Lattice cluster theory for dense, thin polymer films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Freed, Karl F.

2015-01-01

While the application of the lattice cluster theory (LCT) to study the miscibility of polymer blends has greatly expanded our understanding of the monomer scale molecular details influencing miscibility, the corresponding theory for inhomogeneous systems has not yet emerged because of considerable technical difficulties and much greater complexity. Here, we present a general formulation enabling the extension of the LCT to describe the thermodynamic properties of dense, thin polymer films using a high dimension, high temperature expansion. Whereas the leading order of the LCT for bulk polymer systems is essentially simple Flory-Huggins theory, the highly non-trivial leading order inhomogeneous LCT (ILCT) for a film with L layers already involves the numerical solution of 3(L − 1) coupled, highly nonlinear equations for the various density profiles in the film. The new theory incorporates the essential “transport” constraints of Helfand and focuses on the strict imposition of excluded volume constraints, appropriate to dense polymer systems, rather than the maintenance of chain connectivity as appropriate for lower densities and as implemented in self-consistent theories of polymer adsorption at interfaces. The ILCT is illustrated by presenting examples of the computed profiles of the density, the parallel and perpendicular bonds, and the chain ends for free standing and supported films as a function of average film density, chain length, temperature, interaction with support, and chain stiffness. The results generally agree with expected general trends

Nanoparticles from Renewable Polymers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Frederik Roman Wurm

2014-07-01

Full Text Available The use of polymers from natural resources can bring many benefits for novel polymeric nanoparticle systems. Such polymers have a variety of beneficial properties such as biodegradability and biocompatibility, they are readily available on large scale and at low cost. As the amount of fossil fuels decrease, their application becomes more interesting even if characterization is in many cases more challenging due to structural complexity, either by broad distribution of their molecular weights polysaccharides, polyesters, lignin or by complex structure (proteins, lignin. This review summarizes different sources and methods for the preparation of biopolymer-based nanoparticle systems for various applications.

Structure, entanglements and dynamics of polymer nanocomposites containing spherical nanoparticles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Karatrantos, A; Clarke, N; Composto, R J; Winey, K I

2014-01-01

We investigate the effect of nanoparticles on polymer structure, nanoparticle dynamics and topological constraints (entanglements) in polymer melts for nanoparticle loading above percolation threshold as high as 40.9% using stochastic molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. An increase in the number of entanglements (decrease of N e with 40.9% volume fraction of nanoparticles dispersed in the polymer matrix) in the nanocomposites is observed as evidenced by larger contour lengths of the primitive paths. Attraction between polymers and nanoparticles affects the entanglements in the nanocomposites and alters the primitive path. The diffusivity of small sized nanoparticles deviates significantly from the Stokes- Einstein relation

Poloxamer-Decorated Polymer Nanoparticles for Lung Surfactant Compatibility

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Beck-Broichsitter, Moritz; Bohr, Adam; Ruge, Christian A

2017-01-01

Lung-delivered polymer nanoparticles provoked dysfunction of the essential lung surfactant system. A steric shielding of the nanoparticle surface with poloxamers could minimize the unwanted interference of polymer nanoparticles with the biophysical function of lung surfactant. The extent of poly......(styrene) and poly(lactide) nanoparticle-induced lung surfactant inhibition could be related to the type and content of the applied poloxamer. Escalations of the adsorbed coating layer thickness (>3 nm) as well as concentration (brush- rather than mushroom-like conformation of poly(ethylene glycol), chain......-associated proteins. Poloxamer-modified polymer nanoparticles represent a promising nanomedicine platform intended for respiratory delivery revealing negligible effects on the biophysical functionality of the lining layer present in the deep lungs....

Polymer-Nanoparticle Composites: From Synthesis to Modern Applications

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Thomas Hanemann

2010-05-01

Full Text Available The addition of inorganic spherical nanoparticles to polymers allows the modification of the polymers physical properties as well as the implementation of new features in the polymer matrix. This review article covers considerations on special features of inorganic nanoparticles, the most important synthesis methods for ceramic nanoparticles and nanocomposites, nanoparticle surface modification, and composite formation, including drawbacks. Classical nanocomposite properties, as thermomechanical, dielectric, conductive, magnetic, as well as optical properties, will be summarized. Finally, typical existing and potential applications will be shown with the focus on new and innovative applications, like in energy storage systems.

In situ ultra-small-angle X-ray scattering study under uniaxial stretching of colloidal crystals prepared by silica nanoparticles bearing hydrogen-bonding polymer grafts

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ryohei Ishige

2016-05-01

Full Text Available A molded film of single-component polymer-grafted nanoparticles (SPNP, consisting of a spherical silica core and densely grafted polymer chains bearing hydrogen-bonding side groups capable of physical crosslinking, was investigated by in situ ultra-small-angle X-ray scattering (USAXS measurement during a uniaxial stretching process. Static USAXS revealed that the molded SPNP formed a highly oriented twinned face-centered cubic (f.c.c. lattice structure with the [11−1] plane aligned nearly parallel to the film surface in the initial state. Structural analysis of in situ USAXS using a model of uniaxial deformation induced by rearrangement of the nanoparticles revealed that the f.c.c. lattice was distorted in the stretching direction in proportion to the macroscopic strain until the strain reached 35%, and subsequently changed into other f.c.c. lattices with different orientations. The lattice distortion and structural transition behavior corresponded well to the elastic and plastic deformation regimes, respectively, observed in the stress–strain curve. The attractive interaction of the hydrogen bond is considered to form only at the top surface of the shell and then plays an effective role in cross-linking between nanoparticles. The rearrangement mechanism of the nanoparticles is well accounted for by a strong repulsive interaction between the densely grafted polymer shells of neighboring particles.

Advances and challenges in the field of plasma polymer nanoparticles

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andrei Choukourov

2017-09-01

Full Text Available This contribution reviews plasma polymer nanoparticles produced by gas aggregation cluster sources either via plasma polymerization of volatile monomers or via radio frequency (RF magnetron sputtering of conventional polymers. The formation of hydrocarbon, fluorocarbon, silicon- and nitrogen-containing plasma polymer nanoparticles as well as core@shell nanoparticles based on plasma polymers is discussed with a focus on the development of novel nanostructured surfaces.

Antimicrobial Polymers with Metal Nanoparticles

Science.gov (United States)

Palza, Humberto

2015-01-01

Metals, such as copper and silver, can be extremely toxic to bacteria at exceptionally low concentrations. Because of this biocidal activity, metals have been widely used as antimicrobial agents in a multitude of applications related with agriculture, healthcare, and the industry in general. Unlike other antimicrobial agents, metals are stable under conditions currently found in the industry allowing their use as additives. Today these metal based additives are found as: particles, ions absorbed/exchanged in different carriers, salts, hybrid structures, etc. One recent route to further extend the antimicrobial applications of these metals is by their incorporation as nanoparticles into polymer matrices. These polymer/metal nanocomposites can be prepared by several routes such as in situ synthesis of the nanoparticle within a hydrogel or direct addition of the metal nanofiller into a thermoplastic matrix. The objective of the present review is to show examples of polymer/metal composites designed to have antimicrobial activities, with a special focus on copper and silver metal nanoparticles and their mechanisms. PMID:25607734

Polymer Nanocomposites with Prescribed Morphology: Going Beyond Nanoparticle-Filled Polymers (Preprint)

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Vaia, Richard A; Maguire, John F

2006-01-01

Polymer nanocomposites (PNCs), i.e., nanoparticles (spheres, rods, and plates) dispersed in a polymer matrix, have garnered substantial academic and industrial interest since their inception, ca. 1990...

3D optical printing of piezoelectric nanoparticle-polymer composite materials.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Kanguk; Zhu, Wei; Qu, Xin; Aaronson, Chase; McCall, William R; Chen, Shaochen; Sirbuly, Donald J

2014-10-28

Here we demonstrate that efficient piezoelectric nanoparticle-polymer composite materials can be optically printed into three-dimensional (3D) microstructures using digital projection printing. Piezoelectric polymers were fabricated by incorporating barium titanate (BaTiO3, BTO) nanoparticles into photoliable polymer solutions such as polyethylene glycol diacrylate and exposing to digital optical masks that could be dynamically altered to generate user-defined 3D microstructures. To enhance the mechanical-to-electrical conversion efficiency of the composites, the BTO nanoparticles were chemically modified with acrylate surface groups, which formed direct covalent linkages with the polymer matrix under light exposure. The composites with a 10% mass loading of the chemically modified BTO nanoparticles showed piezoelectric coefficients (d(33)) of ∼ 40 pC/N, which were over 10 times larger than composites synthesized with unmodified BTO nanoparticles and over 2 times larger than composites containing unmodified BTO nanoparticles and carbon nanotubes to boost mechanical stress transfer efficiencies. These results not only provide a tool for fabricating 3D piezoelectric polymers but lay the groundwork for creating highly efficient piezoelectric polymer materials via nanointerfacial tuning.

In vivo integrity of polymer-coated gold nanoparticles

Science.gov (United States)

Kreyling, Wolfgang G.; Abdelmonem, Abuelmagd M.; Ali, Zulqurnain; Alves, Frauke; Geiser, Marianne; Haberl, Nadine; Hartmann, Raimo; Hirn, Stephanie; de Aberasturi, Dorleta Jimenez; Kantner, Karsten; Khadem-Saba, Gülnaz; Montenegro, Jose-Maria; Rejman, Joanna; Rojo, Teofilo; de Larramendi, Idoia Ruiz; Ufartes, Roser; Wenk, Alexander; Parak, Wolfgang J.

2015-07-01

Inorganic nanoparticles are frequently engineered with an organic surface coating to improve their physicochemical properties, and it is well known that their colloidal properties may change upon internalization by cells. While the stability of such nanoparticles is typically assayed in simple in vitro tests, their stability in a mammalian organism remains unknown. Here, we show that firmly grafted polymer shells around gold nanoparticles may degrade when injected into rats. We synthesized monodisperse radioactively labelled gold nanoparticles (198Au) and engineered an 111In-labelled polymer shell around them. Upon intravenous injection into rats, quantitative biodistribution analyses performed independently for 198Au and 111In showed partial removal of the polymer shell in vivo. While 198Au accumulates mostly in the liver, part of the 111In shows a non-particulate biodistribution similar to intravenous injection of chelated 111In. Further in vitro studies suggest that degradation of the polymer shell is caused by proteolytic enzymes in the liver. Our results show that even nanoparticles with high colloidal stability can change their physicochemical properties in vivo.

Hybrid protein-synthetic polymer nanoparticles for drug delivery.

Science.gov (United States)

Koseva, Neli S; Rydz, Joanna; Stoyanova, Ekaterina V; Mitova, Violeta A

2015-01-01

Among the most common nanoparticulate systems, the polymeric nanocarriers have a number of key benefits, which give a great choice of delivery platforms. Nevertheless, polymeric nanoparticles possess some limitations that include use of toxic solvents in the production process, polymer degradation, drug leakage outside the diseased tissue, and polymer cytotoxicity. The combination of polymers of biological and synthetic origin is an appealing modern strategy for the production of novel nanocarriers with unprecedented properties. Proteins' interface can play an important role in determining bioactivity and toxicity and gives perspective for future development of the polymer-based nanoparticles. The design of hybrid constructs composed of synthetic polymer and biological molecules such as proteins can be considered as a straightforward tool to integrate a broad spectrum of properties and biofunctions into a single device. This review discusses hybrid protein-synthetic polymer nanoparticles with different structures and levels in complexity and functionality, in view of their applications as drug delivery systems. © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Preparation of porous polymer monoliths featuring enhanced surface coverage with gold nanoparticles

KAUST Repository

Lv, Yongqin

2012-10-01

A new approach to the preparation of porous polymer monoliths with enhanced coverage of pore surface with gold nanoparticles has been developed. First, a generic poly(glycidyl methacrylate-co-ethylene dimethacrylate) monolith was reacted with cystamine followed by the cleavage of its disulfide bonds with tris(2-carboxylethyl)phosphine, which liberated the desired thiol groups. Dispersions of gold nanoparticles with sizes varying from 5 to 40. nm were then pumped through the functionalized monoliths. The materials were then analyzed using both energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and thermogravimetric analysis. We found that the quantity of attached gold was dependent on the size of nanoparticles, with the maximum attachment of more than 60. wt% being achieved with 40. nm nanoparticles. Scanning electron micrographs of the cross sections of all the monoliths revealed the formation of a non-aggregated, homogenous monolayer of nanoparticles. The surface of the bound gold was functionalized with 1-octanethiol and 1-octadecanethiol, and these monolithic columns were used successfully for the separations of proteins in reversed phase mode. The best separations were obtained using monoliths modified with 15, 20, and 30. nm nanoparticles since these sizes produced the most dense coverage of pore surface with gold. © 2012 Elsevier B.V.

Breakdown of the Stokes-Einstein Relation for the Rotational Diffusivity of Polymer Grafted Nanoparticles in Polymer Melts.

Science.gov (United States)

Maldonado-Camargo, Lorena; Rinaldi, Carlos

2016-11-09

We report observations of breakdown of the Stokes-Einstein relation for the rotational diffusivity of polymer-grafted spherical nanoparticles in polymer melts. The rotational diffusivity of magnetic nanoparticles coated with poly(ethylene glycol) dispersed in poly(ethylene glycol) melts was determined through dynamic magnetic susceptibility measurements of the collective rotation of the magnetic nanoparticles due to imposed time-varying magnetic torques. These measurements clearly demonstrate the existence of a critical molecular weight for the melt polymer, below which the Stokes-Einstein relation accurately describes the rotational diffusivity of the polymer-grafted nanoparticles and above which the Stokes-Einstein relation ceases to apply. This critical molecular weight was found to correspond to a chain contour length that approximates the hydrodynamic diameter of the nanoparticles.

Bio-degradable highly fluorescent conjugated polymer nanoparticles for bio-medical imaging applications.

Science.gov (United States)

Repenko, Tatjana; Rix, Anne; Ludwanowski, Simon; Go, Dennis; Kiessling, Fabian; Lederle, Wiltrud; Kuehne, Alexander J C

2017-09-07

Conjugated polymer nanoparticles exhibit strong fluorescence and have been applied for biological fluorescence imaging in cell culture and in small animals. However, conjugated polymer particles are hydrophobic and often chemically inert materials with diameters ranging from below 50 nm to several microns. As such, conjugated polymer nanoparticles cannot be excreted through the renal system. This drawback has prevented their application for clinical bio-medical imaging. Here, we present fully conjugated polymer nanoparticles based on imidazole units. These nanoparticles can be bio-degraded by activated macrophages. Reactive oxygen species induce scission of the conjugated polymer backbone at the imidazole unit, leading to complete decomposition of the particles into soluble low molecular weight fragments. Furthermore, the nanoparticles can be surface functionalized for directed targeting. The approach opens a wide range of opportunities for conjugated polymer particles in the fields of medical imaging, drug-delivery, and theranostics.Conjugated polymer nanoparticles have been applied for biological fluorescence imaging in cell culture and in small animals, but cannot readily be excreted through the renal system. Here the authors show fully conjugated polymer nanoparticles based on imidazole units that can be bio-degraded by activated macrophages.

Tethered Nanoparticle–Polymer Composites: Phase Stability and Curvature

KAUST Repository

Srivastava, Samanvaya

2012-04-17

Phase behavior of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) tethered silica nanoparticles dispersed in PEG hosts is investigated using small-angle X-ray scattering. Phase separation in dispersions of densely grafted nanoparticles is found to display strikingly different small-angle X-ray scattering signatures in comparison to phase-separated composites comprised of bare or sparsely grafted nanoparticles. A general diagram for the dispersion state and phase stability of polymer tethered nanoparticle-polymer composites incorporating results from this as well as various other contemporary studies is presented. We show that in the range of moderate to high grafting densities the dispersion state of nanoparticles in composites is largely insensitive to the grafting density of the tethered chains and chemistry of the polymer host. Instead, the ratio of the particle diameter to the size of the tethered chain and the ratio of the molecular weights of the host and tethered polymer chains (P/N) are shown to play a dominant role. Additionally, we find that well-functionalized nanoparticles form stable dispersions in their polymer host beyond the P/N limit that demarcates the wetting/dewetting transition in polymer brushes on flat substrates interacting with polymer melts. A general strategy for achieving uniform nanoparticle dispersion in polymers is proposed. © 2012 American Chemical Society.

Brush-Coated Nanoparticle Polymer Thin Films: structure-mechanical-optical properties

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Green, Peter F. [Univ. of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI (United States). Dept. of Materials Science and Engineering

2014-08-15

Our work was devoted to understanding the structure and properties of a class of thin film polymer nanocomposites (PNCs). PNCs are composed of polymer hosts into which nanoparticles (metallic nanoparticles, quantum dots, nanorods, C₆₀, nanotubes) are incorporated. PNCs exhibit a diverse range of functional properties (optical, electronic, mechanical, biomedical, structural), determined in part by the chemical composition of the polymer host and the type of nanoparticle. The properties PNCs rely not only on specific functional, size-dependent, behavior of the nanoparticles, but also on the dispersion, and organizational order in some cases, inter-nanoparticle separation distances, and on relative interactions between the nanoparticles and the host. Therefore the scientific challenges associated with understanding the interrelations between the structure and function/properties of PNCs are far more complex than may be understood based only on the knowledge of the compositions of the constituents. The challenges of understanding the structure-function behavior of PNCs are further compounded by the fact that control of the dispersion of the nanoparticles within the polymer hosts is difficult; one must learn how to disperse inorganic particles within an organic host. The goal of this proposal was to develop an understanding of the connection between the structure and the thermal (glass transition), mechanical and optical properties of a specific class of PNCs. Specifically PNCs composed of polymer chain grafted gold nanoparticles within polymer hosts. A major objective was to understand how to develop basic principles that enable the fabrication of functional materials possessing optimized morphologies and combinations of materials properties.

Incorporation and Effects of Nanoparticles in a Supramolecular Polymer

Science.gov (United States)

2016-05-01

polymerizations and main-chain supramolecular polymers . Macromolecules. 2009;42:6823–6835. 17. Wojtecki RJ, Meador MA, Rowan SJ. Using the dynamic bond...ARL-TR-7687 ● MAY 2016 US Army Research Laboratory Incorporation and Effects of Nanoparticles in a Supramolecular Polymer by...Laboratory Incorporation and Effects of Nanoparticles in a Supramolecular Polymer by Alice M Savage Oak Ridge Institute of Science and Education

Copper nanoparticles synthesized in polymers by ion implantation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Popok, Vladimir; Nuzhdin, Vladimir; Valeev, Valerij

2015-01-01

nanoparticles are observed to partly tower above the sample surface due to a side effect of high-fluence irradiation leading to considerable sputtering of polymers. Implantation and particle formation significantly change optical properties of both polymers reducing transmittance in the UV-visible range due...... as optical transmission spectroscopy. It is found that copper nanoparticles nucleation and growth are strongly fluence dependent as well as they are affected by the polymer properties, in particular, by radiation stability yielding different nanostructures for the implanted PI and PMMA. Shallow synthesized...

Small-Angle Neutron Scattering Study of Interplay of Attractive and Repulsive Interactions in Nanoparticle-Polymer System.

Science.gov (United States)

Kumar, Sugam; Aswal, Vinod K; Kohlbrecher, Joachim

2016-02-16

The phase behavior of nanoparticle (silica)-polymer (polyethylene glycol) system without and with an electrolyte (NaCl) has been studied. It is observed that nanoparticle-polymer system behaves very differently in the presence of electrolyte. In the absence of electrolyte, the nanoparticle-polymer system remains in one-phase even at very high polymer concentrations. On the other hand, a re-entrant phase behavior is found in the presence of electrolyte, where one-phase (individual) system undergoes two-phase (nanoparticle aggregation) and then back to one-phase with increasing polymer concentration. The regime of two-phase system has been tuned by varying the electrolyte concentration. The polymer concentration range over which the two-phase system exists is significantly enhanced with the increase in the electrolyte concentration. These systems have been characterized by small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) experiments of contrast-marching the polymer to the solvent. The data are modeled using a two-Yukawa potential accounting for both attractive and repulsive parts of the interaction between nanoparticles. The phase behavior of nanoparticle-polymer system is explained by interplay of attractive (polymer-induced attractive depletion between nanoparticles) and repulsive (nanoparticle-nanoparticle electrostatic repulsion and polymer-polymer repulsion) interactions present in the system. In the absence of electrolyte, the strong electrostatic repulsion between nanoparticles dominates over the polymer-induced depletion attraction and the nanoparticle system remains in one-phase. With addition of electrolyte, depletion attraction overcomes electrostatic repulsion at some polymer concentration, resulting into nanoparticle aggregation and two-phase system. Further addition of polymer increases the polymer-polymer repulsion which eventually reduces the strength of depletion and hence re-entrant phase behavior. The effects of varying electrolyte concentration on the phase

Nanoparticles in Polymers: Assembly, Rheology and Properties

Science.gov (United States)

Rao, Yuanqiao

Inorganic nanoparticles have the potential of providing functionalities that are difficult to realize using organic materials; and nanocomposites is an effective mean to impart processibility and construct bulk materials with breakthrough properties. The dispersion and assembly of nanoparticles are critical to both processibility and properties of the resulting product. In this talk, we will discuss several methods to control the hierarchical structure of nanoparticles in polymers and resulting rheological, mechanical and optical properties. In one example, polymer-particle interaction and secondary microstructure were designed to provide a low viscosity composition comprising exfoliated high aspect ratio clay nanoparticles; in another example, the microstructure control through templates was shown to enable unique thermal mechanical and optical properties. Jeff Munro, Stephanie Potisek, Phillip Hustad; all of the Dow Chemical Company are co-authors.

Nanoparticle/Polymer Nanocomposite Bond Coat or Coating

Science.gov (United States)

Miller, Sandi G.

2011-01-01

This innovation addresses the problem of coatings (meant to reduce gas permeation) applied to polymer matrix composites spalling off in service due to incompatibility with the polymer matrix. A bond coat/coating has been created that uses chemically functionalized nanoparticles (either clay or graphene) to create a barrier film that bonds well to the matrix resin, and provides an outstanding barrier to gas permeation. There is interest in applying clay nanoparticles as a coating/bond coat to a polymer matrix composite. Often, nanoclays are chemically functionalized with an organic compound intended to facilitate dispersion of the clay in a matrix. That organic modifier generally degrades at the processing temperature of many high-temperature polymers, rendering the clay useless as a nano-additive to high-temperature polymers. However, this innovation includes the use of organic compounds compatible with hightemperature polymer matrix, and is suitable for nanoclay functionalization, the preparation of that clay into a coating/bondcoat for high-temperature polymers, the use of the clay as a coating for composites that do not have a hightemperature requirement, and a comparable approach to the preparation of graphene coatings/bond coats for polymer matrix composites.

Microwave absorption properties of gold nanoparticle doped polymers

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jiang, Chenhui; Ouattara, Lassana; Ingrosso, Chiara

2011-01-01

This paper presents a method for characterizing microwave absorption properties of gold nanoparticle doped polymers. The method is based on on-wafer measurements at the frequencies from 0.5GHz to 20GHz. The on-wafer measurement method makes it possible to characterize electromagnetic (EM) property...... of small volume samples. The epoxy based SU8 polymer and SU8 doped with gold nanoparticles are chosen as the samples under test. Two types of microwave test devices are designed for exciting the samples through electrical coupling and magnetic coupling, respectively. Measurement results demonstrate...... that the nanocomposites absorb a certain amount of microwave energy due to gold nanoparticles. Higher nanoparticle concentration results in more significant absorption effect....

Microwave absorption properties of gold nanoparticle doped polymers

Science.gov (United States)

Jiang, C.; Ouattara, L.; Ingrosso, C.; Curri, M. L.; Krozer, V.; Boisen, A.; Jakobsen, M. H.; Johansen, T. K.

2011-03-01

This paper presents a method for characterizing microwave absorption properties of gold nanoparticle doped polymers. The method is based on on-wafer measurements at the frequencies from 0.5 GHz to 20 GHz. The on-wafer measurement method makes it possible to characterize electromagnetic (EM) property of small volume samples. The epoxy based SU8 polymer and SU8 doped with gold nanoparticles are chosen as the samples under test. Two types of microwave test devices are designed for exciting the samples through electrical coupling and magnetic coupling, respectively. Measurement results demonstrate that the nanocomposites absorb a certain amount of microwave energy due to gold nanoparticles. Higher nanoparticle concentration results in more significant absorption effect.

Nanoparticle Netpoints for Shape-Memory Polymers

KAUST Repository

Agarwal, Praveen

2011-08-02

Forget-me-not: Nanoparticle fillers in shape-memory polymers usually improve mechanical properties at the expense of shape-memory performance. A new approach overcomes these drawbacks by cross-linking the functionalized poly(ethylene glycol) tethers on silica nanoparticles (see picture). Copyright © 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Composite Polymer Electrolytes: Nanoparticles Affect Structure and Properties

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wei Wang

2016-11-01

Full Text Available Composite polymer electrolytes (CPEs can significantly improve the performance in electrochemical devices such as lithium-ion batteries. This review summarizes property/performance relationships in the case where nanoparticles are introduced to polymer electrolytes. It is the aim of this review to provide a knowledge network that elucidates the role of nano-additives in the CPEs. Central to the discussion is the impact on the CPE performance of properties such as crystalline/amorphous structure, dielectric behavior, and interactions within the CPE. The amorphous domains of semi-crystalline polymer facilitate the ion transport, while an enhanced mobility of polymer chains contributes to high ionic conductivity. Dielectric properties reflect the relaxation behavior of polymer chains as an important factor in ion conduction. Further, the dielectric constant (ε determines the capability of the polymer to dissolve salt. The atom/ion/nanoparticle interactions within CPEs suggest ways to enhance the CPE conductivity by generating more free lithium ions. Certain properties can be improved simultaneously by nanoparticle addition in order to optimize the overall performance of the electrolyte. The effects of nano-additives on thermal and mechanical properties of CPEs are also presented in order to evaluate the electrolyte competence for lithium-ion battery applications.

Tuning of electrostatic vs. depletion interaction in deciding the phase behavior of nanoparticle-polymer system

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kumar, Sugam, E-mail: sugam@barc.gov.in; Aswal, V. K. [Solid State Physics Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai 400 085 (India); Kohlbrecher, J. [Laboratory for Neutron Scattering, Paul Scherrer Institut, H-5232 PSI Villigen (Switzerland)

2015-06-24

Nanoparticle-polymer system interestingly show a re-entrant phase behavior where charge stabilized silica nanoparticles (phase I) undergo particle clustering (phase II) and then back to individual particles (phase I) as a function of polymer concentration. Such phase behavior arises as a result of dominance of various interactions (i) nanoparticle-nanoparticle electrostatic repulsion (ii) polymer induced attractive depletion between nanoparticles and (iii) polymer-polymer repulsion, at different concentration regimes. Small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) has been used to study the evolution of interaction during this re-entrant phase behavior of nanoparticles by contrast-marching the polymer. The SANS data have been modeled using a two-Yukawa potential accounting for both attractive and repulsive parts of the interaction between nanoparticles. The degree of both of these parts has been separately tuned by varying the polymer concentration and ionic strength of the solution. Both of these parts are found to have long-range nature. At low polymer concentrations, the electrostatic repulsion dominates over the depletion attraction. The magnitude and the range of the depletion interaction increase with the polymer concentration leading to nanoparticle clustering. At higher polymer concentrations, the increased polymer-polymer repulsion reduces the strength of depletion leading to re-entrant phase behavior. The clusters formed under depletion attraction are found to have surface fractal morphology.

Tuning of electrostatic vs. depletion interaction in deciding the phase behavior of nanoparticle-polymer system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kumar, Sugam; Aswal, V. K.; Kohlbrecher, J.

2015-01-01

Nanoparticle-polymer system interestingly show a re-entrant phase behavior where charge stabilized silica nanoparticles (phase I) undergo particle clustering (phase II) and then back to individual particles (phase I) as a function of polymer concentration. Such phase behavior arises as a result of dominance of various interactions (i) nanoparticle-nanoparticle electrostatic repulsion (ii) polymer induced attractive depletion between nanoparticles and (iii) polymer-polymer repulsion, at different concentration regimes. Small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) has been used to study the evolution of interaction during this re-entrant phase behavior of nanoparticles by contrast-marching the polymer. The SANS data have been modeled using a two-Yukawa potential accounting for both attractive and repulsive parts of the interaction between nanoparticles. The degree of both of these parts has been separately tuned by varying the polymer concentration and ionic strength of the solution. Both of these parts are found to have long-range nature. At low polymer concentrations, the electrostatic repulsion dominates over the depletion attraction. The magnitude and the range of the depletion interaction increase with the polymer concentration leading to nanoparticle clustering. At higher polymer concentrations, the increased polymer-polymer repulsion reduces the strength of depletion leading to re-entrant phase behavior. The clusters formed under depletion attraction are found to have surface fractal morphology

Polymer Nanoparticle-Based Chemotherapy for Spinal Malignancies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hongyun Ma

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Malignant spinal tumors, categorized into primary and metastatic ones, are one of the most serious diseases due to their high morbidity and mortality rates. Common primary spinal tumors include chordoma, chondrosarcoma, osteosarcoma, Ewing’s sarcoma, and multiple myeloma. Spinal malignancies are not only locally invasive and destructive to adjacent structures, such as bone, neural, and vascular structures, but also disruptive to distant organs (e.g., lung. Current treatments for spinal malignancies, including wide resection, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy, have made significant progress like improving patients’ quality of life. Among them, chemotherapy plays an important role, but its potential for clinical application is limited by severe side effects and drug resistance. To ameliorate the current situation, various polymer nanoparticles have been developed as promising excipients to facilitate the effective treatment of spinal malignancies by utilizing their potent advantages, for example, targeting, stimuli response, and synergetic effect. This review overviews the development of polymer nanoparticles for antineoplastic delivery in the treatment of spinal malignancies and discusses future prospects of polymer nanoparticle-based treatment methods.

Preparing Methods and Its Influencing Factors about Nanoparticles Based on Dendritic Polymer

OpenAIRE

Zhang Jianwei; Li Jeff

2017-01-01

Based on the properties, structure and application of dendritic polymer, this paper analysed the methods of the preparation of nanoparticles using dendritic polymer, detailed preparation process, technical parameters and application effect about a single metal nanoparticles, bimetallic nanoparticles, sulfide and halide nanoparticles. The influencing factors of the preparation about nanoparticles were discussed, including the molecular algebra, the molar ratio of the metal ions to the dendriti...

Stabilization of 2D assemblies of silver nanoparticles by spin-coating polymers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hu, Longyu; Pfirman, Aubrie; Chumanov, George, E-mail: gchumak@clemson.edu

2015-12-01

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Spin-coating of polymers onto 2D assemblies of Ag NPs was used to stabilize the assemblies against aggregation. • The polymer filled the space between the particles leaving the metal surface uncoated and accessible to various chemical reactions. • Etching nanoparticles produced crater-like structures. - Abstract: Silver nanoparticles self-assembled on poly(4-vinylpyridine) modified surfaces were spin-coated with poly(methyl methacrylate), poly(butyl methacrylate) and polystyrene from anisole and toluene solutions. The polymers filled the space between the particles thereby providing stabilization of the assemblies against particle aggregation when dried or chemically modified. The polymers did not coat the top surface of the nanoparticles offering the chemical accessibility to the metal surface. This was confirmed by converting the stabilized nanoparticles into silver sulfide and gold clusters. Etching the nanoparticles resulted in crater-like polymeric structures with the cavities extending down to the underlying substrate. Electrochemical reduction of silver inside the craters was performed. The approach can be extended to other nanoparticle assemblies and polymers.

Semi-flexible polymer engendered aggregation/dispersion of fullerene (C60) nano-particles: An atomistic investigation

Science.gov (United States)

Kumar, Sunil; Pattanayek, Sudip K.

2018-06-01

Semi flexible polymer chain has been modeled by choosing various values of persistent length (stiffness). As the polymer chain stiffness increases, the shape of polymer chain changes from globule to extended cigar to toroid like structure during cooling from a high temperature. The aggregation of fullerene nano-particles is found to depend on the morphology of polymer chain. To maximize, the number of polymer bead-nanoparticle contacts, all nano-particle have positioned inside the polymer globule. To minimize, the energy penalty, due to bending of the polymer chain, all nano-particle have positioned on the surface of the polymer's cigar and toroid morphology.

Deposition of aluminium nanoparticles using dense plasma focus device

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Devi, Naorem Bilasini; Srivastava, M P; Roy, Savita

2010-01-01

Plasma route to nanofabrication has drawn much attention recently. The dense plasma focus (DPF) device is used for depositing aluminium nanoparticles on n-type Si (111) wafer. The plasma chamber is filled with argon gas and evacuated at a pressure of 80 Pa. The substrate is placed at distances 4.0 cm, 5.0 cm and 6.0 cm from the top of the central anode. The aluminium is deposited on Si wafer at room temperature with two focused DPF shots. The deposits on the substrate are examined for their morphological properties using atomic force microscopy (AFM). The AFM images have shown the formation of aluminium nanoparticles. From the AFM images, it is found that the size of aluminium nanoparticles increases with increase in distance between the top of anode and the substrate for same number of DPF shots.

Laser synthesis of aluminium nanoparticles in biocompatible polymer solutions

Science.gov (United States)

Singh, Rina; Soni, R. K.

2014-08-01

Pulsed laser ablation of Aluminium (Al) in pure water rapidly forms a thin alumina (Al2O3) layer which drastically modifies surface plasmon resonance (SPR) absorption characteristics in deep-UV region. Initially, pure aluminium nanoparticles (NPs) are generated in water without any stabilizers or surfactants at low laser fluence which gradually transform to stable Al-Al2O3 core-shell nanostructure with increasing either residency time or fluence. The role of laser wavelength and fluence on the SPR properties and oxidation characteristics of Al NPs has been investigated in detail. We also present a one-step in situ synthesis of oxide-free stable Al NPs in biocompatible polymer solutions using laser ablation in liquid method. We have used nonionic polymers (PVP, PVA and PEG) and anionic surfactant (SDS) stabilizer to suppress the Al2O3 formation and studied the effect of polymer functional group, polymeric chain length, polymer concentration and anionic surfactant on the incipient embryonic aluminium particles and their sizes. The different functional groups of polymers resulted in different oxidation states of Al. PVP and PVA polymers resulted in pure Al NPs; however, PEG and SDS resulted in alumina-modified Al NPs. The Al nanoparticles capped with PVP, PVA, and PEG show a good correlation between nanoparticle stability and monomeric length of the polymer chain.

Optical Properties of ZnO Nanoparticles Capped with Polymers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Atsushi Noguchi

2011-06-01

Full Text Available Optical properties of ZnO nanoparticles capped with polymers were investigated. Polyethylene glycol (PEG and polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP were used as capping reagents. ZnO nanoparticles were synthesized by the sol-gel method. Fluorescence and absorption spectra were measured. When we varied the timing of the addition of the polymer to the ZnO nanoparticle solution, the optical properties were drastically changed. When PEG was added to the solution before the synthesis of ZnO nanoparticles, the fluorescence intensity increased. At the same time, the total particle size increased, which indicated that PEG molecules had capped the ZnO nanoparticles. The capping led to surface passivation, which increased fluorescence intensity. However, when PEG was added to the solution after the synthesis of ZnO nanoparticles, the fluorescence and particle size did not change. When PVP was added to the solution before the synthesis of ZnO nanoparticles, aggregation of nanoparticles occurred. When PVP was added to the solution after the synthesis of ZnO nanoparticles, fluorescence and particle size increased. This improvement of optical properties is advantageous to the practical usage of ZnO nanoparticles, such as bioimaging

Polymer-supported metals and metal oxide nanoparticles: synthesis, characterization, and applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sarkar, Sudipta; Guibal, E.; Quignard, F.; SenGupta, A. K.

2012-01-01

Metal and metal oxide nanoparticles exhibit unique properties in regard to sorption behaviors, magnetic activity, chemical reduction, ligand sequestration among others. To this end, attempts are being continuously made to take advantage of them in multitude of applications including separation, catalysis, environmental remediation, sensing, biomedical applications and others. However, metal and metal oxide nanoparticles lack chemical stability and mechanical strength. They exhibit extremely high pressure drop or head loss in fixed-bed column operation and are not suitable for any flow-through systems. Also, nanoparticles tend to aggregate; this phenomenon reduces their high surface area to volume ratio and subsequently reduces effectiveness. By appropriately dispersing metal and metal oxide nanoparticles into synthetic and naturally occurring polymers, many of the shortcomings can be overcome without compromising the parent properties of the nanoparticles. Furthermore, the appropriate choice of the polymer host with specific functional groups may even lead to the enhancement of the properties of nanoparticles. The synthesis of hybrid materials involves two broad pathways: dispersing the nanoparticles (i) within pre-formed or commercially available polymers; and (ii) during the polymerization process. This review presents a broad coverage of nanoparticles and polymeric/biopolymeric host materials and the resulting properties of the hybrid composites. In addition, the review discusses the role of the Donnan membrane effect exerted by the host functionalized polymer in harnessing the desirable properties of metal and metal oxide nanoparticles for intended applications.

Precise control of polymer coated nanopores by nanoparticle additives: Insights from computational modeling

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Eskandari Nasrabad, Afshin; Coalson, Rob D. [Department of Chemistry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15260 (United States); Jasnow, David [Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15260 (United States); Zilman, Anton [Department of Physics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 1A7 (Canada)

2016-08-14

Polymer-nanoparticle composites are a promising new class of materials for creation of controllable nano-patterned surfaces and nanopores. We use coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations augmented with analytical theory to study the structural transitions of surface grafted polymer layers (brushes) induced by infiltration of nanoparticles that are attracted to the polymers in the layer. We systematically compare two different polymer brush geometries: one where the polymer chains are grafted to a planar surface and the other where the chains are grafted to the inside of a cylindrical nanochannel. We perform a comprehensive study of the effects of the material parameters such as the polymer chain length, chain grafting density, nanoparticle size, strength of attraction between nanoparticles and polymer monomers, and, in the case of the cylindrically grafted brush, the radius of the cylinder. We find a very general behavioral motif for all geometries and parameter values: the height of the polymer brush is non-monotonic in the nanoparticle concentration in solution. As the nanoparticle concentration increases, the brush height first decreases and after passing through a minimum value begins to increase, resulting in the swelling of the nanoparticle infused brush. These morphological features may be useful for devising tunable “smart” nano-devices whose effective dimensions can be reversibly and precisely adjusted by changing the nanoparticle concentration in solution. The results of approximate Self-Consistent Field Theory (SCFT) calculations, applicable in the regime of strong brush stretching, are compared to the simulation results. The SCFT calculations are found to be qualitatively, even semi-quantitatively, accurate when applied within their intended regime of validity, and provide a useful and efficient tool for modeling such materials.

Multiple functionalities of Ni nanoparticles embedded in carboxymethyl guar gum polymer: catalytic activity and superparamagnetism

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sardar, Debasmita; Sengupta, Manideepa; Bordoloi, Ankur; Ahmed, Md. A.; Neogi, S.K.; Bandyopadhyay, Sudipta; Jain, Ruchi; Gopinath, Chinnakonda S.; Bala, Tanushree

2017-01-01

Highlights: • Ni nanoparticles were synthesized in polymer to form Ni-Polymer composite. • Ni nanoparticles retain their superparamagnetism in the composite. • Ni-Polymer composites showed catalytic activity. - Abstract: Composites comprising of metallic nanoparticles in polymer matrices have allured significant importance due to multifunctionalities. Here a simple protocol has been described to embed Ni nanoparticles in carboxymethyl guar gum (CMGG) polymer. The composite formation helps in the stabilization of Ni nanoparticles which are otherwise prone towards aerial oxidation. Further the nanoparticles retain their superparamagnetic nature and catalytic capacity. Ni-Polymer composite catalyses the reduction of 4-Nitrophenol to 4-Aminophenol very efficiently in presence of NaBH_4, attaining a complete conversion under some experimental conditions. Ni-Polymer composite is well characterized using UV–vis spectroscopy, FTIR, XPS, powder XRD, TGA, SEM and TEM. A detailed magnetic measurement using superconducting quantum interference device-vibrating sample magnetometer (SQUID-VSM) reveals superparamagnetic behaviour of the composite.

Multiple functionalities of Ni nanoparticles embedded in carboxymethyl guar gum polymer: catalytic activity and superparamagnetism

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sardar, Debasmita [Department of Chemistry, University of Calcutta, 92 A.P.C. Road, Kolkata 700009 (India); Sengupta, Manideepa; Bordoloi, Ankur [Nano Catalysis, Catalytic Conversion and Process Division, CSIR—Indian Institute of Petroleum (IIP), Mohkampur, Dehradun 248005 (India); Ahmed, Md. A.; Neogi, S.K.; Bandyopadhyay, Sudipta [Department of Physics, University of Calcutta, 92 A.P.C. Road, Kolkata 700009 (India); Jain, Ruchi; Gopinath, Chinnakonda S. [Catalysis Division and Center of Excellence on Surface Science, CSIR—National Chemical Laboratory, Dr. Homi Bhabha Road, Pune 411 008 (India); Bala, Tanushree, E-mail: tanushreebala@gmail.com [Department of Chemistry, University of Calcutta, 92 A.P.C. Road, Kolkata 700009 (India)

2017-05-31

Highlights: • Ni nanoparticles were synthesized in polymer to form Ni-Polymer composite. • Ni nanoparticles retain their superparamagnetism in the composite. • Ni-Polymer composites showed catalytic activity. - Abstract: Composites comprising of metallic nanoparticles in polymer matrices have allured significant importance due to multifunctionalities. Here a simple protocol has been described to embed Ni nanoparticles in carboxymethyl guar gum (CMGG) polymer. The composite formation helps in the stabilization of Ni nanoparticles which are otherwise prone towards aerial oxidation. Further the nanoparticles retain their superparamagnetic nature and catalytic capacity. Ni-Polymer composite catalyses the reduction of 4-Nitrophenol to 4-Aminophenol very efficiently in presence of NaBH{sub 4}, attaining a complete conversion under some experimental conditions. Ni-Polymer composite is well characterized using UV–vis spectroscopy, FTIR, XPS, powder XRD, TGA, SEM and TEM. A detailed magnetic measurement using superconducting quantum interference device-vibrating sample magnetometer (SQUID-VSM) reveals superparamagnetic behaviour of the composite.

Performance of dielectric nanocomposites: matrix-free, hairy nanoparticle assemblies and amorphous polymer-nanoparticle blends.

Science.gov (United States)

Grabowski, Christopher A; Koerner, Hilmar; Meth, Jeffrey S; Dang, Alei; Hui, Chin Ming; Matyjaszewski, Krzysztof; Bockstaller, Michael R; Durstock, Michael F; Vaia, Richard A

2014-12-10

Demands to increase the stored energy density of electrostatic capacitors have spurred the development of materials with enhanced dielectric breakdown, improved permittivity, and reduced dielectric loss. Polymer nanocomposites (PNCs), consisting of a blend of amorphous polymer and dielectric nanofillers, have been studied intensely to satisfy these goals; however, nanoparticle aggregates, field localization due to dielectric mismatch between particle and matrix, and the poorly understood role of interface compatibilization have challenged progress. To expand the understanding of the inter-relation between these factors and, thus, enable rational optimization of low and high contrast PNC dielectrics, we compare the dielectric performance of matrix-free hairy nanoparticle assemblies (aHNPs) to blended PNCs in the regime of low dielectric contrast to establish how morphology and interface impact energy storage and breakdown across different polymer matrices (polystyrene, PS, and poly(methyl methacrylate), PMMA) and nanoparticle loadings (0-50% (v/v) silica). The findings indicate that the route (aHNP versus blending) to well-dispersed morphology has, at most, a minor impact on breakdown strength trends with nanoparticle volume fraction; the only exception being at intermediate loadings of silica in PMMA (15% (v/v)). Conversely, aHNPs show substantial improvements in reducing dielectric loss and maintaining charge/discharge efficiency. For example, low-frequency dielectric loss (1 Hz-1 kHz) of PS and PMMA aHNP films was essentially unchanged up to a silica content of 50% (v/v), whereas traditional blends showed a monotonically increasing loss with silica loading. Similar benefits are seen via high-field polarization loop measurements where energy storage for ∼15% (v/v) silica loaded PMMA and PS aHNPs were 50% and 200% greater than respective comparable PNC blends. Overall, these findings on low dielectric contrast PNCs clearly point to the performance benefits of

Viscosity of the oil-in-water Pickering emulsion stabilized by surfactant-polymer and nanoparticle-surfactant-polymer system

Science.gov (United States)

Sharma, Tushar; Kumar, G. Suresh; Chon, Bo Hyun; Sangwai, Jitendra S.

2014-11-01

Information on the viscosity of Pickering emulsion is required for their successful application in upstream oil and gas industry to understand their stability at extreme environment. In this work, a novel formulation of oil-in-water (o/w) Pickering emulsion stabilized using nanoparticle-surfactant-polymer (polyacrylamide) system as formulated in our earlier work (Sharma et al., Journal of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry, 2014) is investigated for rheological stability at high pressure and high temperature (HPHT) conditions using a controlled-strain rheometer. The nanoparticle (SiO2 and clay) concentration is varied from 1.0 to 5.0 wt%. The results are compared with the rheological behavior of simple o/w emulsion stabilized by surfactant-polymer system. Both the emulsions exhibit non-Newtonian shear thinning behavior. A positive shift in this behavior is observed for surfactant-polymer stabilized emulsion at high pressure conditions. Yield stress is observed to increase with pressure for surfactant-polymer emulsion. In addition, increase in temperature has an adverse effect on the viscosity of emulsion stabilized by surfactant-polymer system. In case of nanoparticle-surfactant-polymer stabilized o/w emulsion system, the viscosity and yield stress are predominantly constant for varying pressure and temperature conditions. The viscosity data for both o/w emulsion systems are fitted by the Herschel-Bulkley model and found to be satisfactory. In general, the study indicates that the Pickering emulsion stabilized by nanoparticle-surfactant-polymer system shows improved and stable rheological properties as compared to conventional emulsion stabilized by surfactant-polymer system indicating their successful application for HPHT environment in upstream oil and gas industry.

Nanoparticle Netpoints for Shape-Memory Polymers

KAUST Repository

Agarwal, Praveen; Chopra, Madhur; Archer, Lynden A.

2011-01-01

Forget-me-not: Nanoparticle fillers in shape-memory polymers usually improve mechanical properties at the expense of shape-memory performance. A new approach overcomes these drawbacks by cross-linking the functionalized poly(ethylene glycol) tethers

Incorporating functionalized polyethylene glycol lipids into reprecipitated conjugated polymer nanoparticles for bioconjugation and targeted labeling of cells

Science.gov (United States)

Kandel, Prakash K.; Fernando, Lawrence P.; Ackroyd, P. Christine; Christensen, Kenneth A.

2011-03-01

We report a simple and rapid method to prepare extremely bright, functionalized, stable, and biocompatible conjugated polymer nanoparticles incorporating functionalized polyethylene glycol (PEG) lipids by reprecipitation. These nanoparticles retain the fundamental spectroscopic properties of conjugated polymer nanoparticles prepared without PEG lipid, but demonstrate greater hydrophilicity and quantum yield compared to unmodified conjugated polymer nanoparticles. The sizes of these nanoparticles, as determined by TEM, were 21-26 nm. Notably, these nanoparticles were prepared with several PEG lipid functional end groups, including biotin and carboxy moieties that can be easily conjugated to biomolecules. We have demonstrated the availability of these end groups for functionalization using the interaction of biotin PEG lipid conjugated polymer nanoparticles with streptavidin. Biotinylated PEG lipid conjugated polymer nanoparticles bound streptavidin-linked magnetic beads, while carboxy and methoxy PEG lipid modified nanoparticles did not. Similarly, biotinylated PEG lipid conjugated polymer nanoparticles bound streptavidin-coated glass slides and could be visualized as diffraction-limited spots, while nanoparticles without PEG lipid or with non-biotin PEG lipid end groups were not bound. To demonstrate that nanoparticle functionalization could be used for targeted labelling of specific cellular proteins, biotinylated PEG lipid conjugated polymer nanoparticles were bound to biotinylated anti-CD16/32 antibodies on J774A.1 cell surface receptors, using streptavidin as a linker. This work represents the first demonstration of targeted delivery of conjugated polymer nanoparticles and demonstrates the utility of these new nanoparticles for fluorescence based imaging and sensing.We report a simple and rapid method to prepare extremely bright, functionalized, stable, and biocompatible conjugated polymer nanoparticles incorporating functionalized polyethylene glycol (PEG

Synthesis of Nanometer-Sized Poly (methyl methacrylate) Polymer Network by Gold Nanoparticle Template

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Fu-Ken; Hsieh, Shang-Yu; Ko, Fu-Hsiang; Chu, Tieh-Chi; Dai, Bau-Tong

2003-06-01

Gold nanoparticle/polymer composites have been produced using a one-system polymer synthesis. The linear polymer, poly (methyl methacrylate) (PMMA, MW = 15,000 g/mol) is applied for the stabilization of gold nanoparticles. The Fourier transfer infrared (FT-IR) analysis data and transition electron microscopy (TEM) image reveal that the core shell structure of gold/PMMA nanocomposite has been synthesized. The ratio of the concentration of the capping polymer material to the concentration of the gold precursor could control the sizes of gold nanoparticles. With specific concentration of the reductant, the core-shell nanostructure could be fluctuated in order. After heating treatment, the network structure of PMMA capped gold nanoparticles could be synthesized as confirmed by the TEM image. The result indicates that PMMA not only acts as the stabilizer, but also as the bridge of the neighboring gold nanoparticles.

Lipid-polymer hybrid nanoparticles: Development & statistical optimization of norfloxacin for topical drug delivery system

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vivek Dave

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Poly lactic acid is a biodegradable, biocompatible, and non-toxic polymer, widely used in many pharmaceutical preparations such as controlled release formulations, parenteral preparations, surgical treatment applications, and tissue engineering. In this study, we prepared lipid-polymer hybrid nanoparticles for topical and site targeting delivery of Norfloxacin by emulsification solvent evaporation method (ESE. The design of experiment (DOE was done by using software to optimize the result, and then a surface plot was generated to compare with the practical results. The surface morphology, particle size, zeta potential and composition of the lipid-polymer hybrid nanoparticles were characterized by SEM, TEM, AFM, and FTIR. The thermal behavior of the lipid-polymer hybrid nanoparticles was characterized by DSC and TGA. The prepared lipid-polymer hybrid nanoparticles of Norfloxacin exhibited an average particle size from 178.6 ± 3.7 nm to 220.8 ± 2.3 nm, and showed very narrow distribution with polydispersity index ranging from 0.206 ± 0.36 to 0.383 ± 0.66. The surface charge on the lipid-polymer hybrid nanoparticles were confirmed by zeta potential, showed the value from +23.4 ± 1.5 mV to +41.5 ± 3.4 mV. An Antimicrobial study was done against Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and the lipid-polymer hybrid nanoparticles showed potential activity against these two. Lipid-polymer hybrid nanoparticles of Norfloxacin showed the %cumulative drug release of 89.72% in 24 h. A stability study of the optimized formulation showed the suitable condition for the storage of lipid-polymer hybrid nanoparticles was at 4 ± 2 °C/60 ± 5% RH. These results illustrated high potential of lipid-polymer hybrid nanoparticles Norfloxacin for usage as a topical antibiotic drug carriers.

Rapid, Efficient and Versatile Strategies for Functionally Sophisticated Polymers and Nanoparticles: Degradable Polyphosphoesters and Anisotropic Distribution of Chemical Functionalities

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Shiyi

The overall emphasis of this dissertation research included two kinds of asymmetrically-functionalized nanoparticles with anisotropic distributions of chemical functionalities, three degradable polymers synthesized by organocatalyzed ring-opening polymerizations, and two polyphosphoester-based nanoparticle systems for various biomedical applications. Inspired by the many hierarchical assembly processes that afford complex materials in Nature, the construction of asymmetrically-functionalized nanoparticles with efficient surface chemistries and the directional organization of those building blocks into complex structures have attracted much attention. The first method generated a Janus-faced polymer nanoparticle that presented two orthogonally click-reactive surface chemistries, thiol and azido. This robust method involved reactive functional group transfer by templating against gold nanoparticle substrates. The second method produced nanoparticles with sandwich-like distribution of crown ether functionalities through a stepwise self-assembly process that utilized crown ether-ammonium supramolecular interactions to mediate inter-particle association and the local intra-particle phase separation of unlike hydrophobic polymers. With the goal to improve the efficiency of the production of degradable polymers with tunable chemical and physical properties, a new type of reactive polyphosphoester was synthesized bearing alkynyl groups by an organocatalyzed ring-opening polymerization, the chemical availability of the alkyne groups was investigated by employing "click" type azide-alkyne Huisgen cycloaddition and thiol-yne radical-mediated reactions. Based on this alkyne-functionalized polyphosphoester polymer and its two available "click" type reactions, two degradable nanoparticle systems were developed. To develop the first system, the well defined poly(ethylene oxide)-block-polyphosphester diblock copolymer was transformed into a multifunctional Paclitaxel drug

Salt-Driven Deposition of Thermoresponsive Polymer-Coated Metal Nanoparticles on Solid Substrates.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Zhiyue; Maji, Samarendra; da Fonseca Antunes, André B; De Rycke, Riet; Hoogenboom, Richard; De Geest, Bruno G

2016-06-13

Here we report on a simple, generally applicable method for depositing metal nanoparticles on a wide variety of solid surfaces under all aqueous conditions. Noble-metal nanoparticles obtained by citrate reduction followed by coating with thermoresponsive polymers spontaneously form a monolayer-like structure on a wide variety of substrates in presence of sodium chloride whereas this phenomenon does not occur in salt-free medium. Interestingly, this phenomenon occurs below the cloud point temperature of the polymers and we hypothesize that salt ion-induced screening of electrostatic charges on the nanoparticle surface entropically favors hydrophobic association between the polymer-coated nanoparticles and a hydrophobic substrate. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Hairy nanoparticle assemblies as one-component functional polymer nanocomposites: opportunities and challenges

KAUST Repository

Fernandes, Nikhil J.

2013-03-01

Over the past three decades, the combination of inorganic-nanoparticles and organic-polymers has led to a wide variety of advanced materials, including polymer nanocomposites (PNCs). Recently, synthetic innovations for attaching polymers to nanoparticles to create hairy nanoparticles (HNPs) has expanded opportunities in this field. In addition to nanoparticle compatibilization for traditional particle-matrix blending, neat-HNPs afford one-component hybrids, both in composition and properties, which avoids issues of mixing that plague traditional PNCs. Continuous improvements in purity, scalability, and theoretical foundations of structure-performance relationships are critical to achieving design control of neat-HNPs necessary for future applications, ranging from optical, energy, and sensor devices to lubricants, green-bodies, and structures. © 2013 Materials Research Society.

Hairy nanoparticle assemblies as one-component functional polymer nanocomposites: opportunities and challenges

KAUST Repository

Fernandes, Nikhil J.; Koerner, Hilmar; Giannelis, Emmanuel P.; Vaia, Richard A.

2013-01-01

Over the past three decades, the combination of inorganic-nanoparticles and organic-polymers has led to a wide variety of advanced materials, including polymer nanocomposites (PNCs). Recently, synthetic innovations for attaching polymers to nanoparticles to create hairy nanoparticles (HNPs) has expanded opportunities in this field. In addition to nanoparticle compatibilization for traditional particle-matrix blending, neat-HNPs afford one-component hybrids, both in composition and properties, which avoids issues of mixing that plague traditional PNCs. Continuous improvements in purity, scalability, and theoretical foundations of structure-performance relationships are critical to achieving design control of neat-HNPs necessary for future applications, ranging from optical, energy, and sensor devices to lubricants, green-bodies, and structures. © 2013 Materials Research Society.

Fabrication and Photostability of Rhodamine-6G Gold Nanoparticle Doped Polymer Optical Fiber

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sebastian, Suneetha; Ajina, C; Vallabhan, C. P. G; Nampoori, V. P. N.; Radhakrishnan, P.; Kailasnath, M.

2013-01-01

We report on fabrication of a rhodamine-6G-gold-nanoparticle doped polymer optical fiber. The gold nanoparticle is synthesized directly into the monomer solution of the polymer using laser ablation synthesis in liquid. The size of the particle is found from the transmission electron microscopy. Rhodamine-6G is then mixed with the nanoparticle-monomer solution and optical characterization of the solution is investigated. It is found that there is a pronounced quenching of fluorescence of rhodamine 6G due to fluorescence resonance energy transfer. The monomer solution containing rhodamine 6G and gold nanoparticles is now made into a cylindrical rod and drawn into a polymer optical fiber. Further, the photostability is calculated with respect to the pure dye doped polymer optical fiber

Synthetic Strategies in the Preparation of Polymer/Inorganic Hybrid Nanoparticles

Science.gov (United States)

Hood, Matthew A.; Mari, Margherita; Muñoz-Espí, Rafael

2014-01-01

This article reviews the recent advances and challenges in the preparation of polymer/inorganic hybrid nanoparticles. We mainly focus on synthetic strategies, basing our classification on whether the inorganic and the polymer components have been formed in situ or ex situ, of the hybrid material. Accordingly, four types of strategies are identified and described, referring to recent examples: (i) ex situ formation of the components and subsequent attachment or integration, either by covalent or noncovalent bonding; (ii) in situ polymerization in the presence of ex situ formed inorganic nanoparticles; (iii) in situ precipitation of the inorganic components on or in polymer structures; and (iv) strategies in which both polymer and inorganic component are simultaneously formed in situ. PMID:28788665

Energy storage in ferroelectric polymer nanocomposites filled with core-shell structured polymer@BaTiO3 nanoparticles: understanding the role of polymer shells in the interfacial regions.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, Ming; Huang, Xingyi; Yang, Ke; Zhai, Xing; Zhang, Jun; He, Jinliang; Jiang, Pingkai

2014-11-26

The interfacial region plays a critical role in determining the electrical properties and energy storage density of dielectric polymer nanocomposites. However, we still know a little about the effects of electrical properties of the interfacial regions on the electrical properties and energy storage of dielectric polymer nanocomposites. In this work, three types of core-shell structured polymer@BaTiO3 nanoparticles with polymer shells having different electrical properties were used as fillers to prepare ferroelectric polymer nanocomposites. All the polymer@BaTiO3 nanoparticles were prepared by surface-initiated reversible-addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization, and the polymer shells were controlled to have the same thickness. The morphology, crystal structure, frequency-dependent dielectric properties, breakdown strength, leakage currents, energy storage capability, and energy storage efficiency of the polymer nanocomposites were investigated. On the other hand, the pure polymers having the same molecular structure as the shells of polymer@BaTiO3 nanoparticles were also prepared by RAFT polymerization, and their electrical properties were provided. Our results show that, to achieve nanocomposites with high discharged energy density, the core-shell nanoparticle filler should simultaneously have high dielectric constant and low electrical conductivity. On the other hand, the breakdown strength of the polymer@BaTiO3-based nanocomposites is highly affected by the electrical properties of the polymer shells. It is believed that the electrical conductivity of the polymer shells should be as low as possible to achieve nanocomposites with high breakdown strength.

