Graphene and 2D Materials for Healthcare

06 May 2025

Graphene and 2D Materials for Healthcare

Guest edited by Laura Ballerini, Alberto Bianco, Kostas Kostarelos and Maurizio Prato

Over the past decade, the Graphene Flagship Division II (Health, Medicine, Sensors) has contributed immensely to developments in graphene-based technologies for biomedical applications, safe and sustainable graphene and related materials, and high-performance sensors with a variety of applications, from detecting disease biomarkers, to piezoresistive devices for microphones and speakers. This collection coincides with the celebration of the achievements and completion of this programme of work.

All of the articles in the collection are free to access until the 10 June 2025.

Read some of the featured articles below:

Emergence of graphene as a novel nanomaterial for cardiovascular applications

Paniz Memarian, Zohreh Bagher, Sheida Asghari, Mina Aleemardani and Alexander Seifalian
Nanoscale, 2024,16, 12793-12819

DOI: 10.1039/D4NR00018H

Biocomposites of 2D layered materials

Mert Vural and Melik C. Demirel

Nanoscale Horiz., 2025,10, 664-680

DOI: 10.1039/D4NH00530A

Efficient skin interactions of graphene derivatives: challenge, opportunity or both?

Fatemeh Zabihi, Zhaoxu Tu, Sabine Kaessmeyer, Fabian Schumacher, Fiorenza Rancan, Burkhard Kleuser, Christoph Boettcher, Kai Ludwig,f Johanna Plendl, Sarah Hedtrich, Annika Vogt and Rainer Haag

Nanoscale Adv., 2023,5, 5923-5931

DOI: 10.1039/D3NA00574G

Our nanoscience journals are always interested in considering high-quality articles on graphene and 2D materials and we would be delighted if you would consider the journal for your next submission, which can be made via our online submission service. All submissions will be subject to initial assessment and peer review as appropriate according to the respective journal’s guidelines.

We hope you enjoy reading this collection and look forward to seeing how this field progresses! Please continue to submit your exciting work on graphene and 2D materials to Nanoscale Horizons, Nanoscale and Nanoscale Advances.

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Nanoscale Horizons 10th Anniversary ‘Community Spotlight’

13 Mar 2025

By Tiffany Rogers, Development Editor.

Nanoscale Horizons 10th Anniversary ‘Community Spotlight’ – Meeting our Community and Advisory boards.

Introducing the Nanoscale Horizons Community and Advisory boards!

This year we are pleased to celebrate the tenth anniversary of Nanoscale Horizons. We are so grateful to our fantastic community of authors, reviewers, Board members and readers and wanted to showcase just some of them in a series of ‘Community Spotlight’ blog articles.

Our Community Board is an early career advisory board made up of researchers with expertise across all areas of the journal’s scope. The board members provide feedback and advice regarding journal activities, as well as acting as advocates for the journal. Our Advisory Board is comprised of internationally renowned researchers working across the field of nanoscience who provide expert guidance and support on our journals, events, and strategic planning.

In our first ‘Community Spotlight’, we feature some of the Community and Advisory Board members who have supported Nanoscale Horizons over the years. We have asked them what they like most about being on the journal’s Boards, about their recent publications and about their own insights into the future of nanoscale chemistry. Check out their interview responses and related articles below.

Amina Benchohra, Community Board Member

University of Western Brittany, France

Amina Benchohra started her studies at Sorbonne Université where she successively obtained a Bachelor in Biology-Chemistry and a Master Degree in Molecular Chemistry. She completed her Ph.D, in 2019, on the design of switchable hybrid materials based on magnetic molecular complexes, at the Institut Parisien de Chimie Moléculaire (IPCM, Paris) under the supervision of Prof David Kreher and Prof Rodrigue Lescouëzec. She then joined Moltech-Anjou (Angers, France), to work with Dr Sébastien Goeb on self-assembled materials for solar cells applications. After moving to the design of Cr(III)-Ln assemblies for energy-transfer upconversion -as post-doctoral researcher and then as a junior lecturer- in the group of Prof Piguet (Geneva), she took up an assistant professor position at the Université de Bretagne Occidentale (Brest, France) in 2023. Her current research focuses on functional molecular materials.

1) What do you like most about being on the early career Advisory Board. Community Board member for Nanoscale Horizons?

I admit that it was a complete discovery for me but I particularly enjoy stepping out of my daily world to engage with people from different (scientific) backgrounds. Also, one of the most important interest to me as a member of the early career Advisory Board is the possibility to echo the perspectives and expectations of the younger scientific audience, and to help the journal initiatives benefit them as much as possible. In that sense, it constantly prompts me to identify the challenges early-career researchers could face and to remain aware of them.

2) What do you think of Nanoscale Horizons as a place to publish impactful nanoscience and nanotechnology research?

With regard to its high-ethical commitments, I consider Nanoscale Horizons as a reliable publication platform. In my opinion, the journal resonance stems from (i) the large disciplinary range covered, and (ii) its specific focus on breakthrough conceptual research rather than incremental innovations. Above all Nanoscale Horizons is receptive to feedbacks from its entire community (through surveys for instance) to tailor its engagement plan relevantly with the needs of its audience.

