基于分子纳米粒子的巨型分子

本文聚焦于一类非传统的高分子结构,也即基于分子纳米粒子(或称纳米原子,nano-atoms)的巨型分子(giant molecules)。分子纳米粒子是具有确定化学组成、分子对称性和表面官能团的三维刚性笼状骨架结构。巨型分子是利用分子纳米粒子基元构筑的具有精确结构的高分子。受到蛋白质中结构域概念的启发,我们提出经过表面官能化修饰的分子纳米粒子可以作为合成高分子的结构域和功能域,通过逆功能分析,结合包括点击化学在内的高效化学反应,来实现巨型分子的快速模块化合成、可控组装和功能评估,并利用其中得到的构效关系,更为系统地理解材料的性质和指导材料的进一步优化设计。同时,这种新型高分子也可被看成是尺寸放大的小分子。它的许多有趣的自组装行为和相应小分子既有相似之处,又有截然不同之处。比如,巨型表面活性剂在溶液中能像小分子表面活性剂一样组装成为尾链被拉伸的胶束,在本体中则像嵌段聚合物一样形成纳米相分离的结构。这些组装展现出对于一级化学结构不同寻常的敏感性,并容易形成一些非传统的罕见相态,包括Frank-Kasper相态、在低分子量层状晶体PEO中出现的非整数折叠以及在溶液组装中出现的多级结构。因此,我们认为巨型分子作为功能材料在将来的技术领域中将具有广阔的应用前景。     

铜纳米粒子在碳纳米管上的原位生长及对过氧化氢电催化性能的研究

采用一种温和且有效的方法,将聚丙烯酸非共价修饰到碳纳米管上,并以其为模板,在碳纳米管上原位均匀的生长铜纳米粒子,制备了铜/聚丙烯酸/碳纳米管(Cu/PAA/CNT)纳米复合材料,并以此材料构建了一种新型的非酶H2O2传感器,研究了其对H2O2的电催化行为。结果表明:铜纳米粒子较均匀的生长在碳纳米管上,制备的纳米复合材料修饰到电极表面对H2O2表现出良好的电流响应,可实现对H2O2的灵敏测定,其响应电流与H2O2的浓度在1.9×10-6～8.0×10-4mol/L范围内呈良好的线性关系,检测限达6.3×10-7mol/L。     

金核银壳纳米粒子薄膜的制备及SERS活性研究

采用柠檬酸化学还原法制备金溶胶, 通过自组装技术在石英片表面制备金纳米粒子薄膜, 在银增强剂混合溶液中反应获得金核银壳纳米粒子薄膜. 用紫外-可见吸收光谱仪和原子力显微镜(AFM)研究了不同条件下制备的金核银壳纳米粒子薄膜的光谱特性和表面形貌, 并以结晶紫为探针分子测量了金核银壳纳米粒子薄膜的表面增强拉曼光谱(SERS). 结果表明, 金纳米粒子薄膜的分布、银增强剂反应时间的长短对金核银壳纳米粒子薄膜的形成均有重要影响. 制备过程中, 可以通过控制反应条件获得一定粒径的、具有良好表面增强拉曼散射活性的金核银壳纳米粒子薄膜.     

表面分子印迹磁性纳米粒子的制备及其血红蛋白传感应用

以Fe₃O₄磁性纳米粒子为载体、多巴胺（DA）为功能单体、血红蛋白（Hb）为模板分子,用氯铂酸氧化DA生成聚多巴胺（PDA）,同时氯铂酸还原为铂纳米粒子（PtNPs）,与Hb一起负载于Fe₃O₄纳米粒子表面,洗脱Hb后合成了表面分子印迹磁性纳米粒子（印迹Fe₃O₄/PDA-PtNPs）. 将印迹Fe₃O₄/PDA-PtNPs修饰于磁性玻碳基底表面,制得印迹Fe₃O₄/PDA-PtNPs修饰电极. 实验结果表明,印迹Fe₃O₄/PDA-PtNPs具有良好的水溶性,粒径分布均匀,生成的PtNPs具有良好的导电性和刚性. 用印迹Fe₃O₄/PDA-PtNPs构建的传感器对Hb具有良好的识别性,在0.14 ~ 2.7 μg·mL^-1 Hb浓度范围与交流阻抗变化值呈良好的线性关系,检出限（S/N=3）为0.05 μg·mL^-1.     

