Phase transfer of large gold nanoparticles to organic solvents with increased stability

In this paper, we describe a new procedure to phase transfer large gold nanoparticles (diameters > 45 nm) from aqueous solution to organic solvents. This is accomplished using a covalent amide coupling reaction that incorporates dicyclohexylamine (DCHA) headgroups on the surface of mercaptoacetic acid (MAA) functionalized gold nanoparticles. Gold nanoparticles are first synthesized in aqueous solution by the citrate-reduction method, and nanoparticle size is controlled by the molar ratio of the reducing agent (sodium citrate) and the gold precursor (KAuCl4). MAA is then adsorbed to the surface of the gold nanoparticles followed by an amide-coupling reaction to covalently attach DCHA to the surface-immobilized MAA. The bulky dicyclohexyl groups entropically stabilize gold nanoparticles in organic solvents. This procedure was used to reliably transfer gold nanoparticles with diameters between 45 and 100 nm from aqueous solution to organic solvents such as dimethyl sulfoxide and chloroform.     

One-phase synthesis of gold nanoparticles with varied solubility

We developed a straightforward synthesis of gold nanoparticles with diameters in the range 2.1-7.0 nm which display solubility in both aqueous and nonpolar (toluene, chloroform) media. This versatile solubility of the nanoparticles is achieved by the use of a thiolated PEG capping agent. Their plasmon resonance band is virtually unaltered in different media.     

Quantitative and reversible lectin-induced association of gold nanoparticles modified with alpha-lactosyl-omega-mercapto-poly(ethylene glycol)

Gold nanoparticles (1-10 nm size range) were prepared with an appreciably narrow size distribution by in situ reduction of HAuCl(4) in the presence of heterobifunctional poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) derivatives containing both mercapto and acetal groups (alpha-acetal-omega-mercapto-PEG). The alpha-acetal-PEG layers formed on gold nanoparticles impart appreciable stability to the nanoparticles in aqueous solutions with elevated ionic strength and also in serum-containing medium. The PEG acetal terminal group was converted to aldehyde by gentle acid treatment, followed by the reaction with p-aminophenyl-beta-D- lactopyranoside (Lac) in the presence of (CH(3))(2)NHBH(3). Lac-conjugated gold nanoparticles exhibited selective aggregation when exposed to Recinus communis agglutinin (RCA(120)), a bivalent lectin specifically recognizing the beta-D-galactose residue, inducing significant changes in the absorption spectrum with concomitant visible color change from pinkish-red to purple. Aggregation of the Lac-functionalized gold nanoparticles by the RCA(120) lectin was reversible, recovering the original dispersed phase and color by addition of excess galactose. Further, the degree of aggregation was proportional to lectin concentration, allowing the system to be utilized to quantitate lectin concentration with nearly the same sensitivity as ELISA. This simple, yet highly effective, derivatization of gold nanoparticles with heterobifunctional PEG provides a convenient method to construct various colloidal sensor systems currently applied in bioassays and biorecognition.     

Thermosensitive copolymer networks modify gold nanoparticles for nanocomposite entrapment

The core-shell gold nanoparticles and copolymer of N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAM) and N,N'-methylenebisacrylamide (MBAA) hybrids (Au@copolymer) were fabricated through surface-initiated atom-transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) on the surface of gold nanoparticles in 2-propanol/water mixed solvents. The surface of citrate-stabilized gold nanoparticles was first modified by a disulfide initiator for ATRP. The slight cross-linking polymerization between NIPAM and MBAA occurred on the gold surface and resulted in the formation of core-shell Au@copolymer nanostructures that were characterized by TEM, and FTIR and UV-visible spectroscopy. Such synthesized Au@copolymer hybrids possess clearly thermosensitive properties and exhibit "inspire" and "expire" water behavior in response to temperature changes in aqueous solution. Because of this property, we enable to trap and encapsulate smaller nanoparticles by using the free space of the copolymer-network scaffold anchored at the gold surface.     

