Photoreactor and Process for Preparing MIP Nanoparticles

1 . A process for producing nanoparticles of molecularly imprinted polymers comprising:

(i) immobilising a template species on a solid support to provide a supported template material;

(ii) locating the supported template material in a reaction vessel having one or more flow inlets, one or more flow outlets, a cooler/heater adapted to affect the temperature of the vessel's contents, and a radiation source adapted to irradiate the vessel's interior;

(iii) passing a polymerisable composition into the vessel through one or more of said flow inlets;

(iv) causing the radiation source to irradiate the vessel's interior to effect controlled polymerisation of the polymerisable composition, while using the cooler/heater to control the temperature thereof;

(v) ceasing irradiation at a stage when polymerisation has generated nanoparticles with molecular weights in the range 500-1,000,000 Da, at least some of the nanoparticles being bound to the immobilised template;

(vi) passing solvent through the vessel via one or more of said inlets and one or more of said outlets to wash out unreacted components of the polymerisable composition and unbound polymers; and

(vii) passing solvent through the vessel via one or more of said inlets and one or more of said outlets under conditions such that at least some of said bound nanoparticles are separated from the immobilised template and passed out of the vessel to a collection vessel, said conditions comprising one or more of increased temperature produced by the cooler/heater, and use of a solvent composition that is able to disrupt binding of nanoparticles to template.

2 . A process of claim 1 wherein step (vii) comprises a first step (a) in which conditions are selected so that nanoparticles bound relatively loosely to template are separated and passed out to a first said collection vessel; and a second step (b) in which conditions are selected so that more tightly bound nanoparticles are separated and passed out to a second collection vessel.

3 . A process of claim 2 wherein the polymerisation step (iv) is carried out with control of the temperature in the range −20 to +20°; said first step (vii)(a) is carried out with control of the temperature in the range 20 to 40°; and said second step (vii)(b) is carried out with control of the temperature in the range 60 to 80°.

4 . A process according to claim 1 wherein steps (iii) to (vii) are carried out under computer control.

5 . A process according to claim 4 wherein the polymerisation conditions are controlled to produce particles of mean diameter 40-100 nm.

6 . A process according to claim 4 wherein the polymerisation conditions are controlled to produce particles whereof at least 50% have diameters in the range 40-100 nm.

7 . A process of claim 1 wherein the polymerisation is iniferter-based living radical polymerisation.

8 . A process according to claim 1 including a subsequent step of re-binding nanoparticles separated in step (vii) to immobilised template and subsequently separating them therefrom.

9 . A process according to claim 1 including a subsequent step of subjecting the separated nanoparticles to further polymerisation to graft block copolymer segments onto them.

10 . A process according to claim 1 including a subsequent step of using the separated nanoparticles as a drug, as a receptor-specific ligand for analysis or separation, or as a catalyst.

11 . A photoreactor for producing nanoparticles of molecularly imprinted polymer comprising:

a reaction vessel for holding a solid phase bearing an immobilised template species;

a radiation source arranged to irradiate the interior of the reaction vessel;

a fluidic system in communication with the reaction vessel for providing an inflow comprising polymerisable monomer(s) and an outflow containing synthesised nanoparticles; and

a computer programmed and arranged for controlling the production process.

12 . A photoreactor according to claim 11 wherein the reaction vessel contains the solid phase bearing an immobilised template species.

13 . A photoreactor according to claim 11 including a reservoir containing said polymerisable monomer(s) coupled to said fluidic system.

14 . A photoreactor according to claim 11 wherein the reaction vessel is provided with thermostatic control means.

15 . A photoreactor according to claim 11 wherein the radiation source is a UV source.

16 . A photoreactor according to claim 11 adapted to carry out a process for producing nanoparticles of molecularly imprinted polymers comprising:

(i) immobilising a template species on a solid support to provide a supported template material;

(ii) locating the supported template material in a reaction vessel having one or more flow inlets, one or more flow outlets, a cooler/heater adapted to affect the temperature of the vessel's contents, and a radiation source adapted to irradiate the vessel's interior;

(iii) passing a polymerisable composition into the vessel through one or more of said flow inlets;

(iv) causing the radiation source to irradiate the vessel's interior to effect controlled polymerisation of the polymerisable composition, while using the cooler/heater to control the temperature thereof;

(v) ceasing irradiation at a stage when polymerisation has generated nanoparticles with molecular weights in the range 500-1,000,000 Da, at least some of the nanoparticles being bound to the immobilised template;

(vi) passing solvent through the vessel via one or more of said inlets and one or more of said outlets to wash out unreacted components of the polymerisable composition and unbound polymers; and

(vii) passing solvent through the vessel via one or more of said inlets and one or more of said outlets under conditions such that at least some of said bound nanoparticles are separated from the immobilised template and passed out of the vessel to a collection vessel, said conditions comprising one or more of increased temperature produced by the cooler/heater, and use of a solvent composition that is able to disrupt binding of nanoparticles to template.

17 . A photoreactor for producing nanoparticles of molecularly imprinted polymer-comprising:

a reaction vessel for holding a solid phase bearing an immobilised template species;

a radiation source arranged to irradiate the interior of the reaction vessel;

a fluidic system in communication with the reaction vessel for providing an inflow comprising polymerisable monomer(s) and an outflow containing synthesised nanoparticles; and

a computer programmed and arranged for controlling the production process, adapted to carry out a process according to claim 1 .