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Nanomaterials
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Synthesis and Functionalization of Colloidal Nanoparticles
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Synthesis and Functionalization of Colloidal Nanoparticles

A special issue of Nanomaterials (ISSN 2079-4991). This special issue belongs to the section "Synthesis, Interfaces and Nanostructures".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 September 2022) | Viewed by 16264

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Elisabetta Fanizza

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Guest Editor
Dipartimento di Chimica, Università degli Studi di Bari Aldo Moro, Via Orabona 4, 70125 Bari, Italy
Interests: inorganic nanoparticles synthesis; nanoparticle size and shape regulation; luminescent semiconductors; plasmonic nanoparticles; optical and morphological characterization; nanoheterostructures
Dr. Nicoletta Depalo

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute for Chemical–Physical Processes (IPCF)–National Research Council Secondary Site (CNR SS), 70125 Bari, Italy
Interests: colloidal inorganic nanomaterials functionalization; lipid- and polymer-based nanosystems; drug delivery nanovectors; multifunctional targeted nanostructures; theranostics
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Colloidal nanoparticles are transforming many research fields, from energy conversion to biomedicine. The size/shape- and composition-dependent physicochemical properties of inorganic materials and their large surface area, which regulates interaction at the interface, highlight the strong relationship between structure and property (hence function) at the nanoscale and push towards a selective design of the materials. In this regard, colloidal nanoparticles that are synthesized in solution can take advantage of the principles of colloidal chemistry for the development of synthetic strategies able to offer a high control of their morphology, composition, and surface chemistry. Since these artificial colloidal nanoparticles are dispersible in solution, they can be manipulated like molecules, and molecular reaction or interaction can be specifically exploited for the material’s surface functionalization. In this regard, this Special Issue aims at highlighting diverse aspects of materials at the nanoscale, spanning from the synthesis of different classes of colloidal nanoparticles to their surface engineering, towards properly designed nanostructures with tailored functional properties and, consequently, as active components that can be useful for applications in the field of energy conversion, catalysis, sensing, and biomedicine. We want to encourage scientists of diverse backgrounds (material science, inorganic chemistry, biochemistry, biology) to contribute cutting-edge research papers, communications, and review articles to this Special Issue of Nanomaterials.

Dr. Elisabetta Fanizza
Dr. Nicoletta Depalo
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Nanomaterials is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • Colloidal nanoparticle synthesis and properties at the nanoscale
  • Colloidal nanoparticles for energy and health, bio/nanointerfaces
  • Inorganic and organic nanostructures
  • Nanoparticles engineering
  • Multifunctional nanosystems

Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

17 pages, 2664 KiB  
Article
Modulating the Surface Properties of Lithium Niobate Nanoparticles by Multifunctional Coatings Using Water-in-Oil Microemulsions
by Adrian Gheata, Alessandra Spada, Manon Wittwer, Ameni Dhouib, Emilie Molina, Yannick Mugnier and Sandrine Gerber-Lemaire
Nanomaterials 2023, 13(3), 522; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano13030522 - 28 Jan 2023
Viewed by 2063
Abstract
Inorganic nanoparticles (NPs) have emerged as promising tools in biomedical applications, owing to their inherent physicochemical properties and their ease of functionalization. In all potential applications, the surface functionalization strategy is a key step to ensure that NPs are able to overcome the [...] Read more.
Inorganic nanoparticles (NPs) have emerged as promising tools in biomedical applications, owing to their inherent physicochemical properties and their ease of functionalization. In all potential applications, the surface functionalization strategy is a key step to ensure that NPs are able to overcome the barriers encountered in physiological media, while introducing specific reactive moieties to enable post-functionalization. Silanization appears as a versatile NP-coating strategy, due to the biocompatibility and stability of silica, thus justifying the need for robust and well controlled silanization protocols. Herein, we describe a procedure for the silica coating of harmonic metal oxide NPs (LiNbO3, LNO) using a water-in-oil microemulsion (W/O ME) approach. Through optimized ME conditions, the silanization of LNO NPs was achieved by the condensation of silica precursors (TEOS, APTES derivatives) on the oxide surface, resulting in the formation of coated NPs displaying carboxyl (LNO@COOH) or azide (LNO@N3) reactive moieties. LNO@COOH NPs were further conjugated to an unnatural azido-containing small peptide to obtain silica-coated LNO NPs (LNO@Talys), displaying both azide and carboxyl moieties, which are well suited for biomedical applications due to the orthogonality of their surface functional groups, their colloidal stability in aqueous medium, and their anti-fouling properties. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Synthesis and Functionalization of Colloidal Nanoparticles)
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14 pages, 3447 KiB  
Article
Assembling Near-Infrared Dye on the Surface of Near-Infrared Silica-Coated Copper Sulphide Plasmonic Nanoparticles
by Oleg Dimitriev, Yuri Slominskii, Mariangela Giancaspro, Federica Rizzi, Nicoletta Depalo, Elisabetta Fanizza and Tsukasa Yoshida
Nanomaterials 2023, 13(3), 510; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano13030510 - 27 Jan 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1276
Abstract
Functionalization of colloidal nanoparticles with organic dyes, which absorb photons in complementary spectral ranges, brings a synergistic effect for harvesting additional light energy. Here, we show functionalization of near-infrared (NIR) plasmonic nanoparticles (NPs) of bare and amino-group functionalized mesoporous silica-coated copper sulphide (Cu [...] Read more.
Functionalization of colloidal nanoparticles with organic dyes, which absorb photons in complementary spectral ranges, brings a synergistic effect for harvesting additional light energy. Here, we show functionalization of near-infrared (NIR) plasmonic nanoparticles (NPs) of bare and amino-group functionalized mesoporous silica-coated copper sulphide (Cu2-xS@MSS and Cu2-xS@MSS-NH2) with specific tricarbocyanine NIR dye possessing sulfonate end groups. The role of specific surface chemistry in dye assembling on the surface of NPs is demonstrated, depending on the organic polar liquids or water used as a dispersant solvent. It is shown that dye binding to the NP surfaces occurs with different efficiency, but mostly in the monomer form in polar organic solvents. Conversely, the aqueous medium leads to different scenarios according to the NP surface chemistry. Predominant formation of the disordered dye monomers occurs on the bare surface of mesoporous silica shell (MSS), whereas the amino-group functionalized MSS accepts dye predominantly in the form of dimers. It is found that the dye–NP interaction overcomes the dye–dye interaction, leading to disruption of dye J-aggregates in the presence of the NPs. The different organization of the dye molecules on the surface of silica-coated copper sulphide NPs provides tuning of their specific functional properties, such as hot-band absorption and photoluminescence. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Synthesis and Functionalization of Colloidal Nanoparticles)
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19 pages, 2819 KiB  
Article
NIR-Absorbing Mesoporous Silica-Coated Copper Sulphide Nanostructures for Light-to-Thermal Energy Conversion
by Elisabetta Fanizza, Rita Mastrogiacomo, Orietta Pugliese, Alexa Guglielmelli, Luciano De Sio, Rachele Castaldo, Maria Principia Scavo, Mariangela Giancaspro, Federica Rizzi, Gennaro Gentile, Fabio Vischio, Livianna Carrieri, Ilaria De Pasquale, Giacomo Mandriota, Francesca Petronella, Chiara Ingrosso, Marino Lavorgna, Roberto Comparelli, Marinella Striccoli, Maria Lucia Curri and Nicoletta Depaloadd Show full author list remove Hide full author list
Nanomaterials 2022, 12(15), 2545; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano12152545 - 24 Jul 2022
Cited by 12 | Viewed by 2361
Abstract