Fabrication of submicron structures in nanoparticle/polymer composite by holographic lithography and reactive ion etching

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, A. Ping; He, Sailing; Kim, Kyoung Tae; Yoon, Yong-Kyu; Burzynski, Ryszard; Samoc, Marek; Prasad, Paras N.

2008-11-01

We report on the fabrication of nanoparticle/polymer submicron structures by combining holographic lithography and reactive ion etching. Silica nanoparticles are uniformly dispersed in a (SU8) polymer matrix at a high concentration, and in situ polymerization (cross-linking) is used to form a nanoparticle/polymer composite. Another photosensitive SU8 layer cast upon the nanoparticle/SU8 composite layer is structured through holographic lithography, whose pattern is finally transferred to the nanoparticle/SU8 layer by the reactive ion etching process. Honeycomb structures in a submicron scale are experimentally realized in the nanoparticle/SU8 composite.

Hysteresis losses in a dense superparamagnetic nanoparticle assembly

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. A. Gudoshnikov

2012-03-01

Full Text Available The hysteresis losses of a dense assembly of magnetite nanoparticles with an average diameter D = 25 nm are measured in the frequency range f = 10 – 200 kHz for magnetic field amplitudes up to H0 = 400 Oe. The low frequency hysteresis loops of the assembly are obtained by means of integration of the electro-motive force signal arising in a small pick-up coil wrapped around a sample which contains 1 – 5 mg of a magnetite powder. It is proved experimentally that the specific absorption rate diminishes approximately 4.5 times when the sample aspect ratio decreases from 11.4 to 1. Theoretical estimate shows that experimentally measured hysteresis loops can be approximately described only by taking into account appreciable contributions of magnetic nanoparticles of both very small, D 30 nm, diameters. Thus the wide particle size distribution has to be assumed.

Suspensions of polymer-grafted nanoparticles with added polymers-Structure and effective pair-interactions.

Science.gov (United States)

Chandran, Sivasurender; Saw, Shibu; Kandar, A K; Dasgupta, C; Sprung, M; Basu, J K

2015-08-28

We present the results of combined experimental and theoretical (molecular dynamics simulations and integral equation theory) studies of the structure and effective interactions of suspensions of polymer grafted nanoparticles (PGNPs) in the presence of linear polymers. Due to the absence of systematic experimental and theoretical studies of PGNPs, it is widely believed that the structure and effective interactions in such binary mixtures would be very similar to those of an analogous soft colloidal material-star polymers. In our study, polystyrene-grafted gold nanoparticles with functionality f = 70 were mixed with linear polystyrene (PS) of two different molecular weights for obtaining two PGNP:PS size ratios, ξ = 0.14 and 2.76 (where, ξ = Mg/Mm, Mg and Mm being the molecular weights of grafting and matrix polymers, respectively). The experimental structure factor of PGNPs could be modeled with an effective potential (Model-X), which has been found to be widely applicable for star polymers. Similarly, the structure factor of the blends with ξ = 0.14 could be modeled reasonably well, while the structure of blends with ξ = 2.76 could not be captured, especially for high density of added polymers. A model (Model-Y) for effective interactions between PGNPs in a melt of matrix polymers also failed to provide good agreement with the experimental data for samples with ξ = 2.76 and high density of added polymers. We tentatively attribute this anomaly in modeling the structure factor of blends with ξ = 2.76 to the questionable assumption of Model-X in describing the added polymers as star polymers with functionality 2, which gets manifested in both polymer-polymer and polymer-PGNP interactions especially at higher fractions of added polymers. The failure of Model-Y may be due to the neglect of possible many-body interactions among PGNPs mediated by matrix polymers when the fraction of added polymers is high. These observations point to the need for a new framework to

Influence of nanoparticles on the polymer-conditioned dewatering of wastewater sludges.

Science.gov (United States)

Boyle, N J; Evans, G M

2013-01-01

The effect of using small-scale, high surface area, nanoparticles to supplement polymer-conditioned wastewater sludge dewatering was investigated. Aerobically digested sludge and waste activated sludge sourced from the Hunter Valley, NSW, Australia, were tested with titanium dioxide nanoparticles. The sludge samples were dosed with the nanoparticles in an attempt to adsorb a component of the charged biopolymer surfactants present naturally in sludge. The sludge was conditioned with a cationic polymer. The dewatering characteristics were assessed by measuring the specific resistance to filtration through a modified time-to-filter testing apparatus. The solids content of the dosed samples was determined by a mass balance and compared to the original solids content in the activated sludge. Test results indicated that nanoparticle addition modified the structure of the sludge and provided benefits in terms of the dewatering rate. The samples dosed with nanoparticles exhibited faster water removal, indicating a more permeable filter cake and hence more permeable sludge. A concentration of 2-4% nanoparticles was required to achieve a noticeable benefit. As a comparison, the sludge samples were also tested with a larger particle size, powdered activated carbon (PAC). It was found that the PAC did provide some minor benefits to sludge dewatering but was outperformed by the nanoparticles. The solids content of the final sludge was increased by a maximum of up to 0.6%. The impact of the order sequence of particles and polymer was also investigated. It was found that nanoparticles added before polymer addition provided the best dewatering performance. This outcome was consistent with current theories and previous research through the literature. An economic analysis was undertaken to confirm the viability of the technology for implementation at a full-scale plant. It was found that, currently, this technology is unlikely to be favourable unless the nanoparticles can be

Dry powder inhaler formulation of lipid-polymer hybrid nanoparticles via electrostatically-driven nanoparticle assembly onto microscale carrier particles.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Yue; Cheow, Wean Sin; Hadinoto, Kunn

2012-09-15

Lipid-polymer hybrid nanoparticles have emerged as promising nanoscale carriers of therapeutics as they combine the attractive characteristics of liposomes and polymers. Herein we develop dry powder inhaler (DPI) formulation of hybrid nanoparticles composed of poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) and soybean lecithin as the polymer and lipid constituents, respectively. The hybrid nanoparticles are transformed into inhalable microscale nanocomposite structures by a novel technique based on electrostatically-driven adsorption of nanoparticles onto polysaccharide carrier particles, which eliminates the drawbacks of conventional techniques based on controlled drying (e.g. nanoparticle-specific formulation, low yield). First, we engineer polysaccharide carrier particles made up of chitosan cross-linked with tripolyphosphate and dextran sulphate to exhibit the desired aerosolization characteristics and physical robustness. Second, we investigate the effects of nanoparticle to carrier mass ratio and salt inclusion on the adsorption efficiency, in terms of the nanoparticle loading and yield, from which the optimal formulation is determined. Desorption of the nanoparticles from the carrier particles in phosphate buffer saline is also examined. Lastly, we characterize aerosolization efficiency of the nanocomposite product in vitro, where the emitted dose and respirable fraction are found to be comparable to the values of conventional DPI formulations. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effect of Nanoparticle Core Size on Polymer-Coated Gold Nanoparticle Location in Block Copolymers

Science.gov (United States)

Petrie, J. D.; Fredrickson, G. H.; Kramer, E. J.

2009-03-01

Gold nanoparticles modified by short chain polymer thiols [Au-PS] can be designed to strongly localize either in the PS domains of a polystyrene-b-poly(2-vinylpyridine) [PS-PVP] block copolymer or at the interface. The P2VP block has a stronger attractive interaction with bare gold than the PS block. Thus, when the areal chain density σ of end-attached PS chains falls below a critical areal chain density σc the Au-PS nanoparticles adsorb to the PS-b-P2VP interface. The effect of the polymer ligand molecular weight on the σc has been shown to scale as σc˜ ((R + Rg)/(R*Rg))̂2, where R is the curvature of the Au nanoparticle core radius. To test this scaling relation for σc further we are synthesizing gold nanoparticles with different core radii and will present preliminary results on σc as a function of R.

Spectroscopic studies of nanoparticle-sensitised photorefractive polymers

Science.gov (United States)

Aslam, Farzana; Binks, David J.; Daniels, Steve; Pickett, Nigel; O'Brien, Paul

2005-09-01

We report on the absorbance and photoluminescence spectra of photorefractive polymer composites sensitized by three different types of nanoparticles. Each nanoparticle is passivated by 1-hexadecylamine (HDA) and the composites also consist of the charge transporting matrix poly( N-vinylcarbazole) and the dye 1-(2'-ethylhexyloxy)-2,5-dimethyl-4-(4-nitrophenylazo) benzene. A strong spectral feature is observed that is attributed to a complex formed between the dye and HDA; elemental analysis indicates that the formation of this complex is determined by the metal content of the nanoparticle surface. The photoluminescence quantum yield for the complex is greatly reduced when the HDA is attached to the nanoparticle, indicating that a charge transfer occurs.

Spectroscopic studies of nanoparticle-sensitised photorefractive polymers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aslam, Farzana; Binks, David J.; Daniels, Steve; Pickett, Nigel; O'Brien, Paul

2005-01-01

We report on the absorbance and photoluminescence spectra of photorefractive polymer composites sensitized by three different types of nanoparticles. Each nanoparticle is passivated by 1-hexadecylamine (HDA) and the composites also consist of the charge transporting matrix poly(N-vinylcarbazole) and the dye 1-(2'-ethylhexyloxy)-2,5-dimethyl-4-(4-nitrophenylazo) benzene. A strong spectral feature is observed that is attributed to a complex formed between the dye and HDA; elemental analysis indicates that the formation of this complex is determined by the metal content of the nanoparticle surface. The photoluminescence quantum yield for the complex is greatly reduced when the HDA is attached to the nanoparticle, indicating that a charge transfer occurs

Nanoparticle-doped Polymer Foils for Use in Solar Control Glazing

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, G. B.; Deller, C. A.; Swift, P. D.; Gentle, A.; Garrett, P. D.; Fisher, W. K.

2002-04-01

Since nanoparticles can provide spectrally selective absorption without scattering they can be used to dope polymers for use in windows, to provide a clear view while strongly attenuating both solar heat gain and UV, at lower cost than alternative technologies. The underlying physics and how it influences the choice and concentration of nanoparticle materials is outlined. Spectral data, visible and solar transmittance, and solar heat gain coefficient are measured for clear polymers and some laminated glass, in which the polymer layer is doped with conducting oxide nanoparticles. Simple models are shown to apply making general optical design straightforward. Use with clear glass and tinted glass is considered and performance shown to match existing solar control alternatives. A potential for widespread adoption in buildings and cars is clearly demonstrated, and scopes for further improvements are identified, so that ultimately both cost and performance are superior.

Nanoparticle-doped Polymer Foils for Use in Solar Control Glazing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Smith, G.B.; Deller, C.A.; Swift, P.D.; Gentle, A.; Garrett, P.D.; Fisher, W.K.

2002-01-01

Since nanoparticles can provide spectrally selective absorption without scattering they can be used to dope polymers for use in windows, to provide a clear view while strongly attenuating both solar heat gain and UV, at lower cost than alternative technologies. The underlying physics and how it influences the choice and concentration of nanoparticle materials is outlined. Spectral data, visible and solar transmittance, and solar heat gain coefficient are measured for clear polymers and some laminated glass, in which the polymer layer is doped with conducting oxide nanoparticles. Simple models are shown to apply making general optical design straightforward. Use with clear glass and tinted glass is considered and performance shown to match existing solar control alternatives. A potential for widespread adoption in buildings and cars is clearly demonstrated, and scopes for further improvements are identified, so that ultimately both cost and performance are superior

Electrochemistry of conductive polymers 39. Contacts between conducting polymers and noble metal nanoparticles studied by current-sensing atomic force microscopy.

Science.gov (United States)

Cho, Shin Hyo; Park, Su-Moon

2006-12-28

Electrical properties of contacts formed between conducting polymers and noble metal nanoparticles have been examined using current-sensing atomic force microscopy (CS-AFM). Contacts formed between electrochemically prepared pi-conjugated polymer films such as polypyrrole (PPy), poly(3-methylthiophene) (P3MeT), as well as poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) and noble metal nanoparticles including platinum (Pt), gold (Au), and silver (Ag) have been examined. The Pt nanoparticles were electrochemically deposited on a pre-coated PPy film surface by reducing a platinum precursor (PtCl62-) at a constant potential. Both current and scanning electron microscopic images of the film showed the presence of Pt islands. The Au and Ag nanoparticles were dispersed on the P3MeT and PEDOT film surfaces simply by dipping the polymer films into colloid solutions containing Au or Ag particles for specified periods (5 to approximately 10 min). The deposition of Au or Ag particles resulted from either their physical adsorption or chemical bonding between particles and the polymer surface depending on the polymer. When compared with PPy, P3MeT and PEDOT showed a stronger binding to Au or Ag nanoparticles when dipped in their colloidal solutions for the same period. This indicates that Au and Ag particles are predominantly linked with the sulfur atoms via chemical bonding. Of the two, PEDOT was more conductive at the sites where the particles are connected to the polymer. It appears that PEDOT has better aligned sulfur atoms on the surface and is strongly bonded to Au and Ag nanoparticles due to their strong affinity to gold and silver. The current-voltage curves obtained at the metal islands demonstrate that the contacts between these metal islands and polymers are ohmic.

Integrin-mediated targeting of protein polymer nanoparticles carrying a cytostatic macrolide

Science.gov (United States)

Shi, Pu

nanoparticulate drug delivery. To explore this approach, genetically engineered diblock copolymers were constructed from elastin-like polypeptides (ELPs) that assemble small nanoparticles. ELPs are protein polymers of the sequence (Val-Pro-Gly-Xaa-Gly)n, where the identity of Xaa and n determine their assembly properties. Initially, a screening assay for model drug encapsulation in ELP nanoparticles was developed, which showed that Rose Bengal and Rapa have high non-specific encapsulation in the core of ELP nanoparticles with a sequence where Xaa = Ile or Phe. While excellent at entrapping these drugs, their release was relatively fast compared to their intended mean residence time in the human body. Having determined that Rapa can be non-specifically entrapped in the core of ELP nanoparticles, FK506 binding protein 12 (FKBP), which is the cognate protein target of Rapa, was genetically fused to the surface of these nanoparticles (FSI) to enhance their avidity towards Rapa. The fusion of FKBP to these nanoparticles slowed the terminal half-life of drug release to 57.8 h. To determine if this class of drug carriers has potential applications in vivo, FSI/Rapa was administered to mice carrying a human breast cancer model (MDA-MB-468). Compared to free drug, FSI encapsulation significantly decreased gross toxicity and enhanced the anti-cancer activity. In conclusion, protein polymer nanoparticles decorated with the cognate receptor of a high potency, low solubility drug (Rapa) efficiently improved drug loading capacity and its release. This approach has applications to the delivery of Rapa and its analogs; furthermore, this strategy has broader applications in the encapsulation, targeting, and release of other potent small molecules. Elastin-like polypeptides (ELPs) are genetically encoded protein polymers that reversibly phase separate in response to stimuli. They respond sharply to small shifts in temperature and form dense microdomains in the living eukaryotic cytosol. This

Entropy driven spontaneous formation of highly porous films from polymer-nanoparticle composites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Korampally, Venumadhav; Yun, Minseong; Rajagopalan, Thiruvengadathan; Gangopadhyay, Keshab; Gangopadhyay, Shubhra; Dasgupta, Purnendu K

2009-01-01

Nanoporous materials have become indispensable in many fields ranging from photonics, catalysis and semiconductor processing to biosensor infrastructure. Rapid and energy efficient process fabrication of these materials is, however, nontrivial. In this communication, we describe a simple method for the rapid fabrication of these materials from colloidal dispersions of Polymethyl Silsesquioxane nanoparticles. Nanoparticle-polymer composites above the decomposition temperature of the polymer are examined and the entropic gain experienced by the nanoparticles in this rubric is harnessed to fabricate novel highly porous films composed of nanoparticles. Optically smooth, hydrophobic films with low refractive indices (as low as 1.048) and high surface areas (as high as 1325 m 2 g -1 ) have been achieved with this approach. In this communication we address the behavior of such systems that are both temperature and substrate surface energy dependent. The method is applicable, in principle, to a variety of nanoparticle-polymer systems to fabricate custom nanoporous materials.

Low-Dimensional Nanoparticle Clustering in Polymer Micelles and Their Transverse Relaxivity Rates

Science.gov (United States)

Hickey, Robert J.; Meng, Xin; Zhang, Peijun; Park, So-Jung

2015-01-01

One- or two-dimensional arrays of iron oxide nanoparticles were formed in colloidal assemblies of amphiphilic polymers. Electron tomography imaging revealed that nanoparticles are arranged into one-dimensional strings in magneto-micelles or two-dimensional sheets in magneto-core/shell assemblies. The distinct directional assembly behavior was attributed to the interparticle interaction relative to the nanoparticle–polymer interaction, which was modulated by varying the cosolvent used for the solution phase self-assembly. Magneto-core/shell assemblies with varying structural parameters were formed with a range of different sized as-synthesized nanoparticles. The transverse magnetic relaxivity rates (r2) of a series of different assemblies were determined to examine the effect of nanoparticle arrangement on the magnetic relaxivity for their potential applications in MRI. The results indicated that the assembly structure of nanoparticles in polymer micelles significantly affects the r2 of surrounding water, providing a way to control magnetic relaxivity. PMID:23731021

Multifunctional Polymer Nanoparticles for Dual Drug Release and Cancer Cell Targeting

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yu-Han Wen

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Multifunctional polymer nanoparticles have been developed for cancer treatment because they could be easily designed to target cancer cells and to enhance therapeutic efficacy according to cancer hallmarks. In this study, we synthesized a pH-sensitive polymer, poly(methacrylic acid-co-histidine/doxorubicin/biotin (HBD in which doxorubicin (DOX was conjugated by a hydrazone bond to encapsulate an immunotherapy drug, imiquimod (IMQ, to form dual cancer-targeting and dual drug-loaded nanoparticles. At low pH, polymeric nanoparticles could disrupt and simultaneously release DOX and IMQ. Our experimental results show that the nanoparticles exhibited pH-dependent drug release behavior and had an ability to target cancer cells via biotin and protonated histidine.

Optical anisotropy of layered metal-dielectric nanostructures based on dense 2D-arrays of silver nanoparticles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jeshchenko, O.A.

2013-01-01

The spatial and polarization anisotropy of extinction spectra of parallel dense 2D-monolayers of Ag nanoparticles separated by dielectric films is theoretically studied. The dependences are interpreted as a result of collectivization of surface plasmon modes occurring due to strong dipole-dipole coupling silver nanoparticles

Structural studies of thin films of semiconducting nanoparticles in polymer matrices

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Di Luccio, Tiziana; Piscopiello, Emanuela; Laera, Anna Maria; Antisari, Marco Vittori

2007-01-01

Ordered films of nanoscale materials are issue of wide interest for applications in several fields, such as optics, catalysis, and bioelectronics. In particular, semiconducting nanoparticles incorporation in a processable polymer film is an easy way to manipulate such materials for their application. We deposited thin layers of cadmium sulphide (CdS) and zinc sulphide (ZnS) nanoparticles embedded in a thermoplastic cyclo-olephin copolymer (COC) with elevated optical transparency and highly bio-compatible. The nanoparticles were obtained by thiolate precursors previously dispersed in the polymer upon thermal treatment at temperatures ranging between 200 and 300 deg. C depending on the desired size. The precursor/polymer solutions were spin-coated in order to get thin films. The spinning conditions were changed in order to optimise the layer thickness and uniformity. The samples were mainly characterised by X-ray reflectivity (XRR) and by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) analyses. The thinnest layer we have deposited is 8 nm thick, as evaluated by XRR. The HRTEM measurements showed that the nanoparticles have quasi-spherical shape without evident microstructural defects. The size of the nanoparticles depends on the annealing temperature, e.g. at 232 deg. C the size of the CdS nanoparticles is about 4-5 nm

Structural studies of thin films of semiconducting nanoparticles in polymer matrices

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Di Luccio, Tiziana [ENEA, Centro Ricerche Brindisi, SS7 Appia Km 706, I-72100 Brindisi (Italy)], E-mail: tiziana.diluccio@portici.enea.it; Piscopiello, Emanuela; Laera, Anna Maria [ENEA, Centro Ricerche Brindisi, SS7 Appia Km 706, I-72100 Brindisi (Italy); Antisari, Marco Vittori [ENEA, Centro Ricerche Casaccia, Via Anguillarese 301, I-00060 S. Maria di Galeria (Roma) (Italy)

2007-09-15

Ordered films of nanoscale materials are issue of wide interest for applications in several fields, such as optics, catalysis, and bioelectronics. In particular, semiconducting nanoparticles incorporation in a processable polymer film is an easy way to manipulate such materials for their application. We deposited thin layers of cadmium sulphide (CdS) and zinc sulphide (ZnS) nanoparticles embedded in a thermoplastic cyclo-olephin copolymer (COC) with elevated optical transparency and highly bio-compatible. The nanoparticles were obtained by thiolate precursors previously dispersed in the polymer upon thermal treatment at temperatures ranging between 200 and 300 deg. C depending on the desired size. The precursor/polymer solutions were spin-coated in order to get thin films. The spinning conditions were changed in order to optimise the layer thickness and uniformity. The samples were mainly characterised by X-ray reflectivity (XRR) and by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) analyses. The thinnest layer we have deposited is 8 nm thick, as evaluated by XRR. The HRTEM measurements showed that the nanoparticles have quasi-spherical shape without evident microstructural defects. The size of the nanoparticles depends on the annealing temperature, e.g. at 232 deg. C the size of the CdS nanoparticles is about 4-5 nm.

Conductive polymer and Si nanoparticles composite secondary particles and structured current collectors for high loading lithium ion negative electrode application

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Gao

2017-07-11

Embodiments of the present invention disclose a composition of matter comprising a silicon (Si) nanoparticle coated with a conductive polymer. Another embodiment discloses a method for preparing a composition of matter comprising a plurality of silicon (Si) nanoparticles coated with a conductive polymer comprising providing Si nanoparticles, providing a conductive polymer, preparing a Si nanoparticle, conductive polymer, and solvent slurry, spraying the slurry into a liquid medium that is a non-solvent of the conductive polymer, and precipitating the silicon (Si) nanoparticles coated with the conductive polymer. Another embodiment discloses an anode comprising a current collector, and a composition of matter comprising a silicon (Si) nanoparticle coated with a conductive polymer.

One-step preparation of antimicrobial silver nanoparticles in polymer matrix

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lyutakov, O., E-mail: lyutakoo@vscht.cz; Kalachyova, Y. [Institute of Chemical Technology, Department of Solid State Engineering (Czech Republic); Solovyev, A. [Institute of Chemical Process Fundamentals of the ASCR (Czech Republic); Vytykacova, S. [Institute of Chemical Technology, Department of Glass and Ceramics (Czech Republic); Svanda, J.; Siegel, J. [Institute of Chemical Technology, Department of Solid State Engineering (Czech Republic); Ulbrich, P. [Institute of Chemical Technology, Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology (Czech Republic); Svorcik, V. [Institute of Chemical Technology, Department of Solid State Engineering (Czech Republic)

2015-03-15

Simple one-step procedure for in situ preparation of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) in the polymer thin films is described. Nanoparticles (NPs) were prepared by reaction of N-methyl pyrrolidone with silver salt in semi-dry polymer film and characterized by transmission electron microscopy, XPS, and UV–Vis spectroscopy techniques. Direct synthesis of NPs in polymer has several advantages; even though it avoids time-consuming NPs mixing with polymer matrix, uniform silver distribution in polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) films is achieved without necessity of additional stabilization. The influence of the silver concentration, reaction temperature and time on reaction conversion rate, and the size and size-distribution of the AgNPs was investigated. Polymer films doped with AgNPs were tested for their antibacterial activity on Gram-negative bacteria. Antimicrobial properties of AgNPs/PMMA films were found to be depended on NPs concentration, their size and distribution. Proposed one-step synthesis of functional polymer containing AgNPs is environmentally friendly, experimentally simple and extremely quick. It opens up new possibilities in development of antimicrobial coatings with medical and sanitation applications.

One-step preparation of antimicrobial silver nanoparticles in polymer matrix

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lyutakov, O.; Kalachyova, Y.; Solovyev, A.; Vytykacova, S.; Svanda, J.; Siegel, J.; Ulbrich, P.; Svorcik, V.

2015-01-01

Simple one-step procedure for in situ preparation of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) in the polymer thin films is described. Nanoparticles (NPs) were prepared by reaction of N-methyl pyrrolidone with silver salt in semi-dry polymer film and characterized by transmission electron microscopy, XPS, and UV–Vis spectroscopy techniques. Direct synthesis of NPs in polymer has several advantages; even though it avoids time-consuming NPs mixing with polymer matrix, uniform silver distribution in polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) films is achieved without necessity of additional stabilization. The influence of the silver concentration, reaction temperature and time on reaction conversion rate, and the size and size-distribution of the AgNPs was investigated. Polymer films doped with AgNPs were tested for their antibacterial activity on Gram-negative bacteria. Antimicrobial properties of AgNPs/PMMA films were found to be depended on NPs concentration, their size and distribution. Proposed one-step synthesis of functional polymer containing AgNPs is environmentally friendly, experimentally simple and extremely quick. It opens up new possibilities in development of antimicrobial coatings with medical and sanitation applications

Influence of Ionic Liquid Content on Properties of Dense Polymer Membranes

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Kohoutová, Marie; Sikora, Antonín; Hovorka, Š.; Randová, A.; Schauer, Jan; Tišma, J.; Setničková, Kateřina; Petričkovič, Roman; Guernik, S.; Greenspoon, N.; Izák, Pavel

2009-01-01

Roč. 45, č. 3 (2009), s. 813-819 ISSN 0014-3057 R&D Projects: GA ČR GA104/08/0600; GA ČR GA203/08/0465 Grant - others:MERG(XE) CT/2006/44737 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z40720504; CEZ:AV0Z40500505 Keywords : dense polymer membranes * biofuel * fermentation Subject RIV: CI - Industrial Chemistry, Chemical Engineering Impact factor: 2.310, year: 2009

Multiple functionalities of Ni nanoparticles embedded in carboxymethyl guar gum polymer: catalytic activity and superparamagnetism

Science.gov (United States)

Sardar, Debasmita; Sengupta, Manideepa; Bordoloi, Ankur; Ahmed, Md. A.; Neogi, S. K.; Bandyopadhyay, Sudipta; Jain, Ruchi; Gopinath, Chinnakonda S.; Bala, Tanushree

2017-05-01

Composites comprising of metallic nanoparticles in polymer matrices have allured significant importance due to multifunctionalities. Here a simple protocol has been described to embed Ni nanoparticles in carboxymethyl guar gum (CMGG) polymer. The composite formation helps in the stabilization of Ni nanoparticles which are otherwise prone towards aerial oxidation. Further the nanoparticles retain their superparamagnetic nature and catalytic capacity. Ni-Polymer composite catalyses the reduction of 4-Nitrophenol to 4-Aminophenol very efficiently in presence of NaBH4, attaining a complete conversion under some experimental conditions. Ni-Polymer composite is well characterized using UV-vis spectroscopy, FTIR, XPS, powder XRD, TGA, SEM and TEM. A detailed magnetic measurement using superconducting quantum interference device-vibrating sample magnetometer (SQUID-VSM) reveals superparamagnetic behaviour of the composite.

Well-defined single-chain polymer nanoparticles via thiol-Michael addition

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kröger, A. Pia P.; Boonen, Roy J.E.A.; Paulusse, Jos M.J.

2017-01-01

A synthetic strategy has been developed giving facile access to well-defined single-chain polymer nanoparticles (SCNPs) from styrene-, acrylate- and methacrylate-based polymers. Random copolymers (polydispersity indices 1.10–1.15) of methyl (meth)acrylate, benzyl methacrylate or styrene containing

Tunable Semiconducting Polymer Nanoparticles with INDT-Based Conjugated Polymers for Photoacoustic Molecular Imaging.

Science.gov (United States)

Stahl, Thomas; Bofinger, Robin; Lam, Ivan; Fallon, Kealan J; Johnson, Peter; Ogunlade, Olumide; Vassileva, Vessela; Pedley, R Barbara; Beard, Paul C; Hailes, Helen C; Bronstein, Hugo; Tabor, Alethea B

2017-06-21

Photoacoustic imaging combines both excellent spatial resolution with high contrast and specificity, without the need for patients to be exposed to ionizing radiation. This makes it ideal for the study of physiological changes occurring during tumorigenesis and cardiovascular disease. In order to fully exploit the potential of this technique, new exogenous contrast agents with strong absorbance in the near-infrared range, good stability and biocompatibility, are required. In this paper, we report the formulation and characterization of a novel series of endogenous contrast agents for photoacoustic imaging in vivo. These contrast agents are based on a recently reported series of indigoid π-conjugated organic semiconductors, coformulated with 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine, to give semiconducting polymer nanoparticles of about 150 nm diameter. These nanoparticles exhibited excellent absorption in the near-infrared region, with good photoacoustic signal generation efficiencies, high photostability, and extinction coefficients of up to three times higher than those previously reported. The absorption maximum is conveniently located in the spectral region of low absorption of chromophores within human tissue. Using the most promising semiconducting polymer nanoparticle, we have demonstrated wavelength-dependent differential contrast between vasculature and the nanoparticles, which can be used to unambiguously discriminate the presence of the contrast agent in vivo.

Patterned immobilisation of silicon dioxide nanoparticles on the surface of a photosensitive polymer

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Muhr, Nina, E-mail: nina.muhr@unileoben.ac.at [Chair of Chemistry of Polymeric Materials, University of Leoben, Otto-Gloeckel-Strasse 2, A-8700 Leoben (Austria); Grinschgl, Markus; Griesser, Thomas [Chair of Chemistry of Polymeric Materials, University of Leoben, Otto-Gloeckel-Strasse 2, A-8700 Leoben (Austria); Kern, Wolfgang [Chair of Chemistry of Polymeric Materials, University of Leoben, Otto-Gloeckel-Strasse 2, A-8700 Leoben (Austria); Polymer Competence Center Leoben GmbH, Peter-Rosegger-Strasse 12, A-8700 Leoben (Austria); Schroettner, Hartmuth [Institute for Electron Microscopy, Technical University of Graz, Steyrergasse 17, A-8010 Graz (Austria)

2012-01-01

A photosensitive co-polymer of styrene and 4-vinylbenzyl thiocyanate was synthesised and employed for the immobilisation of aminofunctionalised silica nanoparticles (SiO{sub 2}-NP) at the polymer surface. Upon UV irradiation of the co-polymer, isothiocyanate groups are generated by a photo-isomerisation reaction of the thiocyanate groups. The silica nanoparticles were selectively immobilised in irradiated areas by immersing the illuminated polymer surface in a solution of SiO{sub 2}-NP. Depending on the time of immersion and the nanoparticle concentration, different amounts of silica can be deposited in the irradiated areas, whilst no immobilisation of SiO{sub 2}-NP is observed in the non-irradiated areas. By using photolithographic methods, patterned silica structures ({mu}m scale) were produced on the polymer surface. The SiO{sub 2}-NP covered surfaces are of potential interest to generate protective surface layers and to carry out further functionalisation reactions of the immobilised SiO{sub 2}-NP particles.

Synthesis of dense TiO2 nanoparticle multilayers using spin coating technique

Science.gov (United States)

DeSilva, L. Ajith; Thakurdesai, Madhavi; Bandara, T. M. W. J.; Preston, Joshua; Johnson, Wyatt; Gaquere-Parker, Anne; Survase, Smita

2018-04-01

A stack of nine layers is prepared by sequential spun casting of commercially available colloidal TiO2 nanoparticles of average size of 10-15 nm. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) is employed to investigate the surface morphology of the multilayers. SEM micrographs exhibit formation of highly uniform and dense TiO2 nanoparticle layers. The uniformity and density is found to be increasing with layer thickness. Structural characterization is carried out using X-ray diffraction (XRD) technique. XRD spectra indicate improvement in crystalline quality of all the layers with increasing layer thickness. All the layers are having mainly the anatase phase of TiO2. Optical characterization is carried out by UV-visible spectroscopy. The value of bandgap estimated on the basis of absorption coefficient is found to be 3.26 eV and approximately remains the same for the layers. The electrical characterization suggests that multilayer resistivity increases with increasing layer thickness. The good quality spin coated thin dense TiO2 layers have many applications in optoelectronics.

Position transitions of polymer-grafted nanoparticles in diblock-copolymer nanocomposites

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

2011-04-01

Full Text Available Self-assembly of block copolymer/nanoparticle blends has promising applications in the design and fabrication of novel functional nanomaterials. Precise control of the spatial positions of nanoparticles within block copolymer-based nanomaterials is crucial to achieve some special physical properties and functions. Here, we employ the self-consistent field method to theoretically investigate the self-assembly of polymer grafted-nanoparticles in a diblock copolymer. It is found that by varying the size and selectivity of nanoparticles, one can not only produce various self-assembled nanostructures but also modulate the spatial positions of the nanoparticles, either at the copolymer interfaces or in the center of one copolymer phase, within the nanostructures. A denser grafted polymer brush plays a role of shielding effect on nanoparticles and can position them into the center of one copolymer phase. The nanostructural transition we observed is dictated by the competition between entropy and enthalpy. On the basis of a number of simulations, two phase diagrams of self-assembled nanostructures are constructed. This study may be helpful for optimal design of advanced materials with desired nanostructures and enhanced performance.

Simultaneous hyperthermia and doxorubicin delivery from polymer-coated magnetite nanoparticles

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Iglesias, G.R., E-mail: iglesias@ugr.es [Department of Applied Physics, University of Granada, Granada 18071 (Spain); Delgado, A.V.; González-Caballero, F. [Department of Applied Physics, University of Granada, Granada 18071 (Spain); Ramos-Tejada, M.M. [Department of Physics, University of Jaén, Linares 23700 (Spain)

2017-06-01

In this work, the hyperthermia response, (i.e., heating induced by an externally applied alternating magnetic field) and the simultaneous release of an anti-cancer drug (doxorubicin) by polymer-coated magnetite nanoparticles have been investigated. After describing the setup for hyperthermia measurements in suspensions of magnetic nanoparticles, the hyperthermia (represented by the rate of suspension heating and, ultimately, by the specific absorption rate or SAR) of magnetite nanoparticles (both bare and polymer-coated as drug nanocarriers) is discussed. The effect of the applied ac magnetic field on doxorubicin release is also studied, and it is concluded that the field does not interfere with the release process, demonstrating the double functionality of the investigated particles. - Highlights: • Magnetite NPs coated with polymers are used for drug delivery and hyperthermia. • The SAR of polyelectrolyte-coated NPs is larger because of their improved stability. • The antitumor drug doxorubicin is adsorbed on the coated particles. • The release rate of the drug is not affected by the ac magnetic field used in hyperthermia.

Predictive Methods for Dense Polymer Networks: Combating Bias with Bio-Based Structures

Science.gov (United States)

2016-03-16

Combating bias with bio - based structures 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER 5b. GRANT NUMBER 5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER 6. AUTHOR(S) Andrew J. Guenthner...unlimited. PA Clearance 16152 Integrity  Service  Excellence Predictive methods for dense polymer networks: Combating bias with bio -based...Architectural Bias • Comparison of Petroleum-Based and Bio -Based Chemical Architectures • Continuing Research on Structure-Property Relationships using

Molecular dynamics simulations of the embedding of a nano-particle into a polymer film

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ochoa, J G Diaz; Binder, K; Paul, W

2006-01-01

In this work we report on molecular dynamics simulations of the embedding process of a nano-particle into a polymeric film as a function of temperature. This process has been employed experimentally in recent years to test for a shift of the glass transition of a material due to the confined film geometry and to test for the existence of a liquid-like layer on top of a glassy polymer film. The embedding process is governed thermodynamically by the prewetting properties of the polymer on the nano-particle. We show that the dynamics of the process depends on the Brownian motion characteristics of the nano-particle in and on the polymer film. It displays large sample to sample variations, suggesting that it is an activated process. On the timescales of the simulation an embedding of the nano-particle is only observed for temperatures above the bulk glass transition temperature of the polymer, agreeing with experimental observations on noble metal clusters of comparable size

Parallelized event chain algorithm for dense hard sphere and polymer systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kampmann, Tobias A.; Boltz, Horst-Holger; Kierfeld, Jan

2015-01-01

We combine parallelization and cluster Monte Carlo for hard sphere systems and present a parallelized event chain algorithm for the hard disk system in two dimensions. For parallelization we use a spatial partitioning approach into simulation cells. We find that it is crucial for correctness to ensure detailed balance on the level of Monte Carlo sweeps by drawing the starting sphere of event chains within each simulation cell with replacement. We analyze the performance gains for the parallelized event chain and find a criterion for an optimal degree of parallelization. Because of the cluster nature of event chain moves massive parallelization will not be optimal. Finally, we discuss first applications of the event chain algorithm to dense polymer systems, i.e., bundle-forming solutions of attractive semiflexible polymers

Multifunctional pH-Responsive Folate Receptor Mediated Polymer Nanoparticles for Drug Delivery.

Science.gov (United States)

Cai, Xiaoqing; Yang, Xiaoye; Wang, Fang; Zhang, Chen; Sun, Deqing; Zhai, Guangxi

2016-07-01

Multifunctional pH-responsive folate receptor mediated targeted polymer nanoparticles (TPNps) were developed for docetaxel (DTX) delivery based on poly(ethylene glycol)-block-poly(propylene glycol)-block-poly(ethylene glycol)poly (β-amino ester) (P123-PAE) and poly(ethylene glycol)-block-poly(propylene glycol)-block-poly(ethylene glycol)-folate (P123-FA) copolymers. The DTX was loaded into the TPNps with a decent drug loading content of 15.02 ± 0.14 wt%. In vitro drug release results showed that the DTX was released from the TPNps at a pH-dependent manner. Tetrazolium dye (MTT) assay revealed that the bland polymer nanoparticles displayed almost nontoxicity at 200 μg/mL concentration. However, the DTX-loaded TPNps showed high anti-tumor activity at low IC50 (0.72 μg/mL) for MCF-7 cells following 48 h incubation. Cellular uptake experiments revealed that the TPNps had higher degree of cellular uptake than nontargeted polymer nanoparticles, indicating that the nanoparticles were internalized into the cells via FA receptor-mediated endocytosis. Moreover, the cellular uptake pathways for the FA grafted polymer were involved in energy-dependent, clathrin-mediated and caveolae-mediated endocytosis. The cell killing effect and cellular uptake of the DTX-TPNps by the MCF-7 cells were all enhanced by about two folds at pH 5.5 when compared with pH 7.4. The TPNps also significantly prolonged the in vivo retention time for the DTX. These results suggest that the biocompatible pH responsive folate-modified polymer nanoparticles present a promising safe nanosystem for intracellular targeted delivery of DTX.

Polymer-lipid-PEG hybrid nanoparticles as photosensitizer carrier for photodynamic therapy.

Science.gov (United States)

Pramual, Sasivimon; Lirdprapamongkol, Kriengsak; Svasti, Jisnuson; Bergkvist, Magnus; Jouan-Hureaux, Valérie; Arnoux, Philippe; Frochot, Céline; Barberi-Heyob, Muriel; Niamsiri, Nuttawee

2017-08-01

Polymer-lipid-PEG hybrid nanoparticles were investigated as carriers for the photosensitizer (PS), 5,10,15,20-Tetrakis(4-hydroxy-phenyl)-21H,23H-porphine (pTHPP) for use in photodynamic therapy (PDT). A self-assembled nanoprecipitation technique was used for preparing two types of core polymers poly(d,l-lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) and poly(hydroxybutyrate-co-hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV) with lipid-PEG as stabilizer. The resulting nanoparticles had an average particle size of 88.5±3.4nm for PLGA and 215.0±6.3nm for PHBV. Both nanoparticles exhibited a core-shell structure under TEM with high zeta potential and loading efficiency. X-ray powder diffraction analysis showed that the encapsulated pTHPP molecules in polymeric nanoparticles no longer had peaks of free pTHPP in the crystalline state. The pTHPP molecules encapsulated inside the polymeric core demonstrated improved photophysical properties in terms of singlet oxygen generation and cellular uptake rate in a FTC-133 human thyroid carcinoma cell line, compared to non-encapsulated pTHPP. The pTHPP-loaded polymer-lipid-PEG nanoparticles showed better in vitro phototoxicity compared to free pTHPP, in both time- and concentration-dependent manners. Overall, this study provides detailed analysis of the photophysical properties of pTHPP molecules when entrapped within either PLGA or PHBV nanoparticle cores, and demonstrates the effectiveness of these systems for delivery of photosensitizers. The two polymeric systems may have different potential benefits, when used with cancer cells. For instance, the pTHPP-loaded PLGA system requires only a short time to show a PDT effect and may be suitable for topical PDT, while the delayed photo-induced cytotoxic effect of the pTHPP-loaded PHBV system may be more suitable for cancer solid tumors. Hence, both pTHPP-encapsulated polymer-lipid-PEG nanoparticles can be considered promising delivery systems for PDT cancer treatment. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Synthesis of N-halamine-functionalized silica-polymer core-shell nanoparticles and their enhanced antibacterial activity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dong, Alideertu; Wang Tao; Xiao Linghan; Wang Weiwei; Zhao Tianyi; Zheng Xin; Liu Fengqi; Gao Ge; Huang Jinfeng; Chen Yuxin; Lan Shi

2011-01-01

N-halamine-functionalized silica-polymer core-shell nanoparticles with enhanced antibacterial activity were synthesized through the encapsulation of silica nanoparticles as support with polymeric N-halamine. The as-synthesized nanoparticles were characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive x-ray spectrometry (EDX), dynamic light scattering (DLS), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR). These N-halamine-functionalized silica-polymer core-shell nanoparticles displayed powerful antibacterial performance against both Gram-positive bacteria and Gram-negative bacteria, and their antibacterial activities have been greatly improved compared with their bulk counterparts. Therefore, these N-halamine-functionalized silica-polymer core-shell nanoparticles have the potential for various significant applications such as in medical devices, healthcare products, water purification systems, hospitals, dental office equipment, food packaging, food storage, household sanitation, etc.

Synthesis of N-halamine-functionalized silica-polymer core-shell nanoparticles and their enhanced antibacterial activity

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dong, Alideertu; Wang Tao; Xiao Linghan; Wang Weiwei; Zhao Tianyi; Zheng Xin; Liu Fengqi; Gao Ge [College of Chemistry, Jilin University and MacDiarmid Laboratory, Changchun 130021 (China); Huang Jinfeng; Chen Yuxin [Key Laboratory for Molecular Enzymology and Engineering of the Ministry of Education, Jilin University, Changchun 130012 (China); Lan Shi, E-mail: gaoge@jlu.edu.cn [College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Inner Mongolia University for the Nationalities, Tongliao 028000 (China)

2011-07-22

N-halamine-functionalized silica-polymer core-shell nanoparticles with enhanced antibacterial activity were synthesized through the encapsulation of silica nanoparticles as support with polymeric N-halamine. The as-synthesized nanoparticles were characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive x-ray spectrometry (EDX), dynamic light scattering (DLS), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR). These N-halamine-functionalized silica-polymer core-shell nanoparticles displayed powerful antibacterial performance against both Gram-positive bacteria and Gram-negative bacteria, and their antibacterial activities have been greatly improved compared with their bulk counterparts. Therefore, these N-halamine-functionalized silica-polymer core-shell nanoparticles have the potential for various significant applications such as in medical devices, healthcare products, water purification systems, hospitals, dental office equipment, food packaging, food storage, household sanitation, etc.

Amphiphilic Quantum Dots with Asymmetric, Mixed Polymer Brush Layers: From Single Core-Shell Nanoparticles to Salt-Induced Vesicle Formation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Brian R. Coleman

2018-03-01

Full Text Available A mixed micelle approach is used to produce amphiphilic brush nanoparticles (ABNPs with cadmium sulfide quantum dot (QD cores and surface layers of densely grafted (σ = ~1 chain/nm2 and asymmetric (fPS = 0.9 mixed polymer brushes that contain hydrophobic polystyrene (PS and hydrophilic poly(methyl methacrylate (PMAA chains (PS/PMAA-CdS. In aqueous media, the mixed brushes undergo conformational rearrangements that depend strongly on prior salt addition, giving rise to one of two pathways to fluorescent and morphologically disparate QD-polymer colloids. (A In the absence of salt, centrosymmetric condensation of PS chains forms individual core-shell QD-polymer colloids. (B In the presence of salt, non-centrosymmetric condensation of PS chains forms Janus particles, which trigger anisotropic interactions and amphiphilic self-assembly into the QD-polymer vesicles. To our knowledge, this is the first example of an ABNP building block that can form either discrete core-shell colloids or self-assembled superstructures in water depending on simple changes to the chemical conditions (i.e., salt addition. Such dramatic and finely tuned morphological variation could inform numerous applications in sensing, biolabeling, photonics, and nanomedicine.

Optimization of mechanical performance of oxidative nano-particle electrode nitrile butadiene rubber conducting polymer actuator.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Baek-Chul; Park, S J; Cho, M S; Lee, Y; Nam, J D; Choi, H R; Koo, J C

2009-12-01

Present work delivers a systematical evaluation of actuation efficiency of a nano-particle electrode conducting polymer actuator fabricated based on Nitrile Butadiene Rubber (NBR). Attempts are made for maximizing mechanical functionality of the nano-particle electrode conducting polymer actuator that can be driven in the air. As the conducting polymer polypyrrole of the actuator is to be fabricated through a chemical oxidation polymerization process that may impose certain limitations on both electrical and mechanical functionality of the actuator, a coordinated study for optimization process of the actuator is necessary for maximizing its performance. In this article actuation behaviors of the nano-particle electrode polypyrrole conducting polymer is studied and an optimization process for the mechanical performance maximization is performed.

Hierarchical Structure in Semicrystalline Polymers Tethered to Nanospheres

KAUST Repository

Kim, Sung A

2014-01-28

We report on structural and dynamic transitions of polymers tethered to nanoparticles. In particular, we use X-ray diffraction, vibrational spectroscopy, and thermal measurements to investigate multiscale structure and dynamic transitions of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) chains densely grafted to SiO2 nanoparticles. The approach used for synthesizing these hybrid particles leads to homogeneous SiO2-PEG composites with polymer grafting densities as high as 1.5 chains/nm2, which allows the hybrid materials to exist as self-suspended suspensions with distinct hierarchical structure and thermal properties. On angstrom and nanometer length scales, the tethered PEG chains exhibit more dominant TTG conformations and helix unit cell structure, in comparison to the untethered polymer. The nanoparticle tethered PEG chains are also reported to form extended crystallites on tens of nanometers length scales and to exhibit more stable crystalline structure on small dimensions. On length scales comparable to the size of each hybrid SiO 2-PEG unit, the materials are amorphous presumably as a result of the difficulty fitting the nanoparticle anchors into the PEG crystal lattice. This structural change produces large effects on the thermal transitions of PEG molecules tethered to nanoparticles. © 2014 American Chemical Society.

Light scattering from polymer solutions and nanoparticle dispersions

CERN Document Server

Schärtl, Wolfgang; Janca, Josef

2007-01-01

Light scattering is a very powerful method to characterize the structure of polymers and nanoparticles in solution. Recent technical developments have strongly enhanced the possible applications of this technique, overcoming previous limitations like sample turbidity or insufficient experimental time scales. However, despite their importance, these new developments have not yet been presented in a comprehensive form. In addition, and maybe even more important to the broad audience, there lacks a simple-to-read textbook for students and non-experts interested in the basic principles and fundamental techniques of light scattering. As part of the Springer Laboratory series, this book tries not only to provide such a simple-to-read and illustrative textbook about the seemingly very complicated topic of light scattering from polymers and nanoparticles in dilute solution, but also intends to cover some of the newest technical developments in experimental light scattering.

Dual-Color Fluorescence Imaging of Magnetic Nanoparticles in Live Cancer Cells Using Conjugated Polymer Probes

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Minjie; Sun, Bin; Liu, Yun; Shen, Qun-Dong; Jiang, Shaojun

2016-01-01

Rapid growth in biological applications of nanomaterials brings about pressing needs for exploring nanomaterial-cell interactions. Cationic blue-emissive and anionic green-emissive conjugated polymers are applied as dual-color fluorescence probes to the surface of negatively charged magnetic nanoparticles through sequentially electrostatic adsorption. These conjugated polymers have large extinction coefficients and high fluorescence quantum yield (82% for PFN and 62% for ThPFS). Thereby, one can visualize trace amount (2.7 μg/mL) of fluorescence-labeled nanoparticles within cancer cells by confocal laser scanning microscopy. Fluorescence labeling by the conjugated polymers is also validated for quantitative determination of the internalized nanoparticles in each individual cell by flow cytometry analysis. Extensive overlap of blue and green fluorescence signals in the cytoplasm indicates that both conjugated polymer probes tightly bind to the surface of the nanoparticles during cellular internalization. The highly charged and fluorescence-labeled nanoparticles non-specifically bind to the cell membranes, followed by cellular uptake through endocytosis. The nanoparticles form aggregates inside endosomes, which yields a punctuated staining pattern. Cellular internalization of the nanoparticles is dependent on the dosage and time. Uptake efficiency can be enhanced three-fold by application of an external magnetic field. The nanoparticles are low cytotoxicity and suitable for simultaneously noninvasive fluorescence and magnetic resonance imaging application. PMID:26931282

Effect of bidispersity in grafted chain length on grafted chain conformations and potential of mean force between polymer grafted nanoparticles in a homopolymer matrix.

Science.gov (United States)

Nair, Nitish; Wentzel, Nathaniel; Jayaraman, Arthi

2011-05-21

In efforts to produce polymeric materials with tailored physical properties, significant interest has grown around the ability to control the spatial organization of nanoparticles in polymer nanocomposites. One way to achieve controlled particle arrangement is by grafting the nanoparticle surface with polymers that are compatible with the matrix, thus manipulating the interfacial interactions between the nanoparticles and the polymer matrix. Previous work has shown that the molecular weight of the grafted polymer, both at high grafting density and low grafting density, plays a key role in dictating the effective inter-particle interactions in a polymer matrix. At high grafting density nanoparticles disperse (aggregate) if the graft molecular weight is higher (lower) than the matrix molecular weight. At low grafting density the longer grafts can better shield the nanoparticle surface from direct particle-particle contacts than the shorter grafts and lead to the dispersion of the grafted particles in the matrix. Despite the importance of graft molecular weight, and evidence of non-trivial effects of polydispersity of chains grafted on flat surfaces, most theoretical work on polymer grafted nanoparticles has only focused on monodisperse grafted chains. In this paper, we focus on how bidispersity in grafted chain lengths affects the grafted chain conformations and inter-particle interactions in an implicit solvent and in a dense homopolymer polymer matrix. We first present the effects of bidispersity on grafted chain conformations in a single polymer grafted particle using purely Monte Carlo (MC) simulations. This is followed by calculations of the potential of mean force (PMF) between two grafted particles in a polymer matrix using a self-consistent Polymer Reference Interaction Site Model theory-Monte Carlo simulation approach. Monte Carlo simulations of a single polymer grafted particle in an implicit solvent show that in the bidisperse polymer grafted particles

Influence of Surface Coating of Magnetic Nanoparticles on Mechanical Properties of Polymer Nanocomposites

Science.gov (United States)

Yarar, Ecem; Karakas, Gizem; Rende, Deniz; Ozisik, Rahmi; Malta, Seyda

Polymer nanocomposites have emerged as promising materials due to improved properties when compared with conventional bulk polymers. Nanofillers are natural or synthetic organic/inorganic particles that are less than 100 nm in at least one dimension. Even the addition of trace amounts of nanofillers to polymers may lad to unique combinations of properties. Among variety of inorganic nanofillers, iron oxide magnetic nanoparticles are of great interest due to their unique physical and chemical properties, such as low toxicity, biocompatibility, large magnetization and conductivity, owing to their extremely small size and large specific surface area. In this study, approximately 8-10 nm magnetic nanoparticles coated with either citric acid or oleic acid are synthesized and blended with poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) or poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO). The hydrophobicity/hydrophillicity of the polymer and the surface coating on the iron oxide nanoparticles are exploited to control the dispersion state of nanoparticles, and the effect of dispersion on mechanical and thermal properties of the nanocomposite are investigated via experimental methods such as dynamic mechanical analysis and differential scanning calorimetry. This material is based upon work partially supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. CMMI-1538730 and TUBITAK 112M666.

Discrepancy between different estimates of the hydrodynamic diameter of polymer-coated iron oxide nanoparticles in solution

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Regmi, R.; Gumber, V.; Subba Rao, V.; Kohli, I.; Black, C.; Sudakar, C.; Vaishnava, P.; Naik, V.; Naik, R.; Mukhopadhyay, A.; Lawes, G.

2011-01-01

We have synthesized iron oxide nanoparticles coated with a monolayer of dextran, with molecular weights of the polymer between 5 and 670 kDa. Transmission electron microscopy images confirm that the hard core has a crystalline diameter of approximately 12 nm. The hydrodynamic diameters of these coated nanoparticles in solution measured using dynamical light scattering and estimated from magnetic susceptibility studies vary from near 90 nm for the lightest polymer to 140 nm for the heaviest polymer. Conversely, fluorescence correlation spectroscopy measurements yield a diameter of approximately 55 nm for the 15–20 kDa dextran coated nanoparticles, which is consistent with the expected value estimated from the sum of the hard-core diameter and monolayer dextran coating. We discuss the implications of this discrepancy for applications involving polymer-coated magnetic nanoparticles.

Structural and Thermal Studies of ZnS and CdS Nanoparticles in Polymer Matrices

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jejenija Osuntokun

2016-01-01

Full Text Available We report the synthesis and structural studies of ZnS and CdS nanoparticles in polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP, poly(vinyl alcohol (PVA, and poly(methyl methacrylate (PMMA matrices. The metal sulfides/polymer nanocomposites were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, electronic spectroscopy (UV-Vis, transmission electron microscopy (TEM, and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA. The particle sizes as calculated from the absorption spectra were in agreement with the results obtained from TEM and XRD data. They showed metal sulfides nanoparticles in the polymers matrices with average crystallite sizes of 1.5–6.9 nm. The TGA results indicate that incorporation of the nanoparticles significantly altered the thermal properties of the respective polymers with ZnS/PVA and CdS/PVA nanocomposites displaying higher thermal stability than the other polymer nanocomposites.

Magnetic Nanoparticles Coated with a Thermosensitive Polymer with Hyperthermia Properties

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Felisa Reyes-Ortega

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs have been widely used to increase the efficacy of chemotherapeutics, largely through passive accumulation provided by the enhanced permeability and retention effect. Their incorporation into biopolymer coatings enables the preparation of magnetic field-responsive, biocompatible nanoparticles that are well dispersed in aqueous media. Here we describe a synthetic route to prepare functionalized, stable magnetite nanoparticles (MNPs coated with a temperature-responsive polymer, by means of the hydrothermal method combined with an oil/water (o/w emulsion process. The effects of both pH and temperature on the electrophoretic mobility and surface charge of these MNPs are investigated. The magnetite/polymer composition of these systems is detected by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR and quantified by thermogravimetric analysis. The therapeutic possibilities of the designed nanostructures as effective heating agents for magnetic hyperthermia are demonstrated, and specific absorption rates as high as 150 W/g, with 20 mT magnetic field and 205 kHz frequency, are obtained. This magnetic heating response could provide a promising nanoparticle system for combined diagnostics and cancer therapy.

Conformation and elasticity of a charged polymer chain bridging two nanoparticles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nowicki, W.; Nowicka, G.

2013-01-01

A complex composed of a charged flexible polymer chain irreversibly attached with its ends to surfaces of two nanoparticles was investigated using the Metropolis Monte Carlo method on a simple cubic lattice. The simulations were performed in the presence of explicit ions. The bridging chain and the nanoparticles bearing the same and the opposite sign charges were considered. Changes in the free energy of the complex upon its stretching or compression, together with the magnitude of the elastic force, were examined. The relative roles of energetic and entropic effects in determining the properties of the complex were identified. Also, the adsorption of charged monomers on the opposite-sign charged nanoparticles and its influence on the examined quantities was studied. Moreover, a simple semi-analytical approach to the thermodynamics of the polymer bridge was derived

Polymer supported gold nanoparticles: Synthesis and characterization of functionalized polystyrene-supported gold nanoparticles and their application in catalytic oxidation of alcohols in water

Science.gov (United States)

Kaboudin, Babak; Khanmohammadi, Hamid; Kazemi, Foad

2017-12-01

Sulfonated polystyrene microsphere were functionalized using ethylene diamine to introduce amine groups to the polymer chains. The amine functionalized polymers were used as a support for gold nanoparticles. A thorough structural characterization has been carried out by means of transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images, EDS, CHN and atomic absorption spectroscopy. The polymer supported gold nanoparticles was found to be an efficient catalyst for the oxidation of alcohols in water.

Deposition and surface characterization of nanoparticles of zinc oxide using dense plasma focus device in nitrogen atmosphere

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Malhotra, Yashi; Srivastava, M P; Roy, Savita

2010-01-01

Nanoparticles of zinc oxide from zinc oxide pellets in the nitrogen plasma atmosphere are deposited on n and p type silicon substrates using Dense Plasma Focus device. The hot and dense nitrogen plasma formed during the focus phase ionizes the ZnO pellet, which then move upward in a fountain like shape and gets deposited on substrates which are placed above the top of the anode. Structural and surface properties of the deposited ZnO are investigated using X-ray diffraction and Atomic force microscope (AFM). X-ray spectra shows the diffraction plane (002) of ZnO nanoparticles deposited on Si with few shots in nitrogen atmosphere. AFM investigations revealed that there are nanoparticles of size between 15-80 nm on n-Si and p-Si substrates. The deposition on n-type Si is better than the p-type Si can be seen from AFM images, this may be due to different orientation of silicon.

Factors affecting drug encapsulation and stability of lipid-polymer hybrid nanoparticles.

