Tailor-made biofunctionalized nanoparticles using layer-by-layer technology

Layer-by-layer (LBL) technique is a well-established method for the formation of nanofilms on planar surfaces, as well as on micro-sized colloidal particles. For surface functionalization of nanoparticles, it is a very recent area of research receiving great interest due to the advantage of obtaining fine control over the shell composition, charge and thickness, offering several applications in pharmaceutical and biomedical fields. This article provides an overview of the recent achievements in application of this technology on nanoparticles and their potential applications. Future research directions are also discussed. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.