Engineering of Organic-Inorganic Hybrids with Surface Supramolecular Assemblies

Numerous applications of phenolic compounds, a large family of naturally occurring molecules, in biosensing, bioimaging, and disease treatment can not be nowadays neglected. Moreover, phenolic compounds have shown a great potential in nanotechnology, in particular in the design of multifunctional metallic nanosystems. The various physicochemical interactions that arise between polyphenols and different other compounds, including inorganic nanoparticles, and how those interactions govern the assembly/disassembly and functionality of the resulting hybrid systems, are still not precisely understood. Then, the versatility of these supramolecular networks on the metallic surface, combined with their negligible cytotoxicity provides a pathway for the rational design of novel materials of variable morphologies with potential in biomedical and environmental applications.Hybrid inorganic-organic materials are attracting scientific interest due to their unique physicochemical properties and potential for diverse biomedical applications. Biopolymers, phenolic compounds, and other natural compounds can be used as reducing agents for metal ions and, at the same time, as excellent stabilizers of the resulting nanostructures by forming supramolecular assemblies on their surfaces. This "bottom-up" approach to nanomaterials engineering requires a precise balance between covalent bonds on the nanostructure's surface and the supramolecular forces of the surface modifying shells. As well, subsequent external interfacial interactions, which stabilize the entire inorganic-organic system, are also crucial. Optimizing synthesis conditions and consciously controlling and understanding these interactions continue to pose a challenge for scientists. Such hybrid materials could offer an alternative in the post-antibiotic era of searching for new antibacterial agents (wound dressings, biodegradable food packaging, coatings for medical devices), could be used as biocompatible delivery systems for active compounds that enhance therapeutic efficacy and as chemodynamic or/and photoactive agents, for instance in photothermal therapy or bioimaging.We welcome Original Research, Review, Mini Review and Perspective articles on themes including, but not limited to:• Design protocols for inorganic-organic hybrids• Mechanistic insights into synthesis and reactivity of novel nanostructures• Emerging technologies of functional materials and coatings• Case studies of sustainable fabrication and characterization for real-world applications Topic editors: Agnieszka Kyzioł, Sónia Santos, Elwira Sieniawska, Immacolata Faraone Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/75752/engineering-of-organic-inorganic-hybrids-with-surface-supramolecular-assemblies