Science.gov (United States)

Cheow, Wean Sin; Hadinoto, Kunn

2011-07-01

Lipid-polymer hybrid nanoparticles are polymeric nanoparticles enveloped by lipid layers that combine the highly biocompatible nature of lipids with the structural integrity afforded by polymeric nanoparticles. Recognizing them as attractive drug delivery vehicles, antibiotics are encapsulated in the present work into hybrid nanoparticles intended for lung biofilm infection therapy. Modified emulsification-solvent-evaporation methods using lipid as surfactant are employed to prepare the hybrid nanoparticles. Biodegradable poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid) and phosphatidylcholine are used as the polymer and lipid models, respectively. Three fluoroquinolone antibiotics (i.e. levofloxacin, ciprofloxacin, and ofloxacin), which vary in their ionicity, lipophilicity, and aqueous solubility, are used. The hybrid nanoparticles are examined in terms of their drug encapsulation efficiency, drug loading, stability, and in vitro drug release profile. Compared to polymeric nanoparticles prepared using non-lipid surfactants, hybrid nanoparticles in general are larger and exhibit higher drug loading, except for the ciprofloxacin-encapsulated nanoparticles. Hybrid nanoparticles, however, are unstable in salt solutions, but the stability can be conferred by adding TPGS into the formulation. Drug-lipid ionic interactions and drug lipophilicity play important roles in the hybrid nanoparticle preparation. First, interactions between oppositely charged lipid and antibiotic (i.e. ciprofloxacin) during preparation cause failed nanoparticle formation. Charge reversal of the lipid facilitated by adding counterionic surfactants (e.g. stearylamine) must be performed before drug encapsulation can take place. Second, drug loading and the release profile are strongly influenced by drug lipophilicity, where more lipophilic drug (i.e. levofloxacin) exhibit a higher drug loading and a sustained release profile attributed to the interaction with the lipid coat. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All

In Situ Gold Nanoparticle Gradient Formation in a 3D Meso- and Macroporous Polymer Matrix.

Science.gov (United States)

Penders, Jelle; Rajasekharan, Anand K; Hulander, Mats; Andersson, Martin

2017-08-01

Herein, the development and characterization of a 3D gradient structure of gold nanoparticles is described. The gradient of gold nanoparticles is made in situ in a macroporous nonionic block copolymer hydrogel matrix, through gold ion diffusion control. The polymer provides a matrix for diffusion of gold ions, acts as a template for controlling nanoparticle growth, and facilitates the in situ reduction of gold ions to gold nanoparticles. A clear gradient in gold nanoparticles is observed across the 3D space of the polymer matrix using scanning electron microscopy, fluorescence microscopy, atomic force microscopy, and thermogravimetric analysis. The particle gradient is further functionalized with both hydrophobic and hydrophilic groups via thiol-gold linkage to demonstrate the ability to form gradients with different chemical functionalities. Using additive manufacturing, the polymer can also be printed as a porous network with possible applications for 3D cell culturing in, e.g., biomaterials research. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Cation-sensitive compartmentalization in metallacarborane containing polymer nanoparticles

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Ďorďovič, V.; Uchman, M.; Reza, M.; Ruokolainen, J.; Zhigunov, Alexander; Ivankov, O. I.; Matějíček, P.

2016-01-01

Roč. 6, č. 12 (2016), s. 9884-9892 ISSN 2046-2069 R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GA14-14608S Institutional support: RVO:61389013 Keywords : polymer nanoparticles * metallacarborane * double-hydrophilic block copolymer Subject RIV: CD - Macromolecular Chemistry Impact factor: 3.108, year: 2016

Controlling Hydrogel Mechanics via Bio-Inspired Polymer-Nanoparticle Bond Dynamics.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Qiaochu; Barrett, Devin G; Messersmith, Phillip B; Holten-Andersen, Niels

2016-01-26

Interactions between polymer molecules and inorganic nanoparticles can play a dominant role in nanocomposite material mechanics, yet control of such interfacial interaction dynamics remains a significant challenge particularly in water. This study presents insights on how to engineer hydrogel material mechanics via nanoparticle interface-controlled cross-link dynamics. Inspired by the adhesive chemistry in mussel threads, we have incorporated iron oxide nanoparticles (Fe3O4 NPs) into a catechol-modified polymer network to obtain hydrogels cross-linked via reversible metal-coordination bonds at Fe3O4 NP surfaces. Unique material mechanics result from the supra-molecular cross-link structure dynamics in the gels; in contrast to the previously reported fluid-like dynamics of transient catechol-Fe(3+) cross-links, the catechol-Fe3O4 NP structures provide solid-like yet reversible hydrogel mechanics. The structurally controlled hierarchical mechanics presented here suggest how to develop hydrogels with remote-controlled self-healing dynamics.

Polymer nanocomposites: polymer and particle dynamics

KAUST Repository

Kim, Daniel

2012-01-01

Polymer nanocomposites containing nanoparticles smaller than the random coil size of their host polymer chains are known to exhibit unique properties, such as lower viscosity and glass transition temperature relative to the neat polymer melt. It has been hypothesized that these unusual properties result from fast diffusion of the nanostructures in the host polymer, which facilitates polymer chain relaxation by constraint release and other processes. In this study, the effects of addition of sterically stabilized inorganic nanoparticles to entangled cis-1,4-polyisoprene and polydimethylsiloxane on the overall rheology of nanocomposites are discussed. In addition, insights about the relaxation of the host polymer chains and transport properties of nanoparticles in entangled polymer nanocomposites are presented. The nanoparticles are found to act as effective plasticizers for their entangled linear hosts, and below a critical, chemistry and molecular-weight dependent particle volume fraction, lead to reduced viscosity, glass transition temperature, number of entanglements, and polymer relaxation time. We also find that the particle motions in the polymer host are hyperdiffusive and at the nanoparticle length scale, the polymer host acts like a simple, ideal fluid and the composites\\' viscosity rises with increasing particle concentration. © 2012 The Royal Society of Chemistry.

Effect of Ligand Molecular Weight and Nanoparticle Core Size on Polymer-Coated Gold Nanoparticle Location in Block Copolymers

Science.gov (United States)

Petrie, Joshua; Kim, Bumjoon; Fredrickson, Glenn; Kramer, Ed

2008-03-01

Gold nanoparticles modified by short chain polymer thiols [Au-PS] can be designed to strongly localize in either domain of a polystyrene-b-poly(2-vinylpyridine) [PS-PVP] block copolymer or at the interface. The P2VP block has a stronger attractive interaction with bare gold than the PS block. Thus, when the areal chain density σ of end-attached PS chains falls below a critical areal chain density σc the Au-PS nanoparticles adsorb to the PS-b-P2VP interface. The effect of the polymer ligand molecular weight on the σchas been shown to scale as σc˜ ((R+Rg)/(R*Rg))̂2, where R is the curvature of the Au nanoparticle core radius. To test this scaling relation for σc further we are synthesizing gold nanoparticles with different core radii and will present preliminary results on σcas a function of R.

Polymer slab waveguides for the optical detection of nanoparticles in evanescent field based biosensors

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Teigell Beneitez, N.; Missinne, J.; Schleipen, J.J.H.B.; Orsel, J.G.; Prins, M.W.J.; Steenberge, Van G.; Cartwright, A.N.; Nicolau, D.V.

2010-01-01

We present a polymer optical waveguide integration technology for the detection of nanoparticles in an evanescent field based biosensor. In the proposed biosensor concept, super-paramagnetic nanoparticles are used as optical contrast labels. The nanoparticles capture target molecules from a sample

Resolving Properties of Polymers and Nanoparticle Assembly through Coarse-Grained Computational Studies.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Grest, Gary S. [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)

2017-09-01

Coupled length and time scales determine the dynamic behavior of polymers and polymer nanocomposites and underlie their unique properties. To resolve the properties over large time and length scales it is imperative to develop coarse grained models which retain the atomistic specificity. Here we probe the degree of coarse graining required to simultaneously retain significant atomistic details a nd access large length and time scales. The degree of coarse graining in turn sets the minimum length scale instrumental in defining polymer properties and dynamics. Using polyethylene as a model system, we probe how the coarse - graining scale affects the measured dynamics with different number methylene group s per coarse - grained beads. Using these models we simulate polyethylene melts for times over 500 ms to study the viscoelastic properties of well - entangled polymer melts and large nanoparticle assembly as the nanoparticles are driven close enough to form nanostructures.

Lipid-polymer hybrid nanoparticles as a new generation therapeutic delivery platform: a review.

Science.gov (United States)

Hadinoto, Kunn; Sundaresan, Ajitha; Cheow, Wean Sin

2013-11-01

Lipid-polymer hybrid nanoparticles (LPNs) are core-shell nanoparticle structures comprising polymer cores and lipid/lipid-PEG shells, which exhibit complementary characteristics of both polymeric nanoparticles and liposomes, particularly in terms of their physical stability and biocompatibility. Significantly, the LPNs have recently been demonstrated to exhibit superior in vivo cellular delivery efficacy compared to that obtained from polymeric nanoparticles and liposomes. Since their inception, the LPNs have advanced significantly in terms of their preparation strategy and scope of applications. Their preparation strategy has undergone a shift from the conceptually simple two-step method, involving preformed polymeric nanoparticles and lipid vesicles, to the more principally complex, yet easier to perform, one-step method, relying on simultaneous self-assembly of the lipid and polymer, which has resulted in better products and higher production throughput. The scope of LPNs' applications has also been extended beyond single drug delivery for anticancer therapy, to include combinatorial and active targeted drug deliveries, and deliveries of genetic materials, vaccines, and diagnostic imaging agents. This review details the current state of development for the LPNs preparation and applications from which we identify future research works needed to bring the LPNs closer to its clinical realization. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Three-dimensional selective growth of nanoparticles on a polymer microstructure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wu Shaomin; Han, L-H; Chen Shaochen

2009-01-01

We demonstrate a new technique for selectively growing gold nanoparticles on a patterned three-dimensional (3D) polymer microstructure. The technique integrates 3D direct writing of heterogeneous microstructures with nanoparticle synthesis. A digital micromirror device is employed as a dynamic mask in the digital projection photopolymerization process to build the heterogeneous microstructure layer by layer. An amine-bearing polyelectrolyte, branched poly(ethylenimine), is selectively attached to the microstructure and acts as both a reducing and a protective agent in the nanoparticle synthesis. Scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy are utilized to analyze the microstructure and the 3D selectivity of the nanoparticle growth.

Polymer Coated Echogenic Lipid Nanoparticles with Dual Release Triggers

Science.gov (United States)

Nahire, Rahul; Haldar, Manas K.; Paul, Shirshendu; Mergoum, Anaas; Ambre, Avinash H.; Katti, Kalpana S.; Gange, Kara N.; Srivastava, D. K.; Sarkar, Kausik; Mallik, Sanku

2013-01-01

Although lipid nanoparticles are promising drug delivery vehicles, passive release of encapsulated contents at the target site is often slow. Herein, we report contents release from targeted, polymer coated, echogenic lipid nanoparticles in the cell cytoplasm by redox trigger and simultaneously enhanced by diagnostic frequency ultrasound. The lipid nanoparticles were polymerized on the external leaflet using a disulfide cross-linker. In the presence of cytosolic concentrations of glutathione, the lipid nanoparticles released 76% of encapsulated contents. Plasma concentrations of glutathione failed to release the encapsulated contents. Application of 3 MHz ultrasound for 2 minutes simultaneously with the reducing agent enhanced the release to 96%. Folic acid conjugated, doxorubicin loaded nanoparticles showed enhanced uptake and higher cytotoxicity in cancer cells overexpressing the folate receptor (compared to the control). With further developments, these lipid nanoparticles have the potential to be used as multimodal nanocarriers for simultaneous targeted drug delivery and ultrasound imaging. PMID:23394107

Nanoparticles Stabilize Thin Polymer Films: A Fundamental Study to Understand the Phenomenon

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Michael E. Mackay

2009-03-04

A new understanding of thermodynamics at the nanoscale resulted in a recently discovered first order phase transition that nanoparticles in a polymer film will all segregate to the supporting substrate. This is an unusual phase transition that was predicted using a modeling technique developed at Sandia National Laboratories and required the equivalent of many computational years on one computer. This project is a collaboration between Prof. Michael Mackay's group and Dr. Amalie Frischknecht (Sandia National Laboratories) where experimental observation and theoretical rationalization and prediction are brought together. Other discoveries were that this phase transition could be avoided by changing the nanoparticle properties yielding control of the assembly process at the nanoscale. In fact, the nanoparticles could be made to assemble to the supporting substrate, to the air interface or not assemble at all within a thin polymer film of order 100 nm in thickness. However, when the assembly process is present it is so robust that it is possible to make rough liquid films at the nanoscale due to nanoparticles assembling around three-dimensional objects. From this knowledge we are able to design and manufacture new coatings with particular emphasis on polymer-based solar cells. Careful control of the morphology at the nanoscale is expected to provide more efficient devices since the physics of these systems is dictated at this length scale and assembly of nanoparticles to various interfaces is critical to operation.

Facile synthesis of antimony-doped tin oxide nanoparticles by a polymer-pyrolysis method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, Yuan-Qing; Wang, Jian-Lei; Fu, Shao-Yun; Mei, Shi-Gang; Zhang, Jian-Min; Yong, Kang

2010-01-01

In this article, antimony-doped tin oxide (ATO) nanoparticles was synthesized by a facile polymer-pyrolysis method. The pyrolysis behaviors of the polymer precursors prepared via in situ polymerization of metal salts and acrylic acid were analyzed by simultaneous thermogravimetric and differential scanning calorimetry (TG-DSC). The structural and morphological characteristics of the products were studied by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscope (TEM). The results reveal that the ATO nanoparticles calcined at 600 o C show good crystallinity with the cassiterite structure and cubic-spherical like morphology. The average particle size of ATO decreases from 200 to 15 nm as the Sb doping content increases from 5 mol% to 15 mol%. Electrical resistivity measurement shows that the resistivity for the 10-13 mol% Sb-doped SnO 2 nanoparticles is reduced by more than three orders compared with the pure SnO 2 nanoparticles. In addition, due to its versatility this polymer-pyrolysis method can be extended to facile synthesis of other doped n-type semiconductor, such as In, Ga, Al doped ZnO, Sn doped In 2 O 3 .

Mn2+ anchored CdS polymer nanocomposites: An efficient alternative for Mn2+ doped CdS nanoparticles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Saikia, Bhaskar Jyoti; Nath, Bikash Chandra; Borah, Chandramika; Dolui, Swapan Kumar

2015-01-01

A chelating bi-functional polymer brushes was prepared via atom transfer radical polymerization using grafting-from methodology. Mn 2+ -anchored CdS-polymer nanocomposites were synthesized using this graft copolymer by simple chelation method resulting in emission at about 620 nm which originates from the fluorescence of manganese ions embedded on the surface of CdS nanoparticles. This method provides an efficient straightforward substitute of Mn 2+ dopped CdS nanoparticles. Optical properties of the composites were investigated which indicates that simple Mn 2+ chelation and subsequent binding of CdS in a polymer matrix can have similar effect in the luminescence property as those synthesized via complex doping methods. Moreover this methodology can be applied for synthesis of any metal anchored nanocomposites proficiently and cost effectively in large-scale production. - Highlights: • A chelating bifunctional copolymer brush was synthesized via ATRP. • CdS nanoparticles and Mn 2+ were coupled with the bifunctional polymer. • Composites showed emission properties similar to Mn 2+ doped CdS nanoparticles. • Side chain length of the polymers also affect the emission properties of the composites.

Electromagnetic properties of NiZn ferrite nanoparticles and their polymer composites

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Parsons, P. [U.S. Army Research Laboratory, Weapons and Materials Research Directorate, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland 21005 (United States); Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware 19716 (United States); Duncan, K. [U.S. Army, Communications-Electronics Research, Development and Engineering Center, Space and Terrestrial Communications Directorate, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland 21005 (United States); Giri, A. K. [U.S. Army Research Laboratory, Weapons and Materials Research Directorate, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland 21005 (United States); Bowhead Science and Technology, LLC, Belcamp, Maryland 21017 (United States); Xiao, J. Q. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware 19716 (United States); Karna, S. P., E-mail: shashi.p.karna.civ@mail.mil [U.S. Army Research Laboratory, Weapons and Materials Research Directorate, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland 21005 (United States)

2014-05-07

The magnetic properties of polycrystalline NiZn ferrite nanoparticles synthesized using a polyol-reduction and coprecipitation reaction methods have been investigated. The effects on magnetization of synthesis approach, chemical composition, processing conditions, and on the size of nanoparticles on magnetization have been investigated. The measured room-temperature magnetization for the as-prepared magnetic nanoparticles (MNP) synthesized via polyol-reduction and coprecipitation is 69 Am{sup 2} kg{sup −1} and 14 Am{sup 2} kg{sup −1}, respectively. X-ray diffraction measurements confirm spinel structure of the particles with an estimated grain size of ∼80 nm obtained from the polyol-reduction and 28 nm obtained from these coprecipitation techniques. Upon calcination under atmospheric conditions at different temperatures between 800 °C and 1000 °C, the magnetization, M, of the coprecipitated MNP increases to 76 Am{sup 2} kg{sup −1} with an estimated grain size of 90 nm. The MNP-polymer nanocomposites made from the synthesized MNP in various loading fraction and high density polyethylene exhibit interesting electromagnetic properties. The measured permeability and permittivity of the magnetic nanoparticle-polymer nanocomposites increases with the loading fractions of the magnetic nanoparticles, suggesting control for impedance matching for antenna applications.

Surface Modification of Indium Tin Oxide Nanoparticles to Improve Its Distribution in Epoxy-Silica Polymer Matrix

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Mostafa Jafari

2014-10-01

Full Text Available A semiconducting nanoparticle indium tin oxide (ITO was modified with silane groups and for this purpose trimethoxysilane (TMOS precursor was used under specific experimental conditions for surface modification of ITO nanoparticles. It is found that the modification of ITO nanoparticles increases the interactions between the filler and the matrix and subsequently improves the distibution of indium tin oxide nanoparticles in the polymer matrix. The epoxisilica polymer matrix was produced using trimethoxysilane and 3-glycidyloxypropyl trimethoxysilane precursors and ethylenediamine (EDA as curing agent at low temperature by sol-gel process. The sol-gel process was very useful due to its easily controllable process, solution concentration and homogeneity without using expensive and complicated equipments in comparison with other methods. Then, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR spectroscopy was employed to study the formation of Si-O-Si and Si-OH groups on ITO nanoparticles. X-Ray diffraction (XRD technique and thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA were employed to investigate the modification and weight loss of the modified ITO, respectively, as an indication of the presence of organic groups on these nanoparticles. The separation analyzer tests were performed to check the stability of the nanoparticles suspension and it revealed that due to better interaction of nanoparticles with the polymer matrix the stability of modified ITO suspention is higher than the unmodified sample. The morphology and particle distribution were determined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM. It was found that the distibution of modified indium tin oxide in epoxy-silica polymer matrix was improved in comparison with pure ITO.

Processing and properties of magnesium containing a dense uniform dispersion of nanoparticles.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Lian-Yi; Xu, Jia-Quan; Choi, Hongseok; Pozuelo, Marta; Ma, Xiaolong; Bhowmick, Sanjit; Yang, Jenn-Ming; Mathaudhu, Suveen; Li, Xiao-Chun

2015-12-24

Magnesium is a light metal, with a density two-thirds that of aluminium, is abundant on Earth and is biocompatible; it thus has the potential to improve energy efficiency and system performance in aerospace, automobile, defence, mobile electronics and biomedical applications. However, conventional synthesis and processing methods (alloying and thermomechanical processing) have reached certain limits in further improving the properties of magnesium and other metals. Ceramic particles have been introduced into metal matrices to improve the strength of the metals, but unfortunately, ceramic microparticles severely degrade the plasticity and machinability of metals, and nanoparticles, although they have the potential to improve strength while maintaining or even improving the plasticity of metals, are difficult to disperse uniformly in metal matrices. Here we show that a dense uniform dispersion of silicon carbide nanoparticles (14 per cent by volume) in magnesium can be achieved through a nanoparticle self-stabilization mechanism in molten metal. An enhancement of strength, stiffness, plasticity and high-temperature stability is simultaneously achieved, delivering a higher specific yield strength and higher specific modulus than almost all structural metals.

Imaging the intracellular degradation of biodegradable polymer nanoparticles

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Anne-Kathrin Barthel

2014-10-01

Full Text Available In recent years, the development of smart drug delivery systems based on biodegradable polymeric nanoparticles has become of great interest. Drug-loaded nanoparticles can be introduced into the cell interior via endocytotic processes followed by the slow release of the drug due to degradation of the nanoparticle. In this work, poly(L-lactic acid (PLLA was chosen as the biodegradable polymer. Although common degradation of PLLA has been studied in various biological environments, intracellular degradation processes have been examined only to a very limited extent. PLLA nanoparticles with an average diameter of approximately 120 nm were decorated with magnetite nanocrystals and introduced into mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs. The release of the magnetite particles from the surface of the PLLA nanoparticles during the intracellular residence was monitored by transmission electron microscopy (TEM over a period of 14 days. It was demonstrated by the release of the magnetite nanocrystals from the PLLA surface that the PLLA nanoparticles do in fact undergo degradation within the cell. Furthermore, even after 14 days of residence, the PLLA nanoparticles were found in the MSCs. Additionally, the ultrastructural TEM examinations yield insight into the long term intercellular fate of these nanoparticles. From the statistical analysis of ultrastructural details (e.g., number of detached magnetite crystals, and the number of nanoparticles in one endosome, we demonstrate the importance of TEM studies for such applications in addition to fluorescence studies (flow cytometry and confocal laser scanning microscopy.

Cross-linked Composite Gel Polymer Electrolyte using Mesoporous Methacrylate-Functionalized SiO2 Nanoparticles for Lithium-Ion Polymer Batteries

Science.gov (United States)

Shin, Won-Kyung; Cho, Jinhyun; Kannan, Aravindaraj G.; Lee, Yoon-Sung; Kim, Dong-Won

2016-01-01

Liquid electrolytes composed of lithium salt in a mixture of organic solvents have been widely used for lithium-ion batteries. However, the high flammability of the organic solvents can lead to thermal runaway and explosions if the system is accidentally subjected to a short circuit or experiences local overheating. In this work, a cross-linked composite gel polymer electrolyte was prepared and applied to lithium-ion polymer cells as a safer and more reliable electrolyte. Mesoporous SiO2 nanoparticles containing reactive methacrylate groups as cross-linking sites were synthesized and dispersed into the fibrous polyacrylonitrile membrane. They directly reacted with gel electrolyte precursors containing tri(ethylene glycol) diacrylate, resulting in the formation of a cross-linked composite gel polymer electrolyte with high ionic conductivity and favorable interfacial characteristics. The mesoporous SiO2 particles also served as HF scavengers to reduce the HF content in the electrolyte at high temperature. As a result, the cycling performance of the lithium-ion polymer cells with cross-linked composite gel polymer electrolytes employing methacrylate-functionalized mesoporous SiO2 nanoparticles was remarkably improved at elevated temperatures. PMID:27189842

Core-shell polymer nanoparticles for prevention of GSH drug detoxification and cisplatin delivery to breast cancer cells

Science.gov (United States)

Surnar, Bapurao; Sharma, Kavita; Jayakannan, Manickam

2015-10-01

Platinum drug delivery against the detoxification of cytoplasmic thiols is urgently required for achieving efficacy in breast cancer treatment that is over expressed by glutathione (GSH, thiol-oligopeptide). GSH-resistant polymer-cisplatin core-shell nanoparticles were custom designed based on biodegradable carboxylic functional polycaprolactone (PCL)-block-poly(ethylene glycol) diblock copolymers. The core of the nanoparticle was fixed as 100 carboxylic units and the shell part was varied using various molecular weight poly(ethylene glycol) monomethyl ethers (MW of PEGs = 100-5000 g mol-1) as initiator in the ring-opening polymerization. The complexation of cisplatin aquo species with the diblocks produced core-shell nanoparticles of 75 nm core with precise size control the particles up to 190 nm. The core-shell nanoparticles were found to be stable in saline solution and PBS and they exhibited enhanced stability with increase in the PEG shell thickness at the periphery. The hydrophobic PCL layer on the periphery of the cisplatin core behaved as a protecting layer against the cytoplasmic thiol residues (GSH and cysteine) and exhibited embryonic fibroblast cells (Wt-MEFs), and breast cancer (MCF-7) and cervical cancer (HeLa) cell lines. Free cisplatin and polymer drug core-shell nanoparticles showed similar cytotoxicity effects in the HeLa cells. In MCF-7 cells, the free cisplatin drug exhibited 50% cell death whereas complete cell death (100%) was accomplished by the polymer-cisplatin core-shell nanoparticles. Confocal microscopic images confirmed that the core-shell nanoparticles were taken up by the MCF-7 and HeLa cells and they were accumulated both at the cytoplasm as well at peri-nuclear environments. The present investigation lays a new foundation for the polymer-based core-shell nanoparticles approach for overcoming detoxification in platinum drugs for the treatment of GSH over-expressed breast cancer cells.Platinum drug delivery against the detoxification

Cellulase immobilization on magnetic nanoparticles encapsulated in polymer nanospheres.

Science.gov (United States)

Lima, Janaina S; Araújo, Pedro H H; Sayer, Claudia; Souza, Antonio A U; Viegas, Alexandre C; de Oliveira, Débora

2017-04-01

Immobilization of cellulases on magnetic nanoparticles, especially magnetite nanoparticles, has been the main approach studied to make this enzyme, economically and industrially, more attractive. However, magnetite nanoparticles tend to agglomerate, are very reactive and easily oxidized in air, which has strong impact on their useful life. Thus, it is very important to provide proper surface coating to avoid the mentioned problems. This study aimed to investigate the immobilization of cellulase on magnetic nanoparticles encapsulated in polymeric nanospheres. The support was characterized in terms of morphology, average diameter, magnetic behavior and thermal decomposition analyses. The polymer nanospheres containing encapsulated magnetic nanoparticles showed superparamagnetic behavior and intensity average diameter about 150 nm. Immobilized cellulase exhibited broader temperature stability than in the free form and great reusability capacity, 69% of the initial enzyme activity was maintained after eight cycles of use. The magnetic support showed potential for cellulase immobilization and allowed fast and easy biocatalyst recovery through a single magnet.

Electrosprayed core-shell polymer-lipid nanoparticles for active component delivery

Science.gov (United States)

Eltayeb, Megdi; Stride, Eleanor; Edirisinghe, Mohan

2013-11-01

A key challenge in the production of multicomponent nanoparticles for healthcare applications is obtaining reproducible monodisperse nanoparticles with the minimum number of preparation steps. This paper focus on the use of electrohydrodynamic (EHD) techniques to produce core-shell polymer-lipid structures with a narrow size distribution in a single step process. These nanoparticles are composed of a hydrophilic core for active component encapsulation and a lipid shell. It was found that core-shell nanoparticles with a tunable size range between 30 and 90 nm and a narrow size distribution could be reproducibly manufactured. The results indicate that the lipid component (stearic acid) stabilizes the nanoparticles against collapse and aggregation and improves entrapment of active components, in this case vanillin, ethylmaltol and maltol. The overall structure of the nanoparticles produced was examined by multiple methods, including transmission electron microscopy and differential scanning calorimetry, to confirm that they were of core-shell form.

Controlling photophysical properties of ultrasmall conjugated polymer nanoparticles through polymer chain packing

KAUST Repository

Piwonski, Hubert Marek

2017-05-16

Applications of conjugated polymer nanoparticles (Pdots) for imaging and sensing depend on their size, fluorescence brightness and intraparticle energy transfer. The molecular design of conjugated polymers (CPs) has been the main focus of the development of Pdots. Here we demonstrate that proper control of the physical interactions between the chains is as critical as the molecular design. The unique design of twisted CPs and fine-tuning of the reprecipitation conditions allow us to fabricate ultrasmall (3.0–4.5 nm) Pdots with excellent photostability. Extensive photophysical and structural characterization reveals the essential role played by the packing of the polymer chains in the particles in the intraparticle spatial alignment of the emitting sites, which regulate the fluorescence brightness and the intraparticle energy migration efficiency. Our findings enhance understanding of the relationship between chain interactions and the photophysical properties of CP nanomaterials, providing a framework for designing and fabricating functional Pdots for imaging applications.

Agglomerated polymer monoliths with bimetallic nano-particles as flow-through micro-reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Floris, P.; Twamley, B.; Nesterenko, P.N.; Paull, B.; Connolly, D.

2012-01-01

Polymer monoliths in capillary format have been prepared as solid supports for the immobilisation of platinum/palladium bimetallic nano-flowers. Optimum surface coverage of nano-flowers was realised by photografting the monoliths with vinyl azlactone followed by amination with ethylenediamine prior to nano-particle immobilisation. Field emission SEM imaging was used as a characterisation tool for evaluating nano-particle coverage, together with BET surface area analysis to probe the effect of nano-particle immobilisation upon monolith morphology. Ion exchange chromatography was also used to confirm the nature of the covalent attachment of nano-flowers on the monolithic surface. In addition, EDX and ICP analyses were used to quantify platinum and palladium on modified polymer monoliths. Finally the catalytic properties of immobilised bimetallic Pd/Pt nano-flowers were evaluated in flow-through mode, exploiting the porous interconnected flow-paths present in the prepared monoliths (pore diameter ∼ 1-2 μm). Specifically, the reduction of Fe (III) to Fe (II) and the oxidation of NADH to NAD+ were selected as model redox reactions. The use of a porous polymer monolith as an immobilisation substrate (rather than aminated micro-spheres) eliminated the need for a centrifugation step after the reaction. (author)

Efficient Synthesis of Single-Chain Polymer Nanoparticles via Amide Formation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ana Sanchez-Sanchez

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Single-chain technology (SCT allows the transformation of individual polymer chains to folded/collapsed unimolecular soft nanoparticles. In this work we contribute to the enlargement of the SCT toolbox by demonstrating the efficient synthesis of single-chain polymer nanoparticles (SCNPs via intrachain amide formation. In particular, we exploit cross-linking between active methylene groups and isocyanate moieties as powerful “click” chemistry driving force for SCNP construction. By employing poly(methyl methacrylate- (PMMA- based copolymers bearing β-ketoester units distributed randomly along the copolymer chains and bifunctional isocyanate cross-linkers, SCNPs were successfully synthesized at r.t. under appropriate reaction conditions. Characterization of the resulting SCNPs was carried out by means of a combination of techniques including size exclusion chromatography (SEC, infrared (IR spectroscopy, proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering (DLS, and elemental analysis (EA.

Optical properties of BaTiO3 nanoparticles and silver nanoprisms in polymer host matrices

Science.gov (United States)

Requena, Sebastian

Nanocomposites are materials comprised of a host matrix, such as glass or polymer, with embedded nanoparticles. Embedding nanoparticles into the host makes it possible to create materials with properties that are distinctly unique from those of their host and nanoparticle constituents. Nanocomposites can have superior mechanical, thermal, and optical properties compared to their host materials. We characterized the photoluminescent properties of BaTiO3 polymer nanocomposites and the effects of chemically modifying the nanoparticles surface on said properties. BaTiO3 nanopowders of average grain sizes 50 nm and 100 nm were functionalized by (3-aminopropyl)triethoxysilane (3APTS) and mixed with poly(methyl methacrylate)/toluene solution. The nanocomposites films morphology and chemical structure were studied via AFM and FTIR. The photoluminescence spectrum of the pure nanoparticles was composed of an emission at ˜3.0 eV and multiple bands centered at ˜2.5 eV. Surface functionalization of the BaTiO3 nanoparticles via 3APTS increased overall luminescence at room temperature while only enhancing the ˜3.0 eV emission at low-temperature. On the other hand, polymer coating of the functionalized nanoparticles significantly enhances ˜3.0 eV emissions while decreasing emissions associated with near-surface lattice distortions at ˜2.5 eV. Chemical modification of the surface with 3APTS and PMMA presents a pathway to tune and control the photoluminescent properties of BTO nanoparticles. We also present optical studies of two different size distributions of silver triangular nanoprisms, one with a dipole resonance at ˜520 nm and the other with a dipole resonance at ˜650 nm, placed in different media. The silver nanoprisms were embedded in a polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) polymer matrix and oriented by stretching the polymer/nanoprism nanocomposite films. We observe significantly increased linear dichroism in the region associated with the plasmonic in-plane dipole mode upon

Influence of Temperature on the Colloidal Stability of Polymer-Coated Gold Nanoparticles in Cell Culture Media.

Science.gov (United States)

Zyuzin, Mikhail V; Honold, Tobias; Carregal-Romero, Susana; Kantner, Karsten; Karg, Matthias; Parak, Wolfgang J

2016-04-06

The temperature-dependence of the hydrodynamic diameter and colloidal stability of gold-polymer core-shell particles with temperature-sensitive (poly(N-isopropylacrylamide)) and temperature-insensitive shells (polyallylaminine hydrochloride/polystyrensulfonate, poly(isobutylene-alt-maleic anhydride)-graft-dodecyl) are investigated in various aqueous media. The data demonstrate that for all nanoparticle agglomeration, i.e., increase in effective nanoparticle size, the presence of salts or proteins in the dispersion media has to be taken into account. Poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) coated nanoparticles show a reversible temperature-dependent increase in size above the volume phase transition of the polymer shell when they are dispersed in phosphate buffered saline or in media containing protein. In contrast, the nanoparticles coated with temperature-insensitive polymers show a time-dependent increase in size in phosphate buffered saline or in medium containing protein. This is due to time-dependent agglomeration, which is particularly strong in phosphate buffered saline, and induces a time-dependent, irreversible increase in the hydrodynamic diameter of the nanoparticles. This demonstrates that one has to distinguish between temperature- and time-induced agglomerations. Since the size of nanoparticles regulates their uptake by cells, temperature-dependent uptake of thermosensitive and non-thermosensitive nanoparticles by cells lines is compared. No temperature-specific difference between both types of nanoparticles could be observed. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Durable and Washable Antibacterial Copper Nanoparticles Bridged by Surface Grafting Polymer Brushes on Cotton and Polymeric Materials

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chufeng Sun

2018-01-01

Full Text Available To increase the durability of antibacterial coating on cotton and polymeric substrates, surface initiated grafting polymer brushes are introduced onto the substrates surface to bridge copper nanoparticles coatings and substrate. The morphologies of the composites consisting of the copper nanoparticles and polymer brushes were characterized with scanning electron microscopy (SEM. It was found that copper nanoparticles were uniformly and firmly distributed on the surfaces of the substrates by the polymer brushes; meanwhile, the reinforced concrete-like structures were formed in the composite materials. The substrates coated by the copper nanoparticles showed the efficient antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus and Escherichia coli (E. coli even after washing by 30 cycles. The copper nanoparticles were tethered on the substrates by the strong chemical bonds, which led to the excellent washable fitness and durability. The change of the phase structure of the copper was analyzed to investigate the release mechanism of copper ions.

Interfacial adhesion of nanoparticles in polymer blends by intrinsic fluorescence spectra

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

2011-09-01

Full Text Available Intrinsic fluorescence was applied to quantitatively describe the interfacial adhesion of nanoparticles in polystyrene/poly(vinyl methyl ether (PS/PVME blends. Due to the aggregation of aromatic rings on PS chains, the temperature dependence of excimer fluorescence intensity (I324 showed the high sensitivity to the phase separation process. Consistent with Ginzburg thermodynamic model, it was found that the addition of spherical hydrophilic nanoparticles shifted the phase separation temperature to higher temperatures due to the aggregation of silica into PVME chains leading to the free energy reduction and slowing down the phase separation dynamics. A certain composition of polymer blend, i.e. 2/8, was focused on to shed light on the dynamic of spinodal decomposition (SD phase separation by using decomposition reaction model. It was shown that the addition of nanoparticles to polymer blends resulted in the deviation of linear relationship between the initial SD phase separation rate (Rp0 and thermodynamic driving force (ΔfSD. Besides, for PS/PVME (2/8 with 2 vol% silica nanoparticles, the apparent activation energy of phase separation (Ea was 196.61 kJ/mol, which was higher than that of neat PS/PVME (2/8 blend (Ea = 173.68 kJ/mol, which strongly confirmed the interfacial adhesion effect of silica nanoparticles as compatibilizers.

Improved polymer thin-film wetting behavior through nanoparticle segregation to interfaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Krishnan, R S; Mackay, M E; Duxbury, P M; Hawker, C J; Asokan, Suba; Wong, Michael S; Goyette, Rick; Thiyagarajan, P

2007-01-01

We report a systematic study of improved wetting behavior for thin polymer films containing nanoparticles, as a function of nanoparticle size and concentration, the energy of the substrate and the dielectric properties of the nanoparticles. An enthalpy matched system consisting of polystyrene nanoparticles in linear polystyrene is used to show that nanoparticles are uniformly distributed in the film after spin coating and drying. However, on annealing the film above its bulk glass transition temperature these nanoparticles segregate strongly to the solid substrate. We find that for a wide range of film thicknesses and nanoparticle sizes, a substrate coverage of nanoparticles of approximately a monolayer is required for dewetting inhibition. Cadmium selenide quantum dots also inhibit dewetting of polystyrene thin films, again when a monolayer is present. Moreover, TEM microscopy images indicate that CdSe quantum dots segregate primarily to the air interface. Theoretical interpretation of these phenomena suggests that gain of linear chain configurational entropy promotes segregation of nanoparticles to the solid substrate, as occurs for polystyrene nanoparticles; however, for CdSe nanoparticles this is offset by surface energy or enthalpic terms which promote segregation of the nanoparticles to the air interface

Generic Delivery of Payload of Nanoparticles Intracellularly via Hybrid Polymer Capsules for Bioimaging Applications

Science.gov (United States)

Sami, Haider; Maparu, Auhin K.; Kumar, Ashok; Sivakumar, Sri

2012-01-01

Towards the goal of development of a generic nanomaterial delivery system and delivery of the ‘as prepared’ nanoparticles without ‘further surface modification’ in a generic way, we have fabricated a hybrid polymer capsule as a delivery vehicle in which nanoparticles are loaded within their cavity. To this end, a generic approach to prepare nanomaterials-loaded polyelectrolyte multilayered (PEM) capsules has been reported, where polystyrene sulfonate (PSS)/polyallylamine hydrochloride (PAH) polymer capsules were employed as nano/microreactors to synthesize variety of nanomaterials (metal nanoparticles; lanthanide doped inorganic nanoparticles; gadolinium based nanoparticles, cadmium based nanoparticles; different shapes of nanoparticles; co-loading of two types of nanoparticles) in their hollow cavity. These nanoparticles-loaded capsules were employed to demonstrate generic delivery of payload of nanoparticles intracellularly (HeLa cells), without the need of individual nanoparticle surface modification. Validation of intracellular internalization of nanoparticles-loaded capsules by HeLa cells was ascertained by confocal laser scanning microscopy. The green emission from Tb3+ was observed after internalization of LaF3:Tb3+(5%) nanoparticles-loaded capsules by HeLa cells, which suggests that nanoparticles in hybrid capsules retain their functionality within the cells. In vitro cytotoxicity studies of these nanoparticles-loaded capsules showed less/no cytotoxicity in comparison to blank capsules or untreated cells, thus offering a way of evading direct contact of nanoparticles with cells because of the presence of biocompatible polymeric shell of capsules. The proposed hybrid delivery system can be potentially developed to avoid a series of biological barriers and deliver multiple cargoes (both simultaneous and individual delivery) without the need of individual cargo design/modification. PMID:22649489

Generic delivery of payload of nanoparticles intracellularly via hybrid polymer capsules for bioimaging applications.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Haider Sami

Full Text Available Towards the goal of development of a generic nanomaterial delivery system and delivery of the 'as prepared' nanoparticles without 'further surface modification' in a generic way, we have fabricated a hybrid polymer capsule as a delivery vehicle in which nanoparticles are loaded within their cavity. To this end, a generic approach to prepare nanomaterials-loaded polyelectrolyte multilayered (PEM capsules has been reported, where polystyrene sulfonate (PSS/polyallylamine hydrochloride (PAH polymer capsules were employed as nano/microreactors to synthesize variety of nanomaterials (metal nanoparticles; lanthanide doped inorganic nanoparticles; gadolinium based nanoparticles, cadmium based nanoparticles; different shapes of nanoparticles; co-loading of two types of nanoparticles in their hollow cavity. These nanoparticles-loaded capsules were employed to demonstrate generic delivery of payload of nanoparticles intracellularly (HeLa cells, without the need of individual nanoparticle surface modification. Validation of intracellular internalization of nanoparticles-loaded capsules by HeLa cells was ascertained by confocal laser scanning microscopy. The green emission from Tb(3+ was observed after internalization of LaF(3:Tb(3+(5% nanoparticles-loaded capsules by HeLa cells, which suggests that nanoparticles in hybrid capsules retain their functionality within the cells. In vitro cytotoxicity studies of these nanoparticles-loaded capsules showed less/no cytotoxicity in comparison to blank capsules or untreated cells, thus offering a way of evading direct contact of nanoparticles with cells because of the presence of biocompatible polymeric shell of capsules. The proposed hybrid delivery system can be potentially developed to avoid a series of biological barriers and deliver multiple cargoes (both simultaneous and individual delivery without the need of individual cargo design/modification.

Sustainability of silver nanoparticles in solutions and polymer materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khaydarov, R.R.; Malikov, Sh.; Khaydarov, R.A.; Mironov, V.V.

2006-01-01

The technology of obtaining stable silver nanoparticles in solutions and composite materials for attainment of antimicrobial and antifungal properties to different surfaces has been developed. The shape of particles is spherical, diameter is about 5 nm. Various concentrations of silver nanoparticles have been deposited onto surfaces of different materials (cotton and synthetic fabrics, fibroid sorbents and polymer materials). Different ways of treatment and densities of nanoparticles on the treated surface have been studied during 6 months with respect to the best sustainability. In order to prevent agglomeration of obtained metal nanoparticles on the surface of materials treated, stabilizing reagents (ethylene glycol, formic acid, sodium dodecyl sulphate, etc.) have been used and their relative efficacy has been examined. Residual concentrations of the nanoparticles on various fabrics after 1, 3, 5 and 10 cycles of washing have been also studied. The treated fabrics keep their antibacterial properties after at least 3 times of laundering. The best finishing process to attach silver nanoparticles combination to various materials has been compared with biocidal properties of such antibacterial agents as metal salt solutions and zinc pyrithione.The possibility of treatment of nuclear track membranes by silver nanoparticles in order to prevent microbial growth on the surface of membranes has been discussed. (author)

Scaling Behavior of Dendritic Nanoparticle Mobility in Semidilute Polymer Solutions

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kort, de D.W.; Rombouts, W.H.; Hoeben, F.J.M.; Janssen, H.M.; As, van H.; Duynhoven, van J.P.M.

2015-01-01

In our studies on particle mobility in polymer solutions, we have investigated and determined self-diffusion coefficients of nanoparticles in semidilute solutions of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG, Mw = 6, 20, 35, and 100 kDa). Specially designed PEGylated dendrimers with well-defined sizes (dh =

One-step Preparation of Antimicrobial Silver Nanoparticles in Polymer Matrix.

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Lyutakov, O.; Kalachyova, Y.; Solovyev, Andrey; Vytykačová, S.; Švanda, J.; Siegel, J.; Ulbrich, P.; Švorčík, V.

2015-01-01

Roč. 17, č. 3 (2015), s. 120 ISSN 1388-0764 R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GBP108/12/G108 Institutional support: RVO:67985858 Keywords : polymer * silver nanoparticles * antimicrobial test Subject RIV: JJ - Other Materials Impact factor: 2.101, year: 2015

A Two-Step Methodology to Study the Influence of Aggregation/Agglomeration of Nanoparticles on Young's Modulus of Polymer Nanocomposites

Science.gov (United States)

Ma, Xinyue; Zare, Yasser; Rhee, Kyong Yop

2017-12-01

A two-step technique based on micromechanical models is suggested to determine the influence of aggregated/agglomerated nanoparticles on Young's modulus of polymer nanocomposites. The nanocomposite is assumed to include nanoparticle aggregation/agglomeration and effective matrix phases. This method is examined for different samples, and the effects of important parameters on the modulus are investigated. Moreover, the highest and the lowest levels of predicted modulus are calculated based on the current methodology. The suggested technique can correctly predict Young's modulus for the samples assuming the aggregation/agglomeration of nanoparticles. Additionally, the aggregation/agglomeration of nanoparticles decreases Young's modulus of polymer nanocomposites. It is demonstrated that the high modulus of nanoparticles is not sufficient to obtain a high modulus in nanocomposites, and the surface chemistry of components should be adjusted to prevent aggregation/agglomeration and to disperse nano-sized particles in the polymer matrix.

Synthesis and characterization of TiO2/Ag/polymer ternary nanoparticles via surface-initiated atom transfer radical polymerization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Park, Jung Tae; Koh, Joo Hwan; Seo, Jin Ah; Cho, Yong Soo; Kim, Jong Hak

2011-01-01

We report on the novel ternary hybrid materials consisting of semiconductor (TiO 2 ), metal (Ag) and polymer (poly(oxyethylene methacrylate) (POEM)). First, a hydrophilic polymer, i.e. POEM, was grafted from TiO 2 nanoparticles via the surface-initiated atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) technique. These TiO 2 -POEM brush nanoparticles were used to template the formation of Ag nanoparticles by introduction of a AgCF 3 SO 3 precursor and a NaBH 4 aqueous solution for reduction process. Successful grafting of polymeric chains from the surface of TiO 2 nanoparticles and the in situ formation of Ag nanoparticles within the polymeric chains were confirmed using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), UV-vis spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). FT-IR spectroscopy also revealed the specific interaction of Ag nanoparticles with the C=O groups of POEM brushes. This study presents a simple route for the in situ synthesis of both metal and polymer confined within the semiconductor, producing ternary hybrid inorganic-organic nanomaterials.

Magnetic Alignment of γ-Fe2O3 Nanoparticles in Polymer Nanocomposites

Science.gov (United States)

Jimenez, Andrew; Kumar, Sanat K.; Jestin, Jacques

Recent work in nanocomposites has been heavily focused on controlling the dispersion state of filler particles. The use of internal self-assembly based on matrix properties provides a limited solution to the desire for specified organizations. By introducing a magnetic field during the casting of a polymer solution it has been shown that particles can be oriented to form anisotropic structures - commonly sought after for improved mechanical properties. Here, magnetic nanoparticles were cast in two different polymer matrices to study the effect of various forces that lead to this highly desired alignment. The addition of the magnetic field as an external trigger was shown to not necessarily force the clustering, but rather orient the agglomerates already available in solution. This demonstrates the importance of other dominant forces introduced into the system by characteristics of the polymers themselves. While this magnetic field provides a direction for the sample, the key forces lie in the interactions between the polymers and nanoparticles (as well as their solvent). The study shows a dependence of anisotropy on the particle loading, matrix, and casting time, from which continued work hopes to quantify the clustering necessary to optimize alignment in the composite.

Characterization of temperature and pH-responsive poly-N-isopropylacrylamide-co-polymer nanoparticles for the release of antimicrobials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hill, Laura E; Gomes, Carmen L

2014-01-01

Chitosan and alginate are both pH-responsive biopolymers extracted from crustacean exoskeletons and brown algae, respectively. Poly-N-isopropylacrylamide (PNIPAAM) is a hydrogel that becomes hydrophobic at a lower-critical solution temperature. This study sought to combine pH- and temperature-responsive polymers via crosslinking, in order to create a dual-stimuli responsive polymer for hydrophobic antimicrobial compounds delivery, improving their antimicrobial effects. Cinnamon bark extract (CBE) was used as a model for hydrophobic antimicrobial. Two co-polymers were synthesized to create two nanoparticles types: chitosan-co-PNIPAAM and alginate-co-PNIPAAM. Nanoparticles were formed from the resulting co-polymers using a self-assembly top-down process followed by glutaraldehyde or calcium chloride crosslinking. These nanoparticles were then used as controlled delivery vehicles for CBE, whose rapid release could be triggered by specific external stimuli. For the same pH and temperature conditions, the chitosan-co-PNIPAAM nanoparticles were significantly more potent bacterial inhibitors against both pathogens and also exhibited a faster CBE release over time as well as slightly higher entrapment efficiency. The alginate-co-PNIPAAM nanoparticles were significantly smaller and exhibited a slow, gradual release over a long time period. Although both nanoparticles were able to effectively inhibit pathogen growth at lower (P < 0.05) concentration than free CBE, the chitosan-co-PNIPAAM nanoparticles were more effective in delivering a natural antimicrobial with controlled release against foodborne pathogens. (paper)

On the role of specific interactions in the diffusion of nanoparticles in aqueous polymer solutions.

Science.gov (United States)

Mun, Ellina A; Hannell, Claire; Rogers, Sarah E; Hole, Patrick; Williams, Adrian C; Khutoryanskiy, Vitaliy V

2014-01-14

Understanding nanoparticle diffusion within non-Newtonian biological and synthetic fluids is essential in designing novel formulations (e.g., nanomedicines for drug delivery, shampoos, lotions, coatings, paints, etc.), but is presently poorly defined. This study reports the diffusion of thiolated and PEGylated silica nanoparticles, characterized by small-angle neutron scattering, in solutions of various water-soluble polymers such as poly(acrylic acid) (PAA), poly(N-vinylpyrrolidone) (PVP), poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO), and hydroxyethylcellulose (HEC) probed using NanoSight nanoparticle tracking analysis. Results show that the diffusivity of nanoparticles is affected by their dimensions, medium viscosity, and, in particular, the specific interactions between nanoparticles and the macromolecules in solution; strong attractive interactions such as hydrogen bonding hamper diffusion. The water-soluble polymers retarded the diffusion of thiolated particles in the order PEO > PVP > PAA > HEC whereas for PEGylated silica particles retardation followed the order PAA > PVP = HEC > PEO. In the absence of specific interactions with the medium, PEGylated nanoparticles exhibit enhanced mobility compared to their thiolated counterparts despite some increase in their dimensions.

Spherical and polygonal shape of Au nanoparticles coated functionalized polymer microspheres

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Xu, Ting; Li, Yingzhi; Zhang, Junxian; Qi, Yalong; Zhao, Xin; Zhang, Qinghua, E-mail: qhzhang@dhu.edu.cn

2015-08-01

Highlights: • PS/PPy with well-defined core/shell structures was prepared in aqueous solution. • Au NPs were coated on PS/PPy by the fixation and continuous growth process. • Mercapto-groups played a role in the number and morphology of Au shell. • PS/PPy/Au had homogeneous and dense Au coatings with different shape. - Abstract: Uniform polystyrene (PS)/polypyrrole (PPy) composite microspheres with well-defined core/shell structures are synthesized by chemical oxidative polymerization. Gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) are successfully coated on the surface of PS/PPy microspheres by means of electrostatic interactions due to the functionalized PPy coatings supplying sufficient amino groups and the additive of mercapto acetic acid. Furthermore, the as-prepared PS/PPy/Au microspheres serving as seeds facilitate Au NPs further growth by in situ reduction in HAuCl{sub 4} solution to obtain PS/PPy/Au spheres with the core/shell/shell structure. Morphology observation demonstrates that the monodisperse PS/PPy/Au microspheres compose of uniform cores and the compact coatings containing distinct two layers. X-ray diffraction and X-ray photoelectron spectroscope confirm the existence of PPy and Au on the surface of the composite spheres. This facile approach to preparing metal-coated polymer spheres supplies the potential applications in biosensors, electronics and medical diagnosis.

Preparation and anti-cancer activity of polymer-encapsulated curcumin nanoparticles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ha, Phuong Thu; Tran, Dai Lam; Nguyen, Xuan Phuc; Le, Mai Huong; Ha Tran, Thi Hong; Hoang, Thi My Nhung; Huong Le, Thi Thu; Duong, Tuan Quang

2012-01-01

Curcumin (Cur) is a yellow compound isolated from rhizome of the herb curcuma longa. Curcumin possesses antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-carcinogenic and antimicrobial properties, and suppresses proliferation of many tumor cells. However, the clinical application of curcumin in cancer treatment is considerably limited due to its serious poor delivery characteristics. In order to increase the hydrophilicity and drug delivery capability, we encapsulated curcumin into copolymer PLA-TPGS, 1,3-beta-glucan (Glu), O-carboxymethyl chitosan (OCMCs) and folate-conjugated OCMCs (OCMCs-Fol). These polymer-encapsulated curcumin nanoparticles (Cur-PLA-TPGS, Cur-Glu, Cur-OCMCs and Cur-OCMCs-Fol) were characterized by infrared (IR), fluorescence (FL), photoluminescence (PL) spectra, field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), and found to be spherical particles with an average size of 50–100 nm, being suitable for drug delivery applications. They were much more soluble in water than not only free curcumin but also other biodegradable polymer-encapsulated curcumin nanoparticles. The anti-tumor promoting assay was carried out, showing the positive effects of Cur-Glu and Cur-PLA-TPGS on tumor promotion of Hep-G2 cell line in vitro. Confocal microscopy revealed that the nano-sized curcumin encapsulated by polymers OCMCs and OCMCs-Fol significantly enhanced the cellular uptake (cancer cell HT29 and HeLa). (paper)

Preparation and anti-cancer activity of polymer-encapsulated curcumin nanoparticles

Science.gov (United States)

Thu Ha, Phuong; Huong Le, Mai; Nhung Hoang, Thi My; Thu Huong Le, Thi; Quang Duong, Tuan; Tran, Thi Hong Ha; Tran, Dai Lam; Phuc Nguyen, Xuan

2012-09-01

Curcumin (Cur) is a yellow compound isolated from rhizome of the herb curcuma longa. Curcumin possesses antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-carcinogenic and antimicrobial properties, and suppresses proliferation of many tumor cells. However, the clinical application of curcumin in cancer treatment is considerably limited due to its serious poor delivery characteristics. In order to increase the hydrophilicity and drug delivery capability, we encapsulated curcumin into copolymer PLA-TPGS, 1,3-beta-glucan (Glu), O-carboxymethyl chitosan (OCMCs) and folate-conjugated OCMCs (OCMCs-Fol). These polymer-encapsulated curcumin nanoparticles (Cur-PLA-TPGS, Cur-Glu, Cur-OCMCs and Cur-OCMCs-Fol) were characterized by infrared (IR), fluorescence (FL), photoluminescence (PL) spectra, field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), and found to be spherical particles with an average size of 50-100 nm, being suitable for drug delivery applications. They were much more soluble in water than not only free curcumin but also other biodegradable polymer-encapsulated curcumin nanoparticles. The anti-tumor promoting assay was carried out, showing the positive effects of Cur-Glu and Cur-PLA-TPGS on tumor promotion of Hep-G2 cell line in vitro. Confocal microscopy revealed that the nano-sized curcumin encapsulated by polymers OCMCs and OCMCs-Fol significantly enhanced the cellular uptake (cancer cell HT29 and HeLa).

Local piezoelectric response of ZnO nanoparticles embedded in a photosensitive polymer

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Prashanthi, K.; Zhang, H.; Thundat, T. [Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta (Canada); Ramgopal Rao, V. [Department of Electrical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay, Mumbai (India)

2012-02-15

Local piezoelectric properties of ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) embedded in a photo-epoxy polymer are investigated by piezoresponse force microscopy (PFM). Integrating ZnO NPs into a photosensitive SU-8 polymer matrix not only retains the highly desired piezoelectric properties of the ZnO, but also preserves photosensitivity and optical transparency of the SU-8 polymer. These results have strong implications for simple photolithography based low-cost fabrication of piezoelectric microelectromechanicalsystems (MEMS) and nanoelectromechanicalsystems (NEMS) in both sensing and energy harvesting applications. (copyright 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim) (orig.)

Multiscale structure, interfacial cohesion, adsorbed layers, miscibility and properties in dense polymer-particle mixtures

Science.gov (United States)

Schweizer, Ken

2012-02-01

A major goal in polymer nanocomposite research is to understand and predict how the chemical and physical nature of individual polymers and nanoparticles, and thermodynamic state (temperature, composition, solvent dilution, filler loading), determine bulk assembly, miscibility and properties. Microscopic PRISM theory provides a route to this goal for equilibrium disordered mixtures. A major prediction is that by manipulating the net polymer-particle interfacial attraction, miscibility is realizable via the formation of thin thermodynamically stable adsorbed layers, which, however, are destroyed by entropic depletion and bridging attraction effects if interface cohesion is too weak or strong, respectively. This and related issues are quantitatively explored for miscible mixtures of hydrocarbon polymers, silica nanospheres, and solvent using x-ray scattering, neutron scattering and rheology. Under melt conditions, quantitative agreement between theory and silica scattering experiments is achieved under both steric stabilization and weak depletion conditions. Using contrast matching neutron scattering to characterize the collective structure factors of polymers, particles and their interface, the existence and size of adsorbed polymer layers, and their consequences on microstructure, is determined. Failure of the incompressible RPA, accuracy of PRISM theory, the nm thickness of adsorbed layers, and qualitative sensitivity of the bulk modulus to interfacial cohesion and particle size are demonstrated for concentrated PEO-silica-ethanol nanocomposites. Temperature-dependent complexity is discovered when water is the solvent, and nonequilibrium effects emerge for adsorbing entangled polymers that strongly impact structure. By varying polymer chemistry, the effect of polymer-particle attraction on the intrinsic viscosity is explored with striking non-classical effects observed. This work was performed in collaboration with S.Y.Kim, L.M.Hall, C.Zukoski and B.Anderson.

Single-step generation of metal-plasma polymer multicore@shell nanoparticles from the gas phase.

Science.gov (United States)

Solař, Pavel; Polonskyi, Oleksandr; Olbricht, Ansgar; Hinz, Alexander; Shelemin, Artem; Kylián, Ondřej; Choukourov, Andrei; Faupel, Franz; Biederman, Hynek

2017-08-17

Nanoparticles composed of multiple silver cores and a plasma polymer shell (multicore@shell) were prepared in a single step with a gas aggregation cluster source operating with Ar/hexamethyldisiloxane mixtures and optionally oxygen. The size distribution of the metal inclusions as well as the chemical composition and the thickness of the shells were found to be controlled by the composition of the working gas mixture. Shell matrices ranging from organosilicon plasma polymer to nearly stoichiometric SiO 2 were obtained. The method allows facile fabrication of multicore@shell nanoparticles with tailored functional properties, as demonstrated here with the optical response.

Helix-sense-selective co-precipitation for preparing optically active helical polymer nanoparticles/graphene oxide hybrid nanocomposites.

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Huajun; Li, Weifei; Shi, Yan; Deng, Jianping

2017-05-25

Constructing optically active helical polymer based nanomaterials without using expensive and limited chirally helical polymers has become an extremely attractive research topic in both chemical and materials science. In this study, we prepared a series of optically active helical polymer nanoparticles/graphene oxide (OAHPNs/GO) hybrid nanocomposites through an unprecedented strategy-the co-precipitation of optically inactive helical polymers and chirally modified GO. This approach is named helix-sense-selective co-precipitation (HSSCP), in which the chirally modified GO acted as a chiral source for inducing and further stabilizing the predominantly one-handed helicity in the optically inactive helical polymers. SEM and TEM images show quite similar morphologies of all the obtained OAHPNs/GO nanocomposites; specifically, the chirally modified GO sheets were uniformly decorated with spherical polymer nanoparticles. Circular dichroism (CD) and UV-vis absorption spectra confirmed the preferentially induced helicity in the helical polymers and the optical activity of the nanocomposites. The established HSSCP strategy is thus proven to be widely applicable and is expected to produce numerous functional OAHPNs/GO nanocomposites and even the analogues.