3) Where do you see the nanoscience field in the next 10 years?

It is very interesting as this question will surely raise multiple points of view. Nanosciences have undoubtedly been source of tremendous progress, catalysing technology revolutions with far -reaching societal impacts (e.g., in medicine, electronics). I think that this versatile field can be an interesting auxiliary of change and may again contribute to the next societal transitions by tackling some of today’s major environmental and socio-economic challenges.

4) In your opinion, how could members of the community be more involved with the journal?

We could consider to create a group on a discussion platform to promote exchanges between members. In that sense, members involved on past and ongoing initiatives may inspire others to get started. More precisely, this sharing of experience could help members in appreciating the time and efforts required for the different actions, which may be overestimated at first.

In the same spirit, quarterly ‘round-tables’ sessions (videoconferences) could be interesting for the members to share their point of views and stimulate new ideas.

Fangfang Cao, Community Board Member

National University of Singapore

Fangfang Cao received her Ph.D. in Inorganic Chemistry from the University of Science and Technology of China in 2019, under the co-supervision of Prof. Jinsong Ren and Prof. Xiaogang Qu. She then pursued postdoctoral research at the National University of Singapore under the guidance of Prof. Xiaoyuan Chen. Her research focuses on nanocatalytic medicine, encompassing artificial enzymes, bioorthogonal catalysts, plasma catalysts, and piezoelectric materials for the treatment of cancer, infections, and inflammation. More recently, her work has expanded to microbial therapy, leveraging probiotics and viruses for translational medicine.

1) What do you think of Nanoscale Horizons as a place to publish impactful nanoscience and nanotechnology research?

A: Nanoscale Horizons is a leading platform for high-impact nanoscience and nanotechnology research. I appreciate its strong focus on originality, interdisciplinary collaboration, and fundamental advances with broad implications. The journal showcases cutting-edge work in areas like nanocatalysis, biomedical applications, and smart materials, ensuring wide visibility for pioneering studies. With its rigorous yet efficient peer-review process and excellent editorial support, it is an ideal venue for impactful publications. Expanding outreach through social media, academic forums, and platforms like WeChat could further enhance its influence, attracting a broader readership and fostering cross-disciplinary collaborations.

2) In your opinion, how could members of the community be more involved with the journal?

The academic community can engage with Nanoscale Horizons in several meaningful ways. First, submitting high-quality, original research helps push the field forward. Second, serving as a reviewer ensures the journal maintains its rigorous scientific standards. Researchers can also promote the journal by presenting it at academic conferences and sharing it on social media, thereby increasing its visibility. Additionally, suggesting and organizing themed collections on emerging research topics can keep Nanoscale Horizons at the forefront of nanoscience. Furthermore, it would be valuable for the journal to participate in or host nanoscience-related conferences, providing a platform for in-depth discussions and showcasing the latest breakthroughs, which would strengthen its influence within the global scientific community.

Jaime Andrés Pérez Taborda, Community Board Member

National University of Colombia

Dr. Jaime Andrés Pérez Taborda received the Engineering Physics degree (Hons.) from the Technological University of Pereira, Colombia, in 2011, and the master\’s degree in synchrotron radiation and particle accelerators from the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona in 2013, as well as his Ph.D (Cum laude) from the Institute of Microelectronics of Madrid, Complutense University of Madrid, and Higher Council of Scientific Research CSIC, Spain. He has published research articles and book chapters on various subjects including piezoelectric nanostructures for acoustic wave sensors, nanoengineering new thermoelectric materials with high efficiencies obtained by physical methods, such as sputtering and pulsed laser deposition. In addition, he is also a co-founder and President of the Colombian Society of Physics Engineering.

1) What is my current research focus?

My research focuses on citizen science and how nanotechnology can and should address real-world challenges to improve the quality of life for the most vulnerable populations. My team and I are working on three strategic lines: Water, Energy, and Plasmonics.

Water: We have developed low-cost, portable devices co-designed and co-built by rural communities in Colombia. These allow communities—predominantly indigenous and rural populations in the Amazon, La Guajira, Boyacá, and Cesar, as well as urban areas like Bogotá—to assess water quality and ensure safe consumption. More importantly, this initiative integrates STEAM education into schools, training citizen scientists to make data-driven decisions and empowering them through science.

Energy: We are developing energy harvesting technologies, such as thermoelectric devices (using materials like Ag₂Se, Cu₂Se, and SiGe) and piezoelectric nanogenerators based on ZnO/PDMS and ZnO/PVDF nanocomposites. We aim to enable IoT devices to power themselves, reducing reliance on batteries—an essential aspect in remote and ecologically sensitive regions like the Amazon Rainforest.
Plasmonics: We are developing colourimetric sensors based on gold nanoparticles, designed as time-temperature indicators (TTIs) utilizing localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR). These battery-free sensors have applications ranging from detecting cold-chain disruptions in food storage to monitoring heavy metal contamination (e.g., mercury) in water sources.

2) What advice would you give emerging scholars, and how could community members be more involved with the journal?

