POSTEROVÁ SEKCE E

Utilizing an atomic force microscope operated in lateral force mode, we probe dry kinetic friction across various friction pairs, including Si, Si3N4, and diamond tips against different types of surfaces, including: silane nanocoatings [1], single graphene oxide (SGO) [2], and thiol SAMs. We analyze friction as a function of multiple variables: velocity, load, and temperature.
Our results demonstrate that the same dry friction mechanisms (adhesive friction and stick-slip) govern energy dissipation across all surface pairs. However, the dependence of friction on sliding velocity differs quantitatively among the surface pairs. Rebinding effects are observed for all systems at low loads and low sliding velocities. Increasing the normal load above 4-6 nN suppresses rebinding for velocities greater than 10 µm/s. The friction-velocity dependence is non-monotonic: the friction force initially increases with sliding velocity, consistent with stick-slip behavior, then decreases rapidly reaching a minimum, and subsequently increases again [1]. This minimum is nearly imperceptible for thiol pairs, whereas it occurs at higher velocities for SGO (200-400 µm/s) than for silane nanocoatings (200-250 µm/s). The temperature of the system modifies these trends.
The friction minimum (200-400 µm/s) corresponds to the most favorable operating conditions for minimizing friction. Under these conditions and at normal loads of 4-6 nN, SGO exhibits friction forces below 0.3 nN and silane nanocoatings approximately 1 nN. Harnessing these insights may enable custom development of protective nanocoatings, effectively limiting the destructive impact of friction.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS: This work was supported by the National Science Centre in Poland under Project No. 2020/37/B/ST8/02023.
REFERENCES: [1] Weiss, M. et al., 2021, Tribology International, 162, 107133; [2] Weiss, M. et al., 2025, Tribology International, 201, 110203.
Corresponding authors: marek.weiss@put.poznan.pl; arkadiusz.ptak@put.poznan.pl

Solving partial differential equations (PDEs) is central to modeling physical systems, but classical numerical methods scale poorly with problem size and dimensionality. Quantum algorithms offer potential speedups by encoding solutions in quantum states. This work implements a quantum algorithm on IBM's quantum computers and quantum computer simulators to solve different kinds of PDEs and compares it against a classical solver in terms of accuracy, convergence, and resource scaling (qubits/circuit depth vs. classical compute cost). We discuss the outlook for practical quantum advantage in scientific computing.

Nanosphere lithography (NSL) is a versatile and well-known method, which is suitable for fabrication nanostructures over a large area. NSL is commonly used to fabricate an array of ordered triangular nanostructures, which originates from deposited metal material onto the interstices between the closely packed spheres. However, the fabrication of disk array with the same arrangement as a sphere monolayer is rarely documented. The aim of this work is to develop a reliable Top-down approach for manufacture of the disk array and subsequential plasma etching to create gallium nitride nanowires. In this work two approaches are considered.
The first approach involves deposition of metallic bilayer over the surface covered by the spheres, where one of the metal layers serves as a sacrificial layer. After spheres removal a positive sidewall from the sacrificial material is observed, which is carefully etched out. In the next step a target metal is deposited, which will create a disk of the target metal and the sacrificial layer is completely removed.
Second approach utilizes deposition of a sacrificial metal layer onto the interstices between the spheres and shallow etching to create exposed area in the gallium nitride. Then the deposition of the target metal into the etched hole is performed, which will result in a disk in the same place as the original sphere in the monolayer. Residual sacrificial metal is removed, and the sample is etched in the plasma to fabricate nanowires.

Solving systems of linear equations is a common problem encountered across a wide range of scientific or technical applications including computational material science. As the dimension of the system increases, classical algorithms become computationally demanding. Quantum computing introduced new possible approaches to tackle this problem, for example the Harrow-Hassidim-Lloyd (HHL) algorithm, which offers an exponential speed-up under specific assumptions, reducing the complexity to polylogarithmic with respect to the dimension of the problem. Our work provides a review of the previous applications of HHL algorithm, describing its functioning, testing its performance, and outlining its advantages and limitations. Furthermore, we discuss possible extensions of the HHL algorithm and its further fine-tunning. Finally, we demonstrate the algorithm on a simple system of linear equations using Qiskit Python package, where we compare its behavior and results. For this purpose, we use both numerical simulations and real hardware realizations on IBM quantum computers.

