Synthesis and characterization of metal (Core) - layered double hydroxide (Shell) nanostructures

Layered double hydroxides (LDH) which belong to a class of inorganic ceramic layered materials have been studied since the mid-19th century for a variety of applications including catalysis, anion exchange, adsorbents and antacid, but more recently as a potential drug and gene delivery platform. Drug delivery platforms based on nano-sized geometries are nanovectors which promise a revolutionary impact on the therapy and imaging of various types of cancers and diseases. To date, various polymeric platforms have been the focus of intense research, but the development of inorganic, bio-hybrid nanoparticles for therapeutics and molecular imaging are at a stage of infancy. The hybridization of LDH with bioactive agents or the fabrication of metal (Core)---LDH (Shell) nanostructures could have many beneficial effects including multimodality, active targetability, and efficacy. For example, Core---Shell nanostructures may be designed to have a high scattering optical cross-section for imaging, but may also be tailored to strongly absorb near infrared (NIR) light for hyperthermic ablation.;The central theme of this thesis was to demonstrate proof-of-concept of spherical silver and gold metal (Core)---LDH (Shell) nanostructures that have uniform size distribution and are agglomeration free. The effects of processing parameters on the characteristics of LDH as well as LDH-coated spherical metal (Ag, Au) nanoparticles have been evaluated using X-ray Diffraction, Dynamic Light Scattering, Scanning Electron Microscopy, Transmission Electron Microscopy, Rutherford Backscattering Spectrometry, and Inductively Coupled Plasma Emission Spectrometry to arrive at appropriate process windows. The core---shell nanostructures were also characterized for their optical properties in the ultra---violet---visible region, and the data were compared with simulated data, computed by using a quasi static model from Mie scattering theory. Moreover, in order to achieve a strong plasmon resonance band in the NIR region, silver nanorods were synthesized to demonstrate the precise control of the plasmon resonance behavior through aspect ratio adjustments. Consequently, it is proposed that LDH-coated metal nanorods must be the primary platform for a potential multimodel nanovector.