Producing composite nanoparticles
A method for producing a composite nanoparticle, including the steps of: changing the conformation of a dissolved polyelectrolyte polymer from a first extended conformation to a more compact conformation by changing a solution condition so that at least a portion of the polyelectrolyte polymer is associated with a precursor moiety to form a composite precursor moiety with a mean diameter in the range between about 1 nm and about 100 nm; and cross-linking the polyelectrolyte polymer of the composite precursor moiety to form a composite nanoparticle.
1. A method for producing a composite nanoparticle, comprising the steps of:
changing the conformation of a dissolved polyelectrolyte polymer from a first extended conformation to a more compact conformation by changing a solution condition so that at least a portion of the polyelectrolyte polymer is associated with a precursor moiety to form a composite precursor moiety with a mean diameter in the range between about 1 nm and about 100 nm; and
cross-linking the polyelectrolyte polymer of the composite precursor moiety to form a composite nanoparticle.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the composite nanoparticle has a diameter in the range of about 1 nm to about 50 nm.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the composite nanoparticle has a diameter in the range of about 1 nm to about 100 nm.
4. The method of claim 2 wherein the precursor moiety has a diameter in the range between about 1 nm and about 50 nm.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the cross-linking is performed by exposing the polyelectrolyte polymer to ultraviolet radiation.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the precursory moiety is added to the polyelectrolyte polymer solution to cause the change in solution condition.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the change in solution condition is a change in pH.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the change in solution condition is a change in temperature.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the change in solution condition is a change in ion concentration.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the change in solution condition is a change in the solubility of the polyelectrolyte in the solvent.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein a collapsing agent is added to the polyelectrolyte polymer solution to cause the change in solution condition.
12. The method of claim 1 , wherein a second solvent is added to the polyelectrolyte polymer solution to cause the change in solution condition.
13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the collapsing agent comprises at least one ionic species.
14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the ionic species comprises one or more inorganic salts, organic salts, or combination thereof.
15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the precursor moiety is selected from the group consisting of a charged organic ion, an inorganic salt, a metal-containing compound, an alloy containing at least one metal and an elemental metal.
16. The method of claim 1 , wherein the polyelectrolyte polymer is a copolymer.
17. The method of claim 1 , wherein the precursor moiety is confined by the polyelectrolyte polymer.