Where bio meets nano: The many uses for nanoporous aluminum oxide in biotechnology

• Published in: Biotechnology advances Vol. 30; no. 5; pp. 1089 - 1099
• Main Authors: Ingham, Colin J., ter Maat, Jurjen, de Vos, Willem M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Inc 01-09-2012
• Subjects: aluminum; aluminum oxide; Aluminum Oxide - chemistry; Animals; Anodized alumina; biocompatibility; biotechnology; Biotechnology - methods; Cell culture; Cells, Cultured; ceramics; enhanced raman-scattering; hexagonal pore arrays; High throughput screening; image analysis; ionization mass-spectrometry; Label-free imaging; laser desorption/ionization; mammals; membrane filters; microarray technology; Microbiology; multilayer film; nanopores; Nanopores - ultrastructure; Nanotechnology - methods; optical-detection; population heterogeneity; porosity; porous anodic alumina; surface modification; Surface Properties; POP; High throughput screening; Anodized alumina; Cell culture; PEG; SPR; Microbiology; SERS; MALDI-MS; Label-free imaging; PAO; PDMS
• ISSN: 0734-9750; 1873-1899
• DOI: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2011.08.005

Porous aluminum oxide (PAO) is a ceramic formed by an anodization process of pure aluminum that enables the controllable assembly of exceptionally dense and regular nanopores in a planar membrane. As a consequence, PAO has a high porosity, nanopores with high aspect ratio, biocompatibility and the potential for high sensitivity imaging and diverse surface modifications. These properties have made this unusual material attractive to a disparate set of applications. This review examines how the structure and properties of PAO connect with its present and potential uses within research and biotechnology. The role of PAO is covered in areas including microbiology, mammalian cell culture, sensitive detection methods, microarrays and other molecular assays, and in creating new nanostructures with further uses within biology.