Production Of Nanomaterials Research Articles

Facile green fabrication of copper/polyvinylidene fluoride nanocomposite for pathogens disinfection and dye degradation in wastewater

This study aimed to explore the production of valuable nanomaterials using natural waste-derived extracts through a green synthesis approach. Copper nanoparticles (CuNPs) were successfully fabricated using coffee grounds as a reducing agent. Characterization via TEM and DLS confirmed the small average size of the biogenic CuNPs, while XRD analysis indicated their formation in a pure state without impurities. To enhance effectiveness in bacterial disinfection, dye degradation, and conductivity, a CuNPs@polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) nanocomposite was developed. Various spectroscopic and microscopic methods validated CuNPs production. Experimental data demonstrated significant antibacterial activity in the CuNPs@PVDF nanocomposite, eliminating harmful bacteria (Salmonella enterica, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Bacillus subtilis, and Enterococcus faecalis) within 60 to 115 min. At concentrations of 50, 100, and 150 µg/mL, the nanocomposite notably accelerated Methyl Red (MR) dye degradation, achieving degradation rates of 68.72 %, 81.48 %, and 100 % after 150 min. These findings advocate for the potential use of the CuNPs@PVDF nanocomposite in eliminating pathogens and reducing organic dye pollution. Its eco-friendly synthesis, effective disinfection, and photocatalytic proficiency signify its wide applicability in water treatment, establishing it as a promising solution for tackling water contamination issues.

Influence of MgO promoution to Ni-based composites in hydrogen production methane decomposition process

Catalytic decomposition of methane is a promising process that allows the simultaneous production of hydrogen and carbon nanomaterials with no COx emissions. In this work, for the first time, the possibility of promoting Ni-containing composite materials based on an organic matrix of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) with MgO was demonstrated. The amount of MgO promoter varied from 1 to 10% by weight of Ni. The synthesized catalysts were characterized by the following methods: elemental analysis, TPR-H2, XRD, FTIR spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, SEM, TEM, SSA, and Raman fluorescence enhancement spectroscopy. The catalytic activity of the materials was tested in the pure CH4 decomposition reaction. Promotion with MgO contributes to an increase in the H2 yield per unit mass of Ni from 1.23 to 2.55 mol/gNi. The optimal content of the promoting component was 0.3% wt., which corresponded to 1% wt. from Ni. Carbon formed during CH4 decomposition in the form of nanotubes. The obtained carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were characterized by the following methods: XRD, Raman spectroscopy, SEM, and TEM. The length of the CNTs varies from 1 to 6 μm, the outer diameter ranges from 40 to 60 nm, and the inner diameter ranges from 10 to 20 nm.

Functionalization of graphene oxide as a way to increase biocompatibility

Introduction. Now, one of the most promising areas for the use of graphene-based materials, in particular graphene oxide, is biomedicine. Due to the wide variety of functional groups and the possibility of chemical modification of graphene oxide, the creation of composite materials for biomedical use is promising. These nanomaterials have a unique structure and properties, which determines their use for creating targeted drug delivery systems, in tissue engineering, bioimaging, as well as for creating new materials with antimicrobial and antiviral properties.The objective was to perform synthesis and identification of graphene oxide and its conjugate with glycine, and to study the biocompatibility of the obtained nanomaterials: the effect on haemolysis and platelet aggregation, genotoxicity and cytotoxicity.Methods and materials. Graphene oxide was synthesized from graphite using the modified Hummers and Offeman method, after which the graphene oxide-glycine conjugate was also obtained. Identification was carried out using nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Estimation of biocompatibility of the obtained nanomaterials included the study of their hemolytic activity, effect on collagen-induced platelet aggregation, cyto- and genotoxicity.Results. Graphene oxide and its conjugate with glycine were synthesized. Identification with using nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy confirmed the structure and composition of the substances. The study of the biocompatibility of the obtained nanomaterials showed the absence of hemolytic activity (the degree of hemolysis did not exceed 2.5% at the studied concentration range); the presence of antiplatelet properties (at C=10–100 mg·ml–1); the absence of geno- and cytotoxicity (graphene oxide at C=0.25–25 mg·L–1 does not affect the viability of HEK293 cells; in turn, the conjugate with glycine at C=100–200 mg·L–1 causes a dose-dependent increase proliferation of HEK293 cells).Conclusion. The study demonstrates that functionalization of the graphene surface with oxygen-containing groups and amino acids leads to increased hemocompatibility, as well as to the production of nanomaterials that do not exhibit genoand cytotoxicity.

