A simple concept is proposed to metallise polyamide 66 (PA66) spherulite structures with in situ synthesised gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) using a wet chemical method. This cost-effective approach, applied to produce a PA66/Au NP hybrid material, offers the advantages of controlling the nanoparticle size, the size distribution and the organic-inorganic interactions. These are the key factors that have to be controlled to construct consistent Au nanostructures which are essential for producing the catalytic activities of interest. The hybrid materials obtained are characterised by means of scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, attenuated total reflection-Fourier transform infrared spectrometry and X-ray diffraction spectrometry. The results show that PA66 microspheres obtained via the crystallisation process are coated with Au NPs of 13 nm in size. It was found that controlling the metal coordination is the key parameter to template the Au NPs on the spherulite surfaces. The preparation processes and the key factors leading to the formation of PA66 spherulites coated with Au NPs are discussed. Moreover, the efficiency of the coated spherulites as a potential catalyst is proved by demonstrating the reduction of methylene blue via UV-visible spectrometry.

Electrospun hybrid nanofibers, based on functional agents immobilized in polymeric matrix, possess a unique combination of collective properties. These are beneficial for a wide range of applications, which include theranostics, filtration, catalysis, and tissue engineering, among others. The combination of functional agents in a nanofiber matrix offer accessibility to multifunctional nanocompartments with significantly improved mechanical, electrical, and chemical properties, along with better biocompatibility and biodegradability. This review summarizes recent work performed for the fabrication, characterization, and optimization of different hybrid nanofibers containing varieties of functional agents, such as laser ablated inorganic nanoparticles (NPs), which include, for instance, gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) and titanium nitride nanoparticles (TiNPs), perovskites, drugs, growth factors, and smart, inorganic polymers. Biocompatible and biodegradable polymers such as chitosan, cellulose, and polycaprolactone are very promising macromolecules as a nanofiber matrix for immobilizing such functional agents. The assimilation of such polymeric matrices with functional agents that possess wide varieties of characteristics require a modified approach towards electrospinning techniques such as coelectrospinning and template spinning. Additional focus within this review is devoted to the state of the art for the implementations of these approaches as viable options for the achievement of multifunctional hybrid nanofibers. Finally, recent advances and challenges, in particular, mass fabrication and prospects of hybrid nanofibers for tissue engineering and biomedical applications have been summarized.

Driven by surface cleanness and unique physical, optical and chemical properties, bare (ligand-free) laser-synthesized nanoparticles (NPs) are now in the focus of interest as promising materials for the development of advanced biomedical platforms related to biosensing, bioimaging and therapeutic drug delivery. We recently achieved significant progress in the synthesis of bare gold (Au) and silicon (Si) NPs and their testing in biomedical tasks, including cancer imaging and therapy, biofuel cells, etc. We also showed that these nanomaterials can be excellent candidates for tissue engineering applications. This review is aimed at the description of our recent progress in laser synthesis of bare Si and Au NPs and their testing as functional modules (additives) in innovative scaffold platforms intended for tissue engineering tasks.

(1) Background: In dentistry, silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) have progressively earned great interest as antimicrobial drugs and are widely used in several biomedical fields. Recent progress in the analysis of complex bacterial communities has demonstrated the richness of the oral microbiota and the presence of numerous previously unexplained strains. Several efforts have been dedicated to the investigation of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs). Those peptides are a widespread group of small peptides against invading microbes. We report the production of a hybrid molecule composed of AgNPs and indolicidin, a well-known antibacterial peptide. (2) Methods: Spectroscopy and microscopy were used to analyze the optical features and to determine the size of the generated AgNPs. The AgNP antibacterial activity was evaluated versus oral Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. (3) Results: The coated nanoparticles’ antibacterial activity strongly inhibited the growth of microorganisms, with very low minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values in the range of 5–12.5 μg/mL. We hypothesize that this effect depended on the specific characteristics of the metal surface coated with indolicidin. The second result was that the coated nanoparticles observed cellular toxicity, was lower with respect to the toxicity of peptide and the naked AgNPs when used individually. (4) New investigations regarding antimicrobial effect of AgNPs coated with AMPs in oral infections are an urgent task.

Background: Metallic nanoparticles (NPs) are highly exploited in manufacturing and medical processes in a broad spectrum of industrial applications and in the academic sectors. Several studies have suggested that many metallic nanomaterials including those derived by silver (Ag) are entering the ecosystem to cause significant toxic consequences in cell culture and animal models. However, ecotoxicity studies are still receiving limited attention when designing functionalized and non.-functionalized AgNPs. Objective: This study aimed to investigate different ecotoxicological profiles of AgNPs, which were analyzed in two different states: in pristine form uncoated AgNPs and coated AgNPs with the antimicrobial peptide indolicidin. These two types of AgNPs are exploited for a set of different tests using Daphnia magna and Raphidocelis subcapitata, which are representatives of two different levels of the aquatic trophic chain, and seeds of Lepidium sativum, Cucumis sativus and Lactuca sativa. Results: Ecotoxicological studies showed that the most sensitive organism to AgNPs was crustacean D. magna, followed by R. subcapitata and plant seeds, while AgNPs coated with indolicidin (IndAgNPs) showed a dose-dependent decreased toxicity for all three. Conclusion: The obtained results demonstrate that high ecotoxicity induced by AgNPs is strongly dependent on the surface chemistry, thus the presence of the antimicrobial peptide. This finding opens new avenues to design and fabricate the next generation of metallic nanoparticles to ensure the biosafety and risk of using engineered nanoparticles in consumer products.

Smart electrospun hybrid nanofibers represent a cutting‐edge class of functional nanostructured materials with unique collective properties. This review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the applications of smart electrospun hybrid nanofibers in the fields of energy, catalysis, and biomedicine. Electrospinning is a powerful tool to fabricate different types of nanofibers’ morphologies with precise control over structure and compositions. Through the incorporation of various functional components, such as nanoparticles, nanomoieties, and biomolecules, into the (co)polymer matrix, nanofibers can be tailored into smart hybrid materials exhibiting responsiveness to external stimuli such as temperature, pH, or light among others. Herein recent advancements in fabrication strategies for electrospun smart hybrid nanofibers are discussed, focusing on different electrospinning tools aimed at tailoring and developing smart hybrid nanofibers. These strategies include surface functionalization, doping, and templating, which enable fine‐tuning of mechanical strength, conductivity, and biocompatibility. The review explores the challenges and recent progress in the development of smart hybrid nanofibers. Issues such as scalability, reproducibility, biocompatibility, and environmental sustainability are identified as key for improvement. Furthermore, the applications of smart nanofibers in biomedicine, environment, energy storage, and smart textiles underscore their potential to address the challenges in development of nanostructured materials for emerging technologies.