Polymer nanoparticles-preparations, applications and future insights: a concise review

• Published in: Polymer-plastics technology and engineering Vol. 60; no. 18; pp. 1996 - 2024
• Main Author: Adhikari, Chandan
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Taylor & Francis Ltd 12-12-2021
• Subjects: Agricultural engineering; Biocompatibility; Biosensors; Cargo capacity; Chemical properties; Commercialization; Conjugation; Entanglement; Imaging; Magnetic properties; Nanocomposites; Nanomaterials; Nanoparticles; Optoelectronics; Polymers; Stimuli
• ISSN: 0360-2559; 1525-6111
• DOI: 10.1080/25740881.2021.1939715

Nanosized particles have appealing attributes, which have gotten impressive consideration in the last few decades. Polymeric nanoparticles (PNP)s are particles or particulate materials with size at least in the range of 10–100 nm in one dimension. Due to the extremely small size, high volume-surface area ratio, tunable pore, polymer nanoparticles have been used for various applications in different fields,for example, in drug delivery, biosensors, stimuli responsive cargo delivery, nanocomposites, agricultural and environmental applications. The recent development of incorporation of inorganic nanoparticles to polymers permits the alteration of the polymer’s physical as well as chemical properties just as the execution of new highlights in the polymer network. Conjugated polymer nanoparticles are profoundly flexible nano-organized materials that can conceivably discover applications in different branches of science and engineering, for example, optoelectronics, photonics, bio-imaging, bio-detecting and nanomedicine. Their desired sizes and unique properties, biocompatibility and low-toxicity make these materials profoundly appealing for the previously mentioned applications. Polymeric nanoparticles (NPs) are one of the most used nanomaterials for application in nanomedicine. Extreme intrigue lies in the capability of polymeric NPs to alter present-day medication. Usages of polymeric NPs incorporate medication delivery, for example, conjugation and entanglement of medications, prodrugs, stimuli responsive systems, imaging modalities, and theranostics. Biodegradable polymeric nano-structures (BPN) have indicated extraordinary guarantee in various remedial applications, for example, analysis, imaging, sedate delivery, beautifying agents, organ embeds and tissue designing. BPNs display better properties over their separate bulk materials, conquering the restrictions of customary polymers to address numerous significant clinical issues. Besides, the recent developments in research in various area of polymers can empower explicit functionalities of the polymeric nanostructures to be balanced for tunable applications. This concise review emphasizes the various preparative methods of polymeric nanoparticles developed in the last few decades and their uses in various branches of science, e.g., therapeutic, optoelectronic, catalytic and magnetic applications along with several challenging issues concerning the commercialization of emerging polymer-based therapeutics. It also comments on the futuristic uses and applications of polymer nanoparticles in various fields of science in coming decades.