Scanning transmission x-ray microscopy of polymer nanoparticles: probing morphology on sub-10 nm length scales.

Science.gov (United States)

Burke, Kerry B; Stapleton, Andrew J; Vaughan, Ben; Zhou, Xiaojing; Kilcoyne, A L David; Belcher, Warwick J; Dastoor, Paul C

2011-07-01

Water-processable nanoparticle dispersions of semiconducting polymers offer an attractive approach to the fabrication of organic electronic devices since they offer: (1) control of nanoscale morphology and (2) environmentally friendly fabrication. Although the nature of phase segregation in these polymer nanoparticles is critical to device performance, to date there have been no techniques available to directly determine their intra-particle structure, which consequently has been poorly understood. Here, we present scanning transmission x-ray microscopy (STXM) compositional maps for nanoparticles fabricated from poly(9,9-dioctyl-fluorene-2,7-diyl-co-bis-N, N'-(4-butylphenyl)-bis-N, N'-phenyl-1,4-phenylenedi-amine) (PFB) and poly(9,9-dioctylfluorene-2,7-diyl-co-benzothiadiazole) (F8BT) 1:1 blend mixtures. The images show distinct phase segregation within the nanoparticles. The compositional data reveals that, within these nanoparticles, PFB and F8BT segregate into a core-shell morphology, with an F8BT-rich core and a PFB-rich shell. Structural modelling demonstrates that the STXM technique is capable of quantifying morphological features on a sub-10 nm length scale; below the spot size of the incident focused x-ray beam. These results have important implications for the development of water-based 'solar paints' fabricated from microemulsions of semiconducting polymers.

Scanning transmission x-ray microscopy of polymer nanoparticles: probing morphology on sub-10 nm length scales

Science.gov (United States)

Burke, Kerry B.; Stapleton, Andrew J.; Vaughan, Ben; Zhou, Xiaojing; Kilcoyne, A. L. David; Belcher, Warwick J.; Dastoor, Paul C.

2011-07-01

Water-processable nanoparticle dispersions of semiconducting polymers offer an attractive approach to the fabrication of organic electronic devices since they offer: (1) control of nanoscale morphology and (2) environmentally friendly fabrication. Although the nature of phase segregation in these polymer nanoparticles is critical to device performance, to date there have been no techniques available to directly determine their intra-particle structure, which consequently has been poorly understood. Here, we present scanning transmission x-ray microscopy (STXM) compositional maps for nanoparticles fabricated from poly(9,9-dioctyl-fluorene-2,7-diyl-co-bis-N, N'-(4-butylphenyl)-bis-N, N'-phenyl-1,4-phenylenedi-amine) (PFB) and poly(9,9-dioctylfluorene-2,7-diyl-co-benzothiadiazole) (F8BT) 1:1 blend mixtures. The images show distinct phase segregation within the nanoparticles. The compositional data reveals that, within these nanoparticles, PFB and F8BT segregate into a core-shell morphology, with an F8BT-rich core and a PFB-rich shell. Structural modelling demonstrates that the STXM technique is capable of quantifying morphological features on a sub-10 nm length scale; below the spot size of the incident focused x-ray beam. These results have important implications for the development of water-based 'solar paints' fabricated from microemulsions of semiconducting polymers.

Scanning transmission x-ray microscopy of polymer nanoparticles: probing morphology on sub-10 nm length scales

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Burke, Kerry B; Stapleton, Andrew J; Vaughan, Ben; Zhou Xiaojing; Belcher, Warwick J; Dastoor, Paul C; Kilcoyne, A L David

2011-01-01

Water-processable nanoparticle dispersions of semiconducting polymers offer an attractive approach to the fabrication of organic electronic devices since they offer: (1) control of nanoscale morphology and (2) environmentally friendly fabrication. Although the nature of phase segregation in these polymer nanoparticles is critical to device performance, to date there have been no techniques available to directly determine their intra-particle structure, which consequently has been poorly understood. Here, we present scanning transmission x-ray microscopy (STXM) compositional maps for nanoparticles fabricated from poly(9,9-dioctyl-fluorene-2,7-diyl-co-bis-N, N ' -(4-butylphenyl)-bis-N, N ' -phenyl-1,4-phenylenedi-amine) (PFB) and poly(9,9-dioctylfluorene-2,7-diyl-co-benzothiadiazole) (F8BT) 1:1 blend mixtures. The images show distinct phase segregation within the nanoparticles. The compositional data reveals that, within these nanoparticles, PFB and F8BT segregate into a core-shell morphology, with an F8BT-rich core and a PFB-rich shell. Structural modelling demonstrates that the STXM technique is capable of quantifying morphological features on a sub-10 nm length scale; below the spot size of the incident focused x-ray beam. These results have important implications for the development of water-based 'solar paints' fabricated from microemulsions of semiconducting polymers.

Stability and dewetting of metal nanoparticle filled thin polymer films: control of instability length scale and dynamics.

Science.gov (United States)

Mukherjee, Rabibrata; Das, Soma; Das, Anindya; Sharma, Satinder K; Raychaudhuri, Arup K; Sharma, Ashutosh

2010-07-27

We investigate the influence of gold nanoparticle addition on the stability, dewetting, and pattern formation in ultrathin polymer-nanoparticle (NP) composite films by examining the length and time scales of instability, morphology, and dynamics of dewetting. For these 10-50 nm thick (h) polystyrene (PS) thin films containing uncapped gold nanoparticles (diameter approximately 3-4 nm), transitions from complete dewetting to arrested dewetting to absolute stability were observed depending on the concentration of the particles. Experiments show the existence of three distinct stability regimes: regime 1, complete dewetting leading to droplet formation for nanoparticle concentration of 2% (w/w) or below; regime 2, partial dewetting leading to formation of arrested holes for NP concentrations in the range of 3-6%; and regime 3, complete inhibition of dewetting for NP concentrations of 7% and above. Major results are (a) length scale of instability, where lambdaH approximately hn remains unchanged with NP concentration in regime 1 (n approximately 2) but increases in regime 2 with a change in the scaling relation (n approximately 3-3.5); (b) dynamics of instability and dewetting becomes progressively sluggish with an increase in the NP concentration; (c) there are distinct regimes of dewetting velocity at low NP concentrations; (d) force modulation AFM, as well as micro-Raman analysis, shows phase separation and aggregation of the gold nanoparticles within each dewetted polymer droplet leading to the formation of a metal core-polymer shell morphology. The polymer shell could be removed by washing in a selective solvent, thus exposing an array of bare gold nanoparticle aggregates.

Carrier transport in flexible organic bistable devices of ZnO nanoparticles embedded in an insulating poly(methyl methacrylate) polymer layer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Son, Dong-Ick; Park, Dong-Hee; Choi, Won Kook; Cho, Sung-Hwan; Kim, Won-Tae; Kim, Tae Whan

2009-01-01

The bistable effects of ZnO nanoparticles embedded in an insulating poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) polymer single layer by using flexible polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrates were investigated. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images revealed that ZnO nanoparticles were formed inside the PMMA polymer layer. Current-voltage (I-V) measurement on the Al/ZnO nanoparticles embedded in an insulating PMMA polymer layer/ITO/PET structures at 300 K showed a nonvolatile electrical bistability behavior with a flat-band voltage shift due to the existence of the ZnO nanoparticles, indicative of trapping, storing, and emission of charges in the electronic states of the ZnO nanoparticles. The carrier transport mechanism of the bistable behavior for the fabricated organic bistable device (OBD) structures is described on the basis of the I-V results by analyzing the effect of space charge.

A micromotor based on polymer single crystals and nanoparticles: toward functional versatility

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Mei; Liu, Limei; Gao, Wenlong; Su, Miaoda; Ge, Ya; Shi, Lili; Zhang, Hui; Dong, Bin; Li, Christopher Y.

2014-07-01

We report a multifunctional micromotor fabricated by the self-assembly technique using multifunctional materials, i.e. polymer single crystals and nanoparticles, as basic building blocks. Not only can this micromotor achieve autonomous and directed movement, it also possesses unprecedented functions, including enzymatic degradation-induced micromotor disassembly, sustained release and molecular detection.We report a multifunctional micromotor fabricated by the self-assembly technique using multifunctional materials, i.e. polymer single crystals and nanoparticles, as basic building blocks. Not only can this micromotor achieve autonomous and directed movement, it also possesses unprecedented functions, including enzymatic degradation-induced micromotor disassembly, sustained release and molecular detection. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available: Experimental section, Fig. S1-S8 and Video S1-S4. See DOI: 10.1039/c4nr02593h

Turkevich method for silver/titanium dioxide nanoparticles with antimicrobial application in polymers systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Olyveira, Gabriel Molina de; Pessan, Luiz Antonio

2009-01-01

Titanium dioxide nanoparticles were covered with silver nanoparticles using Turkevich Method or citrate reduction method. Silver and titanium dioxide has proved antimicrobial properties then the nanocomposite can be successful incorporated in polymer systems. Silver nitrate was reduced by sodium citrate in the presence of poly(vinyl pyrrolidone)(PVP) resulting in nano-Ag/TiO 2 stabilized suspension. It was tested ammonia hydroxide in the synthesis to avoid the nanoparticles growth. The Ag/TiO 2 nanoparticles were characterized with X-ray diffraction (XRD), Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The best system of coloidal nanoparticles was that one with Poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) and ammonia in the synthesis. (author)

Surface chemistry of photoluminescent F8BT conjugated polymer nanoparticles determines protein corona formation and internalization by phagocytic cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Ahmad Khanbeigi, Raha; Abelha, Thais Fedatto; Woods, Arcadia; Rastoin, Olivia; Harvey, Richard D; Jones, Marie-Christine; Forbes, Ben; Green, Mark A; Collins, Helen; Dailey, Lea Ann

2015-03-09

Conjugated polymer nanoparticles are being developed for a variety of diagnostic and theranostic applications. The conjugated polymer, F8BT, a polyfluorene derivative, was used as a model system to examine the biological behavior of conjugated polymer nanoparticle formulations stabilized with ionic (sodium dodecyl sulfate; F8BT-SDS; ∼207 nm; -31 mV) and nonionic (pegylated 12-hydroxystearate; F8BT-PEG; ∼175 nm; -5 mV) surfactants, and compared with polystyrene nanoparticles of a similar size (PS200; ∼217 nm; -40 mV). F8BT nanoparticles were as hydrophobic as PS200 (hydrophobic interaction chromatography index value: 0.96) and showed evidence of protein corona formation after incubation with serum-containing medium; however, unlike polystyrene, F8BT nanoparticles did not enrich specific proteins onto the nanoparticle surface. J774A.1 macrophage cells internalized approximately ∼20% and ∼60% of the F8BT-SDS and PS200 delivered dose (calculated by the ISDD model) in serum-supplemented and serum-free conditions, respectively, while cell association of F8BT-PEG was minimal (<5% of the delivered dose). F8BT-PEG, however, was more cytotoxic (IC50 4.5 μg cm(-2)) than F8BT-SDS or PS200. The study results highlight that F8BT surface chemistry influences the composition of the protein corona, while the properties of the conjugated polymer nanoparticle surfactant stabilizer used determine particle internalization and biocompatibility profile.

Densely Packed, Ultra Small SnO Nanoparticles for Enhanced Activity and Selectivity in Electrochemical CO2 Reduction.

Science.gov (United States)

Gu, Jun; Héroguel, Florent; Luterbacher, Jeremy; Hu, Xile

2018-03-05

Controlling the selectivity in electrochemical CO 2 reduction is an unsolved challenge. While tin (Sn) has emerged as a promising non-precious catalyst for CO 2 electroreduction, most Sn-based catalysts produce formate as the major product, which is less desirable than CO in terms of separation and further use. Tin monoxide (SnO) nanoparticles supported on carbon black were synthesized and assembled and their application in CO 2 reduction was studied. Remarkably high selectivity and partial current densities for CO formation were obtained using these SnO nanoparticles compared to other Sn catalysts. The high activity is attributed to the ultra-small size of the nanoparticles (2.6 nm), while the high selectivity is attributed to a local pH effect arising from the dense packing of nanoparticles in the conductive carbon black matrix. © 2018 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Design of a multi-dopamine-modified polymer ligand optimally suited for interfacing magnetic nanoparticles with biological systems.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Wentao; Ji, Xin; Na, Hyon Bin; Safi, Malak; Smith, Alexandra; Palui, Goutam; Perez, J Manuel; Mattoussi, Hedi

2014-06-03

We have designed a set of multifunctional and multicoordinating polymer ligands that are optimally suited for surface functionalizing iron oxide and potentially other magnetic nanoparticles (NPs) and promoting their integration into biological systems. The amphiphilic polymers are prepared by coupling (via nucleophilic addition) several amine-terminated dopamine anchoring groups, poly(ethylene glycol) moieties, and reactive groups onto a poly(isobutylene-alt-maleic anhydride) (PIMA) chain. This design greatly benefits from the highly efficient and reagent-free one-step reaction of maleic anhydride groups with amine-containing molecules. The availability of several dopamine groups in the same ligand greatly enhances the ligand affinity, via multiple coordination, to the magnetic NPs, while the hydrophilic and reactive groups promote colloidal stability in buffer media and allow subsequent conjugation with target biomolecules. Iron oxide nanoparticles ligand exchanged with these polymer ligands have a compact hydrodynamic size and exhibit enhanced long-term colloidal stability over the pH range of 4-12 and in the presence of excess electrolytes. Nanoparticles ligated with terminally reactive polymers have been easily coupled to target dyes and tested in live cell imaging with no measurable cytotoxicity. Finally, the resulting hydrophilic nanoparticles exhibit large and size-dependent r2 relaxivity values.

Influence of Magnetite Nanoparticles on the Dielectric Properties of Metal Oxide/Polymer Nanocomposites Based on Polypropylene

Science.gov (United States)

Maharramov, A. A.; Ramazanov, M. A.; Di Palma, Luca; Shirinova, H. A.; Hajiyeva, F. V.

2018-01-01

Structure and dielectric properties of polymer nanocomposites based on isotactic polypropylene and iron oxide (Fe3O4) nanoparticles are studied. Distribution of magnetite nanoparticles in a polymer matrix was studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM, Carl Zeiss). Dielectric properties of nanocomposites were examined by means of E7-21 impedance spectrometer in the frequency range of 102-106 Hz and temperature interval of 298-433 K. The frequency and temperature dependences of the dielectric permittivity ɛ, as well as the temperature dependence of log (ρ) were constructed. It is shown that introduction of the magnetite (Fe3O4) nanoparticles into a polypropylene matrix increases the dielectric permittivity of nanocomposites. An increase in the dielectric permittivity is explained by the increase in the polarization ability of nanocomposites. It is found that a decrease in the specific resistance with increasing temperature up to 318 K is associated with an increase in the ionic conductivity of nanocomposites. An increase in the resistance at temperatures higher than 358 K is due to the destruction of the crystalline phase of the polymer, as a result of which the distance between the Fe3O4 nanoparticles increases.

Photoresponsive lipid-polymer hybrid nanoparticles for controlled doxorubicin release

Science.gov (United States)

Yao, Cuiping; Wu, Ming; Zhang, Cecheng; Lin, Xinyi; Wei, Zuwu; Zheng, Youshi; Zhang, Da; Zhang, Zhenxi; Liu, Xiaolong

2017-06-01

Currently, photoresponsive nanomaterials are particularly attractive due to their spatial and temporal controlled drug release abilities. In this work, we report a photoresponsive lipid-polymer hybrid nanoparticle for remote controlled delivery of anticancer drugs. This hybrid nanoparticle comprises three distinct functional components: (i) a poly(D,L-lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) core to encapsulate doxorubicin; (ii) a soybean lecithin monolayer at the interface of the core and shell to act as a molecular fence to prevent drug leakage; (iii) a photoresponsive polymeric shell with anti-biofouling properties to enhance nanoparticle stability, which could be detached from the nanoparticle to trigger the drug release via a decrease in the nanoparticle’s stability under light irradiation. In vitro results revealed that this core-shell nanoparticle had excellent light-controlled drug release behavior (76% release with light irradiation versus 10% release without light irradiation). The confocal microscopy and flow cytometry results also further demonstrated the light-controlled drug release behavior inside the cancer cells. Furthermore, a CCK8 assay demonstrated that light irradiation could significantly improve the efficiency of killing cancer cells. Meanwhile, whole-animal fluorescence imaging of a tumor-bearing mouse also confirmed that light irradiation could trigger drug release in vivo. Taken together, our data suggested that a hybrid nanoparticle could be a novel light controlled drug delivery system for cancer therapy.

Homogeneous dispersion of gadolinium oxide nanoparticles into a non-aqueous-based polymer by two surface treatments

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Samuel, Jorice, E-mail: jorice.samuel@gmail.com [AREVA T and D UK Ltd, AREVA T and D Research and Technology Centre (United Kingdom); Raccurt, Olivier [NanoChemistry and Nanosafety Laboratory (DRT/LITEN/DTNM/LCSN), CEA Grenoble, Department of NanoMaterials (France); Mancini, Cedric; Dujardin, Christophe; Amans, David; Ledoux, Gilles [Universite de Lyon, Laboratoire de Physico Chimie des Materiaux Luminescents (LPCML) (France); Poncelet, Olivier [NanoChemistry and Nanosafety Laboratory (DRT/LITEN/DTNM/LCSN), CEA Grenoble, Department of NanoMaterials (France); Tillement, Olivier [Universite de Lyon, Laboratoire de Physico Chimie des Materiaux Luminescents (LPCML) (France)

2011-06-15

Gadolinium oxide nanoparticles are more and more used. They can notably provide interesting fluorescence properties. Herein they are incorporated into a non-aqueous-based polymer, the poly(methyl methacrylate). Their dispersion within the polymer matrix is the key to improve the composite properties. As-received gadolinium oxide nanopowders cannot be homogeneously dispersed in such a polymer matrix. Two surface treatments are, therefore, detailed and compared to achieve a good stability of the nanoparticles in a non-aqueous solvent such as the 2-butanone. Then, once the liquid suspensions have been stabilized, they are used to prepare nanocomposites with homogeneous particles dispersion. The two approaches proposed are an hybrid approach based on the growth of a silica shell around the gadolinium oxide nanoparticles, and followed by a suitable silane functionalization; and a non-hybrid approach based on the use of surfactants. The surface treatments and formulations involved in both methods are detailed, adjusted and compared. Thanks to optical methods and in particular to the use of a 'home made' confocal microscope, the dispersion homogeneity within the polymer can be assessed. Both methods provide promising and conclusive results.

Surface grafting of a dense and rigid coordination polymer based on tri-para-carboxy-polychlorotriphenylmethyl radical and copper acetate

KAUST Repository

Mugnaini, Veró nica; Paradinas, Markos; Shekhah, Osama; Roques, Nans; Ocal, Carmen; Wö ll, Christof H.; Veciana, Jaume

2013-01-01

The step-by-step method is here presented as suitable to anchor on appropriately functionalized gold surfaces a metal-organic coordination polymer based on a non-planar trigonal tri-para-carboxy-polychlorotriphenylmethyl radical derivative and copper acetate. The structural characteristics of the grafted coordination polymer are derived during the step-wise growth from the real time changes in refractive index and oscillation frequency. The film thickness, as measured by scanning force microscopy, combined with the mass uptake value from the quartz crystal microbalance, are used to estimate an average density of the grafted metal-organic coordination polymer that suggests the formation of a dense and rather rigid thin film. This journal is © 2013 The Royal Society of Chemistry.

Growth of polymer nanoparticles in microemulsion polymerization initiated with γ ray

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xu Xiangling; Ge Xuewu; Ye Qiang; Zhang Zhicheng; Zuo Ju; Niu Aizhen; Zhang Manwei

1999-01-01

In microemulsion polymerization of styrene, butyl acrylate and methyl methacrylate initiated with gamma ray, growth of polymer nanoparticles was observed with photon correlation spectroscopy, and the conversion curve was recorded with a dilatometer. There is some similarity in the growth of polymer particles. The size of polymer particles rapidly increases up to their maximum at the early stage. With the increase of conversion, the large particles supply their monomer to newly formed particles and become smaller. In all these three microemulsion polymerizations, the evidence of continuous nucleation was observed. When monomer is styrene or butyl acrylate, a plateau of polymerization rate emerges. When monomer is methyl methacrylate, no plateau of polymerization is observed

Lipid-Polymer Nanoparticles for Folate-Receptor Targeting Delivery of Doxorubicin.

Science.gov (United States)

Zheng, Mingbin; Gong, Ping; Zheng, Cuifang; Zhao, Pengfei; Luo, Zhenyu; Ma, Yifan; Cai, Lintao

2015-07-01

A biocompatible PLGA-lipid hybrid nanoparticles (NPs) was developed for targeted delivery of anticancer drugs with doxorubicin (DOX). The hydrodynamic diameter and zeta potential of DOX-loaded PLGA-lipid NPs (DNPs) were affected by the mass ratio of Lipid/PLGA or DSPE-PEG-COOH/Lecithin. At the 1:20 drug/polymer mass ratio, the mean hydrodynamic diameter of DNPs was the lowest (99.2 1.83 nm) and the NPs presented the encapsulation efficiency of DOX with 42.69 1.30%. Due to the folate-receptor mediated endocytosis, the PLGA-lipid NPs with folic acid (FA) targeting ligand showed significant higher uptake by folate-receptor-positive MCF-7 cells as compared to PLGA-lipid NPs without folate. Confocal microscopic observation and flow cytometry analysis also supported the enhanced cellular uptake of the FA-targeted NPs. The results indicated that the FA-targeted DNPs exhibited higher cytotoxicity in MCF-7 cells compared with non-targeted NPs. The lipid-polymer nanoparticles provide a solution of biocompatible nanocarrier for cancer targeting therapy.

A comparison of the performance of molecularly imprinted polymer nanoparticles for small molecule targets and antibodies in the ELISA format

Science.gov (United States)

Smolinska-Kempisty, Katarzyna; Guerreiro, Antonio; Canfarotta, Francesco; Cáceres, César; Whitcombe, Michael J.; Piletsky, Sergey

2016-11-01

Here we show that molecularly imprinted polymer nanoparticles, prepared in aqueous media by solid phase synthesis with immobilised L-thyroxine, glucosamine, fumonisin B2 or biotin as template, can demonstrate comparable or better performance to commercially produced antibodies in enzyme-linked competitive assays. Imprinted nanoparticles-based assays showed detection limits in the pM range and polymer-coated microplates are stable to storage at room temperature for at least 1 month. No response to analyte was detected in control experiments with nanoparticles imprinted with an unrelated template (trypsin) but prepared with the same polymer composition. The ease of preparation, high affinity of solid-phase synthesised imprinted nanoparticles and the lack of requirement for cold chain logistics make them an attractive alternative to traditional antibodies for use in immunoassays.

Scanning transmission x-ray microscopy of polymer nanoparticles: probing morphology on sub-10 nm length scales

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Burke, Kerry B; Stapleton, Andrew J; Vaughan, Ben; Zhou Xiaojing; Belcher, Warwick J; Dastoor, Paul C [Centre for Organic Electronics, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308 (Australia); Kilcoyne, A L David, E-mail: Paul.Dastoor@newcastle.edu.au [Advanced Light Source, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720 (United States)

2011-07-01

Water-processable nanoparticle dispersions of semiconducting polymers offer an attractive approach to the fabrication of organic electronic devices since they offer: (1) control of nanoscale morphology and (2) environmentally friendly fabrication. Although the nature of phase segregation in these polymer nanoparticles is critical to device performance, to date there have been no techniques available to directly determine their intra-particle structure, which consequently has been poorly understood. Here, we present scanning transmission x-ray microscopy (STXM) compositional maps for nanoparticles fabricated from poly(9,9-dioctyl-fluorene-2,7-diyl-co-bis-N, N{sup '}-(4-butylphenyl)-bis-N, N{sup '}-phenyl-1,4-phenylenedi-amine) (PFB) and poly(9,9-dioctylfluorene-2,7-diyl-co-benzothiadiazole) (F8BT) 1:1 blend mixtures. The images show distinct phase segregation within the nanoparticles. The compositional data reveals that, within these nanoparticles, PFB and F8BT segregate into a core-shell morphology, with an F8BT-rich core and a PFB-rich shell. Structural modelling demonstrates that the STXM technique is capable of quantifying morphological features on a sub-10 nm length scale; below the spot size of the incident focused x-ray beam. These results have important implications for the development of water-based 'solar paints' fabricated from microemulsions of semiconducting polymers.

Cross Linking Polymers (PVA & PEG with TiO2 Nanoparticles for Humidity Sensing

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Monika Joshi

2009-11-01

Full Text Available Humidity Sensors of different types are being used for various applications. Resistive Humidity Sensor has advantage over others for being small, low cost, interchangeable and long term stable. This makes them suitable for industrial, commercial and residential applications. In the present investigation humidity sensing behavior of various composite films made of Polyvinyl Alcohol (PVA, Polyethylene glycol (PEG, alkalies and oxide nanoparticles has been studied. It was found that relationship of resistance v/s relative humidity (RH was linear from 40 RH to 60 RH for a composite film made of PVA + PEG+ alkalies .The film can work with reliable efficiency for more than 100 days for the above range of humidity at room temperature. In order to improve the efficiency of composite polymer film TiO2 nanoparticles were added in the film and studied for resistance vs. RH responses. It was found that humidity range expands from 30 RH to 65 RH indicating the proportional decrease in resistance with increase in humidity at both ends as a result of the presence of TiO2 nanoparticles. The composite film with TiO2 nanoparticles can thus be used for wider range of humidity with reasonable stability and consistency. The observed behavior of the film has been attributed to the transportation of charge through TiO2 nanoparticles enhancing the conduction with the cross linked polymers.

Electrospun Polymer Nanofibers Decorated with Noble Metal Nanoparticles for Chemical Sensing.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Chen; Tang, Yongan; Vlahovic, Branislav; Yan, Fei

2017-12-01

The integration of different noble metal nanostructures, which exhibit desirable plasmonic and/or electrocatalytic properties, with electrospun polymer nanofibers, which display unique mechanical and thermodynamic properties, yields novel hybrid nanoscale systems of synergistic properties and functions. This review summarizes recent advances on how to incorporate noble metal nanoparticles into electrospun polymer nanofibers and illustrates how such integration paves the way towards chemical sensing applications with improved sensitivity, stability, flexibility, compatibility, and selectivity. It is expected that further development of this field will eventually make a wide impact on many areas of research.

Nonvolatile flexible organic bistable devices fabricated utilizing CdSe/ZnS nanoparticles embedded in a conducting poly N-vinylcarbazole polymer layer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Son, Dong-Ick; Kim, Ji-Hwan; Park, Dong-Hee; Choi, Won Kook; Li, Fushan; Ham, Jung Hun; Kim, Tae Whan

2008-01-01

The bistable effects of CdSe/ZnS nanoparticles embedded in a conducting poly N-vinylcarbazole (PVK) polymer layer by using flexible poly-vinylidene difluoride (PVDF) and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrates were investigated. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images revealed that CdSe/ZnS nanoparticles were formed inside the PVK polymer layer. Current-voltage (I-V) measurement on the Al/[CdSe/ZnS nanoparticles+ PVK]/ITO/PVDF and Al/[CdSe/ZnS nanoparticles+ PVK ]/ITO/PET structures at 300 K showed a nonvolatile electrical bistability behavior with a flat-band voltage shift due to the existence of the CdSe/ZnS nanoparticles, indicative of trapping, storing and emission of charges in the electronic states of the CdSe nanoparticles. A bistable behavior for the fabricated organic bistable device (OBD) structures is described on the basis of the I-V results. These results indicate that OBDs fabricated by embedding inorganic CdSe/ZnS nanoparticles in a conducting polymer matrix on flexible substrates are prospects for potential applications in flexible nonvolatile flash memory devices

Schottky diodes between Bi2S3 nanorods and metal nanoparticles in a polymer matrix as hybrid bulk-heterojunction solar cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Saha, Sudip K.; Pal, Amlan J.

2015-01-01

We report the use of metal-semiconductor Schottky junctions in a conjugated polymer matrix as solar cells. The Schottky diodes, which were formed between Bi 2 S 3 nanorods and gold nanoparticles, efficiently dissociated photogenerated excitons. The bulk-heterojunction (BHJ) devices based on such metal-semiconductor Schottky diodes in a polymer matrix therefore acted as an efficient solar cell as compared to the devices based on only the semiconductor nanorods in the polymer matrix or when gold nanoparticles were added separately to the BHJs. In the latter device, gold nanoparticles offered plasmonic enhancement due to an increased cross-section of optical absorption. We report growth and characteristics of the Schottky junctions formed through an intimate contact between Bi 2 S 3 nanorods and gold nanoparticles. We also report fabrication and characterization of BHJ solar cells based on such heterojunctions. We highlight the benefit of using metal-semiconductor Schottky diodes over only inorganic semiconductor nanorods or quantum dots in a polymer matrix in forming hybrid BHJ solar cells

Boronic Acid functionalized core-shell polymer nanoparticles prepared by distillation precipitation polymerization for glycopeptide enrichment.

Science.gov (United States)

Qu, Yanyan; Liu, Jianxi; Yang, Kaiguang; Liang, Zhen; Zhang, Lihua; Zhang, Yukui

2012-07-16

The boronic acid-functionalized core-shell polymer nanoparticles, poly(N,N-methylenebisacrylamide-co-methacrylic acid)@4-vinylphenylboronic acid (poly(MBA-co-MAA)@VPBA), were successfully synthesized for enriching glycosylated peptides. Such nanoparticles were composed of a hydrophilic polymer core prepared by distillation precipitation polymerization (DPP) and a boronic acid-functionalized shell designed for capturing glycopeptides. Owing to the relatively large amount of residual vinyl groups introduced by DPP on the core surface, the VPBA monomer was coated with high efficiency, working as the shell. Moreover, the overall polymerization route, especially the use of DPP, made the synthesis of nanoparticles facile and time-saving. With the poly(MBA-co-MAA)@VPBA nanoparticles, 18 glycopeptides from horseradish peroxidase (HRP) digest were captured and identified by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometric analysis, relative to eight glycopeptides enriched by using commercially available meta-aminophenylboronic acid agarose under the same conditions. When the concentration of the HRP digest was decreased to as low as 5 nmol, glycopeptides could still be selectively isolated by the prepared nanoparticles. Our results demonstrated that the synthetic poly(MBA-co-MAA)@VPBA nanoparticles might be a promising selective enrichment material for glycoproteome analysis. Copyright © 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Effect of silver nanoparticles on photo-induced reorientation of azo groups in polymer films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhou Jingli; Yang Jianjun; Sun Youyi; Zhang Douguo; Shen Jing; Zhang Qijin; Wang Keyi

2007-01-01

A series of polymer films containing azo groups and silver nanoparticles were prepared. Photo-induced reorientation of the film was conducted under irradiation of polarized light with wavelength at 365 nm, 442 nm and 532 nm, respectively. The influence of the concentration of dopant silver on the reorientation of the azo groups was studied. An enhancement of about 50% for the reorientation rate and about 70% for the reorientation amplitude was achieved. From a comparison of the enhancement obtained by irradiating with three different light sources, it was realized that the mechanism for enhancement of reorientation of azo groups is due to plasmon resonance of silver nanoparticles doped in the polymer films

Exploration of a Doxorubicin-Polymer Conjugate in Lipid-Polymer Hybrid Nanoparticle Drug Delivery

Science.gov (United States)

Lough, Emily

Nanoparticle (NP) drug delivery is a major focus in the research community because of its potential to use existing drugs in safer and more effective ways. Chemotherapy encapsulation in NPs shields the drug from the rest of the body while it is within the NP, with less systemic exposure leading to fewer off-target effects of the drug. However, passive loading of drugs into NPs is a suboptimal method, often leading to burst release upon administration. This work explores the impact of incorporating the drug-polymer conjugate doxorubicin-poly (lactic-co-glycolic) acid (Dox-PLGA) into a lipid-polymer hybrid nanoparticle (LPN). The primary difference in using a drug-polymer conjugate for NP drug delivery is the drug's release kinetics. Dox-PLGA LPNs showed a more sustained and prolonged release profile over 28 days compared to LPNs with passively loaded, unconjugated doxorubicin. This sustained release translates to cytotoxicity; when systemic circulation was simulated using dialysis, Dox-PLGA LPNs retained their cytotoxicity at a higher level than the passively loaded LPNs. The in vivo implication of preserving cytotoxic potency through a slower release profile is that the majority of Dox delivered via Dox-PLGA LPNs will be kept within the LPN until it reaches the tumor. This will result in fewer systemic side effects and more effective treatments given the higher drug concentration at the tumor site. An intriguing clinical application of this drug delivery approach lies in using Dox-PLGA LPNs to cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB). The incorporation of Dox-PLGA is hypothesized to have a protective effect on the BBB as its slow release profile will prevent drug from harming the BBB. Using induced pluripotent stem cells differentiated to human brain microvascular endothelial cells that comprise the BBB, the Dox-PLGA LPNs were shown to be less destructive to the BBB than their passively loaded counterparts. Dox-PLGA LPNs showed superior cytotoxicity against plated tumor

Polymer-encapsulated metal nanoparticles: optical, structural, micro-analytical and hydrogenation studies of a composite material

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Scalzullo, Stefania; Mondal, Kartick; Deshmukh, Amit; Scurrell, Mike; Mallick, Kaushik; Witcomb, Mike

2008-01-01

A single-step synthesis route is described for the preparation of a metal-polymer composite in which palladium acetate and meta-amino benzoic acid were used as the precursors for palladium nanoparticles and poly(meta-amino benzoic acid) (PABA). The palladium nanoparticles were found to be uniformly dispersed and highly stabilized throughout the macromolecule matrix. The resultant composite material was characterized by means of different techniques, such as IR and Raman spectroscopy, which provided information regarding the chemical structure of the polymer, whereas electron microscopy images yielded information regarding the morphology of the composite material and the distribution of the metal particles in the composite material. The composite material was used as a catalyst for the ethylene hydrogenation reaction and showed catalytic activity at higher temperatures. TEM studies confirmed the changed environment of the nanoparticles at these temperatures

Formation of nanoparticles by cooperative inclusion between (S-camptothecin-modified dextrans and β-cyclodextrin polymers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Thorbjørn Terndrup Nielsen

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Novel (S-camptothecin–dextran polymers were obtained by “click” grafting of azide-modified (S-camptothecin and alkyne-modified dextrans. Two series based on 10 kDa and 70 kDa dextrans were prepared with a degree of substitution of (S-camptothecin between 3.1 and 10.2%. The binding properties with β-cyclodextrin and β-cyclodextrin polymers were measured by isothermal titration calorimetry and fluorescence spectroscopy, showing no binding with β-cyclodextrin but high binding with β-cyclodextrin polymers. In aqueous solution nanoparticles were formed from association between the (S-camptothecin–dextran polymers and the β-cyclodextrin polymers.

Optical and diffractive properties of polymer: nanoparticles periodic structures obtained by holographic method

Science.gov (United States)

Smirnova, T. N.; Sakhno, O. V.; Goldberg, L.; Stumpe, J.

2007-06-01

The ordering of nanoparticles in polymer matrix using holographic photopolymerization is investigated. The general approach to the selection of the photopolymerizable compounds is proposed. The nonlinear and luminescent properties of obtained gratings are studied.

Motion of Adsorbed Nano-Particles on Azobenzene Containing Polymer Films

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sarah Loebner

2016-12-01

Full Text Available We demonstrate in situ recorded motion of nano-objects adsorbed on a photosensitive polymer film. The motion is induced by a mass transport of the underlying photoresponsive polymer material occurring during irradiation with interference pattern. The polymer film contains azobenzene molecules that undergo reversible photoisomerization reaction from trans- to cis-conformation. Through a multi-scale chain of physico-chemical processes, this finally results in the macro-deformations of the film due to the changing elastic properties of polymer. The topographical deformation of the polymer surface is sensitive to a local distribution of the electrical field vector that allows for the generation of dynamic changes in the surface topography during irradiation with different light interference patterns. Polymer film deformation together with the motion of the adsorbed nano-particles are recorded using a homemade set-up combining an optical part for the generation of interference patterns and an atomic force microscope for acquiring the surface deformation. The particles undergo either translational or rotational motion. The direction of particle motion is towards the topography minima and opposite to the mass transport within the polymer film. The ability to relocate particles by photo-induced dynamic topography fluctuation offers a way for a non-contact simultaneous manipulation of a large number of adsorbed particles just in air at ambient conditions.

Synthesis of Silica Nanoparticles by Sol-Gel: Size-Dependent Properties, Surface Modification, and Applications in Silica-Polymer Nano composites-A Review

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ismail, A.R.; Vejayakumaran, P.

2012-01-01

Application of silica nanoparticles as fillers in the preparation of nano composite of polymers has drawn much attention, due to the increased demand for new materials with improved thermal, mechanical, physical, and chemical properties. Recent developments in the synthesis of monodispersed, narrow-size distribution of nanoparticles by sol-gel method provide significant boost to development of silica-polymer nano composites. This paper is written by emphasizing on the synthesis of silica nanoparticles, characterization on size-dependent properties, and surface modification for the preparation of homogeneous nano composites, generally by sol-gel technique. The effect of nano silica on the properties of various types of silica-polymer composites is also summarized.

Emerging synthetic strategies for core cross-linked star (CCS) polymers and applications as interfacial stabilizers: bridging linear polymers and nanoparticles.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Qijing; Cao, Xueteng; Xu, Yuanyuan; An, Zesheng

2013-10-01

Core cross-linked star (CCS) polymers become increasingly important in polymer science and are evaluated in many value-added applications. However, limitations exist to varied degrees for different synthetic methods. It is clear that improvement in synthetic efficiency is fundamental in driving this field moving even further. Here, the most recent advances are highlighted in synthetic strategies, including cross-linking with cross-linkers of low solubility, polymerization-induced self-assembly in aqueous-based heterogeneous media, and cross-linking via dynamic covalent bonds. The understanding of CCS polymers is also further refined to advocate their role as an intermediate between linear polymers and polymeric nanoparticles, and their use as interfacial stabilizers is rationalized within this context. © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

POLYMER COMPOSITE FILMS WITH SIZE-SELECTED METAL NANOPARTICLES FABRICATED BY CLUSTER BEAM TECHNIQUE

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ceynowa, F. A.; Chirumamilla, Manohar; Popok, Vladimir

2017-01-01

Formation of polymer films with size-selected silver and copper nanoparticles (NPs) is studied. Polymers are prepared by spin coating while NPs are fabricated and deposited utilizing a magnetron sputtering cluster apparatus. The particle embedding into the films is provided by thermal annealing...... after the deposition. The degree of immersion can be controlled by the annealing temperature and time. Together with control of cluster coverage the described approach represents an efficient method for the synthesis of thin polymer composite layers with either partially or fully embedded metal NPs....... Combining electron beam lithography, cluster beam deposition and thermal annealing allows to form ordered arrays of metal NPs on polymer films. Plasticity and flexibility of polymer host and specific properties added by coinage metal NPs open a way for different applications of such composite materials...

Different toxicity mechanisms between bare and polymer-coated copper oxide nanoparticles in Lemna gibba

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Perreault, François; Popovic, Radovan; Dewez, David

2014-01-01

In this report, we investigated how the presence of a polymer shell (poly(styrene-co-butyl acrylate) alters the toxicity of CuO NPs in Lemna gibba. Based on total Cu concentration, core–shell CuO NPs were 10 times more toxic than CuO NPs, inducing a 50% decrease of growth rate at 0.4 g l −1 after 48-h of exposure while a concentration of 4.5 g l −1 was required for CuO NPs for a similar effect. Toxicity of CuO NPs was mainly due to NPs solubilization in the media. Based on the accumulated copper content in the plants, core–shell CuO NPs induced 4 times more reactive oxygen species compared to CuO NPs and copper sulfate, indicating that the presence of the polymer shell changed the toxic effect induced in L. gibba. This effect could not be attributed to the polymer alone and reveals that surface modification may change the nature of NPs toxicity. -- Highlights: • Bare and polymer-coated CuO nanoparticles were toxic to Lemna gibba. • Toxicity of bare CuO was mainly due to solubilized soluble copper. • Coated CuO accumulated inside the plants four times more. • Formation of reactive oxygen species was increased by polymer coating. • Coating of nanomaterials modifies mechanisms of action at cellular level. -- Polymer coating increases oxidative stress effect by core–shell CuO nanoparticles

Functionalization of alkyne-terminated thermally hydrocarbonized porous silicon nanoparticles with targeting peptides and antifouling polymers: effect on the human plasma protein adsorption.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Chang-Fang; Mäkilä, Ermei M; Bonduelle, Colin; Rytkönen, Jussi; Raula, Janne; Almeida, Sérgio; Närvänen, Ale; Salonen, Jarno J; Lecommandoux, Sebastien; Hirvonen, Jouni T; Santos, Hélder A

2015-01-28

Porous silicon (PSi) nanomaterials combine a high drug loading capacity and tunable surface chemistry with various surface modifications to meet the requirements for biomedical applications. In this work, alkyne-terminated thermally hydrocarbonized porous silicon (THCPSi) nanoparticles were fabricated and postmodified using five bioactive molecules (targeting peptides and antifouling polymers) via a single-step click chemistry to modulate the bioactivity of the THCPSi nanoparticles, such as enhancing the cellular uptake and reducing the plasma protein association. The size of the nanoparticles after modification was increased from 176 to 180-220 nm. Dextran 40 kDa modified THCPSi nanoparticles showed the highest stability in aqueous buffer. Both peptide- and polymer-functionalized THCPSi nanoparticles showed an extensive cellular uptake which was dependent on the functionalized moieties presented on the surface of the nanoparticles. The plasma protein adsorption study showed that the surface modification with different peptides or polymers induced different protein association profiles. Dextran 40 kDa functionalized THCPSi nanoparticles presented the least protein association. Overall, these results demonstrate that the "click" conjugation of the biomolecules onto the alkyne-terminated THCPSi nanoparticles is a versatile and simple approach to modulate the surface chemistry, which has high potential for biomedical applications.

Polymer nanocomposites: polymer and particle dynamics

KAUST Repository

Kim, Daniel; Srivastava, Samanvaya; Narayanan, Suresh; Archer, Lynden A.

2012-01-01

Polymer nanocomposites containing nanoparticles smaller than the random coil size of their host polymer chains are known to exhibit unique properties, such as lower viscosity and glass transition temperature relative to the neat polymer melt. It has

Optimisation of the synthesis of vancomycin-selective molecularly imprinted polymer nanoparticles using automatic photoreactor

OpenAIRE

Muzyka, Kateryna; Karim, Khalku; Guerreiro, Antonio; Poma, Alessandro; Piletsky, Sergey

2014-01-01

A novel optimized protocol for solid-state synthesis of molecularly imprinted polymer nanoparticles (nanoMIPs) with specificity for antibiotic vancomycin is described. The experimental objective was optimization of the synthesis parameters (factors) affecting the yield of obtained nanoparticles which have been synthesized using the first prototype of an automated solid-phase synthesizer. Applications of experimental design (or design of experiments) in optimization of nanoMIP yield were carri...

The Art and Science of Polymer Brushes: Recent Developments in Patterning and Characterization Approaches.

Science.gov (United States)

Panzarasa, Guido

2017-06-28

Polymer brushes are dense arrays of macromolecular chains tethered by one end at a surface. They are at the cutting edge of polymer nanotechnology since the dawn of controlled surface-initiated polymerization techniques unlocked new prospects for the synthesis of polymer brushes with tailorable properties. More recently, thanks to the growing interest in the use of brushes for the generation of functional surfaces, the need for advanced patterning and characterization approaches rapidly increased. Meeting these needs requires the contribution of experts from different disciplines: polymer chemistry, surface science, electrochemistry and particle physics. The focus of this review is to highlight recent developments in the field of polymer brushes, specifically the application of photocatalytic lithography as a versatile patterning strategy, the study of grafted-from polymer brushes by electrochemical methods and, most importantly, the introduction of positron annihilation spectroscopy as a powerful technique for the investigation of the structure of polymer brushes and of their composites with nanoparticles.

Polymer coated nanogold for tracing mobility of engineered nanoparticles in subsurface water

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Uthuppu, Basil; Fjordbøge, Annika Sidelmann; Fischer, Søren Vang

2014-01-01

Gold nanoparticles coated with amphiphilic block co-polymer PVP-VA are found to be extremely mobile in sand columns in laboratory based experiments. The ultra-stability obtained by such surface modification is also shown by diluting down to a concentration of 62.5 ppb in groundwater having other ...

The effect of polymer coatings on proton transverse relaxivities of aqueous suspensions of magnetic nanoparticles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Carroll, Matthew R J; House, Michael J; Woodward, Robert C; St Pierre, Timothy G; Huffstetler, Phillip P; Miles, William C; Goff, Jonathon D; Davis, Richey M; Riffle, Judy S

2011-01-01

Iron oxide magnetic nanoparticles are good candidates for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agents due to their high magnetic susceptibilities. Here we investigate 19 polyether-coated magnetite nanoparticle systems comprising three series. All systems were synthesized from the same batch of magnetite nanoparticles. A different polyether was used for each series. Each series comprised systems with systematically varied polyether loadings per particle. A highly significant (p < 0.0001) linear correlation (r = 0.956) was found between the proton relaxivity and the intensity-weighted average diameter measured by dynamic light scattering in the 19 particle systems studied. The intensity-weighted average diameter measured by dynamic light scattering is sensitive to small number fractions of larger particles/aggregates. We conclude that the primary effect leading to differences in proton relaxivity between systems arises from the small degree of aggregation within the samples, which appears to be determined by the nature of the polymer and, for one system, the degree of polymer loading of the particles. For the polyether coatings used in this study, any changes in relaxivity from differences in water exclusion or diffusion rates caused by the polymer are minor in comparison with the changes in relaxivity resulting from variations in the degree of aggregation.

The effect of polymer coatings on proton transverse relaxivities of aqueous suspensions of magnetic nanoparticles

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Carroll, Matthew R J; House, Michael J; Woodward, Robert C; St Pierre, Timothy G [School of Physics, University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Hwy, Crawley, WA 6009 (Australia); Huffstetler, Phillip P; Miles, William C; Goff, Jonathon D; Davis, Richey M; Riffle, Judy S, E-mail: stpierre@physics.uwa.edu.au [Macromolecules and Interfaces Institute, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA 24061 (United States)

2011-08-12

Iron oxide magnetic nanoparticles are good candidates for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agents due to their high magnetic susceptibilities. Here we investigate 19 polyether-coated magnetite nanoparticle systems comprising three series. All systems were synthesized from the same batch of magnetite nanoparticles. A different polyether was used for each series. Each series comprised systems with systematically varied polyether loadings per particle. A highly significant (p < 0.0001) linear correlation (r = 0.956) was found between the proton relaxivity and the intensity-weighted average diameter measured by dynamic light scattering in the 19 particle systems studied. The intensity-weighted average diameter measured by dynamic light scattering is sensitive to small number fractions of larger particles/aggregates. We conclude that the primary effect leading to differences in proton relaxivity between systems arises from the small degree of aggregation within the samples, which appears to be determined by the nature of the polymer and, for one system, the degree of polymer loading of the particles. For the polyether coatings used in this study, any changes in relaxivity from differences in water exclusion or diffusion rates caused by the polymer are minor in comparison with the changes in relaxivity resulting from variations in the degree of aggregation.

Gold nanoparticles applications in natural polymer modified for UV protection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Silva, Iris O. da; Ladchumananandasivam, Rasiah; Nascimento, Jose H. O. do; Silva, Francisco C. da; Sa, Christiane S. de A.

2015-01-01

The protein-based polymers such as milk, such as polylactic acid (PLA) and soya can be cited as examples of substrates used in various fields of engineering, mainly due to its character of biodegradability, generating low environmental impact when compared to chemical polymers to petroleum-based, which take years to decompose in nature. Among these, soy fiber has great application potential because it is a manufactured material base of a residue obtained from the existing folder in the soybean seeds after oil extraction, using resins and chemicals for structural modification. In this work, soy mesh was used to develop a material with ultraviolet protection properties, through the use of nanotechnology. Thus, to connect the gold nanoparticles (NPAu), the fabric had a surface charge modified with the use of chitosan, using 20% of the weight of the material, followed by nanomaterials exhaust process. The NPAu were synthesized via chemical synthesis with sodium nitrate as reducing and stabilizing agent. The analysis of the solution samples were evaluated by absorbance spectroscopy and solid materials through diffuse reflectance spectroscopy and XRD X-ray diffraction. The size of NPAu was evaluated in equipment Zetasizer nanoseries / nanoZ, finding nanoparticles with an average size of 34.59 nm, and also underlined plasmon resonance phenomenon, with peaks between 530 nm and red coloration, and good results from the soundness washes, compared to conventional dyeing. It was found that soy polymer treated with NPAu presented an excellent property with ultraviolet protection factor (UPF) of +50, considered excellent, proving its potential application in the biomedical field. (author)

Particle localization and hyperuniformity of polymer-grafted nanoparticle materials

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chremos, Alexandros [Materials Science and Engineering Division, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD (United States); Douglas, Jack F.

2017-05-15

The properties of materials largely reflect the degree and character of the localization of the molecules comprising them so that the study and characterization of particle localization has central significance in both fundamental science and material design. Soft materials are often comprised of deformable molecules and many of their unique properties derive from the distinct nature of particle localization. We study localization in a model material composed of soft particles, hard nanoparticles with grafted layers of polymers, where the molecular characteristics of the grafted layers allow us to ''tune'' the softness of their interactions. Soft particles are particular interesting because spatial localization can occur such that density fluctuations on large length scales are suppressed, while the material is disordered at intermediate length scales; such materials are called ''disordered hyperuniform''. We use molecular dynamics simulation to study a liquid composed of polymer-grafted nanoparticles (GNP), which exhibit a reversible self-assembly into dynamic polymeric GNP structures below a temperature threshold, suggesting a liquid-gel transition. We calculate a number of spatial and temporal correlations and we find a significant suppression of density fluctuations upon cooling at large length scales, making these materials promising for the practical fabrication of ''hyperuniform'' materials. (copyright 2017 by WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

Polymer brushes on nanoparticles: their positioning in and influence on block copolymer morphology.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Bumjoon

2007-03-01

Polymers brushes grafted to the nanoparticle surface enable the precise positioning of particles within a block copolymer matrix by determining the compatibility of nanoparticles within a polymeric matrix and modifying the interfacial properties between polymers and inorganic nanoparticle. Short thiol terminated polystyrene (PS-SH), poly(2-vinylpyridine) (P2VP-SH) and PS-r-P2VP with the molecular weight (Mn) of 3 kg/mol were used to control the location of Au nanoparticles over PS-b-P2VP diblock copolymer template. We will discuss further the approach of varying the areal chain density (σ) of PS-SH brushes on the PS coated particles, which utilizes the preferential wetting of one block of a copolymer (P2VP) on the Au substrate. Such favorable interaction provides the strong binding of Au particles to the PS/P2VP interface as σ of PS chains on the Au particle decreases. We find that at σ above a certain value, the nanoparticles are segregated to the center of the PS domains while below this value they are segregated to the interface. The transition σ for PS-SH chains (Mn = 3.4 kg/mol) is 1.3 chains/nm^2 but unexpectedly scales as Mn-0.55 as Mn is varied from 1.5 to 13 kg/mol. In addition, we will discuss changes in block copolymer morphology that occur as the nanoparticle volume fraction (φ) is increased for nanoparticles that segregate to the domain center as well as those that segregate to the interface, the latter behaving as nanoparticle surfactants. Small φ of such surfactants added to lamellar diblock copolymers lead initially to a decrease in lamellar thickness, a consequence of decreasing interfacial tension, up to a critical value of φ beyond which the block copolymer adopts a bicontinuous morphology. I thank my collaborators G. H. Fredrickson, J. Bang, C. J. Hawker, and E. J. Kramer as well as funding by the MRL as UCSB from the NSF-MRSEC-Program Award DMR05-20418.

Colloidal synthesis of BaF2 nanoparticles and their application as fillers in polymer nanocomposites

Science.gov (United States)

Sathyamurthy, Srivatsan; Tuncer, Enis; More, Karren L.; Gu, Baohua; Sauers, Isidor; Paranthaman, M. Parans

2012-03-01

Nanoparticles of pure and Eu-doped BaF2 have been prepared through sol-gel colloidal synthesis. In addition, BaF2-filled PMMA polymer nanocomposites were fabricated and dielectric properties were measured. The as-synthesized pure and Eu-doped BaF2 nanoparticles were analyzed by both X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy and consisted of crystalline BaF2 particles with an average diameter of 13.6 nm with a standard deviation of about ±2.4 nm. The photoluminescence properties of the pure and Eu-doped (2%, 4% and 8%) nanoparticles showed characteristic emission of Eu3+ (5D0→7F J ( J=1-4) transitions). We also measured significantly enhanced dielectric breakdown strength of up to 30% for BaF2 nanocomposites over the unfilled PMMA polymer. This study thus offers some promise of sol-gel synthesis of nanocomposite dielectrics with great potential for use as electrical insulation materials in cryogenic high-voltage applications.

Colloidal synthesis of BaF2 nanoparticles and their application as fillers in polymer nanocomposites

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sathyamurthy, Srivatsan [ORNL; Tuncer, Enis [ORNL; More, Karren Leslie [ORNL; Gu, Baohua [ORNL; Sauers, Isidor [ORNL; Paranthaman, Mariappan Parans [ORNL

2012-01-01

Nanoparticles of pure and Eu-doped BaF2 have been prepared through sol-gel colloidal synthesis. In addition, BaF2 filled PMMA polymer nanocomposites were fabricated and dielectric properties were measured. The as-synthesized pure and Eu-doped BaF2 nanoparticles were analyzed by both X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy and consisted of crystalline BaF2 particles with an average diameter of 13.6 nm with a standard deviation of about 2.4 nm. The photoluminescence properties of the pure and Eu-doped (2%, 4% and 8%) nanoparticles showed characteristic emission of Eu3+ (5D0 7FJ (J=1-4) transitions). We also measured significantly enhanced dielectric breakdown strength of up to 30% for BaF2 nanocomposites over the unfilled PMMA polymer. This study thus offers some promise of sol-gel synthesis of nanocomposite dielectrics with great potential for use as electrical insulation materials in cryogenic high voltage applications.

Roles of ethylene glycol solvent and polymers in preparing uniformly distributed MgO nanoparticles

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chunxi Hai

2017-06-01

Full Text Available This study focus on specifying the roles of solvent ethylene glycol (EG and polymers for synthesis of uniformly distributed magnesium oxide (MgO nanoparticles with average crystallite size of around 50 nm through a modified polyol method. Based on different characterization results, it was concluded that, Mg2+ ions was precipitated by the −OH and CO32− ions decomposed from urea in ethylene glycol (EG medium (CO(NH22 → NH3 + HNCO, HNCO + H2O → NH3 + CO2, thus forming well crystallized Mg5(CO34(OH2 (H2O4 precursor which could be converted to MgO by calcination. Surface protectors PEG and PVP have no obvious influences on cyrtsal structure, morphology and size uniformity of as-prepared precursors and target MgO nanoparticles. In comparison with polymers PEG and PVP, solvent EG plays an important role in controlling the morphology and diameter uniformity of MgO nanoparticles.

Structure and transport properties of polymer grafted nanoparticles

KAUST Repository

Goyal, Sushmit; Escobedo, Fernando A.

2011-01-01

We perform molecular dynamics simulations on a bead-spring model of pure polymer grafted nanoparticles (PGNs) and of a blend of PGNs with a polymer melt to investigate the correlation between PGN design parameters (such as particle core concentration, polymer grafting density, and polymer length) and properties, such as microstructure, particle mobility, and viscous response. Constant strain-rate simulations were carried out to calculate viscosities and a constant-stress ensemble was used to calculate yield stresses. The PGN systems are found to have less structural order, lower viscosity, and faster diffusivity with increasing length of the grafted chains for a given core concentration or grafting density. Decreasing grafting density causes depletion effects associated with the chains leading to close contacts between some particle cores. All systems were found to shear thin, with the pure PGN systems shear thinning more than the blend; also, the pure systems exhibited a clear yielding behavior that was absent in the blend. Regarding the mechanism of shear thinning at the high shear rates examined, it was found that the shear-induced decrease of Brownian stresses and increase in chain alignment, both correlate with the reduction of viscosity in the system with the latter being more dominant. A coupling between Brownian stresses and chain alignment was also observed wherein the non-equilibrium particle distribution itself promotes chain alignment in the direction of shear. © 2011 American Institute of Physics.

Gold nanoparticle-polymer nanocomposites synthesized by room temperature atmospheric pressure plasma and their potential for fuel cell electrocatalytic application

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Ri-Chao; Sun, Dan; Zhang, Ruirui; Lin, Wen-Feng; Macias-Montero, Manuel; Patel, Jenish; Askari, Sadegh; McDonald, Calum; Mariotti, Davide; Maguire, Paul

2017-04-01

Conductive polymers have been increasingly used as fuel cell catalyst support due to their electrical conductivity, large surface areas and stability. The incorporation of metal nanoparticles into a polymer matrix can effectively increase the specific surface area of these materials and hence improve the catalytic efficiency. In this work, a nanoparticle loaded conductive polymer nanocomposite was obtained by a one-step synthesis approach based on room temperature direct current plasma-liquid interaction. Gold nanoparticles were directly synthesized from HAuCl4 precursor in poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) polystyrene sulfonate (PEDOT:PSS). The resulting AuNPs/PEDOT:PSS nanocomposites were subsequently characterized under a practical alkaline direct ethanol fuel cell operation condition for its potential application as an electrocatalyst. Results show that AuNPs sizes within the PEDOT:PSS matrix are dependent on the plasma treatment time and precursor concentration, which in turn affect the nanocomposites electrical conductivity and their catalytic performance. Under certain synthesis conditions, unique nanoscale AuNPs/PEDOT:PSS core-shell structures could also be produced, indicating the interaction at the AuNPs/polymer interface. The enhanced catalytic activity shown by AuNPs/PEDOT:PSS has been attributed to the effective electron transfer and reactive species diffusion through the porous polymer network, as well as the synergistic interfacial interaction at the metal/polymer and metal/metal interfaces.