Bio-inspired Nanomaterial’s for Energy Harvesting and Storage: A Green Approach

The advent of bio-inspired nanomaterials (BINMs) has the potential to address the global demand for sustainable and green energy technology. From osmotic power membranes to bio-hybrid light harvesting devices, BINMs mimic the complex systems and mechanisms found in nature. The assessment discusses a wide range of BINMs, including their synthesis, properties, applications, as well as their effects on the environment and manufacturing requirements, which have led to their increasing popularity. It focuses particularly on bio-inspired synthesis techniques, bioinspired electrode functionality, and the effectiveness of green chemistry in nanomaterial production. The advancement of renewable energy technologies and the enhancement of this promising field are highlighted as bio-inspired nanomaterials are explored and enhanced in energy programs, and their value is highlighted as they contribute to the advancement of renewable energy technologies.

ДИСПОЗИЦІЯ УКРАЇНИ НА РИНКУ НАНОТЕХНОЛОГІЙ

The article examines the current issues of leadership of countries in the field of nanotechnology, and it is argued that the pace of development of the national system of nanotechnology standardization and certification in Ukraine is far from encouraging, especially taking into account global progress in this area. The positions of Ukraine in the global rankings of the effectiveness of innovative activity were evaluated and the possession of our state with a fairly developed scientific, technical and educational potential as a basis for conducting fundamental nanotechnological research was confirmed, but they also demonstrate the presence of a number of deep structural problems in the domestic economy. Significant inhibiting factors in the development of the nanotechnology segment of the national innovation system are also the preservation of significant bureaucratic and financial restrictions in the internationalization of Ukrainian R&D, which not only repel international partners from this process, but also largely demotivate domestic scientific research institutions to develop international innovation cooperation and involvement in of foreign infrastructural capacities. An immanent feature of the national field of research and development is also the significant problems of international scientific and technical cooperation of domestic institutions and the insufficient level of their integration into the global and European research space. It has been proven that despite the transformation of nanotechnology into a leading scientific and technological priority of global innovative progress in recent decades, nanoproduction still has not gained significant distribution in Ukraine. In the context of successfully overcoming the scientific and technical backwardness of our country in the field of development of the nanotechnological segment of the domestic innovation market and increasing the scale of production of new nanomaterials, the issue of ensuring a deep convergence of fundamental and applied research and development of the nanotechnological profile, as well as organizational, economic and institutional training of domestic sub enterprises to the introduction of nanotechnology in their production activities.

Rapid synthesis of high-purity molybdenum carbide with controlled crystal phases.

The synthesis of phase-pure carbide nanomaterials is crucial for understanding their structure-performance relationships, and for advancing their application in catalysis. Molybdenum carbides, in particular, have garnered increasing interest due to their Pt-like surface electronic properties and high catalytic activity. Traditional methods for synthesizing molybdenum carbide are often lengthy and energy-intensive, leading to an uncontrolled phase, low purity, and excessive carbon coverage, which hinder their catalytic performance improvement. This work introduces a novel pulsed Joule heating (PJH) technique that overcomes these limitations, enabling the controlled synthesis of high-purity molybdenum carbides (β-Mo2C, η-MoC1-x, and α-MoC1-x) within seconds by using MoOx/4-Cl-o-phenylenediamine as the hybrid precursor. The PJH method allows precise control over the diffusion of carbon species in the Mo-C system, resulting in a significantly improved phase purity of up to 96.89 wt%. Moreover, the electronic structure of platinum catalysts on molybdenum carbide was modulated through electron metal-support interaction (EMSI) between Pt and MoxC, and contributed to enhanced catalytic performance compared to carbon-supported Pt catalysts during the hydrogen evolution reaction. Overall, this work paves the way for efficient production of high-quality molybdenum carbide nanomaterials, and thus is expected to accelerate their industrial deployments in practical catalytic reactions.

Rapid continuous aqueous production of copper indium sulfide quantum dots via a microwave-assisted microfluidic technique.

