Gold Nanoparticles: Materials and Applications
A special issue of Materials (ISSN 1996-1944). This special issue belongs to the section "Advanced Nanomaterials and Nanotechnology".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 April 2020) | Viewed by 11165
Special Issue Editor
Interests: synthesis of novel biomaterials; PEG-based hydrogels; surface micro- and nanopatterning; gold nanoparticles (Au NPs); nanocomposites with hydroxylapatite; biomineralization; cell adhesion and migration; AFM studies on surface topography and elasticity; surface enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (SERS)
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
This Special Issue is dedicated to gold nanoparticles (Au NPs); advanced materials that represent a wealth of applications in (electro)catalysis, electronics, sensing, nanobiotechnology, diagnostics and therapeutics, among others. Au NPs can be easily synthesized with various sizes, shapes and surface functionalities in order to meet the requirements of specific applications. Owing to surface plasmon resonance (SPR) effects in the visible range, they possess unique size- and shape-dependent optical properties, e.g., light absorption in the near infrared (IR) spectrum of electromagnetic waves. These properties make them suitable for SPR-based biosensor devices, surface enhanced Raman scattering studies (SERS) and biomedical applications, such as photodynamic therapy, where light absorption results in local heat dissipation that can be applied to kill cancer cells, as an example.
The strong binding affinity of thiol molecules for gold surfaces allows selective and specific binding of various (bio)functional molecules, such as dyes, drugs, DNA, antigens and antibodies on the surface of the particles. This is attractive for drug delivery; targeting specific tissues, and, after uptake by cells, for transfection, labelling, exploring cell trafficking, and other intracellular processes.
In addition to the versatile properties of Au NPs, further novel materials can be designed and synthesized via combination with (polymeric) matrices; for instance, hydrogels. Such nanocomposite hydrogels broaden the applicability of nanomaterials and are of great interest in biomaterials research, e.g., as substrates for fundamental cell studies and as scaffolds in tissue engineering. Nanocomposite hydrogels are hybrid materials of hydrophilic, polymeric networks and organic or inorganic nanoparticles; hence, the tissue-like property of a hydrogel is enriched with the specific chemical, electrical, conductive, optical or thermal properties of the respective immobilized nanoparticles.
Last but not least, Au NPs can be immobilized on surfaces; either randomly distributed or in (microscale) patterns. We and others have developed several patterning methods to decorate hard substrates (e.g., silicon or glass) and to transfer Au NPs to the soft, biomimetic interfaces of (e.g., PEG-based) hydrogels. Those hybrid, multifunctional biointerfaces are valuable substrates for studying selective biointeractions, e.g., with proteins, enzymes, cells, and tissues.
Prof. Marga Cornelia Lensen
Guest Editor
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Keywords
- gold nanoparticles (Au NPs)
- synthesis
- optical properties
- surface plasmon resonance (SPR)
- electrocatalysis
- surface (bio)functionalization
- biomedical applications
- biosensors
- hydrogels
- nanocomposites
- micro- and nanopatterning
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