Review article
Noncovalent Functionalization of Boron Nitride Nanotubes in Aqueous Media Opens Application Roads in Nanobiomedicine
Zhenghong Gao
; Laboratoire, Photonique Numérique et Nanosciences (LP2N), Institut d'Optique Graduate School & CNRS & Université de Bordeaux, Institut d'Optique d'Aquitaine (IOA), Rue François Mitterrand, Talence Cedex, France
Chunyi Zhi
; International Center for Materials Nanoarchitectonics (MANA), National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS), Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
Yoshio Bando
; International Center for Materials Nanoarchitectonics (MANA), National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS), Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
Dmitri Golberg
; International Center for Materials Nanoarchitectonics (MANA), National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS), Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
Takeshi Serizawa
; Department of Organic and Polymeric Materials, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Ookayama, Meguro-ku, Tokyo, Japan
Abstract
Boron nitride nanotubes (BNNTs) are of intense scientific interest due to their unique physiochemical properties and prospective applications in various nanotechnologies, particularly nanobiomedicine. A critical problem hampering the application processing of BNNTs is the outer sidewall functionalization, which is primarily acquired to lead BNNTs dispersible in various solvents. Furthermore, the surface of BNNTs should be intelligently designed and precisely controlled to satisfy the specific demands of different applications. For these purposes, covalent and noncovalent approaches have been factually developed to help to extend the full potential of applications. Importantly, wrapping the outermost sidewall of BNNTs with either water-soluble polymers or biomolecules through weak noncovalent interactions has been proved to be efficient for giving BNNTs considerable dispersity in aqueous media, and endowing novel chemical functions to BNNTs with almost no change in their pristine physiochemical properties. This article summarizes recent progress in this field and addresses future perspectives on the noncovalent functionalization of BNNTs for promoting their application processing in various bio-related nanotechnologies.
Keywords
Noncovalent functionalization; polymer; biomolecule; boron nitride nanotube; nanobiomedicine
Hrčak ID:
157639
URI
Publication date:
1.1.2014.
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