Dynamic nanoparticle assembly and its application in stimuli responsive drug delivery

Abstract

Nature has continuously amaze material scientists with her ability to create intelligent living things using techniques of self-assembly.[1] Nature provides many examples of complex, highly organised self-assembled structures.[1] For instance, bird homing ability of migratory birds (including homing pigeons, domestic chickens) also guided by magnetic nanoparticle (NP) assemblies found in the upper beak skin of this birds.[1] Also assembled magnetic nanoparticles found in the nasal capsule of sea salmon is sensitive to the geomagnetic field and help in guiding their journeys in the endless ocean.[1] Inspired from this natural instance, material scientists (including nanomaterial scientists) have also tried to developed several assembly processes to create artificial smart materials.[2,3,4,5] Nanoparticle assemblies exhibit physical and chemical properties, which are different from those of both individual nanoparticles and their bulk aggregates.