Metal Oxide Nanoparticles in Electrospun Polymers and Their Fate in Aqueous Waste Streams

Science.gov (United States)

Hoogesteijn von Reitzenstein, Natalia

Nanotechnology is becoming increasingly present in our environment. Engineered nanoparticles (ENPs), defined as objects that measure less than 100 nanometers in at least one dimension, are being integrated into commercial products because of their small size, increased surface area, and quantum effects. These special properties have made ENPs antimicrobial agents in clothing and plastics, among other applications in industries such as pharmaceuticals, renewable energy, and prosthetics. This thesis incorporates investigations into both application of nanoparticles into polymers as well as implications of nanoparticle release into the environment. First, the integration of ENPs into polymer fibers via electrospinning was explored. Electrospinning uses an external electric field applied to a polymer solution to produce continuous fibers with large surface area and small volume, a quality which makes the fibers ideal for water and air purification purposes. Indium oxide and titanium dioxide nanoparticles were embedded in polyvinylpyrrolidone and polystyrene. Viscosity, critical voltage, and diameter of electrospun fibers were analyzed in order to determine the effects of nanoparticle integration into the polymers. Critical voltage and viscosity of solution increased at 5 wt% ENP concentration. Fiber morphology was not found to change significantly as a direct effect of ENP addition, but as an effect of increased viscosity and surface tension. These results indicate the possibility for seamless integration of ENPs into electrospun polymers. Implications of ENP release were investigated using phase distribution functional assays of nanoscale silver and silver sulfide, as well as photolysis experiments of nanoscale titanium dioxide to quantify hydroxyl radical production. Functional assays are a means of screening the relevant importance of multiple processes in the environmental fate and transport of ENPs. Four functional assays---water-soil, water-octanol, water

Polymer encapsulated upconversion nanoparticle/iron oxide nanocomposites for multimodal imaging and magnetic targeted drug delivery.

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Huan; Cheng, Liang; Wang, Chao; Ma, Xinxing; Li, Yonggang; Liu, Zhuang

2011-12-01

Multimodal imaging and imaging-guided therapies have become a new trend in the current development of cancer theranostics. In this work, we encapsulate hydrophobic upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) together with iron oxide nanoparticles (IONPs) by using an amphiphilic block copolymer, poly (styrene-block-allyl alcohol) (PS(16)-b-PAA(10)), via a microemulsion method, obtaining an UC-IO@Polymer multi-functional nanocomposite system. Fluorescent dye and anti-cancer drug molecules can be further loaded inside the UC-IO@Polymer nanocomposite for additional functionalities. Utilizing the Squaraine (SQ) dye loaded nanocomposite (UC-IO@Polymer-SQ), triple-modal upconversion luminescence (UCL)/down-conversion fluorescence (FL)/magnetic resonance (MR) imaging is demonstrated in vitro and in vivo, and also applied for in vivo cancer cell tracking in mice. On the other hand, a chemotherapy drug, doxorubicin, is also loaded into the nanocomposite, forming an UC-IO@Polymer-DOX complex, which enables novel imaging-guided and magnetic targeted drug delivery. Our work provides a method to fabricate a nanocomposite system with highly integrated functionalities for multimodal biomedical imaging and cancer therapy. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Analytical ultracentrifugation of polymers and nanoparticles

CERN Document Server

Maechtle, Walter

2014-01-01

Analytical ultracentrifugation (AUC) is a powerful method for the characterization of polymers, biopolymers, polyelectrolytes, nanoparticles, dispersions, and other colloidal systems. The method is able to determine the molar mass, the particle size, the particle density and interaction parameters like virial coefficients and association constants. Because AUC is also a fractionation method, the determination of the molar mass distribution, the particle size distribution, and the particle density distribution is possible. A special technique, the density gradient method, allows fractionating heterogeneous samples according to their chemical nature that means being able to detect chemical heterogeneity. The book is divided into chapters concerning instrumentation, sedimentation velocity runs, density gradient runs, application examples and future developments. In particular, the detailed application chapter demonstrates the versatility and power of AUC by means of many interesting and important industrial exam...

Comparison of nanoparticle diffusion using fluorescence correlation spectroscopy and differential dynamic microscopy within concentrated polymer solutions

Science.gov (United States)

Shokeen, Namita; Issa, Christopher; Mukhopadhyay, Ashis

2017-12-01

We studied the diffusion of nanoparticles (NPs) within aqueous entangled solutions of polyethylene oxide (PEO) by using two different optical techniques. Fluorescence correlation spectroscopy, a method widely used to investigate nanoparticle dynamics in polymer solution, was used to measure the long-time diffusion coefficient (D) of 25 nm radius particles within high molecular weight, Mw = 600 kg/mol PEO in water solutions. Differential dynamic microscopy (DDM) was used to determine the wave-vector dependent dynamics of NPs within the same polymer solutions. Our results showed good agreement between the two methods, including demonstration of normal diffusion and almost identical diffusion coefficients obtained by both techniques. The research extends the scope of DDM to study the dynamics and rheological properties of soft matter at a nanoscale. The measured diffusion coefficients followed a scaling theory, which can be explained by the coupling between polymer dynamics and NP motion.

Folate-modified lipid–polymer hybrid nanoparticles for targeted paclitaxel delivery

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhang L

2015-03-01

Full Text Available Linhua Zhang,1 Dunwan Zhu,1 Xia Dong,1 Hongfan Sun,1 Cunxian Song,1 Chun Wang,2 Deling Kong1 1Tianjin Key Laboratory of Biomaterials, Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Peking Union Medical College and Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Tianjin, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA Abstract: The purpose of this study was to develop a novel lipid–polymer hybrid drug carrier comprised of folate (FA modified lipid-shell and polymer-core nanoparticles (FLPNPs for sustained, controlled, and targeted delivery of paclitaxel (PTX. The core-shell NPs consist of 1 a poly(ε-caprolactone hydrophobic core based on self-assembly of poly(ε-caprolactone–poly(ethylene glycol–poly(ε-caprolactone (PCL-PEG-PCL amphiphilic copolymers, 2 a lipid monolayer formed with 1,2-distearoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine-N-[methoxy (polyethylene glycol-2000] (DSPE-PEG2000, 3 a targeting ligand (FA on the surface, and were prepared using a thin-film hydration and ultrasonic dispersion method. Transmission electron microscopy and dynamic light scattering analysis confirmed the coating of the lipid monolayer on the hydrophobic polymer core. Physicochemical characterizations of PTX-loaded FLPNPs, such as particle size and size distribution, zeta potential, morphology, drug loading content, encapsulation efficiency, and in vitro drug release, were also evaluated. Fluorescent microscopy proved the internalization efficiency and targeting ability of the folate conjugated on the lipid monolayer for the EMT6 cancer cells which overexpress folate receptor. In vitro cytotoxicity assay demonstrated that the cytotoxic effect of PTX-loaded FLPNPs was lower than that of Taxol®, but higher than that of PTX-loaded LPNPs (without folate conjugation. In EMT6 breast tumor model, intratumoral administration of PTX-loaded FLPNPs showed similar antitumor efficacy but low toxicity compared to Taxol®. More

Polymer composite adsorbents using particles of molecularly imprinted polymers or aluminium oxide nanoparticles for treatment of arsenic contaminated waters.

Science.gov (United States)

Önnby, L; Pakade, V; Mattiasson, B; Kirsebom, H

2012-09-01

Removal of As(V) by adsorption from water solutions was studied using three different synthetic adsorbents. The adsorbents, (a) aluminium nanoparticles (Alu-NPs, polymers (polymer backbones of pure polyacrylamide (MIP-cryo) were of better stability than the amine containing polymer backbone (Alu-cryo). Both composites worked well in the studied pH range of pH 2-8. Adsorption tested in real wastewater spiked with arsenic showed that co-ions (nitrate, sulphate and phosphate) affected arsenic removal for Alu-cryo more than for MIP-cryo. Both composites still adsorbed well in the presence of counter-ions (copper and zinc) present at low concentrations (μg/l). The unchanged and selective adsorption in realistic water observed for MIP-cryo was concluded to be due to a successful imprinting, here controlled using a non-imprinted polymer (NIP). A development of MIP-cryo is needed, considering its low adsorption capacity. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Colloidal polymers with controlled sequence and branching constructed from magnetic field assembled nanoparticles.

Science.gov (United States)

Bannwarth, Markus B; Utech, Stefanie; Ebert, Sandro; Weitz, David A; Crespy, Daniel; Landfester, Katharina

2015-03-24

The assembly of nanoparticles into polymer-like architectures is challenging and usually requires highly defined colloidal building blocks. Here, we show that the broad size-distribution of a simple dispersion of magnetic nanocolloids can be exploited to obtain various polymer-like architectures. The particles are assembled under an external magnetic field and permanently linked by thermal sintering. The remarkable variety of polymer-analogue architectures that arises from this simple process ranges from statistical and block copolymer-like sequencing to branched chains and networks. This library of architectures can be realized by controlling the sequencing of the particles and the junction points via a size-dependent self-assembly of the single building blocks.

Novel Polysaccharide Based Polymers and Nanoparticles for Controlled Drug Delivery and Biomedical Imaging

Science.gov (United States)

Shalviri, Alireza

The use of polysaccharides as building blocks in the development of drugs and contrast agents delivery systems is rapidly growing. This can be attributed to the outstanding virtues of polysaccharides such as biocompatibility, biodegradability, upgradability, multiple reacting groups and low cost. The focus of this thesis was to develop and characterize novel starch based hydrogels and nanoparticles for delivery of drugs and imaging agents. To this end, two different systems were developed. The first system includes polymer and nanoparticles prepared by graft polymerization of polymethacrylic acid and polysorbate 80 onto starch. This starch based platform nanotechnology was developed using the design principles based on the pathophysiology of breast cancer, with applications in both medical imaging and breast cancer chemotherapy. The nanoparticles exhibited a high degree of doxorubicin loading as well as sustained pH dependent release of the drug. The drug loaded nanoparticles were significantly more effective against multidrug resistant human breast cancer cells compared to free doxorubicin. Systemic administration of the starch based nanoparticles co-loaded with doxorubicin and a near infrared fluorescent probe allowed for non-invasive real time monitoring of the nanoparticles biodistribution, tumor accumulation, and clearance. Systemic administration of the clinically relevant doses of the drug loaded particles to a mouse model of breast cancer significantly enhanced therapeutic efficacy while minimizing side effects compared to free doxorubicin. A novel, starch based magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agent with good in vitro and in vivo tolerability was formulated which exhibited superior signal enhancement in tumor and vasculature. The second system is a co-polymeric hydrogel of starch and xanthan gum with adjustable swelling and permeation properties. The hydrogels exhibited excellent film forming capability, and appeared to be particularly useful in

Porous palladium coated conducting polymer nanoparticles for ultrasensitive hydrogen sensors

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Jun Seop; Kim, Sung Gun; Cho, Sunghun; Jang, Jyongsik

2015-12-01

Hydrogen, a clean-burning fuel, is of key importance to various industrial applications, including fuel cells and in the aerospace and automotive industries. However, hydrogen gas is odorless, colorless, and highly flammable; thus appropriate safety protocol implementation and monitoring are essential. Highly sensitive hydrogen leak detection and surveillance sensor systems are needed; additionally, the ability to maintain uniformity through repetitive hydrogen sensing is becoming increasingly important. In this report, we detail the fabrication of porous palladium coated conducting polymer (3-carboxylate polypyrrole) nanoparticles (Pd@CPPys) to detect hydrogen gas. The Pd@CPPys are produced by means of facile alkyl functionalization and chemical reduction of a pristine 3-carboxylate polypyrrole nanoparticle-contained palladium precursor (PdCl2) solution. The resulting Pd@CPPy-based sensor electrode exhibits ultrahigh sensitivity (0.1 ppm) and stability toward hydrogen gas at room temperature due to the palladium sensing layer.Hydrogen, a clean-burning fuel, is of key importance to various industrial applications, including fuel cells and in the aerospace and automotive industries. However, hydrogen gas is odorless, colorless, and highly flammable; thus appropriate safety protocol implementation and monitoring are essential. Highly sensitive hydrogen leak detection and surveillance sensor systems are needed; additionally, the ability to maintain uniformity through repetitive hydrogen sensing is becoming increasingly important. In this report, we detail the fabrication of porous palladium coated conducting polymer (3-carboxylate polypyrrole) nanoparticles (Pd@CPPys) to detect hydrogen gas. The Pd@CPPys are produced by means of facile alkyl functionalization and chemical reduction of a pristine 3-carboxylate polypyrrole nanoparticle-contained palladium precursor (PdCl2) solution. The resulting Pd@CPPy-based sensor electrode exhibits ultrahigh sensitivity (0.1 ppm

Dissolution of artemisinin/polymer composite nanoparticles fabricated by evaporative precipitation of nanosuspension.

Science.gov (United States)

Kakran, Mitali; Sahoo, Nanda Gopal; Li, Lin; Judeh, Zaher

2010-04-01

An evaporative precipitation of nanosuspension (EPN) method was used to fabricate composite particles of a poorly water-soluble antimalarial drug, artemisinin, with a hydrophilic polymer, polyethylene glycol (PEG), with the aim of enhancing the dissolution rate of artemisinin. We investigated the effect of polymer concentration on the physical, morphological and dissolution properties of the EPN-prepared artemisinin/PEG composites. The original artemisinin powder, EPN-prepared artemisinin nanoparticles and artemisinin/PEG composites were characterised by scanning electron microscopy, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), X-ray diffraction (XRD), dissolution testing and HPLC. The percentage dissolution efficiency, relative dissolution, time to 75% dissolution and mean dissolution time were calculated. The experimental drug dissolution data were fitted to various mathematical models (Weibull, first-order, Korsemeyer-Peppas, Hixson-Crowell cube root and Higuchi models) in order to analyse the release mechanism. The DSC and XRD studies suggest that the crystallinity of the EPN-prepared artemisinin decreased with increasing polymer concentration. The phase-solubility studies revealed an A(L)-type curve, indicating a linear increase in drug solubility with PEG concentration. The dissolution rate of the EPN-prepared artemisinin and artemisinin/PEG composites increased markedly compared with the original artemisinin powder. EPN can be used to prepare artemisinin nanoparticles and artemisinin/PEG composite particles that have a significantly enhanced dissolution rate. The mechanism of drug release involved diffusion and erosion.

Chain dynamics and nanoparticle motion in attractive polymer nanocomposites subjected to large deformations.

Science.gov (United States)

Senses, Erkan; Tyagi, Madhusudan; Natarajan, Bharath; Narayanan, Suresh; Faraone, Antonio

2017-11-08

The effect of large deformation on the chain dynamics in attractive polymer nanocomposites was investigated using neutron scattering techniques. Quasi-elastic neutron backscattering measurements reveal a substantial reduction of polymer mobility in the presence of attractive, well-dispersed nanoparticles. In addition, large deformations are observed to cause a further slowing down of the Rouse rates at high particle loadings, where the interparticle spacings are slightly smaller than the chain dimensions, i.e. in the strongly confined state. No noticeable change, however, was observed for a lightly confined system. The reptation tube diameter, measured by neutron spin echo, remained unchanged after shear, suggesting that the level of chain-chain entanglements is not significantly affected. The shear-induced changes in the interparticle bridging reflect the slow nanoparticle motion measured by X-ray photon correlation spectroscopy. These results provide a first step for understanding how large shear can significantly affect the segmental motion in nanocomposites and open up new opportunities for designing mechanically responsive soft materials.

Multifunctional Polymer Nanocomposites

Science.gov (United States)

Galaska, Alexandra Maria; Song, Haixiang; Guo, Zhanhu

With more awareness of energy conversion/storage and saving, different strategies have been developed to utilize the sustainable and renewable energy. Introducing nanoscale fillers can make inert polymer matrix possess unique properties to satisfy certain functions. For example, alumina nanoparticles have strengthened the weak thermosetting polymers. A combined mixture of carbon nanofibers and magnetite nanoparticles have made the inert epoxy sensitive for magnetic field for sensing applications. Introducing silica nanoparticles into conductive polymers such as polyaniline has enhanced the giant magnetoresistance behaviors. The introduced nanoparticles have made the transparent polymer have the electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding function while reduce the density significantly. With the desired miniaturization, the materials combining different functionalities have become importantly interesting. In this talk, methodologies to prepare nanocomposites and their effects on the produced nanocomposites will be discussed. A variety of advanced polymer nanocomposites will be introduced. Unique properties including mechanical, electrical, magnetoresistance etc. and the applications for environmental remediation, energy storage/saving, fire retardancy, electromagnetic interference shielding, and electronic devices will be presented.

EGF Functionalized Polymer-Coated Gold Nanoparticles Promote EGF Photostability and EGFR Internalization for Photothermal Therapy.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Catarina Oliveira Silva

Full Text Available The application of functionalized nanocarriers on photothermal therapy for cancer ablation has wide interest. The success of this application depends on the therapeutic efficiency and biocompatibility of the system, but also on the stability and biorecognition of the conjugated protein. This study aims at investigating the hypothesis that EGF functionalized polymer-coated gold nanoparticles promote EGF photostability and EGFR internalization, making these conjugated particles suitable for photothermal therapy. The conjugated gold nanoparticles (100-200 nm showed a plasmon absorption band located within the near-infrared range (650-900 nm, optimal for photothermal therapy applications. The effects of temperature, of polymer-coated gold nanoparticles and of UVB light (295nm on the fluorescence properties of EGF have been investigated with steady-state and time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy. The fluorescence properties of EGF, including the formation of Trp and Tyr photoproducts, is modulated by temperature and by the intensity of the excitation light. The presence of polymeric-coated gold nanoparticles reduced or even avoided the formation of Trp and Tyr photoproducts when EGF is exposed to UVB light, protecting this way the structure and function of EGF. Cytotoxicity studies of conjugated nanoparticles carried out in normal-like human keratinocytes showed small, concentration dependent decreases in cell viability (0-25%. Moreover, conjugated nanoparticles could activate and induce the internalization of overexpressed Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor in human lung carcinoma cells. In conclusion, the gold nanoparticles conjugated with Epidermal Growth Factor and coated with biopolymers developed in this work, show a potential application for near infrared photothermal therapy, which may efficiently destroy solid tumours, reducing the damage of the healthy tissue.

EGF Functionalized Polymer-Coated Gold Nanoparticles Promote EGF Photostability and EGFR Internalization for Photothermal Therapy

Science.gov (United States)

Silva, Catarina Oliveira; Petersen, Steffen B.; Reis, Catarina Pinto; Rijo, Patrícia; Molpeceres, Jesús; Fernandes, Ana Sofia; Gonçalves, Odete; Gomes, Andreia C.; Correia, Isabel; Vorum, Henrik; Neves-Petersen, Maria Teresa

2016-01-01

The application of functionalized nanocarriers on photothermal therapy for cancer ablation has wide interest. The success of this application depends on the therapeutic efficiency and biocompatibility of the system, but also on the stability and biorecognition of the conjugated protein. This study aims at investigating the hypothesis that EGF functionalized polymer-coated gold nanoparticles promote EGF photostability and EGFR internalization, making these conjugated particles suitable for photothermal therapy. The conjugated gold nanoparticles (100–200 nm) showed a plasmon absorption band located within the near-infrared range (650–900 nm), optimal for photothermal therapy applications. The effects of temperature, of polymer-coated gold nanoparticles and of UVB light (295nm) on the fluorescence properties of EGF have been investigated with steady-state and time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy. The fluorescence properties of EGF, including the formation of Trp and Tyr photoproducts, is modulated by temperature and by the intensity of the excitation light. The presence of polymeric-coated gold nanoparticles reduced or even avoided the formation of Trp and Tyr photoproducts when EGF is exposed to UVB light, protecting this way the structure and function of EGF. Cytotoxicity studies of conjugated nanoparticles carried out in normal-like human keratinocytes showed small, concentration dependent decreases in cell viability (0–25%). Moreover, conjugated nanoparticles could activate and induce the internalization of overexpressed Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor in human lung carcinoma cells. In conclusion, the gold nanoparticles conjugated with Epidermal Growth Factor and coated with biopolymers developed in this work, show a potential application for near infrared photothermal therapy, which may efficiently destroy solid tumours, reducing the damage of the healthy tissue. PMID:27788212

Polymer Brushes

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Vos, de W.M.; Kleijn, J.M.; Keizer, de A.; Cosgrove, T.; Cohen Stuart, M.A.

2010-01-01

A polymer brush can be defined as a dense array of polymers end-attached to an interface that stretch out into the surrounding medium. Polymer brushes have been investigated for the past 30 years and have shown to be an extremely useful tool to control interfacial properties. This review is intended

Robust platforms for creating organic-inorganic nanocomposite microspheres: decorating polymer microspheres containing mussel-inspired adhesion layers with inorganic nanoparticles.

Science.gov (United States)

Satoh, H; Saito, Y; Yabu, H

2014-12-07

We describe a method for creating robust and stable core-shell polymer microspheres decorated with inorganic (IO) nanoparticles (NPs) by a self-organization process and heterocoagulation using a mussel-inspired polymer adhesive layer between the IO NPs and the microspheres.

Polymer Crowding in Confined Polymer-Nanoparticle Mixtures

Science.gov (United States)

Davis, Wyatt J.; Denton, Alan R.

Crowding can influence the conformations and thus functionality of macromolecules in quasi-two-dimensional environments, such as DNA or proteins confined to a cell membrane. We explore such crowding within a model of polymers as penetrable ellipses, whose shapes are governed by the statistics of a 2D random walk. The principal radii of the polymers fluctuate according to probability distributions of the eigenvalues of the gyration tensor. Within this coarse-grained model, we perform Monte Carlo simulations of mixtures of polymers and hard nanodisks, including trial changes in polymer conformation (shape and orientation). Penetration of polymers by nanodisks is incorporated with a free energy cost predicted by polymer field theory. Over ranges of size ratio and nanodisk density, we analyze the influence of crowding on polymer shape by computing eigenvalue distributions, mean radius of gyration, and mean asphericity of the polymer. We compare results with predictions of free-volume theory and with corresponding results in three dimensions. Our approach may help to interpret recent (and motivate future) experimental studies of biopolymers interacting with cell membranes, with relevance for drug delivery and gene therapy. This work was supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. DMR-1106331.

Dewetting of polymer thin films on modified curved surfaces: preparation of polymer nanoparticles with asymmetric shapes by anodic aluminum oxide templates.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Chih-Ting; Tsai, Chia-Chan; Chu, Chien-Wei; Chi, Mu-Huan; Chung, Pei-Yun; Chen, Jiun-Tai

2018-04-18

We study the dewetting behaviors of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) thin films coated in the cylindrical nanopores of anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) templates by thermal annealing. Self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) of n-octadecyltrichlorosilane (ODTS) are introduced to modify the pore surfaces of the AAO templates to induce the dewetting process. By using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), the dewetting-induced morphology transformation from the PMMA thin films to PMMA nanoparticles with asymmetric shapes can be observed. The sizes of the PMMA nanoparticles can be controlled by the original PMMA solution concentrations. The dewetting phenomena on the modified nanopores are explained by taking into account the excess intermolecular interaction free energy (ΔG). This work opens a new possibility for creating polymer nanoparticles with asymmetric shapes in confined geometries.

DNA-imprinted polymer nanoparticles with monodispersity and prescribed DNA-strand patterns

Science.gov (United States)

Trinh, Tuan; Liao, Chenyi; Toader, Violeta; Barłóg, Maciej; Bazzi, Hassan S.; Li, Jianing; Sleiman, Hanadi F.

2018-02-01

As colloidal self-assembly increasingly approaches the complexity of natural systems, an ongoing challenge is to generate non-centrosymmetric structures. For example, patchy, Janus or living crystallization particles have significantly advanced the area of polymer assembly. It has remained difficult, however, to devise polymer particles that associate in a directional manner, with controlled valency and recognition motifs. Here, we present a method to transfer DNA patterns from a DNA cage to a polymeric nanoparticle encapsulated inside the cage in three dimensions. The resulting DNA-imprinted particles (DIPs), which are 'moulded' on the inside of the DNA cage, consist of a monodisperse crosslinked polymer core with a predetermined pattern of different DNA strands covalently 'printed' on their exterior, and further assemble with programmability and directionality. The number, orientation and sequence of DNA strands grafted onto the polymeric core can be controlled during the process, and the strands are addressable independently of each other.

Total internal reflection sum-frequency generation spectroscopy and dense gold nanoparticles monolayer: a route for probing adsorbed molecules

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tourillon, Gerard; Dreesen, Laurent; Volcke, Cedric; Sartenaer, Yannick; Thiry, Paul A; Peremans, Andre

2007-01-01

We show that sum-frequency generation spectroscopy performed in the total internal reflection configuration (TIR-SFG) combined with a dense gold nanoparticles monolayer allows us to study, with an excellent signal to noise ratio and high signal to background ratio, the conformation of adsorbed molecules. Dodecanethiol (DDT) was used as probe molecules in order to assess the potentialities of the approach. An enhancement of more than one order of magnitude of the SFG signals arising from the adsorbed species is observed with the TIR geometry compared to the external reflection one while the SFG non-resonant contribution remains the same for both configurations. Although further work is required to fully understand the origin of the SFG process on nanoparticles, our work opens new possibilities for studying nanostructures

Assessment of nanoparticle release and associated health effect of polymer-silicon composites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhu, H; Irfan, A; Sachse, S; Njuguna, J

2012-01-01

Little information is currently available on possible release of nanomaterials or/and nanoparticles (NP) from conventional and novel products and associated health effect. This study aimed to assess the possible release of NP during the application stage of conventional and nanoproducts. NP release was monitored during physical processing of polymer-silicon composites, and the toxicity of both the released NP and the raw silica nanomaterials that were used as fillers in the nanocomposites was assessed in vitro using human lung epithelial A549 cells. This study suggests that 1) NP can be released from the conventional and novel polymer-silicon composites under certain application scenario; 2) the level of NP release from polymer composites could be altered by different reinforcement materials; e.g. nanostructured MMT could reduce the release while SiO2 NP could increase the release; 3) working with polymer composites under certain conditions could risk inhalation of high level of polymer NP; 4) raw nanomaterials appeared to be toxic in the chosen in vitro system. Further study of the effect of novel filler materials on NP release from final polymer products and the effect of released NP on environment and human health will inform design of safe materials and minimization of negative impact on the environment and human health.

Colloidal gold nanoparticles. Synthesis, characterization and effect in polymer/fullerene solar cells; Kolloidale Goldnanopartikel. Synthese, Charakterisierung und Wirkung in Polymer/Fulleren-Solarzellen

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Topp, Katja

2011-06-08

It has been reported in the literature that the efficiency of polymer/fullerene solar cells has been improved by the incorporation of Au nanoparticles. The improvement was attributed to an enhanced electrical conductivity of the active layer and to an enhanced light absorption due to the plasmon resonance of the Au nanoparticles. In this work colloidal Au nanoparticles coated with different stabilizing ligands were synthesized and characterized. Then the impact of their incorporation into P3HT/PCBM solar cells was studied. On the one hand the Au nanoparticles were incorporated into the bulk heterojunction active layer, otherwise they were deposited as an interlayer in the device set-up. No improvement of the solar cell efficiency could be observed neither for the incorporation of Au nanoparticles with isolating ligand shell nor for those with direct contact to the photoactive molecules. The efficiency even dropped, the more the higher the concentration of the Au nanoparticles was. Possible reasons are pointed out on the basis of detailed photophysical and structural investigations.

Polymer Brush Grafted Nanoparticles and Their Impact on the Morphology Evolution of Polymer Blend Films

Science.gov (United States)

Chung, Hyun-Joong; Ohno, Kohji; Composto, Russell

2013-03-01

We present an novel pathway to control the location of nanoparticles (NPs) in phase-separating polymer blend films containing poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) and poly(styrene-ran-acrylonitrile) (SAN). Because hydrophobic polymer phases have a small interfacial energy, ~1 mJ/m2, subtle changes in the NP surface functionality can be used to guide NPs to either the interface between immiscible polymers or into one of the phases. Based on this idea, we designed a class of NPs grafted with PMMA brushes. These PMMA brushes were grown from the NP surface by atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP), which results in chains terminated with chlorine atoms. The chain end can be substituted with protons (H) by dehalogenation. As a result, the NPs are strongly segregated at the interface when grafted PMMA chains are short (Mn =1.8K) and the end group is Cl, whereas NPs partition into PMMA-rich phase when chains are long (Mn =160K) and/or when chains are terminated with hydrogen. The Cl end groups and shorter chain length cause an increase in surface energy for the NPs. The increase in surface energy of short-chained NPs can be attributed to (i) an extended brush conformation (entropic) and/or (ii) a high density of ``unfavorable'' end groups (enthalpic). Finally, the impact of NPs on the morphological evolution of the polymer blend films will be discussed. Ref: H.-J.Chung et al., ACS Macro Lett. 1(1), 252-256 (2012).

Guanidine-based polymer brushes grafted onto silica nanoparticles as efficient artificial phosphodiesterases.

Science.gov (United States)

Savelli, Claudia; Salvio, Riccardo

2015-04-07

Polymer brushes grafted to the surface of silica nanoparticles were fabricated by atom-transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) and investigated as catalysts in the cleavage of phosphodiesters. The surfaces of silica nanoparticles were functionalized with an ATRP initiator. Surface-initiated ATRP reactions, in varying proportions, of a methacrylate moiety functionalized with a phenylguanidine moiety and an inert hydrophilic methacrylate species afforded hybrid nanoparticles that were characterized with potentiometric titrations, thermogravimetric analysis, and SEM. The activity of the hybrid nanoparticles was tested in the transesterification of the RNA model compound 2-hydroxypropyl para-nitrophenylphosphate (HPNP) and diribonucleoside monophosphates. A high catalytic efficiency and a remarkable effective molarity, thus overcoming the effective molarities previously observed for comparable systems, indicate the existence of an effective cooperation of the guanidine/guanidinium units and a high level of preorganization in the nanostructure. The investigated system also exhibits a marked and unprecedented selectivity for the diribonucleoside sequence CpA. The results presented open up the way for a novel and straightforward strategy for the preparation of supramolecular catalysts. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

The passive optical properties of a silicon nanoparticle-embedded benzocyclobutene polymer waveguide

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chiu, J.-J.; Perng, Tsong P

2008-01-01

The passive optical properties of a silicon nanoparticle-embedded benzocyclobutene (BCB) waveguide were investigated. The silicon nanoparticles, of a size varying from 6 to 25 nm, were prepared by vapor condensation. The transmission modes and losses were examined by the prism coupler and cut-back methods. A He-Ne laser beam with a wavelength of 6328 A was used to measure the effective index and thickness of the waveguide. Laser light could be efficiently coupled into the BCB waveguide when the embedded Si nanoparticles were smaller than 6 nm. The film thickness and effective index of the Si-embedded BCB waveguide were measured to be 1.825 μm and 1.565, respectively. The optical transmission losses of the pure BCB and Si-embedded ridge waveguides measured by the cut-back method were 0.85 and 1.63 dB cm -1 , respectively. Although the optical loss was increased by the embedded Si, the disturbance of the output contour was quite small. This result demonstrates that the nanoparticle-embedded polymer waveguide may be used for optoelectronic integrated circuits

Electrostatically assisted fabrication of silver-dielectric core/shell nanoparticles thin film capacitor with uniform metal nanoparticle distribution and controlled spacing.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Xue; Niitsoo, Olivia; Couzis, Alexander

2016-03-01

An electrostatically-assisted strategy for fabrication of thin film composite capacitors with controllable dielectric constant (k) has been developed. The capacitor is composed of metal-dielectric core/shell nanoparticle (silver/silica, Ag@SiO2) multilayer films, and a backfilling polymer. Compared with the simple metal particle-polymer mixtures where the metal nanoparticles (NP) are randomly dispersed in the polymer matrix, the metal volume fraction in our capacitor was significantly increased, owing to the densely packed NP multilayers formed by the electrostatically assisted assembly process. Moreover, the insulating layer of silica shell provides a potential barrier that reduces the tunneling current between neighboring Ag cores, endowing the core/shell nanocomposites with a stable and relatively high dielectric constant (k) and low dielectric loss (D). Our work also shows that the thickness of the SiO2 shell plays a dominant role in controlling the dielectric properties of the nanocomposites. Control over metal NP separation distance was realized not only by variation the shell thickness of the core/shell NPs but also by introducing a high k nanoparticle, barium strontium titanate (BST) of relatively smaller size (∼8nm) compared to 80-160nm of the core/shell Ag@SiO2 NPs. The BST assemble between the Ag@SiO2 and fill the void space between the closely packed core/shell NPs leading to significant enhancement of the dielectric constant. This electrostatically assisted assembly method is promising for generating multilayer films of a large variety of NPs over large areas at low cost. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Synthesis, recognition and evaluation of molecularly imprinted polymer nanoparticle using miniemulsion polymerization for controlled release and analysis of risperidone in human plasma samples

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Asadi, Ebadullah; Azodi-Deilami, Saman; Abdouss, Majid; Kordestani, Davood; Rahimi, Alireza; Asadi, Somayeh

2014-01-01

We prepared high selective imprinted nanoparticle polymers by a miniemulsion polymerization technique, using risperidone as the template, MAA as the functional monomers, and TRIM as the cross-linker in acetonitrile as solvent. The morphology of the nanoparticles determined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images and drug release, binding properties and dynamic light scattering (DLS) of molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) were studied. Controlled release of risperidone from nanoparticles was investigated through in 1% wt sodium dodecyl sulfate aqueous solution and by measuring the absorbance by HPLC-UV. The results showed that the imprinted nanoparticles exhibited a higher binding level and slower release rate than non-imprinted nanoparticles, which contributed to interaction of risperidone with imprinted cavities within nanoparticles. Furthermore, the results from HPLC showed good precision (5% for 50.0 µg L -1 ) and recoveries (between 86-91) using MIP from human plasma samples

Charge transport in conjugated polymer-semiconductor nanoparticle composite near the percolation threshold

Science.gov (United States)

Cardoso, L. S.; Gonçalves, G. E.; Kanda, D. H. F.; Bianchi, R. F.; Nagashima, H. N.

2017-12-01

This paper describes a new statistical model to predict the frequency dependence of the conductivity of conjugated polymer-semiconductor nanoparticle composites. The model considers AC conduction in an inhomogeneous medium represented by a two-dimensional model of resistor network. The conductivity between two neighboring sites in the polymer matrix and the semiconductor particles is assumed to obey the random free energy barrier model and the Drude model, respectively. The real and imaginary parts of the AC conductivity were determined using the transfer-matrix technique, and the statistical model was applied to experimental data of thin films composed of polyaniline (PANI) and indium-tin-oxide (ITO) nanoparticles. The conductivity critical exponent ( s) obtained in two dimensions for PANI/ITO films below the percolation threshold was found to be 2.7, which is greater than the universal value of s described by the classical percolation theory ( s = 1.3). This non-universality is explained by the existence of a local electric field distribution in the bulk of the nanocomposite. Finally, these results are discussed in terms of the distribution of potential barriers that vary according to the concentration of ITO amount in the composite.

(BDMCA) Nanoparticles

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Methods: Nanoparticle formulations were fabricated by a double emulsion solvent evaporation technique using polycaprolactone as the polymer. The nanoparticles were characterised for drug content, particles size, in vitro drug release and the drug-polymer interaction. The in vivo properties of the formulations in male ...

One pot electrochemical synthesis of polymer/CNT/metal nanoparticles for fuel cell applications

Science.gov (United States)

Ventrapragada, Lakshman; Zhu, Jingyi; Karakaya, Mehmet; Podila, Ramakrishna; Rao, Apparao; Clemson Nanomaterials center Team

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have become a key player in the design of materials for energy applications. They gained their popularity in industrial and scientific research due to their unique properties like excellent conductivity, high surface area, etc. Here we used chemical vapor deposition (CVD) to synthesize two types of CNTs namely, helically coiled CNTs and vertically aligned CNTs. These CNTs were subsequently used to make composites with conducting polymers and metal nanoparticles. One pot electrochemical synthesis was designed to electropolymerize aniline, pyrrole etc. on the surface of the electrode with simultaneous deposition of platinum and gold metal nanoparticles, and CNTs in the polymer matrix. The as synthesized composite materials were characterized with scanning electron microscope for surface morphology and spectroscopic techniques like Raman, UV-Vis for functionality. These were used to study electrocatalytic oxidation of methanol and ethanol for alkaline fuel cell applications. Electrodes fabricated from these composites not only showed good kinetics but also exhibited excellent stability. Uniqueness of this composite lies in its simple two step synthesis and it doesn't involve any surfactants unlike conventional chemical synthesis routes.

Mechanistic profiling of the siRNA delivery dynamics of lipid-polymer hybrid nanoparticles

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Colombo, Stefano; Cun, Dongmei; Remaut, Katrien

2015-01-01

Understanding the delivery dynamics of nucleic acid nanocarriers is fundamental to improve their design for therapeutic applications. We investigated the carrier structure-function relationship of lipid-polymer hybrid nanoparticles (LPNs) consisting of poly(dl-lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) nano...... of transfection-competent siRNA-DOTAP lipoplexes from the LPNs. Based on these results, we suggest a model for the nanostructural characteristics of the LPNs, in which the siRNA is organized in lamellar superficial assemblies and/or as complexes entrapped in the polymeric matrix.......Understanding the delivery dynamics of nucleic acid nanocarriers is fundamental to improve their design for therapeutic applications. We investigated the carrier structure-function relationship of lipid-polymer hybrid nanoparticles (LPNs) consisting of poly(dl-lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA......) nanocarriers modified with the cationic lipid dioleoyltrimethyl-ammoniumpropane (DOTAP). A library of siRNA-loaded LPNs was prepared by systematically varying the nitrogen-to-phosphate (N/P) ratio. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) and cryo-transmission electron microscopy (cryo-TEM) combined with small angle X...

A study on nanocomposites made of a conducting polymer and metallic nanoparticles

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mohammed Ahmed Khalil, Rania [Nanochemistry and Nanoengineering, Institute for Materials Science, Faculty of Engineering, Christian-Albrechts-University of Kiel (Germany); Multicomponent Materials, Institute for Materials Science, Faculty of Engineering, Christian-Albrechts-University of Kiel (Germany); Abdelaziz Mahmoud Abdelaziz, Ramzy [Nanochemistry and Nanoengineering, Institute for Materials Science, Faculty of Engineering, Christian-Albrechts-University of Kiel (Germany); Strunkus, Thomas; Faupel, Franz [Multicomponent Materials, Institute for Materials Science, Faculty of Engineering, Christian-Albrechts-University of Kiel (Germany); Elbahri, Mady [Nanochemistry and Nanoengineering, Institute for Materials Science, Faculty of Engineering, Christian-Albrechts-University of Kiel (Germany); Helmholtz-Zentrum Geesthacht GmbH, Institute of Polymer Research, Nanochemistry and Nanoengineering (Germany)

2011-07-01

Conducting polymers offer a unique combination of properties that makes them attractive materials for many electronic applications. PEDOT:PSS is one of the most successful conductive materials which is considered to be highly stable and resisting degradation under typical ambient conditions. In this study, we have prepared two sets of conducting polymer nano-composites. The first set is composed of PEDOT:PSS doped with different aspect ratios of gold nanorod and the other one is PEDOT:PSS doped with different sizes of gold nanosphere. The chemical reduction method was used for preparing the nano-particles. Indeed, gold nanorods and nanosphere which exhibit tunable absorption as a function of their size and aspect ratio, respectively, have tuned the absorption coefficient for PEDOT: PSS. The nature of the dopant as well as the degree of doping has played a significant role in the improvement of the electrical conductivity of conducting polymer.

Engineering of polymer-surfactant nanoparticles of doxycycline hydrochloride for ocular drug delivery.

Science.gov (United States)

Pokharkar, Varsha; Patil, Vikram; Mandpe, Leenata

2015-01-01

Physiologic barriers of the eye, short precorneal drug residence time and poor corneal penetration are the few reasons for reduced ocular bioavailability. This study was aimed to develop novel polymer-surfactant nanoparticles of hydrophilic drug doxycycline hydrochloride (DXY) to improve precorneal residence time and drug penetration. Nanoparticles were formulated using emulsion cross-linking method and the formulation was optimized using factorial design. The prepared formulation was characterized for particle size, ζ potential, encapsulation efficiency, in vitro drug release and ex vivo drug diffusion studies. The antibacterial activity studies were also carried out against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus using the cup-plate method. In vivo eye irritation study was carried out by a modified Draize test in rabbits. The particle size was found to be in the range of 331-850 nm. About 45-80% of the drug was found to be encapsulated in the nanoparticles. In vitro release demonstrated sustained release profile. Lower flux values in case of nanoparticles as compared to DXY pure drug solution in ex vivo diffusion studies confirmed the sustained release. The nanoparticles were found to be significantly effective (p nanoparticles in both the E. coli and S. aureus strains. The formulation was found to be stable over entire stability period. The developed formulation is safe and suitable for sustained ocular drug delivery.

A high brightness probe of polymer nanoparticles for biological imaging

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Sirong; Zhu, Jiarong; Li, Yaping; Feng, Liheng

2018-03-01

Conjugated polymer nanoparticles (CPNs) with high brightness in long wavelength region were prepared by the nano-precipitation method. Based on fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) mechanism, the high brightness property of the CPNs was realized by four different emission polymers. Dynamic light scattering (DLS) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) displayed that the CPNs possessed a spherical structure and an average diameter of 75 nm. Analysis assays showed that the CPNs had excellent biocompatibility, good photostability and low cytotoxicity. The CPNs were bio-modified with a cell penetrating peptide (Tat, a targeted element) through covalent link. Based on the entire wave fluorescence emission, the functionalized CPNs1-4 can meet multichannel and high throughput assays in cell and organ imaging. The contribution of the work lies in not only providing a new way to obtain a high brightness imaging probe in long wavelength region, but also using targeted cell and organ imaging.

Polymer Crosslinked 3-D Assemblies of Nanoparticles: Mechanically Strong Lightweight Porous Materials

Science.gov (United States)

Leventis, Nicholas

2005-01-01

In analogy to supramolecular assemblies, which are pursued because of properties above and beyond those of the individual molecules, self-standing monolithic three-dimensional assemblies of nanoparticles also have unique properties attributed to their structure. For example, ultra low-density 3-D assemblies of silica nanoparticles, known as silica aerogels, are characterized by large internal void space, high surface area and very low thermal conductivity. Aerogels, however, are also extremely fragile materials, limiting their application to a few specialized environments, e.g., in nuclear reactors as Cerenkov radiation detectors, in space (refer to NASA's Stardust Program) and aboard certain planetary vehicles (thermal insulators on Mars Rovers in 1997 and 2004). The fragility problem is traced to well-defined weak points in the aerogel skeletal framework, the interparticle necks. Using the surface functionality of the nanoparticle building blocks as a focal point, we have directed attachment of a conformal polymer coating over the entire framework, rendering all necks wider. Thus, although the bulk density may increase only by 3x, the mesoporosity (pores in the range 2-50 nm) remains unchanged, while the strength of the material increases by up to 300... Having addressed the fragility problem, aerogels are now robust materials, and a variety of applications, ranging from thermal/acoustic insulators to catalyst supports, to platform for sensors, and dielectrics are all within reach. Our approach employs molecular science to manipulate nanoscopic matter for achieving useful macroscopic properties, and in our view it resides at the core of what defines nanotechnology. In that spirit, this technology is expandable in three directions. Thus, we have already crosslinked successfully amine-modified silica, and we anticipate that more rich chemistry will be realized by been creative with the nanoparticle surface modifiers. On the other hand, although we do not expect

Effect of chain stiffness on the structure of single-chain polymer nanoparticles

Science.gov (United States)

Moreno, Angel J.; Bacova, Petra; Lo Verso, Federica; Arbe, Arantxa; Colmenero, Juan; Pomposo, José A.

2018-01-01

Polymeric single-chain nanoparticles (SCNPs) are soft nano-objects synthesized by purely intramolecular cross-linking of single polymer chains. By means of computer simulations, we investigate the conformational properties of SCNPs as a function of the bending stiffness of their linear polymer precursors. We investigate a broad range of characteristic ratios from the fully flexible case to those typical of bulky synthetic polymers. Increasing stiffness hinders bonding of groups separated by short contour distances and increases looping over longer distances, leading to more compact nanoparticles with a structure of highly interconnected loops. This feature is reflected in a crossover in the scaling behaviour of several structural observables. The scaling exponents change from those characteristic for Gaussian chains or rings in θ-solvents in the fully flexible limit, to values resembling fractal or ‘crumpled’ globular behaviour for very stiff SCNPs. We characterize domains in the SCNPs. These are weakly deformable regions that can be seen as disordered analogues of domains in disordered proteins. Increasing stiffness leads to bigger and less deformable domains. Surprisingly, the scaling behaviour of the domains is in all cases similar to that of Gaussian chains or rings, irrespective of the stiffness and degree of cross-linking. It is the spatial arrangement of the domains which determines the global structure of the SCNP (sparse Gaussian-like object or crumpled globule). Since intramolecular stiffness can be varied through the specific chemistry of the precursor or by introducing bulky side groups in its backbone, our results propose a new strategy to tune the global structure of SCNPs.

Polymer Surface Engineering for Efficient Printing of Highly Conductive Metal Nanoparticle Inks.

Science.gov (United States)

Agina, Elena V; Sizov, Alexey S; Yablokov, Mikhail Yu; Borshchev, Oleg V; Bessonov, Alexander A; Kirikova, Marina N; Bailey, Marc J A; Ponomarenko, Sergei A

2015-06-10

An approach to polymer surface modification using self-assembled layers (SALs) of functional alkoxysilanes has been developed in order to improve the printability of silver nanoparticle inks and enhance adhesion between the metal conducting layer and the flexible polymer substrate. The SALs have been fully characterized by AFM, XPS, and WCA, and the resulting printability, adhesion, and electrical conductivity of the screen-printed metal contacts have been estimated by cross-cut tape test and 4-point probe measurements. It was shown that (3-mercaptopropyl)trimethoxysilane SALs enable significant adhesion improvements for both aqueous- and organic-based silver inks, approaching nearly 100% for PEN and PDMS substrates while exhibiting relatively low sheet resistance up to 0.1 Ω/sq. It was demonstrated that SALs containing functional -SH or -NH2 end groups offer the opportunity to increase the affinity of the polymer substrates to silver inks and thus to achieve efficient patterning of highly conductive structures on flexible and stretchable substrates.

CO2 capture by polymeric membranes composed of hyper-branched polymers with dense poly(oxyethylene comb and poly(amidoamine

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Taniguchi Ikuo

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Due to CO2-philic nature of polyoxyethylene (POE, a dense POE comb structure was tethered onto PMMA backbone to develop CO2 separation membranes over N2. The resulting hyper-branched polymers displayed preferential CO2 permeation. When the polymer thin layer was formed on a high gas permeable polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS support by a spray-coating manner, the resulting thin film composite (TFC membranes displayed very high CO2 permeability. However, the CO2 selectivity, which was the permeability ratio of CO2 over N2, was moderate and lower than 50. To enhance the selectivity, poly(amidoamine (PAMAM was introduced to the hyper-branched polymers in the CO2-selective layer of the TFC membranes. The CO2 selectivity increased from 47 to 90 with increasing PAMAM content to 40 wt%, and it was drastically enhanced to 350 with PAMAM content of 50 wt%. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC and laser microscope revealed formation of PAMAM-rich domain at the higher amine content, where CO2 could readily migrate in comparison to the other polymeric fractions.

CO2 capture by polymeric membranes composed of hyper-branched polymers with dense poly(oxyethylene) comb and poly(amidoamine)

Science.gov (United States)

Taniguchi, Ikuo; Wada, Norihisa; Kinugasa, Kae; Higa, Mitsuru

2017-11-01

Due to CO2-philic nature of polyoxyethylene (POE), a dense POE comb structure was tethered onto PMMA backbone to develop CO2 separation membranes over N2. The resulting hyper-branched polymers displayed preferential CO2 permeation. When the polymer thin layer was formed on a high gas permeable polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) support by a spray-coating manner, the resulting thin film composite (TFC) membranes displayed very high CO2 permeability. However, the CO2 selectivity, which was the permeability ratio of CO2 over N2, was moderate and lower than 50. To enhance the selectivity, poly(amidoamine) (PAMAM) was introduced to the hyper-branched polymers in the CO2-selective layer of the TFC membranes. The CO2 selectivity increased from 47 to 90 with increasing PAMAM content to 40 wt%, and it was drastically enhanced to 350 with PAMAM content of 50 wt%. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and laser microscope revealed formation of PAMAM-rich domain at the higher amine content, where CO2 could readily migrate in comparison to the other polymeric fractions.

Control of biofouling on reverse osmosis polyamide membranes modified with biocidal nanoparticles and antifouling polymer brushes

KAUST Repository

Rahaman, Md. Saifur

2014-01-01

Thin-film composite (TFC) polyamide reverse osmosis (RO) membranes are prone to biofouling due to their inherent physicochemical surface properties. In order to address the biofouling problem, we have developed novel surface coatings functionalized with biocidal silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) and antifouling polymer brushes via polyelectrolyte layer-by-layer (LBL) self-assembly. The novel surface coating was prepared with polyelectrolyte LBL films containing poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) and poly(ethylene imine) (PEI), with the latter being either pure PEI or silver nanoparticles coated with PEI (Ag-PEI). The coatings were further functionalized by grafting of polymer brushes, using either hydrophilic poly(sulfobetaine) or low surface energy poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS). The presence of both LBL films and sulfobetaine polymer brushes at the interface significantly increased the hydrophilicity of the membrane surface, while PDMS brushes lowered the membrane surface energy. Overall, all surface modifications resulted in significant reduction of irreversible bacterial cell adhesion. In microbial adhesion tests with E. coli bacteria, a normalized cell adhesion in the range of only 4 to 16% on the modified membrane surfaces was observed. Modified surfaces containing silver nanoparticles also exhibited strong antimicrobial activity. Membranes coated with LBL films of PAA/Ag-PEI achieved over 95% inactivation of bacteria attached to the surface within 1 hour of contact time. Both the antifouling and antimicrobial results suggest the potential of using these novel surface coatings in controlling the fouling of RO membranes. © The Royal Society of Chemistry 2014.

Preparation and characterization of complex ferrite nanoparticles by a polymer-pyrolysis route

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu Xianming; Fu Shaoyun; Xiao Hongmei; Zhu Luping

2007-01-01

The polymer-pyrolysis route used in this work was to synthesize the copolymeric precursor of the mixed metallic ions and then to pyrolyze the precursor into complex spinel ferrite nanoparticles. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) showed that the complex ferrite nanoparticles could be obtained by calcination of their precursors at 500 deg. C. The structures, elemental analyses and particle morphology of the as-calcined products were characterized by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), ICP-AES, transmission electron microscope (TEM) and electron diffraction (ED) pattern. The results revealed that the as-calcined powders were complex spinel ferrites and the size of those nanoparticles ranged from 10 to 20 nm. Magnetic measurements were carried out at room temperature using a vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM). The saturation magnetization of the Mn-Zn ferrites was related to the molar ratio of Mn to Zn and increased with the increase of Mn. The complex Co-Mn-Zn ferrite nanoparticles showed a high magnetization of 58 emu/g at the applied field of 10 kOe and a low coercivity of 30 Oe, which indicated that this materials exhibited characteristics of soft ferromagnetism

SN-38 loading capacity of hydrophobic polymer blend nanoparticles: formulation, optimization and efficacy evaluation.

Science.gov (United States)

Dimchevska, Simona; Geskovski, Nikola; Petruševski, Gjorgji; Chacorovska, Marina; Popeski-Dimovski, Riste; Ugarkovic, Sonja; Goracinova, Katerina

2017-03-01

One of the most important problems in nanoencapsulation of extremely hydrophobic drugs is poor drug loading due to rapid drug crystallization outside the polymer core. The effort to use nanoprecipitation, as a simple one-step procedure with good reproducibility and FDA approved polymers like Poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) and Polycaprolactone (PCL), will only potentiate this issue. Considering that drug loading is one of the key defining characteristics, in this study we attempted to examine whether the nanoparticle (NP) core composed of two hydrophobic polymers will provide increased drug loading for 7-Ethyl-10-hydroxy-camptothecin (SN-38), relative to NPs prepared using individual polymers. D-optimal design was applied to optimize PLGA/PCL ratio in the polymer blend and the mode of addition of the amphiphilic copolymer Lutrol ® F127 in order to maximize SN-38 loading and obtain NPs with acceptable size for passive tumor targeting. Drug/polymer and polymer/polymer interaction analysis pointed to high degree of compatibility and miscibility among both hydrophobic polymers, providing core configuration with higher drug loading capacity. Toxicity studies outlined the biocompatibility of the blank NPs. Increased in vitro efficacy of drug-loaded NPs compared to the free drug was confirmed by growth inhibition studies using SW-480 cell line. Additionally, the optimized NP formulation showed very promising blood circulation profile with elimination half-time of 7.4 h.

The hydrodynamic size of polymer stabilized nanocrystals

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Krueger, Karl M; Al-Somali, Ali M; Mejia, Michelle; Colvin, Vicki L [Department of Chemistry, Rice University, MS-60 6100 Main Street, Houston, TX 77005 (United States)

2007-11-28

For many emerging applications, nanocrystals are surface functionalized with polymers to control self-assembly, prevent aggregation, and promote incorporation into polymer matrices and biological systems. The hydrodynamic diameter of these nanoparticle-polymer complexes is a critical factor for many applications, and predicting this size is complicated by the fact that the structure of the grafted polymer at a nanocrystalline interface is not generally established. In this work we evaluate using size-exclusion chromatography the overall hydrodynamic diameter of nanocrystals (Au, CdSe, d<5 nm) surface coated with polystyrene of varying molecular weight. The polymer is tethered to the nanoparticles via a terminal thiol to provide strong attachment. Our data show that at full coverage the polymer assumes a brush conformation and is 44% longer than the unbound polymer in solution. The brush conformation is confirmed by comparison with models used to describe polymer brushes at flat interfaces. From this work, we suggest an empirical formula which predicts the hydrodynamic diameter of polymer coated nanoparticles based on the size of the nanoparticle core and the size of the randomly coiled unbound polymer in solution.

Optical gain of LaF3:Nd nanoparticle doped polymers for active integrated optical devices

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Stouwdam, J.W.; Klunder, D.J.W.; Borreman, A.; Diemeer, Mart; Worhoff, Kerstin; Driessen, A.; de Ridder, R.M.; de Ridder, R.M; Altena, G; Altena, G.; Geuzebroek, D.H.; Dekker, R; Dekker, R.

2003-01-01

We report on rare earth doped LaF3 nanoparticles dispersed in PMMA and SU-8 photosensitive polymers. We observed optical gain after we applied these materials for waveguides. Experimental results on various samples will be discussed. We theoretically discuss the improvements that can be obtained and

Water-soluble light-emitting nanoparticles prepared by non-covalent bond self-assembly of a hydroxyl group functionalized oligo(p-phenyleneethynylene) with different water-soluble polymers

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

无

2010-01-01

Water-soluble light-emitting nanoparticles were prepared from hydroxyl group functionalized oligos(p-phenyleneethynylene) (OHOPEL) and water-soluble polymers(PEG,PAA,and PG) by non-covalent bond self-assembly.Their structure and optoelectronic properties were investigated through dynamic light scattering(DLS) ,UV and PL spectroscopy.The optical properties of OHOPEL-based water-soluble nanoparticles exhibited the same properties as that found in OHOPEL films,indicating the existence of interchain-aggregation of OHOPELs in the nanoparticles.OHOPEL-based nanoparticles prepared from conjugated oligomers show smaller size and lower dispersity than nanoparticles from conjugated polymers,which means that the structures of water-soluble nanoparticles are linked to the conjugated length.Furthermore,the OHOPEL/PG and OHOPEL/PAA systems produced smaller particles and lower polydispersity than the OHOPEL/PEG system,indicating that there may exist influence of the strength of non-covalent bonds on the size and degree of dispersity of the nanoparticles.

Layered double hydroxide nanosheet as a two-dimensional support of dense platinum nanoparticles

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yu, Hyo Gyoung; Cho, Se Hee; Ji, Hong Geun [H and A PharmaChem, R and D center, Bucheon (Korea, Republic of); Lee, Jong Hyeon [Dept. of Chemistry, The Catholic University of Korea, Bucheon (Korea, Republic of)

2017-02-15

Transition metal nanoparticles (NPs) with a narrow size distribution have been intensively synthesized on various solid supports for anti-agglomeration, and high catalytic activity and selectivity. Layered double hydroxides (LDH) are currently attracting intense interest in the field of heterogeneous catalysis as catalyst supports. In order to obtain a well-crystallized LDH nanosheet, the as-synthesize d carbonate form of LDH was hydrothermally treated according to a reported procedure, and further reacted by anion-exchange with an aqueous solution of NaNO{sub 3} and acetate buffer to give the nitrate form of LDH. Dense and uniform Pt NPs were synthesized on the exfoliated LDH nanosheets through precursor exchange and thermal reduction of the precursor ions. In this nanocomposite, the Pt Nps were uniformly grown on the surface of the LDH nano sheet and the average size of Pt Nps was 2nm.

Measurement of Nanoparticles Release during Drilling of Polymer Nanocomposites

Science.gov (United States)

Gendre, L.; Marchante Rodriguez, V.; Abhyankar, H.; Blackburn, K.; Brighton, J. L.

2015-05-01

Nanomaterials are one of the promising technologies of this century. The Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies [1] reports more than 1600 consumer products based on nanotechnology that are currently on the market and advantages link to the reinforcement of polymeric materials using nano-fillers are not to demonstrate anymore. However, the concerns about safety and its consumer perception can slow down the acceptance of nanocomposites. Indeed, during its life-cycle, a nanotechnology-based product can release nano-sized particles exposing workers, consumers and environment and the risk involved in the use and disposal of such particles is not well known. The current legislation concerning chemicals and environment protection doesn't explicitly cover nanomaterials and changes undergone by nanoparticles during the products’ life cycle. Also, the possible physio-chemical changes that the nanoparticles may undergo during its life cycle are unknown. Industries need a standard method to evaluate nanoparticles release during products’ life cycle in order to improve the knowledge in nanomaterials risk assessment and the legislation, and to inform customers about the safety of nanomaterials and nanoproducts. This work aims to propose a replicable method in order to assess the release of nanoparticles during the machining of nanocomposites in a controlled environment. For this purpose, a new experimental set-up was implemented and issues observed in previous methods (background noise due to uncontrolled ambient environment and the process itself, unrepeatable machining parameters) were solved. A characterisation and validation of the chamber used is presented in this paper. Also, preliminary testing on drilling of polymer-based nanocomposites (Polyamide-6/Glass Fibre reinforced with nano-SiO2) manufactured by extrusion and injection moulding were achieved.

Transport and retention of surfactant- and polymer-stabilized engineered silver nanoparticles in silicate-dominated aquifer material

Science.gov (United States)

Packed column experiments were conducted to investigate the transport and blocking behavior of surfactant- and polymer-stabilized engineered silver nanoparticles (Ag-ENPs) in saturated natural aquifer material with varying silt and clay content, background solution chemistry, and flow velocity. Brea...