I believe that doing science in the Global South presents significant challenges and immense opportunities. Despite tackling problems of global importance, Latin American researchers often face limited access to major scientific research facilities and constrained funding. Furthermore, scientific research in many countries remains primarily confined to academia, and private industry has yet to grasp the full potential of R&D-driven innovation.

During my master’s at the Synchrotron Alba particle accelerator in Barcelona and my PhD at the CSIC’sCSIC’stute of Micro and Nanotechnology in Madrid, I witnessed firsthand what I consider the true miracle of our times—the creative force of honest, altruistic scientific work aimed at improving life for all. It may sound idealistic, but we must revive that passion and enthusiasm—believing that science and technology can change the world. And here we are, scientists from all over the world, working to make that happen.

Science is undoubtedly facing significant challenges today. However, our students are the driving force behind scientific progress. We can bridge gaps and push cutting-edge research by fostering international collaborations—with Europe, China, the United States, and other regions.

At Nanostructures and Applied Physics Research Group (NanoUpar), we use nanotechnology to tackle critical challenges such as water security, sustainable energy, and food safety. These challenges demand local solutions while considering their global impact. Of course, we do not have the sophisticated facilities available in the Global North. Still, we have passionate students eager to stand on the shoulders of giants and continue this journey.

I am a professor at the National University of Colombia, La Paz campus, a recently established institution in the Caribbean region, near the Sierra Nevada and the Venezuelan border. This area has long been shaped by coal mining and has historically been neglected by the central government. However, alongside my colleagues and students, I firmly believe in the power of productive diversification, quality education, interdisciplinary research, and strategic alliances—between industry, academia, civil society, and government. We envision transforming this region into a technology hub for the northern Colombian Caribbean.

My invitation is simple: let’s collaborate: Science must be interdisciplinary, innovative, and deeply connected to societal needs. Only by working together can nanotechnology make a tangible difference in the lives of the most vulnerable populations.

Jiandong Yao, Community Board Member

Sun Yat-sen University

Jiandong Yao obtained his B.S. degree in Materials Physics from School of Physics Science & Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University (2013) and his Ph.D. degree in Condensed Matter Physics from School of Physics, Sun Yat-sen University (2018). Then, he served as a research fellow in Nanyang Technological University. Currently, he is an Associate Professor of School of Materials Science & Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University (One Hundred Talents Program). The focus of his research lies in the synthesis of novel nanomaterials and their application in electronic/optoelectronic devices

1) What do you like most about being on the Community Board for Nanoscale Horizons?

The appeal of serving as a member for Nanoscale Horizons lies in the valuable opportunity to engage in promoting cutting-edge research in the field of nanoscience. It’s always exciting to collaborate and exchange ideas with scientists worldwide, jointly deepening scientific understanding and fostering innovations in the nanoscience field.

2) What do you think of Nanoscale Horizons as a place to publish impactful nanoscience and nanotechnology research?

Nanoscale Horizons serves as a pivotal platform for publishing world-class research in the realm of nanoscience and nanotechnology. It is renowned for rigorous and timely review process as well as broad readership, establishing it as an ideal forum for researchers to showcase their groundbreaking innovations within the sphere of nanotechnology research.

Jianfang Wang, Advisory Board Member

The Chinese University of Hong Kong

Jianfang Wang obtained his BS degree in inorganic chemistry and software design in 1993 from the University of Science and Technology of China, his MS degree in inorganic chemistry in 1996 from Peking University, and his PhD degree in physical chemistry in 2002 from Harvard University. He did postdoctoral study in the University of California Santa Barbara from 2002 to 2005. He joined the Department of Physics, The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) in 2005 as an assistant professor. He became an associate professor in 2011 and a full professor in 2015. He was the Assistant Dean (Education) of the Faculty of Science of CUHK from August 2015 to July 2021 and has been the Chairperson of the Department of Physics of CUHK since August 2021. His current research interests are nanoplasmonics, nanophotonics, and photocatalysis. He has published more than 310 papers with a total citation of more than 48,200 and an h-index of 103.

1) Where do you see the nanoscience field in the next 10 years?

The nanoscience field will penetrate into more research fields and find many more practical applications. It will gradually become a mature discipline.

2) In your opinion, how could members of the community be more involved with the journal?

The Nanoscale Horizons journal can offer more engaging activities to the community members, such as inviting to review manuscripts, inviting to contribute manuscripts (previews, perspectives, research articles, reviews), organizing small workshops/symposia, etc.

We sincerely hope you enjoy reading about some of our superb Advisory board members and their latest research.

Keep an eye out for our second edition of the Advisory and Community board Community spotlight!

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Call For Papers: DNA Nanotechnology

10 Mar 2025

By Tiffany Rogers, Development Editor.

Call For Papers: DNA Nanotechnology

Submit your latest work to Nanoscale Horizons!

Nanoscale Horizons is pleased to announce an open call for papers to an upcoming collection on DNA nanotechnology, guest edited by Professors Chunhai Fan (Shanghai Jiaotong University, China), Wenlong Cheng (University of Sydney, Australia), Chengde Mao (Purdue University, USA), Shelley Wickham (University of Sydney, Australia), Young Hoon Roh (Yonsei University, South Korea) and Laura Na Liu (University of Stuttgart, Germany).

