Electrophoretic Interpretation of PEGylated NP Structure with and without Peripheral Charge.
Anchoring poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) to inorganic nanoparticles (NPs) permits control over NP properties for a variety of technological applications. However, the core-shell structure tremendously complicates the interpretation of the ubiquitous ζ-potential, as furnished by electrophoretic light-scattering, capillary electrophoresis or gel electrophoresis. To advance the ζ-potential-and the more fundamental electrophoretic mobility-as a quantitative diagnostic for PEGylated NPs, we synthesized and characterized Au NPs bearing terminally anchored 5 kDa PEG ligands with univalent carboxymethyl end groups. Using the electrophoretic mobilities, acquired over a wide range of ionic strengths, we developed a theoretical model for the distributions of polymer segments, charge, electrostatic potential, and osmotic pressure that envelop the core: knowledge that will help to improve the performance of soft NPs in fundamental research and technological applications.
Department of Chemical Engineering, McGill University , 3610 University Street, Montreal, Québec H3A 0C5, Canada.
Reghan J
RJ
Hill
Department of Chemical Engineering, McGill University , 3610 University Street, Montreal, Québec H3A 0C5, Canada.
Fei
F
Li
Department of Chemistry, Case Western Reserve University , 10900 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, Ohio 44106, United States.
Tennyson L
TL
Doane
Department of Chemistry, Case Western Reserve University , 10900 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, Ohio 44106, United States.
Clemens
C
Burda
D004586:Electrophoresis; D019075:Electrophoresis, Capillary; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry*; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000737:chemistry*
D011092:Polyethylene Glycols