Hole transfer from CdSe nanoparticles to TQ1 polymer in hybrid solar cell device

Science.gov (United States)

Sohail, Muhammad; Shah, Zawar Hussain; Saeed, Shomaila; Bibi, Nasreen; Shahbaz, Sadia; Ahmed, Safeer; Shabbir, Saima; Siddiq, Muhammad; Iqbal, Azhar

2018-05-01

In view of realizing the economic viability, we fabricate a solar cell device containing low band gap and easily processable polymer 5-yl-8-(thiophene-2,5-diyl)-2,3-bis(3-(octyloxy)phenyl) quinoxaline (TQ1) and CdSe nanoparticles (NPs) and investigate its charge transport properties. When the TQ1 is combined with the CdSe NPs a strong photoluminescence quenching and shortening of photoluminescence lifetime of the TQ1 is observed indicating exciton transfer from TQ1 to the CdSe NPs. The time-resolved photoluminescence further reveals that the exciton transfer from the polymer to CdSe NPs is very efficient (68%) and it occurs in solar cell as compared to polymer only device. These observations suggest the importance of other II-VI semiconductor NPs to achieve higher efficiency for photovoltaic devices containing TQ1 polymer.

Water-soluble PEGylated silicon nanoparticles and their assembly into swellable nanoparticle aggregates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xu, Zejing; Li, Yejia; Zhang, Boyu; Purkait, Tapas; Alb, Alina; Mitchell, Brian S.; Grayson, Scott M.; Fink, Mark J.

2015-01-01

Water-soluble silicon nanoparticles were synthesized by grafting PEG polymers onto functionalized silicon nanoparticles with distal alkyne or azide moieties. The surface-functionalized silicon nanoparticles were produced in one step from the reactive high-energy ball milling (RHEBM) of silicon wafers with a mixture of either 5-chloro-1-pentyne in 1-pentyne or 1,7 octadiyne in 1-hexyne to afford air and water-stable chloroalkyl or alkynyl-terminated nanoparticles, respectively. Nanoparticles with the ω-chloroalkyl substituents were easily converted to ω-azidoalkyl groups through the reaction of the Si nanoparticles with sodium azide in DMF. The azido-terminated nanoparticles were then grafted with mono-alkynyl-PEG polymers using a copper-catalyzed alkyne-azide cycloaddition (CuAAC) reaction to afford core–shell silicon nanoparticles with a covalently attached PEG shell. Covalently linked Si nanoparticle clusters were synthesized via the CuAAC “click” reaction of functional Si NPs with α,ω-functional PEG polymers of various lengths. Dynamic light scattering studies show that the flexible globular nanoparticle aggregates undergo a solvent-dependent change in volume (ethanol > dichloromethane > toluene) similar in behavior to hydrogel nanocomposites

Densely-packed graphene/conducting polymer nanoparticle papers for high-volumetric-performance flexible all-solid-state supercapacitors

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Chao; Zhang, Liling; Hu, Nantao; Yang, Zhi; Wei, Hao; Xu, Zhichuan J.; Wang, Yanyan; Zhang, Yafei

2016-08-01

Graphene-based all-solid-state supercapacitors (ASSSCs) are one of the most ideal candidates for high-performance flexible power sources. The achievement of high volumetric energy density is highly desired for practical application of this type of ASSSCs. Here, we present a facile method to boost volumetric performances of graphene-based flexible ASSSCs through incorporation of ultrafine polyaniline-poly(4-styrenesulfonate) (PANI-PSS) nanoparticles in reduced graphene oxide (rGO) papers. A compact structure is obtained via intimate contact and π-π interaction between PANI-PSS nanoparticles and rGO sheets. The hybrid paper electrode with the film thickness of 13.5 μm, shows an extremely high volumetric specific capacitance of 272 F/cm3 (0.37 A/cm3 in a three-electrode cell). The assembled ASSSCs show a large volumetric specific capacitance of 217 F/cm3 (0.37 A/cm3 in a two-electrode cell), high volumetric energy and power density, excellent capacitance stability, small leakage current as well as low self-discharge characteristics, revealing the usefulness of this robust hybrid paper for high-performance flexible energy storage devices.

Preparation of mucosal nanoparticles and polymer-based inactivated vaccine for Newcastle disease and H9N2 AI viruses

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Heba M. El Naggar

2017-02-01

Full Text Available Aim: To develop a mucosal inactivated vaccines for Newcastle disease (ND and H9N2 viruses to protect against these viruses at sites of infections through mucosal immunity. Materials and Methods: In this study, we prepared two new formulations for mucosal bivalent inactivated vaccine formulations for Newcastle and Avian Influenza (H9N2 based on the use of nanoparticles and polymer adjuvants. The prepared vaccines were delivered via intranasal and spray routes of administration in specific pathogen-free chickens. Cell-mediated and humoral immune response was measured as well as challenge trial was carried out. In addition, ISA71 water in oil was also evaluated. Results: Our results showed that the use of spray route as vaccination delivery method of polymer and nanoparticles MontanideTM adjuvants revealed that it enhanced the cell mediated immune response as indicated by phagocytic activity, gamma interferon and interleukin 6 responses and induced protection against challenge with Newcastle and Avian Influenza (H9N2 viruses. Conclusion: The results of this study demonstrate the potentiality of polymer compared to nanoparticles adjuvantes when used via spray route. Mass application of such vaccines will add value to improve the vaccination strategies against ND virus and Avian influenza viruses.

Tuning of polymeric nanoparticles by coassembly of thermoresponsive polymers and a double hydrophilic thermoresponsive block copolymer

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Zhang, Q.; Voorhaar, L.; Filippov, Sergey K.; Yesil, B. F.; Hoogenboom, R.

2016-01-01

Roč. 120, č. 20 (2016), s. 4635-4643 ISSN 1520-6106 R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GC15-10527J Institutional support: RVO:61389013 Keywords : nanoparticles * thermoresponsive polymers * self-assembly Subject RIV: CF - Physical ; Theoretical Chemistry Impact factor: 3.177, year: 2016

Nanoparticle-based capillary electroseparation of proteins in polymer capillaries under physiological conditions

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nilsson, C.; Harwigsson, I.; Becker, K.

2010-01-01

Totally porous lipid-based liquid crystalline nanoparticles were used as pseudostationary phase for capillary electroseparation with LIF detection of proteins at physiological conditions using unmodified cyclic olefin copolymer capillaries (Topas (R), 6.7 cm effective length). In the absence of n...... at protein friendly conditions. The developed capillary-based method facilitates future electrochromatography of proteins on polymer-based microchips under physiological conditions and enables the initial optimization of separation conditions in parallel to the chip development....

Nanoparticle amount, and not size, determines chain alignment and nonlinear hardening in polymer nanocomposites

Science.gov (United States)

Varol, H. Samet; Meng, Fanlong; Hosseinkhani, Babak; Malm, Christian; Bonn, Daniel; Bonn, Mischa; Zaccone, Alessio

2017-01-01

Polymer nanocomposites—materials in which a polymer matrix is blended with nanoparticles (or fillers)—strengthen under sufficiently large strains. Such strain hardening is critical to their function, especially for materials that bear large cyclic loads such as car tires or bearing sealants. Although the reinforcement (i.e., the increase in the linear elasticity) by the addition of filler particles is phenomenologically understood, considerably less is known about strain hardening (the nonlinear elasticity). Here, we elucidate the molecular origin of strain hardening using uniaxial tensile loading, microspectroscopy of polymer chain alignment, and theory. The strain-hardening behavior and chain alignment are found to depend on the volume fraction, but not on the size of nanofillers. This contrasts with reinforcement, which depends on both volume fraction and size of nanofillers, potentially allowing linear and nonlinear elasticity of nanocomposites to be tuned independently. PMID:28377517

Aryl diazonium salts: a new class of coupling agents for bonding polymers, biomacromolecules and nanoparticles to surfaces.

Science.gov (United States)

Mahouche-Chergui, Samia; Gam-Derouich, Sarra; Mangeney, Claire; Chehimi, Mohamed M

2011-07-01

This critical review summarizes existing knowledge on the use of diazonium salts as a new generation of surface modifiers and coupling agents for binding synthetic polymers, biomacromolecules, and nanoparticles to surfaces. Polymer grafts can be directly grown at surfaces through the so-called grafting from approaches based on several polymerization methods but can also be pre-formed in solution and then grafted to surfaces through grafting onto strategies including "click" reactions. Several routes are also described for binding biomacromolecules through aryl layers in view of developing biosensors and protein arrays, while the use of aryl diazonium coupling agents is extended to the attachment of nanoparticles. Patents and industrial applications of the surface chemistry of diazonium compounds are covered. This review stresses the paramount role of aryl diazonium coupling agents in adhesion, surface and materials sciences (114 references).

Structural Analysis of Polyhedral Oligomeric Silsesquioxane Coated SiC Nanoparticles and Their Applications in Thermoset Polymers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reza-E-Rabby, M.; Jeelani, Sh.; Rangari, V. K.

2015-01-01

The SiC nanoparticles (NPs) were sonochemically coated with Octa Isobutyl (OI) polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS) to create a compatible interface between particle and thermoset polymer. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) techniques were used to analyze the structure of OI-POSS coated SiC nanoparticles. These results revealed the formation of a covalent bonding between SiC and OI-POSS. The transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis of OI-POSS coated SiC nanoparticles has also shown the indication of attachment between these two nanoparticles. The OI-POSS coated SiC nanoparticles were further reinforced into a thermoset resin system in order to evaluate mechanical and thermal properties of nano composites. The flexural strength, modulus, and glass transition temperature were found to be enhanced while SiC and OI-POSS coated SiC were infused into epoxy system compared to those properties of neat epoxy resin

Structural Analysis of Polyhedral Oligomeric Silsesquioxane Coated SiC Nanoparticles and Their Applications in Thermoset Polymers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Md. Reza-E-Rabby

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The SiC nanoparticles (NPs were sonochemically coated with OctaIsobutyl (OI polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS to create a compatible interface between particle and thermoset polymer. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR, and X-ray diffraction (XRD techniques were used to analyze the structure of OI-POSS coated SiC nanoparticles. These results revealed the formation of a covalent bonding between SiC and OI-POSS. The transmission electron microscopy (TEM analysis of OI-POSS coated SiC nanoparticles has also shown the indication of attachment between these two nanoparticles. The OI-POSS coated SiC nanoparticles were further reinforced into a thermoset resin system in order to evaluate mechanical and thermal properties of nanocomposites. The flexural strength, modulus, and glass transition temperature were found to be enhanced while SiC and OI-POSS coated SiC were infused into epoxy system compared to those properties of neat epoxy resin.

Morphology control of polymer: Fullerene solar cells by nanoparticle self-assembly

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Wenluan

During the past two decades, research in the field of polymer based solar cells has attracted great effort due to their simple processing, mechanical flexibility and potential low cost. A standard polymer solar cell is based on the concept of a bulk-heterojunction composed of a conducting polymer as the electron donor and a fullerene derivative as the electron acceptor. Since the exciton lifetime is limited, this places extra emphasis on control of the morphology to obtain improved device performance. In this thesis, detailed characterization and novel morphological design of polymer solar cells was studied, in addition, preliminary efforts to transfer laboratory scale methods to industrialized device fabrication was made. Magnetic contrast neutron reflectivity was used to study the vertical concentration distribution of fullerene nanoparticles within poly(2,5-bis(3-tetradecylthiophen-2-yl)thieno[3,2- b]thiophene (pBTTT) thin film. Due to the wide space between the side chains of polymer, these fullerene nanoparticles intercalate between them creating a stable co-crystal structure. Therefore, a high volume fraction of fullerene was needed to obtain optimal device performance as phase separated conductive pathways are required and resulted in a homogeneous fullerene concentration profile through the film. Small angle neutron scattering was used to find there is amorphous fullerene even at lower concentration since it was previously believed that all fullerene formed a co-crystal. These fullerene molecules evolve into approximately 15 nm sized agglomerates at higher concentrations to improve electron transport. Unfortunately, thermal annealing gives these agglomerates mobility to form micrometer sized crystals and reduce the device performance. In standard poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT):[6,6]-phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester (PCMBM) solar cells, a higher concentration of PCBM at the cathode interface is desired due to the band alignment structure. This was

Nanoparticle/Polymer assembled microcapsules with pH sensing property.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Pan; Song, Xiaoxue; Tong, Weijun; Gao, Changyou

2014-10-01

The dual-labeled microcapsules via nanoparticle/polymer assembly based on polyamine-salt aggregates can be fabricated for the ratiometric intracellular pH sensing. After deposition of SiO2 nanoparticles on the poly(allylamine hydrochloride)/multivalent anionic salt aggregates followed by silicic acid treatment, the generated microcapsules are stable in a wide pH range (3.0 ∼ 8.0). pH sensitive dye and pH insensitive dye are simultaneously labeled on the capsules, which enable the ratiometric pH sensing. Due to the rough and positively charged surface, the microcapsules can be internalized by several kinds of cells naturally. Real-time measurement of intracellular pH in several living cells shows that the capsules are all located in acidic organelles after being taken up. Furthermore, the negatively charged DNA and dyes can be easily encapsulated into the capsules via charge interaction. The microcapsules with combination of localized pH sensing and drug loading abilities have many advantages, such as following the real-time transportation and processing of the carriers in cells. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Interplay of electrostatics and lipid packing determines the binding of charged polymer coated nanoparticles to model membranes.

Science.gov (United States)

Biswas, Nupur; Bhattacharya, Rupak; Saha, Arindam; Jana, Nikhil R; Basu, Jaydeep K

2015-10-07

Understanding of nanoparticle-membrane interactions is useful for various applications of nanoparticles like drug delivery and imaging. Here we report on the studies of interaction between hydrophilic charged polymer coated semiconductor quantum dot nanoparticles with model lipid membranes. Atomic force microscopy and X-ray reflectivity measurements suggest that cationic nanoparticles bind and penetrate bilayers of zwitterionic lipids. Penetration and binding depend on the extent of lipid packing and result in the disruption of the lipid bilayer accompanied by enhanced lipid diffusion. On the other hand, anionic nanoparticles show minimal membrane binding although, curiously, their interaction leads to reduction in lipid diffusivity. It is suggested that the enhanced binding of cationic QDs at higher lipid packing can be understood in terms of the effective surface potential of the bilayers which is tunable through membrane lipid packing. Our results bring forth the subtle interplay of membrane lipid packing and electrostatics which determine nanoparticle binding and penetration of model membranes with further implications for real cell membranes.

Polymer nanoparticles for drug and small silencing RNA delivery to treat cancers of different phenotypes

Science.gov (United States)

Devulapally, Rammohan; Paulmurugan, Ramasamy

2013-01-01

Advances in nanotechnology have provided powerful and efficient tools in development of cancer diagnosis and therapy. There are numerous nanocarriers that are currently approved for clinical use in cancer therapy. In recent years, biodegradable polymer nanoparticles (NPs) have attracted a considerable attention for their ability to function as a possible carrier for target-specific delivery of various drugs, genes, proteins, peptides, vaccines, and other biomolecules in humans without much toxicity. This review will specifically focus on the recent advances in polymer-based nanocarriers for various drugs and small silencing RNA’s loading and delivery to treat different types of cancer. PMID:23996830

Low-energy electron irradiation assisted diffusion of gold nanoparticles in polymer matrix

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Deore, Avinash V.; Bhoraskar, V.N.; Dhole, S.D.

2014-01-01

A simple and controllable method to synthesize nanoparticles in the surface region of polymers was used by low energy electron irradiation. Using this method, gold nanoparticles have been synthesized by irradiating gold coated PVA (Polyvinyl Alcohol) sheets. This method was easy in operation and even period of few minutes was sufficient to obtain the nanoparticles. The coatings (∼10 μm) made from a mixture of ethanol and HAuCl 4 on PVA sheets (∼150 μm) by simple drop cast method were irradiated with 30 keV electrons, at room temperature and 10 −6 mbar vacuum level. The electron fluence was varied from coating to coating in the range of 0 to 24×10 15 e/cm 2 . The irradiated samples were characterized by the UV–Vis, XRD, SEM and RBS techniques. The plasmon absorption peak at ∼539 nm in UV–Vis spectra was an evidence for the initiation of the growth of gold nanoparticles. The X-ray diffraction results and the blue shift in the plasmon absorption peak reveal that the size of nanoparticles could be tailored in the range from 58 to 40 nm by varying the electron fluence. The diffusion of gold in the PVA was confirmed by the Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy techniques. This method of synthesis of metal nanoparticles by low energy electron beam irradiation has the key importance in the development of new fabrication techniques for nanomaterials. - Highlights: • The results indicate that low energy electrons can effectively be used for the synthesis of nanoparticles of different sizes. • This study leads to a definite conclusion that gold nanoparticles have been synthesized in surface region of the PVA sheet. • The size of nanoparticles decreases with increasing electron fluence. • The depth of diffusion of Au atoms at maximum fluence was found to be ∼1.5 μm

Ordered mesoporous polymer-silica hybrid nanoparticles as vehicles for the intracellular controlled release of macromolecules.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Tae-Wan; Slowing, Igor I; Chung, Po-Wen; Lin, Victor Shang-Yi

2011-01-25

A two-dimensional hexagonal ordered mesoporous polymer-silica hybrid nanoparticle (PSN) material was synthesized by polymerization of acrylate monomers on the surface of SBA-15 mesoporous silica nanoparticles. The structure of the PSN material was analyzed using a series of different techniques, including transmission electron microscopy, powder X-ray diffraction, and N(2) sorption analysis. These structurally ordered mesoporous polymer-silica hybrid nanoparticles were used for the controlled release of membrane-impermeable macromolecules inside eukaryotic cells. The cellular uptake efficiency and biocompatibility of PSN with human cervical cancer cells (HeLa) were investigated. Our results show that the inhibitory concentration (IC(50)) of PSN is very high (>100 μg/mL per million cells), while the median effective concentration for the uptake (EC(50)) of PSN is low (EC(50) = 4.4 μg/mL), indicating that PSNs are fairly biocompatible and easily up-taken in vitro. A membrane-impermeable macromolecule, 40 kDa FITC-Dextran, was loaded into the mesopores of PSNs at low pH. We demonstrated that the PSN material could indeed serve as a transmembrane carrier for the controlled release of FITC-Dextran at the pH level inside live HeLa cells. We believe that further developments of this PSN material will lead to a new generation of nanodevices for intracellular controlled delivery applications.

Farnesylthiosalicylic acid-loaded lipid-polyethylene glycol-polymer hybrid nanoparticles for treatment of glioblastoma.

Science.gov (United States)

Kaffashi, Abbas; Lüle, Sevda; Bozdağ Pehlivan, Sibel; Sarısözen, Can; Vural, İmran; Koşucu, Hüsnü; Demir, Taner; Buğdaycı, Kadir Emre; Söylemezoğlu, Figen; Karlı Oğuz, Kader; Mut, Melike

2017-08-01

We aimed to develop lipid-polyethylene glycol (PEG)-polymer hybrid nanoparticles, which have high affinity to tumour tissue with active ingredient, a new generation antineoplastic drug, farnesylthiosalicylic acid (FTA) for treatment of glioblastoma. Farnesylthiosalicylic acid-loaded poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid)-1,2 distearoyl-glycerol-3-phospho-ethanolamine-N [methoxy (PEG)-2000] ammonium salt (PLGA-DSPE-PEG) with or without 1,2-dioleoyl-3-trimethylammonium-propane (DOTAP) hybrid nanoparticles has been prepared and evaluated for in-vitro characterization. Cytotoxicity of FTA-loaded nanoparticles along with its efficacy on rat glioma-2 (RG2) cells was also evaluated both in vitro (in comparison with non-malignant cell line, L929) and in vivo. Scanning electron microscopy studies showed that all formulations prepared had smooth surface and spherical in shape. FTA and FTA-loaded nanoparticles have cytotoxic activity against RG2 glioma cell lines in cell culture studies, which further increases with addition of DOTAP. Magnetic resonance imaging and histopathologic evaluation on RG2 tumour cells in rat glioma model (49 female Wistar rats, 250-300 g) comparing intravenous and intratumoral injections of the drug have been performed and FTA-loaded nanoparticles reduced tumour size significantly in in-vivo studies, with higher efficiency of intratumoral administration than intravenous route. Farnesylthiosalicylic acid-loaded PLGA-DSPE-PEG-DOTAP hybrid nanoparticles are proven to be effective against glioblastoma in both in-vitro and in-vivo experiments. © 2017 Royal Pharmaceutical Society.

Synthesis of polymer-lipid nanoparticles for image-guided delivery of dual modality therapy.

Science.gov (United States)

Mieszawska, Aneta J; Kim, YongTae; Gianella, Anita; van Rooy, Inge; Priem, Bram; Labarre, Matthew P; Ozcan, Canturk; Cormode, David P; Petrov, Artiom; Langer, Robert; Farokhzad, Omid C; Fayad, Zahi A; Mulder, Willem J M

2013-09-18

For advanced treatment of diseases such as cancer, multicomponent, multifunctional nanoparticles hold great promise. In the current study we report the synthesis of a complex nanoparticle (NP) system with dual drug loading as well as diagnostic properties. To that aim we present a methodology where chemically modified poly(lactic-co-glycolic) acid (PLGA) polymer is formulated into a polymer-lipid NP that contains a cytotoxic drug doxorubicin (DOX) in the polymeric core and an anti-angiogenic drug sorafenib (SRF) in the lipidic corona. The NP core also contains gold nanocrystals (AuNCs) for imaging purposes and cyclodextrin molecules to maximize the DOX encapsulation in the NP core. In addition, a near-infrared (NIR) Cy7 dye was incorporated in the coating. To fabricate the NP we used a microfluidics-based technique that offers unique NP synthesis conditions, which allowed for encapsulation and fine-tuning of optimal ratios of all the NP components. NP phantoms could be visualized with computed tomography (CT) and near-infrared (NIR) fluorescence imaging. We observed timed release of the encapsulated drugs, with fast release of the corona drug SRF and delayed release of a core drug DOX. In tumor bearing mice intravenously administered NPs were found to accumulate at the tumor site by fluorescence imaging.

Optimisation of the synthesis of vancomycin-selective molecularly imprinted polymer nanoparticles using automatic photoreactor

Science.gov (United States)

Muzyka, Kateryna; Karim, Khalku; Guerreiro, Antonio; Poma, Alessandro; Piletsky, Sergey

2014-03-01

A novel optimized protocol for solid-state synthesis of molecularly imprinted polymer nanoparticles (nanoMIPs) with specificity for antibiotic vancomycin is described. The experimental objective was optimization of the synthesis parameters (factors) affecting the yield of obtained nanoparticles which have been synthesized using the first prototype of an automated solid-phase synthesizer. Applications of experimental design (or design of experiments) in optimization of nanoMIP yield were carried out using MODDE 9.0 software. The factors chosen in the model were the amount of functional monomers in the polymerization mixture, irradiation time, temperature during polymerization, and elution temperature. In general, it could be concluded that the irradiation time is the most important and the temperature was the least important factor which influences the yield of nanoparticles. Overall, the response surface methodology proved to be an effective tool in reducing time required for optimization of complex experimental conditions.

Electrostimulated Release of Neutral Drugs from Polythiophene Nanoparticles: Smart Regulation of Drug-Polymer Interactions.

Science.gov (United States)

Puiggalí-Jou, Anna; Micheletti, Paolo; Estrany, Francesc; Del Valle, Luis J; Alemán, Carlos

2017-09-01

Poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) nanoparticles are loaded with curcumin and piperine by in situ emulsion polymerization using dodecyl benzene sulfonic acid both as a stabilizer and a doping agent. The loaded drugs affect the morphology, size, and colloidal stability of the nanoparticles. Furthermore, kinetics studies of nonstimulated drug release have evidenced that polymer···drug interactions are stronger for curcumin than for piperine. This observation suggests that drug delivery systems based on combination of the former drug with PEDOT are much appropriated to show an externally tailored release profile. This is demonstrated by comparing the release profiles obtained in presence and absence of electrical stimulus. Results indicate that controlled and time-programmed release of curcumin is achieved in a physiological medium by applying a negative voltage of -1.25 V to loaded PEDOT nanoparticles. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Synthesis and application of nanohybrids based on upconverting nanoparticles and polymers.

Science.gov (United States)

Cheng, Ziyong; Lin, Jun

2015-05-01

Lanthanide-doped upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) have been an emerging and exciting research field in recent years due to their unique luminescent properties of converting near-infrared light to shorter wavelength radiation. UCNPs offer excellent prospects in luminescent labeling, displays, bioimaging, bioassays, drug delivery, sensors, and anticounterfeiting applications. Along with the abundant studies and rapid progress in this area, UCNPs are promising to be a new class of luminescent probe owing to their special advantages over the conventional organic dyes and quantum dots. Among them, polymers play an important role to improve properties or endow new function of UCNPs such as for matrix materials, water solubility, linking active targeting molecules, biocompatibility, and stimuli-responsive behavior. This article briefly reviews the compositions, optical mechanisms, architectures of upconversion nanocrystals and highlights the works on various functional UCNPs/polymer nanohybrids as well as many new interesting fruits in applications. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Laser-induced atomic assembling of periodic layered nanostructures of silver nanoparticles in fluoro-polymer film matrix

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bagratashvili, V N; Minaev, N V; Timashev, P S; Yusupov, V I; Rybaltovsky, A O; Firsov, V V

2010-01-01

Fluorinated acrylic polymer (FAP) films have been impregnated with silver precursor (Ag(hfac)COD) by supercritical fluid technique and next irradiated with laser (λ = 532 nm). Laser-chemically reduced Ag atoms have been assembled into massifs of Ag nanoparticles (3 – 8 nm) in FAP/Ag(hfac)COD films matrix in the form of periodic layered nanostructures (horizontal to film surface) with unexpectedly short period (90 – 180 nm). The wavelet analysis of TEM images reveals the existence of even shorter-period structures in such films. Photolysis with non-coherent light or pyrolysis of FAP/Ag(hfac)COD film results in formation of Ag nanoparticles massifs but free of any periodic nanoparticle assemblies. Our interpretation of the observed effect of laser formation of short-period nano-sized Ag nanoparticle assemblies is based on self-enhanced interference process in the course of modification of optical properties of film

Polymer-embedded stannic oxide nanoparticles as humidity sensors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hatamie, Shadie; Dhas, Vivek; Kale, B.B.; Mulla, I.S.; Kale, S.N.

2009-01-01

Stannic oxide (SnO 2 ) nanoparticles have been suspended in polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) matrix in different PVA:SnO 2 molar ratios ranging from 1:1 to 1:5 using simple chemical route. This suspension was deposited on ceramic substrate and upon drying was carefully detached from the substrate. SnO 2 -embedded self-standing, transparent and flexible thin films were hence synthesized. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) techniques show the rutile tetragonal structure of SnO 2 with particle size ∼ 5 nm. UV-Visible spectroscopy demonstrates the band gap of 3.9 eV, which does not alter when embedded in polymer. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) reveals that the properties of SnO 2 do not modify due to incorporation in the PVA matrix. The structures work as excellent humidity sensors at room temperature. For a critical PVA:SnO 2 molar ratio of 1:3, the resistance changes to five times of magnitude in 92% humidity within fraction of second when compared with resistance at 11% humidity. The sample regains its original resistance almost instantaneously after being removed from humid chamber. Nanodimensions of SnO 2 particles and percolation mechanism related to transport through polymer matrix and water molecule as a carrier has been used to understand the mechanism.

IR laser-induced chemical vapor deposition of carbon-coated iron nanoparticles embeded in polymer

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Díaz, L.; Santos, M.; Ballesteros, C.; Maryško, Miroslav; Pola, Josef

2005-01-01

Roč. 15, - (2005), s. 4311-4317 ISSN 0959-9428 R&D Projects: GA MŠk(CZ) ME 684 Grant - others:DGI, MCyT(ES) BQU2003-08531-C02-; CiCYT(ES) ESP -2002-04509-C04-01 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z10100521 Keywords : magnetic nanoparticles * polymers Subject RIV: BM - Solid Matter Physics ; Magnetism Impact factor: 3.688, year: 2005

Structural and Thermal Studies of ZnS and CdS Nanoparticles in Polymer Matrices

OpenAIRE

Osuntokun, Jejenija; Ajibade, Peter A.

2016-01-01

We report the synthesis and structural studies of ZnS and CdS nanoparticles in polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA), and poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) matrices. The metal sulfides/polymer nanocomposites were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, electronic spectroscopy (UV-Vis), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The particle sizes as calculated from the absorption spectra were in agree...

Development and Modeling of a Novel Self-Assembly Process for Polymer and Polymeric Composite Nanoparticles

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sumpter, Bobby G. [ORNL; Carrillo, Jan-Michael Y. [ORNL; Ahn, Suk-Kyun [ORNL; Barnes, Mike D. [University of Massachusetts, Amherst; Shelton, William A. [Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL); Harrison, Robert J. [Stony Brook University (SUNY); W. Noid, Donald [Retired

2017-10-01

Extensive computational simulations and experiments have been used to investigate the structure, dynamics and resulting photophysical properties of a number para-phenylenevinylene (PPV) based polymers and oligomers. These studies have shown how the morphology and structure are controlled to a large extent by the nature of the solute-solvent interactions in the initial solution phase preparation. A good solvent such as dichloromethane generates non-compact structures with more of a defect-extended chain like morphology while a bad solvent such as toluene leads to compact organized and folded structures with rod-like morphologies. Secondary structural organization is induced by using the solution phase structures to generate solvent-free single molecule nanoparticles. These nanoparticles are very compact and rod shaped, consisting of near-cofacial ordering of the conjugated PPV chain backbones between folds located at tetrahedral defects (sp3 C-C bonds). The resulting photophysical properties exhibit a significant enhancement in the photoluminescence quantum yield, lifetime, and stability. In addition, the single molecule nanoparticles have Gaussian-like emission spectra with discrete center frequencies that are correlated to a conjugation length, allowing the design of nanoparticles which luminesces at a particular frequency. We followed a similar approach and applied a comparable methodology in our recent work on polythiophenes in order to study the effect of polymer architecture on nanoscale assembly. Unlike linear chains of comparable size, we observed aggregation of the bottlebrush architecture of poly(norbornene)-g-poly(3-hexylthiophene) (PNB-g-P3HT) after the freeze-drying and dissolution processes. The behavior can be attributed to a significant enhancement in the number of π-π interactions between grafted P3HT side chains.

Arginine-Glycine-Aspartic Acid-Modified Lipid-Polymer Hybrid Nanoparticles for Docetaxel Delivery in Glioblastoma Multiforme.

Science.gov (United States)

Shi, Kairong; Zhou, Jin; Zhang, Qianyu; Gao, Huile; Liu, Yayuan; Zong, Taili; He, Qin

2015-03-01

Hybrid nanoparticles consisting of lipids and the biodegradable polymer, poly (D,L-lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA), were developed for the targeted delivery of the anticancer drug, docetaxel. Transmission electron microscopic observations confirmed the presence of a lipid coating over the polymeric core. Using coumarin-6 as a fluorescent probe, the uptake efficacy of RGD conjugated lipid coated nanoparticles (RGD-L-P) by C6 cells was increased significantly, compared with that of lipid-polymer hybrid nanoparticles (L-P; 2.5-fold higher) or PLGA-nanoparticles (PLGA-P; 1.76-fold higher). The superior tumor spheroid penetration of RGD-L-P indicated that RGD-L-P could target effectively and specifically to C6 cells overexpressing integrin α(v)β3. The anti-proliferative activity of docetaxel-loaded RGD-L-P against C6 cells was increased 2.69- and 4.13-fold compared with L-P and PLGA-P, respectively. Regarding biodistribution, the strongest brain-localized fluorescence signals were detected in glioblastoma multiforme (GBM)-bearing rats treated with 1,10-Dioctadecyl-3,3,30,30-tetramethylindotricarb-ocyanine iodide (DiR)-loaded RGD-L-P, compared to rats treated with DiR-loaded L-P or PLGA-P. The median survival time of GBM-bearing rats treated with docetaxel-loaded RGD-L-P was 57 days, a fold increase of 1.43, 1.78, 3.35, and 3.56 compared with animals given L-P (P PLGA-P (P < 0.05), Taxotere (P < 0.01) and saline (P < 0.01), respectively. Collectively, these results support RGD-L-P as a promising drug delivery system for the specific targeting and the treatment of GBM.

The cellular responses and antibacterial activities of silver nanoparticles stabilized by different polymers

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Jiang-Jen; Lin, Wen-Chun; Dong, Rui-Xuan; Hsu, Shan-hui

2012-02-01

Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are known for their excellent antibacterial activities. The possible toxicity, however, is a major concern for their applications. Three types of AgNPs were prepared in this study by chemical processes. Each was stabilized by a polymer surfactant, which was expected to reduce the exposure of cells to AgNPs and therefore their cytotoxicity. The polymer stabilizers included poly(oxyethylene)-segmented imide (POEM), poly(styrene-co-maleic anhydride)-grafting poly(oxyalkylene) (SMA) and poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA). The cytotoxicity of these chemically produced AgNPs to mouse skin fibroblasts (L929), human hepatocarcinoma cells (HepG2), and mouse monocyte macrophages (J774A1) was compared to that of physically produced AgNPs and gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) as well as the standard reference material RM8011 AuNPs. Results showed that SMA-AgNPs were the least cytotoxic among all materials, but cytotoxicity was still observed at higher silver concentrations (>30 ppm). Macrophages demonstrated the inflammatory response with cell size increase and viability decrease upon exposure to 10 ppm of the chemically produced AgNPs. SMA-AgNPs did not induce hemolysis at a silver concentration below 1.5 ppm. Regarding the antibacterial activity, POEM-AgNPs and SMA-AgNPs at 1 ppm silver content showed 99.9% and 99.3% growth inhibition against E. coli, while PVA-AgNPs at the same silver concentration displayed 79.1% inhibition. Overall, SMA-AgNPs demonstrated better safety in vitro and greater antibacterial effects than POEM-AgNPs and PVA-AgNPs. This study suggested that polymer stabilizers may play an important role in determining the toxicity of AgNPs.

AFM topographies of densely packed nanoparticles: a quick way to determine the lateral size distribution by autocorrelation function analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fekete, L.; Kůsová, K.; Petrák, V.; Kratochvílová, I.

2012-01-01

The distribution of sizes is one of the basic characteristics of nanoparticles. Here, we propose a novel way to determine the lateral distribution of sizes from AFM topographies. Our algorithm is based on the autocorrelation function and can be applied both on topographies containing spatially separated and densely packed nanoparticles as well as on topographies of polycrystalline films. As no manual treatment is required, this algorithm can be easily automatable for batch processing. The algorithm works in principle with any kind of spatially mapped information (AFM current maps, optical microscope images, etc.), and as such has no size limitations. However, in the case of AFM topographies, the tip/sample convolution effects will be the factor limiting the smallest size to which the algorithm is applicable. Here, we demonstrate the usefulness of this algorithm on objects with sizes ranging between 20 nm and 1.5 μm.

The on-line synthesis of enzyme functionalized silica nanoparticles in a microfluidic reactor using polyethylenimine polymer and R5 peptide

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

He Ping; Greenway, Gillian; Haswell, Stephen J

2008-01-01

A simple microfluidic reactor system is described for the effective synthesis of enzyme functionalized nanoparticles which offers many advantages over batch reactions, including excellent enzyme efficiencies. Better control of the process parameters in the microfluidic reactor system over batch based methodology enables the production of silica nanoparticles with the optimum size for efficient enzyme immobilization with long-term stability. The synthetic approach is demonstrated with glucose oxidase (GOD) and two different nucleation catalysts of similar molecular mass: the natural R5 peptide, and polyethylenimine (PEI) polymer. Near-quantitative immobilization of GOD in the nanoparticles is obtained using PEI; the immobilization is attributed to electrostatic interaction between PEI and GOD. This interaction, however, limits the mobility of the immobilized enzyme, producing orientation hindrance of the enzyme's active sites as compared to free GOD in solution. In contrast, when the GOD is immobilized inside the silica nanoparticles using R5, lower enzyme immobilization efficiencies are obtained compared to using PEI polymers; however, similar Michaelis-Menten kinetic parameters (i.e. Michaelis constant and turnover number) to those of free GOD are observed. Reactions were monitored in situ using simple, rapid, separation-free amperometric detection

Dielectric breakdown in silica-amorphous polymer nanocomposite films: the role of the polymer matrix.

Science.gov (United States)

Grabowski, Christopher A; Fillery, Scott P; Westing, Nicholas M; Chi, Changzai; Meth, Jeffrey S; Durstock, Michael F; Vaia, Richard A

2013-06-26

The ultimate energy storage performance of an electrostatic capacitor is determined by the dielectric characteristics of the material separating its conductive electrodes. Polymers are commonly employed due to their processability and high breakdown strength; however, demands for higher energy storage have encouraged investigations of ceramic-polymer composites. Maintaining dielectric strength, and thus minimizing flaw size and heterogeneities, has focused development toward nanocomposite (NC) films; but results lack consistency, potentially due to variations in polymer purity, nanoparticle surface treatments, nanoparticle size, and film morphology. To experimentally establish the dominant factors in broad structure-performance relationships, we compare the dielectric properties for four high-purity amorphous polymer films (polymethyl methacrylate, polystyrene, polyimide, and poly-4-vinylpyridine) incorporating uniformly dispersed silica colloids (up to 45% v/v). Factors known to contribute to premature breakdown-field exclusion and agglomeration-have been mitigated in this experiment to focus on what impact the polymer and polymer-nanoparticle interactions have on breakdown. Our findings indicate that adding colloidal silica to higher breakdown strength amorphous polymers (polymethyl methacrylate and polyimide) causes a reduction in dielectric strength as compared to the neat polymer. Alternatively, low breakdown strength amorphous polymers (poly-4-vinylpyridine and especially polystyrene) with comparable silica dispersion show similar or even improved breakdown strength for 7.5-15% v/v silica. At ∼15% v/v or greater silica content, all the polymer NC films exhibit breakdown at similar electric fields, implying that at these loadings failure becomes independent of polymer matrix and is dominated by silica.

Polymer-Silica nanoparticles composite films as protective coatings for stone-based monuments

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Manoudis, P [Department of Chemical Engineering, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124, Thessaloniki (Greece); Papadopoulou, S [Department of Chemical Engineering, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124, Thessaloniki (Greece); Karapanagiotis, I [' Ormylia' Art Diagnosis Centre, Ormylia, Chalkidiki, 63071 (Greece); Tsakalof, A [Medical Department, University of Thessaly, Larissa, 41222 (Greece); Zuburtikudis, I [Department of Industrial Design Engineering, TEI of Western Macedonia, Kozani, 50100 (Greece); Panayiotou, C [Department of Chemical Engineering, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124, Thessaloniki (Greece)

2007-04-15

The decrease of surface energy of mineral substrates similar to those used in many stone monuments of cultural heritage by the application of protective polymer coatings along with the simultaneous increase of their surface roughness can increase their ability to repel water substantially. In this work, the effect of artificially induced roughness on the water repellency of mineral substrates coated with protective polymer films was investigated. Natural marble samples or home made calcium carbonate blocks were tried as the mineral substrates. The roughness increase was achieved by mineral chemical etching or by creation of nanoscale binary composition film on the substrate surface. PMMA and PFPE were the polymers used, while different-sized silica nanoparticles were employed for the production of the nanocomposite films. Examination of the coated and uncoated surfaces with profilometry and AFM and measurements of water contact angles reveal a pronounced effect of the surface roughness on water repellency. Especially in the case of nanocomposite coatings, the surfaces become super-hydrophobic. This result indicates that the nanoscale binary composition film scheme, which is characterized by its simplicity and low cost, is a suitable candidate for the water protection of stone-based monuments on large scale.

Polymer-Silica nanoparticles composite films as protective coatings for stone-based monuments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Manoudis, P; Papadopoulou, S; Karapanagiotis, I; Tsakalof, A; Zuburtikudis, I; Panayiotou, C

2007-01-01

The decrease of surface energy of mineral substrates similar to those used in many stone monuments of cultural heritage by the application of protective polymer coatings along with the simultaneous increase of their surface roughness can increase their ability to repel water substantially. In this work, the effect of artificially induced roughness on the water repellency of mineral substrates coated with protective polymer films was investigated. Natural marble samples or home made calcium carbonate blocks were tried as the mineral substrates. The roughness increase was achieved by mineral chemical etching or by creation of nanoscale binary composition film on the substrate surface. PMMA and PFPE were the polymers used, while different-sized silica nanoparticles were employed for the production of the nanocomposite films. Examination of the coated and uncoated surfaces with profilometry and AFM and measurements of water contact angles reveal a pronounced effect of the surface roughness on water repellency. Especially in the case of nanocomposite coatings, the surfaces become super-hydrophobic. This result indicates that the nanoscale binary composition film scheme, which is characterized by its simplicity and low cost, is a suitable candidate for the water protection of stone-based monuments on large scale

A new composite consisting of electrosynthesized conducting polymers, graphene sheets and biosynthesized gold nanoparticles for biosensing acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

Science.gov (United States)

Mazloum-Ardakani, Mohammad; Barazesh, Behnaz; Khoshroo, Alireza; Moshtaghiun, Mohammad; Sheikhha, Mohammad Hasan

2018-06-01

In this work we report the synthesis of a stable composite with excellent electrical properties, on the surface of a biosensor. Conductive polymers offer both high electrical conductivity and mechanical strength. Many reports have focused on synthesizing conductive polymers with the aid of high-cost enzymes. In the current work we introduce a novel electrochemical, one-step, facile and cost effective procedure for synthesizing poly (catechol), without using expensive enzymes. The poly (catechol) conductivity was enhanced by modification with graphene sheets and biosynthesized gold nanoparticles. Four different robust methods, DPV, EIS, CV and chronoamperometry, were used to monitor the biosensor modifications. The peak currents of the catechol (an electroactive probe) were linearly related to the logarithm of the concentrations of target DNA in the range 100.0 μM to 10.0 pM, with a detection limit of 1.0 pM for the DNA strand. The current work investigates a new, stable composite consisting of conductive polymers and nanoparticles, which was applied to the detection of acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Remote activation of a microactuator using a photo-responsive nanoparticle-polymer composite

Science.gov (United States)

Zeberoff, Anthony

Stimulus response materials are a class of novel materials that are currently being explored in various technologies, including biomedical devices and components, food packaging, fabrics, energy harvesting and conversion, and other elementary components such as sensors and actuators. Hybrid organic-inorganic materials such as nanoparticle-polymer composites are attractive candidates as their properties can be significantly tuned for particular applications where selectivity and localized responses are critical factors. In this work we developed and optimized a photo-responsive microactuator that can operate selectively to a specific wavelength of light. The photo-responsive microactuator is comprised of monodispersed microspheres that contain gold nanoparticles. Upon irradiation, these microspheres transduce optical energy to thermal energy, driving a localized phase change in the matrix in which they are embedded. Our remotely powered microactuator can be further realized in applications where decoupling the physical connection of the energy/control source from the actuating component is necessary.

Green-function description of dense polymeric systems

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Schoot, van der P.P.A.M.

2000-01-01

A self-consistent Green-function description of concentrated polymer solutions and dense polymeric melts is presented. The method, which applies to both uniform and nonuniform systems, is used in this work to calculate the static structure factor of a homogeneous fluid of Gaussian model chains.

Gyrospun antimicrobial nanoparticle loaded fibrous polymeric filters

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Eranka Illangakoon, U.; Mahalingam, S.; Wang, K. [Department of Mechanical Engineering, University College London, London WC1E 7JE (United Kingdom); Cheong, Y.-K. [School of Engineering and Technology, University of Hertfordshire, Hatfield AL10 9AB (United Kingdom); Canales, E. [Department of Civil, Environmental and Geomatic Engineering, University College London, London WC1E 7JE (United Kingdom); Ren, G.G. [School of Engineering and Technology, University of Hertfordshire, Hatfield AL10 9AB (United Kingdom); Cloutman-Green, E. [Department of Microbiology, Virology, and Infection Prevention Control, Great Ormond Street Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London WCIN 3JH (United Kingdom); Edirisinghe, M., E-mail: m.edirisinghe@ucl.ac.uk [Department of Mechanical Engineering, University College London, London WC1E 7JE (United Kingdom); Ciric, L. [Department of Civil, Environmental and Geomatic Engineering, University College London, London WC1E 7JE (United Kingdom)

2017-05-01

A one step approach to prepare hybrid nanoparticle embedded polymer fibres using pressurised gyration is presented. Two types of novel antimicrobial nanoparticles and poly(methylmethacrylate) polymer were used in this work. X-ray diffraction analysis of the nanoparticles revealed Ag, Cu and W are the main elements present in them. The concentration of the polymer solution and the nanoparticle concentration had a significant influence on the fibre diameter, pore size and morphology. Fibres with a diameter in the range of 6–20 μm were spun using 20 wt% polymer solutions containing 0.1, 0.25 and 0.5 wt% nanoparticles under 0.3 MPa working pressure and a rotational speed of 36,000 rpm. Continuous, bead-free fibre morphologies were obtained for each case. The pore size in the fibres varied between 36 and 300 nm. Successful incorporation of the nanoparticles in polymer fibres was confirmed by energy dispersive x-ray analysis. The fibres were also gyrospun on to metallic discs to prepare filters which were tested for their antibacterial activity on a suspension of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Nanoparticle loaded fibres showed higher antibacterial efficacy than pure poly(methylmethacrylate) fibres. - Highlights: • Nanoparticles containing Ag, Cu and W were studied for antimicrobial activity. • Hybrid nanoparticle-polymeric fibres were prepared using pressurised gyration. • Fibre characteristics were tailored using material and forming process variables. • Nanoparticle loaded fibre mats show higher antibacterial efficacy.

Synthesis of polymer nanostructures with conductance switching properties

Science.gov (United States)

Su, Kai; Nuraje, Nurxat; Zhang, Lingzhi; Matsui, Hiroshi; Yang, Nan Loh

2015-03-03

The present invention is directed to crystalline organic polymer nanoparticles comprising a conductive organic polymer; wherein the crystalline organic polymer nanoparticles have a size of from 10 nm to 200 nm and exhibits two current-voltage states: (1) a high resistance current-voltage state, and (2) a low resistance current-voltage state, wherein when a first positive threshold voltage (V.sub.th1) or higher positive voltage, or a second negative threshold voltage (V.sub.th2) or higher negative voltage is applied to the nanoparticle, the nanoparticle exhibits the low-resistance current-voltage state, and when a voltage less positive than the first positive threshold voltage or a voltage less negative than the second negative threshold voltage is applied to the nanoparticle, the nanoparticle exhibits the high-resistance current-voltage state. The present invention is also directed methods of manufacturing the nanoparticles using novel interfacial oxidative polymerization techniques.

Self-assembly of biodegradable copolyester and reactive HPMA-based polymers into nanoparticles as an alternative stealth drug delivery system

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Jäger, Eliezer; Jäger, Alessandro; Etrych, Tomáš; Giacomelli, F. C.; Chytil, Petr; Jigounov, Alexander; Putaux, J.-L.; Říhová, Blanka; Ulbrich, Karel; Štěpánek, Petr

2012-01-01

Roč. 8, č. 37 (2012), s. 9563-9575 ISSN 1744-683X R&D Projects: GA AV ČR IAAX00500803; GA ČR GAP208/10/1600 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z40500505; CEZ:AV0Z50200510 Institutional support: RVO:61389013 ; RVO:61388971 Keywords : biodegradable nanoparticles * light scattering from polymer nanoparticles * doxorubicin drug release Subject RIV: CF - Physical ; Theoretical Chemistry; EC - Immunology (MBU-M) Impact factor: 3.909, year: 2012

Hybrid active layers from a conjugated polymer and inorganic nanoparticles for organic light emitting devices with emission colour tuned by electric field

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Aleshin, Andrey N; Alexandrova, Elena L; Shcherbakov, Igor P [Ioffe Physical-Technical Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 26, Polytechnicheskaya Str., St Petersburg 194021 (Russian Federation)], E-mail: aleshin@transport.ioffe.ru

2009-05-21

We report on the investigation of the electrical and optical properties of hybrid active layers for organic devices consisting of a conjugated polymer MEH-PPV mixed with ZnO and Si nanoparticles. The effect of an electric field on the photoluminescence (PL) from a MEH-PPV : ZnO composite film is studied. We have found that in the absence of an electric field PL emission from the MEH-PPV : ZnO composites have two main maxima in the blue-red regions. Three additional minor PL maxima attributed to the exciplex states were found at {approx}420-480 nm. Application of a voltage bias to planar electrodes significantly suppresses the blue emission. Generation of excited states in the MEH-PPV : ZnO structures implies the presence of several radiative recombination mechanisms with the formation of polymer-nanoparticle complexes including exciplex states and charge transfer between the polymer and nanoparticles that can be controlled by an electric field. This effect provides the possibility to tune by an electric field the emission colour of organic light emitting diodes by combining an efficient emission from both organic/inorganic materials involved.

Hybrid active layers from a conjugated polymer and inorganic nanoparticles for organic light emitting devices with emission colour tuned by electric field

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aleshin, Andrey N; Alexandrova, Elena L; Shcherbakov, Igor P

2009-01-01

We report on the investigation of the electrical and optical properties of hybrid active layers for organic devices consisting of a conjugated polymer MEH-PPV mixed with ZnO and Si nanoparticles. The effect of an electric field on the photoluminescence (PL) from a MEH-PPV : ZnO composite film is studied. We have found that in the absence of an electric field PL emission from the MEH-PPV : ZnO composites have two main maxima in the blue-red regions. Three additional minor PL maxima attributed to the exciplex states were found at ∼420-480 nm. Application of a voltage bias to planar electrodes significantly suppresses the blue emission. Generation of excited states in the MEH-PPV : ZnO structures implies the presence of several radiative recombination mechanisms with the formation of polymer-nanoparticle complexes including exciplex states and charge transfer between the polymer and nanoparticles that can be controlled by an electric field. This effect provides the possibility to tune by an electric field the emission colour of organic light emitting diodes by combining an efficient emission from both organic/inorganic materials involved.

Tethered Nanoparticle–Polymer Composites: Phase Stability and Curvature

KAUST Repository

Srivastava, Samanvaya; Agarwal, Praveen; Archer, Lynden A.

2012-01-01

different small-angle X-ray scattering signatures in comparison to phase-separated composites comprised of bare or sparsely grafted nanoparticles. A general diagram for the dispersion state and phase stability of polymer tethered nanoparticle-polymer

Nanoparticle mediated micromotor motion

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Mei; Liu, Limei; Gao, Wenlong; Su, Miaoda; Ge, Ya; Shi, Lili; Zhang, Hui; Dong, Bin; Li, Christopher Y.

2015-03-01

In this paper, we report the utilization of nanoparticles to mediate the motion of a polymer single crystal catalytic micromotor. Micromotors have been fabricated by directly self-assembling functional nanoparticles (platinum and iron oxide nanoparticles) onto one or both sides of two-dimensional polymer single crystals. We show that the moving velocity of these micromotors in fluids can be readily tuned by controlling the nanoparticles' surface wettability and catalytic activity. A 3 times velocity increase has been achieved for a hydrophobic micromotor as opposed to the hydrophilic ones. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the catalytic activity of platinum nanoparticles inside the micromotor can be enhanced by their synergetic interactions with iron oxide nanoparticles and an electric field. Both strategies lead to dramatically increased moving velocities, with the highest value reaching ~200 μm s-1. By decreasing the nanoparticles' surface wettability and increasing their catalytic activity, a maximum of a ~10-fold increase in the moving speed of the nanoparticle based micromotor can be achieved. Our results demonstrate the advantages of using nanoparticles in micromotor systems.In this paper, we report the utilization of nanoparticles to mediate the motion of a polymer single crystal catalytic micromotor. Micromotors have been fabricated by directly self-assembling functional nanoparticles (platinum and iron oxide nanoparticles) onto one or both sides of two-dimensional polymer single crystals. We show that the moving velocity of these micromotors in fluids can be readily tuned by controlling the nanoparticles' surface wettability and catalytic activity. A 3 times velocity increase has been achieved for a hydrophobic micromotor as opposed to the hydrophilic ones. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the catalytic activity of platinum nanoparticles inside the micromotor can be enhanced by their synergetic interactions with iron oxide nanoparticles and an electric

Synthesis of [Fe(Leq(Lax]n coordination polymer nanoparticles using blockcopolymer micelles

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Christoph Göbel

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Spin-crossover compounds are a class of materials that can change their spin state from high spin (HS to low spin (LS by external stimuli such as light, pressure or temperature. Applications demand compounds with defined properties concerning the size and switchability that are maintained when the compound is integrated into composite materials. Here, we report the synthesis of [Fe(Leq(Lax]n coordination polymer (CP nanoparticles using self-assembled polystyrene-block-poly(4-vinylpyridine (PS-b-P4VP block copolymer (BCP micelles as template. Variation of the solvent (THF and toluene and the rigidity of the axial ligand Lax (Lax = 1,2-di(pyridin-4-ylethane (bpea, trans-1,2-di(pyridin-4-ylethene (bpee, and 1,2-di(pyridin-4-ylethyne (bpey; Leq = 1,2-phenylenebis(iminomethylidyne-bis(2,4-pentanedionato(2− allowed the determination of the preconditions for the selective formation of nanoparticles. A low solubility of the CP in the used solvent and a high stability of the Fe–L bond with regard to ligand exchange are necessary for the formation of composite nanoparticles where the BCP micelle is filled with the CP, as in the case of the [FeLeq(bpey]n@BCP. Otherwise, in the case of more flexible ligands or ligands that lead to high spin complexes, the formation of microcrystals next to the CP–BCP nanoparticles is observed above a certain concentration of [Fe(Leq(Lax]n. The core of the nanoparticles is about 45 nm in diameter due to the templating effect of the BCP micelle, independent of the used iron complex and [Fe(Leq(Lax]n concentration. The spin-crossover properties of the composite material are similar to those of the bulk for FeLeq(bpea]n@BCP while pronounced differences are observed in the case of [FeLeq(bpey]n@BCP nanoparticles.

Effects of gold nanoparticles on the electro-optical properties of a polymer dispersed liquid crystal

Science.gov (United States)

Hinojosa, A.; Shive, C.; Sharma, Suresh

2010-03-01

We have studied the electro-optical properties of a polymer-dispersed liquid crystal (PDLC) as functions of relative concentrations of gold nanoparticles. PDLC samples were synthesized between indium-tin-oxide (ITO) coated glass slides, separated by SiO2 spacers, by using liquid crystal E44, a monofunctional acrylic oligomer (CN135), and a tetrafunctional crosslinker (SR295). A UV photoinitiator (SR1124) was used to facilitate the curing of the monomer exposed to UV radiation from a Hg spectral lamp. A He-Ne laser was used to measure optical transmission through the PDLC as a function of applied ac electric field (1 kHz). The PDLC without gold nanoparticles shows the expected behavior; transmission through the PDLC increases from a minimum (opaque) to a maximum (transparent) with increasing electric field. The electro-optical behavior of the PDLC is altered significantly (e. g., relatively low switching field) upon addition of relatively low concentrations of gold nanoparticles into the starting PDLC syrup. We present electro-optical data as functions of gold nanoparticle concentration and discuss possible mechanism to understand our results.

Interactions between Nanoparticles and Polymer Brushes: Molecular Dynamics Simulations and Self-consistent Field Theory Calculations

Science.gov (United States)

Cheng, Shengfeng; Wen, Chengyuan; Egorov, Sergei

2015-03-01

Molecular dynamics simulations and self-consistent field theory calculations are employed to study the interactions between a nanoparticle and a polymer brush at various densities of chains grafted to a plane. Simulations with both implicit and explicit solvent are performed. In either case the nanoparticle is loaded to the brush at a constant velocity. Then a series of simulations are performed to compute the force exerted on the nanoparticle that is fixed at various distances from the grafting plane. The potential of mean force is calculated and compared to the prediction based on a self-consistent field theory. Our simulations show that the explicit solvent leads to effects that are not captured in simulations with implicit solvent, indicating the importance of including explicit solvent in molecular simulations of such systems. Our results also demonstrate an interesting correlation between the force on the nanoparticle and the density profile of the brush. We gratefully acknowledge the support of NVIDIA Corporation with the donation of the Tesla K40 GPU used for this research.

Coordination-induced formation of nanometer-scale infinite coordination polymer at room temperature and conversion to CuO nanoparticles

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Mohammadikish, Maryam; Zafari, Zohreh

2018-03-01

In this work, the construction of CuO nanoparticles semiconductor utilizing infinite coordination polymers (ICPs) as precursor was investigated. After successful functionalization of salpn (salpn = N,N‧-Bis(salicylidene)-1,3-propanediamine) ligand with sodium thioglycolate, bi-thioglycolate functionalized salpn linker was obtained, which was further transformed into Cu-ICP nanoparticles by simple precipitation method in the presence of Cu2+ cations. The mechanism of morphology evolution was illustrated by systematic time dependent studies, which demonstrated the preparation of Cu-ICP nanoparticles in shortest possible time, 5 min. Photoluminescence spectra show the emission quenching of the bi-thioglycolate functionalized salpn linker due to coordination to copper ion. In addition, the copper oxide nanoparticles are fabricated by thermal decomposition of the Cu-ICP precursor which showed larger band gap compared to bulk counterpart.

Photorefractive performance of polymer composite sensitized by CdSe nanoparticles passivated by 1-hexadecylamine

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Aslam, Farzana; Binks, David J.; Rahn, Mark D.; West, David P.; O'Brien, Paul; Pickett, Nigel

2005-07-01

The performance of a photorefractive polymer composite sensitized by 1-hexadecylamine capped CdSe nanoparticles is reported. The polymer composite also comprises the charge transporting matrix poly(N-vinylcarbazole) and the electro-optic chromophore 1-(2-ethylhexyloxy)-2,5-dimethyl-4-(4-nitrophenylazo) benzene. At an applied field of 70?V?µ m-1 two beam coupling gain of 13.2?cm-1 was observed, confirming the photorefractive nature of the induced grating. At the same field, a holographic contrast of 9.12×10-4±6×10-6, a photorefractive sensitivity of 5.1×10-4 ±0.2×10-4?cm3?J-1 and a space-charge field rise time of 13±1?s were obtained.

Towards Acid-Tolerated Ethanol Dehydration: Chitosan-Based Mixed Matrix Membranes Containing Cyano-Bridged Coordination Polymer Nanoparticles.

