Hollow capsules prepared from all block copolymer micelle multilayers

We introduce a novel and versatile approach for preparing hollow multilayer capsules containing functional hydrophobic components. Protonated polystyrene-block-poly(4-vinylpyridine) (PS-b-P4VP) and anionic polystyrene-block-poly(acrylic acid) (PS-b-PAA) block copolymer micelles (BCM) were used as building blocks for the layer-by-layer assembly of BCM multilayer films onto polystyrene (PS) colloids. After removing the PS colloids, the stabilities of the formed BCM hollow capsules were found to be strongly dependent on the charge density of the hydrophilic corona segments (i.e., P4VP and PAA block segments) as well as the relative molecular weight ratio of hydrophobic core (i.e., PS segments) blocks and hydrophilic corona shells. Furthermore, in the case of incorporating hydrophobic fluorescent dyes into the PS core blocks of micelles, the hairy/hairy BCM multilayers showed well-defined fluorescent images after colloidal template removal process. These phenomena are mainly caused by the relatively high degree of electrostatic interdigitation between the protonated and anionic corona block shells.     

壳层可控导电聚吡咯/聚苯乙烯复合微球及聚吡咯中空微胶囊的制备

在导电聚合物含量较小时,含核壳结构的导电聚合物复合粒子就可以具有和本体相当的导电率,且加工性好,近年来这种核壳结构微粒的制备已引起了科学家们的广泛关注．Armes等[制备了导电聚吡咯、导电聚苯胺包覆聚苯乙烯的核壳结构胶体粒子及聚苯胺和二氧化硅的纳米复合物．刘正平等用改进的方法在粒径为116nm的单分散聚苯乙烯乳胶粒子上包覆聚吡咯,     

侧链偶氮聚电解质在胶体微球表面的静电层层自组装和微胶囊制作

将侧链偶氮聚电解质应用于聚苯乙烯胶体微球表面的静电层层自组装,得到了偶氮聚电解质和聚二烯丙基二甲基氯化铵多层膜覆盖的核壳微球.实验表明,组装后偶氮苯基团发生了一定程度的解聚集,得到的胶体微球可表现出明显的光色效应.研究进一步采用含肉桂酸酯的光敏聚电解质作为交联的保护壳层,并通过光交联反应使表面层发生交联固化反应.将上述具有核壳结构的胶体球溶解去除聚苯乙烯内核后,得到了含光响应聚电解质的空心微胶囊.     

Fabrication of nanocapsules with Au particles trapped inside carbon and silica nanoporous shells

Carbon capsules with hollow cores and mesoporous shells (HCMS) containing entrapped Au particles were prepared by template replication from solid core/mesoporous shell silica spheres with encapsulated Au particles. The resulting HCMS carbon capsules were then nanocast one step further to generate Au-trapping hollow core silica capsules with nanostructured shells.     

Facile strategy for synthesis of silica/polymer hybrid hollow nanoparticles with channels

The silica/polymer hybrid hollow nanoparticles with channels and gatekeepers were successfully fabricated with a facile strategy by using thermoresponsive complex micelles of poly(ethylene glycol)-b-poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PEG-b-PNIPAM) and poly(N-isopropylacrylamide)-b-poly(4-vinylpyridine) (PNIPAM-b-P4VP) as the template. In aqueous solution, the complex micelles (PEG-b-PNIPAM/PNIPAM-b-P4VP) formed with the PNIPAM block as the core and the PEG/P4VP blocks as the mixed shell at 45 °C and pH 4.0. After shell cross-linking by 1,2-bis(2-iodoethoxyl)ethane (BIEE), tetraethylorthosilicate (TEOS) selectively well-deposited on the P4VP block and processed the sol-gel reaction. When the temperature was decreased to 4 °C, the PNIPAM block became swollen and further soluble, and the PEG-b-PNIPAM block copolymer escaped from the hybrid nanoparticles as a result of swelled PNIPAM and weak interaction between PEG and silica at pH 4.0. Therefore, the hybrid hollow silica nanoparticles with inner thermoresponsive PNIPAM as gatekeepers and channels in the silica shell were successfully obtained, which could be used for switchable controlled drug release. In the system, the complex micelles, as a template, could avoid the formation of larger aggregates during the preparation of the hybrid hollow silica nanoparticles. The thermoresponsive core (PNIPAM) could conveniently control the hollow space through the stimuli-responsive phase transition instead of calcination or chemical etching. In the meantime, the channel in the hybrid silica shell could be achieved because of the escape of PEG chains from the hybrid nanoparticles.     

