Nanoparticles articles from across Nature Portfolio

A technique called surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy can detect tiny quantities of compounds in solution, but has been difficult to use for quantitative analysis. A digital approach involving nanoparticles suggests a way forward.

A growing population, climate change and the environmental impacts of conventional agricultural practices are worsening food insecurity. New research shows that use of nanofertilizers can increase food production while simultaneously decreasing the negative environmental effects of agriculture.

Using nanoparticles featuring anisotropic characteristics is a promising approach to developing multifunctional platforms for drug delivery and theranostics. This Review discusses methods to generate anisotropy in nanosystems and strategies to control particle transport, targeting and interaction with cells to overcome biological barriers.

This article presents a unique nanocomposite plasmonic-excitonic glass with extraordinary amplified optical properties: ultra-narrow photoluminescence (FWHM = 13 nm) and ultrashort photoluminescence lifetime (90 ps) at room temperature

Antimicrobial resistance is becoming more prevalent. Here the authors use multimodal nanoparticles to modulate the infected microenvironment, recruit neutrophils and alleviate hypoxia to restore neutrophil function, demonstrating therapeutic efficacy against MRSA infections in mice.

Nucleic acid-based therapies offer an alternative to traditional cancer treatment modalities, with promising data beginning to emerge. In this Review, the authors describe the design and development of nucleic acid-based therapies administered virally and non-virally, including discussions of the advantages and disadvantage of each approach, as well as the role of patient-specific factors such as the tumour microenvironment, and consider the most promising future research directions.

Redispersion of sintered metal species requires high temperatures in reactive atmospheres. Here, the authors report room temperature redispersion of supported Cu particles via formation of mobile hydroxylated Cu species induced by gaseous H₂O and anchoring of the Cu species by surface OH groups.

A technique called surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy can detect tiny quantities of compounds in solution, but has been difficult to use for quantitative analysis. A digital approach involving nanoparticles suggests a way forward.

A growing population, climate change and the environmental impacts of conventional agricultural practices are worsening food insecurity. New research shows that use of nanofertilizers can increase food production while simultaneously decreasing the negative environmental effects of agriculture.

Patients with carotid artery plaque that contain microplastics and nanoplastics were found to be at higher risk of cardiovascular events and mortality than those in whom the particles were not detected.

A long-standing nanoparticle delivery paradigm in cancer, that is, the enhanced permeability and retention effect, has been challenged, shifting the focus to active delivery mechanisms, which may provide a new mechanistic foundation for nanoparticle design.