title: Preparation of Super-Stable Gold Nanorods via Encapsulation into Block Copolymer Micelles.
abstract: Gold nanorods (GNRs) have the potential to be used as imaging and hyperthermia agents for cancer theranostics. Clinical applications of as-synthesized GNRs (i.e., cetyl trimethylammonium bromide (CTAB)-coated GNRs) are currently limited by their cytotoxicity and insufficient colloidal stability. With an aim to address these problems, we developed a self-assembly processing technique for encapsulating GNRs in poly(ethylene oxide)-poly(n-butyl acrylate) (PEO-PnBA) block copolymer (BCP) micelles. This technique uses simple steps of solvent exchange processes, based on the known principles of block copolymer self-assembly. The resultant BCP-encapsulated GNRs were found to be stable against aggregation under physiological salt conditions for indefinite periods of time, which has rarely previously been achieved by other means of encapsulation.
authors.forename: Dae Hwan
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.forename: You-Yeon
authors.initials: YY
authors.lastname: Won
mesh_terms: D000179:Acrylates / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry*; D000077286:Cetrimonium; D002593:Cetrimonium Compounds / Q000737:chemistry; D060326:Chemistry Techniques, Synthetic; D006046:Gold / Q000737:chemistry*; D008823:Micelles; D043942:Nanotubes / Q000737:chemistry*; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry*; D058105:Polymerization; D011108:Polymers / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D000179:Acrylates; D002593:Cetrimonium Compounds; D008823:Micelles; D011108:Polymers; C498324:poly(n-butyl acrylate); D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D006046:Gold; D000077286:Cetrimonium