Imaging the volume transition in thermosensitive core-shell particles by cryo-transmission electron microscopy

We report a study of colloidal thermosensitive core-shell particles by cryo-transmission electron microscopy (cryo-TEM). The particles consist of a solid core of poly(styrene), onto which a network of cross-linked poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) is affixed. In water, the shell of these particles swells when the temperature is low. Raising the temperature above 32 degrees C leads to a marked shrinking of the shell. In this letter, we present the first study of these core-shell particles by cryo-TEM in situ, that is, in aqueous solution. We demonstrate that the core-shell particles are well-defined and exhibit a narrow size distribution. In particular, the PNIPAM shell is compact and has a defined outer surface of a slightly irregular shape. The micrographs show that there are density fluctuations within the network. Cryo-TEM of the system above and below the transition temperature furnishes information about the thermosensitive particles that had not been available through other methods employed in previous investigations.     

Dual Soft‐Template System Based on Colloidal Chemistry for the Synthesis of Hollow Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticles

A new dual soft‐template system comprising the asymmetric triblock copolymer poly(styrene‐b‐2‐vinyl pyridine‐b‐ethylene oxide) (PS‐b‐P2VP‐b‐PEO) and the cationic surfactant cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) is used to synthesize hollow mesoporous silica (HMS) nanoparticles with a center void of around 17 nm. The stable PS‐b‐P2VP‐b‐PEO polymeric micelle serves as a template to form the hollow interior, while the CTAB surfactant serves as a template to form mesopores in the shells. The P2VP blocks on the polymeric micelles can interact with positively charged CTA⁺ ions via negatively charged hydrolyzed silica species. Thus, dual soft‐templates clearly have different roles for the preparation of the HMS nanoparticles. Interestingly, the thicknesses of the mesoporous shell are tunable by varying the amounts of TEOS and CTAB. This study provides new insight on the preparation of mesoporous materials based on colloidal chemistry.     

Synthesis and utilization of monodisperse hollow polymeric particles in photonic crystals

We developed a process to fabricate 150-700 nm monodisperse polymer particles with 100-500 nm hollow cores. These hollow particles were fabricated via dispersion polymerization to synthesize a polymer shell around monodisperse SiO(2) particles. The SiO(2) cores were then removed by HF etching to produce monodisperse hollow polymeric particle shells. The hollow core size and the polymer shell thickness, can be easily varied over significant size ranges. These hollow polymeric particles are sufficiently monodisperse that upon centrifugation from ethanol they form well-ordered close-packed colloidal crystals that diffract light. After the surfaces are functionalized with sulfonates, these particles self-assemble into crystalline colloidal arrays in deionized water. This synthetic method can also be used to create monodisperse particles with complex and unusual morphologies. For example, we synthesized hollow particles containing two concentric-independent, spherical polymer shells, and hollow silica particles which contain a central spherical silica core. In addition, these hollow spheres can be used as template microreactors. For example, we were able to fabricate monodisperse polymer spheres containing high concentrations of magnetic nanospheres formed by direct precipitation within the hollow cores.     

Miniaturization of anisotropic composite particles incorporating a silica particle smaller than 100 nm

Two-step aqueous polymerizations with a water-soluble initiator of potassium persulfate were conducted to prepare anisotropic composite particles incorporating a silica core smaller than 100 nm. The two-step polymerization consisted of the first polymerization to coat the silica cores with cross-linked polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) shell and the second polymerization to protrude a polystyrene (PSt) bulge from the core–shell particles. The concentration of ionic comonomer of sodium p-styrenesulfonate (NaSS) in the first polymerization was an important factor to stabilize the core–shell particles during the second polymerization as well as the first one, and an appropriate concentration of NaSS could prepare the anisotropic composite particles incorporating a single core. Another important factor for small, anisotropic composite particles was duration time for swelling the core–shell particles with the second monomer of styrene. Extension of the duration time from 2 to 4 h facilitated protrusion of the PSt bulge from the particles incorporating a 44-nm silica core. The composite particles were also employed to fabricate anisotropic hollow particles. Chemical etching of silica component in the composite particles with hydrofluoric acid successfully created anisotropic hollow polymer particles with a cavity size corresponding to the silica cores.     

