Gadolinium and Polythiophene Functionalized Polyurea Polymer Dots as Fluoro-Magnetic Nanoprobes

Nanomaterials

Soner Karabacak¹  Ümit Hakan Yildiz¹  Parasuraman Padmanabhan²  Balázs Gulyás²  Teo Hang Tong Edwin³  Alagappan Palaniappan³  Tsang Siu Hon Tony⁴ 

[1] Department of Chemistry, Izmir Institute of Technology, Urla 35430, Izmir, Turkey;Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 636921, Singapore;School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 639798, Singapore;Temasek Laboratories@NTU, 50 Nanyang Avenue, Singapore 639798, Singapore;

关键词: dual-functional reporters;    PTAA;    polymer dots;    polyurea Pdots;    mini-emulsion polymerization;    magnetic manipulation;   

DOI  :  10.3390/nano12040642

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

A rapid and one-pot synthesis of poly 3-thiopheneacetic acid (PTAA) functionalized polyurea polymer dots (Pdots) using polyethyleneimine and isophorone diisocyanate is reported. The one-pot mini-emulsion polymerization technique yielded Pdots with an average diameter of ~20 nm. The size, shape, and concentration of the surface functional groups could be controlled by altering the synthesis parameters such as ultrasonication time, concentration of the surfactant, and crosslinking agent, and the types of isocyanates utilized for the synthesis. Colloidal properties of Pdots were characterized using dynamic light scattering and zeta potential measurements. The spherical geometry of Pdots was confirmed by scanning electron microscopy. The Pdots were post-functionalized by 1,4,7,10 tetraazacyclododecane-1,4,7,10-tetraacetic acid for chelating gadolinium nanoparticles (Gd³⁺) that provide magnetic properties to the Pdots. Thus, the synthesized Pdots possess fluorescent and magnetic properties, imparted by PTAA and Gd³⁺, respectively. Fluorescence spectroscopy and microscopy revealed that the synthesized dual-functional Gd³⁺-Pdots exhibited detectable fluorescent signals even at lower concentrations. Magnetic levitation experiments indicated that the Gd³⁺-Pdots could be easily manipulated via an external magnetic field. These findings illustrate that the dua- functional Gd³⁺-Pdots could be potentially utilized as fluorescent reporters that can be magnetically manipulated for bioimaging applications.

【 授权许可】

Unknown