Advance online publication
The latest research papers, published online ahead of print. These online versions are definitive and may be cited using the digital object identifier (DOI).
About advance online publicationLetters
Gel-expanded to gel-condensed transition in neurofilament networks revealed by direct force measurements
Roy Beck, Joanna Deek, Jayna B. Jones & Cyrus R. Safinya
Published online: 15 November 2009 | doi:10.1038/nmat2566
Liquid-crystal gel networks of neurofilament assemblies play a key part in the mechanical stability of neuronal processes, and disruptions in the networks are a hallmark of motor-neuron diseases. Under pressure, these networks are shown to undergo an abrupt transition from expanded to condensed states, with distinct mechanical properties, helping to explain possible disruption mechanisms.
First Paragraph - Gel-expanded to gel-condensed transition in neurofilament networks revealed by direct force measurements | Full Text - Gel-expanded to gel-condensed transition in neurofilament networks revealed by direct force measurements | PDF (2,024 KB) - Gel-expanded to gel-condensed transition in neurofilament networks revealed by direct force measurements | Supplementary information
Quasi-ballistic thermal transport from nanoscale interfaces observed using ultrafast coherent soft X-ray beams
Mark E. Siemens, Qing Li, Ronggui Yang, Keith A. Nelson, Erik H. Anderson, Margaret M. Murnane & Henry C. Kapteyn
Published online: 08 November 2009 | doi:10.1038/nmat2568
According to Fourier theory, thermal transport is a diffusive process. However, this cannot be the case at length scales smaller than the mean free path of the energy carriers. The first experimental study of thermal transport at the nanoscale is now reported in the case of a point-like heat source, providing a quantitative description of the transition between the ballistic and diffusive regimes.
First Paragraph - Quasi-ballistic thermal transport from nanoscale interfaces observed using ultrafast coherent soft X-ray beams | Full Text - Quasi-ballistic thermal transport from nanoscale interfaces observed using ultrafast coherent soft X-ray beams | PDF (806 KB) - Quasi-ballistic thermal transport from nanoscale interfaces observed using ultrafast coherent soft X-ray beams | Supplementary information
Gold nanocages covered by smart polymers for controlled release with near-infrared light
Mustafa S. Yavuz, Yiyun Cheng, Jingyi Chen, Claire M. Cobley, Qiang Zhang, Matthew Rycenga, Jingwei Xie, Chulhong Kim, Kwang H. Song, Andrea G. Schwartz, Lihong V. Wang & Younan Xia
Published online: 01 November 2009 | doi:10.1038/nmat2564
Heat-responsive polymers grafted onto gold nanocages serve as a nanoscale delivery system for biologically important compounds. Laser irradiation of the nanocages heats the polymers by means of the photothermal effect; the polymers then change conformation and compounds are released. The polymers return to their original configuration when the laser is switched off, stopping further release.
First Paragraph - Gold nanocages covered by smart polymers for controlled release with near-infrared light | Full Text - Gold nanocages covered by smart polymers for controlled release with near-infrared light | PDF (931 KB) - Gold nanocages covered by smart polymers for controlled release with near-infrared light | Supplementary information
Experimental demonstration of an acoustic magnifying hyperlens
Jensen Li, Lee Fok, Xiaobo Yin, Guy Bartal & Xiang Zhang
Published online: 25 October 2009 | doi:10.1038/nmat2561
Like their optical counterparts, acoustic metamaterials are capable of manipulating sound waves in unusual ways. An acoustic hyperlens is now demonstrated that is capable of magnifying subwavelength acoustic waves, and could therefore find applications in medical imaging or underwater sonar.
First Paragraph - Experimental demonstration of an acoustic magnifying hyperlens | Full Text - Experimental demonstration of an acoustic magnifying hyperlens | PDF (907 KB) - Experimental demonstration of an acoustic magnifying hyperlens | Supplementary information
Articles
Size and shape effects on the order–disorder phase transition in CoPt nanoparticles
D. Alloyeau, C. Ricolleau, C. Mottet, T. Oikawa, C. Langlois, Y. Le Bouar, N. Braidy & A. Loiseau
Published online: 15 November 2009 | doi:10.1038/nmat2574
The structure of magnetic nanoparticles has a strong influence on the properties of these materials at present being considered for magnetic-storage applications. It is now shown that size and shape of magnetic nanoparticles, such as CoPt, affect the transition from an ordered to a disordered phase, highlighting the need to take morphology into account to understand the structural properties.
