Functionalized Gold Nanoparticles Embedded in Polymeric Matrices for Sensor Development

Nanoscience and nanotechnology are growing fields, which are gaining great impact in different areas, ranging from electronics and communication technologies to biomedical engineering. The production and the use of nanomaterials, such as nanoparticles (NPs), is playing a central role in recent years, due to their unique optical, electrical, and magnetic properties that are often not observed in the bulk materials. AuNPs can be embedded in many different polymer matrices, and these nanocomposites may exibit enhanced properties, derived from the combination of both nanoparticles and polymer properties, and strictly related to the shape and size of the AuNPs. In this contest, we propose nanocomposite polymeric materials, based on functionalized AuNPs, for the development of a biosensor for glucose detection.