title: Synthesis of colloidal silica nanoparticles of a tunable mesopore size and their application to the adsorption of biomolecules.
abstract: A synthetic method for the fabrication of colloidal mesoporous silica nanoparticles of a tunable mesopore size is presented. These nanoparticles form stable colloidal suspensions, have narrow particle size distributions in the 50-300nm range and exhibit a framework-confined porosity made up of large mesopores with a diameter of up to 9nm. The size of the mesopores was enlarged by means of two different swelling agents (SA), i.e. 1,3,5-trimethylbenzene (TMB) and N,N-dimethylhexadecylamine (DMHA). Colloidal mesoporous silica nanoparticles exhibit a strong affinity for the adsorption of hemoglobin (Hb) and the immobilization of lysozyme (Lz). These nanoparticles can adsorb up to 2080mgHbg(-1) support and 690mgLzg(-1) support. Moreover, the adsorption of these biomolecules on silica nanoparticles occurs very quickly and most of what is adsorbed is accommodated on the external surface area of the silica nanoparticles.
authors.affiliation: Instituto Nacional del Carbón (CSIC), P.O. Box 73, 33080 Oviedo, Spain. abefu@incar.csic.es
authors.forename: Antonio B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Fuertes
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Valle-Vigón
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sevilla
mesh_terms: D000327:Adsorption; D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D002645:Chickens; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000737:chemistry; D009113:Muramidase / Q000737:chemistry; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D010316:Particle Size; D016062:Porosity; D012822:Silicon Dioxide / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D006454:Hemoglobins; D012822:Silicon Dioxide; D009113:Muramidase