Colloidal stability evolution and completely reversible aggregation of gold nanoparticles functionalized with rationally designed free radical initiators

A series of molecular adsorbates having various chain lengths of terminal poly(ethylene glycol methyl ether) (PEG) moieties, thiol head groups, and intervening free radical initiator moieties was used to functionalize the surface of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs). The bulky PEG groups stabilized the functionalized AuNPs by providing steric hindrance against AuNP aggregation, such aggregation being a major problem in the modification and manipulation of metal nanoparticles. UV–vis spectroscopy was used to evaluate the stability of the adsorbate-functionalized AuNPs as a function of AuNP size (～15, 40, and 90 nm in diameter) and PEG chain length (Mn 350, 750, and 2,000). The longer PEG chains (Mn 750 and 2,000) afforded stability to AuNPs with smaller gold cores (～15 and 40 nm in diameter) for up to several days without any marked aggregation. In contrast, the adsorbate-functionalized AuNPs with the largest gold cores (～90 nm) were noticeably less stable than those with the smaller gold cores. Importantly, the adsorbate-functionalized AuNPs could be isolated in solvent-free “dried” form and readily dispersed in aqueous buffer solution (both acidic and basic) and various organic solvents (protic and aprotic). This isolation–redispersion (i.e., aggregation/deaggregation) process was completely reversible. The chemisorption of the PEG-terminated initiator on the surface of the AuNPs was verified by Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). As a whole, the strategy reported here affords colloidally stable, free radical initiator-functionalized AuNPs and offers a promising general method for encapsulating metal nanoparticles within polymer shells.

Water-dispersible nanoparticles via interdigitation of sodium dodecylsulphate molecules in octadecylamine-capped gold nanoparticles at a liquid-liquid interface

This paper describes the formation of water-dispersible gold nano-particles capped with a bilayer of sodium dodecylsulphate (SDS) and octadecylamine (ODA) molecules. Vigorous shaking of abiphasic mixture consisting of ODA-capped gold nanoparticles in chloroform and SDS in water results in the rapid phase transfer of ODA-capped gold nanoparticles from the organic to the aqueous phase, the latter acquiring a pink, foam-like appearance in the process. Drying of the coloured aqueous phase results in the formation of a highly stable, reddish powder of gold nanoparticles that may be readily redispersed in water. The water-dispersible gold nanoparticles have been investigated by UV-Vis spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). These studies indicate the presence of interdigitated bilayers consisting of an ODA primary monolayer directly coordinated to the gold nanoparticle surface and a secondary monolayer of SDS, this secondary monolayer providing sufficient hydrophilicity to facilitate gold nanoparticle transfer into water and rendering them water-dispersible. Dedicated to Professor C N R Rao on his 70th birthday     

Preparation of Hydrophobically Modified Poly(amidoamine) Dendrimer-Encapsulated Gold Nanoparticles in Organic Solvents

HAuCl(4) in aqueous solution was extracted to toluene or chloroform using a hydrophobically modified poly(amidoamine) dendrimer. Then, by reduction of Au(3+) ions with dimethylamineborane, gold nanoparticles in the size range of 2-4 nm were obtained in toluene or chloroform. It is suggested that gold nanoparticles are encapsulated by the dendrimer. Copyright 2000 Academic Press.     

