Nanoparticles for multiple immunolabeling and nucleation of polymer crystallization

 

M. Šlouf1, H.Vlková1, E.Pavlova1, M.Hrubý1, A.Sikora1, A.Jigounov1, T.Baše2, F.Novotný3, I.Šloufová4

 

1Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry, Academy of Sciences of the Czech

Republic, Heyrovsky Sq. 2, 162 06 Prague 6, Czech Republic

2 Institute of Inorganic Chemistry, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic,

250 68 Husinec-Rez 1001, Czech Republic

3 Czech Technical University in Prague, FNSPE, Břehová 7, 11519 Prague, Czech Republic

4 Department of Physical and Macromolecular Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Charles University in Prague, Hlavova 2030, 12840 Prague 2, Czech Republic

slouf@imc.cas.cz

 

Metallic nanoparticles combine large surface/volume ratio with specific chemical, electronic and optical properties. We describe preparation and characterization of gold, silver and palladium nanoparticles with tunable sizes and/or shapes. It is demonstrated how the nanoparticles are employed in two different fields of research: (a) multiple immunolabeling in biology and (b) nucleation of polypropylene crystallization in polymer science.  

In our previous studies, we described numerous nanoparticle syntheses, such as preparation of isometric Au nanoparticles with tunable size within range 4-200 nm [1, 2], isometric Ag nanoparticles [3], isometric Pd nanoparticles with tunable size 3–16 nm [3, 4], isometric core-shell (Ag)Au nanoparticles [5], Pd nanocubes [3] and Au nanorods [6]. The nanoparticles were usually characterized microscopic, spectroscopic and diffraction methods. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) bright field images of selected metallic nanoparticles are given in Fig. 1.

Figure 1. TEM micrographs showing (a) Ag isometric nanoparticles, (b) Pd nanocubes and (c) Au nanorods; the particles were deposited on an electron-transparent carbon film before observation.

In this contribution, we demonstrate how various diffraction/scattering techniques helped to characterize the structure, size, stability, and nucleation effects of the prepared nanoparticles. Selected area electron diffraction (SAED) and apertureless electron diffraction (ED) verified the structure of synthesized nanoparticles [3]. Quasi-elastic light scattering (QELS) and small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) proved the stability of nanoparticle colloidal solutions, which are used during multiple immunolabeling [1-4]. Two-dimensional wide-angle X-ray scattering (2D-WAXS) was employed in quantification of Au-nucleated crystallization of isotactic polypropylene [7-9].

References

1.     Slouf M, Kuzel R, Matej Z: Preparation and characterization of isometric gold nanoparticles with precalculated size. Z. Kristallogr. Suppl. 23, 2006, 319-324.

2.     Slouf M, Plestil J, Synkova H, Kumstatova J, Eklova S: SAXS and QELS Study of Au and UHMWPE particles; Struktura 2005 - 32. Kolokvium České a Slovenské krystalografické společnosti, Třešť, 20.6. - 23.6.2005, Czech Republic; Materials Structure, vol. 12, no. 2, pp. 82-85, 2005.

3.     Hozak P, Slouf M, Nebesarova J, Mosa M, Krivjanska M (2010): Soubor vzájemně rozlišitelných nanočástic, způsob jejich přípravy a jejich použití pro vícenásobné ultrastrukturální značení Czech patent application PV 2010-647.

4.     Slouf M, Pavlova E, Bhardwaj MS, Plestil J, Onderkova H, Philimonenko AA, Hozak P: Preparation of stable Pd nanoparticles with tunable size for multiple immunolabeling in biomedicine. Materials Letters 65 (2011) 1197-1200.

5.     Slouf M, Sloufova I, Hozak P, Nebesarova J (2010): Soubor tří vzájemně mikroskopicky rozlišitelných nanočástic se zlatým povrchem pro současné trojnásobné imunoznačení. Czech utility model CZ 21822 (from 2011).

6.     Slouf M, Novotny F, Hozak P, Nebesarova J (2010):  Soubor tří vzájemně mikroskopicky rozlišitelných nanočástic se zlatým povrchem pro současné trojnásobné imunoznačení. Czech utility model CZ 21823 (from 2011).

7.     Pavlova E, Slouf M, Sandova H et al: Nucleation of PP with Au-nanoparticles. Part 1: Introduction of sandwich method for evaluation of very weak nucleation activity J. Macromol. Sci. Phys., 49 (2010) 392–404.

8.     Masirek R; Szkudlarek E; Piorkowska E et al: Nucleation of isotactic polypropylene crystallization by Au nanoparticles. J. Polym. Sci. Part B: Polym. Phys. 48 (2010) 469–478.

9.     Slouf M, Sikora A, Pavlova E, Vlkova H, Baldrian J, Base T, Piorkowska E: Nucleated crystallization of isotactic polypropylene in multilayered sandwich nanocomposites with gold particles. J. Appl. Pol. Sci, 2011, submitted.

 

Acknowledgements.

KAN200520704, GACR P205/10/0348, GACR P208/10/0941.