title: The preparation of colloidally stable, water-soluble, biocompatible, semiconductor nanocrystals with a small hydrodynamic diameter.
abstract: We report a simple, economical method for generating water-soluble, biocompatible nanocrystals that are colloidally robust and have a small hydrodynamic diameter. The nanocrystal phase transfer technique utilizes a low molecular weight amphiphilic polymer that is formed via maleic anhydride coupling of poly(styrene-co-maleic anhydride) with either ethanolamine or Jeffamine M-1000 polyetheramine. The polymer encapsulated water-soluble nanocrystals exhibit the same optical spectra as those formed initially in organic solvents, preserve photoluminescence intensities, are colloidally stable over a wide pH range (pH 3-13), have a small hydrodynamic diameter, and exhibit low levels of nonspecific binding to cells.
authors.affiliation: School of Chemistry and Bio21 Institute, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia.
authors.forename: Emma E
authors.initials: EE
authors.lastname: Lees
authors.forename: Tich-Lam
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Nguyen
authors.forename: Andrew H A
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Clayton
authors.forename: Benjamin W
authors.initials: BW
authors.lastname: Muir
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mulvaney
mesh_terms: D003102:Colloids / Q000737:chemistry; D003460:Crystallization / Q000379:methods*; D046911:Macromolecular Substances / Q000737:chemistry; D008968:Molecular Conformation; D049329:Nanostructures / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D036103:Nanotechnology / Q000379:methods*; D010316:Particle Size; D011108:Polymers / Q000737:chemistry*; D012666:Semiconductors; D012995:Solubility; D013499:Surface Properties; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D003102:Colloids; D046911:Macromolecular Substances; D011108:Polymers; D014867:Water