Abstract - Size and shape effects on the order-disorder phase transition in CoPt nanoparticles | Full Text - Size and shape effects on the order–disorder phase transition in CoPt nanoparticles | PDF (2,470 KB) - Size and shape effects on the order–disorder phase transition in CoPt nanoparticles | Supplementary information
Giant Zeeman splitting in nucleation-controlled doped CdSe:Mn2+ quantum nanoribbons
Jung Ho Yu, Xinyu Liu, Kyoung Eun Kweon, Jin Joo, Jiwon Park, Kyung-Tae Ko, Dong Won Lee, Shaoping Shen, Kritsanu Tivakornsasithorn, Jae Sung Son, Jae-Hoon Park, Young-Woon Kim, Gyeong S. Hwang, Margaret Dobrowolska, Jacek K. Furdyna & Taeghwan Hyeon
Published online: 15 November 2009 | doi:10.1038/nmat2572
Synthesizing magnetic nanostructures, which could potentially be used in spintronic applications, is quite challenging owing to the difficulty in incorporating magnetic impurities in a non-magnetic matrix. It is now shown that up to 10% Mn can be incorporated in CdSe nanoribbons by nucleation-controlled doping, giving rise to very strong magnetic effects.
Abstract - Giant Zeeman splitting in nucleation-controlled doped CdSe:Mn: 2+: quantum nanoribbons | Full Text - Giant Zeeman splitting in nucleation-controlled doped CdSe:Mn2+ quantum nanoribbons | PDF (1,995 KB) - Giant Zeeman splitting in nucleation-controlled doped CdSe:Mn2+ quantum nanoribbons | Supplementary information
Self-assembling chimeric polypeptide–doxorubicin conjugate nanoparticles that abolish tumours after a single injection
J. Andrew MacKay, Mingnan Chen, Jonathan R. McDaniel, Wenge Liu, Andrew J. Simnick & Ashutosh Chilkoti
Published online: 08 November 2009 | doi:10.1038/nmat2569
When artificial polypeptides are conjugated to a variety of hydrophobic molecules such as chemotherapeutics, the resulting molecules spontaneously self-assemble into nanoparticles. Delivering the chemotherapeutics to a murine cancer model, the nanoparticles have a fourfold higher maximum tolerated dose than the free drug, and induce nearly complete tumour regression after a single dose.
Abstract - Self-assembling chimeric polypeptide-doxorubicin conjugate nanoparticles that abolish tumours after a single injection | Full Text - Self-assembling chimeric polypeptide–doxorubicin conjugate nanoparticles that abolish tumours after a single injection | PDF (801 KB) - Self-assembling chimeric polypeptide–doxorubicin conjugate nanoparticles that abolish tumours after a single injection | Supplementary information
Metastable and unstable cellular solidification of colloidal suspensions
Sylvain Deville, Eric Maire, Guillaume Bernard-Granger, Audrey Lasalle, Agnès Bogner, Catherine Gauthier, Jérôme Leloup & Christian Guizard
Published online: 08 November 2009 | doi:10.1038/nmat2571
Direct in situ high-resolution X-ray radiography and tomography observations now reveal instability and metastability domains in cellular solidification of colloidal suspensions and the transition to the stable phase. These results provide important insight into the study of morphological instabilities and could prove significant in the design of various types of nanostructure.
Abstract - Metastable and unstable cellular solidification of colloidal suspensions | Full Text - Metastable and unstable cellular solidification of colloidal suspensions | PDF (1,466 KB) - Metastable and unstable cellular solidification of colloidal suspensions | Supplementary information
Large modulation of carrier transport by grain-boundary molecular packing and microstructure in organic thin films
Jonathan Rivnay, Leslie H. Jimison, John E. Northrup, Michael F. Toney, Rodrigo Noriega, Shaofeng Lu, Tobin J. Marks, Antonio Facchetti & Alberto Salleo
Published online: 08 November 2009 | doi:10.1038/nmat2570
Grain boundaries are already known to have a large effect on the charge-carrier mobility of molecular semiconductors. Several experimental and computational techniques now show that the orientation of grain boundaries in a perylene diimide semiconductor modulates carrier mobility by two orders of magnitude. The results provide important guidelines for producing device-optimized molecular semiconductors.