A highly efficient one-pot chemocatalytic strategy for the direct conversion of xylose into value-added C5/C4 cyclic ethers was developed using a novel ZrO2-modified Ni-Pd catalyst supported on H-β zeolite. The optimized catalyst, Ni2Pd0.5Zr1/H-β(25), delivered nearly complete xylose conversion (>99%) while achieving remarkable selectivities of 48.6% toward 2-methyltetrahydrofuran (2-MTHF) and 20.2% toward tetrahydropyran (THP) under relatively mild conditions (200 °C, 1.0 MPa H2, 2 h). Comprehensive physicochemical characterization revealed that ZrO2 incorporation generated abundant oxygen vacancies, strengthened hydrogen activation, and enhanced metal dispersion, creating highly active multifunctional catalytic sites for sequential hydrogenation and hydrodeoxygenation. Furthermore, in situ diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy (DRIFTS) employing furfural and furfuryl alcohol as probe molecules uncovered favorable adsorption configurations and strong electronic interactions at the Ni-Pd-ZrO2 interfaces, providing direct evidence for the origin of the enhanced catalytic performance. Time-resolved experiments and substrate-dependent investigations further unraveled the reaction network, identified the key intermediates, and clarified the synergistic roles of the metallic and acidic active sites. Notably, the catalyst exhibited outstanding structural stability and catalytic durability, maintaining high activity and selectivity over repeated recycling tests with only negligible performance loss. These findings establish a robust structure-activity relationship and offer valuable design principles for engineering multifunctional catalysts capable of the selective upgrading of renewable biomass into high-value bio-based chemicals.

Nanoparticles possess high surface-to-volume ratio, making their properties particularly sensitive to interactions with surrounding environment. Water or hydroxyl groups are often present under experimental conditions and may influence structural stability, chemical reactivity and surface-related processes through hydrogen bonding and cooperative molecular interactions. Their reliable description is therefore essential for realistic simulations of nanoscale materials.
Accurate electronic-structure methods, such as coupled-cluster approaches, can accurately describe water interactions, but their computational cost limits their application for systems containing tens or hundreds of atoms. Simulations of solid materials therefore commonly rely on more computationally affordable density-functional approximations. However, functionals used for solids may not reproduce the balance between hydrogen bonding and dispersion interactions that determines the relative stability of different water configurations.
In this work, selected semilocal and dispersion-corrected density functionals commonly used in solid-state modelling are assessed using representative arrangements of H₂O molecules and hydroxyl groups. The comparison focuses on binding energies, geometries, hydrogen bonding and the relative stability of competing configurations. The results are also compared with machine-learned models. This approach allows us to evaluate whether computationally affordable functionals can reliably describe water interactions for future large-scale simulations of nanoparticles and related material systems.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS: This work was supported by the Strategy AV21 project „The power of objects: Materiality between past and future“. The support from the Czech Academy of Sciences (the Praemium Academiae awarded to M. Friák at the Institute of Physics of Materials in Brno) is also acknowledged.

The demand for sustainable and cost-effective electrochemical platforms has driven the exploration of biowaste-derived carbon materials. Within the "UP-S! - Upcycling Biowaste into Nanomaterials" project realised by undergraduate students at Gdańsk Tech, carbon materials obtained from pyrolyzed agricultural and marine wastes, such as cabbage and fish scales, were utilized to fabricate carbon paste electrodes (CPEs). These electrodes are of particular interest due to their low fabrication cost, simple preparation and ease of surface modification. CPEs may find their application in water quality assessment, environmental monitoring, food safety control and point-of-care diagnostics[1]. Carbon pastes were prepared by pyrolyzing waste fish scales and cabbage, followed by ball-milling and mixing with binders including mineral oil or Nafion.
This study aimed to establish a reproducible electrochemical evaluation method that can be applied to biowaste-derived CPEs. To ensure a reproducible active surface, a specific electrode preparation protocol was employed, involving surface polishing with aluminum oxide, followed by rinsing with organic solvents and ultrasonic cleaning. Cyclic Voltammetry (CV) was subsequently used to evaluate the electrochemical properties. The measurements were performed in a standard three-electrode configuration using a hexacyanoferrate redox probe, alongside a platinum counter electrode and a silver/silver chloride reference electrode.
As a result, a preparation and measurement method has been established. This protocol will be further applied to systematically evaluate the prepared biowaste-derived CPEs.
REFERENCES: [1]Tajik S, Beitollahi H, Nejad FG, Safaei M, Zhang K, Van Le Q, Varma RS, Jang HW, Shokouhimehr M. Developments and applications of nanomaterial-based carbon paste electrodes. RSC Adv. 2020 Jun 4;10(36):21561-21581. doi: 10.1039/d0ra03672b. PMID: 35518767; PMCID: PMC9054518.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: The work is financially supported by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education within the project SKN/SP/658313/2026.

Metal-organic coordination materials are promising electrode modifiers for electrochemical biosensing due to their tunable structure and possibility of introducing functional groups for subsequent bioconjugation. In this study, the effect of organic linker functionalization on the morphology and electrochemical properties of molybdenum-based coordination materials was investigated. Mo-H2BDC and Mo-NH2-BDC materials were synthesized solvothermally from sodium molybdate using terephthalic acid (H2BDC) and 2-aminoterephthalic acid (NH2-BDC), respectively. FTIR spectroscopy indicated coordination of carboxylate groups with molybdenum species and confirmed the presence of amino groups in Mo-NH2-BDC. SEM analysis revealed a pronounced effect of the linker on material morphology. Mo-H2BDC formed rod-like structures with lengths of 3-7 µm, whereas Mo-NH2-BDC formed flower-like assemblies composed of interconnected nanoscale structures. Electrochemical characterization using a ferri/ferrocyanide redox probe showed differences in interfacial charge transfer between the two materials. Mo-NH2-BDC exhibited charge-transfer resistance of 696-793 Ω compared with 761-937 Ω for Mo-H2BDC, while differences in anodic peak currents were less pronounced. The results demonstrate that amino functionalization of the terephthalate linker influences the morphology and interfacial electrochemical behavior of Mo-based coordination materials. In addition, the amino groups present in Mo-NH2-BDC provide potential sites for subsequent bioreceptor immobilization, supporting further investigation of this material as an electrode interface for electrochemical biosensing.

Low dimensional transition metal carbides (TMCs) are attractive functional materials due to their high electrical conductivity, thermal stability and chemical resistance. In particular, bottom up CVD synthesis offers a route toward bare carbide structures without the surface terminations typically introduced during wet chemical synthesis of MXenes.
In the current work, we present the evolution of CVD strategies for different carbide systems, from well-established Mo₂C as a reference system to other materials, such as vanadium carbide and chromium carbides. The application of Cu-assisted Mo₂C growth methods to other transition metals is not straightforward because of differences in Cu-transition metal interactions, and therefore modifications of the growth configuration are required. For vanadium, the Cu/V configuration requires particular consideration because of the high affinity of metallic vanadium toward oxygen. Similarly to other CVD-based syntheses, methane concentration and temperature strongly influence the growth process and final material morphology. Ongoing research on chromium carbides provides promising results and indicates that modification of the metal stacking configuration may be a useful strategy for extending this approach to other members of the TMC family; however, further studies are required.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS: P. S. W. and A. G. acknowledge financial support from the National Science Centre, Poland (NCN) under the SONATA grant no. 2024/55/D/ST11/02285. A. B. and M. Z. acknowledge the European Union's Horizon Europe research and innovation programme under Grant Agreement No. 101087143 (Electron Beam Emergent Additive Manufacturing, EBEAM).