Open call graphic for dna nanotech

DNA nanotechnology concerns unconventional design of artificial nucleic acid materials beyond their function as genetic information carriers in life. It harnesses the unique programmable properties of DNA molecules to create unprecedented nanoscale structures and devices with applications across a wide range of disciplines including chemistry, physics, engineering, computer science, mathematics, biology, electronics and photonics.

This special-themed collection is motivated to provide a platform to showcase the state-of-the-art progress as well as address future challenges and opportunities. The scope of the collection is broad, including but are not limited to:

Structural DNA nanotechnology including DNA origami
Functional and dynamic DNA nanostructures
DNA-based self-assembly of nanomaterials
DNA-based nanocomposites, nanoparticles, nanocrystalline materials, and nanoclusters
DNA-based hydrogels and liquids
DNA-based nanodevices and molecular machines
DNA nanomaterials for bioapplications in medicine, diagnostics, and drug delivery
DNA-based logic gates
Computational DNA nanotechnology
DNA-based information processing and storage

Since its foundational concept established by Nadrian Seeman in the 1980s, the field of DNA nanotechnology has attracted significant research efforts worldwide and flourished over the past 40 years. Today, it represents a critical component of modern nanoscience and nanotechnology, opening new frontiers in both fundamental science and practical applications. Taking advantages of ubiquitous Watson-Crick base-pairing interactions, DNA nanotechnology offers the ability to design and manipulate matter with high precision at the molecular, nano and microscopic scales, enabling various DNA origami architectures, plasmonic nanoassemblies, DNA robots, DNA computing, biosensing, drug delivery and therapies, to name a few.

Open for submissions until 21 July 2025

Submissions should fit within the scope of Nanoscale Horizons. Please visit the journal webpage for more information on our scope, standards, article types and author guidelines. Please note that primary research for Nanoscale Horizons is accepted in the form of Communications and requires a ‘New Concepts statement’ to help ascertain the significance of the research. General guidance and examples can be found here.

We strongly encourage you to submit an original research article. If you are interested in submitting a review-type article, please contact the Editorial Office in the first instance with a proposed title and abstract, as initial approval is required before submission to avoid topic overlap and ensure that we cover topics in need to review.

Please note that all submissions will be subject to our standard rigorous peer review process, including initial editorial assessment as to suitability for the journal before potential peer review.

We sincerely hope that you will be able to accept our invitation to contribute to this exciting collection on such an important topic. We are looking forward to hearing from you soon.

With best wishes,

Chunhai Fan (Shanghai Jiaotong University, China)

Wenlong Cheng (University of Sydney, Australia)

Chengde Mao (Purdue University, USA)

Shelley Wickham (University of Sydney, Australia)

Young Hoon Roh (Yonsei University, South Korea)

Laura Na Liu (University of Stuttgart, Germany)

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Nanoscale Horizons 10th anniversary

17 Feb 2025

By Tiffany Rogers, Development Editor.

Nanoscale Horizons 10th anniversary

2025 is an exciting year for Nanoscale Horizons as we prepare to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the journal!

Our 10th anniversary cake at ChinaNano 2025 conference

This year, the journal will celebrate 10 years of publication. The Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) first launched Nanoscale Horizons back in 2015, publishing its first issue in January of 2016. Since then we have seen the journal develop as the flagship journal of the RSC Nanoscale family aiming to publish high-quality, innovative nanoscience and nanotechnology.

To celebrate the 10-year anniversary of Nanoscale Horizons, we would like to invite you to take part, contribute and enjoy our ongoing and upcoming activities. This blog contains a brief outline of some of our main celebratory initiatives. Be sure to keep an eye out for more additions!

10th anniversary

Introductory Editorial

Present Editorial board chairs, Katharina Landfester reflected upon her time with Nanoscale Horizons and the progress and development of the journal over the decade.

10^th Anniversary Collection

10 years of our Nanoscience community

The journal would not be possible without the support of our many thousands of authors, reviewers, Board members and readers during this time. In celebration of this, we have published Nanoscale Horizons 10th Anniversary collection. We would like to thank members of our community who have supported the journal over the last 10 years and chosen to publish their latest discoveries with us!

The Inaugural Authors of Nanoscale Horizons

We have invited back our inaugural authors who published with Nanoscale Horizons when the journal was first launched in 2015 to write special reflection articles to reflect on their own work in the field, how it has influenced further research in the field and how they may have developed upon their work had they the insight of the present.

Keep an eye out for additional articles being added throughout the year:

A reflection on ‘Dipole effects on the formation of molecular junctions’

Makusu Tsutsui

Nanoscale Horiz., 2025, Advance Article

A reflection on ‘Size-tunable rhodium nanostructures for wavelength-tunable ultraviolet plasmonics’

Zhijia Geng and Jie Liu

Nanoscale Horiz., 2025, Advance Article

A reflection on ‘A new strategy for developing superior electrode materials for advanced batteries: using a positive cycling trend to compensate the negative one to achieve ultralong cycling stability’

Hong Han Choo, Dan-Yang Wang and Qingyu Yan

Nanoscale Horiz., 2025, Advance Article

Regional Spotlight Collections

Regional collections have been collated to feature the very best research from across the globe. Each month brings a different region so look out for our social media promotions to stay in the loop.

