Bastian Barton

Bio: Bastian Barton is an academic researcher from University of Mainz. The author has contributed to research in topics: Electron diffraction & Transmission electron microscopy. The author has an hindex of 13, co-authored 52 publications receiving 657 citations. Previous affiliations of Bastian Barton include Fraunhofer Society & Max Planck Society.

Fabrication of a Boersch phase plate for phase contrast imaging in a transmission electron microscope

Abstract: The Boersch phase plate for a transmission electron microscope (TEM) offers major advantages over other phase plate concepts. However, due to its miniature dimensions, it could not be constructed and implemented so far. We report the first successful fabrication of a Boersch phase plate, which was produced by a combination of electron-beam and focused ion-beam lithography on a freestanding silicon nitride membrane. The manufactured multilayer electrode structure was tested for its functionality as an electrostatic einzel lens in a TEM. First experiments show that it can be used as a phase shifting device, as proposed by Boersch, to optimize phase contrast transfer in transmission electron microscopy.

Two-Step Nucleation Process of Calcium Silicate Hydrate, the Nanobrick of Cement

Abstract: Despite a millennial history and the ubiquitous presence of cement in everyday life, the molecular processes underlying its hydration behavior, like the formation of calcium–silicate–hydrate (C–S–H), the binding phase of concrete, are mostly unexplored. Using time-resolved potentiometry and turbidimetry combined with dynamic light scattering, small-angle X-ray scattering, and cryo-TEM, we demonstrate C–S–H formation to proceed via a complex two-step pathway. In the first step, amorphous and dispersed spheroids are formed, whose composition is depleted in calcium compared to C–S–H and charge compensated with sodium. In the second step, these amorphous spheroids crystallize to tobermorite-type C–S–H. The crystallization is accompanied by a sodium/calcium cation exchange and aggregation. Understanding the formation of C–S–H via amorphous liquid precursors may allow for a better understanding of the topography of the nucleation in cement paste and thus the percolation of hydration products leading to the mech...

Glycine-functionalized copper(II) hydroxide nanoparticles with high intrinsic superoxide dismutase activity

Abstract: Superoxide dismutases (SOD) are a group of enzymes that catalyze the dismutation of superoxide (O2−) radicals into molecular oxygen (O2) and H2O2 as a first line of defense against oxidative stress. Here, we show that glycine-functionalized copper(II) hydroxide nanoparticles (Gly-Cu(OH)2 NPs) are functional SOD mimics, whereas bulk Cu(OH)2 is insoluble in water and catalytically inactive. In contrast, Gly-Cu(OH)2 NPs form water-dispersible mesocrystals with a SOD-like activity that is larger than that of their natural CuZn enzyme counterpart. Based on this finding, we devised an application where Gly-Cu(OH)2 NPs were incorporated into cigarette filters. Cigarette smoke contains high concentrations of toxic reactive oxygen species (ROS, >1016 molecules per puff) including superoxide and reactive nitrogen species which lead to the development of chronic and degenerative diseases via oxidative damage and subsequent cell death. Embedded in cigarette filters Gly-Cu(OH)2 NPs efficiently removed ROS from smoke, thereby protecting lung cancer cell lines from cytotoxic effects. Their stability, ease of production and versatility make them a powerful tool for a wide range of applications in environmental chemistry, biotechnology and medicine.

Pd@Fe2O3 Superparticles with Enhanced Peroxidase Activity by Solution Phase Epitaxial Growth

Abstract: Compared to conventional deposition techniques for the epitaxial growth of metal oxide structures on a bulk metal substrate, wet-chemical synthesis based on a dispersible template offers advantages such as low cost, high throughput, and the capability to prepare metal/metal oxide nanostructures with controllable size and morphology. However, the synthesis of such organized multicomponent architectures is difficult because the size and morphology of the components are dictated by the interplay of interfacial strain and facet-specific reactivity. Here we show that solution-processable two-dimensional Pd nanotetrahedra and nanoplates can be used to direct the epitaxial growth of γ-Fe2O3 nanorods. The interfacial strain at the Pd−γ-Fe2O3 interface is minimized by the formation of an FexPd “buffer phase” facilitating the growth of the nanorods. The γ-Fe2O3 nanorods show a (111) orientation on the Pd(111) surface. Importantly, the Pd@γ-Fe2O3 hybrid nanomaterials exhibit enhanced peroxidase activity compared to ...

Nanozymes: Classification, Catalytic Mechanisms, Activity Regulation, and Applications

Abstract: Because of the high catalytic activities and substrate specificity, natural enzymes have been widely used in industrial, medical, and biological fields, etc. Although promising, they often suffer from intrinsic shortcomings such as high cost, low operational stability, and difficulties of recycling. To overcome these shortcomings, researchers have been devoted to the exploration of artificial enzyme mimics for a long time. Since the discovery of ferromagnetic nanoparticles with intrinsic horseradish peroxidase-like activity in 2007, a large amount of studies on nanozymes have been constantly emerging in the next decade. Nanozymes are one kind of nanomaterials with enzymatic catalytic properties. Compared with natural enzymes, nanozymes have the advantages such as low cost, high stability and durability, which have been widely used in industrial, medical, and biological fields. A thorough understanding of the possible catalytic mechanisms will contribute to the development of novel and high-efficient nanozymes, and the rational regulations of the activities of nanozymes are of great significance. In this review, we systematically introduce the classification, catalytic mechanism, activity regulation as well as recent research progress of nanozymes in the field of biosensing, environmental protection, and disease treatments, etc. in the past years. We also propose the current challenges of nanozymes as well as their future research focus. We anticipate this review may be of significance for the field to understand the properties of nanozymes and the development of novel nanomaterials with enzyme mimicking activities.

Generation of electron beams carrying orbital angular momentum

Abstract: Light beams can be engineered to carry orbital angular momentum, with application as, for instance, optical 'spanners' — essentially a 'twisted' variant of the more familiar optical tweezers Here it is shown that it is, in principle, possible to engineer similar behaviour into an electron beam Such a beam could find use in a variety of spectroscopy and microscopy techniques

Electron Vortex Beams with High Quanta of Orbital Angular Momentum

Abstract: Electron beams with helical wavefronts carrying orbital angular momentum are expected to provide new capabilities for electron microscopy and other applications. We used nanofabricated diffraction holograms in an electron microscope to produce multiple electron vortex beams with well-defined topological charge. Beams carrying quantized amounts of orbital angular momentum (up to 100ħ) per electron were observed. We describe how the electrons can exhibit such orbital motion in free space in the absence of any confining potential or external field, and discuss how these beams can be applied to improved electron microscopy of magnetic and biological specimens.