Abstract
Diatom frustules represent one of the most complex examples of micro- and nano-structured materials found in nature, being the result of a biomineralization process refined through tens of milions of years of evolution. They are constituted by an intricate, ordered porous silica matrix which recently found several applications in optoelectronics, sensing, solar light harvesting, filtering, and drug delivery, to name a few. The possibility to modify the composition and the structure of frustules can further broaden the range of potential applications, adding new functions and active features to the material. In the present work the most remarkable physical and chemical techniques aimed at frustule modification are reviewed, also examining the most recent genetic techniques developed for its controlled morphological mutation.
Highlights
Many living organisms, from unicellular to multicellular ones, are able to produce minerals to develop peculiar features such as shells, bones, teeth or exoskeleton
Diatom cultures can be viewed as near-zero cost “living nanofactories”, being able to produce at high rate and on a large scale three-dimensional nanostructures whose complexity can be hardly reproduced even by the most advanced lithographic techniques
That in the last 20 years a plethora of applications exploiting diatom frustules and their unique properties have been envisaged and tested in different fields such as optoelectronics [16], plasmonics [17], catalysis [18], biochemical sensing [19], solar energy harvesting [20], biomedicine and drug delivery [21], to name a few, all contributing to what we can define as diatom nanotechnology [22]
Summary
From unicellular to multicellular ones (e.g., bacteria, protists, plants, invertebrates and vertebrates), are able to produce minerals to develop peculiar features such as shells, bones, teeth or exoskeleton. Diatom cultures can be viewed as near-zero cost “living nanofactories”, being able to produce at high rate and on a large scale three-dimensional nanostructures whose complexity can be hardly reproduced even by the most advanced lithographic techniques It is not surprising, that in the last 20 years a plethora of applications exploiting diatom frustules and their unique properties have been envisaged and tested in different fields such as optoelectronics [16], plasmonics [17], catalysis [18], biochemical sensing [19], solar energy harvesting [20], biomedicine and drug delivery [21], to name a few, all contributing to what we can define as diatom nanotechnology [22]. The use of diatomite (sedimentary powder derived by fossilized diatoms), e.g., in drug delivery and teranostics, deserves a deep, separate discussion that is beyond the scope of our study
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