title: PEGylation of carboxylic acid-functionalized germanium nanowires.
abstract: Germanium (Ge) nanowires were produced in solution by supercritical fluid-liquid-solid (SFLS) growth and then functionalized with carboxylic acid groups by in situ thermal thiolation with mercaptoundecanoic acid. Polyethylene glycol (PEG) was grafted to the carboxylic acid-terminated Ge nanowires using carbodiimide coupling chemistry. The nanowires were characterized using attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) to confirm the surface modification of the nanowires. Dispersions of PEGylated Ge nanowires in dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) were stable for days. The PEGylated Ge nanowires were also dispersible in aqueous solution over a wide range of pH and ionic strength.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical Engineering, Texas Materials Institute, and Center for Nano- and Molecular Science and Technology, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712-1062, USA.
authors.forename: Vincent C
authors.initials: VC
authors.lastname: Holmberg
authors.forename: Michael R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Rasch
authors.forename: Brian A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Korgel
mesh_terms: D002264:Carboxylic Acids / Q000737:chemistry*; D005857:Germanium / Q000737:chemistry*; D053770:Nanowires / Q000737:chemistry*; D010316:Particle Size; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000737:chemistry*; D013499:Surface Properties
chemical_list: D002264:Carboxylic Acids; D005857:Germanium; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols