Skip to Content
Merck
  • Multifunctional homopolymer vesicles for facile immobilization of gold nanoparticles and effective water remediation.

Multifunctional homopolymer vesicles for facile immobilization of gold nanoparticles and effective water remediation.

ACS nano (2014-04-09)
Yunqing Zhu, Lang Fan, Bo Yang, Jianzhong Du
ABSTRACT

Homopolymers have been considered as a nonideal building block for creating well-defined nanostructures due to their fuzzy boundary between hydrophobic and hydrophilic moieties. However, this unique fuzzy boundary may provide some opportunities for fabricating functional nanomaterials. Presented in this paper is a pH-responsive multifunctional homopolymer vesicle based on poly[2-hydroxy-3-(naphthalen-1-ylamino)propyl methacrylate] (PHNA). This vesicle is confirmed to be an excellent supporter for gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) to facilitate the reduction reaction of 4-nitrophenol (4-NP). The pH-responsive vesicle membrane favors the effective embedding and full immobilization of AuNPs because it is kinetically frozen under neutral and basic environments, preventing AuNPs from aggregation. Meanwhile, there is a synergistic effect between the AuNPs and the supporter (PHNA vesicle). Due to the π-π interaction between the naphthalene pendants in every repeat unit of PHNA and the extra aromatic compounds, a substrate-rich (high concentration of 4-NP) microenvironment can be created around AuNPs, which can dramatically accelerate the AuNPs-catalyzed reactions. In addition, we proposed a method for more accurately determining the membrane thickness of rigid polymer vesicles from TEM images based on "stack-up" vesicles, which may overturn the measuring method commonly used by far. Moreover, proof-of-concept studies showed that those homopolymer vesicles may be used as a powerful adsorbent for effective water remediation to remove trace carcinogenic organic pollutants such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons to below parts per billion (ppb) level at a very fast rate based on the π-π interaction between the naphthalene pendants in PHNA vesicle and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Overall, this multifunctional homopolymer vesicle provides an alternative insight on preparing effective recyclable AuNPs-decorated nanoreactor and powerful water remediation adsorbent.

MATERIALS
Product Number
Brand
Product Description

Sigma-Aldrich
2,2′-Azobis(2-methylpropionitrile), purum, ≥98.0% (GC)
Supelco
4-Nitrophenol, PESTANAL®, analytical standard
Supelco
N,N-Dimethylformamide, analytical standard
Sigma-Aldrich
4-Nitrophenol solution, 10 mM
Sigma-Aldrich
4-Nitrophenol, ReagentPlus®, ≥99%
Sigma-Aldrich
Bismuth(III) chloride, AnhydroBeads, −10 mesh, 99.999% trace metals basis
Supelco
1-Naphthylamine, analytical standard
Sigma-Aldrich
Bismuth(III) chloride, 99.99% trace metals basis
Sigma-Aldrich
Sodium bicarbonate, tested according to Ph. Eur.
Sigma-Aldrich
Sodium borohydride solution, ~12 wt. % in 14 M NaOH
Sigma-Aldrich
Bismuth(III) chloride, reagent grade, ≥98%
Sigma-Aldrich
Bismuth(III) chloride, anhydrous, powder, 99.998% trace metals basis
Sigma-Aldrich
Ethane, ≥99%
Sigma-Aldrich
Sodium borohydride solution, 2.0 M in triethylene glycol dimethyl ether
Sigma-Aldrich
N,N-Dimethylformamide, anhydrous, 99.8%
Sigma-Aldrich
Glycidyl methacrylate, 97%, contains 100 ppm monomethyl ether hydroquinone as inhibitor
Sigma-Aldrich
Sodium bicarbonate, BioXtra, 99.5-100.5%
Sigma-Aldrich
Sodium bicarbonate, powder, BioReagent, for molecular biology, suitable for cell culture, suitable for insect cell culture
Sigma-Aldrich
1-Naphthylamine, 97%
Sigma-Aldrich
N,N-Dimethylformamide, for molecular biology, ≥99%
Sigma-Aldrich
2,2′-Azobis(2-methylpropionitrile), 98%
USP
Sodium bicarbonate, United States Pharmacopeia (USP) Reference Standard
Sigma-Aldrich
4-Nitrophenol, spectrophotometric grade
Supelco
Acetaminophen Related Compound F, Pharmaceutical Secondary Standard; Certified Reference Material
Sigma-Aldrich
Glycidyl methacrylate, ≥97.0% (GC)
Sigma-Aldrich
Sodium bicarbonate, puriss., meets analytical specification of Ph. Eur., BP, USP, FCC, E500, 99.0-100.5%, powder
Sigma-Aldrich
Sodium bicarbonate, anhydrous, free-flowing, Redi-Dri, ReagentPlus®, ≥99.5%
Sigma-Aldrich
N,N-Dimethylformamide, ReagentPlus®, ≥99%
Sigma-Aldrich
N,N-Dimethylformamide, ACS reagent, ≥99.8%
Supelco
Dimethylformamide, Pharmaceutical Secondary Standard; Certified Reference Material