For photocatalytic applications, capturing pollutants is only half the challenge; efficient platforms must also concentrate them towards accessible catalytic sites. This limitation motivates the integration of complementary materials, combining the photocatalytic activity of two-dimensional semiconductors with the porosity of metal-organic frameworks (MOF). Here, we explore the controlled integration of eg-C₃N₄ and MOF as a first step toward multifunctional, supported and film-based architectures. Bulk g-C₃N₄ was synthesized and exfoliated at 550 C and two different times (30, 60 min), followed by their characterization using N2 adsorption to determine the surface area, which increased when extending the exfoliation time. The values found were 131 m2/g and 208 m2/g, respectively. The exfoliated g-C3N4 was also characterized by XRD and DLS. To optimize the integration of g-C3N4 with MOF, bulk and exfoliated g-C3N4 dispersion stability tests were conducted. The preliminary results showed that both exfoliated samples present better dispersion properties than the bulk material in DMA and DMF solvents after 3 h, while methanol (also a common solvent for MOF preparation) allows only partial dispersibility. In parallel, suitable MOF were prepared by solvothermal synthesis, characterized in terms of their surface area and selected according to their compatibility with the 2D semiconductor and potential for interfacial integration. Establishing structure-function correlations will provide design guidelines for the development of immobilized eg-C₃N₄/MOF architectures with potential applications in optical sensing and photocatalytic pollutant degradation.

Nanodiamonds (ND) combine a chemically robust sp³ carbon core with a rich, tunable surface chemistry, making them attractive not as standalone materials but as functional dopants capable of modifying the properties of already established material systems [1]. Incorporating ND into a host matrix introduces additional charge-trapping centres, surface functional groups, and structural defects that translate into measurable changes in electrical, optical, electrochemical, and surface behaviour, without requiring the redesign of the host material itself.
ND doping is a universal modification strategy applicable across diverse classes of materials already used for sensing applications. Depending on the host system, ND incorporation has been shown to alter charge-transport and trap-state dynamics, shift characteristic electronic parameters, and modify surface wettability and electrochemical activity relative to undoped counterparts. Across these systems, the common denominator is that ND acts as a multifunctional dopant, broadening the operating range and application potential of materials that are already widely used, rather than introducing an entirely new material platform [2,3].
The aim is to consolidate these observations into a coherent framework describing how nanodiamond doping enhances the functional properties - electrical, optical, electrochemical, and surface-related - of diverse host materials. The novelty of this approach lies in treating ND not as a competing sensing material, but as a universal, cross-platform modifier that extends the functionality and application range of established materials.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS: The work was performed in the frame of MNSW Poland Regional Excellence Initiative no. RID/SP/0048/2024/01 project.
REFERENCES: [1] Mochalin, V.N., et al., The properties and applications of nanodiamonds. Nature Nanotechnology, 2012. 7(1): p. 11-23; [2] Kromka, A., et al., Nanocrystalline diamond films for sensing applications. Physica Status Solidi (a), 2009. 206(9): p. 2035-2040; [3] Pleskov, Y.V., Electrochemistry of diamond: a review. Russian Journal of Electrochemistry, 2002. 38(12): p. 1275-1291.

