Synthesis, Chemical–Physical Characterization, and Biomedical Applications of Functional Gold Nanoparticles: A Review
Ileana Ielo,
Giulia Rando,
Fausta Giacobello,
Silvia Sfameni,
Angela Castellano,
Maurilio Galletta,
Dario Drommi,
Giuseppe Rosace,
Maria Rosaria Plutino
Affiliations
Ileana Ielo
Institute for the Study of Nanostructured Materials, ISMN—CNR, Palermo, c/o Department of ChiBioFarAm, University of Messina, Viale F. Stagno d’Alcontres 31, Vill. S. Agata, 98166 Messina, Italy
Giulia Rando
Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Analytical Sciences (ChiBioFarAm), University of Messina, Viale F. Stagno d’Alcontres 31, Vill. S. Agata, 98166 Messina, Italy
Fausta Giacobello
Institute for the Study of Nanostructured Materials, ISMN—CNR, Palermo, c/o Department of ChiBioFarAm, University of Messina, Viale F. Stagno d’Alcontres 31, Vill. S. Agata, 98166 Messina, Italy
Silvia Sfameni
Institute for the Study of Nanostructured Materials, ISMN—CNR, Palermo, c/o Department of ChiBioFarAm, University of Messina, Viale F. Stagno d’Alcontres 31, Vill. S. Agata, 98166 Messina, Italy
Angela Castellano
Institute for the Study of Nanostructured Materials, ISMN—CNR, Palermo, c/o Department of ChiBioFarAm, University of Messina, Viale F. Stagno d’Alcontres 31, Vill. S. Agata, 98166 Messina, Italy
Maurilio Galletta
Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Analytical Sciences (ChiBioFarAm), University of Messina, Viale F. Stagno d’Alcontres 31, Vill. S. Agata, 98166 Messina, Italy
Dario Drommi
Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Analytical Sciences (ChiBioFarAm), University of Messina, Viale F. Stagno d’Alcontres 31, Vill. S. Agata, 98166 Messina, Italy
Giuseppe Rosace
Department of Engineering and Applied Sciences, University of Bergamo, Viale Marconi 5, 24044 Dalmine, Italy
Maria Rosaria Plutino
Institute for the Study of Nanostructured Materials, ISMN—CNR, Palermo, c/o Department of ChiBioFarAm, University of Messina, Viale F. Stagno d’Alcontres 31, Vill. S. Agata, 98166 Messina, Italy
Relevant properties of gold nanoparticles, such as stability and biocompatibility, together with their peculiar optical and electronic behavior, make them excellent candidates for medical and biological applications. This review describes the different approaches to the synthesis, surface modification, and characterization of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) related to increasing their stability and available features useful for employment as drug delivery systems or in hyperthermia and photothermal therapy. The synthetic methods reported span from the well-known Turkevich synthesis, reduction with NaBH4 with or without citrate, seeding growth, ascorbic acid-based, green synthesis, and Brust–Schiffrin methods. Furthermore, the nanosized functionalization of the AuNP surface brought about the formation of self-assembled monolayers through the employment of polymer coatings as capping agents covalently bonded to the nanoparticles. The most common chemical–physical characterization techniques to determine the size, shape and surface coverage of AuNPs are described underlining the structure–activity correlation in the frame of their applications in the biomedical and biotechnology sectors.