Abstract - Large modulation of carrier transport by grain-boundary molecular packing and microstructure in organic thin films | Full Text - Large modulation of carrier transport by grain-boundary molecular packing and microstructure in organic thin films | PDF (1,342 KB) - Large modulation of carrier transport by grain-boundary molecular packing and microstructure in organic thin films | Supplementary information
Nanostructured arrays of semiconducting octahedral molecular sieves by pulsed-laser deposition
Anais E. Espinal, Lichun Zhang, Chun-Hu Chen, Aimee Morey, Yuefeng Nie, Laura Espinal, Barrett O. Wells, Raymond Joesten, Mark Aindow & Steven L. Suib
Published online: 01 November 2009 | doi:10.1038/nmat2567
Molecular sieves made out of cryptomelane-type manganese oxide (OMS-2) have been widely studied, but synthesizing them with a hierarchical nanostructure and precise crystal orientation is very challenging. It is now demonstrated that pulsed-laser deposition of OMS-2 on SrTiO3 leads to the spontaneous formation of three-dimensional arrays of parallel and inclined fibres. The results open the way for lattice-engineered synthesis of multilayer materials.
Abstract - Nanostructured arrays of semiconducting octahedral molecular sieves by pulsed-laser deposition | Full Text - Nanostructured arrays of semiconducting octahedral molecular sieves by pulsed-laser deposition | PDF (1,566 KB) - Nanostructured arrays of semiconducting octahedral molecular sieves by pulsed-laser deposition | Supplementary information
Nanofibrous biologic laminates replicate the form and function of the annulus fibrosus
Nandan L. Nerurkar, Brendon M. Baker, Sounok Sen, Emily E. Wible, Dawn M. Elliott & Robert L. Mauck
Published online: 25 October 2009 | doi:10.1038/nmat2558
Designing load-bearing tissues that match the mechanical performance of native ones adds extra challenges to tissue engineering. Electrospinning of biodegradable polymer fibres into oriented sheets enables the production of laminate scaffolds; when seeded with mesenchymal stem cells and cultured for 10 weeks, these scaffolds replicate the mechanical properties of native annulus fibrosus.
Abstract - Nanofibrous biologic laminates replicate the form and function of the annulus fibrosus | Full Text - Nanofibrous biologic laminates replicate the form and function of the annulus fibrosus | PDF (1,533 KB) - Nanofibrous biologic laminates replicate the form and function of the annulus fibrosus
Reduction of the bulk modulus at high pressure in CrN
Francisco Rivadulla, Manuel Bañobre-López, Camilo X. Quintela, Alberto Piñeiro, Victor Pardo, Daniel Baldomir, Manuel Arturo López-Quintela, José Rivas, Carlos A. Ramos, Horacio Salva, Jian-Shi Zhou & John B. Goodenough
Published online: 25 October 2009 | doi:10.1038/nmat2549
Chromium nitride is very incompressible, making it ideal for industrial coatings. However, it is now shown that the material softens at high pressure and low temperature in connection with a phase transition from cubic to orthorhombic structure. The results could be fundamental in designing ways to improve the mechanical properties of superhard CrN.
Abstract - Reduction of the bulk modulus at high pressure in CrN | Full Text - Reduction of the bulk modulus at high pressure in CrN | PDF (483 KB) - Reduction of the bulk modulus at high pressure in CrN | Supplementary information
Porous organic cages
Tomokazu Tozawa, James T. A. Jones, Shashikala I. Swamy, Shan Jiang, Dave J. Adams, Stephen Shakespeare, Rob Clowes, Darren Bradshaw, Tom Hasell, Samantha Y. Chong, Chiu Tang, Stephen Thompson, Julia Parker, Abbie Trewin, John Bacsa, Alexandra M. Z. Slawin, Alexander Steiner & Andrew I. Cooper
Published online: 25 October 2009 | doi:10.1038/nmat2545
Porous materials are technologically important for a wide range of applications, such as catalysis and separation. Covalently bonded organic cages can now be assembled into crystalline microporous materials, and their porosity is found to be intrinsic to their molecular cage structure.