聚苯胺/钛酸钡纳米复合粒子的制备与表征

采用原位复合法制备出聚苯胺/钛酸钡复合粒子,借助TEM、XRD、FT-IR、 XPS、TG等分析手段研究了复合粒子的形貌、结构及其热性能.结果表明,复合粒子的粒径为1 μm左右,BaTiO3以40 nm左右的晶粒分散于聚苯胺基体之中,聚苯胺与钛酸钡之间存在化学键合作用,同时在一定程度上减少了纳米粒子的团聚.     

聚芳醚三乙酸铵树枝分子保护的Pt、Pd纳米粒子的制备及催化性能

以聚芳醚三乙酸氯化铵树枝分子为稳定剂在乙醇水溶液中制备了金属Pt和Pd纳米粒子。通过UV-Vis、IR、TEM和XRD等方法对纳米粒子进行了表征。聚芳醚三乙酸氯化铵树枝分子根部3个乙酸基基团与金属纳米粒子表面原子间具有较强的相互作用，以其为稳定剂制备的Pt和Pd金属纳米粒子在溶胶中及反应过程中均表现出很好的稳定性。以间苯氧基苯甲醛催化加氢反应为模型反应，研究了Pt和Pd金属纳米粒子的催化反应性能。以Pt金属纳米粒子为催化剂，在常压，40 ℃下反应12 h，间苯氧基苯甲醛加氢转化率大于99％，在相同反应条件下Pt金属纳米粒子的催化加氢活性高于Pd金属纳米粒子。     

有机小分子纳米粒子的光学诊疗应用

癌症严重威胁着人类健康, 因此, 急需开发高效的诊断和治疗方法. 基于光敏剂和近红外激光的光学诊疗将诊断和治疗集于一体, 与传统的手术治疗和化学治疗相比, 光学诊疗显示出无创性和高空间选择性的优点. 有机小分子染料具有确定且易于修饰的化学结构、 良好的重现性和优异的生物相容性, 与无机和聚合物材料相比, 它是一类具有前景的可用于光学诊疗的光敏剂. 本文总结了基于传统小分子染料、 给体-受体(D-A)共轭小分子和聚集诱导发光(AIE)分子等有机小分子的纳米粒子在光学诊疗中的应用. 此外, 对于光学诊疗用有机小分子染料纳米粒子未来的挑战和前景也进行了展望.     

嵌段聚合物修饰的金纳米粒子的制备及表征

通过RAFT合成聚(甲基丙烯酸缩水甘油酯)-b-聚(乙二醇甲基丙烯酸酯)嵌段共聚物(PGMA-bPMAPEG),再用半胱氨酸(Cys)使PGMA中的环氧基团开环,制备含有巯基的两亲水嵌段聚合物PMAPEG-bP(GMA-Cys)。并以其作为修饰剂,通过原位还原法使HAuCl4在NaBH4的还原下制备金/聚合物纳米复合粒子(Au@PMAPEG-b-P(GMA-Cys)NPs)。经FT-IR、UV-vis、TG、XRD、TEM和DLS表征,发现金纳米复合粒子呈均匀分散的球形,平均粒径约为10nm,在527nm处出现了金纳米粒子的表面等离子共振吸收峰,金约占总重量的49%。由于外层嵌段共聚物的修饰作用,金纳米复合粒子在室温下放置6个月未发生粒子间的聚集。     

固定化金属离子亲和发光二氧化硅纳米粒子的制备及其用于磷酸化蛋白免疫印迹标记

发展了一种能够识别磷酸化蛋白的固定化金属离子亲和发光二氧化硅纳米粒子用于免疫印迹(Western Blot)磷酸化蛋白的标记.首先通过反相微乳液St?ber方法合成了掺杂异硫氰酸荧光素硅烷化衍生物的发光二氧化硅(FITC@SiO2)球形纳米粒子,粒子平均粒径为60 nm.然后通过共聚反应在FITC@SiO2纳米粒子表面...     

一种光功能有机纳米粒子的制备及细胞毒性评价

合成了一种具有双光子荧光探针功能的有机纳米粒子2,5,2',5'-(4'-N,N-二苯胺苯乙烯基)联苯(DPA-TSB), 并研究其细胞毒性. 利用水溶性四氮唑(WST-1)法、 乳酸脱氮酶(LDH)法和流式细胞术检测了胃癌细胞吞噬纳米粒子后的生理活性. 研究结果表明, 在纳米粒子浓度小于12 μg/mL时, 胃癌细胞仍表现出较好的生理活性, 表明该纳米粒子是一种具有较好生物安全性的光功能有机纳米粒子.     

