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Silica aerogels are nanoporous materials with exceptional optical and physical properties, making them promising candidates to enhance solar cell efficiency as antireflective coatings. This study synthesized hydrophobic silica aerogel thin…
Thin films made of deformable micro- and nano-units, such as biological membranes, polymer interfaces, and particle-laden liquid surfaces, exhibit a complex behavior during drying, with consequences for various applications like wound…
This work explores the antimicrobial efficacy of ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) films with varying microstructure, crystallographic orientation and surface roughness. Thin films with different microstructures were obtained by varying precursor…
Improving building energy performance requires the development of new highly insulative materials. An affordable retrofitting solution comprising a thin film could improve the resistance to heat flow in both residential and commercial…
Wrought by nature's wondrous hand, surface topographies are discovered on all length scales in living creatures and serve a variety of functions. Inspired by floral striations, here we developed a scalable means of fabricating…
Arranged patterns obtained by ultrafast laser processing on the surface of Ti/Cu/Ti/Si and Ti/Zr/Ti/Si thin film systems are reported. Two differently designed multilayer thin films, Ti/Cu/Ti/Si and Ti/Zr/Ti/Si, were deposited on silicon by…
Recently, liquid-phase crystallization of thin silicon films has emerged as a promising candidate for thin-film photovoltaics. On 10 \mu m thin absorbers, wafer-equivalent morphologies and open-circuit voltages were reached, leading to a…
Robust nanoporous polymer films with approximate 100-nm thicknesses would be broadly applicable in technological areas such as flexible sensors, artificial skins, separators, antireflection and self-cleaning films. However, the creation of…
Bacterial cellulose biofilms are complex networks of strong interwoven nanofibers that control transport and protect bacterial colonies in the film. Design of diverse applications of bacterial cellulose films also relies on understanding…
Inter-surface forces mediated by polymer films are important in a range of technological and industrial situations. In cosmetics, applications such as hair conditioning typically rely on the adsorption of polyelectrolyte films onto the…
The ability to control porosity in oxide thin films is one of the key factors that determine their properties. Despite the abundance of dry processes for the synthesis of oxide porous layers, the high porosity range is typically achieved by…
Many promising approaches for designing interactions of synthetic materials with light involve solid optical monocrystals and nanofabricated photonic crystal structures with spatially periodic variations of refractive index. Although their…
A Rapid and cost-effective method for detecting bacterial cells on surfaces is critical to protect public health from various aspects, including food safety, clinical hygiene, and pharmacy quality. Herein, we first established an optical…
Most paints contain pigments that absorb light and fade over time. A robust alternative can be found in nature, where structural coloration arises from the interference of light with submicron features. Plant-derived, cellulose nanocrystals…
Many bacterial species readily develop biofilms that act as a protective matrix against external challenge, e.g. from antimicrobial treatment. Therefore, biofilms are often responsible for persistent and recurring infections. Established…
Investigations of free-standing liquid films enjoy an increasing popularity due to their relevance for many fundamental and applied scientific problems. They constitute soap bubbles and foams, serve as membranes for gas transport or as…
Bio-inspired anti-wetting surfaces, such as lotus leaf or pitcher plant, have led to the development of stable liquid infused slippery surfaces for various scientific applications. The present work demonstrates the use of biomimetic…
The current Coronavirus Disease 19 (COVID-19) pandemic has exemplified the need for simple and efficient prevention strategies that can be rapidly implemented to mitigate infection risks. Various surfaces have a long history of…
Thin-film solar cells that are considered as the second generation of solar cells are known for their low cost and acceptable efficiency. In this technology, semiconductor layers with a thickness of micrometer are deposited on thick enough…
Antimicrobial biomaterials are critical to aid in the regeneration of oral soft tissue and prevent or treat localised bacterial infections. With the rising trend in antibiotic resistance, there is a pressing clinical need for new…