Community Spotlight

We started a series of 10th Anniversary Community Spotlight Blog showcasing some of the nanoscience community that have played a role in supporting Nanoscale Horizons and our journal community in general.

Meet our Advisory and Community Boards as well as Outstanding Reviewers and keep a look out for further information on our socials for our next blog!

Outstanding reviewers
- Part 1
- Part 2
Advisory and Community board
- Part 1
- Part 2
- Part 3

Special 10th Anniversary cover

We asked our community to vote on favourite Nanoscale Horizons cover art from a selection spanning a decade. The top 10 covers have been collated into a special 10th anniversary cover image which was featured on the front cover of our anniversary issue in September!

We believe that Nanoscale Horizons will continue to be the home of innovative, and impactful materials science research for many years to come and on behalf of the RSC team, I’d like to thank all our Editorial Board members, past and present, Advisory Board, authors and reviewers, all of whom contribute to making the journal a success. We are so grateful for all your work and support, and look forward to celebrating this anniversary milestone with you!

Nanoscale Horizons 10th Anniversary Cover Showcase

As part of our celebrations, we have been asking authors to find creative ways of including the number “10” in their cover artwork and we are delighted to showcase the results so far! Be sure to keep an eye on this blog as more covers are added!

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Nanoscale Horizons Emerging Investigator Series

17 Feb 2025

By Tiffany Rogers, Development Editor.

Nanoscale Horizons Emerging Investigator Series

Congratulations to our latest Emerging Investigator Dr Jovana Milić, University of Fribourg, Switzerland!

Since the launch of Nanoscale Horizons, the journal has had a clear vision to publish exceptionally high-quality work whilst acting as a resource to researchers working at all career levels. We continue to be impressed by the quality of the research published and at the same time are looking for new ways of recognising and promoting the outstanding authors behind articles published in the journal.

We launched our Emerging Investigator Series to showcase the exceptional work published by early-career researchers in the journal and regularly select a recently published Communication article to feature in an interview-style Editorial article with the corresponding author. We hope that the series will also benefit the nanoscience community by highlighting the exciting work being done by its early-career members.

We are excited to share our latest Emerging Investigator, Dr Jovana Milić, University of Fribourg, Switzerland

photo of jovana milic, recent emerging investigator

Dr Jovana Milić has been an Associate Professor at the University of Turku in Finland since September 2024 (as an ERC Starting Grantee and the Research Council of Finland Fellow) and Group Leader at the Adolphe Merke Institute of the University of Fribourg in Switzerland (Swiss National Science Foundation PRIMA Fellow) since September 2020. Her research is centered around the development of smart and sustainable materials for renewable energy technologies, with a particular focus on photovoltaics. This has involved supramolecular strategies in stimuli-responsive framework materials through a multidisciplinary approach at the interface of chemistry, physics, material science, and engineering. She has been recognized by a number of honors and awards, such as the Journal of Materials Chemistry Lectureship 2024, Zeno Karl Schindler Prize 2021, Green Talent Award 2020, and CAS Future Leader 2019. In addition to research and international collaborations, she is invested in science for policy and diplomacy as a member of Swiss, European, and Global Young Academies, as well as the International Science Council Fellow, dedicated to connecting and supporting scientists globally.

Read our interview with Jovana here

Congratulations to Dr Dr Jovana Milić for her excellent work! You can read her featured Emerging Investigator article from Nanoscale Horizons below, which is free to access.

Resistive switching memories with enhanced durability enabled by mixed-dimensional perfluoroarene perovskite heterostructures

Michalis Loizos, Konstantinos Rogdakis, Weifan Luo, Paul Zimmermann, Alexander Hinderhofer, Jovan Lukić, Marinos Tountas, Frank Schreiber, Jovana V. Milić and Emmanuel Kymakis
Nanoscale Horiz., 2024,9, 1146-1154; 10.1039/D4NH00104D

We hope you enjoy reading our interview and featured article and are looking forward to sharing our future Emerging Investigators with you!

Do you publish innovative nanoscience and nanotechnology research? Submit your latest work to Nanoscale Horizons now. If you are eligible for the Emerging Investigators series, you could be considered to feature in one of our future interviews! Find out more about the eligibility criteria and the process in this editorial introducing the series.

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Rounding up Rh nanoparticles for ultraviolet plasmonic sensing

18 Dec 2024

By Yikai Xu, Community Board member.

Localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) are surface-localized, oscillating hot electrons generated by the interaction between light and plasmonic nanomaterials. Currently, the most widely used plasmonic materials are Au and Ag, which exhibit LSPR in the visible and near infrared region. If ultraviolet plasmonic materials were standardized, this would open up new possibilities in fields including LSPR catalysis and surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS).

