Advanced Materials

Significant progress of nano-biotechnology has promoted the biomedical evaluations and diagnostic/therapeutic applications of mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) from extensive in vitro researches towards preliminary in vivo evaluations. This comprehensive review highlights the very recent progresses in the chemical design and engineering of MSNs-based biomaterials for in vivo biomedical applications.

Materials, device designs and manufacturing approaches are presented for classes of RF electronic components that are capable of complete dissolution in water or bio-fluids. All individual passive/active components as well as system-level examples such as wireless RF energy harvesting circuits exploit active materials that are biocompatible. The results provide diverse building blocks for physically transient forms of electronics, of particular potential value in bioresorbable medical implants with wireless power transmission and communication capabilities.

Economical nanocomposites based on π-stacking of N-acetyl glycosyl rhodamine B to graphene oxide (GO) are simply prepared. These “sweet” GO-materials are prove to be admirable for the fluorogenic recognition of specific intercellular sugar-based ligand-glycoprotein receptor interactions of interest.

Folic acid (FA) and doxorubicin (DOX) are coupled separately onto Fe₃O₄@SiO₂ and polystyrene surfaces of a unique polystyrene/Fe₃O₄@SiO₂ Janus structure. This super-paramagnetic, dual-functionalized Janus nanocomposite enables effective tumor cell targeting and internalization via the folate receptor, and induces significant cancer cell death by controlled, stimulus-induced drug release under acidic conditions in endosomal compartments.

Breakthrough ideas in plasmonics and metamaterials need good material building blocks to realize useful devices. Currently, plasmonic and metamaterial devices suffer from many drawbacks arising from the undesirable properties of their material building blocks, especially the metallic components. There are many materials, other than conventional metallic components such as gold and silver, that exhibit metallic properties and provide advantages in device performance, design flexibility, fabrication, integration, and tunability.