30 years of advances in functionalization of carbon nanomaterials for biomedical applications: a practical review

Abstract

Carbon-based nanomaterials (CANOMATs), including fullerenes, carbon nanotubes, graphene, and their derivatives, are widely considered to be the next-generation materials for a broad range of biomedical applications, owing to their unique opto-electronic, chemical, and mechanical properties. However, for bio-applications, CANOMATs need to be surface-functionalized, to render them passive, non-toxic, and water-soluble. Here, we review the current state-of-the-art in the methods of functionalization of CANOMATs. In contrast to other Reviews, we present an objective analysis of the various approaches reported in the literature, using metrics such as the agent of functionalization, number of steps, and time required, the need for special instruments, effect on properties, scalability, reproducibility, and applications. Our Review offers a way for researchers to make a rational selection of the process of functionalization to best suit their desired application. This opens up new opportunities for developing targeted functionalization strategies, based on the need to excel at the above metrics.

Effects of single vacancy on electronic properties of blue-phosphorene nanotubes

“…Nanotubes (NTs) are a kind of one-dimensional (1D) materials with atomic layer thickness that have attracted much attention in comparison with their bulk counterparts due to their unique properties, which provide for prospective applications encompassing microelectronics, photovoltaics, gas sensing, electrochemical sensing, infrared photodetection, photocatalyst and biomedics, for example [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10].…”

The Puzzling Potential of Carbon Nanomaterials: General Properties, Application, and Toxicity

“…CNPs are predominantly synthetic structures, and the main question arises whether the interactions between them and cells are similar or essentially different from already known interactions between cells and their physiological ligands [ 128 ]. Once the CNP comes into contact with the cell membrane, they activate a sequence of signal transduction cascading events, resulting in various cellular responses, such as cell death, cell growth, survival, migration, communication, differentiation, proliferation, autophagy, excretion, and changes in cell metabolism ( Table 2 ).…”

Functionalization of Carbon Nanomaterials for Biomedical Applications

“…A good example of free radical addition is the diazotization reaction. This reaction proceeds as following: generation of the diazonium salt from the amino reagent using a nitrite species, single electron transfer between the diazonium salt and the graphene material, radical addition, formation of the phenol and adsorption of phenol onto the graphene sheet [41,164]. Wei et al functionalized rGO with p-aminobenzoic acid, which formed the diazonium ions through diazotization with a wet chemical method.…”

“…Functionalization is a necessary unavoidable step to make CNSs a multifunctional, multimodal, high-performancetool for biomedicine. Modification of the surface chemical properties of CNSs, by grafting selected functional groups and proceed with a surface engineering with multi-step processing is used to lower toxicity, enhance water solubility, and add various specific functions [41][42][43]. This review aims at illustrating the state-of-the-art methods of carbon functionalization and their characterization, providing an overview of recent applications of CNSs in biomedicine.…”