Recent work by a researchers from the University of Padova reported the synthesis of spherical Rh colloidal nanoparticles which sport well-defined LSPR in the ultraviolet region. Obtaining spherical Rh nanoparticles is challenging due to the preferred FCC crystal structure of Rh. Previous methods for the synthesis of spherical Rh nanoparticles were limited to the creation of particles with diameters within 7 nm, which only showed a weak plasmonic response. As shown in Fig. 1A-C, in this work, the researchers used laser ablation to create spherical Rh nanoparticles with diameters ranging between 20-45 nm. Moreover, since this approach of generating nanoparticles did not involve the use of any chemical ligands, this left the surface of the product particles accessible for the adsorption of ligand molecules which could be used to enhance colloidal stability or to provide additional functionality. To demonstrate this, the researchers functionalized the surface of the Rh nanoparticles with mercaptopropionic acid which interacted with metal ions, such as Cd (II), to induce agglomeration and in turn a change in the LSPR properties of the Rh colloid (Fig. 1D-E). As shown in Fig. 1F, the extent of agglomeration depended on the concentration of the metal ion, which allowed quantitative analysis of the concentration of metal ions in solution to be achieved. The surface accessibility of the Rh nanoparticles is also useful in facilitating the adsorption of analyte molecules for SERS analysis. By taking advantage of this property, the researchers demonstrated SERS detection of dyes, thiols and DNA using laser irradiation at 458 nm (Fig. 1G).

Fig 1 (A) Schematic illustrations of the synthesis of spherical Rh nanoparticles via laser ablation. (B-C) Transmission microscopy image of Rh nanoparticles ca. 45 nm in diameter and their LSPR response. (D) Schematic illustrations showing mercaptopropionic (MPA) functionalized Rh particles acting as LSPR optical sensors for metal ions. (E-F) The optical response of MPA-Rh colloids at different Cd(II) concentrations and for different metal ions in water. (G) SERS spectra of DNA, benzenethiol (BT), nitrothiolphenol (NTP), crystal violet (CV) and rhodamine B (RB) obtained using Rh nanoparticles as the enhancing substrate. Reproduced from DOI: 10.1039/d4nh00449c with permission from the Royal Society of Chemistry.

Another useful feature of the Rh nanoparticles is their improved stability in harsh conditions compared to Au and Ag nanoparticles, which for example could open new possibilities in operando SERS studies of catalytic processes that take place in pyrolysis. As shown in Fig. 2A, the Rh nanoparticles retained their structure when treated with aqua regia while Ag and Au nanoparticles were dissolved completely. Similarly, the Rh nanoparticles were found to be stable when heated to 500 ℃, while Au nanoparticles melted at this temperature (Fig. 2B).

Fig. 2 Scanning electron microscopy images of thiolated polyethylene glycol (PEG-SH) functionalized Rh and Au nanoparticles (NPs) before and after being treated with aqua regia (A) or 500 ℃ air (B). Reproduced from DOI: 10.1039/d4nh00449c with permission from the Royal Society of Chemistry.

In summary, spherical Rh colloidal nanoparticles with diameters ranging from 20-45 nm were created via laser ablation. Compared to conventional Au and Ag plasmonic nanoparticles, the Rh nanoparticles shown in this work exhibited well-defined LSPR in the ultraviolet region and high stability under harsh experimental conditions. This unique combination of properties broadens the applications of plasmonics and provides the tools for performing operando SERS studies in harsh conditions in which traditional plasmonic materials fail.

To find out more, please read:

Rhodium nanospheres for ultraviolet and visible plasmonics
David Muñeton Arboleda, Vito Coviello, Arianna Palumbo, Roberto Pilot and Vincenzo Amendola
Nanoscale Horiz., 2025, Advance Article

About the blogger

Yikai Xu is a tenure-track professor at East China University of Science and Technology. Before this he was a Leverhulme Early Career Fellow (PI) at Queen’s University Belfast. Dr Xu was the recipient of the 2019 Kathleen Lonsdale Royal Irish Academy Prize for the most outstanding PhD research in chemical science in Ireland. He is recognized as an “Emerging Investigator” by the Journal of Materials Chemistry C and Analyst. He currently serves as an Associate Editor for Carbon Capture Science & Technology, a Community Board member for Nanoscale Horizons and an Early Career Editor for Nano Materials Science. Dr Xu’s research interest lies in surface chemistry, SERS, and the bottom-up synthesis of surface-accessible plasmonic nanomaterials.

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Emerging Investigator Series

13 Dec 2024

By Tiffany Rogers, Development Editor.

Nanoscale Horizons Emerging Investigator Series

Congratulations to our latest Emerging Investigator Dr Mita Dasog, Dalhousie University, Canada!

