Superhydrophobic textile fabrics are prepared by a simple, one‐step gas phase coating procedure by which a layer of polymethylsilsesquioxane nanofilaments is grown onto the individual textile fibers. A total of 11 textile fabrics made from natural and man made fibers are successfully coated and their superhydrophobic properties evaluated by the water shedding angle technique. A thorough investigation of the commercially relevant poly(ethylene terephthalate) fabric reveals an unparalleled long‐term water resistance and stability of the superhydrophobic effect. Because of the special surface geometry generated by the nanoscopic, fibrous coating on the microscopic, fibrous textiles, the coated fabric remains completely dry even after two months of full immersion in water and stays superhydrophobic even after continuous rubbing with a skin simulating friction partner under significant load. Furthermore, important textile parameters such as tensile strength, color, and haptics are unaffected by the silicone nanofilament coating. For the first time, an in‐depth characterization of the wetting properties, beyond simple contact angle measurements, as well as a thorough evaluation of the most important textile parameters is performed on a superhydrophobic fabric, which reveals a true potential for application.

The state-of-the-art in wearable flexible sensors (WFSs) for sweat analyte detection was investigated. Recent advances show the development of integrated, mechanically flexible and multiplexed sensor systems with on-site circuitry for signal processing and wireless data transmission. When compared with single-analyte sensors, such devices provide an opportunity to more accurately analyse analytes that are dependent on other parameters (such as sweat rate and pH) by improving calibration from in situ real-time analysis, while maintaining a lightweight and wearable design. Important health conditions can be monitored and on-demand regulating drugs can be delivered using integrated wearable systems but require correlation verification between sweat and blood measurements using in vivo validation tests before any clinical application can be considered. Improvements are necessary for device sensitivity, accuracy and repeatability to provide more reliable and personalized continuous measurements. With rapid recent development, it can be concluded that non-invasive WFSs for sweat analysis have only skimmed the surface of their health monitoring potential and further significant advancement is sure to be made in the medical field.

Naturally occurring isotopes of such elements as strontium (Sr) have proved to be good tools for detecting trends in the soil-vegetation system and the tracing of a variety of objects. Multiple-collector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (MC-ICP-MS) has been used for the precise determination of variations in the isotopic composition of Sr. The method described has been applied to the establishment of the potential and limits to determine the geographical origins of different Emmental-type cheese samples. The sample preparation consists of (i) a freeze-drying procedure to remove water, (ii) an extraction step to eliminate the fat components and to obtain the cheese casein fraction, (iii) a thermal decomposition of the latter, and (iv) a chromatographic matrix separation of the redissolved residue. The determination of the isotope abundance ratios 88 Sr/ 86 Sr, 87 Sr/ 86 Sr and 84 Sr/ 86 Sr resulted in precisions of 0.002-0.01%. Simultaneously, the ion currents for krypton ( 83 Kr, 82 Kr) and rubidium ( 85 Rb) were measured to correct for interferences with the Sr isotopes 84, 86 and 87. These and further (argide) spectral interferences causing bias effects to the Sr isotope abundance ratios have been investigated and an adequate computational correction procedure has been assessed. The whole set of validation data has been used for the calculation of the combined standard measurement uncertainty of the isotopic abundance ratio, resulting in a value of 0.016%. Comparison of the measured 87 Sr/ 86 Sr data with thermal ionisation mass spectrometric (TIMS) results, determined on the same cheese samples, agreed within the stated measurement uncertainties, thus indicating that both the validation of the sample preparation procedures and the mass spectrometric measurements cause no evident bias effect with respect to the Sr isotope abundance values. The 87 Sr/ 86 Sr isotope abundance ratios in cheese originating from different regions (alpine, pre-alpine, Bretagne, Finland, Canada, Australia) accorded to local geological properties. No difference was found between ''casein-bound'' and ''whole-cheese'' Sr isotope abundance ratios within the stated measurement uncertainties.

