducting, with a computed energy gap of about 0.3 eV. However, the charge transfer occurring at the silicene/Ag(111) interface leads to an overall metallic system. We next investigate the interaction of silicene and germanene with hexagonal non-metallic substrates, namely ZnS and ZnSe. On reconstructed (semiconducting) (0001) ZnS or ZnSe surfaces, silicene and germanene are found to be semiconducting. Remarkably, the nature (indirect or direct) and magnitude of their energy band gap can be controlled by an out-of-plane electric field.

Abstract: The electronic properties of two-dimensional hexagonal germanium, so called germanene, are investigated using first-principles simulations. Consistent with previous reports, the surface is predicted to have a poor metallic behavior, i.e., being metallic with a low density of states at the Fermi level. It is found that biaxial compressively strained germanene is a gapless semiconductor with linear energy dispersions near the K pointslike graphene. The calculated Fermi velocity of germanene is almost independent of the strain and is about 1.7×10⁶ m/s, quite comparable to the value in graphene.

Abstract: To unravel the effects of phonon confinement, the influence of size and morphology on the atomic vibrations is investigated in Sn nanoislands and cluster-assembled films. Nuclear resonant inelastic x-ray scattering is used to probe the phonon densities of states of the Sn nanostructures which show significant broadening of the features compared to bulk phonon behavior. Supported by ab initio calculations, the broadening is attributed to phonon scattering and can be described within the damped harmonic oscillator model. Contrary to the expectations based on previous research, the appearance of high-energy modes above the cutoff energy is not observed. From the thermodynamic properties extracted from the phonon densities of states, it was found that grain boundary Sn atoms are bound by weaker forces than bulk Sn atoms.

Abstract: Experiments are supplemented with ab initio density functional theory (DFT) calculations in order to investigate how the structural, electronic and optical properties of zinc oxide (ZnO) thin films are modified upon Cu doping. Changes in characteristic properties of doped thin films, that are deposited on a glass substrate by sol-gel dip coating technique, are monitored using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and UV measurements. Our ab initio calculations show that the electronic structure of ZnO can be well described by DFT+U/G(0)W(0) method and we find that Cu atom substitutional doping in ZnO is the most favourable case. Our XRD measurements reveal that the crystallite size of the films decrease with increasing Cu doping. Moreover, we determine the optical constants such as refractive index, extinction coefficient, optical dielectric function and optical energy band gap values of the films by means of UV-Vis transmittance spectra. The optical band gap of ZnO the thin film linearly decreases from 3.25 to 3.20 eV at 5% doping. In addition, our calculations reveal that the electronic defect states that stem from Cu atoms are not optically active and the optical band gap is determined by the ZnO band edges. Experimentally observed structural and optical results are in good agreement with our theoretical results.