Generic Method of Preparing Multifunctional Fluorescent Nanoparticles Using Flash NanoPrecipitation Academic Article uri icon

abstract

  • AbstractThere is increased demand for nanoparticles with a high fluorescence yield that have the desired excitation wavelength, surface functionalization, and particle size to act as biological probes. Here, a simple, rapid, and robust method, Flash NanoPrecipitation (FNP), to produce such fluorescent nanoparticles is described. This process involves encapsulation of a hydrophobic fluorophore with an amphiphilic biocompatible diblock copolymer in a kinetically frozen state. FNP is used to produce nanoparticles ranging from 30 to 800nm with fluorescence emission peaks ranging from, but not limited to, 370nm to 720nm. Such fluorescent nanoparticles remain stable in aqueous solutions, and, in contrast to soluble dyes, show no photobleaching. Fluorophores and drugs are incorporated into a single nanoparticle, allowing for simultaneous drug delivery and biological imaging. In addition, functionalization of nanoparticle surfaces with diseasespecific ligands permits precise cell targeting. These features make FNPproduced fluorescent nanoparticles highly desirable for various biological applications.

published proceedings

  • ADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS

altmetric score

  • 3

author list (cited authors)

  • Akbulut, M., Ginart, P., Gindy, M. E., Theriault, C., Chin, K. H., Soboyejo, W., & Prud'homme, R. K.

citation count

  • 132

complete list of authors

  • Akbulut, Mustafa||Ginart, Paul||Gindy, Marian E||Theriault, Christian||Chin, Katherine H||Soboyejo, Winston||Prud'homme, Robert K

publication date

  • March 2009

publisher