Thermosensitive core-shell particles as carrier systems for metallic nanoparticles

We present a new system that allows us to modulate the catalytic activity of metal nanoparticles (Ag) by a thermodynamic transition that takes place within the carrier system. Thermosensitive core-shell particles have been used as the carrier system in which the core consists of poly(styrene) (PS), whereas the shell consists of a poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPA) network cross-linked by N,N'-methylenebisacrylamide (BIS). Immersed in water, the shell of these particles is swollen. Heating the suspension above 32 degrees C leads to a volume transition within the shell that is followed by a marked shrinking of the network of the shell. The maximum degree of swelling can be adjusted by the degree of cross-linking. Silver nanoparticles with diameters ranging from 6.5 to 8.5 nm have been embedded into thermosensitive PNIPA networks with different cross-linking densities. The Ag nanoparticles do not influence the swelling and the shrinking of the network in the shell. The surface plasmon absorption band of the nanoparticles is shifted to higher wavelengths with temperature. This is traced back to the varying distance of the nanoparticles caused by the swelling and the shrinking of the shell. The catalytic activity is investigated by monitoring photometrically the reduction of 4-nitrophenol by an excess of NaBH4 in the presence of the silver nanocomposite particles. The rate constant kapp was found to be strictly proportional to the total surface of the nanoparticles in the system. Moreover, kapp is first decreasing with increasing temperature when approaching the volume transition. This is due to the strong shrinking of the network. Only at temperatures above the volume transition is the normal Arrhenius-type dependence of kapp found again. In this way, catalytic activity of the metal nanoparticles enclosed in a "nanoreactor" can be modulated by volume transition over a wide range.     

Synthesis and characterization of monodispersed core-shell spherical colloids with movable cores

Gold nanoparticles have been conformally coated with amorphous silica (using a sol-gel method) and then an organic polymer (via surface-grafted, atom transfer radical polymerization) to form spherical colloids with a core-double-shell structure. The thickness of silica and polymer shells could be conveniently controlled in the range of tens to several hundred nanometers by changing the concentration of the reagent and/or the reaction time. Selective removal of the silica layer (through etching in aqueous HF) led to the formation of hollow polymer beads containing movable gold cores. This new form of core-shell particles provides a unique system for measuring the feature size and transport property associated with hollow particles. In one demonstration, we showed that the thickness of a closed polymer shell could be obtained by mapping the electrons backscattered from the core and shell. In another demonstration, the plasmon resonance band of the gold cores was used as an optical probe to follow the diffusion kinetics of chemical reagents across the polymer shells.     

Preparation of silica-coated poly(styrene-co-4-vinylpyridine) particles and hollow particles

This paper presents a novel method for preparation of polymer-silica colloidal nanocomposites based on emulsion polymerization and subsequent sol-gel nanocoating process. The polystyrene latex particles bearing basic groups on their surfaces were successfully synthesized through emulsion polymerization using 4-vinylpyridine (4VP) as a functional comonomer and polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) as a surfactant. A series of poly(styrene-co-4-vinylpyridine)/SiO2 nanocomposite particles with smooth or rough core-shell morphology were obtained through the coating process. The poly(styrene-co-4-vinylpyridine) particles could be dissolved subsequently or simultaneously during the sol-gel coating process to form hollow particles. The effects of the amount of 4VP, PVP, NH(4)OH, and tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) on both the nanocomposite particles and hollow particles were investigated. Transmission electron microscopy showed that the morphology of the nanocomposite particles and hollow particles was strongly influenced by the initial feed of the comonomer 4VP and the coupling agent PVP. The conditions to obtain all hollow particles were also studied. Thermogravimetric analysis and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy analyses indicated that the interiors of hollow particles were not really "hollow".     

