Polymersome-Embedded Nanoparticles |
| |
| Authors: | Robert Sachsenhofer Wolfgang H Binder Dominique Farnik Ronald Zirbs |
| |
| Institution: | 1. Martin-Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Macromolecular Chemistry, Institute of Chemistry, Heinrich-Damerowstr. 4, 6120 Halle (Saale), Germany;2. Institute for Applied Synthetic Chemistry, Division: Macromolecular Chemistry,Vienna University of Technology, Getreidemarkt 9, Vienna, Austria |
| |
| Abstract: | Summary: Polymersomes are self assembled vesicles composed of fully synthetic amphiphilic diblock copolymers. Many of their properties are similar to lipid vesicles, although with often higher thermal and mechanical stability within their curved membrane. Incorporation of nanosized objects into their hydrophilic interior or hydrophobic membrane represents an important method for functionalization of these biomimetic structures. We report on the embedding of hydrophobic gold nanoparticles (Au-NPs) into polymersomes. Nanoparticles were prepared and incorporated into polymersomes made by standard film rehydration techniques from commercially available diblock copolymers. Characterization of the resulting structures was achieved by dynamic light scattering (DLS) and by TEM. Results on the preparation method, its influence on the polymersome stability and the application of these new membrane-mimetics are reported. |
| |
| Keywords: | nanoparticles polymersomes self-assembly |
|
|
