Light-Mediated Growth of Gold Nanoplates Carried Out in Total Darkness.

The plasmon-mediated growth of noble metal nanoplates through the reduction of metal precursors onto resonantly excited seeds lined with planar defects stands out as one of the triumphs of photochemistry and nanometal synthesis. Such growth modes are, however, not without their drawbacks and, with a lack of suitable alternatives, limitations remain on the use of light as a synthetic control. Herein, a two-reagent seed-mediated gold nanoplate synthesis is demonstrated as a photochemical pathway where the illumination of the growth solution, as opposed to the emerging nanoplates, is the key requirement for growth.

Periodic arrays of structurally complex oxide nanoshells and their use as substrate-confined nanoreactors.

Sacrificial templates present an effective pathway for gaining high-level control over nanoscale reaction products. Atomic layer deposition (ALD) is ideally suited for such approaches due to its ability to replicate the surface topography of a template material through the deposition of an ultrathin conformal layer. Herein, metal nanostructures are demonstrated as sacrificial templates for the formation of architecturally complex and deterministically positioned oxide nanoshells, open-topped nanobowls, vertically standing half-shells, and nanorings.

Exploring multielement nanogranular coatings to forestall implant-related infections.

Introduction: As we approach the post-antibiotic era, the development of innovative antimicrobial strategies that carry out their activities through non-specific mechanisms could limit the onset and spread of drug resistance. In this context, the use of nanogranular coatings of multielement nanoparticles (NPs) conjugated to the surface of implantable biomaterials might represent a strategy to reduce the systemic drawbacks by locally confining the NPs effects against either prokaryotic or eukaryotic cells.

Methods: In the present study, two new multielement nanogranular coatings combining Ag and Cu with either Ti or Mg were synthesized by a gas phase physical method and tested against pathogens isolated from periprosthetic joint infections to address their potential antimicrobial value and toxicity in an experimental setting.