Intermetallic compounds in the Sb-Zn system exhibit excellent thermoelectric properties, which can be further improved by indium alloying. Accurately describing the underlying In-Sb-Zn ternary phase diagram using CALPHAD modelling method relies on precise input datasets of all constituent phases. Among these, Zn5Sb4In2 represents the sole known ternary compound in the system. This work presents an ab initio study of the ground state of the ternary phase Zn5Sb4In2. Density functional theory (DFT) was employed to evaluate the equilibrium structural parameters, along with its detailed electronic properties and formation energetics. Additionally, the thermodynamic and mechanical stability limits of the system were established. Furthermore, the dynamical stability was investigated by calculating the phonon density of states using the Phonopy package. The electronic calculations of density of states revealed a distinct energy gap at the Fermi level, indicating the semiconducting character of Zn5Sb4In2.
This study is a part of the project No. CZ.02.01.01/00/22_008/0004631 Materials and technologies for sustainable development within the Jan Amos Komensky Operational Program financed by the European Union and from the state budget of the Czech Republic. Computational resources were provided by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports of the Czech Republic under the Projects e-INFRA CZ (ID:90254) at the IT4Innovations National Supercomputing Center and e-Infrastruktura CZ (e-INFRA LM2018140) at the MetaCentrum as well as CERIT Scientific Cloud, all provided within the program Projects of Large Research, Development and Innovations Infrastructures.

Biochar is a carbon-rich material obtained through pyrolysis or carbonization of biomass, which has attracted increasing interest due to its tunable surface properties, porous structure, and potential applications in electrochemical systems. In recent years, biochar-based materials have been investigated for various electrochemical applications, including energy storage, electrochemical desalination, and sensor development. However, the properties of biochar strongly depend on the precursor material, pyrolysis conditions, and additional processing steps, which determine its structural characteristics and electrical transport behavior. [1]
In this work, fish scales are considered as a biomass precursor to produce biochar intended as a conductive component of carbon paste electrodes. The structural features of the obtained carbon material are analyzed based on microscopic and spectroscopic characterization, with particular attention to morphology, particle size, and carbon structure. The influence of biomass origin, pyrolysis conditions, and particle size reduction on the expected performance of biochar-based conductive composites is discussed.
A theoretical analysis of electrical transport in a biochar/paraffin composite is presented to assess the potential of fish-scale-derived biochar as a conductive component of carbon paste electrodes. The study combines structural characterization of the obtained biochar by scanning electron microscopy and Raman spectroscopy with a theoretical description of electrical transport in conductive composites. Particular attention is paid to the influence of particle morphology, characteristic particle size, and carbon structure on the expected conductive behavior of the composite. The influence of the conductive phase content on the formation of conductive pathways is also discussed within the framework of conductive composite models. The analysis aims to identify the structural and compositional factors that are expected to govern electrical transport in the composite and to provide a theoretical basis for the further development of biochar-based carbon paste electrodes.
[1] Cristiane Kalinke, Paulo R. de Oliveira, Juliano A. Bonacin, Bruno C. Janegitz, Antonio S. Mangrich, Luiz H. Marcolino-Junior, Márcio F. Bergamini; State-of-the-art and perspectives in the use of biochar for electrochemical and electroanalytical applications. Green Chem. 2021; 23 (15): 5272-5301. https://doi.org/10.1039/d1gc00843a
Acknowledgement: The work is financially supported by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education within the project SKN/SP/658313/2026.

Nickel phosphide (Ni₂P) has attracted considerable attention as a multifunctional material for nanoelectronic and catalytic applications owing to its metallic nature and remarkable charge transport characteristics. In this work, the electronic structure and transport properties of hexagonal Ni₂P are systematically investigated using a combination of density functional theory (DFT) and the non-equilibrium Green's function (NEGF) formalism. The electronic structure calculations reveal a metallic behavior characterized by finite electronic states at the Fermi level, arising mainly from the hybridization between Ni-3d and P-3p orbitals. The calculated band structure shows three bands crossing the Fermi level, while the Fermi surface analysis highlights the contribution of these bands to the electronic conduction. To evaluate charge transport under realistic device conditions, Au/Ni₂P/Au junctions with different surface terminations were examined. The results demonstrate that phosphorus-rich (Ni₃P₂) interfaces exhibit higher transmission at the Fermi level than phosphorus-poor (Ni₃P) interfaces because of stronger orbital hybridization across the metal/semiconductor interface. The influence of phosphorus vacancies was also investigated, showing that structural defects reduce the transmission coefficient, with vacancies located inside the spacer producing a more pronounced degradation of the electrical conductance than interfacial defects. These findings establish a direct correlation between the electronic structure, surface termination, and quantum transport characteristics of Ni₂P, highlighting the importance of interface engineering and defect control for optimizing the performance of Ni₂P-based nanoelectronic devices.

