3.1.1 GNPs in Polymers
The use of various functionalized polymers as stabilizers in the design of metal
core–organic shell hybrid nanoparticles architectures has attracted increasing interest for different applications. Polymer chemistry allows for many variations,
whereby polymeric nanoparticles can be easily manipulated without the loss
of their desired physical, chemical, and biological properties. The conjugation of
GNPs with functional polymer is the first step towards fabricating functional gold
nanocomposites. Many investigations involving the fabrication of GNPs
functionalized with polymer have been reported, such as “grafting from” fabrication
(Table 3), “grafting to” fabrication (Table 4), and post-modification.
Chemically bonded scaffolds are superior to physically adsorbed scaffolds in
terms of the robustness of the resulting gold nanocomposites. Although most
polymers introduced by the “grafting from” method are artificial polymers [80,
81], representative biopolymers such as oligonucleotides and peptides can also be
introduced.
A marked advantage of the covalent “grafting to” technique is the possibility of
achieving a high surface graft density of polymer brush on the GNP surface.
3.1.2 Post-modification
Conjugation of as-prepared GNPs with as-prepared polymers is the most common
and simplest method for preparing gold nanocomposites because mixing of the asprepared materials can eliminate uncertainty factors such as the dispersion of GNP
size and molecular weight.
3.2 Iron Oxide Nanoparticles
Iron-oxide nanoparticles (IONPs) represent a significant class of inorganic
nanomaterial that is contributing to the current revolution in nanomedicine [82,
83]. Their unique physical properties, including high surface area to volume ratios
and superparamagnetism, confer useful attributes for medical applications such as
magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), drug and gene delivery, tissue engineering, and
bioseparation [84]. Superparamagnetic iron-oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) have
been prepared with a mean particle diameter of 50–100 nm, and ultrasmall
superparamagnetic iron-oxide nanoparticles (USPIONs) with a size below 50 nm.
These two classes of IONPs have been studied widely for medical applications,
particularly as the next (potential) generation of MRI contrast agents. They are also
seen as potential vectors for drug and gene delivery. The biodistribution of these
nanoparticles can be altered by the application of an external magnetic field; they
also have potential applications in hyperthermia therapy because some magnetic
Functionalized Nanoparticles and Chitosan-Based Functional Nanomaterials
7
The use of various functionalized polymers as stabilizers in the design of metal
core–organic shell hybrid nanoparticles architectures has attracted increasing interest for different applications. Polymer chemistry allows for many variations,
whereby polymeric nanoparticles can be easily manipulated without the loss
of their desired physical, chemical, and biological properties. The conjugation of
GNPs with functional polymer is the first step towards fabricating functional gold
nanocomposites. Many investigations involving the fabrication of GNPs
functionalized with polymer have been reported, such as “grafting from” fabrication
(Table 3), “grafting to” fabrication (Table 4), and post-modification.
Chemically bonded scaffolds are superior to physically adsorbed scaffolds in
terms of the robustness of the resulting gold nanocomposites. Although most
polymers introduced by the “grafting from” method are artificial polymers [80,
81], representative biopolymers such as oligonucleotides and peptides can also be
introduced.
A marked advantage of the covalent “grafting to” technique is the possibility of
achieving a high surface graft density of polymer brush on the GNP surface.
3.1.2 Post-modification
Conjugation of as-prepared GNPs with as-prepared polymers is the most common
and simplest method for preparing gold nanocomposites because mixing of the asprepared materials can eliminate uncertainty factors such as the dispersion of GNP
size and molecular weight.
3.2 Iron Oxide Nanoparticles
Iron-oxide nanoparticles (IONPs) represent a significant class of inorganic
nanomaterial that is contributing to the current revolution in nanomedicine [82,
83]. Their unique physical properties, including high surface area to volume ratios
and superparamagnetism, confer useful attributes for medical applications such as
magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), drug and gene delivery, tissue engineering, and
bioseparation [84]. Superparamagnetic iron-oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) have
been prepared with a mean particle diameter of 50–100 nm, and ultrasmall
superparamagnetic iron-oxide nanoparticles (USPIONs) with a size below 50 nm.
These two classes of IONPs have been studied widely for medical applications,
particularly as the next (potential) generation of MRI contrast agents. They are also
seen as potential vectors for drug and gene delivery. The biodistribution of these
nanoparticles can be altered by the application of an external magnetic field; they
also have potential applications in hyperthermia therapy because some magnetic
Functionalized Nanoparticles and Chitosan-Based Functional Nanomaterials
7