Inorganic nanoparticles in functional matrices

We are interested in embedding metal and metal oxide nanoparticles into (coordination) polymer matrices to prepare functional materials for biomedicinal and environmental applications.  

For instance, we synthetize Fe3O4-MOF core-shell nanoparticles which can be used in medicine as agents combining drug delivery with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), magnetic targeting, or magnetic hyperthermia.

To study such complex materials, we use advance electron microscopy techniques (SEM and TEM) including elemental mapping (EDS and EELS) and tomography.

Recent publications:

a) Applications in medicine:

Ettlinger R., Moreno N., Ziółkowska N., Ullrich A., Krug von Nidda H.-A., Jirák D., Kerl K., Bunzen H.: In Vitro Studies of Fe3O4-ZIF-8 Core-Shell Nanoparticles Designed as Potential Theragnostics, Part. & Part. Syst. Char. 2020, 2000185.

More coming soon, manuscripts submitted. 

b) Applications in catalysis: 

Berger J., Dönmez A.-S., Ullrich A., Bunzen H., Fischer R. A., Kieslich G.: Reduced thermal expansion by surface-mounted nanoparticles in a pillared-layered metal-organic framework, Commun. Chem. 2022, 5, 177.

Heinz W. R., Aguirrezabal-Telleria I., Junk R., Berger J., Wang J., Sharapa D. I., Gil-Calvo M., Luz I., Soukri M., Studt F., Wang Y., Wöll C., Bunzen H., Drees M., Fischer R. A.: Thermal Defect-Engineering of Precious Group Metal-Organic Frameworks: A Case Study on Ru/Rh-HKUST-1 Analogues, ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces 2020, 12, 36, 40635-40647.

More coming soon, manuscripts submitted.