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Poly­(ethylene dioxythiophene):poly­(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) has emerged as a promising candidate for renewable, clean, and reliable energy generation from waste heat due to its thermoelectric properties. This largely stems from its tunable and potentially high electrical conductivity. However, the resulting small Seebeck coefficients diminish the thermoelectric efficiency. We employ dedoping methods making use of acido-base and redox dedoping in order to optimize its properties. In order to tune the charge carrier concentration in PEDOT:PSS thin films, aqueous solutions of readily available inorganic salts, namely, sodium hydrogen carbonate (NaHCO3), sodium sulfite (Na2SO3), and sodium borohydride (NaBH4), are introduced in different concentrations into PEDOT:PSS solutions before thin film fabrication. This yields optimized thermoelectric properties in terms of power factors up to 100 μW/K2 m. Changes in the electronic structure are characterized using UV–vis spectroscopy and XPS, while changes in the conformation are investigated using Raman spectroscopy. The thermoelectric quantities are compared for the redox dedopants regarding the absolute number of reducing equivalents.

This review provides insights into the current advancements in the field of electrospinning, focusing on its applications for skin tissue engineering. Furthermore, it reports the evolvement and present challenges of advanced skin substitute product development and explores the recent contributions in 2D and 3D scaffolding, focusing on natural, synthetic, and composite nanomaterials. In the past decades, nanotechnology has arisen as a fascinating discipline that has influenced every aspect of science, engineering, and medicine. Electrospinning is a versatile fabrication method that allows researchers to elicit and explore many of the current challenges faced by tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. In skin tissue engineering, electrospun nanofibers are particularly attractive due to their refined morphology, processing flexibility—that allows for the formation of unique materials and structures, and its extracellular matrix‐like biomimetic architecture. These allow for electrospun nanofibers to promote improved re‐epithelization and neo‐tissue formation of wounds. Advancements in the use of portable electrospinning equipment and the employment of electrospinning for transdermal drug delivery and melanoma treatment are additionally explored. Present trends and issues are critically discussed based on recently published patents, clinical trials, and in vivo studies. This article is categorized under: Implantable Materials and Surgical Technologies > Nanotechnology in Tissue Repair and Replacement Therapeutic Approaches and Drug Discovery > Emerging Technologies Implantable Materials and Surgical Technologies > Nanomaterials and Implants

Plasma polymer coatings with embedded Ag nanoparticles were deposited in a low pressure RF plasma reactor using an asymmetrical setup with an Ag electrode. The plasma polymer was deposited from a reactive gas/monomer mixture of CO2/C2H4 yielding a functional hydrocarbon matrix. In addition, Ar was simultaneously used to sputter Ag atoms from the Ag electrode, forming nanoparticles within the growing polymer matrix. The influence of the power input, gas ratio and coating thickness on both, the Ag content and the Ag nanoparticle morphology, as well as the distribution in the polymer matrix were investigated. It was found that both increasing the power input and the CO2 ratio result in a higher incorporation of Ag into the matrix.

White lead (2PbCO(3).Pb(OH)(2)), a common component in 17c. artists' painting materials, was singled out to investigate the potential of lead isotope abundance ratios in the field of authentication and origin assignment. Paintings by Peter Paul Rubens, Anthony van Dyck and other Old Masters of the Northern and Southern schools were chosen for this study. An interdisciplinary approach was chosen using both analytical instrumental methods, art technological and art historical knowledge. Minute samples taken from paintings from selected art collections worldwide were investigated using mass spectrometry, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX). The high precision lead isotope abundance ratios were measured by multiple collector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (MC-ICP-MS). The determination of the calcium matrix influence with respect to possible bias effects to the isotope ratios gave clear decision support, to whether a result lies within the stated combined measurement uncertainty of the result, to eliminate time-consuming matrix separations. The scatter plots of the measured isotope abundance ratios for the painting pigments from P. P. Rubens, A. van Dyck and other Flemish painters exhibit a very narrow distribution forming a cluster. The range of the measured ratio (206)Pb/(204)Pb amounts to 0.55% and for the ratio (207)Pb/(204)Pb to 0.2%. The comparison of the data to cis-alpine (Italian) sample pigments from paintings from the same time period reveals a clear distinction between the two fields. With respect to the lead isotope data originating from the ores it is assumed that the pigment isotope ratio distribution can be explained by very distinct origin of raw materials. Presumably, no mixing of different lead ores from Europe took place. The comparison of the measured white lead isotope ratio values (Flemish paintings) and the data from ore samples led to the unexpected conclusion that local ores were not used for the pigment production but British or German sources.