Abstract - Porous organic cages | Full Text - Porous organic cages | PDF (1,894 KB) - Porous organic cages | Supplementary information
Material properties of the cell dictate stress-induced spreading and differentiation in embryonic stem cells
Farhan Chowdhury, Sungsoo Na, Dong Li, Yeh-Chuin Poh, Tetsuya S. Tanaka, Fei Wang & Ning Wang
Published online: 18 October 2009 | doi:10.1038/nmat2563
Soft embryonic stem cells respond to small localized forces by increasing cell protrusion and spreading; in contrast, cells that are differentiated from them—which are ten times stiffer—do not spread. The deformation of the cell cytoskeleton is thus shown to be an important determinant of cellular response to force.
Abstract - Material properties of the cell dictate stress-induced spreading and differentiation in embryonic stem cells | Full Text - Material properties of the cell dictate stress-induced spreading and differentiation in embryonic stem cells | PDF (535 KB) - Material properties of the cell dictate stress-induced spreading and differentiation in embryonic stem cells | Supplementary information
Small-molecule-directed nanoparticle assembly towards stimuli-responsive nanocomposites
Yue Zhao, Kari Thorkelsson, Alexander J. Mastroianni, Thomas Schilling, Joseph M. Luther, Benjamin J. Rancatore, Kazuyuki Matsunaga, Hiroshi Jinnai, Yue Wu, Daniel Poulsen, Jean M. J. Fréchet, A. Paul Alivisatos & Ting Xu
Published online: 18 October 2009 | doi:10.1038/nmat2565
By including small molecules with block copolymers in polymer nanocomposites, various types of nanoparticle can be positioned within the composite with unprecedented precision over several length scales. Moreover, the spatial distribution of nanoparticles within the combined material can be varied by exposure to heat or light, creating a new route to stimuli-responsive materials.
Abstract - Small-molecule-directed nanoparticle assembly towards stimuli-responsive nanocomposites | Full Text - Small-molecule-directed nanoparticle assembly towards stimuli-responsive nanocomposites | PDF (2,079 KB) - Small-molecule-directed nanoparticle assembly towards stimuli-responsive nanocomposites | Supplementary information
Morphology-dependent zeolite intergrowth structures leading to distinct internal and outer-surface molecular diffusion barriers
Lukasz Karwacki, Marianne H. F. Kox, D. A. Matthijs de Winter, Martyn R. Drury, Johannes D. Meeldijk, Eli Stavitski, Wolfgang Schmidt, Machteld Mertens, Pablo Cubillas, Neena John, Ally Chan, Norma Kahn, Simon R. Bare, Michael Anderson, Jan Kornatowski & Bert M. Weckhuysen
Published online: 20 September 2009 | doi:10.1038/nmat2530
Characterizing the internal architecture of zeolites is crucial for understanding their structure–function relationships, and for acid–base heterogeneous catalysis. Using a unique combination of diffraction and microscopy techniques provides a unified picture of the morphology of intergrowth structures and confirmation of surface barriers for molecular diffusion.
Abstract - Morphology-dependent zeolite intergrowth structures leading to distinct internal and outer-surface molecular diffusion barriers | Full Text - Morphology-dependent zeolite intergrowth structures leading to distinct internal and outer-surface molecular diffusion barriers | PDF (1,503 KB) - Morphology-dependent zeolite intergrowth structures leading to distinct internal and outer-surface molecular diffusion barriers | Supplementary information
Until print versions of AOP papers are published, they should be cited in the style "Author(s) Nature Materials advance online publication, day month year (doi:10.1038/nmatXXXXX)". Once the print version (identical to the AOP) is published, it should be cited as follows: "Author(s) Nature Materials volume, page (year); advance online publication, (doi:10.1038/nmatXXXXX)".
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