Metallic Nanomaterials Functionalized by Chitosan Derivatives

Among a plethora of nanomaterials designed and synthesized for biomedical applications, carbon nanotube (CNT), gold nanorods (GNRs), and iron oxide (Fe3O4) owing to their unique features have been demonstrated to be employed for localized hyperthermia treatment for cancer therapy. In this study, the nanostructures of aforementioned metallic nanomaterials functionalized by alkylated or thiolated chitosan derivatives were characterized by analytical tools such as TEM, XRD, etc. These chitosan-incorporated nanomaterials were further conjugated with biomolecular moiety to specifically target cancer cell lines. The interaction of nanostructured biomaterials with malignant cells was further applied to determine the optimal operation time for thermal destruction of cancer cells.