Copper biomedical applications

There has been great interest in Cu(II) as a result of its role in biology, and the versatility in its available radioactive isotopes. The chemistry of bis(thiosemicarbazonato) metal complexes has received much interest over the last decade with particular interest in the copper complexes that are known blood perfusion tracers and also display hypoxic selectivity. Biomedical applications revolve around its redox chemistry (12,83-88,98-104). 

Shape-memory alloys (e.g. Cu-Zn-Al, Fe-Ni-Al, Ti-Ni alloys) are already in use in biomedical applications such as cardiovascular stents, guidewires and orthodontic wires. The shape-memory effect of these materials is based on a martensitic phase transformation. Shape memory alloys, such as nickel-titanium, are used to provide increased protection against sources of (extreme) heat. A shape-memory alloy possesses different properties below and above the temperature at which it is activated. Below this temperature, the shape of the alloy is easily deformed due to its flexible structure. At the activation temperature, the alloy can be changed by applying a force, but the structure resists this deformation and returns back to its initial shape. The activation temperature is a function of the ratio of nickel to titanium in the alloy. In contrast with Ni-Ti, copper-zinc alloys are capable of a two-way activation, and therefore a reversible variation of the shape is possible, which is a necessary condition for protection purposes in textiles used to resist changeable weather conditions. 

Amna, T., Hassan, M.S., Yang, J., Khil, M.S., Song, K.D., Oh, J.D., Hwang, L, 2014. Virgin olive oil blended polyurethane micro/nanoflbers ornamented with copper oxide nanocrystals for biomedical applications. International Journal of Nanomedicine 9, 891-898. http // dx.doi.org/10.2147/IJN.S54113. 

Although classical ATRP has been a powerful technique for the synthesis of well-defined glycopolymers, the use of toxic Cu ions to control the polymerisation remains a concern for biomedical applications. Tedious purification steps are usually required to remove the catalyst and isolate the pure final glycopolymer. However, considerable efforts have recently been devoted to improving the purification strategies and decrease the amount of copper catalyst used in ATRP systems [86, 87]. Figure 1.7 presents selected examples of glycomonomers polymerised by ATRP. 

Copper sulfide nanoparticles have attracted increasing attention from biomedical researchers across the globe, because of their intriguing properties which have been mainly explored for energy- and catalysis-related applications to date. Gold and copper nanoparticles have been widely investigated for photothermal therapy of cancer. However,... 

Copper-based ATRP is a robust broadly applicable method of CRP that provides control over the MW, MWD, composition, molecular architecture, and chain end functionalities of a spectrum of polymeric materials prepared by copolymerization of a broad range of radically copolymerizable monomers. ATRP provides unique access to various organic/inorganic hybrids and also biorelated materials. ATRP has been commercialized in the United States, Europe, and Japan in 2004. Some current and forthcoming applications include specialty materials for coatings, dispersants, sealants, health and beauty produas, as well as materials for optoelectronic and biomedical areas. 

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