Plasmonic nanostructures, featuring near infrared (NIR)-absorption, are rising as efficient nanosystems for in vitro photothermal (PT) studies and in vivo PT treatment of cancer diseases. Among the different materials, new plasmonic nanostructures based on Cu2−xS nanocrystals (NCs) are emerging as valuable [...] Read more.
Plasmonic nanostructures, featuring near infrared (NIR)-absorption, are rising as efficient nanosystems for in vitro photothermal (PT) studies and in vivo PT treatment of cancer diseases. Among the different materials, new plasmonic nanostructures based on Cu2−xS nanocrystals (NCs) are emerging as valuable alternatives to Au nanorods, nanostars and nanoshells, largely exploited as NIR absorbing nanoheaters. Even though Cu2−xS plasmonic properties are not linked to geometry, the role played by their size, shape and surface chemistry is expected to be fundamental for an efficient PT process. Here, Cu2−xS NCs coated with a hydrophilic mesoporous silica shell (MSS) are synthesized by solution-phase strategies, tuning the core geometry, MSS thickness and texture. Besides their loading capability, the silica shell has been widely reported to provide a more robust plasmonic core protection than organic molecular/polymeric coatings, and improved heat flow from the NC to the environment due to a reduced interfacial thermal resistance and direct electron–phonon coupling through the interface. Systematic structural and morphological analysis of the core-shell nanoparticles and an in-depth thermoplasmonic characterization by using a pump beam 808 nm laser, are carried out. The results suggest that large triangular nanoplates (NPLs) coated by a few tens of nanometers thick MSS, show good photostability under laser light irradiation and provide a temperature increase above 38 °C and a 20% PT efficiency upon short irradiation time (60 s) at 6 W/cm2 power density. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Synthesis and Functionalization of Colloidal Nanoparticles)
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18 pages, 3961 KiB  
Article
Poly(l-lactide-co-caprolactone-co-glycolide)-Based Nanoparticles as Delivery Platform: Effect of the Surfactants on Characteristics and Delivery Efficiency
by Magda M. Rebanda, Simona Bettini, Laura Blasi, Antonio Gaballo, Andrea Ragusa, Alessandra Quarta and Clara Piccirillo
Nanomaterials 2022, 12(9), 1550; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano12091550 - 03 May 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2252
Abstract
Polymeric nanoparticles made of the copolymer Poly(L-lactide-co-caprolactone-co-glycolide) were prepared using the solvent evaporation method. Two different surfactants, polyvinyl alcohol and dextran, and a mixture of the two were employed. The three types of nanoparticles were used as hosting carriers [...] Read more.
Polymeric nanoparticles made of the copolymer Poly(L-lactide-co-caprolactone-co-glycolide) were prepared using the solvent evaporation method. Two different surfactants, polyvinyl alcohol and dextran, and a mixture of the two were employed. The three types of nanoparticles were used as hosting carriers of two chemotherapeutic drugs, the hydrophilic doxorubicin and the hydrophobic SN-38. The morphostructural characterization showed similar features for the three types of nanoparticles, while the drug encapsulation efficiency indicated that the dextran-based systems are the most effective with both drugs. Cellular studies with breast cancer cells were performed to compare the delivery capability and the cytotoxicity profile of the three nanosystems. The results show that the unloaded nanoparticles are highly biocompatible at the administered concentrations and confirmed that dextran-coated nanoparticles are the most efficient vectors to release the two drugs, exerting cytotoxic activity. PVA, on the other hand, shows limited drug release in vitro, probably due to strong interactions with both drugs. Data also show the release is more efficient for doxorubicin than for SN-38; indeed, the doxorubicin IC50 value for the dextran-coated nanoparticles was about 35% lower than the free drug. This indicates that these nanocarriers are suitable candidates to deliver hydrophilic drugs while needing further modification to host hydrophobic molecules. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Synthesis and Functionalization of Colloidal Nanoparticles)
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9 pages, 1667 KiB  
Communication
Stable Coloured Micrometric Films from Highly Concentrated Nano-Silver Sols: The Role of the Stabilizing Agents
by Eleonora Pargoletti, Marco Aldo Ortenzi and Giuseppe Cappelletti
Nanomaterials 2021, 11(4), 980; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano11040980 - 10 Apr 2021
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1902
Abstract
The synthesis of highly concentrated aqueous silver nanoparticles (NPs), exploiting different types of polymeric stabilizing agents, has been extensively investigated, especially for the stabilization of spherical yellow nanoparticles. In this context, here, a successful and easy wet chemical method was adopted to synthesize [...] Read more.