We are excited to share our latest Emerging Investigator, Dr Mita Dasog, Dalhousie University, Canada

Dr Mita Dasog (she/her), FRSC, is an Associate Professor and Izaak Walton Killam Memorial Research Chair in the Department of Chemistry at Dalhousie University. She obtained her bachelor’s degree in chemistry from the University of Saskatchewan, and then moved to the University of Alberta to begin her PhD studies with Professor Jonathan Veinot, where she focused on the syntheses, properties, and applications of silicon quantum dots. After a short stay at the Technical University of Munich as a Green Talents visiting scholar, Dr Dasog went on to hold an NSERC postdoctoral position with Professor Nathan Lewis at the California Institute of Technology, where she studied light–material interactions. Currently, her research group focuses on the development of photocatalysts, electrocatalysts, and refractory plasmonic nanostructures for water treatment and clean hydrogen production. She co-leads the Green Hydrogen Research Cluster at Dalhousie University and is an elected member of the Global Young Academy and the Royal Society of Canada College of New Scholars, Artists, and Scientists. Mita and her team’s contributions have been recognized with many awards and honors, including selection as a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry and Negative Emissions Scialog Fellow, and recognition as a top Canadian Water Shero by the Office of the Chief Scientist to the Prime Minister of Canada.

Read our interview with Mita here

Congratulations to Dr Mita Dasog for her excellent work! You can read her featured Emerging Investigator article from Nanoscale Horizons below, which is free to access.

Unlocking the secrets of porous silicon formation: insights into magnesiothermic reduction mechanism using in situ powder X-ray diffraction studies

Sarah A. Martell, Maximilian Yan, Robert H. Coridan, Kevin H. Stone, Siddharth V. Patwardhan, and Mita Dasog. Nanoscale Horiz., 2024,9, 1833-1842. DOI: 10.1039/D4NH00244J

We hope you enjoy reading our interview and featured article and are looking forward to sharing our future Emerging Investigators with you!

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Nanoparticle assembly with customisable fluorescence properties and excellent biocompatibility

26 Nov 2024

By Ignacio Insua, Community Board Member.

Fluorescent reporters are invaluable tools for biomedical research like cell imaging, sensing or tracking analysis. In particular, the fluorescent labelling of nanomaterials remains a critical step in the development and evaluation of candidate nanomedicines. Being commercial fluorophores rather costly and fixed to a single emission, alternative strategies to produce labelled nanomaterials with tunable emission colour are highly coveted.

In a recent paper (DOI: 10.1039/d4nh00400k), Wang, Qi, et al. reported the versatile assembly of organic nanoparticles with adjustable emission wavelength by the enzymatic oxidation of the protected aminoacid N-(tert-butoxycarbonyl)-L-tyrosine. The biocatalytic oxidation of this aminoacid iduces its polymerisation into a variety of condensation products, which can co-assemble with unprotected aminoacids added post-polymerisation to generate nanoparticles ranging 5 to 10 nm in diameter. Interestingly, depending on the fed aminoacid post-polymerisation, the fluorescence spectra of the afforded nanoparticles could be shifted across the whole visible range. The fluorescent properties of these nanoparticles arise from the aggregation-induced emission of their constituent aminoacids, with different restrictions in bond rotation -and hence emission colour- for each nanoparticle formulation. Indeed, molecular dynamics simulations supported the aggregation mechanism and fixation of bond rotation, which together explain the assembly of these emissive nanoparticles.

The authors also demonstrated the excellent biocompatibility of these nanostructures in vitro and tracked their uptake by HeLa cells by confocal laser scanning microscopy. These results prove the great potential of this versatile technology to produce nanoparticles for biomedicine with tailored fluorescence from biomolecular precursors.

Overall, this paper lays down the basis for a new nanoparticle assembly platform with customisable fluorescence properties and excellent biocompatibility. The simplicity and modularity of this approach can make a strong impact on fluorescent nanotecnology, specially in the areas of drug delivery and cell taffick analysis, with broad application in the wider field of biomedicine.

Fig. 1 (a) Nanoparticle preparation scheme: sequential enzymatic oxidation of Boc-Try-OH into a reactive product that generates polymers, which can be doped with free aminoacids to form fluorescent nanoparticles. (b) Cryo-TEM and (c) AFM images of the afforded nanoparticles. (d) Visible emission of different nanoparticle formulations irradiated at 365 nm. Adapted from https://doi.org/10.1039/d4nh00400k with permission from the Royal Society of Chemistry.

To find out more, please read:

Full-color peptide-based fluorescent nanomaterials assembled under the control of amino acid doping

Yuhe Shen, Yulin Sun, Yaoyu Liang, Xiaojian Xu, Rongxin Su, Yuefei Wang and Wei Qi
Nanoscale Horiz., 2024, Advance Article

About the blogger

A photo of the community board member, Ignacio Insua Ignacio Insua is a Ramón y Cajal fellow and ERC Starting Grant awardee at the University of Santiago de Compostela, member of the Nanoscale Horizons Community Board since 2020. His group focusses on peptide self-assembly for nanomaterial fabrication and biomedical applications in the context of antimicrobial technologies and biomimicry (www.insualab.com).

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Congratulations to our latest Emerging Investigator Mohammad H. Malakooti

25 Nov 2024

By Tiffany Rogers, Development Editor.

Nanoscale Horizons Emerging Investigator Series

Congratulations to our latest Emerging Investigator Mohammad H. Malakooti (University of Washington , Seattle)!

