Gold nanoparticles exhibit a variety of unique properties which, when harnessed and manipulated effectively, lead to materials whose uses are both far-ranging in their potential and cost effective. Many different applications are being developed across the fields of health, environment and technology.
Human health
There is amazing scope to use gold as it will result in commercially viable nanotechnologies which are positively impacting human health, the environment and technology. Even though gold has a long history in the biomedical field stretching back almost five thousand years, nanotechnology has really broadened the potential of gold in biomedical applications and today, gold nanoparticles are being employed in entirely novel ways to achieve therapeutic effects.Tumor targeting technologies which exploit gold's inherent bio-compatibility are being developed to deliver drugs directly into cancerous tumors. Additionally, simple, cost effective and sensitive diagnostic tests are being developed for the early detection of prostate and other cancers.
Environment
Environmental concerns have never been more prominent - energy and clean water scarcity, global warming and pollution are all major issues that need to be addressed. Gold nano-particle based technologies are showing great promise in providing solutions to a number of environmentally important issues from greener production methods of the chemical feed stocks, to pollution control and water purification.Gold-based catalysts are being developed that can effectively prevent the release of highly toxic forms of mercury into the atmosphere, the reduction of chemicals from green feedstock, and also for water purification and contaminant detection. In addition, gold is being used in meeting the challenge of constructing cost effective and efficient fuel cells.
Advanced technologies
Gold is already a well established material in the electronics industry and the use of gold can only increase as the worlds of electronics and nanotechnology interact further in the future. Gold is being developed for conductive nanoparticle inks for plastic electronics because of its material compatibility, inherent durability and proven track record of reliability. Gold nanotechnologies have also been shown to offer functional benefits for visual display technologies like touch sensitive screens and potentially for use in advanced data storage technologies including advanced flash memory devices.