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Wu, C-W; Kang, Chao-Hsiang; Lin, Yi-Feng; Tung, Kuo-Lun; Deng, Yu-Heng; Ahamad, Tansir; Alshehri, Saad M; Suzuki, Norihiro; Yamauchi, Yusuke

2016-04-01

Prussian blue (PB) nanoparticles, one of many cyano-bridged coordination polymers, are successfully incorporated into chitosan (CS) polymer to prepare PB/CS mixed matrix membranes (MMMs). The PB nanoparticles are uniformly distributed in the MMMs without the collapse of the original PB structure. As-prepared PB/CS MMMs are used for ethanol dehydration at 25 °C in the pervaporation process. The effect of loading PB in CS matrix on pervaporation performance is carefully investigated. The PB/CS membrane with 30 wt% PB loading shows the best performance with a permeate flux of 614 g. m-2 . h-1 and a separation factor of 1472. The pervaporation using our PB/CS membranes exhibits outstanding performance in comparison with the previously reported CS-based membranes and MMMs. Furthermore, the addition of PB allows PB/CS MMMs to be tolerant of acidic environment. The present work demonstrates good pervaporation performance of PB/CS MMMs for the separation of an ethanol/water (90:10 in wt%) solution. Our new system provides an opportunity for dehydration of bioethanol in the future.

MRI-guided targeting delivery of doxorubicin with reduction-responsive lipid-polymer hybrid nanoparticles

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Wu B

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Bo Wu,1,2 Shu-Ting Lu,1 Kai Deng,2 Hui Yu,2 Can Cui,2 Yang Zhang,2 Ming Wu,2 Ren-Xi Zhuo,2 Hai-Bo Xu,1 Shi-Wen Huang2 1Department of Radiology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, 2Key Laboratory of Biomedical Polymers, Ministry of Education, Department of Chemistry, Wuhan University, Wuhan, People’s Republic of China Abstract: In recent years, there has been increasing interest in developing a multifunctional nanoscale platform for cancer monitoring and chemotherapy. However, there is still a big challenge for current clinic contrast agents to improve their poor tumor selectivity and response. Herein, we report a new kind of Gd complex and folate-coated redox-sensitive lipid-polymer hybrid nanoparticle (Gd-FLPNP for tumor-targeted magnetic resonance imaging and therapy. Gd-FLPNPs can simultaneously accomplish diagnostic imaging, and specific targeting and controlled release of doxorubicin (DOX. They exhibit good monodispersity, excellent size stability, and a well-defined core-shell structure. Paramagnetic nanoparticles based on gadolinium-diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid-bis-cetylamine have paramagnetic properties with an approximately two-fold enhancement in the longitudinal relaxivity compared to clinical used Magnevist. For targeted and reduction-sensitive drug delivery, Gd-FLPNPs released DOX faster and enhanced cell uptake in vitro, and exhibited better antitumor effect both in vitro and in vivo. Keywords: redox-sensitive, tumor-targeted, gadolinium, contrast agents, PLGA

α-Methylprednisolone conjugated cyclodextrin polymer-based nanoparticles for rheumatoid arthritis therapy

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Jungyeon Hwang

2008-10-01

Full Text Available Jungyeon Hwang1, Kathleen Rodgers2, James C Oliver3, Thomas Schluep11Insert Therapeutics, Inc., Pasadena, CA, USA; 2Livingston Research Institute, Los Angeles, CA, USA; James C Oliver, Peptagen, Inc., Raleigh, NC USAAbstract: A glycinate derivative of α-methylprednisolone (MP was prepared and conjugated to a linear cyclodextrin polymer (CDP with a loading of 12.4% w/w. The polymer conjugate (CDP-MP self-assembled into nanoparticles with a size of 27 nm. Release kinetics of MP from the polymer conjugate showed a half-life (t1/2 of 50 h in phosphate buffer solution (PBS and 19 h in human plasma. In vitro, the proliferation of human lymphocytes was suppressed to a similar extent but with a delayed effect when CDP-MP was compared with free MP. In vivo, CDP-MP was administered intravenously to mice with collagen-induced arthritis and compared with free MP. CDP-MP was administered weekly for six weeks (0.07, 0.7, and 7 mg/kg/week and MP was administered daily for six weeks (0.01, 0.1, and 1 mg/kg/day. Body weight changes were minimal in all animals. After 28 days, a significant decrease in arthritis score was observed in animals treated weekly with an intermediate or high dose of CDP-MP. Additionally, dorsoplantar swelling was reduced to baseline in animals treated with CDP-MP at the intermediate and high dose level. Histological evaluation showed a reduction in synovitis, pannus formation and disruption of architecture at the highest dose level of CDP-MP. MP administered daily at equivalent cumulative doses showed minimal efficacy in this model. This study demonstrates that conjugation of MP to a cyclodextrin-polymer may improve its efficacy, leading to lower doses and less frequent administration for a safer and more convenient management of rheumatoid arthritis.Keywords: α-methylprednisolone (MP, cyclodextrin polymer (CDP, polymer conjugate (CDP-MP, rheumatoid arthritis (RA, enhanced permeability and retention effect (EPR

Polymer@gold Nanoparticles Prepared via RAFT Polymerization for Opto-Biodetection

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Sónia O. Pereira

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Colloidal gold nanoparticles (Au NPs have been used in several biological applications, which include the exploitation of size- and shape-dependent Localized Surface Plasmon Resonance (LSPR in biosensing devices. In order to obtain functional and stable Au NPs in a physiological medium, surface modification and functionalization are crucial steps in these endeavors. Reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT polymerization meets this need offering the possibility of control over the composition and architecture of polymeric shells coating Au NPs. Furthermore, playing with a careful choice of monomers, RAFT polymerization allows the possibility to design a polymer shell with the desired functional groups aiming at Au based nanocomposites suitable for biorecognition and biotargeting. This review provides important aspects concerning the synthesis and optical properties of Au NPs as well as concepts of RAFT polymerization. Understanding these concepts is crucial to appreciate the chemical strategies available towards RAFT-polymer coated Au core-shell nanostructures, which are here reviewed. Finally, examples of applications in opto-biodetection devices are provided and the potential of responsive “smart” nanomaterials based on such structures can be applied to other biological applications.

Systematic comparison of model polymer nanocomposite mechanics.

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Xiao, Senbo; Peter, Christine; Kremer, Kurt

2016-09-13

Polymer nanocomposites render a range of outstanding materials from natural products such as silk, sea shells and bones, to synthesized nanoclay or carbon nanotube reinforced polymer systems. In contrast to the fast expanding interest in this type of material, the fundamental mechanisms of their mixing, phase behavior and reinforcement, especially for higher nanoparticle content as relevant for bio-inorganic composites, are still not fully understood. Although polymer nanocomposites exhibit diverse morphologies, qualitatively their mechanical properties are believed to be governed by a few parameters, namely their internal polymer network topology, nanoparticle volume fraction, particle surface properties and so on. Relating material mechanics to such elementary parameters is the purpose of this work. By taking a coarse-grained molecular modeling approach, we study an range of different polymer nanocomposites. We vary polymer nanoparticle connectivity, surface geometry and volume fraction to systematically study rheological/mechanical properties. Our models cover different materials, and reproduce key characteristics of real nanocomposites, such as phase separation, mechanical reinforcement. The results shed light on establishing elementary structure, property and function relationship of polymer nanocomposites.

Light sensitive polymer obtained by dispersion of azo-functionalized POSS nanoparticles

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Miniewicz, A., E-mail: andrzej.miniewicz@pwr.edu.pl [Advanced Materials Engineering and Modelling, Faculty of Chemistry, Wroclaw University of Technology, Wybrzeze Wyspianskiego 27, 50-370 Wroclaw (Poland); Tomkowicz, M.; Karpinski, P.; Sznitko, L. [Advanced Materials Engineering and Modelling, Faculty of Chemistry, Wroclaw University of Technology, Wybrzeze Wyspianskiego 27, 50-370 Wroclaw (Poland); Mossety-Leszczak, B. [Faculty of Chemistry, Rzeszow University of Technology, Al. Powstancow Warszawy 12, 35-959 Rzeszow (Poland); Dutkiewicz, M. [Faculty of Chemistry, Adam Mickiewicz University of Poznan, Umultowska 89 B, 61-614 Poznan (Poland)

2015-07-29

Highlights: • Nanocomposite material PMMA containing azo-functionalized POSS has been prepared. • Surface topographies of prepared films are porous and dependent on azo-POSS content. • Photo-induced optical anisotropies both static and dynamic have been characterized. - Abstract: Hybrid inorganic–organic nanoparticles based on cubic siloxane cage (RSiO{sub 3/2}){sub 8}, known as polyhedral oligosilsesquioxane (POSS), have been functionalized by eight groups of azo-benzene mesogens and dispersed in poly(methyl methacrylate) PMMA matrix. Presence of azo-benzene units adds an important light-driven functionality to the system due to their photoisomerization resulting in refractive index and/or absorption changes of the whole system. The polymer films containing various concentrations of azo-POSS nanoparticles show remarkable changes of surface morphology being either transparent (at low POSS concentration) or highly scattering (at high POSS concentration) for visible light. Surface structures were examined by optical microscopy as well as by atomic force microscopy (AFM). Results of photoinduced alignment are discussed in the framework of light-induced modification of the aliphatic chains containing azo-benzene photoisomerizing moieties and self-organization process.

Light sensitive polymer obtained by dispersion of azo-functionalized POSS nanoparticles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Miniewicz, A.; Tomkowicz, M.; Karpinski, P.; Sznitko, L.; Mossety-Leszczak, B.; Dutkiewicz, M.

2015-01-01

Highlights: • Nanocomposite material PMMA containing azo-functionalized POSS has been prepared. • Surface topographies of prepared films are porous and dependent on azo-POSS content. • Photo-induced optical anisotropies both static and dynamic have been characterized. - Abstract: Hybrid inorganic–organic nanoparticles based on cubic siloxane cage (RSiO 3/2 ) 8 , known as polyhedral oligosilsesquioxane (POSS), have been functionalized by eight groups of azo-benzene mesogens and dispersed in poly(methyl methacrylate) PMMA matrix. Presence of azo-benzene units adds an important light-driven functionality to the system due to their photoisomerization resulting in refractive index and/or absorption changes of the whole system. The polymer films containing various concentrations of azo-POSS nanoparticles show remarkable changes of surface morphology being either transparent (at low POSS concentration) or highly scattering (at high POSS concentration) for visible light. Surface structures were examined by optical microscopy as well as by atomic force microscopy (AFM). Results of photoinduced alignment are discussed in the framework of light-induced modification of the aliphatic chains containing azo-benzene photoisomerizing moieties and self-organization process

PEG-detachable lipid-polymer hybrid nanoparticle for delivery of chemotherapy drugs to cancer cells.

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Du, Jiang-bo; Song, Yan-feng; Ye, Wei-liang; Cheng, Ying; Cui, Han; Liu, Dao-zhou; Liu, Miao; Zhang, Bang-le; Zhou, Si-yuan

2014-08-01

The experiment aimed to increase the drug-delivery efficiency of poly-lactic-co-glycolic acid (PLGA) nanoparticles. Lipid-polymer hybrid nanoparticles (LPNs-1) were prepared using PLGA as a hydrophobic core and FA-PEG-hyd-DSPE as an amphiphilic shell. Uniform and spherical nanoparticles with an average size of 185 nm were obtained using the emulsification solvent evaporation method. The results indicated that LPNs-1 showed higher drug loading compared with naked PLGA nanoparticles (NNPs). Drug release from LPNs-1 was faster in an acidic environment than in a neutral environment. LPNs-1 showed higher cytotoxicity on KB cells, A549 cells, MDA-MB-231 cells, and MDA-MB-231/ADR cells compared with free doxorubicin (DOX) and NNPs. The results also showed that, compared with free DOX and NNPs, LPNs-1 delivered more DOX to the nuclear of KB cells and MDA-MB-231/ADR cells. LPNs-1 induced apoptosis in KB cells and MDA-MB-231/ADR cells in a dose-dependent manner. The above data indicated that DOX-loaded LPNs-1 could kill not only normal tumor cells but also drug-resistant tumor cells. These results indicated that modification of PLGA nanoparticles with FA-PEG-hyd-DSPE could considerably increase the drug-delivery efficiency and LPNs-1 had potential in the delivery of chemotherapeutic agents in the treatment of cancer.

Antimicrobial activity and cytotoxicity of cotton fabric coated with conducting polymers, polyaniline or polypyrrole, and with deposited silver nanoparticles

Science.gov (United States)

Maráková, Nela; Humpolíček, Petr; Kašpárková, Věra; Capáková, Zdenka; Martinková, Lenka; Bober, Patrycja; Trchová, Miroslava; Stejskal, Jaroslav

2017-02-01

Cotton fabric was coated with conducting polymers, polyaniline or polypyrrole, in situ during the oxidation of respective monomers. Raman and FTIR spectra proved the complete coating of substrates. Polypyrrole content was 19.3 wt.% and that of polyaniline 6.0 wt.%. Silver nanoparticles were deposited from silver nitrate solutions of various concentrations by exploiting the reduction ability of conducting polymers. The content of silver was up to 11 wt.% on polypyrrole and 4 wt.% on polyaniline. The sheet resistivity of fabrics was determined. The conductivity was reduced after deposition of silver. The chemical cleaning reduced the conductivity by less than one order of magnitude for polypyrrole coating, while for polyaniline the decrease was more pronounced. The good antibacterial activity against S. aureus and E. coli and low cytotoxicity of polypyrrole-coated cotton, both with and without deposited silver nanoparticles

Gas-phase synthesis of magnetic metal/polymer nanocomposites

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Starsich, Fabian H. L.; Hirt, Ann M.; Stark, Wendelin J.; Grass, Robert N.

2014-12-01

Highly magnetic metal Co nanoparticles were produced via reducing flame spray pyrolysis, and directly coated with an epoxy polymer in flight. The polymer content in the samples varied between 14 and 56 wt% of nominal content. A homogenous dispersion of Co nanoparticles in the resulting nanocomposites was visualized by electron microscopy. The size and crystallinity of the metallic fillers was not affected by the polymer, as shown by XRD and magnetic hysteresis measurements. The good control of the polymer content in the product nanocomposite was shown by elemental analysis. Further, the successful polymerization in the gas phase was demonstrated by electron microscopy and size measurements. The presented effective, dry and scalable one-step synthesis method for highly magnetic metal nanoparticle/polymer composites presented here may drastically decrease production costs and increase industrial yields.

Corrosion Prevention of Aluminum Nanoparticles by a Polyurethane Coating.

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Nishimura, Toshiyasu; Raman, Vedarajan

2014-06-19

In order to prevent corrosion, aluminum nanoparticles were coated with a polyurethane polymer. The coverage of the polyurethane polymer was controlled from 0 to 100%, which changed the corrosion rate of the nanoparticles quantitatively. The surface of the polymer coating was investigated by Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) and Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM), and the corrosion resistance of the nanoparticles was estimated by a wet/dry corrosion test on a Pt plate with a NaCl solution. From a TEM with EDAX analysis, the 10 mass% polymer coated Al particles in the synthesis were almost 100% covered on the surface by a polymer film of 10 nm thick. On the other hand, the 3 mass% polymer coated Al was almost 40% covered by a film. In the AFM, the potential around the Al particles had a relatively low value with the polymer coating, which indicated that the conductivity of the Al was isolated from the Pt plate by the polymer. Both the corrosion and H₂ evolution reaction rates were quantitatively reduced by the mass% of polymer coating. In the case of the 10 mass% coated sample, there was no corrosion of Al nanoparticles. This fact suggested that the electrochemical reaction was suppressed by the polymer coating. Moreover, the reaction rate of Al nanoparticles was suppressed in proportion to the coverage percentage of the coating. Thus, to conclude, it was found that the corrosion rate of Al nanoparticles could be quantitatively suppressed by the coverage percentage of the polymer coating.

β-Cyclodextrin/thermosensitive containing polymer brushes grafted onto magnetite nano-particles for extraction and determination of venlafaxine in biological and pharmaceutical samples.

Science.gov (United States)

Ahmad Panahi, Homayon; Alaei, Haniyeh Sadat

2014-12-10

In this paper, a novel nano-sorbent is fabricated by the surface grafting of poly[β-CD/allylamine-co-N-isopropylacrylamide] onto modified magnetite nano-particles by 3-mercaptopropyltrimethoxysilane. The polymer grafted magnetite nano-particles was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, elemental analysis, scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. The feasibility of employing this nano-sorbent for extraction of trace venlafaxine in pharmaceutical samples and human biological fluids are investigated. The effect of various parameters such as pH, reaction temperature, and contact time was evaluated. The result revealed that the best sorption of venlafaxine by the magnetite nano-sorbent occurred at 35 °C at an optimum pH of 5. The kinetics of the venlafaxine shows accessibility of active sites in the grafted polymer onto the drug. The equilibrium data of venlafaxine by grafted magnetite nano-sorbent are well represented by the Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm models. The adsorption capacity of venlafaxine is found 142.8 mg g(-1) and indicated the homogeneous sites onto polymer grafted magnetite nano-sorbent surface. Nearly 80% of venlafaxine was released in simulated intestinal fluid, pH 7.4, in 30 h and 90% in simulated gastric fluid, pH 1.2, in 1 h. The venlafaxine loaded-polymer grafted magnetite nano-particles were successfully applied for the extraction in urine and pharmaceutical samples. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Employment of modified Fe3 O4 nanoparticles using thermo-sensitive polymer for extraction and pre-concentration of cefexime in biological samples.

Science.gov (United States)

Naghibi, Saman; Sahebi, Hamed

2018-02-01

Cefexime is a useful antibiotic that can be prescribed to treat bacterial infections. Nanoparticles have been widely marketed as a universal solution among scientists. Many studies have been performed to modify nanoparticles to make them functional as extraction and pre-concentration agents and drug carriers. Temperature-sensitive polymers belong to a group of substances that undergo a major change in their physical features in response to temperature. Recently developed polymers can be used in many different areas, including modification of nanoparticles. In order to modify this nanoparticle, grafting copolymerization of Fe 3 O 4 nanoparticles was performed using poly (N-vinylcaprolactam) and 3-allyloxy-1,2-propanediol. The optimum conditions for pre-concentration of cefexime were studied. Under these optimum conditions, extraction recovery of biological samples in the range of 71-89% was obtained. The limit of detection and precision of proposed method were 4.5 × 10 -4  μg mL -1 and analysis of cefexime, in biological samples using the proposed method, the ability of this method to extract and pre-concentrate cefexime was confirmed. Also, satisfactory results from an in vitro study on drug release in simulated intestine media were obtained. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

A study on the polymer precursor formation and microstructure evolution of square-shaped (La{sub 0.5}Ba{sub 0.5})(Mn{sub 0.5}Fe{sub 0.5})O{sub 3} ceramic nanoparticles

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Romero, M.; Pardo, H.; Faccio, R.; Suescun, L.; Fernandez-Werner, L.; Mombru, A.W. [Univ. de la Republica, Montevideo (Uruguay). Cryssmat-Lab/Centro NanoMat; Univ. de la Republica, Montevideo (Uruguay). Centro Interdisciplinario de Nanotecnologia, Quimica y Fisica de Materiales; Vazquez, S.; Laborda, I. [Univ. de la Republica, Montevideo (Uruguay). Cryssmat-Lab/Centro NanoMat; Acosta, A. [Univ. de la Republica, Montevideo (Uruguay). Catedra de Quimica Inorganica; Castiglioni, J. [Univ. de la Republica, Montevideo (Uruguay). Catedra de Fisicoquimica

2015-07-01

The polymer precursor formation and the growth mechanism of (La{sub 0.5}Ba{sub 0.5})(Mn{sub 0.5}Fe{sub 0.5})O{sub 3} ceramic nanoparticles have been studied. First, we focused on the influence of isolated metals (La, Ba, Mn, Fe) on the polymer precursor formation by means of Raman, FT-IR, scanning electron microscopy and differential scanning calorimetry, showing that the presence of metal ions, especially iron, increases the oxidation rate of the polymer precursor, while the presence of barium leads to a higher degree of polymerization, preventing partial oxidation of the polymer at low temperatures and allowing the presence of nitrates at the combustion stage. Nevertheless, when all metals are present, the polymer precursor showed a largely homogeneous microstructure with a global average influence from all cations. Finally,we studied the microstructure evolution of nanoparticles obtained after calcination above 700 C. SAXS and TEM analysis suggests that the formation of square-shaped nanoparticles below 900 C and coalescence leads to the formation of larger-sized and round-shaped nanoparticles at 900 C.

Biodegradation Study of Nanocomposites of Phenol Novolac Epoxy/Unsaturated Polyester Resin/Egg Shell Nanoparticles Using Natural Polymers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. M. Mousavi

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Nanocomposite materials refer to those materials whose reinforcing phase has dimensions on a scale from one to one hundred nanometers. In this study, the nanocomposite biodegradation of the phenol Novolac epoxy and the unsaturated polyester resins was investigated using the egg shell nanoparticle as bioceramic as well as starch and glycerin as natural polymers to modify their properties. The phenol Novolac epoxy resin has a good compatibility with the unsaturated polyester resin. The prepared samples with different composition of materials for specified time were buried under soil and their biodegradation was studied using FTIR and SEM. The FTIR results before and after degradation showed that the presence of the hydroxyl group increased the samples degradation. Also adding the egg shell nanoparticle to samples had a positive effect on its degradation. The SEM results with and without the egg shell nanoparticle also showed that use of the egg shell nanoparticle increases the samples degradation. Additionally, increasing the amount of starch, and glycerol and the presence of egg shell nanoparticles can increase water adsorption.

Development and optimization of methotrexate-loaded lipid-polymer hybrid nanoparticles for controlled drug delivery applications.

Science.gov (United States)

Tahir, Nayab; Madni, Asadullah; Balasubramanian, Vimalkumar; Rehman, Mubashar; Correia, Alexandra; Kashif, Prince Muhammad; Mäkilä, Ermei; Salonen, Jarno; Santos, Hélder A

2017-11-25

Lipid-polymer hybrid nanoparticles (LPHNPs) are emerging platforms for drug delivery applications. In the present study, methotrexate loaded LPHNPs consisted of PLGA and Lipoid S100 were fabricated by employing a single-step modified nanoprecipitation method combined with self-assembly. A three factor, three level Box Behnken design using Design-Expert ® software was employed to access the influence of three independent variables on the particle size, drug entrapment and percent drug release. The optimized formulation was selected through numeric optimization approach. The results were supported with the ANOVA analysis, regression equations and response surface plots. Transmission electron microscope images indicated the nanosized and spherical shape of the LPHNPs with fair size distribution. The nanoparticles ranged from 176 to 308nm, which increased with increased polymer concentration. The increase in polymer and lipid concentration also increased the drug entrapment efficiency. The in vitro drug release was in range 70.34-91.95% and the release mechanism follow the Higuchi model (R 2 =0.9888) and Fickian diffusion (n<0.5). The in vitro cytotoxicity assay and confocal microscopy of the optimized formulation demonstrate the good safety and better internalization of the LPHNPs. The cell antiproliferation showed the spatial and controlled action of the nanoformulation as compared to the plain drug solution. The results suggest that LPHNPs can be a promising delivery system envisioned to safe, stable and potentially controlled delivery of methotrexate to the cancer cells to achieve better therapeutic outcomes. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Bio-functionalized dense-silica nanoparticles for MR/NIRF imaging of CD146 in gastric cancer

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Wang P

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Pu Wang,1,* Yazhuo Qu,2,* Chuan Li,3 Li Yin,2 Caifei Shen,1 Wei Chen,3 Shiming Yang,4 Xiuwu Bian,2 Dianchun Fang11Institute of Gastroenterology, 2Institute of Pathology, 3Department of Radiology, Southwest Hospital, The Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, People’s Republic of China; 4Department of Gastroenterology, Xinqiao Hospital, The Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, People’s Republic of China*These authors contributed equally to this workPurpose: Nano dense-silica (dSiO2 has many advantages such as adjustable core–shell structure, multiple drug delivery, and controllable release behavior. Improving the gastric tumor-specific targeting efficiency based on the development of various strategies is crucial for anti-cancer drug delivery systems.Methods: Superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPION were coated with dSiO2 as core–shell nanoparticles, and labeled with near infra-red fluorescence (NIRF dye 800ZW (excitation wavelength: 778 nm/­emission wavelength: 806 nm and anti-CD146 monoclonal antibody YY146 for magnetic resonance (MR/NIRF imaging study in xenograft gastric cancer model. The morphology and the size of pre- and postlabeling SPION@dSiO2 core–shell nanoparticles were characterized using transmission electron microscopy. Iron content in SPION@dSiO2 nanoparticles was measured by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry. Fluorescence microscopy and fluorescence-activated cell sorter studies were carried out to confirm the binding specificity of YY146 and 800ZW–SPION@dSiO2–YY146 on MKN45 cells. In vivo and in vitro NIRF imaging, control (nanoparticles only and blocking studies, and histology were executed on MKN45 tumor-bearing nude mice to estimate the affinity of 800ZW–SPION@dSiO2–YY146 to target tumor CD146.Results: 800ZW–SPION@dSiO2–YY146 nanoparticles were uniformly spherical in shape and dispersed evenly in a cell culture medium. The diameter of the nanoparticle

Self-Assembly of Block Copolymer Chains To Promote the Dispersion of Nanoparticles in Polymer Nanocomposites

Science.gov (United States)

2017-01-01

In this paper we adopt molecular dynamics simulations to study the amphiphilic AB block copolymer (BCP) mediated nanoparticle (NP) dispersion in polymer nanocomposites (PNCs), with the A-block being compatible with the NPs and the B-block being miscible with the polymer matrix. The effects of the number and components of BCP, as well as the interaction strength between A-block and NPs on the spatial organization of NPs, are explored. We find that the increase of the fraction of the A-block brings different dispersion effect to NPs than that of B-block. We also find that the best dispersion state of the NPs occurs in the case of a moderate interaction strength between the A-block and the NPs. Meanwhile, the stress–strain behavior is probed. Our simulation results verify that adopting BCP is an effective way to adjust the dispersion of NPs in the polymer matrix, further to manipulate the mechanical properties. PMID:28892620

Skin-safe photothermal therapy enabled by responsive release of acid-activated membrane-disruptive polymer from polydopamine nanoparticle upon very low laser irradiation.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, Rui; Gao, Feng; Piao, Ji-Gang; Yang, Lihua

2017-07-25

How to ablate tumor without damaging skin is a challenge for photothermal therapy. We, herein, report skin-safe photothermal cancer therapy provided by the responsive release of acid-activated hemolytic polymer (aHLP) from the photothermal polydopamine (PDA) nanoparticle upon irradiation at very low dosage. Upon skin-permissible irradiation (via an 850 nm laser irradiation at the power density of 0.4 W cm -2 ), the nanoparticle aHLP-PDA generates sufficient localized-heat to bring about mild hyperthermia treatment and consequently, responsively sheds off the aHLP polymer from its PDA nanocore; this leads to selective cytotoxicity to cancer cells under the acidic conditions of the extracellular microenvironment of tumor. As a result, our aHLP-PDA nanoparticle upon irradiation at a low dosage effectively inhibits tumor growth without damaging skin, as demonstrated using animal models. Effective in mitigating the otherwise inevitable skin damage in tumor photothermal therapy, the nanosystem reported herein offers an efficient pathway towards skin-safe photothermal therapy.

Mechanically Strong Aerogels Formed by Templated Growth of Polymer Cross- Linkers on Inorganic Nanoparticles

Science.gov (United States)

Leventis, Nicholas; Fabrizio, Eve F.; Johnston, Chris; Meador, Maryann

2004-01-01

In the search for materials with better mechanical, thermal, and electrical properties, it is becoming evident that oftentimes dispersing ceramic nanoparticles in plastics improves performance. Along these lines, chemical bonding (both covalent and noncovalent) between a filler and a polymer improves their compatibility, and thus enhances certain properties of the polymeric matrix above and beyond what is accomplished by simple doping with the filler. When a similarly sized dopant and matrix are used, elementary building blocks may also have certain distinct advantages (e.g., in catalysis). In this context, researchers at the NASA Glenn Research Center reasoned that in the extreme case, where the dopant and the matrix (e.g., a filler and a polymer) are not only sized similarly, but their relative amounts are comparable, the relative roles of the dopant and matrix can be reversed. Then, if the "filler," or a certain form thereof, possesses desirable properties of its own, such properties could be magnified by cross-linking with a polymer. We at Glenn have identified silica as such a filler in its lowest-density form, namely the silica aerogel.

Thermomechanical properties of polymer nanocomposites: Exploring a unified relationship with planar polymer films

Science.gov (United States)

Bansal, Amitabh

The thermal and mechanical response of polymers, which provide limitations to their practical use, are greatly improved by the addition of a small fraction of an inorganic nanofiller. However, the resulting changes in polymer properties are poorly understood, primarily due to the non-uniform spatial distribution of nanoparticles. This research explores the properties of polystyrene filed with silica nanoparticles and illustrates for the first time that the thermodynamic properties of "polymer nanocomposites" are quantitatively equivalent to the well-understood case of planar polymer films with a uniform thickness. These ideas are quantified by drawing a direct analogy between thin film thickness and an appropriate average ligament thickness measured using electron microscopy. The change in polymer glass transition temperatures with decreasing ligament thickness were found to be quantitatively equivalent to the corresponding thin film data. In combination with viscoelastic properties of the nanocomposites that are in quantitative agreement with data from thin films, these conclusions provide a facile means of understanding and predicting the thermomechanical properties and, potentially, the engineering properties of practically relevant polymer nanocomposites. Grafting of high molecular weight polystyrene onto the silica nanoparticles greatly improves the dispersion quality of nanofillers and also provides a means to tailor the thermo-mechanical properties in nanocomposites. It is concluded that the grafted polystyrene is akin to polymer brushes on flat surfaces. The mobility and stiffness of these grafted chains are expected to be low as compared to the free polymer. In this context a mechanism for the increase in glass transition is proposed: (1) the stiff grafted chains will tend to decrease mobility and thus increase glass transition, (2) the extent of interdigitation of the grafted polystyrene into the matrix will determine the extent to which the nanocomposite

Preparation and characterization of polymer nanocomposites coated magnetic nanoparticles for drug delivery applications

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Prabha, G., E-mail: gprabhagovinn@gmail.com; Raj, V., E-mail: alaguraj2@rediffmail.com

2016-06-15

In the present research work, the anticancer drug ‘curcumin’ is loaded with Chitosan (CS)-polyethylene glycol (PEG)-polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) (CS-PEG-PVP) polymer nanocomposites coated with superparamagnetic iron oxide (Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}) nanoparticles. The system can be used for targeted and controlled drug delivery of anticancer drugs with reduced side effects and greater efficiency. The prepared nanoparticles were characterized by Fourier transmission infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), vibrating sample magnetometry (VSM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Curcumin drug loaded Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}-CS, Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}-CS-PEG and Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}-CS-PEG-PVP nanoparticles exhibited the mean particle size in the range of 183–390 nm with a zeta potential value of 26–41 mV as measured using Malvern Zetasizer. The encapsulation efficiency, loading capacity and in-vitro drug release behavior of curcumin drug loaded Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}-CS, Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}-CS-PEG and Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}-CS-PEG-PVP nanoparticles were studied using UV spectrophotometer. Besides, the cytotoxicity of the prepared nanoparticles using MTT assay was also studied. The curcumin drug release was examined at different pH medium and it was proved that the drug release depends upon the pH medium in addition to the nature of matrix. - Highlights: • The considered drug carrier Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}-CS-PEG-PVP nanoparticles were prepared and entrapping (Curcumin). • The amount of the drug had great effect on the drug LC and EE and zeta potential Nanocomposites. • The Curcumin- loaded Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}-CS, Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}-CS-PEG and Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}-CS-PEG-PVP nanocomposites showed pH responsive drug release.

Preparation and characterization of polymer nanocomposites coated magnetic nanoparticles for drug delivery applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Prabha, G.; Raj, V.

2016-01-01

In the present research work, the anticancer drug ‘curcumin’ is loaded with Chitosan (CS)-polyethylene glycol (PEG)-polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) (CS-PEG-PVP) polymer nanocomposites coated with superparamagnetic iron oxide (Fe 3 O 4 ) nanoparticles. The system can be used for targeted and controlled drug delivery of anticancer drugs with reduced side effects and greater efficiency. The prepared nanoparticles were characterized by Fourier transmission infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), vibrating sample magnetometry (VSM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Curcumin drug loaded Fe 3 O 4 -CS, Fe 3 O 4 -CS-PEG and Fe 3 O 4 -CS-PEG-PVP nanoparticles exhibited the mean particle size in the range of 183–390 nm with a zeta potential value of 26–41 mV as measured using Malvern Zetasizer. The encapsulation efficiency, loading capacity and in-vitro drug release behavior of curcumin drug loaded Fe 3 O 4 -CS, Fe 3 O 4 -CS-PEG and Fe 3 O 4 -CS-PEG-PVP nanoparticles were studied using UV spectrophotometer. Besides, the cytotoxicity of the prepared nanoparticles using MTT assay was also studied. The curcumin drug release was examined at different pH medium and it was proved that the drug release depends upon the pH medium in addition to the nature of matrix. - Highlights: • The considered drug carrier Fe 3 O 4 -CS-PEG-PVP nanoparticles were prepared and entrapping (Curcumin). • The amount of the drug had great effect on the drug LC and EE and zeta potential Nanocomposites. • The Curcumin- loaded Fe 3 O 4 -CS, Fe 3 O 4 -CS-PEG and Fe 3 O 4 -CS-PEG-PVP nanocomposites showed pH responsive drug release.

Cryochemistry of Metal Nanoparticles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sergeev, Gleb B.

2003-01-01

The interaction of metal atoms, clusters and nanoparticles with different organic and inorganic substances were studied at low temperature (10-40K). Combination of matrix isolation technique and preparative cryochemistry was applied for the investigation of activity and selectivity of metal particles of different size. Encapsulation of metal nanoparticles in polymers was studied. The metal-polymer films thus obtained exhibited satisfactory sensitivity to ammonia

Cryochemistry of Metal Nanoparticles

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sergeev, Gleb B. [Moscow State University, Laboratory of Low Temperature Chemistry, Chemistry Department (Russian Federation)], E-mail: gbs@kinet.chem.msu.ru

2003-12-15

The interaction of metal atoms, clusters and nanoparticles with different organic and inorganic substances were studied at low temperature (10-40K). Combination of matrix isolation technique and preparative cryochemistry was applied for the investigation of activity and selectivity of metal particles of different size. Encapsulation of metal nanoparticles in polymers was studied. The metal-polymer films thus obtained exhibited satisfactory sensitivity to ammonia.

Cryochemistry of Metal Nanoparticles

Science.gov (United States)

Sergeev, Gleb B.

2003-12-01

The interaction of metal atoms, clusters and nanoparticles with different organic and inorganic substances were studied at low temperature (10-40K). Combination of matrix isolation technique and preparative cryochemistry was applied for the investigation of activity and selectivity of metal particles of different size. Encapsulation of metal nanoparticles in polymers was studied. The metal-polymer films thus obtained exhibited satisfactory sensitivity to ammonia.

Surface grafting of zwitterionic polymers onto dye doped AIE-active luminescent silica nanoparticles through surface-initiated ATRP for biological imaging applications

Science.gov (United States)

Mao, Liucheng; Liu, Xinhua; Liu, Meiying; Huang, Long; Xu, Dazhuang; Jiang, Ruming; Huang, Qiang; Wen, Yuanqing; Zhang, Xiaoyong; Wei, Yen

2017-10-01

Aggregation-induced emission (AIE) dyes have recently been intensively explored for biological imaging applications owing to their outstanding optical feature as compared with conventional organic dyes. The AIE-active luminescent silica nanoparticles (LSNPs) are expected to combine the advantages both of silica nanoparticles and AIE-active dyes. Although the AIE-active LSNPs have been prepared previously, surface modification of these AIE-active LSNPs with functional polymers has not been reported thus far. In this work, we reported a rather facile and general strategy for preparation of polymers functionalized AIE-active LSNPs through the surface-initiated atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP). The AIE-active LSNPs were fabricated via direct encapsulation of AIE-active dye into silica nanoparticles through a non-covalent modified Stöber method. The ATRP initiator was subsequently immobilized onto these AIE-active LSNPs through amidation reaction between 3-aminopropyl-triethoxy-silane and 2-bromoisobutyryl bromide. Finally, the zwitterionic 2-(methacryloyloxy)ethyl phosphorylcholine (MPC) was selected as model monomer and grafted onto MSNs through ATRP. The characterization results suggested that LSNPs can be successfully modified with poly(MPC) through surface-initiated ATRP. The biological evaluation results demonstrated that the final SNPs-AIE-pMPC composites possess low cytotoxicity, desirable optical properties and great potential for biological imaging. Taken together, we demonstrated that AIE-active LSNPs can be fabricated and surface modified with functional polymers to endow novel functions and better performance for biomedical applications. More importantly, this strategy developed in this work could also be extended for fabrication of many other LSNPs polymer composites owing to the good monomer adoptability of ATRP.

Synergistically enhanced stability of laccase immobilized on synthesized silver nanoparticles with water-soluble polymers.

Science.gov (United States)

Cunha, M N M; Felgueiras, H P; Gouveia, I; Zille, A

2017-06-01

Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were synthesized by citrate reduction method in the presence of polymers, poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG), poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) and chitosan, used as stabilizing agents, and an oxidoreductase enzyme, laccase (Lac), with the goal of expanding the NPs antimicrobial action. AgNPs were characterized by UV-vis spectrometry, dynamic light scattering and transmission electron microscopy. As protecting agents, PEG and PVA promoted the formation of spherical uniformly-shaped, small-sized, monodispersed AgNPs (≈20nm). High Mw polymers were established as most effective in producing small-sized NPs. Chitosan's viscosity led to the formation of aggregates. Despite the decrease in Lac activity registered for the hybrid formulation, AgNPs-polymer-Lac, a significant augment in stability over time (up to 13days, at 50°C) was observed. This novel formulation displays improved synergistic performance over AgNPs-Lac or polymer-Lac conjugates, since in the former the Lac activity becomes residual at the end of 3days. By enabling many ionic interactions, chitosan restricted the mass transfer between Lac and substrate and, thus, inhibited the enzymatic activity. These hybrid nanocomposites made up of inorganic NPs, organic polymers and immobilized antimicrobial oxidoreductive enzymes represent a new class of materials with improved synergistic performance. Moreover, the Lac and the AgNPs different antimicrobial action, both in time and mechanism, may also constitute a new alternative to reduce the probability of developing resistance-associated mutations. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Solvent-free formation of hydroxyapatite coated biodegradable particles via nanoparticle-stabilized emulsion route

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Okada, Masahiro; Fujii, Syuji; Nishimura, Taiki; Nakamura, Yoshinobu; Takeda, Shoji; Furuzono, Tsutomu

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► Hydroxyapatite (HAp) nanoparticles stabilized polymer melt-in-water emulsions without any molecular surfactants. ► Interaction between polymer and HAp played a crucial role. ► HAp-coated polymer particles were obtained from the emulsions without any organic solvents. - Abstract: Hydroxyapatite (HAp) nanoparticle-coated biodegradable polymer particles were fabricated from a nanoparticle-stabilized emulsion in the absence of any molecular surfactants or organic solvents. First, a polymer melt-in-water emulsion was prepared by mixing a water phase containing nanosized HAp particles as a particulate emulsifier and an oil phase consisting of poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) or poly(L-lactide-co-ε-caprolactone) (P(LLA-CL)) above its melting point. It was clarified that the interaction between ester/carboxyl groups of the polymers and the HAp nanoparticles at the polymer–water interface played a crucial role to prepare the nanoparticle-stabilized emulsion. The HAp nanoparticle-coated biodegradable polymer particle (a polymer solid-in-water emulsion) was fabricated by cooling the emulsion. The particle morphology and particle size were evaluated using scanning electron microscope.

MRI-guided targeting delivery of doxorubicin with reduction-responsive lipid-polymer hybrid nanoparticles.

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Bo; Lu, Shu-Ting; Deng, Kai; Yu, Hui; Cui, Can; Zhang, Yang; Wu, Ming; Zhuo, Ren-Xi; Xu, Hai-Bo; Huang, Shi-Wen

2017-01-01

In recent years, there has been increasing interest in developing a multifunctional nanoscale platform for cancer monitoring and chemotherapy. However, there is still a big challenge for current clinic contrast agents to improve their poor tumor selectivity and response. Herein, we report a new kind of Gd complex and folate-coated redox-sensitive lipid-polymer hybrid nanoparticle (Gd-FLPNP) for tumor-targeted magnetic resonance imaging and therapy. Gd-FLPNPs can simultaneously accomplish diagnostic imaging, and specific targeting and controlled release of doxorubicin (DOX). They exhibit good monodispersity, excellent size stability, and a well-defined core-shell structure. Paramagnetic nanoparticles based on gadolinium-diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid-bis-cetylamine have paramagnetic properties with an approximately two-fold enhancement in the longitudinal relaxivity compared to clinical used Magnevist. For targeted and reduction-sensitive drug delivery, Gd-FLPNPs released DOX faster and enhanced cell uptake in vitro, and exhibited better antitumor effect both in vitro and in vivo.

Nanoparticle and gelation stabilized functional composites of an ionic salt in a hydrophobic polymer matrix.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Selin Kanyas

Full Text Available Polymer composites consisted of small hydrophilic pockets homogeneously dispersed in a hydrophobic polymer matrix are important in many applications where controlled release of the functional agent from the hydrophilic phase is needed. As an example, a release of biomolecules or drugs from therapeutic formulations or release of salt in anti-icing application can be mentioned. Here, we report a method for preparation of such a composite material consisted of small KCOOH salt pockets distributed in the styrene-butadiene-styrene (SBS polymer matrix and demonstrate its effectiveness in anti-icing coatings. The mixtures of the aqueous KCOOH and SBS-cyclohexane solutions were firstly stabilized by adding silica nanoparticles to the emulsions and, even more, by gelation of the aqueous phase by agarose. The emulsions were observed in optical microscope to check its stability in time and characterized by rheological measurements. The dry composite materials were obtained via casting the emulsions onto the glass substrates and evaporations of the organic solvent. Composite polymer films were characterized by water contact angle (WCA measurements. The release of KCOOH salt into water and the freezing delay experiments of water droplets on dry composite films demonstrated their anti-icing properties. It has been concluded that hydrophobic and thermoplastic SBS polymer allows incorporation of the hydrophilic pockets/phases through our technique that opens the possibility for controlled delivering of anti-icing agents from the composite.

Preparation of Magnetic Iron Oxide Nanoparticles (MIONs with Improved Saturation Magnetization Using Multifunctional Polymer Ligand

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Muhammad Irfan Majeed

2016-11-01

Full Text Available This paper describes the preparation of ultra-small magnetic iron oxide (Fe3O4 nanoparticles (MIONs coated with water-soluble thioether end-functionalized polymer ligand pentaerythritol tetrakis 3-mercaptopropionate-polymethacrylic acid (PTMP-PMAA. The MIONs were prepared by co-precipitation of aqueous iron precursor solution at a high temperature. The polymer modified MIONs were characterized by dynamic light scattering (DLS, transmission electron microscopy (TEM, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR, X-ray powder diffraction (XRD, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA, and vibrating sample magnetometery (VSM. It was found that these MIONs were successfully modified by this water-soluble polymer ligand with a fairly uniform size and narrow size distribution. The dried powder of MIONs could be stored for a long time and re-dispersed well in water without any significant change. Additionally, the polymer concentration showed a significant effect on size and magnetic properties of the MIONs. The saturation magnetization was increased by optimizing the polymer concentration. Furthermore, the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl-2-5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT-assay demonstrated that these MIONs were highly biocompatible and they could be successfully coupled with fluorescent dye Rhodamine due to the formation of amide bond between carboxylic acid groups of MIONs and amine groups of dye. The obtained results indicated that these multifunctional MIONs with rich surface chemistry exhibit admirable potential in biomedical applications.

Synthesis of biocidal polymers containing metal NPs using an electron beam

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Choi, Kwonyong; Kim, Seong-Eun; Kim, Hee-Yeon; Yoon, Jeyong; Lee, Jong-Chan

2012-01-01

Metal containing antibacterial polymers were prepared by the polymerization of methylmethacrylate and methacrylic acid with copper or zinc. When the thin film of the polymers coated on a glass was irradiated with an electron beam, nanoparticles were obtained. It was found that these polymers exhibited a potent antibacterial activity against the Gram-negative bacteria, Escherichia coli. The metal containing polymers showed a 99.999% (5.0 logs) reduction in E. coli at a contact time of 12 h. In addition, polymers had a good antifouling effect against marine organisms. - Graphical abstract: Biocidal activity of Cu nanoparticle/polymer composite film against Gram-negative bacteria. Highlights: ► Metal containing antibacterial polymers were prepared with copper. ► Using the electron beam, nanoparticles were obtained. ► It was found that these polymers exhibited potent biocidal activity against E. coli. ► The metal containing polymers showed a 99.999% reduction of E. coli.

High-performance flexible all-solid-state supercapacitors based on densely-packed graphene/polypyrrole nanoparticle papers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yang, Chao; Zhang, Liling [Key Laboratory for Thin Film and Microfabrication Technology of the Ministry of Education, School of Electronics, Information and Electrical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Dong Chuan Road No. 800, Shanghai, 200240 (China); Hu, Nantao, E-mail: hunantao@sjtu.edu.cn [Key Laboratory for Thin Film and Microfabrication Technology of the Ministry of Education, School of Electronics, Information and Electrical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Dong Chuan Road No. 800, Shanghai, 200240 (China); Yang, Zhi; Wei, Hao [Key Laboratory for Thin Film and Microfabrication Technology of the Ministry of Education, School of Electronics, Information and Electrical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Dong Chuan Road No. 800, Shanghai, 200240 (China); Wang, Yanyan, E-mail: yywang@suda.edu.cn [College of Physics, Optoelectronics and Energy, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215006 (China); Zhang, Yafei, E-mail: yfzhang@sjtu.edu.cn [Key Laboratory for Thin Film and Microfabrication Technology of the Ministry of Education, School of Electronics, Information and Electrical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Dong Chuan Road No. 800, Shanghai, 200240 (China)

2016-11-30

Highlights: • The addition of methyl orange can affect the size of polypyrrole nanoparticles. • The flexible hybrid paper has a highly-interconnected sandwich framework. • The hybrid paper shows a high areal and volumetric specific capacitance. • Flexible all-solid-state supercapacitor exhibits excellent capacitive performances. - Abstract: Graphene-based all-solid-state supercapacitors (ASSSCs) have received increasing attention. It’s a great challenge to fabricate high-performance flexible solid-state supercapacitors with high areal and volumetric energy storage capability, superior electron and ion conductivity, robust mechanical flexibility, as well as long term stability. Herein, we report a facile method to fabricate flexible ASSSCs based on densely-packed reduced graphene oxide (rGO)/polypyrrole nanoparticle (PPy NP) hybrid papers with a sandwich framework, which consists of well-separated and continuously-aligned rGO sheets. The incorporation of PPy NPs not only provides pseudocapacitance but also facilitates the infiltration of gel electrolyte. The assembled ASSSCs possess maximum areal and volumetric specific capacitances of 477 mF/cm{sup 2} and 94.9 F/cm{sup 3} at 0.5 mA/cm{sup 2}. They also exhibit little capacitance deviation under different bending states, excellent cycling stability, small leakage current and low self-discharge characteristics. Additionally, the maximum areal and volumetric energy densities of 132.5 μWh/cm{sup 2} and 26.4 mWh/cm{sup 3} are achieved, which indicate that this hybrid paper is a promising candidate for high-performance flexible energy storage devices.

Theranostic nanoparticles for the treatment of cancer

Science.gov (United States)

Moore, Thomas Lee

The main focus of this research was to evaluate the ability of a novel multifunctional nanoparticle to mediate drug delivery and enable a non-invasive approach to measure drug release kinetics in situ for the treatment of cancer. These goals were approached by developing a nanoparticle consisting of an inorganic core (i.e. gadolinium sulfoxide doped with europium ions or carbon nanotubes). This was coated with an external amphiphilic polymer shell comprised of a biodegradable polyester (i.e. poly(lactide) or poly(glycolide)), and poly(ethylene glycol) block copolymer. In this system, the inorganic core mediates the imaging aspect, the relatively hydrophobic polyester encapsulates hydrophobic anti-cancer drugs, and poly(ethylene glycol) stabilizes the nanoparticle in an aqueous environment. The synthesis of this nanoparticle drug delivery system utilized a simple one-pot room temperature ring-opening polymerization that neglected the use of potentially toxic catalysts and reduced the number of washing steps. This functionalization approach could be applied across a number of inorganic nanoparticle platforms. Coating inorganic nanoparticles with biodegradable polymer was shown to decrease in vitro and in vivo toxicity. Nanoparticles could be further coated with multiple polymer layers to better control drug release characteristics. Finally, loading polymer coated radioluminescent nanoparticles with photoactive drugs enabled a mechanism for measuring drug concentration in situ. The work presented here represents a step forward to developing theranostic nanoparticles that can improve the treatment of cancer.

Method of synthesizing tungsten nanoparticles

Science.gov (United States)

Thoma, Steven G; Anderson, Travis M

2013-02-12

A method to synthesize tungsten nanoparticles has been developed that enables synthesis of nanometer-scale, monodisperse particles that can be stabilized only by tetrahydrofuran. The method can be used at room temperature, is scalable, and the product concentrated by standard means. Since no additives or stabilizing surfactants are required, this method is particularly well suited for producing tungsten nanoparticles for dispersion in polymers. If complete dispersion is achieved due to the size of the nanoparticles, then the optical properties of the polymer can be largely maintained.

Polyionic polymers – heterogeneous media for metal nanoparticles as catalyst in Suzuki–Miyaura and Heck–Mizoroki reactions under flow conditions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Klaas Mennecke

2009-05-01

Full Text Available The preparation of monolithic polyionic supports which serve as efficient heterogeneous supports for palladium(0 nanoparticles is described. These functionalized polymers were incorporated inside a flow reactor and employed in Suzuki–Miyaura and Heck cross couplings under continuous flow conditions.

Nano- and Micro-sized Molecularly Imprinted Polymer Particles on Solid Surfaces

OpenAIRE

Kamra, Tripta

2015-01-01

Molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) are artificial receptors made by imprinting template molecules in a polymer matrix followed by their removal through washing to obtain a specific and selective template cavities. This property of the MIPs have made them a very efficient material for diverse applications such as chromatography, purification, drug sensing, etc. Recently, zero-dimensional polymer materials, in the present case molecularly imprinted polymer nanoparticles (MIP nanoparticles), ...

A novel thermoset polymer optical fiber

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Flipsen, T.A C; Steendam, R; Pennings, A.J; Hadziioannou, G

Polymer optical fibers are being investigated with a view to overcoming some of the disadvantages of glass optical fibers in communications applications. Dense cross-linked polymers, such as the polyisocyanurate discussed here (see figure), have been found to be superior in some respects to the

High Rate Micromechanical Behavior of Grafted Polymer Nanoparticle Films

Science.gov (United States)

Thomas, Edwin

We report the ultra high strain rate behavior of films comprised of polymer grafted nanoparticles (NPs) and compare the results to homopolymer films. The films are formed by flow coating a suspension of polystyrene (PS) chains of 230 kg/mol grafted to 16nm diameter SiO2\\ at a graft density of 0.6 chains/nm2 resulting a film with 1 vol % SiO2. Films of 267 kg/mol PS were also flow coated and both films were impacted at velocities 350-700 ms-1 using 3.7 micron SiO2\\ projectiles to achieve increments in kinetic energy (KE) of 1:2:4. The KE of the projectiles before and after penetration was measured to determine the penetration energy. TEM and SEM suggest the projectile initially induces plastic flow due to the adiabatic temperature rise from impact. As the projectile deforms the film, the lower magnitude, biaxial stress state in the peripherial regions causes material microvoid formation and initiation of craze growth in the radial and tangential directions. The anchoring of the grafted polymer chains to the NPs increases the penetration energy relative to the pure homopolymer by 50% and the films capacity to delocalize the impact by 200%. These results suggest that highly grafted NP films may be useful in lightweight protection systems. In collaboration with Omri Fried, Olawale Lawal, Yang Jiao, Victor Hsaio, Thevamaran Ramathasan, Mujin Zhou, Richard Vaia.

Paclitaxel molecularly imprinted polymer-PEG-folate nanoparticles for targeting anticancer delivery: Characterization and cellular cytotoxicity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Esfandyari-Manesh, Mehdi; Darvishi, Behrad; Ishkuh, Fatemeh Azizi; Shahmoradi, Elnaz; Mohammadi, Ali; Javanbakht, Mehran; Dinarvand, Rassoul; Atyabi, Fatemeh

2016-01-01

The aim of this work was to synthesize molecularly imprinted polymer-poly ethylene glycol-folic acid (MIP-PEG-FA) nanoparticles for use as a controlled release carrier for targeting delivery of paclitaxel (PTX) to cancer cells. MIP nanoparticles were synthesized by a mini-emulsion polymerization technique and then PEG-FA was conjugated to the surface of nanoparticles. Nanoparticles showed high drug loading and encapsulation efficiency, 15.6 ± 0.8 and 100%, respectively. The imprinting efficiency of MIPs was evaluated by binding experiments in human serum. Good selective binding and recognition were found in MIP nanoparticles. In vitro drug release studies showed that MIP-PEG-FA have a controlled release of PTX, because of the presence of imprinted sites in the polymeric structure, which makes it is suitable for sustained drug delivery. The drug release from polymeric nanoparticles was indeed higher at acidic pH. The molecular structure of MIP-PEG-FA was confirmed by Hydrogen-Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (H NMR), Fourier Transform InfraRed (FT-IR), and Attenuated Total Reflection (ATR) spectroscopy, and their thermal behaviors by Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) and Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA). Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Photon Correlation Spectroscopy (PCS) results showed that nanoparticles have a smooth surface and spherical shape with an average size of 181 nm. MIP-PEG-FA nanoparticles showed a greater amount of intracellular uptake in folate receptor-positive cancer cells (MDA-MB-231 cells) in comparison with the non-folate nanoparticles and free PTX, with half maximal inhibitory concentrations (IC_5_0) of 4.9 ± 0.9, 7.4 ± 0.5 and 32.8 ± 3.8 nM, respectively. These results suggest that MIP-PEG-FA nanoparticles could be a potentially useful drug carrier for targeting drug delivery to cancer cells. - Highlights: • MIP-PEG-FA was synthesized as a controlled release carrier for targeting delivery to cancerous cells. • Nanoparticles

Paclitaxel molecularly imprinted polymer-PEG-folate nanoparticles for targeting anticancer delivery: Characterization and cellular cytotoxicity

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Esfandyari-Manesh, Mehdi [Nanotechnology Research Center,Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Department of Chemistry, Amirkabir University of Technology, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Darvishi, Behrad [Nanotechnology Research Center,Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Ishkuh, Fatemeh Azizi [Department of Chemistry, Amirkabir University of Technology, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Shahmoradi, Elnaz [Department of Chemical Engineering, Sharif University of Technology, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Mohammadi, Ali [Nanotechnology Research Center,Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Department of Drug and Food Control, Faculty of Pharmacy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Javanbakht, Mehran [Department of Chemistry, Amirkabir University of Technology, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Dinarvand, Rassoul [Nanotechnology Research Center,Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Atyabi, Fatemeh, E-mail: atyabifa@tums.ac.ir [Nanotechnology Research Center,Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of)

2016-05-01

The aim of this work was to synthesize molecularly imprinted polymer-poly ethylene glycol-folic acid (MIP-PEG-FA) nanoparticles for use as a controlled release carrier for targeting delivery of paclitaxel (PTX) to cancer cells. MIP nanoparticles were synthesized by a mini-emulsion polymerization technique and then PEG-FA was conjugated to the surface of nanoparticles. Nanoparticles showed high drug loading and encapsulation efficiency, 15.6 ± 0.8 and 100%, respectively. The imprinting efficiency of MIPs was evaluated by binding experiments in human serum. Good selective binding and recognition were found in MIP nanoparticles. In vitro drug release studies showed that MIP-PEG-FA have a controlled release of PTX, because of the presence of imprinted sites in the polymeric structure, which makes it is suitable for sustained drug delivery. The drug release from polymeric nanoparticles was indeed higher at acidic pH. The molecular structure of MIP-PEG-FA was confirmed by Hydrogen-Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (H NMR), Fourier Transform InfraRed (FT-IR), and Attenuated Total Reflection (ATR) spectroscopy, and their thermal behaviors by Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) and Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA). Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Photon Correlation Spectroscopy (PCS) results showed that nanoparticles have a smooth surface and spherical shape with an average size of 181 nm. MIP-PEG-FA nanoparticles showed a greater amount of intracellular uptake in folate receptor-positive cancer cells (MDA-MB-231 cells) in comparison with the non-folate nanoparticles and free PTX, with half maximal inhibitory concentrations (IC{sub 50}) of 4.9 ± 0.9, 7.4 ± 0.5 and 32.8 ± 3.8 nM, respectively. These results suggest that MIP-PEG-FA nanoparticles could be a potentially useful drug carrier for targeting drug delivery to cancer cells. - Highlights: • MIP-PEG-FA was synthesized as a controlled release carrier for targeting delivery to cancerous cells. • Nanoparticles

Formation of polymer nanoparticles by UV pulsed laser ablation of poly (bisphenol A carbonate) in liquid environment

Science.gov (United States)

Martínez-Tong, Daniel E.; Sanz, Mikel; Ezquerra, Tiberio A.; Nogales, Aurora; Marco, José F.; Castillejo, Marta; Rebollar, Esther

2017-10-01

Suspensions of poly(bisphenol A carbonate) (PBAC) nanoparticles of varying size and shape have been produced by ablation of a PBAC target in liquid media with the fourth harmonic of a Q-switched Nd:YAG laser (wavelength 266 nm, full width at half maximum 4 ns, repetition rate 10 Hz). The polymer target was placed at the bottom of a rotating glass vessel filled with around a 10 mm column of liquid. Laser ablation in water leads to spherical nanoparticles with diameters of several tens of nanometers for fluences close to 1 J/cm2. Ablation at lower fluences, around 0.1 J/cm2, results in the production of nanoparticles of smaller diameters and also of non-spherical nanoparticles. Additional irradiations at the fluence of 0.1 J/cm2 were performed in several liquid media with different properties, in terms of density, viscosity, thermal conductivity, boiling temperature, isothermal compressibility and polarity. The different size distributions observed were related to the thermal conductivity of the systems, while their viscosity seems to be responsible for the development of nanostructures with different morphologies.

Cutaneous penetration of soft nanoparticles via photodamaged skin: Lipid-based and polymer-based nanocarriers for drug delivery.

