Porous materials are of particular interest becuase of their multifunctionalization that can involve the surface, the channels and the channel entrances.  The talk will illustrate some of the recent results on microporous and mesoporous silica based nanoparticles. In particular examples using the crystalline allumino silicates, zeolite L, and mesoporous organosilicates will be discussed since these materials can act as nanocontainers and due to their biocompatibility used for biomedical applications. The different functionalization of their surface will be discussed, in particular with the aim to show that  the particles can be decorated with different functional groups including biocompatible molecules and are able to perfom drug and DNA or RNA delivery inside the cell [1]. The delivery can be probed by a kinetic analyses after the nanoparticles internalization. In particular using confocal fluorescent microscopy it is possible to follow the release of each single component as well as the positioning of the nanocontainers in real time and space. Such achievement allows us to study the fate of the different units and their release time. Also it will be shown how the molecules entrapped in the ordered channels can become active components. The alignment of electroactive molecules inside the narrow channels of a zeolite L, resulted in the formation of molecular wires. The molecular wire length is tunable between 30 and 100 nm and electrical measurements on the 1D assemblies were performed. Finally an ultra-high (> 2000%) room-temperature magnetoresistance was observed applying only a few mT [2].Finally it will be discussed how the morphology of such nanocontainers can be important for the creation of patterned substrates on which different cells can preferentially adhere [3]. The growth and prolification of the cells can be selectively controlled only on small areas of the surfaces as well as promoted in a soft matrix sandwiched in between the rigid scaffolds [4]. [1]. R. Corradini, L. De Cola et al. Adv. Mat. Health in press.[2] L. De Cola, W.G. van der Wielet al.Science, 2013 , 341, 257.[3] J. El-Gindi, K. Benson, L. De Cola, H.-J. Galla, N.S. Kehr  Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 2012 , 51, 3716-3720.[4] O.Z. Fisher, B.L. Larson, P.S. Hill, D. Graupner, M.-T. Nguyen-Kim, N.S. Kehr, L. De Cola, R. Langer, D.G. Anderson  Adv. Mat., 2012 , 24, 3032-3036

Porous (nano)materials: Properties, self-assembly, and applications

248th National Meeting (2014)

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