We performed molecular dynamics simulations and theoretical analysis of nanoparticle pulling off from adhesive substrates. Our theoretical model of nanoparticle detachment is based on the Kramers' solution of the stochastic barrier crossing in effective one-dimensional potential well. The activation energy, ΔE, for nanoparticle detachment first decreases linearly with increasing the magnitude o...

In the present study, we have exploited the properties of a fibrillar protein for the template synthesis of zinc sulfide (ZnS) nanoparticle chains. The diameter of the ZnS nanoparticle chains was tuned in range of ~30 to ~165 nm by varying the process variables. The nanoparticle chains were characterized by field emission scanning electron microscopy, UV-Visible spectroscopy, transmission elect...

Introduction Therapeutic cell treatments have been applied to a large number of pathological diseases. Tracking the engraftment of cells is key to planning and assessing cell therapies. Migration dynamics and tissue integration are commonly assessed by locating iron-oxide labeled cells with T2* weighted MRI. Interpretation of the resulting signal voids can be challenging in preclinical scanners...

Nanoparticles of various types are of increasing research and technological importance in biological and other applications. Difficulties in the production and delivery of nanoparticles with consistent and well defined properties appear in many forms and have a variety of causes. Among several issues are those associated with incomplete information about the history of particles involved in res...

Pristine monocrystalline graphene is claimed to be the strongest material known with remarkable mechanical and electrical properties. However, graphene made with scalable fabrication techniques is polycrystalline and contains inherent nanoscale line and point defects--grain boundaries and grain-boundary triple junctions--that lead to significant statistical fluctuations in toughness and strengt...

RNA interference (RNAi) is a cellular process whereby the silencing of a particular gene is mediated by short RNAs (siRNAs). Although siRNAs have great therapeutic potential, cellular delivery has been a challenge. Nanoparticle-siRNA conjugates have emerged as potential delivery vehicles; however, reports describing the effects of nanoparticle conjugation on RISC incorporation and subsequent ge...

The dynamic collision behavior of the electro-oxidation of single Ag nanoparticles is observed at Au microelectrodes using stochastic single-nanoparticle collision amperometry. Results show that an Ag nanoparticle collision/oxidation event typically consists of a series of 1 to ∼10 discrete "sub-events" over an ∼20 ms interval. Results also show that the Ag nanoparticles typically undergo only ...

Many small-molecule anti-cancer drugs have short blood half-lives and toxicity issues due to non-specificity. Nanotechnology has shown great promise in addressing these issues. Here, we report the development of an anti-cancer drug gemcitabine-conjugated iron oxide nanoparticle for glioblastoma therapy. A glioblastoma targeting peptide, chlorotoxin, was attached after drug conjugation. The nano...

We study the dynamics of a laser-trapped nanoparticle in high vacuum. Using parametric coupling to an external excitation source, the linewidth of the nanoparticle's oscillation can be reduced by three orders of magnitude. We show that the oscillation of the nanoparticle and the excitation source are synchronized, exhibiting a well-defined phase relationship. Furthermore, the external source ca...

This paper describes the formation of organic nanorods induced by monolayer-protected inorganic nanoparticles. Alkanes and alkane derivatives, such as n-carboxylic acids, self-assemble on highly oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG) into a persistent molecular packing structure that is dictated by the epitaxial interaction between the carbon chain plane and the HOPG basal plane. Carboxylic acids f...