We are excited to share our latest Emerging Investigator, Mohammad H. Malakooti (University of Washington , Seattle) !

Dr. Mohammad H. Malakooti is an Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Washington – Seattle. He leads the iMatter Lab, a research group dedicated to creating materials that match the extraordinary adaptability, rich multi-functionality, and embodied intelligence of natural material systems. He received his PhD at the University of Florida in 2015, had a Postdoctoral Fellowship at the University of Michigan (2015-2017), and was a Research Scientist at Carnegie Mellon University (2017-2019).

Read our interview with Mohammad here

Congratulations to Dr. Mohammad H. Malakooti for his excellent work! You can read his featured Emerging Investigator article from Nanoscale Horizons below, which is free to access until the end of May 2024.

Graphical abstract image for Contact engineering for 2D Janus MoSSe/metal junctions.

Green synthesis of iron-doped graphene quantum dots: an efficient nanozyme for glucose sensing

Xinqi Li, Guanyou Lin, Lijun Zhou , Octavia Prosser Mohammad H. Malakooti, and Miqin Zhang
Nanoscale Horiz., 2024, DOI: 10.1039/D4NH00024B

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Congratulations to our latest Emerging Investigator Dr Valentina Castagnola!

25 Nov 2024

By Tiffany Rogers, Development Editor.

Nanoscale Horizons Emerging Investigator Series

Congratulations to our latest Emerging Investigator Dr Valentina Castagnola, Italian Institute of Technology, Italy !

We are excited to share our latest Emerging Investigator, Dr Valentina Castagnola, Italian Institute of Technology, Italy

A photo of Dr Valentina Castagnola, the EMI winner

Dr Valentina Castagnola graduated with a Masters in Photochemistry and Molecular Materials, obtaining “cum laude” from the University of Bologna. In 2014, she earned a PhD in Micro and Nano Systems working at one of the laboratories of the National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS) in Toulouse, France. Her thesis focused on the development of soft implantable devices for recording neuronal signals and was awarded the best thesis prize by the GEETS (Génie Electrique, Electronique, Télécommunications et Santé) doctoral school. Then, she moved to Dublin to work at the “Center for Bionano Interactions” a Center of Excellence led by Prof. Kenneth Dawson and located at University College Dublin, Ireland. Here, she specialized in the study of interactions between different nanoscale materials and the human biological environment, to foster the development of new therapeutic solutions based on nanomedicine. She is currently a researcher at the Italian Institute of Technology (IIT) and at the IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino in Genoa, Italy, where she pursues her research based on the study of the blood–brain barrier and the development of biomimetic systems as an innovative therapeutic platform for neurodegenerative diseases. In 2020 she was awarded the prestigious “Roche for Research” award.

Read our interview with Valentina here

Congratulations to Dr Valentina Castagnola for her excellent work! You can read his featured Emerging Investigator article from Nanoscale Horizons below, which is free to access.

Sources of biases in the in vitro testing of nanomaterials: the role of the biomolecular corona

Valentina Castagnola, Valeria Tomati, Luca Boselli, Clarissa Braccia,e Sergio Decherchi, Pier Paolo Pompa, Nicoletta Pedemonte, Fabio Benfenati and Andrea Armirotti.
Nanoscale Horiz., 2024,9, 799-816; doi.org/10.1039/D3NH00510K

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Graphene and 2D Materials for Healthcare

Guest edited by Laura Ballerini, Alberto Bianco, Kostas Kostarelos and Maurizio Prato

Nanoscale Horizons 10th Anniversary ‘Community Spotlight’ – Meeting our Community and Advisory boards.

Amina Benchohra, Community Board Member

University of Western Brittany, France

Fangfang Cao, Community Board Member

National University of Singapore

Jaime Andrés Pérez Taborda, Community Board Member

National University of Colombia

Jiandong Yao, Community Board Member

Sun Yat-sen University

Jianfang Wang, Advisory Board Member

The Chinese University of Hong Kong

Call For Papers: DNA Nanotechnology

Submit your latest work to Nanoscale Horizons!

Open for submissions until 21 July 2025

Nanoscale Horizons 10th anniversary

10th Anniversary Collection

10 years of our Nanoscience community

The Inaugural Authors of Nanoscale Horizons

Regional Spotlight Collections

Community Spotlight

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Nanoscale Horizons 10th Anniversary Cover Showcase

Nanoscale Horizons Emerging Investigator Series

Congratulations to our latest Emerging Investigator Dr Jovana Milić, University of Fribourg, Switzerland!

Nanoscale Horizons Emerging Investigator Series

Congratulations to our latest Emerging Investigator Dr Mita Dasog, Dalhousie University, Canada!

Nanoscale Horizons Emerging Investigator Series

Congratulations to our latest Emerging Investigator Mohammad H. Malakooti (University of Washington , Seattle)!

Nanoscale Horizons Emerging Investigator Series

Congratulations to our latest Emerging Investigator Dr Valentina Castagnola, Italian Institute of Technology, Italy !

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10^th Anniversary Collection