Fluorescently Labeled Branched Polymers and Thermal Responsive Nanoparticles for Live Cell Imaging

Branched poly(methoxy‐PEG acrylate) and thermally responsive poly(methoxy‐PEG acrylate)‐block‐poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide) are synthesized by RAFT polymerization. After reduction, these polymers are fluorescently labeled by reacting the free thiol groups with N‐(5‐fluoresceinyl)maleimide. As shown by DLS, the labeled copolymer poly(methoxy‐PEG acrylate)‐block‐poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide) forms nanoparticles at body temperature (37 °C) due to the presence of the thermosensitive poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide). These materials were used as bioprobes for imaging HUVECs in vitro and chick embryo CAM in vivo. Both labeled polymer and nanoparticles are biocompatible and can be used as efficient fluorescent bioprobes.

     

Light-Triggered Transformation of Molecular Baskets into Organic Nanoparticles

Discovering novel and functional photoresponsive materials is of interest for improving controlled release of molecules and scavenging toxic compounds for cleaning our environment or designing chemosensors. In this study, we report on the photoinduced decarboxylation of basket 1 ⁶⁻, containing three glutamic acids at its rim. This concave compound is, in an aqueous environment (30 mm phosphate buffer at pH 7.0), monomeric (¹H NMR DOSY, DLS) with glutamic acid residues randomly oriented about its rim (¹H NMR and MM-OPLS3). The irradiation (300 nm) of 1 ⁶⁻ leads to the exclusive removal of its α-carboxylates to give amphiphilic 2 ³⁻ possessing γ-carboxylates. The photochemical transformation is a consecutive reaction with mono- and bis-decarboxylated products observed with ¹H NMR spectroscopy and ESI mass spectrometry. Amphiphilic 2 ³⁻ is a preorganized molecule (MM-OPLS3) that, in water, aggregates into organic nanoparticles (ca. 50–200 nm in diameter; DLS, TEM and cryo-TEM) having a critical aggregation concentration of 12 μm (UV/Vis). As the transition of monomeric 1 ⁶⁻ into nanoparticulate 2 ³⁻ is triggered with light, we reasoned that stimuli-responsive formation of the soft material lends itself to nanotechnology applications such as controlled release or scavenging of targeted compounds.     

Electrochemical Preparation and Delivery of Melanin–Iron Covered Gold Nanoparticles

Attractive combination: Biopolymer‐modified nanoparticles which combine magnetic properties with biocompatibility are prepared and delivered following a three‐step strategy (see figure): i) Adsorption of thiol‐capped metal nanoparticles on graphite, ii) electrochemical modification, iii) potential‐induced delivery of the modified nanoparticles to the electrolyte.

     

Preparation of ZnO Nanoparticles: Structural Study of the Molecular Precursor

The structure of zinc acetate derived precursor currently used in the sol-gel synthesis of ZnO nanoparticles is described. The reaction products obtained before and after reflux of ethanolic zinc acetate solution have been studied by UV-Vis, photoluminescence, FTIR and EXAFS at the Zn K edge. EXAFS results evidence for both precursor solutions a change from the octahedral coordination sphere of oxygen atoms characteristic of the solid zinc acetate dihydrate compound into a four-fold environment. The EXAFS spectra of precursor solutions can be satisfactorily reproduced using the molecular structure reported for Zn₄O(Ac)₆ (Ac = COOCH₃). UV-Vis and FTIR measurements are also in agreement with the formation of this oligomeric precursor. The structural modification is more pronounced after reflux at 80°C, because the increase of the Zn₄O(Ac)₆ amount and the formation of nearly 3.0 nm sized ZnO nanoparticle.     

