Dispersion biomedical applications

Nanoparticle surface modification is of tremendous importance to prevent nanoparticle aggregation prior to injection, decrease the toxicity, and increase the solubility and the biocompatibility in a living system [20]. Imaging studies in mice clearly show that QD surface coatings alter the disposition and pharmacokinetic properties of the nanoparticles. The key factors in surface modifications include the use of proper solvents and chemicals or biomolecules used for the attachment of the drug, targeting ligands, proteins, peptides, nucleic acids etc. for their site-specific biomedical applications. The functionalized or capped nanoparticles should be preferably dispersible in aqueous media. 

In recent years, CNTs have been receiving considerable attention because of their potential use in biomedical applications. Solubility of CNTs in aqueous media is a fundamental prerequisite to increase their biocompatibility. For this purpose several methods of dispersion and solubilisation have been developed leading to chemically modified CNTs (see Paragraph 2). The modification of carbon nanotubes also provides multiple sites for the attachment of several kinds of molecules, making functionalised CNTs a promising alternative for the delivery of therapeutic compounds. 

In recent years shungites have been attracting much attention due to the prospect of their various industrial and biomedical applications [4], Special attention to shungites is connected with the reported [5] presence of fullerenes and nanostructures in them. Also, the possibility to disperse shungites into aqueous medium in the same way as in the synthesis of fullerene dispersion should be mentioned [1,6]. 

Antimicrobial nanoflbers of poly(e-caprolactone) (PCL) were prepared by electrospinning of a PCL solution with small amounts of Ag-loaded zirconium phosphate (AgZ) nanoparticles for potential use in biomedical applications [41]. SEM, EDX, and XRD investigations of the electrospun flbers confirmed that Ag-containing nanoparticles were incorporated and well-dispersed in smooth PCL nanoflbers [41]. In another study, PCL-based polyurethane (PCL-PU) nanoflbers containing Ag nanoparticles for use in antimicrobial nanofllter applications were prepared by... 

CPs can be fabricated through a variety of routes which are classified as either predominantly electrochemical or chemical. While electrochemical synthesis has been more widely used for preparing nanoscale CP thin films for biomedical applications, chemical polymerization can produce large quantities of CP thick films or colloidal dispersions at low cost. Despite these advantages, chemical techniques have found relatively little application in biomedical applications. The advantages and disadvantages of electrodeposition and chemical synthesis are summarized in Table 18.2. 

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