This contribution focuses on the use of fluorescence spectroscopy for the characterization of membrane properties in liposomes prepared from dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC). DPPC is a well-established phospholipid frequently used as a model membrane component, either alone or in combination with other lipids, for the preparation of aqueous vesicular dispersions, including small unilamellar vesicles.
Fluorescence-based methods are widely applied to monitor changes in membrane physicochemical properties induced by temperature, membrane composition, dispersion medium, or interactions with external compounds such as lipids, polymers, or biopolymers. Commonly evaluated parameters include membrane microviscosity, fluidity, polarity, and hydration. Among these, membrane hydration is particularly informative, as it reflects both the degree of probe solvation within the membrane environment and the mobility of water molecules involved in local relaxation processes, providing sensitive information on structural and dynamic changes in lipid membranes.
Laurdan (1-[6-(dimethylamino)naphtalen-2-yl]dodecan-1-one) is one of the most widely used environment-sensitive fluorescent probes for lipid membrane studies. In steady-state fluorescence measurements, Laurdan emission is commonly evaluated using the generalized polarization parameter, which provides a convenient description of membrane order and hydration. However, this approach may not fully capture complex membrane responses, particularly near phase transitions.
Time-resolved emission spectroscopy (TRES) extends Laurdan fluorescence analysis by following the temporal evolution of the emission spectrum during the excited-state lifetime. This approach enables evaluation of spectral relaxation amplitudes, limiting emission positions, and solvent relaxation kinetics.
This poster presents the basic principles of Laurdan TRES analysis in DPPC model membranes measured at different temperatures and discusses strategies for interpreting complex time-resolved spectral profiles, particularly in the phase transition region.

Instrumented nanoindentation is a widely used technique for determining hardness and elastic modulus at the micro- and nanoscale. Its versatility has enabled applications in materials science, including thin films, polymers, and composites, as well as in fields such as biomedicine, biophysics, and cultural heritage research. The method is based on measuring load and displacement during the penetration of a diamond indenter into a material. Evaluation of mechanical properties requires the tip area function, which is defined by the indenter geometry. Since measurement accuracy strongly depends on the accuracy of the area function, indenter geometry is a major source of uncertainty, particularly at the nanoscale. Consequently, reliable tip calibration is essential for quantitative nanoindentation.
Calibration of the tip area function can be performed indirectly using reference samples or directly using microscopy techniques. While the indirect approach is widely supported by instrument manufacturers, the limited availability of certified reference materials restricts traceability. Direct methods, typically based on atomic force microscopy (AFM) or confocal microscopy, determine the complete tip geometry and derive the area function from it. In addition to improving traceability, they provide important geometric parameters such as apex radius and face angles for tip quality assessment.
AFM characterization of indenter tips poses specific challenges. In contrast to most samples, the tip lacks a flat reference surface, complicating data processing. Standard AFM preprocessing procedures, including line-mismatch correction, are often unsuitable, leaving only a limited set of applicable evaluation methods. Steep side slopes can affect the feedback loop and generate complex measurement errors. Because the area function is obtained by pixel counting, results are highly sensitive to data defects and global image distortions such as bow and thermal drift. Accurate characterization requires calibration of all three measurement axes, while lateral dimensions are additionally affected by tip convolution.
Data-processing methods and user-defined parameters can significantly influence results. Therefore, complex evaluation workflows require rigorous uncertainty assessment and propagation. These choices should be considered part of the calibration procedure and preserved as metadata.
This work presents a comprehensive framework for evaluation and uncertainty propagation. The applicability and limitations of conventional uncertainty-propagation methods are analyzed, particularly for nonlinear and complex workflows. Where required, numerical approaches such as Monte Carlo simulations and alternative sampling methods are employed. Uncertainty propagation across the entire traceability chain is also addressed, from AFM calibration to improved nanomechanical measurements, including the management of traceability-related metadata.

