Biomedical Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Chapter 9
Conclusions
Chapter Outline
9.1 Introduction 409
9.2 Market Potential 410
9.3 Synthesis of Various NM
s
411
9.4 NM
s
Surface Modification and
Functionalization
9.7 Nanomedical Devices
418
9.8 Nanopharmacology
420
9.9 Nanotoxicology
423
9.10 Government Nanotoxicity
Regulations
412
425
9.5 Nanobiosensors
413
9.11 Patent Landscape
427
9.6 NM
s
for Drug Delivery
416
9.1 INTRODUCTION
Nanomaterials (NMs) have structural features and properties in between those
of single atoms/molecules and continuous bulk materials and have at least one
dimension in the nanometer range (1 nm = 1 × 10
−9
m). They include clus-
ters,
1
nanoparticles,
2-9
quantum dots (QDs),
2,10-21
nanotubes,
22-45
as well
as the collection or organization of these individual structures into two- and
three-dimensional assemblies. The nanoscale dimensions of NMs bring opti-
cal,
46-50
electronic,
39,51
magnetic,
52-65
catalytic and other properties that are
distinct from those of atoms/molecules or bulk materials. In order to exploit
the special properties that arise due to the nanoscale dimensions of materials,
researchers must control and manipulate the size, shape, and surface functional
groups
66-70
of NMs and structure them into periodically ordered assemblies to
create new products, devices and technologies or improve existing ones. The
science of controlling, manipulating, or engineering the properties and utiliz-
ing these NMs for the purpose of building microscopic machinery is termed as
nanotechnology.
5,71-79
NMs are directly relevant to medicine because of the role of nanoscale
phenomena such as enzyme action, cell cycle, cell signaling, and cell repair.
80
NMs can be used to create tools for analyzing the structure of cells and tissues
from the atomic and cellular levels and to design and create biocompatible mate-
rials on the nanoscale for therapies, diagnostics, and replacements.
5,6,72,75,79,81-87