Synthesis of Holmium-Oxide Nanoparticles for Near-Infrared Imaging and Dye-Photodegradation

The development of multifunctional nanomaterials has received growing research interest, thanks to its ability to combine multiple properties for severing highly demanding purposes. In this work, holmium oxide nanoparticles are synthesized and characterized by various tools including XRD, XPS, and TEM. These nanoparticles are found to emit near-infrared fluorescence (800–1100 nm) under a 785 nm excitation source. Imaging of the animal tissues was demonstrated, and the maximum imaging depth was found to be 2.2 cm. The synthesized nanoparticles also show the capability of facilitating dye (fluorescein sodium salt and rhodamine 6G) degradation under white light irradiation. The synthesized holmium oxide nanoparticles are envisioned to be useful for near-infrared tissue imaging and dye-degradation.     

Ultrasound/Optical Dual‐Modality Imaging for Evaluation of Vulnerable Atherosclerotic Plaques with Osteopontin Targeted Nanoparticles

Because of the high mortality of coronary atherosclerotic heart diseases, it is necessary to develop novel early detection methods for vulnerable atherosclerotic plaques. Phenotype transformation of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) plays a vital role in progressed atherosclerotic plaques. Osteopontin (OPN) is one of the biomarkers for phenotypic conversion of VSMCs. Significant higher OPN expression is found in foam cells along with the aggravating capacity of macrophage recruitment due to its arginine‐glycine‐aspartate sequence and interaction with CD44. Herein, a dual‐modality imaging probe, OPN targeted nanoparticles (Cy5.5‐anti‐OPN‐PEG‐PLA‐PFOB, denoted as COP‐NPs), is constructed to identify the molecular characteristics of high‐risk atherosclerosis by ultrasound and optical imaging. Characterization, biocompatibility, good binding sensibility, and specificity are evaluated in vitro. For in vivo study, apolipoprotein E deficien (ApoE^?/?) mice fed with high fat diet for 20–24 weeks are used as atherosclerotic model. Ultrasound and optical imaging reveal that the nanoparticles are accumulated in the vulnerable atherosclerotic plaques. OPN targeted nanoparticles are demonstrated to be a good contrast agent in molecular imaging of synthetic VSMCs and foam cells, which can be a promising tool to identify the vulnerable atherosclerotic plaques.     

General Protocol for the Synthesis of Functionalized Magnetic Nanoparticles for Magnetic Resonance Imaging from Protected Metal–Organic Precursors

The development of magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) with functional groups has been intensively pursued in recent years. Herein, a simple, versatile, and cost‐effective strategy to synthesize water‐soluble and amino‐functionalized MNPs, based on the thermal decomposition of phthalimide‐protected metal–organic precursors followed by deprotection, was developed. The resulting amino‐functionalized Fe₃O₄, MnFe₂O₄, and Mn₃O₄ MNPs with particle sizes of about 14.3, 7.5, and 6.6 nm, respectively, had narrow size distributions and good dispersibility in water. These MNPs also exhibited high magnetism and relaxivities of r₂=107.25 mM^?1 s^?1 for Fe₃O₄, r₂=245.75 mM^?1 s^?1 for MnFe₂O₄, and r₁=2.74 mM^?1 s^?1 for Mn₃O₄. The amino‐functionalized MNPs were further conjugated with a fluorescent dye (rhodamine B) and a targeting ligand (folic acid: FA) and used as multifunctional probes. Magnetic resonance imaging and flow‐cytometric studies showed that these probes could specifically target cancer cells overexpressing FA receptors. This new protocol opens a new way for the synthesis and design of water‐soluble and amino‐functionalized MNPs by an easy and versatile route.     

Catalytic Molecular Imaging of MicroRNA in Living Cells by DNA‐Programmed Nanoparticle Disassembly

Molecular imaging is an essential tool for disease diagnostics and treatment. Direct imaging of low‐abundance nucleic acids in living cells remains challenging because of the relatively low sensitivity and insufficient signal‐to‐background ratio of conventional molecular imaging probes. Herein, we report a class of DNA‐templated gold nanoparticle (GNP)–quantum dot (QD) assembly‐based probes for catalytic imaging of cancer‐related microRNAs (miRNA) in living cells with signal amplification capacity. We show that a single miRNA molecule could catalyze the disassembly of multiple QDs with the GNP through a DNA‐programmed thermodynamically driven entropy gain process, yielding significantly amplified QD photoluminescence (PL) for miRNA imaging. By combining the robust PL of QDs with the catalytic amplification strategy, three orders of magnitude improvement in detection sensitivity is achieved in comparison with non‐catalytic imaging probe, which enables facile and accurate differentiation between cancer cells and normal cells by miRNA imaging in living cells.