Nanostructure Engineering A Path to Discovery, Innovation and Commercialization

Sang Bok Lee
Assistant Professor, Chemistry and Biochemistry
University of Maryland

Nanoparticles are playing a major role in nano research and applications. The most common shape - spherical - arises from the means used for nanoparticle synthesis, where nucleation in gas or liquid phase leads to further growth isotropically around the nucleus. While these nanoparticles can be controlled in composition, size, and surface functionalization, other methods of synthesis may expand our ability to create nanoparticles designed for multifunctional behavior in diverse applications. Tubular structure of nanoparticle has become highly attractive in the aspect of multifunctional nanoparticle due to its structural attributes, such as the distinctive inner and outer surfaces, over conventional spherical nanoparticles. We are pursuing an alternate approach - template synthesis - which enables nanoparticle creation in the form of highly versatile nanotube structures. The inner voids of the nanotubes can be controlled during fabrication and used for capturing, concentrating, and releasing species ranging in size from large proteins to small molecules. Distinctive outer surfaces can be differentially functionalized with various chemical/biochemical species that are environmentally benign and serve as diagnostic markers and/or selective binding agents for localization and response at specific targets. Template synthesis enables a variety of nanotube shapes as well as sizes, exploiting natural self-assembly processes in electrochemistry together with known manufacturing methods during processing and chemical/biochemical functionalization. These well-controlled multifunctionalized nanotubes have shown enormous potential in biomedical applications, such as dispersible microarrays with shape-coded silica nanotubes, chemical/biochemical separations, and targeted-drug delivery system with magnetic nanotubes. An ultrafast electrochromic device will be also demonstrated based on conducting polymer nanotube arrays.

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