The development of advanced optical microscopy methods for single-entity characterization is essential for the qualitative and quantitative analysis of nanomaterials with diverse optical properties.1 Here, we present two independent optical approaches that enable the characterization of individual nanoparticles by exploiting their light absorption, scattering, or emission.
The first approach extends bright-field microscopy for Evaporated Volume Analysis (EVA),2 eliminating the coffee-ring effect while enabling the optical detection of 30-100 nm Ag and 50-80 nm Au nanoparticles. To support high-throughput analysis, we developed a convolutional neural network that reliably counts thousands of nanoparticles, even in the presence of background impurities.
The second approach targets luminescent nanoparticles using slitless spectroscopy3 for the simultaneous acquisition of spatial and spectral information from individual ~55 nm Er-doped photon-upconversion nanoparticles. A transmission diffraction grating positioned in front of the camera facilitates slitless spectroscopy of hundreds of nanoparticles in a single measurement. Combined with automated data analysis, the method enables rapid characterization of spectral variability with single-particle resolution.
Together, these methods expand the capabilities of accessible optical microscopy for the characterization of light-absorbing, scattering, and luminescent nanoparticles. They provide versatile tools for nanoparticle quality assessment and establish a foundation for future multimodal optical studies.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS: This work was supported by GA ČR project No. 26-22284S; institutional support RVO: 68081715.
REFERENCES: 1 J. Zhou, A. I. Chizhik, S. Chu, D.-Y. Jin, Nature 2020, 579, 41-50; 2 A. Hlaváček, K. Uhrová, J. Weisová, H. Brožková, N. Pizúrová, Anal. Chem. 2025, 97, 2588-2592; 3 A. Hlaváček, K. Uhrová, J. Weisová, J. Křivánková, Anal. Chem. 2023, 95, 12256-12263.

Comprehensive nanoparticle characterization relies on complementary quantitative and qualitative information describing the properties of a nanoparticle sample. Here, we present an optical microscopy platform that integrates both types of analysis within a single instrument through minimal modifications of the optical setup.
Quantitative characterization is achieved by calibration-free absolute nanoparticle counting based on direct imaging of individual nanoparticles. The approach is applicable to both intrinsically luminescent nanoparticles (here photon-upconversion nanoparticles, diameter 66 nm), and intrinsically non-luminescent nanoparticles (here polystyrene nanoparticles, diameter 83 nm), following fluorescent labelling. Its performance is demonstrated by determining the average number of surface carboxyl groups on nanoparticles, providing a straightforward route to quantitative surface characterization.1,2
For qualitative characterization, the microscope is readily converted into a slitless spectroscopic system by inserting a diffraction grating into the detection path. This enables acquisition of emission spectra from individual luminescent nanoparticles without substantial modifications of the microscope.3,4 Together, absolute nanoparticle counting and single-particle spectroscopy provide complementary information on nanoparticle concentration, surface chemistry, and optical properties. The proposed workflow demonstrates how a single optical device can integrate quantitative and qualitative nanoparticle characterization, offering a versatile and efficient platform for the analysis of functional nanomaterials.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS: This work was supported by GA ČR project No. 26-22284S; institutional support RVO: 68081715.
REFERENCES: [1] H. Brožková, J. Weisová, A. Hlaváček, Langmuir. 2025, 41, 13216-13133; [2] A. Hlaváček, J.Křivánková, H. Brožková, J. Weisová, N.Pizúrová, Anal. Chem. 2022, 94, 14340-14348; [3] A. Hlaváček, K. Uhrová, J. Weisová, H. Brožková, J.Křivánková, Anal. Chem. 2023, 95, 12256-12263; [4] J. Zhou, A. I. Chizhik, S. Chu et al, Nature. 2020, 579, 41-50.