Characterization of polymer-silica nanocomposite particles with core-shell morphologies using Monte Carlo simulations and small angle X-ray scattering

A two-population model based on standard small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) equations is verified for the analysis of core-shell structures comprising spherical colloidal particles with particulate shells. First, Monte Carlo simulations of core-shell structures are performed to demonstrate the applicability of the model. Three possible shell packings are considered: ordered silica shells due to either charge-dependent repulsive or size-dependent Lennard-Jones interactions or randomly arranged silica particles. In most cases, the two-population model produces an excellent fit to calculated SAXS patterns for the simulated core-shell structures, together with a good correlation between the fitting parameters and structural parameters used for the simulation. The limits of application are discussed, and then, this two-population model is applied to the analysis of well-defined core-shell vinyl polymer/silica nanocomposite particles, where the shell comprises a monolayer of spherical silica nanoparticles. Comprehensive SAXS analysis of a series of poly(styrene-co-n-butyl acrylate)/silica colloidal nanocomposite particles (prepared by the in situ emulsion copolymerization of styrene and n-butyl acrylate in the presence of a glycerol-functionalized silica sol) allows the overall core-shell particle diameter, the copolymer latex core diameter and polydispersity, the mean silica shell thickness, the mean silica diameter and polydispersity, the volume fractions of the two components, the silica packing density, and the silica shell structure to be obtained. These experimental SAXS results are consistent with electron microscopy, dynamic light scattering, thermogravimetry, helium pycnometry, and BET surface area studies. The high electron density contrast between the (co)polymer and the silica components, together with the relatively low polydispersity of these core-shell nanocomposite particles, makes SAXS ideally suited for the characterization of this system. Moreover, these results can be generalized for other types of core-shell colloidal particles.     

Synthesis of raspberry‐like organic–inorganic hybrid nanocapsules via pickering miniemulsion polymerization: Colloidal stability and morphology

Raspberry‐like hybrid nanocapsules with a hydrophobic liquid core were successfully prepared via the copolymerization of styrene, divinylbenzene (DVB), and 4‐vinyl pyridine (4‐VP) in Pickering‐stabilized miniemulsions by using silica particles as the sole emulsifier and hexadecane (HD) as liquid template. When compared with conventional Pickering miniemulsions and Pickering suspensions, the colloidal stability of the current systems is much more sensitive to the variation of reaction parameters such as pH, size, amount of silica particles, and content of 4‐VP. The systems without coagulum were only obtained in a narrow pH range at around 9.5 and by using 12 nm silica particles as emulsifier. The formation of well‐defined raspberry‐like capsules was confirmed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and high‐resolution scanning electron microscopy (HRSEM). The stable attachment of silica particles on the surface of hybrid particles was verified by centrifugation and subsequent characterizations, such as Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, TEM, and HRSEM. The influence of pH and weight content of HD, DVB, and 4‐VP on the particle morphology was extensively investigated. Interestingly, the particle morphology strongly depends on the particle size. When compared with the organic surface‐active surfactant, the formation of capsule morphology could be promoted by the application of silica particles taking advantage of their surface inactivity. The formation mechanisms of capsules/solid particles are discussed. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2011     

Uptake and release of anionic surfactant into and from cationic core-shell microgel particles

Core-shell microgel particles, in the colloidal size range, have been prepared and characterized, where the core and the shell are both copolymers, based on N-isopropylacrylamide, but where the core and shell contain different pH-responsive groups having widely separated acid dissociation constants (pKa). The core contains vinylpyridine (VP), which has a pKa value of 4.92, and the shell contains 2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate (DMAEM), which has a pKa value of 8.4. The dispersion properties, and the uptake and release of an anionic surfactant, sodium dodecylbenzenesulfonate (SDBS), have been studied for both the core and the core-shell microgel particles as a function of pH changes. Both the core and the core-shell particles have been shown to swell as the pH decreases over the range from 7 to 3. However, despite the large differences in the pKa values of the VP and DMEAM groups, no distinct steps in the swelling ratio-pH curve for the core-shell particles were observed, and it is postulated that the boundary between the core and shell regions may be somewhat extended, rather than sharp. The uptake of the anionic surfactant SDBS has been shown to depend on two distinct attractive interactions between the surfactant molecules and the microgel particles: electrostatic and hydrophobic. A reasonable correlation between the minimum in the particle diameter, for both the core and the core-shell particles, and the point of charge neutralization, in the presence of SDBS, has been established.     

Polystyrene‐Core–Silica‐Shell Hybrid Particles Containing Gold and Magnetic Nanoparticles

Polystyrene‐core–silica‐shell hybrid particles were synthesized by combining the self‐assembly of nanoparticles and the polymer with a silica coating strategy. The core–shell hybrid particles are composed of gold‐nanoparticle‐decorated polystyrene (PS‐AuNP) colloids as the core and silica particles as the shell. PS‐AuNP colloids were generated by the self‐assembly of the PS‐grafted AuNPs. The silica coating improved the thermal stability and dispersibility of the AuNPs. By removing the “free” PS of the core, hollow particles with a hydrophobic cage having a AuNP corona and an inert silica shell were obtained. Also, Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles were encapsulated in the core, which resulted in magnetic core–shell hybrid particles by the same strategy. These particles have potential applications in biomolecular separation and high‐temperature catalysis and as nanoreactors.     