Colloidal stability and drug incorporation aspects of micellar-like PLA–PEG nanoparticles

The drug delivery properties of a series of poly(lactic acid)–poly(ethylene glycol) (PLA–PEG) micellar-like nanoparticles have been assessed in terms of their colloidal stability and their ability to incorporate a water soluble drug. These studies have focused on a range of PLA–PEG copolymers with a fixed PEG block (5 kDa) and a varying PLA segment (3–110 kDa). In aqueous media, these copolymers formed micellar-like assemblies following precipitation from water miscible solvents. There was a controlled increase in the particle size as the molecular weight of the PLA block was increased. The characteristics of the PEG corona were also highly dependent on the PLA moiety. Copolymers with a low molecular weight PLA block (3–15 kDa) formed highly colloidally stable dispersions, with a complete PEG surface coverage. However, increasing the molecular weight of the PLA block resulted in significantly less colloidally stable nanoparticle dispersions, which flocculated in solvents that were significantly better than θ-solvents for the stabilising PEG chains. This can be attributed to a reduced PEG surface coverage and the probable presence of naked PLA ‘patches’ on the particle surface. These larger PLA–PEG nanoparticles (30:5–110:5) were found to be stabilised in the presence of serum components, which are thought to adsorb into the gaps on the particle surface and prevent flocculation. All of the dispersions were found to be stable under physiological conditions and therefore suitable for in vivo administration. A reasonable loading (3.1% w/w) of the micellar-like PLA–PEG 30:5 nanoparticles with the water soluble drug procaine hydrochloride was achieved. The incorporated drug was found to have no effect on the nanoparticle structure or recovery, which can be attributed to the micellar character of these assemblies and the presence of the stabilising PEG chains.     

Synthesis of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG)-grafted colloidal silica particles with improved stability in aqueous solvents

The known grafting procedures of colloidal silica particles with poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) lead to grafting layers that detach from the silica surface and dissolve in water within a few days. We present a new grafting procedure of PEG onto silica with a significant improvement of the stability of the grafting layers in aqueous solvents. Moreover, the procedure avoids any dry states or other circumstances leading to strong aggregation of the particles. To achieve the improved water stability, St?ber silica particles are first pre-coated with a silane coupling agent (3-aminopropyl)triethoxysilane (APS) to incorporate active amine groups. The water solubility of the pre-coating layer was minimized using a combination of APS with bis-(trimethoxysilylpropyl)amine (BTMOSPA) or bis-(triethoxysilyl)ethane (BTEOSE). These pre-coated particles were then reacted with N-succinimidyl ester of mono-methoxy poly(ethylene glycol) carboxylic acid to form PEG-grafted silica particles. The particles form stable dispersions in aqueous solutions as well as several organic solvents.     

In Situ Formation of Dual‐Phase Thermosensitive Ultrasmall Gold Nanoparticles

A novel method for the in situ synthesis of dual‐phase thermosensitive ultrasmall gold nanoparticles (USGNPs) with diameters in the range of 1–3 nm was developed by using poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide)‐block‐poly(N‐phenylethylenediamine methacrylamide) (PNIPAM‐b‐PNPEDMA) amphiphilic diblock copolymers as ligands. The PNPEDMA block promotes the in situ reduction of gold precursors to zero‐valent gold and subsequently binds to the surface of gold nanoparticles, while PNIPAM acts as a stabilizing and thermosensitive block. The as‐synthesized USGNPs stabilized by a thermosensitive PNIPAM layer exhibit a sharp, reversible, clear–opaque transition in aqueous solution between 30 and 38 °C. An unprecedented finding is that these USGNPs also show a reversible soluble–precipitate transition in nonpolar organic solvents such as chloroform at around 0 °C under acidic conditions.     

Spontaneous fractal aggregation of gold nanoparticles and controlled generation of aggregate-based fractal networks at air/water interface

The spontaneous fractal aggregation of as-prepared cetytrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB)-capped gold nanoparticles was found to happen at the air/water interface after spreading their chloroform solution on water surfaces. Aided by Langmuir-Blodgett techniques, these fractal aggregates can be interconnected with each other to form aggregate-based fractal networks.     