Ternary copper indium sulfide (CIS) quantum dots (QDs) have been emerging as attractive alternatives to Cd- and Pb-based QDs in various applications owing to their favorable optical properties and low toxicity. However, methods allowing continuous production of CIS QDs in an easy-to-perform and/or organic-solvent-free way are yet to be realized. Here, we report a facile, rapid, continuous, and aqueous synthetic approach for CIS QDs based on a microwave-assisted microfluidic (MAM) technique with easy scale-up of production. Typically, CIS QDs and CIS@ZnS QDs are continuously produced with a flow rate of 30 mL h-1 at a moderate temperature (∼95 °C) in an open-air system with a continuous flow of water as the reaction medium. This continuous synthesis process circumvents the requirements of batch operation, a degassed/inert atmosphere, high temperatures, organic solvents, and complex/expensive equipment. The resulting water-soluble CIS@ZnS QDs show a photoluminescence quantum yield of 44%. This work provides an efficient and green synthetic route for the scalable production of fluorescent nanomaterials.

Continuous production of bimetallic nanoparticles on carbon nanotubes based on 3D-printed microfluidics.

Nanoparticle-functionalized carbon nanotubes are promising in many research fields, especially in sensing, due to their intriguing performance in catalysis. However, these nanomaterials are mainly produced through batch processes under harsh conditions, thus encountering inherent limitations of low throughput and uncontrollable morphology of functional nanoparticles (NPs). In this work, we propose a method for high-yield and continuous production of bimetallic (Pt-Pd) NPs on multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) at room temperature through a custom 3D-printed microfluidic platform. A homogenous particle nucleation and growth environment could be created on the microfluidic platform that was equipped with two 3D-printed micromixers. Pt-Pd NPs loaded on MWCNTs were prepared in the microfluidic platform with high throughput and controlled size, dispersity and composition. The synthetic parameters for these nanocomposites were investigated to optimize their electrocatalytic performance. The optimized nanocomposites exhibited excellent electrocatalytic activity with exceptional sensitivity and wide detection range, superior to their counterparts prepared via conventional approaches. This method proposed here could be further adapted for manufacturing other catalyst support materials, opening more avenues for future large-scale production and catalytic investigation of functional nanomaterials.

Preface

The nanoSAFE conference is organized regularly since 2008. Every two years, this event aims to share the latest research results on health and safety issues related to nanomaterials and beyond. Following the successful outcome of the seven past international conferences on Safe Production and Use of Nanomaterials – nanoSAFE 2008, 2010, 2012, 2014, 2016, 2018, and 2020 – the organizing committee had the pleasure of welcoming many participants for this eighth edition with some of the most famous experts in the field. This year, for the first time in its history, the nanoSAFE conference met the NanoSafety Cluster (NSC) in a new format: NanoSAFE & NSC joint conference.The event aimed to enable all attendees to share and discuss the latest R&D results on environmental, health and safety issues related to nanomaterials and advanced materials. With more than 180 scientific communications, the nanoSAFE 2023 and NanoSafety Cluster joint conference was the place to be to discuss Safe and Sustainable by Design (SSbD), Risk Governance, Advanced Materials Characterization, Digitalization of nanosafety or Micro & Nanoplastics, among others. The conference program was organized in 8 technical sessions, in which 5 plenary lectures and 101 oral presentations were given. 75 posters were presented and discussed along the week in the conference exhibition area. The event included a full day and two panel discussions dedicated to Safe and Sustainable by Design Solutions gathering a wide community of scientists from academia and industry. In this 8th edition, there were more than 250 registered participants from 31 different countries.This volume contains a collection of contributions presented at the 8th Nanosafe International Conference on Health and Safety issues related to nanomaterials for a socially responsible approach (nanoSAFE 2023 and NanoSafety Cluster joint conference) held in Grenoble, France, from 5th to 9th June 2023. The proceedings were peer-reviewed and assessed by conference committee members based on their quality and their relevance to the conference.It is a great honor to thank the scientific committee, the local organizing committee and the staff of the CEA Liten for their support before, during and after the conference. We would like to express our gratitude towards the conference participants as well as the NanoSafetyCluster who sincerely contributed to this event in order to make it a success.This eighth edition had been a great success and the Local Organizing Committee want to acknowledge all the attendees for their presence and the quality of their presentations.With warm regards, nanoSAFE 2023 and NanoSafety Cluster joint conference organizers nanoSAFE’ 2023 overview www.nanosafe.org Copyright: NanoSafe 2023/CEAList of Committees is available in this pdf.

