Investigations on Nanomaterials For Potential Biomedical Applications

Abstract

Recent advances in creating nanomaterials such as Carbon nanotubes (CNTs), graphene and Zinc Oxide (ZnO) nanofibers have led to several opportunities in biomedical research and clinical applications. The current and most promising applications of these nanomaterials include, but are not limited to, drug delivery, in vitro diagnostics, in vivo imaging, therapy techniques, biomaterials, and tissue engineering. A variety of organic/inorganic nanomaterials and devices are currently being investigated world over for these purposes.

In this thesis we have considered and studied suitably functionalized carbon nanotubes (CNTs) as scaffold for bone tissue engineering and Zinc oxide nanorods for transdermal delivery of vaccine. While Zinc oxide nanoparticles are already approved by USFDA as a safe product for their application in several skin care products, carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are still being elucidated for their solubility, cytotoxicity and biocompatibility. Therefore we also studied covalent functionalization of carbon nanotubes as part of the enhancement of their solubility and simultaneous characterization of several parameters owing to improvement of their bio-compatibility.

In summary we have applied aligned ZnO nanorods, grown successfully on silicon surfaces, as an innovative skin patch option to provide a controlled, efficient and less irritating delivery of vaccine on the basis of a non-invasive penetration method. Moreover, we have successfully utilized ultrapure biocompatible CNTs as scaffold material for osteoblast stem cells proliferation and regeneration of bone in vitro. Simultaneously we have also evaluated the crucial parameters involved in the cytotoxic profile of CNTs, in view of their extensive and safe use in bionanotechnology.