Nanocrystals (NCs) discussed in this Review are tiny crystals of metals, semiconductors, and magnetic material consisting of hundreds to a few thousand atoms each. Their size ranges from 2-3 to about 20 nm. What is special about this size regime that placed NCs among the hottest research topics of the last decades? The quantum mechanical coupling * To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: dvtalapin@uchicago.edu. † The University of Chicago. ‡ Argonne National Lab. Chem. Rev. 2010, 110, 389–458 389

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Prospects of Colloidal Nanocrystals for Electronic and Optoelectronic Applications

http://users.encs.concordia.ca/~mojtaba/elec6271/silver%20nanoparticles.pdf

Silver nanoparticles: green synthesis and their antimicrobial activities.

Surface plasmons (SPs) are coherent oscillations of conduction electrons on a metal surface excited by electromagnetic radiation at a metal -dielectric interface. The growing field of research on such light -metal interactions is known as ‘plasmonics’. 1-3 This branch of research has attracted much attention due to its potential applications in miniaturized optical devices, sensors, and photonic circuits as well as in medical diagnostics and therapeutics. 4-8

Nanostructured plasmonic sensors.

Synthesis of metallic nanoparticles using plant extracts.

Recovery and reuse of expensive catalysts after catalytic reactions are important factors for sustainable process management. The aim of this Review is to highlight the progress in the formation and catalytic applications of magnetic nanoparticles and magnetic nanocomposites. Directed functionalization of the surfaces of nanosized magnetic materials is an elegant way to bridge the gap between heterogeneous and homogeneous catalysis. The introduction of magnetic nanoparticles in a variety of solid matrices allows the combination of well-known procedures for catalyst heterogenization with techniques for magnetic separation.

Magnetically Separable Nanocatalysts: Bridges between Homogeneous and Heterogeneous Catalysis

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Toward Greener Nanosynthesis

The challenge of optimizing both performance and safety in nanomaterials hinges on our ability to resolve which structural features lead to desired properties. It has been difficult to draw meaningful conclusions about biological impacts from many studies of nanomaterials due to the lack of nanomaterial characterization, unknown purity, and/or alteration of the nanomaterials by the biological environment. To investigate the relative influence of core size, surface chemistry, and charge on nanomaterial toxicity, we tested the biological response of whole animals exposed to a matrix of nine structurally diverse, precision-engineered gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) of high purity and known composition. Members of the matrix include three core sizes and four unique surface coatings that include positively and negatively charged headgroups. Mortality, malformations, uptake, and elimination of AuNPs were all dependent on these parameters, showing the need for tightly controlled experimental design and nanomaterial c...

Systematic Evaluation of Nanomaterial Toxicity: Utility of Standardized Materials and Rapid Assays

Anticipated growth of the nanotechnology industry has motivated the development of rapid, relevant and efficient testing strategies to evaluate the biological activity and toxic potential of the growing number of novel nanoparticles. Since nanoparticles may interact with biological systems in unforeseen ways, it is important that evaluation of nanomaterial–biological interactions cover a broad range of cell types, tissues, organs and systems. Here, we use the embryonic zebrafish as a dynamic whole animal (in vivo) assay to investigate the importance of chemical composition, size, surface functionalisation and route of exposure on nanomaterial–biological interactions and delineate nanomaterials that are biologically active from those that are not. Information gained using model systems, such as the embryonic zebrafish, can be used to direct the rational development of safer, less hazardous nanoparticles. Our results demonstrate the utility of this model as an effective and accurate tool to assess the biolo...

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/17458080802378953

In vivo biodistribution and toxicity depends on nanomaterial composition, size, surface functionalisation and route of exposure

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Bettye L. S. Maddux

Papers

Toward Greener Nanosynthesis

Systematic Evaluation of Nanomaterial Toxicity: Utility of Standardized Materials and Rapid Assays

In vivo biodistribution and toxicity depends on nanomaterial composition, size, surface functionalisation and route of exposure

Toward Greener Nanosynthesis

Aerosolized ZnO Nanoparticles Induce Toxicity in Alveolar Type II Epithelial Cells at the Air-Liquid Interface