Title: Novel functional nanoscaled bio-active composite tungsten disulfide (WS2) nanotubes (f-WS2-INTs)

Abstract:

Tungsten disulfide nanotubes (INTs-WS₂) are unusually hydrophobic and chemically inert inorganic nanomaterial’s. Thus this inorganic nanomaterial usefulness is strongly limited in numerous mechanical hardness and tribology-relating research developments together with subsequent industrial/bio-active end using-applications. Indeed, the covalent accomplished linkage of any kind of practical organic and/or biology-relating species remains a quite analytical enlightening step towards highly innovative high- achievement nanomaterial’s and multiform composites in the field of essential interfacial versatile chemistries. In such a exceptionally challenging methodology/functionalization problem context concerning these chemically inert hydrophobic nanotubes/nanomaterial’s, an innovative method of surface functionalization (versatile covalent polycarboxylation – polyCOOH shell formation) of both multi-walled inorganic nanotubes (INTs-WS₂) and fullerene-like (IFs-WS₂) nanoparticles has been successfully developed.¹ This covalent functionalization method makes use of highly electrophilic and reactive imminium salts (Vilsmeier-Haack (VH) complexes-electrophilic reactions) in order to enable the covalent introduction of a chemically versatile polyacidic (polyCOOH) shell onto the surface of VH-treated inorganic nanomaterials. Moreover, a significant statistical Design Of Experiments (DoE) multi-parameters methodology has been also developed for highly reproducible global DoE-optimization of this multi-parametric polyCOOH shell generation. This novel INTs-nanotube sidewall polyCOOH functionalization implement innovative-targeted interfacial chemistries. absolutely, it enabled the impressive nanofabrication of a large range of covalent WS₂-INTs surface modifications (polyNH₂, polyOH, polySH) via (i) polyCOOH chemical activation (EDC, CDI) and (ii) 2^nd step covalent nucleophilic substitutions by short w-aminated bifunctional ligands H₂N-linker-X (X outer surface functionality). Moreover, a 2^nd quite innovative surface engineering of same multi-walled inorganic WS₂-INTs has been also discovered via the specific use/reactivity of small 5.5-6.0 nm-sized MRI high-contrast lanthanide action/complex-doped magnetic maghemite nanoparticles towards corresponding magne-tically responsive fully hydrophilic/functional inorganic nanotubes that have been used for example towards resulting in vitro photo-thermal therapy (PTT) anti-cancer bioactivity.²

Resulting fully symbolize functional INTs-WS₂ (f-INTs-WS₂) has a quite expanded potential for use as novel practical nanoscale fillers toward new mechanically strengthened and/or conductive composite polymeric matrices (case of hybrid polythiophene-decorated f-INTs-WS₂ nanocomposites).³ Corresponding novel functional nanomaterials/nanoscale fillers have been also shown to be PTT bioactive and non-toxic in preliminary toxicity studies,⁴ which opens a wide R&D route/progress for relating end-user utilization (cellular toxic CNTs nanofillers replacement for example).

Biography:

Prof./Dr. Jean-Paul Lellouche (1981- PhD degree/education in Organic Chemistry field, University La Doua, Lyon - France) moved in October 2000 to the Bar-Ilan University (Ramat-Gan, Israel) - Department of Chemistry & Institute of Nanotechnology & Advanced Materials (BINA) as a Full Professor in synthetic Organic Chemistry/Nano(bio)technology (July 2008) & recently Dpt of Chemistry Head (recent Oct 2017-July 2018 period). His main current R&D activities concern nanomaterials engineering science (magnetic/non-magnetic drug/siRNA & microRNA delivery systems, theranostic nanoparticles for human therapy in phothermal/photodynamic/antibacterial & anti-parasitic fields) together with innovative biocompatible inorganic functional dichalcogenide nanostructures. He authored 169 peer-reviewed scientific papers (2,756 citations), 16 patents, and 6 book chapters together with a recent start-up creation activity (November 2019 – NANO-DROPs Goodbye Eyeglasses project).