Nanotechnology provides a great opportunity to design multifunctional materials that can be applied for diverse platforms. As a case study, we prepared bismuth oxychloride nanoplatelets (BiOCl-NPLs) and used as bifunctional interfaces to bind biomarkers, selectively, as well as their biocompatibility potential was assessed. The structures were prepared by a facile and efficiently designed hydrothermal method and possess layered nanoplatelets morphology. The phase composition was investigated by XRD which is in accordance with the tetragonal structure of BiOCl. EDS confirmed the surface elemental composition, whereas, FTIR analysis validated the molecular structure of the prepared structures. BiOCl-NPLs modified interfaces were found remarkable to bind glutathione, an important disease biomarker. The material showed a significant sensing response to bind glutathione, which highlights its diagnostic applications. And the biocompatibility is investigated towards the human colorectal carcinoma cell line (HCT 116) using MTT assay in vitro. Our results showed that BiOCl-NPLs are non-cytotoxic, an important feature for biomedical use. The present study leads a pathway to design dual-functional materials for diagnostic and clinical applications.

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are referred to as carbon nano-architecture allotropes, with wrapped graphene sheets forming a cylindrical structure. CNTs are either developed by metals or narrow-band semiconductors with rolling graphene sheets in various ways. Researchers have dedicated a great deal of attention to understanding the fascinating properties of CNTs over the years, and possess certain peculiar properties, such as a high degree of stiffness, a wide ratio of length to diameter, and remarkable toughness, and are employed in a number of applications. These properties can be enhanced by scheming the diameter, nature of walls, chirality, length of CNTs which is rolled up, and depending on the synthesis process. This chapter extensively covers the various properties of CNTs and how it influences to desired applications and also explains numerous methods of synthesis and processing of CNTs with advantages and some drawbacks.