Medical Nanomaterials

Nanomaterials, as an emerging material, have aroused extensive attention due to the small size effect, the quantum confinement effect, and the surface effect as well as potential applications in medical devices, electronic devices, coatings, and other industries. Especially, their medical applications over the past 10 years have promised to add a new impetus to the diagnostics and therapeutics of a wide range of human pathologies, including cancer, cardiovascular diseases, dental diseases, and diseases of the central and peripheral nervous systems. Their unique properties due to the nanoscale size can significantly improve the sensitivity and specificity of diagnostics and therapeutics, making them superior over conventional materials. The growth in medical nanomaterials also fuels advances in health engineering, regenerative medicine, and the development of medical devices. This chapter considers the representative promising medical nanomaterials including those for bone-tissue, carbon nanomaterials, silicon nanomaterials, magnetic nanoparticles, and quantum dots. Their synthesis, modification, biofunctionalization, and medical application are presented.