Noble Metal and Metal Oxide Nanoparticles and Their Nano-Composites for Catalytic and Biomedical Applications

Dear Colleagues,

Noble metal and metal oxide nanostructures, especially combined in core−shell, onion-, dumbbell-, flower-like heterodimers, represent highly inspiring nanoplatforms for multiple applications in heterogeneous catalysis, environmental sciences, biology and medicine. Suitable metal oxide nanomaterials are TiO₂, Ce2O₃, MoO_3-x, V₂O₅, WO_3-x, BiOI, MnFe₂O₄, ZnFe₂O₄ and Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles as being redox active. Beyond that, Fe3O4, MnFe₂O₄, and ZnFe₂O₄ (ferrite) nanoparticles exhibit superparamagnetism or ferrimagnetism which enable biomedical applications including magnetic separation techniques, magnetic drug targeting, magnetofection and magnetic hyperthermia. On the other hand, plasmonic nanostructures, comprising spherical, core-shell, rod-like and star-shaped gold, platinum and palladium nanoparticles, provide unique interactions with light which enable controllable plasmonic heating (of tumor tissue) and versatile photocatalytic applications. The combination of plasmonic and redox active metal oxide nanostructures enhances the catalytic performance due to interfacial electron transfer and for photocatalysis, due to the expansion of the spectrum for light absorption to the visible and NIR range. In addition, localized surface plasmons enhance magneto-optical responses, such as Faraday, Kerr, Cotton−Mouton and Voigt effects providing powerful probes for the magnetic state of nanocomposites. These magneto-optical phenomena may be exploited to control the polarization and/or intensity of light. Magnetoplasmonic nanocomposites as consisting of ferrite fused with Au-, Pd- or Pt nanoparticles possess novel interfacial electronic and electromagnetic interactions which modify the redox potential and thereupon, may significantly improve the catalytic performance of the nanoheterostructure. The superparamagnetism of the ferrite component facilitates prospective applications in medicine as being magnetic protein separation, magnetic hyperthermia, magnetic drug delivery and others. Moreover, magnetoplasmonic nanocomposites are predestined for operating as contrast agents in MRI and CT. Under X-ray exposure intracellular Au-Fe3O4 nanoheterodimers simultaneously act as Fenton catalyst and Auger/Compton electron emitter, and thus, are auspicious X-ray enhancing agents in low-dose radiation therapy. 

This multidisciplinary Special Issue on Noble Metal and Metal Oxide Nanostructures focuses on controllable syntheses of redoxactive noble-metal metal oxide nanoheterostuctures for feasible applications in photocatalysis (H2 and solar energy generation), magneto-optics and opto-magnetism and as theranostics in cancer medicine. Interdisciplinary working scientists are encouraged to submit original research articles and review articles.

Prof. Dr. Carola Kryschi
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Nanomaterials is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.