Extraction and Dispersion of Large Gold Nanoparticles in Nonpolar Solvents

Gold nanoparticles up to 70 nm in diameter could be extracted from aqueous solutions into nonpolar organic solvents by tetrathiolated resorcinarenes 1 and 2. The resorcinarene-coated nanoparticles formed stable dispersions in toluene and chloroform and could be passed through a crosslinked polystyrene column without significant degradation, but exhibited variable resistance to alkanethiol-induced flocculation. Gold nanoparticles encapsulated by resorcinarene 2 were found to be exceptionally stable even in the presence of propanethiol and dodecanethiol, with an approximate dispersion half-life of one month at room temperature.     

Manipulating the solubility of gold nanoparticles reversibly and preparation of water-soluble sphere nanostructure through micellar-like solubilization

On the basis of micellar solubilization, a strategy tuning the solubility of gold nanoparticles reversibly was developed. Hydrophobic gold nanoparticles stabilized by octadecylamine (ODA-gold) solubilized in the micellar-like core of poly(vinylpyrrolidone) (PVP) in water to form gold nanoparticles with protective multilayer induced by reduction of interfacial energy. Interestingly, upon redispersing in chloroform, the PVP micellar-like structure can break down and the ODA-gold can be released again. By changing the ratio of PVP/ODA, size-controllable hydrophilic spherical assembly can be prepared. On the basis of the observation of transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), a reasonable mechanism is interpreted thermodynamically.     

巯基聚乙二醇5000修饰的金溶胶的稳定性: 从DLVO稳定到空间稳定

研究了α-甲氧基-ω-巯基聚乙二醇(mPEG-SH, 5000 MW)修饰的金溶胶的稳定性, 初步探讨了其稳定机制. 将线性mPEG-SH通过巯基化学吸附于金溶胶表面, 可形成高分子层包被的金溶胶. 研究结果表明, PEG修饰的金溶胶可以在pH＝1～13.5或盐浓度高达1.20 mol/L的较苛性条件下保持稳定. 这是由于金溶胶表面吸附的高分子保护层为溶胶提供了新的空间稳定, 取代了溶胶原来的DLVO稳定(实质是电荷稳定). 因而, PEG保护的金溶胶在很大程度上克服了DLVO稳定的溶胶对环境敏感、易聚沉的缺点, 能在复杂的条件(如生理条件)下应用. 鉴于PEG的水溶性、无毒性和生物亲和性, 这种具有较高稳定能力的金纳米粒子/PEG复合体结合了金纳米粒子和PEG的优异性能, 可作为生物纳米探针用于复杂条件下的生物分析.     

Facile patterning of upconversion NaYF4:Yb,Er nanoparticles

Different kinds of highly ordered patterns of NaYF(4):Yb,Er nanoparticles on gold substrates were fabricated using a simple method combining micro-contact printing and "breath figures" techniques. Ordered arrays of water droplets were first formed in the hydrophilic regions of patterned self-assembled monolayers (SAMs). This was subsequently submerged in a chloroform solution of NaYF(4):Yb,Er nanoparticles. The particles were spontaneously assembled at the interface of chloroform/water droplet surface, leading to different kinds of uniform patterns after solvent evaporation. The structures of NaYF(4):Yb,Er particles patterns depended on the dimension of the substrate, the concentration of the NaYF(4):Yb,Er nanoparticles and the water condensation process.     

Convenient supported recyclable material based on dihydrolipoyl-residue for the reduction of disulfide derivatives

A quantitative method for the reduction of disulfides, which uses a totally recyclable solid phase supported reducing agent, is reported. d,l-α-Lipoic acid was quantitatively condensed on a highly stable 100% PEG Aminomethyl-ChemMatrix® resin that can swell in aqueous media as well as in organic solvents. Lipoic residue, subsequently reduced to its dihydrolipoyl form, was utilized as a reducing agent for highly valuable disulfide compounds.     

