Photo-sensitive ligands on nanoparticles for achieving triggered emulsion inversion.
A photocleavable ligand containing an o-nitroveratryl (oNV) linker was synthesized and used to functionalize CdSe quantum dots (QDs) to achieve liquid-liquid interface stabilization and the formation of stable water-in-oil (w/o) emulsion droplets. Ligand cleavage upon irradiation of the droplets at 365 nm led to an increase of QD hydrophilicity, and a subsequent emulsion inversion to give oil-in-water (o/w) droplets. The fluorescence of functionalized QDs, initially quenched due to the presence of the oNV group, is turned-on after irradiation and linker cleavage. Photocleavage was monitored by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, and liquid-liquid interface stabilization was evaluated by interfacial tension measurements by pendant drop tensiometry.
Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, University of Massachusetts Amherst, 120 Governors Drive, Amherst, MA 01003, USA.
Caroline
C
Miesch
Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, University of Massachusetts Amherst, 120 Governors Drive, Amherst, MA 01003, USA. Electronic address: tsemrick@mail.pse.umass.edu.
Todd
T
Emrick
D004655:Emulsions; D057927:Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions; D008024:Ligands; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D053758:Nanoparticles; D055668:Photochemical Processes
D004655:Emulsions; D008024:Ligands
Emulsion; Emulsion inversion; Fluorescence quenching; Fluorescence turn-on; Photocleavable linker; Quantum dots