Surfactant templating effects on the encapsulation of iron oxide nanoparticles within silica microspheres

Hollow silica microspheres encapsulating ferromagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles were synthesized by a surfactant-aided aerosol process and subsequent treatment. The cationic surfactant cetyltrimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB) played an essential role in directing the structure of the composite. Translation from mesoporous silica particles to hollow particles was a consequence of increased loading of ferric species in the precursor solution and the competitive partitioning of CTAB between silicate and ferric colloids. The hypothesis was that CTAB preferentially adsorbed onto more positively charged ferric colloids under acidic conditions. At a critical Fe/Si ratio, most of the CTAB was adsorbed onto ferric colloids and coagulated the colloids to form larger clusters. During the aerosol process, a silica shell was first formed due to the preferred silicate condensation on the gas-liquid interface of the aerosol droplet. Subsequent drying concentrated the ferric clusters inside the silica shell and resulted in a silica shell/ferric core particle. Thermal treatment of the core shell particle led to encapsulation of a single iron oxide nanoparticle inside each silica hollow microsphere.     

Fluorescent monodisperse silica ellipsoids for optical rotational diffusion studies

We report on the preparation of monodisperse, fluorescent hematite-silica core-shell ellipsoids, with adjustable shapes ranging from spindles to nearly spheres, that are suitable for optical rotational diffusion studies. Hematite cores are grafted with poly(vinylpyrrolidone) which ensures colloidal stability during the silica coating provided by the base-catalyzed hydrolysis and polymerization of tetraethoxysilane. Using tetramethylammonium hydroxide as base instead of the volatile ammonia facilitates continuous seeded growth of silica to colloids with a desired aspect ratio. A convenient feature of the hematite-silica particles is the rapid dissolution of the iron oxide core by acid, producing hollow silica ellipsoids that can be optically matched to near transparency. The control of shape and size of the silica ellipsoids, their optical properties, and the fairly high yield in comparison to other preparation methods for nonspherical model colloids make the ellipsoids very suitable for quantitative studies. As a case in point, we have measured the rotational diffusion coefficient of fluorescent ellipsoids with rotational fluorescence recovery after photobleaching. Dye-labeled ellipsoids can be imaged with confocal microscopy.     

Antiviral properties of polymeric aziridine- and biguanide-modified core-shell magnetic nanoparticles

Polycationic superparamagnetic nanoparticles (～150-250 nm) were evaluated as virucidal agents. The particles possess a core-shell structure, with cores consisting of magnetite clusters and shells of functional silica covalently bound to poly(hexamethylene biguanide) (PHMBG), polyethyleneimine (PEI), or PEI terminated with aziridine moieties. Aziridine was conjugated to the PEI shell through cationic ring-opening polymerization. The nanometric core-shell particles functionalized with biguanide or aziridine moieties are able to bind and inactivate bacteriophage MS2, herpes simplex virus HSV-1, nonenveloped infectious pancreatic necrosis virus (IPNV), and enveloped viral hemorrhagic septicaemia virus (VHSV). The virus-particle complexes can be efficiently removed from the aqueous milieu by simple magnetocollection.     

Optical Trapping of Titania/Silica Core-Shell Colloidal Particles

Manipulation of colloidal systems via optical trapping techniques requires a refractive index mismatch between particles and solvent which leads to strong interparticle van der Waals interactions. Investigation of the behavior of systems without such strong attractive interactions, however, requires the uncoupling of particle refractive index and particle-particle interactions. To accomplish this, the synthesis of core-shell titania/silica particles has been performed. By index matching a silica shell on a titania core using a mixture of toluene and propanol, the van der Waals interactions between particles can be minimized. Due to the mismatch of the refractive index between the solvent and titania core, however, a strong trapping force can be generated, making optical manipulation feasible. In order to confirm that the silica shell was indeed matched, pure silica particles were synthesized by the method of St?ber (1968) and added to the core-shell system. In these mixed systems of core-shell and pure silica particles in silica-index-matching solvents, only the core-shell particles were trappable. Copyright 2000 Academic Press.