Fabrication and characterization of quantum dots-bound hydrogels with fluorescent and temperature-sensitive functionalities.
In this work, dual-functional composite particles possessing fluorescence and temperature-sensitive functionalities were developed in the form of QD-bound hydrogels for biomedical applications. First, the surface of silica nanoparticles (SNPs) was functionalized with olefin silanes, followed by hydrogel encapsulation through a radical polymerization. The encapsulated hydrogels were poly(N- isopropylacrylamide-co-acrylic acid) P(NIPAM-co-AAc) copolymer, showing the sensitive volume changes corresponding to the alternating temperature changes between 25 degrees C and 45 degrees C. At an optimal pH5, the hydrogel-encapsulated SNPs (SiO2@hydrogel) were effectively anchored by amino quantum dots (amino-QDs) through electrostatic (attractive) interactions between carboxylate groups of hydrogels and amine groups of QDs. QD-bound hydrogels with co-monomer ratio of [NIPAM:AAc = 83:17 wt%] exhibited the higher PL intensity than other samples with [NIPAM:AAc = 96:4 wt% or 91:9 wt%], indicating that higher fraction of carboxylate groups by AAc induced the effective bounding with QDs possessing positively charged amine groups.
Ji-Hye
JH
Yoo
Sang-Wha
SW
Lee
D000178:Acrylamides / Q000737:chemistry; D000475:Alkenes / Q000737:chemistry; D020100:Hydrogels / Q000737:chemistry*; D008689:Methacrylates / Q000737:chemistry; D036103:Nanotechnology; D017646:Organosilicon Compounds / Q000737:chemistry; D011108:Polymers / Q000737:chemistry; D045663:Quantum Dots / Q000737:chemistry*; D012822:Silicon Dioxide / Q000737:chemistry; D013050:Spectrometry, Fluorescence; D013696:Temperature
D000178:Acrylamides; D000475:Alkenes; D020100:Hydrogels; D008689:Methacrylates; C090629:N-isopropylacrylamide-acrylic acid copolymer; D017646:Organosilicon Compounds; D011108:Polymers; D012822:Silicon Dioxide; C505504:3-(trimethoxysilyl)propyl methacrylate