Synthesis of high-surface-area mesoporous SnO2 nanomaterials using carbon template

Metal oxide porous nanomaterials are of great interest across scientific fields due to their intriguing properties, allowing their usage from lab-scale research to industrial applications. However, the production of high surface area metal oxide nanomaterials still poses significant challenges. This study introduces a novel method for synthesizing highly porous tin oxide (SnO2) nanostructures using carbon as the template material. The synthesis process includes the formation of a precursor composite containing resorcinol-formaldehyde gel and a tin oxide precursor, which is first carbonized to convert the resorcinol-formaldehyde into a porous three-dimensional carbon framework. This framework acts as a scaffold for the nucleation of SnO2 nanoparticles. Subsequent oxidation selectively removes the carbon template, yielding highly porous SnO2 nanomaterials. Electron microscopy analysis shows that the nanomaterials feature a particle size with average diameter of ∼30 nm, whereas Gas adsorption-desorption characterization indicates pronounced mesoporosity, with a pore size of 3 nm and a specific surface area of 476 m2/g. The enhanced surface area surpasses the previously reported studies on porous SnO2. This is significant considering the easy production process of the nanomaterials, which signifies its potential for large-scale production. Furthermore, this approach offers versatility, as different materials can replace the carbon component, allowing for tailored nanostructure design and enhanced properties. The resulting materials can offer exciting possibilities in the field of materials science and nanotechnology.

An integrated new approach methodology for inhalation risk assessment of safe and sustainable by design nanomaterials

The production and use of nanomaterials (NMs) has increased over the last decades posing relevant questions on their risk after release and exposure of the population or sub-populations. In this context, the safe and sustainable by design (SSbD) approach framework requires to assess the potential hazard connected with intrinsic properties of the material along the whole life cycle of the NM and/or of the nano enabled products. Moreover, in the last years, the use of new advanced methodologies (NAMs) has increasingly gained attention for the use of alternative methods in obtaining relevant information on NMs hazard and risk. Considering the SSbD and the NAMs frameworks, within the ASINA H2020 project, we developed new NAMs devoted at improving the hazard and risk definition of different Ag and TiO2 NPs. The NAMs are developed considering two air liquid interface exposure systems, the Vitrocell Cloud-α and the Cultex Compact module and the relevant steps to obtain reproducible exposures are described. The new NAMs build on the integration of environmental monitoring campaigns at nano-coating production sites, allowing the quantification by the multiple-path particle dosimetry (MPPD) model of the expected lung deposited dose in occupational settings. Starting from this information, laboratory exposures to the aerosolized NPs are performed by using air liquid interface exposure equipment and human alveolar cells (epithelial cells and macrophages), replicating the doses of exposure estimated in workers by MPPD. Preliminary results on cell viability and inflammatory responses are reported. The proposed NAMs may represent possible future reference procedures for assessing the NPs inhalation toxicology, supporting risk assessment at real exposure doses.

Dual jet-mixing reactor for fully continuous synthesis of core@shell Au@Ag nanocomposites

The wide-scale production of nanomaterials would benefit from scalable synthetic methods. Many promising nanomaterials consist of a core@shell structure where one type of material is used for the core and...

The Developing Field of Hybrid Perovskite Semiconductor Nanomaterials: A Survey of Recent Advances in their Production and Usage for Optoelectronic Applications.

Due to its distinctive characteristics, including high absorption coefficients, lengthy carrier diffusion lengths, and variable bandgap energies, hybrid perovskite semiconductor nanomaterials have become a potential class of materials for a variety of optoelectronic applications. In this article, we present a thorough analysis of current advancements in the production and application of hybrid perovskite semiconductor nanomaterials. We go over the different ways to create these materials, such as hybrid techniques, vapor-phase deposition, and solution-phase synthesis. We also emphasize the difficulties in synthesising them as well as the solutions being sought. The use of hybrid perovskite semiconductor nanomaterials for optoelectronic devices including photovoltaic, light-emitting diodes, and photo detectors has made some significant strides, which we also review. Lastly, we go over the open questions and potential research routes in this quickly developing area. This review highlights the revolutionary potential of hybrid perovskite semiconductor nanomaterials and offers a thorough overview of the state-of-the-art in this field.

