Preparation of Carbon Nanohorn Composite Materials forTherapeutic Applications

Abstract

The importance and application of nanomaterials is constantly increasing in the world today. This makes it vital to research and understand fully their properties and biological impacts. Carbon nanohorns are of particular interest for their potential biological applications including drug delivery systems, biosensors, photodynamic therapeutic agents and their potential for use in radiosensitisation methods. It becomes vital, therefore, that the chemical properties after various functionalisations can be analysed and tested in biological systems to determine their biocompatibility. In this project the impact of various surface functionalisations was investigated by measuring the chemical and physical changes to carbon nanohorns and other nanomaterials, as well as completing cell testing studies to help determine how biocompatible these materials are. By chemically engineering various surface functional groups onto the carbon nanohorns, and by using these functional groups as supports for further modifications, the properties and variability of a range of carbon nanohorns and carbon nanohorn composite systems was determined.