Size control of self-assembled nanoparticles by an emulsion/solvent evaporation method

A novel and simple method for size control of self-assembled nanoparticles is suggested in this paper. Polymeric nanoparticles were prepared from amphiphilic chitosan derivatives fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-conjugated glycol chitosans (FGCs). The attachment of hydrophobic FITC onto hydrophilic glycol chitosan induced the amphiphilic conjugate to form self-assembled nanoparticles in aqueous media, depending on degree of substitution. The size of self-assembled nanoparticles was controlled by a novel emulsion/solvent evaporation method. Adding a small amount of an immiscible solvent with water (chloroform) to FGC nanoparticle suspensions in aqueous media followed by ultrasonification and solvent evaporation led to partial dissociation and subsequent reformation of nanoparticles. The evaporation of chloroform facilitated the hydrophobic association, which resulted in more dense and hardened hydrophobic cores. The size of nanoparticles was closely related with the FGC concentration in the emulsion. The mean diameters of self-assembled nanoparticles were 150–500 nm at the FGC concentrations of 0.3–2.5 mg/ml. Higher FGC concentration resulted in larger particles. The polydispersity factors (μ ₂/Γ ²) of the reformed nanoparticles were fairly low (0.001–0.094), indicating narrow size distribution. The FGC nanoparticles were stable in phosphate-buffered saline at 37°C up to 20 days. Lactose was a good excipient for maintaining the structural integrity of nanoparticles during freeze-drying. Without lactose, the freeze-dried nanoparticles were not homogeneously redispersed in aqueous media. However, the freeze-dried nanoparticles with lactose were spontaneously redispersed in aqueous milieu with their own sizes.     

丙烯酰胺在聚乙二醇水溶液中的聚合动力学

用改进溴法对丙烯酰胺 (AM)在聚乙二醇 (PEG)水溶液中聚合动力学进行研究 .在单一和氧化还原引发体系中分别考察了引发剂、单体和PEG用量、不同HLB值乳化剂以及聚合温度等因素对动力学的影响 .得到AM聚合速率与过硫酸铵 (APS)浓度的 0 91次方成正比 ;单一APS和APS 三乙醇胺 (TEA)氧化还原引发体系中的AM聚合表观活化能分别为 96 1和 4 2 3kJ mol.     

Styrene-PEG (600) DMA Crosslinked Polymers for Absorption of Oil Derivatives

In this work, styrene (St) based crosslinked polymers were prepared for removal of oil derivatives from aqueous solutions. Polyethylene glycol (600) dimethacrylate (PEG (600) DMA) was used as crosslinker in synthesis of styrene based crosslinked polymers, for the first time. The polymers were characterized by FTIR, SEM, elemental analysis and solvent (toluene, chloroform and fuel-oil) absorption capacities. The effects of different reaction parameters like crosslinker type, diluents amount and the presence of pore forming agent on the absorption properties of polymers were investigated. The polymers synthesized by using PEG (600) DMA have higher solvent absorption capacity than that of synthesized by using conventional crosslinker. Furthermore, the polymers synthesized in the presence of good diluents have higher absorption capacities. The addition of pore forming agent into the reaction medium has also improved the absorption rate of polymers. The absorption capacity of polymers in different solvents is in order of chloroform > toluene > fuel-oil. It was seen that oil derivatives can be removed efficiently from water by the St-PEG (600) DMA polymers.     

Temperature Dependence of Solubility for Ibuprofen in Some Organic and Aqueous Solvents

The thermodynamic functions—Gibbs energy, enthalpy, and entropy of solution—were evaluated from the solubilities of ibuprofen determined at several temperatures in the pure solvents: octanol, isopropyl myristate, chloroform, cyclohexane, and water. The organic solvent-saturated aqueous media and water-saturated organic solvents were also studied, except for cyclohexane. In aqueous media, the solubility was determined at pH = 7.4 and an ionic strength 0.15 mol-L^–1 (physiological values). The excess Gibbs energy and the activity coefficients of the solutes were also determined. The solubilities are higher in organic media such as chloroform and octanol than in aqueous media and cyclohexane.