Valorization of Plastic Wastes for the Development of Adsorbent Designed for the Removal of Emerging Contaminants in Wastewater

Plastic waste accrual in the environment has been identified as the topmost significant global issue related to modern civilization. Traditional waste disposal methods, such as open burning, landfilling, and incineration, have increased greenhouse gas emissions in economic and material losses. Unless immediate action is made to curtail demand, prolong product lifespans, enhance waste management, and encourage recyclability, plastic pollution will increase due to an almost threefold increase in plastic use spurred by growing populations and affluence. Plastic production primarily is from crude oil or gas despite more than a fourfold growth from ~6.8 million tonnes in 2000 to ~30 million tonnes in 2019; only ~6% of the world’s total plastics production is made from recycled plastics. The competitiveness and profitability of secondary markets may increase with the establishment of recycled content objectives and advancements in recycling technology. In this review, emerging approaches and the creation of value-added materials from waste plastics such as carbon nanotubes and other carbonaceous nanomaterials production, the environmental impacts of plastic waste, African status concerning plastic waste, the importance of modern techniques in plastic waste management, and the circular economy impact on plastic waste utilization are the high points of this study.

Top‐Down Electrochemical Synthesis of Nanoporous Metal Nanosheets from Nonlayered Alloy Precursors

Two‐dimensional (2D) nanomaterials are an attractive class of multifunctional materials owing to their unique chemical, electronic, and structural properties. Bottom‐up formation of 2D nanomaterials (solution processing, atomic‐layer deposition, chemical vapor deposition, etc.) affords direct control of material morphology and chemistry, tailoring their exhibited physicochemical properties. These methodologies, however, have limited throughput. The reduced output and expense of these bottom‐up methodologies limit their economic viability for mass production of multifunctional 2D nanomaterials. Top‐down approaches, through either exfoliation/delamination of a layered material or initiated targeted removal of a sacrificial component, are much more amenable to high production rates. Herein a unique electrochemical dealloying protocol is presented and analyzed for the synthesis of nanoporous iridium nanosheets (npIrx‐NS) from nonlayered, homogeneous alloy precursors. Through observations of combinatory effects of dealloying electrolyte and precursor alloy compositions, insights into the mechanism of formation and evolution of nanoporosity in free‐standing 2D flakes are gained.

Comparative microwave- and conventional oven-assisted hydrothermal syntheses of BaTiO3 nanoparticles for improved electroceramics

Barium titanate (BT) nanoparticles were prepared using both microwave- and conventional oven-assisted hydrothermal syntheses with varying reaction times (1 h, 3 h, and 6 h). In the case of the conventional oven-assisted hydrothermal syntheses, 16 h, 24 h, 48 h and 72 h reaction times were also studied. Structural and morphological evolution of BT particles were investigated. Microwave-assisted hydrothermal synthesis allowed for the rapid formation of nearly pure barium titanate (BT) phase in just 1 h at 200 °C. On the other hand, using a conventional oven as the heat source required at least 6 h of synthesis to achieve a similar material. When the different BT powders were pelletized and sintered at 1300 °C, ceramics with over 95 % density were obtained. The room-temperature (RT) dielectric permittivity exceeded 1750 for BT particles prepared over 6 h using both heating methods. However, a significant distinction emerged when comparing the piezoelectric coefficient (d33) values. The BT pellet obtained through the sintering of BT synthesized in the conventional oven for 6 h exhibited a notably higher d33 value, approximately 171 pC/N, as opposed to the 146 pC/N value observed in BT ceramics resulting from the microwave synthesized powders. Among the ceramic BT variations, the one derived from the best-crystallized tetragonal BT particles (CON_72h) displayed the lowest d33 value at 79 pC/N. These findings underscore the immense potential of microwave- and conventional oven-assisted hydrothermal syntheses in the sustainable production of BT nanomaterials, which can then be sintered to enable the preparation of ceramics with enhanced ferroelectric and piezoelectric properties.

Application of Nanotechnology in Environmental Protection

Numerous applications of nanochemistry and nanotechnology in electronics, medicine, catalysis, and environmental protection have become popular scientific disciplines in the last decades. Besides the presence of nanomaterials in pharmaceutical products, textiles, food, and packaging, or its applications in the catalysis of traditional organic synthesis at high efficiency, the relationship between nanoscience and environmental protection stands out. This relationship has two aspects. One aspect shows numerous possibilities of nanomaterials applications in drinking water treatment, wastewater treatment, gas emissions, and acceleration of anaerobic digestion in biogas production processes from organic waste, together with others. Another aspect is the production of nanomaterials from waste and its contribution to the valorization and elimination of waste that can significantly contribute to the environment. This chapter will show the tendency of nanochemistry and nanotechnology applications in sensors, catalytic degradations of pollutants, adsorption and filtration, and production of nanomaterials from industrial waste and the potential risks of nanomaterials.

