Solar light-responsive nanomaterials for reusable biomedical applications

With the rapid growth of the field of nanobiophotonics, researchers have explored the development of resonant light-responsive nanomaterials for various biomedical applications, including pathogens disinfection, energy conversion and sensing. Thanks to the tunable properties of plasmonic nanoparticles, it is possible to realize exotic nanomaterials to further enhance their light harvesting capabilities and energy conversion efficiency. This thesis aims at demonstrating that the development of hybrid plasmonic nanostructures responsive to white and solar light can solve the challenges related to environmental pollution and health risks associated with the use of nanomaterials in healthcare applications. In this thesis, we first depict the structure and preparation of plasmonic hybrid nanostructures, which are arranged to enhance the optical features compared to those of their constituent individual nanoparticle. The crucial role of self-assembly and bottom-up deposition techniques is presented. The morphological, optical and photothermal characterizations highlight the specific features of the different systems properly designed for specific biomedical applications. After that, the consequently enhanced photothermal and photoelectric properties of the hybrid systems are investigated: they exhibit the improvements obtained by the coupling between the localized surface plasmon resonance phenomenon of single nanoparticles or by the surface lattice resonance phenomenon. To conclude, the hybrid nanostructures and their outstanding optical and morphological properties are exploited in different biomedical applications as white light-triggered devices. The disinfection of biomedical tools, the power supply of electronic devices, the construction of a smart reusable FFP2 face mask, and the realization of a highly sensitive biosensor are illustrated. A comprehensive understanding of the capabilities of light-responsive plasmonic nanostructures is presented, highlighting the huge potential in solving healthcare challenges in an environmentally sustainable, cost-effective, and affordable manner and improving the quality of life in less developed countries.