Science.gov (United States)

Hung, Chi-Feng; Chen, Wei-Yu; Hsu, Ching-Yun; Aljuffali, Ibrahim A; Shih, Hui-Chi; Fang, Jia-You

2015-08-01

Photoaging is recognized as the factor damaging skin-barrier function. The aim of this study was to examine the impact of ultraviolet (UV) irradiation on the cutaneous penetration of soft nanoparticles, including nanostructured lipid carriers (NLCs) and poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) polymer nanoparticles (PNs). In vitro cutaneous permeation of retinoic acid (RA) carried by nanoparticles was evaluated. In vivo nude mouse skin distribution of topically applied nanoparticles was observed by fluorescence and confocal microscopies. The association of nanoparticles with cultured keratinocytes was measured by flow cytometry and fluorescence microscopy. The average diameter and surface charge were 236nm and -32mV for NLCs, and 207nm and -12mV for PNs. The ultrastructural images of skin demonstrated that the application of UV produced a loss of Odland bodies and desmosomes, the organelles regulating skin-barrier function. UVA exposure increased skin deposition of RA regardless of nanoparticle formulation. UVB did not alter RA deposition from nanoparticles as compared to the non-treated group. Exposure to UVA promoted RA delivery into hair follicles from NLCs and PNs by 4.2- and 4.9-fold, respectively. The in vivo skin distribution also showed a large accumulation of Nile red-loaded nanoparticles in follicles after UVA treatment. The soft nanoparticles were observed deep in the dermis. PNs with higher lipophilicity showed a greater association with keratinocytes compared to NLCs. The cell association of PNs was increased by UVA application, whereas the association between NLCs and keratinocytes was reduced two times by UVA. It was concluded that both follicles and intercellular spaces were the main pathways for nanoparticle diffusion into photodamaged skin. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Femtosecond Laser Irradiation of Plasmonic Nanoparticles in Polymer Matrix: Implications for Photothermal and Photochemical Material Alteration

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Anton A. Smirnov

2014-11-01

Full Text Available We analyze the opportunities provided by the plasmonic nanoparticles inserted into the bulk of a transparent medium to modify the material by laser light irradiation. This study is provoked by the advent of photo-induced nano-composites consisting of a typical polymer matrix and metal nanoparticles located in the light-irradiated domains of the initially homogeneous material. The subsequent irradiation of these domains by femtosecond laser pulses promotes a further alteration of the material properties. We separately consider two different mechanisms of material alteration. First, we analyze a photochemical reaction initiated by the two-photon absorption of light near the plasmonic nanoparticle within the matrix. We show that the spatial distribution of the products of such a reaction changes the symmetry of the material, resulting in the appearance of anisotropy in the initially isotropic material or even in the loss of the center of symmetry. Second, we analyze the efficiency of a thermally-activated chemical reaction at the surface of a plasmonic particle and the distribution of the product of such a reaction just near the metal nanoparticle irradiated by an ultrashort laser pulse.

Novel, one-step synthesis of zwitterionic polymer nanoparticles via distillation-precipitation polymerization and its application for dye removal membrane.

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Ibrahim, G P Syed; Isloor, Arun M; Inamuddin; Asiri, Abdullah M; Ismail, Norafiqah; Ismail, Ahmed Fauzi; Ashraf, Ghulam Md

2017-11-21

In this work, poly(MBAAm-co-SBMA) zwitterionic polymer nanoparticles were synthesized in one-step via distillation-precipitation polymerization (DPP) and were characterized. [2-(methacryloyloxy)ethyl]dimethyl-(3-sulfopropyl)ammonium hydroxide (SBMA) as monomer and N, N'-methylene bis(acrylamide) (MBAAm) as cross-linker are used for the synthesis of nanoparticles. As  far as our knowledge, this is the first such report on the synthesis of poly(MBAAm-co-SBMA) nanoparticles via DPP. The newly synthesized nanoparticles were further employed for the surface modification of polysulfone (PSF) hollow fiber membranes for dye removal. The modified hollow fiber membrane exhibited the improved permeability (56 L/ m 2 h bar) and dye removal (>98% of Reactive Black 5 and >80.7% of Reactive orange 16) with the high permeation of salts. Therefore, the as-prepared membrane can have potential application in textile and industrial wastewater treatment.

Dense Vertically Aligned Copper Nanowire Composites as High Performance Thermal Interface Materials.

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Barako, Michael T; Isaacson, Scott G; Lian, Feifei; Pop, Eric; Dauskardt, Reinhold H; Goodson, Kenneth E; Tice, Jesse

2017-12-06

Thermal interface materials (TIMs) are essential for managing heat in modern electronics, and nanocomposite TIMs can offer critical improvements. Here, we demonstrate thermally conductive, mechanically compliant TIMs based on dense, vertically aligned copper nanowires (CuNWs) embedded into polymer matrices. We evaluate the thermal and mechanical characteristics of 20-25% dense CuNW arrays with and without polydimethylsiloxane infiltration. The thermal resistance achieved is below 5 mm 2 K W -1 , over an order of magnitude lower than commercial heat sink compounds. Nanoindentation reveals that the nonlinear deformation mechanics of this TIM are influenced by both the CuNW morphology and the polymer matrix. We also implement a flip-chip bonding protocol to directly attach CuNW composites to copper surfaces, as required in many thermal architectures. Thus, we demonstrate a rational design strategy for nanocomposite TIMs that simultaneously retain the high thermal conductivity of aligned CuNWs and the mechanical compliance of a polymer.

Biodegradable Nanoparticles Made of Amino-Acid-Based Ester Polymers: Preparation, Characterization, and In Vitro Biocompatibility Study

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Temur Kantaria

2016-12-01

Full Text Available A systematic study of fabricating nanoparticles (NPs by cost-effective polymer deposition/solvent displacement (nanoprecipitation method has been carried out. Five amino acid based biodegradable (AABB ester polymers (four neutral and one cationic, four organic solvents miscible with water, and eight surfactants were tested for the fabrication of the goal NPs. Depending on the nature of the AABB polymers, organic solvents and surfactants, as well as on the fabrication conditions, the size (Mean Particle Diameter of the NPs could be tuned within 42 ÷ 398 nm, the zeta-potential within 12.5 ÷ +28 mV. The stability (resuspendability of the NPs upon storage (at room temperature and refrigerated was tested as well. In Vitro biocompatibility study of the NPs was performed with four different stable cell lines: A549, HeLa (human; RAW264.7, Hepa 1-6 (murine. Comparing the NPs parameters, their stability upon storage, and the data of biological examinations the best were found: As the AABB polymer, a poly(ester amide composed of l-leucine, 1,6-hexanediol and sebacic acid–8L6, as a solvent (organic phase—DMSO, and as a surfactant, Tween 20.

Confinement Effects on Host Chain Dynamics in Polymer Nanocomposite Thin Films

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Johnson, Kyle J. [Department; Glynos, Emmanouil [Department; Maroulas, Serafeim-Dionysios [Department; Narayanan, Suresh [Advanced; Sakellariou, Georgios [Department; Green, Peter F. [Department; National

2017-09-07

Incorporating nanoparticles (NPs) within a polymer host to create polymer nanocomposites (PNCs) while having the effect of increasing the functionality (e.g., sensing, energy conversion) of these materials influences other properties. One challenge is to understand the effects of nanoparticles on the viscosity of nanoscale thick polymer films. A new mechanism that contributes to an enhancement of the viscosity of nanoscale thick polymer/nanoparticle films is identified. We show that while the viscosities of neat homopolymer poly(2-vinylpyridine) (P2VP) films as thin as 50 nm remained the same as the bulk, polymer/nanoparticle films containing P2VP brush-coated gold NPs, spaced 50 nm apart, exhibited unprecedented increases in viscosities of over an order of magnitude. For thicker films or more widely separated NPs, the chain dynamics and viscosities were comparable to the bulk values. These results - NP proximities and suppression of their dynamics - suggest a new mechanism by which the viscosities of polymeric liquids could be controlled for nanoscale applications.

Hyaluronate nanoparticles included in polymer films for the prolonged release of vitamin E for the management of skin wounds.

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Pereira, Gabriela Garrastazu; Detoni, Cassia Britto; Balducci, Anna Giulia; Rondelli, Valeria; Colombo, Paolo; Guterres, Silvia Stanisçuaski; Sonvico, Fabio

2016-02-15

Lecithin and hyaluronic acid were used for the preparation of polysaccharide decorated nanoparticles loaded with vitamin E using the cationic lipid dioctadecyldimethylammonium bromide (DODMA). Nanoparticles showed mean particle size in the range 130-350 nm and narrow size distribution. Vitamin E encapsulation efficiency was higher than 99%. These nanoparticles were incorporated in polymeric films containing Aloe vera extract, hyaluronic acid, sodium alginate, polyethyleneoxide (PEO) and polyvinylalcohol (PVA) as an innovative treatment in skin wounds. Films were thin, flexible, resistant and suitable for application on burn wounds. Additionally, in vitro occlusion study highlighted the dependence of the occlusive effect on the presence of nanoparticles. The results obtained show that the bioadhesive films containing vitamin E acetate and Aloe vera could be an innovative therapeutic system for the treatment of skin wounds, such as burns. The controlled release of the vitamin along with a reduction in water loss through damaged skin provided by the nanoparticle-loaded polymer film are considered important features for an improvement in wound healing and skin regeneration. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effect of Al2O3 nanoparticles in plasticized PMMA-LiClO4 based solid polymer electrolyte

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Pal, P.; Ghosh, A.

2017-05-01

We have studied the broadband complex conductivity spectra covering a 0.01 Hz-3 GHz frequency range for plasticized PMMA-LiClO4 based solid polymer electrolyte embedded with Al2O3 nanoparticle. We have analyzed the conductivity spectra using the random free-energy barrier model (RBM) coupled with electrode polarization contribution in the low frequency region and at high temperatures. The temperature dependence of the ionic conductivity obtained from the analysis has been analyzed using Vogel-Tammann-Fulcher equation. The maximum ionic conductivity ˜ 1.93×10-4 S/cm has been obtained for 1 wt% Al2O3 nanoparticle.

Optical response of heterogeneous polymer layers containing silver nanostructures

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Miriam Carlberg

2017-05-01

Full Text Available This work is focused on the study of the optical properties of silver nanostructures embedded in a polymer host matrix. The introduction of silver nanostructures in polymer thin films is assumed to result in layers having adaptable optical properties. Thin film layers with inclusions of differently shaped nanoparticles, such as nanospheres and nanoprisms, and of different sizes, are optically characterized. The nanoparticles are produced by a simple chemical synthesis at room temperature in water. The plasmonic resonance peaks of the different colloidal solutions range from 390 to 1300 nm. The non-absorbing, transparent polymer matrix poly(vinylpyrrolidone (PVP was chosen because of its suitable optical and chemical properties. The optical studies of the layers include spectrophotometry and spectroscopic ellipsometry measurements, which provide information about the reflection, transmission, absorption of the material as well as the complex optical indices, n and k. Finite difference time domain simulations of nanoparticles in thin film layers allow the visualization of the nanoparticle interactions or the electric field enhancement on and around the nanoparticles to complete the optical characterization. A simple analysis method is proposed to obtain the complex refractive index of nanospheres and nanoprisms in a polymer matrix.

Parallel array of nanochannels grafted with polymer-brushes-stabilized Au nanoparticles for flow-through catalysis.

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Liu, Jianxi; Ma, Shuanhong; Wei, Qiangbing; Jia, Lei; Yu, Bo; Wang, Daoai; Zhou, Feng

2013-12-07

Smart systems on the nanometer scale for continuous flow-through reaction present fascinating advantages in heterogeneous catalysis, in which a parallel array of straight nanochannels offers a platform with high surface area for assembling and stabilizing metallic nanoparticles working as catalysts. Herein we demonstrate a method for finely modifying the nanoporous anodic aluminum oxide (AAO), and further integration of nanoreactors. By using atomic transfer radical polymerization (ATRP), polymer brushes were successfully grafted on the inner wall of the nanochannels of the AAO membrane, followed by exchanging counter ions with a precursor for nanoparticles (NPs), and used as the template for deposition of well-defined Au NPs. The membrane was used as a functional nanochannel for novel flow-through catalysis. High catalytic performance and instantaneous separation of products from the reaction system was achieved in reduction of 4-nitrophenol.

Parallel array of nanochannels grafted with polymer-brushes-stabilized Au nanoparticles for flow-through catalysis

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Liu, Jianxi; Ma, Shuanhong; Wei, Qiangbing; Jia, Lei; Yu, Bo; Wang, Daoai; Zhou, Feng

2013-11-01

Smart systems on the nanometer scale for continuous flow-through reaction present fascinating advantages in heterogeneous catalysis, in which a parallel array of straight nanochannels offers a platform with high surface area for assembling and stabilizing metallic nanoparticles working as catalysts. Herein we demonstrate a method for finely modifying the nanoporous anodic aluminum oxide (AAO), and further integration of nanoreactors. By using atomic transfer radical polymerization (ATRP), polymer brushes were successfully grafted on the inner wall of the nanochannels of the AAO membrane, followed by exchanging counter ions with a precursor for nanoparticles (NPs), and used as the template for deposition of well-defined Au NPs. The membrane was used as a functional nanochannel for novel flow-through catalysis. High catalytic performance and instantaneous separation of products from the reaction system was achieved in reduction of 4-nitrophenol.

Effect of lanthanide on the microstructure and structure of LnMn0.5Fe0.5O3 nanoparticles with Ln=La, Pr, Nd, Sm and Gd prepared by the polymer precursor method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Romero, Mariano; Faccio, Ricardo; Martínez, Javier; Pardo, Helena; Montenegro, Benjamín; Plá Cid, Cristiani Campos; Pasa, André A.

2015-01-01

The synthesis of LnMn 0.5 Fe 0.5 O 3 perovskite nanoparticles by the polymer precursor method showed a strong intrinsic dependence with different lanthanides (Ln=La, Pr, Nd, Sm and Gd). The polymerization level reached in the polymer precursor was proportional to the atomic number of lanthanide with exception of samarium, which showed the formation of a different precursor based in a citrate chelate with ethyleneglycol bonded as adduct. The increasing level of polymerization of the polymer precursors showed the formation of large-size perovskite nanoparticles after its calcination. SAXS and TEM analyses suggested that nanoparticles obtained, using this method, have a squared-like microstructure in connection with the polymer precursor microstructure. Structural analysis showed an orthorhombic structure with a slight decline in the Jahn–Teller distortion when the atomic number of lanthanide increases. Mössbauer spectroscopy showed the presence of a majority site in agreement with the Pbnm orthorhombic structure best fitted with Rietveld refinements and in some cases, a more distorted site attributed to local inhomogeneities and oxygen vacancies. - Highlights: • Precursor polymerization level is lower in the presence of lighter lanthanides. • Lighter lanthanide perovskite nanoparticles after calcination are lower-sized. • Nanoparticles obtained by this method have lamellae microstructure. • Jahn–Teller distortion declines for heavier lanthanide perovskites. • Oxygen vacancy phase was observed in lighter lanthanide perovskites

Self-Assembled Core-Shell-Type Lipid-Polymer Hybrid Nanoparticles: Intracellular Trafficking and Relevance for Oral Absorption.

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Li, Qiuxia; Xia, Dengning; Tao, Jinsong; Shen, Aijun; He, Yuan; Gan, Yong; Wang, Chi

2017-10-01

Lipid-polymer hybrid nanoparticles (NPs) are advantageous for drug delivery. However, their intracellular trafficking mechanism and relevance for oral drug absorption are poorly understood. In this study, self-assembled core-shell lipid-polymer hybrid NPs made of poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) and various lipids were developed to study their differing intracellular trafficking in intestinal epithelial cells and their relevance for oral absorption of a model drug saquinavir (SQV). Our results demonstrated that the endocytosis and exocytosis of hybrid NPs could be changed by varying the kind of lipid. A glyceride mixture (hybrid NPs-1) decreased endocytosis but increased exocytosis in Caco-2 cells, whereas the phospholipid (E200) (hybrid NPs-2) decreased endocytosis but exocytosis was unaffected as compared with PLGA nanoparticles. The transport of hybrid NPs-1 in cells involved various pathways, including caveolae/lipid raft-dependent endocytosis, and clathrin-mediated endocytosis and macropinocytosis, which was different from the other groups of NPs that involved only caveolae/lipid raft-dependent endocytosis. Compared with that of the reference formulation (nanoemulsion), the oral absorption of SQV-loaded hybrid NPs in rats was poor, probably due to the limited drug release and transcytosis of NPs across the intestinal epithelium. In conclusion, the intracellular processing of hybrid NPs in intestinal epithelia can be altered by adding lipids to the NP. However, it appears unfavorable to use PLGA-based NPs to improve oral absorption of SQV compared with nanoemulsion. Our findings will be essential in the development of polymer-based NPs for the oral delivery of drugs with the purpose of improving their oral absorption. Copyright © 2017 American Pharmacists Association®. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Nickel ethylene tetrathiolate polymers as nanoparticles: a new synthesis for future applications?

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Faulmann, Christophe, E-mail: christophe.faulmann@lcc-toulouse.fr; Chahine, Joe; Jacob, Kane; Coppel, Yannick; Valade, Lydie; Caro, Dominique de [Laboratoire de Chimie de Coordination (LCC-CNRS UPR 8241) (France)

2013-04-15

Coordination polymers (CP) based on the ethylene tetrathiolate ligand (C{sub 2}S{sub 4}){sup 4-} and Ni{sup 2+}, and previously isolated as insoluble conductive powders are grown as nanoparticles (NP) using ionic liquid (IL) as stabilizing agent. The time of addition of the IL determines the morphology, and consequently the properties of the CP. The smaller (10-20 nm) and soluble NP are obtained when IL is present at the complexation step. The mechanism of growth of NP is studied. The NP size is sensitive to the amount of IL and to the reaction temperature. NPs are studied by TEM/EDX, DLS, liquid- and solid-state NMR, and conductivity.

POLYMERS CONTAINING Cu NANOPARTICLES IRRADIATED BY LASER TO ENHANCE THE ION ACCELERATION

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Mariapompea Cutroneo

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Target Normal Sheath Acceleration method was employed at PALS to accelerate ions from laser-generated plasma at intensities above 1015 W/cm2. Laser parameters, irradiation conditions and target geometry and composition control the plasma properties and the electric field driving the ion acceleration. Cu nanoparticles deposited on the polymer promote resonant absorption effects increasing the plasma electron density and enhancing the proton acceleration. Protons can be accelerated in forward direction at kinetic energies up to about 3.5 MeV. The optimal target thickness, the maximum acceleration energy and the angular distribution of emitted particles have been measured using ion collectors, X-ray CCD streak camera, SiC detectors and Thomson Parabola Spectrometer.

Parametric Study of Strain Rate Effects on Nanoparticle-Reinforced Polymer Composites

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B. Soltannia

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Crashworthiness, energy absorption capacity, and safety are important factors in the design of lightweight vehicles made of fiber-reinforced polymer composite (FRP components. The relatively recent emergence of the nanotechnology industry has presented a novel means to augment the mechanical properties of various materials. As a result, recent attempts have contemplated the use of nanoparticles to further improve the resiliency of resins, especially when resins are used for mating FRP components. Therefore, a comprehensive understanding of the response of nanoreinforced polymer composites, subjected to various rates of loading, is of paramount importance for developing reliable structures. In this paper, the effects of nanoreinforcement on the mechanical response of a commonly used epoxy resin subjected to four different strain rates, are systematically investigated. The results are then compared to those of the neat resin. To characterize the mechanical properties of the nanocomposite, a combination of the strain rate-dependent mechanical (SRDM model of Goldberg and his coworkers and Halpin-Tsai’s micromechanical approach is employed. Subsequently, a parametric study is conducted to ascertain the influences of particle type and their weight percentage. Finally, the numerical results are compared to the experimental data obtained from testing of the neat and the nanoreinforced epoxy resin.

One Dimensional Coordination Polymer of Zn(II) for Developing Multifunctional Nanoparticles.

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Agarwal, Rashmi A

2017-10-16

A variety of nanoparticles (NPs) including Ag, Au, Pd, Cr and mixed Cu/Fe have been synthesized in a non-activated (without solvent removal) one dimensional coordination polymer (CP) of Zn(II) via two different mechanisms, acid formation and redox activity of the framework. Main driving force to grow these NPs within the cavities of CP is the presence of free oxygens of one of the monodentate carboxylate groups of BDC ligand. These free oxygens act as anchoring sites for the metal ions of the metal precursors. Chemical and physical characteristics of the NPs within the framework have been evaluated by the high resolution transmission electron microscopic (HRTEM) images. Excluding Ag(0) and Pd(0) other NPs are present as combinations of their elemental as well as oxide forms (Au/Au 2 O 3 , Cr/Cr 2 O 3 /CrO 2 and Cu/Cu 2 O, Fe/FeO). Synthesized Ag NPs within the framework show remarkable antibacterial efficacy at extremely low concentrations. Ag, Au and Cu/Fe NPs show ferromagnetic properties within the framework at room temperature. This polymer has potential to sequester highly toxic Cr(VI) to non toxic Cr(0), Cr(III) and Cr(IV) species.

Hydrogel nanoparticles in drug delivery.

Science.gov (United States)

Hamidi, Mehrdad; Azadi, Amir; Rafiei, Pedram

2008-12-14

Hydrogel nanoparticles have gained considerable attention in recent years as one of the most promising nanoparticulate drug delivery systems owing to their unique potentials via combining the characteristics of a hydrogel system (e.g., hydrophilicity and extremely high water content) with a nanoparticle (e.g., very small size). Several polymeric hydrogel nanoparticulate systems have been prepared and characterized in recent years, based on both natural and synthetic polymers, each with its own advantages and drawbacks. Among the natural polymers, chitosan and alginate have been studied extensively for preparation of hydrogel nanoparticles and from synthetic group, hydrogel nanoparticles based on poly (vinyl alcohol), poly (ethylene oxide), poly (ethyleneimine), poly (vinyl pyrrolidone), and poly-N-isopropylacrylamide have been reported with different characteristics and features with respect to drug delivery. Regardless of the type of polymer used, the release mechanism of the loaded agent from hydrogel nanoparticles is complex, while resulting from three main vectors, i.e., drug diffusion, hydrogel matrix swelling, and chemical reactivity of the drug/matrix. Several crosslinking methods have been used in the way to form the hydrogel matix structures, which can be classified in two major groups of chemically- and physically-induced crosslinking.

Preparation and characterization of vinculin-targeted polymer-lipid nanoparticle as intracellular delivery vehicle.

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Wang, Junping; Ornek-Ballanco, Ceren; Xu, Jiahua; Yang, Weiguo; Yu, Xiaojun

2013-01-01

Intracellular delivery vehicles have been extensively investigated as these can serve as an effective tool in studying the cellular mechanism, by delivering functional protein to specific locations of the cells. In the current study, a polymer-lipid nanoparticle (PLN) system was developed as an intracellular delivery vehicle specifically targeting vinculin, a focal adhesion protein associated with cellular adhesive structures, such as focal adhesions and adherens junctions. The PLNs possessed an average size of 106 nm and had a positively charged surface. With a lower encapsulation efficiency 32% compared with poly(lactic-co-glycolic) acid (PLGA) nanoparticles (46%), the PLNs showed the sustained release profile of model drug BSA, while PLGA nanoparticles demonstrated an initial burst-release property. Cell-uptake experiments using mouse embryonic fibroblasts cultured in fibrin-fibronectin gels observed, under confocal microscope, that the anti-vinculin conjugated PLNs could successfully ship the cargo to the cytoplasm of fibroblasts, adhered to fibronectin-fibrin. With the use of cationic lipid, the unconjugated PLNs were shown to have high gene transfection efficiency. Furthermore, the unconjugated PLNs had nuclear-targeting capability in the absence of nuclear-localization signals. Therefore, the PLNs could be manipulated easily via different type of targeting ligands and could potentially be used as a powerful tool for cellular mechanism study, by delivering drugs to specific cellular organelles.

Morphology control of MnO2 nanoparticles: Effect of P123 polymer in ethanol-water system

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Chen Li

2017-01-01

Full Text Available A series of MnO2 nanoparticles were synthesized by two-step reaction in the ethanol-water system with urea as reducing agent. During the novel routine, P123 polymer plays a crucial role in controlling the morphology. Then, characterization and systematic investigations of the samples by transmission electron microscopy and scanning electron microscopy confirmed that the morphology of MnO2 nanoparticles changed as the raw materials ratio changed. Finally, X-ray diffraction and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy were employed to confirm the crystal structure and the exact components. These results indicated the particles showed a rod-like shape without P123 and changed into sheet-like shape after the addition of P123. Therefore, this idea could be developed for the controllable synthesis of other metal oxide-based nanomaterials.

Preparation of Metallic and Polymer Nanoparticles, Responsive Nanogels and Nanofibers by Radiation Initiated Reactions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, K. -Pill; Gopalan, A. I. [Department of Chemistry Education, Kyungpook National University (Korea, Republic of)

2009-07-01

Synthesis of nanomaterials have become the focus of intensive research due to their numerous applications in diverse fields such as electronics, optics, ceramics, metallurgy, pulp and paper, environmental, pharmaceutics, biotechnology and biomedical fields. Due to expanding demand for the nanomaterials with defined properties, extensive research activities have been focused on the synthesis and characterization of “functional nanomaterials”. Our research group launched into research activities on the preparation of varieties of functional materials using radiation as the source for inducing functionalities ino these new nanomaterials. Importantly, we kept final goals for specific applications. Thus, we have prepared few interesting functional nanomaterials such as metal nanoparticles decorated multi wall carbon nanotubes, pore filled functional electrospun nanofibers and nanocables based on conducting polymer and carbon nanotubes and demonstrated their applications toward electrocatalysts, polymer electrolyte in energy devices and biosensors. In the forthcoming sections, a brief outline on the use of radiation for the preparation of those functional nanomaterials are presented. (author)

Preparation and application of conducting polymer/Ag/clay composite nanoparticles formed by in situ UV-induced dispersion polymerization

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Zang, Limin; Qiu, Jianhui; Yang, Chao; Sakai, Eiichi

2016-02-01

In this work, composite nanoparticles containing polypyrrole, silver and attapulgite (PPy/Ag/ATP) were prepared via UV-induced dispersion polymerization of pyrrole using ATP clay as a templet and silver nitrate as photoinitiator. The effects of ATP concentration on morphology, structure and electrical conductivity were studied. The obtained composite nanoparticles with an interesting beads-on-a-string morphology can be obtained in a short time (10 min), which indicates the preparation method is facile and feasible. To explore the potential applications of the prepared PPy/Ag/ATP composite nanoparticles, they were served as multifunctional filler and blended with poly(butylene succinate) (PBS) matrix to prepare biodegradable composite material. The distribution of fillers in polymer matrix and the interfacial interaction between fillers and PBS were confirmed by scanning electron microscope, elemental mapping and dynamic mechanical analysis. The well dispersed fillers in PBS matrix impart outstanding antibacterial property to the biodegradable composite material as well as enhanced storage modulus due to Ag nanoparticles and ATP clay. The biodegradable composite material also possesses modest surface resistivity (106 ~ 109 Ω/◻).

Preparation and application of conducting polymer/Ag/clay composite nanoparticles formed by in situ UV-induced dispersion polymerization.

Science.gov (United States)

Zang, Limin; Qiu, Jianhui; Yang, Chao; Sakai, Eiichi

2016-02-03

In this work, composite nanoparticles containing polypyrrole, silver and attapulgite (PPy/Ag/ATP) were prepared via UV-induced dispersion polymerization of pyrrole using ATP clay as a templet and silver nitrate as photoinitiator. The effects of ATP concentration on morphology, structure and electrical conductivity were studied. The obtained composite nanoparticles with an interesting beads-on-a-string morphology can be obtained in a short time (10 min), which indicates the preparation method is facile and feasible. To explore the potential applications of the prepared PPy/Ag/ATP composite nanoparticles, they were served as multifunctional filler and blended with poly(butylene succinate) (PBS) matrix to prepare biodegradable composite material. The distribution of fillers in polymer matrix and the interfacial interaction between fillers and PBS were confirmed by scanning electron microscope, elemental mapping and dynamic mechanical analysis. The well dispersed fillers in PBS matrix impart outstanding antibacterial property to the biodegradable composite material as well as enhanced storage modulus due to Ag nanoparticles and ATP clay. The biodegradable composite material also possesses modest surface resistivity (10(6)~ 10(9) Ω/◻).

A theranostic nanoplatform: magneto-gold@fluorescence polymer nanoparticles for tumor targeting T1&T2-MRI/CT/NIR fluorescence imaging and induction of genuine autophagy mediated chemotherapy.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Guannan; Qian, Kun; Mei, Xifan

2018-06-14

Multifunctional nanoparticles, bearing low toxicity and tumor-targeting properties, coupled with multifunctional diagnostic imaging and enhanced treatment efficacy, have drawn tremendous attention due to their enormous potential for medical applications. Herein, we report a new kind of biocompatible and tumor-targeting magneto-gold@fluorescent polymer nanoparticle (MGFs-LyP-1), which is based on ultra-small magneto-gold (Fe 3 O 4 -Au) nanoparticles and NIR emissive fluorescent polymers by a solvent-mediated method. This kind of nanoparticle could be taken up efficiently and simultaneously serve for in vivo tumor targeting T 1 &T 2 -MRI/CT/near infrared (NIR) fluorescence bioimaging. Furthermore, the nanoparticles exhibit small size, higher tumor targeting accumulation, excellent cytocompatibility for long-term tracking, and no disturbing cell proliferation and differentiation. Moreover, clear and convincing evidence proves that as-synthesized MGFs-LyP-1 could elicit genuine autophagy via inducing autophagosome formation, which offers a definite synergistic effect to enhance cancer therapy with doxorubicin (DOX) at a nontoxic concentration through enhancement of the autophagy flux. Meanwhile, the as-prepared nanoparticles could be rapidly cleared from mice without any obvious organ impairment. The results indeed reveal a promising prospect of an MGFs-LyP-1 contrast agent with low toxicity and high efficiency for promising application in biomedicine.

Impact of electrostatics on the chemodynamics of highly charged metal-polymer nanoparticle complexes.

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Duval, Jérôme F L; Farinha, José Paulo S; Pinheiro, José P

2013-11-12

In this work, the impact of electrostatics on the stability constant, the rate of association/dissociation, and the lability of complexes formed between Cd(II), Pb(II), and carboxyl-modified polymer nanoparticles (also known as latex particles) of radius ∼ 50 nm is systematically investigated via electroanalytical measurements over a wide range of pHs and NaNO3 electrolyte concentrations. The corresponding interfacial structure and key electrostatic properties of the particles are independently derived from their electrokinetic response, successfully interpreted using soft particle electrohydrodynamic formalism, and complemented by Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) analysis. The results underpin the presence of an ∼0.7-1 nm thick permeable and highly charged shell layer at the surface of the polymer nanoparticles. Their electrophoretic mobility further exhibits a minimum versus NaNO3 concentration due to strong polarization of the electric double layer. Integrating these structural and electrostatic particle features with recent theory on chemodynamics of particulate metal complexes yields a remarkable recovery of the measured increase in complex stability with increasing pH and/or decreasing solution salinity. In the case of the strongly binding Pb(II), the discrepancy at pH > 5.5 is unambiguously assigned to the formation of multidendate complexes with carboxylate groups located in the particle shell. With increasing pH and/or decreasing electrolyte concentration, the theory further predicts a kinetically controlled formation of metal complexes and a dramatic loss of their lability (especially for lead) on the time-scale of diffusion toward a macroscopic reactive electrode surface. These theoretical findings are again shown to be in agreement with experimental evidence.

Synthesis of Polymer-Lipid Nanoparticles by Microfluidic Focusing for siRNA Delivery

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Yujing Li

2016-10-01

Full Text Available Polyethylenimine (PEI as a cationic polymer is commonly used as a carrier for gene delivery. PEI-800 is less toxic than PEI-25K but it is also less efficient. A novel nanocarrier was developed by combining PEI-800 with a pH-sensitive lipid to form polymer-lipid hybrid nanoparticles (P/LNPs. They were synthesized by microfluidic focusing (MF. Two microfluidic devices were used to synthesize P/LNPs loaded with VEGF siRNA. A series of P/LNPs with different particle sizes and distributions were obtained by altering the flow rate and geometry of microfluidic chips, and introducing sonication. Furthermore, the P/LNPs can be loaded with VEGF siRNA efficiently and were stable in serum for 12 h. Finally, P/LNPs produced by the microfluidic chip showed greater cellular uptake as well as down-regulation of VEGF protein level in both A549 and MCF-7 with reduced cellular toxicity. All in all, the P/LNPs produced by MF method were shown to be a safe and efficient carrier for VEGF siRNA, with potential application for siRNA therapeutics.

Flexible, ferroelectric nanoparticle doped polymer dispersed liquid crystal devices for lower switching voltage and nanoenergy generation

Science.gov (United States)

Nimmy John, V.; Varanakkottu, Subramanyan Namboodiri; Varghese, Soney

2018-06-01

Flexible polymer dispersed liquid crystal (F-PDLC) devices were fabricated using transparent conducting ITO/PET film. Polymerization induced phase separation (PIPS) method was used for pure and ferroelectric BaTiO3 (BTO) and ZnO doped PDLC devices. The distribution of nanoparticles in the PDLC and the formation of micro cavities were studied using field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM). It was observed that the addition of ferroelectric BTO nanoparticles has reduced the threshold voltage (Vth) and saturation voltage (Vsat) of FNP-PDLC by 85% and 41% respectively due to the spontaneous polarization of ferroelectric nanoparticles. The ferroelectric properties of BTO and ZnO in the fabricated devices were investigated using dynamic contact electrostatic force microscopy (DC EFM). Flexing the device can generate a potential due to the piezo-tribo electric effect of the ferroelectric nanomaterial doped in the PDLC matrix, which could be utilized as an energy generating system. The switching voltage after multiple flexing was also studied and found to be in par with non-flexing situations.

Effect of tamoxifen in RAFT miniemulsion polymerization during the synthesis of polymer nanoparticles

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tailane Sant'Anna Moreira

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Tamoxifen (TXF is currently the only hormonal agent used for treatment of breast cancer. Although very effective, TXF presents low solubility in water, which affects its absorption and bioavailability. A common strategy to overcome this barrier is the formulation of a drug delivery system (DDS in order to increase the drug stability and improve the treatment effectiveness. Reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT polymerization is the most versatile method of controlled/living radical polymerization (CLRP, allowing for synthesis of well-defined polymers and being adapted to a wide range of polymerization systems. Miniemulsion polymerization is a dispersed system that is commonly used to prepare nanoparticles (NP with 50 to 500 nm of diameter. The aim of this work was to evaluate the effect of the in situ incorporation of TXF during miniemulsion conventional and RAFT polymerizations, using methyl methacrylate (MMA as monomer. Although the in situ addition of TXF promoted a slight reduction of the reaction rate, it did not affect the final particle size distribution of the latex or the molecular weight control exerted by the RAFT agent. The obtained results suggest that in situ incorporation of TXF during the synthesis of polymer NP via RAFT polymerization allows for production of a polymer DDS for different uses, such as the breast cancer treatment.

Solid-Phase Synthesis of Molecularly Imprinted Polymer Nanoparticles with a Reusable Template - "Plastic Antibodies".

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Poma, Alessandro; Guerreiro, Antonio; Whitcombe, Michael J; Piletska, Elena V; Turner, Anthony P F; Piletsky, Sergey A

2013-06-13

Molecularly Imprinted Polymers (MIPs) are generic alternatives to antibodies in sensors, diagnostics and separations. To displace biomolecules without radical changes in infrastructure in device manufacture, MIPs should share their characteristics (solubility, size, specificity and affinity, localized binding domain) whilst maintaining the advantages of MIPs (low-cost, short development time and high stability) hence the interest in MIP nanoparticles. Herein we report a reusable solid-phase template approach (fully compatible with automation) for the synthesis of MIP nanoparticles and their precise manufacture using a prototype automated UV photochemical reactor. Batches of nanoparticles (30-400 nm) with narrow size distributions imprinted with: melamine (d = 60 nm, K d = 6.3 × 10 -8 m), vancomycin (d = 250 nm, K d = 3.4 × 10 -9 m), a peptide (d = 350 nm, K d = 4.8 × 10 -8 m) and proteins have been produced. Our instrument uses a column packed with glass beads, bearing the template. Process parameters are under computer control, requiring minimal manual intervention. For the first time we demonstrate the reliable re-use of molecular templates in the synthesis of MIPs (≥ 30 batches of nanoMIPs without loss of performance). NanoMIPs are produced template-free and the solid-phase acts both as template and affinity separation medium.

Release characteristics of selected carbon nanotube polymer composites

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Multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) are commonly used in polymer formulations to improve strength, conductivity, and other attributes. A developing concern is the potential for carbon nanotube polymer nanocomposites to release nanoparticles into the environment as the polymer ...

Current directions in core-shell nanoparticle design

Science.gov (United States)

Schärtl, Wolfgang

2010-06-01

Ten years ago I wrote a review about the important field of core-shell nanoparticles, focussing mainly on our own work about tracer systems, and briefly addressing polymer-coated nanoparticles as fillers for homogeneous polymer-colloid composites. Since then, the potential use of core-shell nanoparticles as multifunctional sensors or potential smart drug-delivery vehicles in biology and medicine has gained more and more importance, affording special types of multi-functionalized and bio-compatible nanoparticles. In this new review article, I try to address the most important developments during the last ten years. This overview is mainly based on frequently cited and more specialized recent review articles from leaders in their respective field. We will consider a variety of nanoscopic core-shell architectures from highly fluorescent nanoparticles (NPs), protected magnetic NPs, multifunctional NPs, thermoresponsive NPs and biocompatible systems to, finally, smart drug-delivery systems.Ten years ago I wrote a review about the important field of core-shell nanoparticles, focussing mainly on our own work about tracer systems, and briefly addressing polymer-coated nanoparticles as fillers for homogeneous polymer-colloid composites. Since then, the potential use of core-shell nanoparticles as multifunctional sensors or potential smart drug-delivery vehicles in biology and medicine has gained more and more importance, affording special types of multi-functionalized and bio-compatible nanoparticles. In this new review article, I try to address the most important developments during the last ten years. This overview is mainly based on frequently cited and more specialized recent review articles from leaders in their respective field. We will consider a variety of nanoscopic core-shell architectures from highly fluorescent nanoparticles (NPs), protected magnetic NPs, multifunctional NPs, thermoresponsive NPs and biocompatible systems to, finally, smart drug-delivery systems

Distinct Polymer Architecture Mediates Switching of Complement Activation Pathways at the Nanosphere-Serum Interface: Implications for Stealth Nanoparticle Engineering

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hamad, I.; Al-Hanbali, O.; Hunter, A.C.

2010-01-01

Nanoparticles with surface projected polyethyleneoxide (PEO) chains in 'mushroom-brush' and "brush" configurations display stealth properties in systemic circulation and have numerous applications in site specific targeting for controlled drug delivery and release as well as diagnostic Imaging. W...... engineering and design of immunologically safer stealth and targetable nanosystems with polymers for use in clinical medicine....

Long circulating polymeric nanoparticles for gene/drug delivery.

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Hu, Jiaming; Sheng, Yan; Shi, Junfeng; Yu, Bohao; Yu, Zhiqiang; Liao, Guochao

2017-12-07

The major limitation in the improving polymeric nanoparticles into an efficient gene/drug delivery carrier is the rapid opsonization, phagocytic uptake by mononuclear phagocyte system and subsequent clearance from the bloodstream. The prolonged circulation time of nanoparticles in the blood is a prerequisite to realizing a controlled and targeted (passive or active targeting) release of the encapsulated gene/drug at the desired site of action. In this review, the factors such as biological barriers and physical barriers including particle size, shape, zeta potential, and hydrophilicity will be discussed, which can cause effects on blood clearance and organ accumulation. Some natural and synthetic polymers utilized in long-circulating nanoparticles will also be discussed. The most popular method to mask or camouflage nanoparticles is the adsorbed, grafted or conjugated of poly (ethylene glycol) (PEG) or other hydrophilic polymers (e.g. polysaccharides) to the particle surface. Surface modification of nanoparticles with these polymers results in an increased blood circulation time by several orders of magnitude in comparison to the bare nanoparticles. However, the circulation half-life of nanoparticles still cannot satisfy the need for clinical use. At present, identification of novel potential coating materials is an emerging field of interest in the design of long-circulating polymer-based nanoparticulate gene/drug delivery. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

One-pot synthesis of redox-responsive polymers-coated mesoporous silica nanoparticles and their controlled drug release.

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Sun, Jiao-Tong; Piao, Ji-Gang; Wang, Long-Hai; Javed, Mohsin; Hong, Chun-Yan; Pan, Cai-Yuan

2013-09-01

A versatile one-pot strategy for the preparation of reversibly cross-linked polymer-coated mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) via surface reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization is presented for the first time in this paper. The less reactive monomer oligo(ethylene glycol) acrylate (OEGA) and the more reactive cross-linker N,N'-cystaminebismethacrylamide (CBMA) are chosen to be copolymerized on the external surfaces of RAFT agent-functionalized MSNs to form the cross-linked polymer shells. Owing to the reversible cleavage and restoration of disulfide bonds via reduction/oxidation reactions, the polymer shells can control the on/off switching of the nanopores and regulate the drug loading and release. The redox-responsive release of doxorubicin (DOX) from this drug carrier is realized. The protein adsorption, in vitro cytotoxicity assays, and endocytosis studies demonstrate that this biocompatible vehicle is a potential candidate for delivering drugs. It is expected that this versatile grafting strategy may help fabricate satisfying MSN-based drug delivery systems for clinical application. © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Preparation of bio-based keratin-derived magnetic molecularly imprinted polymer nanoparticles for the facile and selective separation of bisphenol A from water.

Science.gov (United States)

Hassanzadeh, Marjan; Ghaemy, Mousa

2018-02-21

In this study, new bio-based magnetic molecularly imprinted polymer nanoparticles (∼23 nm) were synthesized from keratin extracted from chicken feathers and methacrylate-functionalized Fe 3 O 4 nanoparticles for its potential application in separation and removal of bisphenol A from water. The prepared magnetic molecularly imprinted polymer was characterized by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, field-emission scanning electron microscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, alternative gradient field magnetometry, and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The sorption of bisphenol A was investigated by changing the influencing factors such as pH, immersion time, Fe 3 O 4 nanoparticles dosage, and the initial concentration of bisphenol A. Results illustrated that sorption was very fast and efficient (Q m  = 600 mg/g) having a removal efficiency of ∼98% in 40 min of immersion. The adsorption process showed better conformity with the Weber-Morris kinetics and the Freundlich isotherm model. The selectivity of bisphenol A by adsorbent was checked in the presence of hydroquinone, phenol, tetrabromobisphenol, and 4,4'-biphenol as interferences. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Synthesis and characterization of gold nanoparticles in a self-assembled ionic liquid polymer nanocomposite

Science.gov (United States)

Magurudeniya, Harsha; Ringstrand, Bryan; Jungjohann, Katherine; Firestone, Millicent

Incorporation of nanoparticles(NPs) into polymer matrices has attracted interest, offering a means to create multi-functional materials combining the attributes of polymers (flexibility, processability, mechanical durability) with the opto-electrical properties of NPs. Synthesis of a self-supporting, hierarchically structured Au NP-network polymer was accomplished via a ``one-pot'' reaction employing a mesophase of AuCl3 and an imidazolium based-ionic liquid (IL) containing a acrylate group. In-situ generation of NPs was achieved by reduction of Au3+which in turn yields concomitant initiation of the polymerization of the mesophase. FT-IR and thermal analysis confirmed acrylate cross-linking. X-ray scattering confirms preservation of the mesophase within the NP composite. TEM showed a distribution of the NPs within the composite of primarily non-spherical morphologies. The co-integration of a macromer, PEG diacrylate, served as a reducing agent for the Au and the amount incorporated into the mesophase allowed for manipulation of the swelling factor of the resultant nanocomposite in a ethanol, providing means to modulate the plasmonic resonance of the NPs. This methodology provides means for organizing NPs within the structured regions of the poly(IL) matrix. Such composites may be of interest for photonic/sensing applications.

Efficient sampling of reversible cross-linking polymers: Self-assembly of single-chain polymeric nanoparticles

Science.gov (United States)

Oyarzún, Bernardo; Mognetti, Bortolo Matteo

2018-03-01

We present a new simulation technique to study systems of polymers functionalized by reactive sites that bind/unbind forming reversible linkages. Functionalized polymers feature self-assembly and responsive properties that are unmatched by the systems lacking selective interactions. The scales at which the functional properties of these materials emerge are difficult to model, especially in the reversible regime where such properties result from many binding/unbinding events. This difficulty is related to large entropic barriers associated with the formation of intra-molecular loops. In this work, we present a simulation scheme that sidesteps configurational costs by dedicated Monte Carlo moves capable of binding/unbinding reactive sites in a single step. Cross-linking reactions are implemented by trial moves that reconstruct chain sections attempting, at the same time, a dimerization reaction between pairs of reactive sites. The model is parametrized by the reaction equilibrium constant of the reactive species free in solution. This quantity can be obtained by means of experiments or atomistic/quantum simulations. We use the proposed methodology to study the self-assembly of single-chain polymeric nanoparticles, starting from flexible precursors carrying regularly or randomly distributed reactive sites. We focus on understanding differences in the morphology of chain nanoparticles when linkages are reversible as compared to the well-studied case of irreversible reactions. Intriguingly, we find that the size of regularly functionalized chains, in good solvent conditions, is non-monotonous as a function of the degree of functionalization. We clarify how this result follows from excluded volume interactions and is peculiar of reversible linkages and regular functionalizations.

Thermal Vapor Deposition and Characterization of Polymer-Ceramic Nanoparticle Thin Films and Capacitors

Science.gov (United States)

Iwagoshi, Joel A.

Research on alternative energies has become an area of increased interest due to economic and environmental concerns. Green energy sources, such as ocean, wind, and solar power, are subject to predictable and unpredictable generation intermittencies which cause instability in the electrical grid. This problem could be solved through the use of short term energy storage devices. Capacitors made from composite polymer:nanoparticle thin films have been shown to be an economically viable option. Through thermal vapor deposition, we fabricated dielectric thin films composed of the polymer polyvinylidine fluoride (PVDF) and the ceramic nanoparticle titanium dioxide (TiO2). Fully understanding the deposition process required an investigation of electrode and dielectric film deposition. Film composition can be controlled by the mass ratio of PVDF:TiO2 prior to deposition. An analysis of the relationship between the ratio of PVDF:TiO2 before and after deposition will improve our understanding of this novel deposition method. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy were used to analyze film atomic concentrations. The results indicate a broad distribution of deposited TiO2 concentrations with the highest deposited amount at an initial mass concentration of 17% TiO2. The nanoparticle dispersion throughout the film is analyzed through atomic force microscopy and energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy. Images from these two techniques confirm uniform TiO2 dispersion with cluster size less than 300 nm. These results, combined with spectroscopic analysis, verify control over the deposition process. Capacitors were fabricated using gold parallel plates with PVDF:TiO 2 dielectrics. These capacitors were analyzed using the atomic force microscope and a capacohmeter. Atomic force microscope images confirm that our gold films are acceptably smooth. Preliminary capacohmeter measurements indicate capacitance values of 6 nF and break down voltages of 2.4 V

Chitosan–Collagen Coated Magnetic Nanoparticles for Lipase Immobilization—New Type of “Enzyme Friendly” Polymer Shell Crosslinking with Squaric Acid

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marta Ziegler-Borowska

2017-01-01

Full Text Available This article presents a novel route for crosslinking a polysaccharide and polysaccharide/protein shell coated on magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs surface via condensation reaction with squaric acid (SqA. The syntheses of four new types of collagen-, chitosan-, and chitosan–collagen coated magnetic nanoparticles as supports for enzyme immobilization have been done. Structure and morphology of prepared new materials were characterized by attenuated total reflectance Fourier-transform infrared (ATR-FTIR, XRD, and TEM analysis. Next, the immobilization of lipase from Candida rugosa was performed on the nanoparticles surface via N-(3-dimethylaminopropyl-N′-ethylcarbodiimide hydrochloride (EDC/N-hydroxy-succinimide (NHS mechanism. The best results of lipase activity recovery and specific activities were observed for nanoparticles with polymer shell crosslinked via a novel procedure with squaric acid. The specific activity for lipase immobilized on materials crosslinked with SqA (52 U/mg lipase was about 2-fold higher than for enzyme immobilized on MNPs with glutaraldehyde addition (26 U/mg lipase. Moreover, a little hyperactivation of lipase immobilized on nanoparticles with SqA was observed (104% and 112%.

Interaction of spin-labeled HPMA-based nanoparticles with human blood plasma proteins - the introduction of protein-corona-free polymer nanomedicine

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Klepac, Damir; Kostková, Hana; Petrova, Svetlana; Chytil, Petr; Etrych, Tomáš; Kereiche, S.; Raška, I.; Weitz, D. A.; Filippov, Sergey K.

2018-01-01

Roč. 10, č. 13 (2018), s. 6194-6204 ISSN 2040-3364 R&D Projects: GA MŠk(CZ) LH15213; GA ČR(CZ) GA17-07164S Institutional support: RVO:61389013 Keywords : EPR * nanoparticles * protein s Subject RIV: CD - Macromolecular Chemistry OBOR OECD: Polymer science Impact factor: 7.367, year: 2016

Fabrication of Well-Aligned ZnO Nanorods Using a Composite Seed Layer of ZnO Nanoparticles and Chitosan Polymer.

Science.gov (United States)

Khun, Kimleang; Ibupoto, Zafar Hussain; AlSalhi, Mohamad S; Atif, Muhammad; Ansari, Anees A; Willander, Magnus

2013-09-30

In this study, by taking the advantage of both inorganic ZnO nanoparticles and the organic material chitosan as a composite seed layer, we have fabricated well-aligned ZnO nanorods on a gold-coated glass substrate using the hydrothermal growth method. The ZnO nanoparticles were characterized by the Raman spectroscopic techniques, which showed the nanocrystalline phase of the ZnO nanoparticles. Different composites of ZnO nanoparticles and chitosan were prepared and used as a seed layer for the fabrication of well-aligned ZnO nanorods. Field emission scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and infrared reflection absorption spectroscopic techniques were utilized for the structural characterization of the ZnO nanoparticles/chitosan seed layer-coated ZnO nanorods on a gold-coated glass substrate. This study has shown that the ZnO nanorods are well-aligned, uniform, and dense, exhibit the wurtzite hexagonal structure, and are perpendicularly oriented to the substrate. Moreover, the ZnO nanorods are only composed of Zn and O atoms. An optical study was also carried out for the ZnO nanoparticles/chitosan seed layer-coated ZnO nanorods, and the obtained results have shown that the fabricated ZnO nanorods exhibit good crystal quality. This study has provided a cheap fabrication method for the controlled morphology and good alignment of ZnO nanorods, which is of high demand for enhancing the working performance of optoelectronic devices.

Fabrication of Well-Aligned ZnO Nanorods Using a Composite Seed Layer of ZnO Nanoparticles and Chitosan Polymer

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anees A. Ansari

2013-09-01

Full Text Available In this study, by taking the advantage of both inorganic ZnO nanoparticles and the organic material chitosan as a composite seed layer, we have fabricated well-aligned ZnO nanorods on a gold-coated glass substrate using the hydrothermal growth method. The ZnO nanoparticles were characterized by the Raman spectroscopic techniques, which showed the nanocrystalline phase of the ZnO nanoparticles. Different composites of ZnO nanoparticles and chitosan were prepared and used as a seed layer for the fabrication of well-aligned ZnO nanorods. Field emission scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and infrared reflection absorption spectroscopic techniques were utilized for the structural characterization of the ZnO nanoparticles/chitosan seed layer-coated ZnO nanorods on a gold-coated glass substrate. This study has shown that the ZnO nanorods are well-aligned, uniform, and dense, exhibit the wurtzite hexagonal structure, and are perpendicularly oriented to the substrate. Moreover, the ZnO nanorods are only composed of Zn and O atoms. An optical study was also carried out for the ZnO nanoparticles/chitosan seed layer-coated ZnO nanorods, and the obtained results have shown that the fabricated ZnO nanorods exhibit good crystal quality. This study has provided a cheap fabrication method for the controlled morphology and good alignment of ZnO nanorods, which is of high demand for enhancing the working performance of optoelectronic devices.

Clinically Relevant Anticancer Polymer Paclitaxel Therapeutics

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Danbo Yang

2010-12-01

Full Text Available The concept of utilizing polymers in drug delivery has been extensively explored for improving the therapeutic index of small molecule drugs. In general, polymers can be used as polymer-drug conjugates or polymeric micelles. Each unique application mandates its own chemistry and controlled release of active drugs. Each polymer exhibits its own intrinsic issues providing the advantage of flexibility. However, none have as yet been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. General aspects of polymer and nano-particle therapeutics have been reviewed. Here we focus this review on specific clinically relevant anticancer polymer paclitaxel therapeutics. We emphasize their chemistry and formulation, in vitro activity on some human cancer cell lines, plasma pharmacokinetics and tumor accumulation, in vivo efficacy, and clinical outcomes. Furthermore, we include a short review of our recent developments of a novel poly(L-g-glutamylglutamine-paclitaxel nano-conjugate (PGG-PTX. PGG-PTX has its own unique property of forming nano-particles. It has also been shown to possess a favorable profile of pharmacokinetics and to exhibit efficacious potency. This review might shed light on designing new and better polymer paclitaxel therapeutics for potential anticancer applications in the clinic.

Clinically Relevant Anticancer Polymer Paclitaxel Therapeutics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yang, Danbo; Yu, Lei; Van, Sang

2010-01-01

The concept of utilizing polymers in drug delivery has been extensively explored for improving the therapeutic index of small molecule drugs. In general, polymers can be used as polymer-drug conjugates or polymeric micelles. Each unique application mandates its own chemistry and controlled release of active drugs. Each polymer exhibits its own intrinsic issues providing the advantage of flexibility. However, none have as yet been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. General aspects of polymer and nano-particle therapeutics have been reviewed. Here we focus this review on specific clinically relevant anticancer polymer paclitaxel therapeutics. We emphasize their chemistry and formulation, in vitro activity on some human cancer cell lines, plasma pharmacokinetics and tumor accumulation, in vivo efficacy, and clinical outcomes. Furthermore, we include a short review of our recent developments of a novel poly(l-γ-glutamylglutamine)-paclitaxel nano-conjugate (PGG-PTX). PGG-PTX has its own unique property of forming nano-particles. It has also been shown to possess a favorable profile of pharmacokinetics and to exhibit efficacious potency. This review might shed light on designing new and better polymer paclitaxel therapeutics for potential anticancer applications in the clinic

Clinically Relevant Anticancer Polymer Paclitaxel Therapeutics

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yang, Danbo [Biomedical Engineering and Technology Institute, Institutes for Advanced Interdisciplinary Research, East China Normal University, 3663 North Zhongshan Road, Shanghai, 200062 (China); Yu, Lei, E-mail: yu-lei@gg.nitto.co.jp [Biomedical Engineering and Technology Institute, Institutes for Advanced Interdisciplinary Research, East China Normal University, 3663 North Zhongshan Road, Shanghai, 200062 (China); Biomedical Group, Nitto Denko Technical Corporation, 501 Via Del Monte, Oceanside, CA 92058 (United States); Van, Sang [Biomedical Group, Nitto Denko Technical Corporation, 501 Via Del Monte, Oceanside, CA 92058 (United States)

2010-12-23

The concept of utilizing polymers in drug delivery has been extensively explored for improving the therapeutic index of small molecule drugs. In general, polymers can be used as polymer-drug conjugates or polymeric micelles. Each unique application mandates its own chemistry and controlled release of active drugs. Each polymer exhibits its own intrinsic issues providing the advantage of flexibility. However, none have as yet been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. General aspects of polymer and nano-particle therapeutics have been reviewed. Here we focus this review on specific clinically relevant anticancer polymer paclitaxel therapeutics. We emphasize their chemistry and formulation, in vitro activity on some human cancer cell lines, plasma pharmacokinetics and tumor accumulation, in vivo efficacy, and clinical outcomes. Furthermore, we include a short review of our recent developments of a novel poly(l-γ-glutamylglutamine)-paclitaxel nano-conjugate (PGG-PTX). PGG-PTX has its own unique property of forming nano-particles. It has also been shown to possess a favorable profile of pharmacokinetics and to exhibit efficacious potency. This review might shed light on designing new and better polymer paclitaxel therapeutics for potential anticancer applications in the clinic.

Structures and Elastic Moduli of Polymer Nanocomposite Thin Films

Science.gov (United States)

Yuan, Hongyi; Karim, Alamgir; University of Akron Team

2014-03-01

Polymeric thin films generally possess unique mechanical and thermal properties due to confinement. In this study we investigated structures and elastic moduli of polymer nanocomposite thin films, which can potentially find wide applications in diverse areas such as in coating, permeation and separation. Conventional thermoplastics (PS, PMMA) and biopolymers (PLA, PCL) were chosen as polymer matrices. Various types of nanoparticles were used including nanoclay, fullerene and functionalized inorganic particles. Samples were prepared by solvent-mixing followed by spin-coating or flow-coating. Film structures were characterized using X-ray scattering and transmission electron microscopy. Elastic moduli were measured by strain-induced elastic buckling instability for mechanical measurements (SIEBIMM), and a strengthening effect was found in certain systems due to strong interaction between polymers and nanoparticles. The effects of polymer structure, nanoparticle addition and film thickness on elastic modulus will be discussed and compared with bulk materials.

Dextran and Polymer Polyethylene Glycol (PEG Coating Reduce Both 5 and 30 nm Iron Oxide Nanoparticle Cytotoxicity in 2D and 3D Cell Culture

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alisa Morss Clyne

2012-05-01

Full Text Available Superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles are widely used in biomedical applications, yet questions remain regarding the effect of nanoparticle size and coating on nanoparticle cytotoxicity. In this study, porcine aortic endothelial cells were exposed to 5 and 30 nm diameter iron oxide nanoparticles coated with either the polysaccharide, dextran, or the polymer polyethylene glycol (PEG. Nanoparticle uptake, cytotoxicity, reactive oxygen species (ROS formation, and cell morphology changes were measured. Endothelial cells took up nanoparticles of all sizes and coatings in a dose dependent manner, and intracellular nanoparticles remained clustered in cytoplasmic vacuoles. Bare nanoparticles in both sizes induced a more than 6 fold increase in cell death at the highest concentration (0.5 mg/mL and led to significant cell elongation, whereas cell viability and morphology remained constant with coated nanoparticles. While bare 30 nm nanoparticles induced significant ROS formation, neither 5 nm nanoparticles (bare or coated nor 30 nm coated nanoparticles changed ROS levels. Furthermore, nanoparticles were more toxic at lower concentrations when cells were cultured within 3D gels. These results indicate that both dextran and PEG coatings reduce nanoparticle cytotoxicity, however different mechanisms may be important for different size nanoparticles.