Photocatalytic Efficacy and Degradation Kinetics of Chitosan-Loaded Ce-TiO2 Nanocomposite towards for Rhodamine B Dye

The recent advancement in the production of nanomaterials with novel architectures and functionality has allowed for the effective treatment of industrial wastewaters and contaminated soil and, in that view, the current study aimed to investigate the catalytic efficacy of biopolymer-loaded titanium nanocomposite. Therefore, Cerium (Ce)-titanium dioxide (TiO2) loaded chitosan nanocomposite was formed and studied its catalytic efficacy towards the degradation of an industrial dye pollutant. For the production of Ce-TiO2/chitosan nanocomposite, we followed the hydrothermal synthesis route and the formed nanocomposite was thoroughly analyzed for the crystallinity (using powdered X-ray diffraction, XRD), surface bonding, and nature (using Fourier transform infrared, FTIR spectroscopy), morphology (scanning electron microscopy, SEM), elemental composition (electron diffraction analysis by X-rays, EDAX), porosity (Brunauer–Emmett–Teller, BET), and particles size in powdered form (transmission electron microscopy, TEM). Then the efficiency of synthesized nanocomposite was tested towards the photocatalytic degradation of Rhodamine B (Rh B) dye by applying various parameters such as the irradiation time, solution pH, catalyst dosage, and the dye concentration. Further, the Langmuir–Hinshelwood model was employed to investigate the kinetics of RhB degradation and provided a conceivable photocatalytic mechanism. It was indicated based on the catalyst mechanism that the modification of TiO2 nanoparticles with Ce and loading onto chitosan biopolymer may have accelerated the photocurrent transport due to an increase in the number of electrons and holes generated by the photon’s irradiation. In this way, the study has witnessed the excellent photocatalytic performance of Ce-TiO2/chitosan with 95% Rh B degradation as against the pure TiO2 nanoparticles thus stressing the importance of developing novel composite photocatalysts.

Rapid synthesis of nanomaterials by solvent-free laser irradiation for energy storage and conversion

Nanomaterials synthesized through laser irradiation have numerous applications in the field of energy storage and conversion. Conventional methods for fabricating nanomaterials often involve extended reaction times, making them susceptible to issues such as reproducibility, impurities, and inhomogeneity. To address these issues, a novel strategy of synthesizing nanomaterials via solvent-free laser irradiation in the gas phase is proposed as a potential solution. This innovative strategy offers ultrafast heating and cooling processes compared to conventional time-consuming methods, resulting in the formation of homogeneous nanosystems within femto- to nanosecond timeframes. The focused laser beam induces rapid photothermal and photochemical effects in either air or an inert gas atmosphere, enabling the rapid production of nanomaterials with precise control over geometry, chemistry, crystallinity, and defect density by adjusting processing conditions and sintering mediums. This review provides insights into the rapid solvent-free laser-assisted synthesis of nanomaterials using natural carbon-based materials, polymers, metal–organic frameworks, and inorganic species in both air and inert atmospheres. The introduction of photo-irradiation across a wide range of precursors facilitates phase transitions and surface functionalization in the resulting nanoproducts. We also discuss the effects of altering laser wavelengths, pulse widths, fluences, and repetition rates on both surface and bulk properties of the final products. Finally, we explore the applications of laser-induced nanomaterials in areas such as rechargeable batteries, supercapacitors, solar cells, and catalysis.

Bright Semiconductor Quantum Dots Shed New Light on Precision Nanomedicine for Various Diseases

Nanomaterials with diagnostic and therapeutic functions have exciting potential to reshape the landscape of precision medicine. Impressive progress has been made toward the design and production of innovative theranostic nanomaterials that improve disease care, motivated by their ability to simultaneously provide diagnostic information and therapeutic benefits. Herein, the state‐of‐the‐art theranostic semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) are summarized, and the diverse types of QDs designed for the diagnosis and treatment of different diseases are discussed. The opportunities and benefits of QDs are highlighted throughout using in vitro and in vivo examples aimed at addressing various clinical challenges, including cancer, vascular dysfunctions, microbial infections, and medical tattoos. Over the past several years, this area has experienced enormous growth, particularly in preclinical animal imaging and therapy, which has brought the field closer to reaching human patients. Unfortunately, several barriers to clinical translation remain. Therefore, in addition to summarizing the key results from previous in vivo studies, the lessons learned from these studies are synthesized, perspective on the future steps needed for both fundamental studies and the clinical translation of theranostic QD nanotechnology to inform future QD design is provided.