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Biosilica from diatoms microalgae: smart materials from bio-medicine to photonics

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 December 2016

Roberta Ragni ,
Stefania Cicco ,
Danilo Vona ,
Gabriella Leone  and
Gianluca M. Farinola
Roberta Ragni
Affiliation:
Dipartimento di Chimica, Università degli Studi di Bari “Aldo Moro,” Bari 70125, Italy
Stefania Cicco
Affiliation:
CNR Istituto di Chimica dei Composti Organometallici, Dipartimento di Chimica, Università degli Studi di Bari “Aldo Moro,” Bari 70125, Italy
Danilo Vona
Affiliation:
Dipartimento di Chimica, Università degli Studi di Bari “Aldo Moro,” Bari 70125, Italy
Gabriella Leone
Affiliation:
Dipartimento di Chimica, Università degli Studi di Bari “Aldo Moro,” Bari 70125, Italy
Gianluca M. Farinola*
Affiliation:
Dipartimento di Chimica, Università degli Studi di Bari “Aldo Moro,” Bari 70125, Italy
*
a) Address all correspondence to this author. e-mail: gianlucamaria.farinola@uniba.it
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Abstract

Diatoms microalgae can be regarded as living factories producing nanostructured and mesoporous biosilica shells (frustules) having a highly ordered hierarchical architecture. These unique, morphological, chemical and mechanical properties make diatoms’ biosilica a very attractive nanomaterial for a wide variety of applications. Methods of purification of frustules that preserve their nanostructured morphology have been set up as well as in vivo or in vitro chemical modification protocols of the biosilica with functional molecules to generate biohybrid active materials for photonics, sensing, drug delivery and electronics. Herein we describe, with some selected examples, the great variety of applications envisaged for native and modified frustules, highlighting the material scientists’ benefit to avail of nature in the construction of highly ordered biohybrid architectures for nanotechnology. New concepts for the biotechnological production of nanomaterials are opened by the use of diatoms as living factories.

Keywords

Sibiomedicalnanostructure
Type
Invited Feature Paper
Information
Journal of Materials Research , Volume 32 , Issue 2 , 27 January 2017 , pp. 279 - 291
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Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2016 

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