The synthesis of highly concentrated aqueous silver nanoparticles (NPs), exploiting different types of polymeric stabilizing agents, has been extensively investigated, especially for the stabilization of spherical yellow nanoparticles. In this context, here, a successful and easy wet chemical method was adopted to synthesize concentrated primary colored (yellow, red, blue and green) sols. The influence of polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) in affecting the final stability was finely investigating via UV/Vis spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering, TEM and colorimetric analysis. The next step consisted on the deposition of obtained sols onto a crown-treated polyethylene terephthalate (PET) support to obtain transparent colored micrometric homogeneous films. The fabricated PVP-based Ag films were revealed to be outstandingly UV-stable, contrarily to PVA-based films, probably due to the degradation of the polymer itself. Indeed, after UV aging tests, the PVA macromolecules could be broken and chemically modified (demonstrated by FT-IR analyses). This resulted in there being insufficient macromolecules to efficiently cover the surface of the nanoparticles, meaning that the nanoparticles tended to aggregate with each other, destabilizing the system itself. Hence, the obtained colored films described herein could represent a promising tool for different applications, from color shifting to optoelectronic devices. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Synthesis and Functionalization of Colloidal Nanoparticles)
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23 pages, 5938 KiB  
Article
Photosensitive Thin Films Based on Drop Cast and Langmuir-Blodgett Hydrophilic and Hydrophobic CdS Nanoparticles
by Momoka Nagamine, Magdalena Osial, Justyna Widera-Kalinowska, Krystyna Jackowska and Paweł Krysiński
Nanomaterials 2020, 10(12), 2437; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano10122437 - 05 Dec 2020
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2334
Abstract
Comparative photoelectrochemical studies of cadmium sulfide (CdS) nanoparticles with either hydrophilic or hydrophobic surface properties are presented. Oleylamine organic shells provided CdS nanoparticles with hydrophobic behavior, affecting the photoelectrochemical properties of such nanostructured semiconductor. Hydrophilic CdS nanoparticles were drop-cast on the electrode, whereas [...] Read more.
Comparative photoelectrochemical studies of cadmium sulfide (CdS) nanoparticles with either hydrophilic or hydrophobic surface properties are presented. Oleylamine organic shells provided CdS nanoparticles with hydrophobic behavior, affecting the photoelectrochemical properties of such nanostructured semiconductor. Hydrophilic CdS nanoparticles were drop-cast on the electrode, whereas the hydrophobic ones were transferred in a controlled manner with Langmuir-Blodgett technique. The substantial hindrance of photopotential and photocurrent was observed for L-B CdS films as compared to the hydrophilic, uncoated nanoparticles that were drop-cast directly on the electrode surface. The electron lifetime in both hydrophilic and hydrophobic nanocrystalline CdS was determined, revealing longer carrier lifetime for oleylamine coated CdS nanoparticles, ascribed to the trapping of charge at the interface of the organic shell/CdS nanoparticle and to the dominant influence of the resistance of the organic shell against the flux of charges. The “on” transients of the photocurrent responses, observed only for the oleylamine-coated nanoparticles, were resolved, yielding the potential-dependent rate constants of the redox processes occurring at the interface. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Synthesis and Functionalization of Colloidal Nanoparticles)
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19 pages, 3626 KiB  
Article
Synthetic Tuning of CoII-Doped Silica Nanoarchitecture Towards Electrochemical Sensing Ability
by Olga Bochkova, Mikhail Khrizanforov, Aidar Gubaidullin, Tatiana Gerasimova, Irek Nizameev, Kirill Kholin, Artem Laskin, Yulia Budnikova, Oleg Sinyashin and Asiya Mustafina
Nanomaterials 2020, 10(7), 1338; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano10071338 - 09 Jul 2020
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 2475
Abstract
The present work introduces both synthesis of silica nanoparticles doped with CoII ions by means of differently modified microemulsion water-in-oil (w/o) and Stöber techniques and characterization of the hybrid nanoparticles (CoII@SiO2) by TEM, DLS, XRD, ICP-EOS, SAXS, UV-Vis, [...] Read more.
The present work introduces both synthesis of silica nanoparticles doped with CoII ions by means of differently modified microemulsion water-in-oil (w/o) and Stöber techniques and characterization of the hybrid nanoparticles (CoII@SiO2) by TEM, DLS, XRD, ICP-EOS, SAXS, UV-Vis, and UV-Vis/DR spectroscopy and electrochemical methods. The results reveal the lack of nanocrystalline dopants inside the hybrid nanoparticles, as well as no ligands, when CoII ions are added to the synthetic mixtures as CoII(bpy)3 complexes, thus pointing to coordination of CoII ions with Si-O- groups as main driving force of the doping. The UV-Vis/DR spectra of CoII@SiO2 in the range of d-d transitions indicate that Stöber synthesis in greater extent than the w/o one stabilizes tetrahedral CoII ions versus the octahedral ions. Both cobalt content and homogeneity of the CoII distribution within CoII@SiO2 are greatly influenced by the synthetic technique. The electrochemical behavior of CoII@SiO2 is manifested by one oxidation and two reduction steps, which provide the basis for electrochemical response on glyphosate and HP(O)(OEt)2 with the LOD = 0.1 μM and the linearity within 0.1–80 μM. The Stöber CoII@SiO2 are able to discriminate glyphosate from HP(O)(OEt)2, while the w/o nanoparticles are more efficient but nonselective sensors on the toxicants. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Synthesis and Functionalization of Colloidal Nanoparticles)
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