Conjugates of Gold Nanoparticles and Cross-linked Polynorbornenes: Enhancement of Nanoparticle Stability and Templated Synthesis of Polymer Nanocapsules

Liu, Xiang

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Year:: 2009
Contributor:: Liu, Xiang (creator); Basu, Amit (director); Zimmt, Matthew (reader); Williard, Paul (reader); Brown University. Chemistry (sponsor)
Genre:: theses
Subject:: polymer nanocapsules; gold nanoparticles; stability; cross-linking; ROMP
Extent:: xxii, 160 p.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.7301/Z0J67F6T

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Abstract:: Cross-linked polymer shells are coated at the surface of gold nanoparticles through surface-initiated ring-opening metathesis polymerization followed by selective cross-linking. The stability of the cross-linked nanoparticles toward cyanide etching was evaluated by UV-vis spectroscopy. The rate of etching decreases as cross-linker is with fewer degrees of conformational freedom. The distance of the cross-linking block from the nanoparticle surface was systematically varied. Nanoparticles with the cross-linked block furthest from the surface were etched most slowly. These results provide new insight into how fine-tuning the polymer cross-linking architecture can modulate nanoparticle stability. After etching away the nanoparticle template, cross-linked polymer shells afford hollow polymer nanocapsules which have found wide applications in drug delivery and catalysis. These applications require installation of diverse chemical functionality in the capsule core. Despite methods for nanocapsule preparation, methods for efficiently functionalizing the core of polymer nanocapsules are scarce. A versatile and modular approach has been developed for the synthesis of hollow polymer nanocapsules that can be readily and diversely functionalized. Capsules functionalized with pyrene, ferrocene, amines, and carboxylic acids have been prepared and characterized using dynamic light scattering, fluorescence spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. These core functionalized capsules can selectively extract hydrophilic cationic or anionic dyes into organic solutions based on the charge complementarity of the core functionality.
Notes:: Thesis (Ph.D.) -- Brown University (2010)

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Rights: In Copyright
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Citation

Liu, Xiang, "Conjugates of Gold Nanoparticles and Cross-linked Polynorbornenes: Enhancement of Nanoparticle Stability and Templated Synthesis of Polymer Nanocapsules" (2009). Chemistry Theses and Dissertations. Brown Digital Repository. Brown University Library. https://doi.org/10.7301/Z0J67F6T

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Chemistry Theses and Dissertations

Theses and Dissertations for the Chemistry department.
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