Multifunctional ZnO/SiO₂ Core/Shell Nanoparticles for Bioimaging and Drug Delivery Application

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Nanotechnology
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Semiconducting nanoparticles with luminescent properties are crucial for in-vitro and in-vivo diagnostics and therapeutics.
• Zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles are biocompatible and cost-effective, showing promise for bioimaging and drug delivery applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize ZnO/SiO2 core/shell nanoparticles for enhanced fluorescent probing and drug delivery.
• To investigate the impact of a silicon dioxide shell on ZnO nanoparticle properties.

Main Methods:

• Wet chemical synthesis of ZnO/SiO2 core/shell nanoparticles.
• Characterization using X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Fourier-Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, UV-Visible (UV-VIS) spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), and Photoluminescence (PL) analysis.
• Evaluation of cell viability and hemocompatibility.

Main Results:

• The silicon shell significantly enhanced the photoluminescence and aqueous stability of ZnO nanoparticles.
• The porous shell structure facilitated sustained release of curcumin, a model drug.
• The synthesized ZnO/SiO2 core/shell nanoparticles exhibited high cell viability and hemocompatibility.
• Promising fluorescent properties were observed for bioimaging applications.

Conclusions:

• ZnO/SiO2 core/shell nanoparticles are effective for fluorescent probing and drug delivery due to improved photoluminescence, stability, and drug-carrying capacity.
• The enhanced properties make these nanomaterials suitable for advanced biomedical applications.
• The study highlights the potential of core/shell nanostructures for theranostic purposes.