State-of-the-art developments in surface functionalized carbon-based bio/nanocomposites for theranostic antibacterials, advanced bioimaging, and molecular bioelectronics inspired biosensing platforms

Abstract

Carbon-based nanomaterials (CNMs) offer high stability, functionality, mechanical strength, thermal conductivity, and larger surface area. However, issues like toxicity, inadequate solubility, biocompatibility, immunogenicity, etc., lead to adverse events that can limit their frequent biological applications. Another focus area is to encourage facile and eco-benign routes for modifying CNMs, leading to improved functional properties for biomedical applications. Herein, we review state-of-the-art technological interventions in fabricating surface functionalized carbon-based bio/nanocomposites and their potential utilization as theranostic antimicrobial agents and molecular bioelectronics sensing tools. In the purview of developing novel carbon-based bio/nanocomposites, green chemistry routes approaching different CNMs (such as carbon nanotubes, carbon dots, fullerenes, carbon nanofibers, etc.,), mechanistic understanding over the involvement of covalent and non-covalent interactions, strategies of biofunctionalization, and nanoparticle-carbon nanomaterials based hybrid/heterostructures has been reviewed. The latest developments in biosensing devices, highly sensitive diagnostic and bioimaging platforms, and the risk of environmental toxicity and credits for carbon-based bio/nanocomposites for long-term applications are presented. The undertaken study should attract researchers towards the materialization of synergistic interactions between different CNMs and biopolymers/nanoparticles to develop robust antimicrobial, bioimaging, and biosensing platforms with broad-spectrum activities.