Nanoparticles and Nanomaterials Synthesis for Biomedical Applications
Summary
The synthesis of nanoparticles and nanomaterials for biomedical uses centres on the precise control of size, shape, composition and surface chemistry to meet stringent requirements for drug delivery, diagnostic imaging, biosensing and tissue engineering. Synthetic strategies fall broadly into top-down approaches, which mechanically or physically carve bulk materials into nanoscale fragments, and bottom-up approaches, which assemble atoms or molecules into defined nanostructures via chemical, physical or biological routes. Chemical reduction, sol–gel processes, hydrothermal methods and microemulsions have long underpinned the production of metal, metal-oxide and polymeric nanoparticles. More recently, green and biogenic syntheses have harnessed plant extracts, microbial enzymes and other bio-macromolecules to afford eco-friendly, cost-effective routes that often endow particles with enhanced biocompatibility. Critical challenges include achieving monodispersity, scalable manufacturing, reproducible surface functionalisation and minimising toxic by-products. Advances in microfluidics, self-assembly and in situ characterisation are beginning to reconcile academic innovation with industrial translation. The global impact of these efforts spans targeted anticancer therapies, responsive imaging agents, stimuli-sensitive hydrogels and implantable scaffolds, underscoring the transformative potential of tailored nanomaterials in modern medicine.
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Nanoparticles and Nanomaterials Synthesis for Biomedical Applications publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in nanoparticles and nanomaterials synthesis for biomedical applications across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Nanoparticle: A particle with at least one dimension between 1 and 100 nm, exhibiting unique size-dependent properties.
Top-down approach: A synthetic route that reduces bulk materials to the nanoscale via mechanical, lithographic or milling processes.
Bottom-up approach: Assembly of nanoparticles from atoms or molecules through chemical reactions, self-assembly or biological templating.
Biogenic synthesis: Production of nanomaterials using living organisms or their extracts as reducing and stabilising agents.
Surface functionalisation: The deliberate modification of nanoparticle surfaces with ligands, polymers or biomolecules to tune interactions with biological systems.
Protein corona: A dynamic layer of biomolecules that adsorb onto nanoparticle surfaces upon exposure to biological fluids, influencing biological identity and fate.
References
- Nanoparticle classification, physicochemical properties, characterization, and applications: a comprehensive review for biologists. Journal of Nanobiotechnology (2022).
- Detail review on chemical, physical and green synthesis, classification, characterizations and applications of nanoparticles. Green Chemistry Letters and Reviews (2020).
- Interactions of Nanoparticles and Biosystems: Microenvironment of Nanoparticles and Biomolecules in Nanomedicine. Nanomaterials (2019).
- Green Synthesis of Nanomaterials. Nanomaterials (2021).
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