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  • Reversible controlled assembly of thermosensitive polymer-coated gold nanoparticles.

Reversible controlled assembly of thermosensitive polymer-coated gold nanoparticles.

Langmuir : the ACS journal of surfaces and colloids (2011-09-29)
Céline Durand-Gasselin, Nicolas Sanson, Nicolas Lequeux
ABSTRACT

Aggregation of thermosensitive polymer-coated gold nanoparticles was performed in aqueous solution in the presence of a triblock copolymer poly(ethylene oxide)-block-poly(propylene oxide)-block-poly(ethylene oxide) (Pluronic P123, PEO(20)-PPO(68)-PEO(20)). The gold nanoparticles, AuNPs, which are covered by thermosensitive statistical copolymers poly(EO(x)-st-PO(y)), aggregate when the temperature is higher than the phase transition temperature of the polymer, leading to a macroscopic precipitation. The presence of Pluronic chains in solution prevents the uncontrolled aggregation of the AuNPs at higher temperature than both the aggregation temperature of the AuNPs (T(agg)) and the critical micellization temperature (cmt) of the Pluronic. The size, the colloidal stability, and the optical properties of the AuNPs aggregates are modulated as a function of the P123-to-AuNP ratio, which constitutes the critical parameter of the system. Moreover, the AuNP aggregation is totally reversible upon decreasing the temperature below T(agg). Our approach constitutes an easy way to the formation of well-controlled nanoparticle aggregates with well-defined sizes. The resulting aggregates have been characterized by UV-vis spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering, and electron microscopy.

MATERIALS
Product Number
Brand
Product Description

Sigma-Aldrich
Poloxamer 188, micronized
Sigma-Aldrich
Poloxamer 188 solution, 10%, sterile-filtered, BioReagent, suitable for insect cell culture
Sigma-Aldrich
Poly(ethylene glycol)-block-poly(propylene glycol)-block-poly(ethylene glycol), average Mn ~2,000
Sigma-Aldrich
Poloxamer 407, micronized
Sigma-Aldrich
Poloxamer 188
Sigma-Aldrich
Poloxamer 407, oxyethylene 71.5-74.9 %
Sigma-Aldrich
Synperonic® PE/P84
Sigma-Aldrich
Poloxamer 407, purified, non-ionic
Sigma-Aldrich
Synperonic® F 108, surfactant, non-ionic
Sigma-Aldrich
Poly(ethylene glycol)-block-poly(propylene glycol)-block-poly(ethylene glycol), average Mn ~1,900
Sigma-Aldrich
Poly(ethylene glycol)-block-poly(propylene glycol)-block-poly(ethylene glycol), average Mn ~2,900
Sigma-Aldrich
Poly(propylene glycol)-block-poly(ethylene glycol)-block-poly(propylene glycol), average Mn ~2,000
Sigma-Aldrich
Poly(ethylene glycol)-block-poly(propylene glycol)-block-poly(ethylene glycol), average Mn ~5,800
Sigma-Aldrich
Synperonic® PE P105, surfactant
Sigma-Aldrich
Poly(ethylene glycol)-block-poly(propylene glycol)-block-poly(ethylene glycol), average Mn ~14,600
Sigma-Aldrich
Poly(ethylene glycol)-block-poly(propylene glycol)-block-poly(ethylene glycol), average Mn ~8,400
Sigma-Aldrich
Pluronic® F-127, powder, BioReagent, suitable for cell culture
Sigma-Aldrich
Poly(propylene glycol)-block-poly(ethylene glycol)-block-poly(propylene glycol), average Mn ~3,300
Sigma-Aldrich
Poly(ethylene glycol)-block-poly(propylene glycol)-block-poly(ethylene glycol), average Mn ~1,100
Sigma-Aldrich
Poloxamer 188, solid
Sigma-Aldrich
Poly(ethylene glycol)-block-poly(propylene glycol)-block-poly(ethylene glycol), average Mn ~4,400