Abstract
This review is dedicated to a comprehensive description of the latest achievements in the chemical functionalization routes and applications of carbon nanomaterials (CNMs), such as carbon nanotubes, graphene, and graphene nanoribbons. The review starts from the description of noncovalent and covalent exohedral modification approaches, as well as an endohedral functionalization method. After that, the methods to improve the functionalities of CNMs are highlighted. These methods include the functionalization for improving the hydrophilicity, biocompatibility, blood circulation time and tumor accumulation, and the cellular uptake and selectivity. The main part of this review includes the description of the applications of functionalized CNMs in bioimaging, drug delivery, and biosensors. Then, the toxicity studies of CNMs are highlighted. Finally, the further directions of the development of the field are presented.
Highlights
Carbon nanomaterials (CNMs), such as graphene, graphene oxide (GO), graphene quantum dots (GQDs), graphene nanoribbons (GNRs), and carbon nanotubes (CNTs), are of interest to the research community due to their outstanding chemical, optical, electrical, and mechanical properties [1,2,3,4]
Strong nearinfrared optical absorption, high photoluminescence yield, and photoacoustic response [10]. These properties can be utilized in a wide range of biomedical applications, involving targeted drug delivery and anticancer therapy, which are monitored by bioimaging
CNMs can be wrapped by many amphiphilic molecules, including pyrene, naphthalene derivatives, proteins, ribonucleic acid (RNA), deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), peptides, polymers, and surfactants that are readily adsorbed onto CNMs by noncovalent interactions
Summary
Carbon nanomaterials (CNMs), such as graphene, graphene oxide (GO), graphene quantum dots (GQDs), graphene nanoribbons (GNRs), and carbon nanotubes (CNTs), are of interest to the research community due to their outstanding chemical, optical, electrical, and mechanical properties [1,2,3,4] They combine ultra-lightweight characteristics with mechanical strength, flexibility, as well as excellent electrical and thermal conductivity [5,6,7,8,9]. Conventional chemotherapeutic drugs have often limited solubility in biologic media, low stability, and relatively high toxicity for normal cells and tissues and are missing a selective biodistribution These shortcomings can be overcome if CNMs are used as targeted drug carrier and delivery systems [11].
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