Oxygen reduction and diffusion in electroactive nanostructured membranes (ENM) using a layer-by-layer dendrimer-gold nanoparticle approach

Dendrimer nanohybrid carrier systems: an expanding horizon for targeted drug and gene delivery

Highly controllable dendritic structural design means dendrimers are a leading carrier in drug delivery applications. Dendrimer- and other nanocarrier-based hybrid systems are an emerging platform in the field of drug delivery. This review is a compilation of increasing reports of dendrimer interactions, such as dendrimer-liposome, dendrimer-carbon-nanotube, among others, known as hybrid carriers. This should prompt entirely new research with promising results for these hybrid carriers. It is assumed that such emerging hybrid nanosystems - from combining two already-established drug delivery platforms - could lead the way for the development of newer delivery systems with multiple applicability for latent theranostic applications in the future.

Conductive Effect of Gold Nanoparticles Encapsulated Inside Polyamidoamine (PAMAM) Dendrimers on Electrochemistry of Myoglobin (Mb) in {PAMAM−Au/Mb}n Layer-by-Layer Films

PAMAM-Au nanocomposites prepared by reduction of HAuCl4 with NaBH4 in the presence of the sixth-generation polyamidoamine (PAMAM) took a unique structure, in which the 2 nm-sized Au nanoparticles were encapsulated in the interior cavities of the PAMAM molecules. The PAMAM-Au nanocomposites as a new type of nanomaterial were assembled layer-by-layer with myoglobin (Mb) into {PAMAM-Au/Mb}n films on solid surfaces, which was confirmed by quartz crystal microbalance (QCM), UV-vis spectroscopy, and cyclic voltammetry (CV). The direct electrochemistry of Mb in the films assembled on pyrolytic graphite (PG) electrodes was realized and used to catalyze the reduction of hydrogen peroxide. As compared to {PAMAM/Mb}n films containing no Au nanoparticles, the {PAMAM-Au/Mb}n films showed much better electrochemical and electrocatalytic properties, indicating the conductive effect of Au nanoparticles inside PAMAM on bridging electron transfer between Mb and PG electrodes.

Synthesis and electrochemical applications of gold nanoparticles

This review covers recent advances in synthesis and electrochemical applications of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs). Described approaches include the synthesis of AuNPs via designing and choosing new protecting ligands; and applications in electrochemistry of AuNPs including AuNPs-based bioelectrochemical sensors, such as direct electrochemistry of redox-proteins, genosensors and immunosensors, and AuNPs as enhancing platform for electrocatalysis and electrochemical sensors.