Functionalized Nanodiamonds as Nanoagents in Materials and Life Sciences

Abstract Ultradisperse nanodiamonds can be implemented as nanoagents in materials and life sciences by chemical or biological activation. In this paper we show the potential of nanodiamonds for specific applications in the fields of corrosion resistance and cell biology. We demonstrate that nanodiamonds can be used to refine surfaces in order to improve corrosion resistance, to increase adhesion properties, or to establish an on-line surface analysis technique, e.g. for corrosion monitoring, based on their optical properties. We further applied ultradisperse nanodiamonds in cell biology. Our data show that nanodiamonds can be taken up by living cells via transfection in the presence of dendrimers. Upon functionalization with antibodies, nanodiamonds can be targeted to specific intracellular structures.