Search results for "nanotechnology"

Self-assembly of small gold colloids with functionalized gold nanorods.

2007

We present a general strategy to stabilize gold nanorod suspensions with mono- and bifunctional polyethylene glycol (PEG) and to attach a controlled number of nanoparticles or biomolecules. Characterization by gel electrophoresis, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and optical dark-field microscopy show the specific binding of functionalized nanorods to their target while avoiding nonspecific binding to substrates, matrices, and other particles. Such nanorods are well suited for self-assembly of nanostructures and single-molecule labeling.

Chemical Approach to Functional Artificial Opals

2007

Artificial opals are self-assembled colloidal crystals, which consist of a cubic dense packing (fcc) of hard (not film-forming) colloids with diameters ranging from 200 to 900 nm. Because of their periodic nanostructure the assemblies are able to reflect light that matches their periodicity, i.e., UV- to IR-radiation depending on the size of the colloids. Thus, they present a subgroup of 'photonic crystals'. While, originally, the chemistry inside the colloids and the resulting opals was of minor significance, nowadays the chemical variation of opals is becoming more and more important for the preparation of functional and patterned opals. The search for functional opals is, therefore, espe…

Porphyrin-Polymer Networks, Worms, and Nanorods: pH-triggerable Hierarchical Self-assembly

2011

In this study, we present a novel, multifaceted pH-triggerable system of self-organized hierarchical nanostructures. The system consists of meso-tetrakis(4-sulfonatophenyl)porphyrin (TPPS) and poly(2-vinylpyridine) cylindrical brushes (PVP brushes) and can yield polymer-porphyrin networks, porphyrin loaded polymer brushes and pure porphyrin nanorods. In addition, the polymer influences the pK(a) and the mutual TPPS stacking geometry. Structures were characterized by AFM, dynamic light scattering using an IR laser, UV-Vis spectroscopy and small-angle neutron scattering (SANS). Supramolecular composite porphyrin structures that can be switched through external triggers have potential in photo…

New perspectives for the design of molecular actuators: thermally induced collapse of single macromolecules from cylindrical brushes to spheres.

2004

Imprinted Polymers with Memory for Small Molecules, Proteins, or Crystals

2000

Living Light-Induced Crystallization-Driven Self-Assembly for Rapid Preparation of Semiconducting Nanofibers.

2018

Well-defined nanostructures composed of conjugated polymers have attracted significant attention due to their intriguing electronic and optical properties. However, precise control of the size and uniformity of these semiconducting nanostructures is still rare and challenging, despite recent advances in strategies to obtain self-assembled nanostructures with narrow dispersions. Herein, we demonstrate the preparation of fluorescent conjugated block copolymers by one-shot polymerization and rapid formation of nanofibers in a few minutes via light-induced crystallization-driven self-assembly, driven by facile cis-to- trans photoisomerization of its poly( p-phenylenevinylene) blocks. Furthermor…

Orientation of Polymer Functionalized Nanorods in Thin Films

2010

A directed self assembly of anisotropic nanostructures offers a possibility to provide unique functional materials, which are e.g., important in optoelectronic devices. We use the liquid crystalline behavior of polymer functionalized TiO2 and ZnO nanorods to apply methods well known for low molecular liquid crystals to achieve oriented thin films. Convective forces in the meniscus on a structured substrate obtain thin layers of oriented nanoparticles with a ordering parameter of S = 0.7. As another method we present the orientation of polystyrene covered ZnO nanorods under an applied electric field. The method offers a perpendicular alignment of the rods to the surface.

Numerical–Analytical Model for Nanotube‐Reinforced Nanocomposites

2013

Functionalized halloysite multivalent glycocluster as a new drug delivery system.

2020

A new design for halloysite nanotube materials was obtained by grafting chemically modified cyclodextrin units onto the nanotube surface. In particular, grafted cyclodextrins were decorated with thiosaccharide pendants, in order to mimic the well-known binding of sugars to proteins and the glyco-cluster effect occurring during cellular recognition events. The obtained materials were characterized by using a combination of varied techniques (FT-IR spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, scanning electron microscopy, dynamic light scattering, turbidimetry), and their potential drug-delivery abilities were tested by studying their interactions with the common naturally occurring anticancer a…

Grafting of polymer chains on the surface of carbon nanotubes via nitroxide radical coupling reaction

2015

Poly(butylene succinate) (PBS) was grafted on the surface of TEMPO (2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-1-piperidinyloxy) modified multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) via a nitroxide radical coupling reaction. TEMPO functionalized MWCNTs (MWCNTs-g-TEMPO) were synthesized using the Cu(I)-catalyzed azide/alkyne click chemistry approach and the covalent bond of the nitroxide moieties onto the MWCNTs was confirmed via electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy. The PBS grafting on the sidewalls of MWCNTs was carried out in solution via peroxide-induced formation of macroradicals and it was confirmed by EPR and attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared analysis. Preliminary rheological …