Metallic Nanoparticles for Biomedical
Applications
Kavitha Illath, Syrpailyne Wankhar, Loganathan Mohan, Moeto Nagai,
and Tuhin Subhra Santra
Abstract Metallic nanoparticles have found various biomedical applications due to
their intrinsic physicochemical properties. As the size decreases, the high surface area
of particles gives rise to distinctive features, which are entirely different from that
of a macro-sized structure. Several methods are involved in synthesizing metallic
nanoparticles, and in general, it can be categorized into either bottom-up or topdown approaches. The top-down method consists of cutting down the bulk materials into nano-sized particles through physical, chemical, or mechanical treatments,
whereas, in a bottom-up approach, nanoparticles are formed by joining individual
atoms or molecules. The top-down approach produces metallic nanoparticles in
naked form, which can further agglomerate and hence not suitable for biomedical
applications. The bottom-up approach involves solid-state, liquid state, gas phase,
biological, microfluidic-technology based, and other methods. Chemical reduction
in the bottom-up approach is the most common method of metallic nanoparticle
synthesis, which is flexible, simpler, inexpensive, and produces particles in homogenous form. Recently biological method of nanoparticle synthesis has become popular
due to its toxic-free nature, inexpensiveness, sustainability, and eco-friendly. In this
chapter, we describe the top-down and bottom-up approach and current trends in the
synthesis of metallic nanoparticles for biomedical purposes. Further, it explains how
the parameters can be tuned to get metallic nanoparticles with the desired shape,
size, morphology, composition and crystallinity.
Keywords Metallic nanoparticles · Physicochemical properties · Top-down and
bottom-up approaches
K. Illath · T. S. Santra (B)
Department of Engineering Design, Indian Institute of Technology
Madras, Chennai, India
e-mail: tuhin@iitm.ac.in
S. Wankhar
Department of Bioengineering, Christian Medical College, Vellore, India
L. Mohan · M. Nagai
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Toyohashi University of
Technology, Toyohashi, Japan
© The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2021
T. S. Santra and L. Mohan (eds.), Nanomaterials and Their Biomedical Applications,
Springer Series in Biomaterials Science and Engineering 16,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-33-6252-9_2
29
Applications
Kavitha Illath, Syrpailyne Wankhar, Loganathan Mohan, Moeto Nagai,
and Tuhin Subhra Santra
Abstract Metallic nanoparticles have found various biomedical applications due to
their intrinsic physicochemical properties. As the size decreases, the high surface area
of particles gives rise to distinctive features, which are entirely different from that
of a macro-sized structure. Several methods are involved in synthesizing metallic
nanoparticles, and in general, it can be categorized into either bottom-up or topdown approaches. The top-down method consists of cutting down the bulk materials into nano-sized particles through physical, chemical, or mechanical treatments,
whereas, in a bottom-up approach, nanoparticles are formed by joining individual
atoms or molecules. The top-down approach produces metallic nanoparticles in
naked form, which can further agglomerate and hence not suitable for biomedical
applications. The bottom-up approach involves solid-state, liquid state, gas phase,
biological, microfluidic-technology based, and other methods. Chemical reduction
in the bottom-up approach is the most common method of metallic nanoparticle
synthesis, which is flexible, simpler, inexpensive, and produces particles in homogenous form. Recently biological method of nanoparticle synthesis has become popular
due to its toxic-free nature, inexpensiveness, sustainability, and eco-friendly. In this
chapter, we describe the top-down and bottom-up approach and current trends in the
synthesis of metallic nanoparticles for biomedical purposes. Further, it explains how
the parameters can be tuned to get metallic nanoparticles with the desired shape,
size, morphology, composition and crystallinity.
Keywords Metallic nanoparticles · Physicochemical properties · Top-down and
bottom-up approaches
K. Illath · T. S. Santra (B)
Department of Engineering Design, Indian Institute of Technology
Madras, Chennai, India
e-mail: tuhin@iitm.ac.in
S. Wankhar
Department of Bioengineering, Christian Medical College, Vellore, India
L. Mohan · M. Nagai
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Toyohashi University of
Technology, Toyohashi, Japan
© The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2021
T. S. Santra and L. Mohan (eds.), Nanomaterials and Their Biomedical Applications,
Springer Series in Biomaterials Science and Engineering 16,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-33-6252-9_2
29