self-gathering particles which can shape peptide-functionalized supra-atomic

nanostructures. The self-get together of LP molecules encourages the introduction

of peptide functionalities at exceptionally high thickness on the outside of

nanostructures, for example, vesicles, micelles and fibrils. Mostly present in bacte-

rial species, they are able to self-assemble into different structures (Kirkham et al.

2016). LPs contain higher content of carbon atom (
14) in lipid tail, higher

antifungal activity and antibacterial activity. LPs such as surfactin is utilized in

synthesis of gold and silver NPs in which the LPs (surfactin) is used as a stabilizing

agent or a template which plays a key role in stabilizing of the NPs (Reddy et al.

2009).

26.2

History and Development of Nanoparticles

Almost 4500 years ago, human civilization was already using ceramic matrixes

which had natural asbestos NPs. Around 4000 years ago, Egyptians used NPs in a

synthetic process for synthesis of ~5 nm diameter PbS-NPs for hair dye. Likewise,

Egyptians only prepared and used the first synthetic pigment called ‘Egyptian Blue’

using a mixture of nanoparticle-sized quartz and glass approximately in third century

BC. Egyptians and Mesopotamians in thirteenth and fourteenth century BC cited the

beginning of metallic nanoparticle era by synthesizing metallic NPs via chemical

method for making glass using metals (Schaming and Remita 2015). In

1200–1300 BC starting from late Bronze Age, Italy found red glass which was

coloured by surface plasmon excitation of Cu-NPs. 400–100 BC period has been

reported to contain the Celtic red enamels made from Cu-NPs and cuprous oxide.

The most famous example of ancient metallic NPs usage is Roman glass work piece.

Studies show that Lycurgus cups (Roman glass cups) reported during the fourth

century was made up of Ag-Au alloy NPs in a ratio of 7:3 with an addition of

approximately 10% copper. Reporting from 5000 BC, clay minerals with less thick-

ness were used for preparation of natural NPs since antiquity.

NPs have been used without any prior knowledge up to this era without having

any ability to understand the fundamental principle inheriting nanotechnological

behaviour. The first scientific description to report nanoparticle preparation and

initiating NPs history in scientific area was given by Michael Faraday in 1857. He

reported the synthesis of colloidal Au-NP solution, revealing that optical

characteristics of Au colloids were dissimilar to their bulk counterpart. SiO2

nanoparticles are substitutes to carbon black for rubber enforcement started to be

manufactured in 1940 (Rittner and Abraham 1998). The term nanotechnology was

firstly introduced by Norio Taniguchi at the International Conference on Industrial

Production held in Tokyo in year 1974 for description of the ultra-thin processing of

material with nanometre accuracy and creation of nanosized mechanism. In 1980s,

nanotechnology got major boost by development of cluster science and invention of

scanning tunnelling microscope. This development helped in discovery of structural

assignment of carbon nanotubes in 1991. First program of nanotechnology began in

1991 in the USA funded by National Scientific Fund. In 2001, National

26

Nanoparticle-Associated Lipopeptides: A New Class of Antimicrobials

485