Macromolecular Rapid Communications, Vol.29, No.22, 1793-1797, 2008
Hybrid Compound Block Copolymer Micelles Encapsulating Gold Nanoparticles
We report here on the formation of hybrid compound block copolymer micelles encapsulating gold nanoparticles, utilizing a direct and general preparation method. The giant hybrid compound micelles are structured with micelles of PS-b-P2VP with gold nanoparticles in their P2VP core and PI-b-PS chains as the outer part of the compound micelles. The gold nanoparticles were produced using gold ion-loaded PS-b-P2VP micelles as a nanoreactor, in a PS selective solvent (toluene), by the subsequent reduction of gold ions. The synthesis of the gold nanoparticles was monitored by UV-vis spectroscopy. The gold containing micelles were then encapsulated in larger micelles of PI-b-PS copolymer, by successive utilization of toluene and heptane with the intermediate evaporation of toluene. The nanoassembly of the compound materials comprised a PI Corona and a PS compound core, with P2VP/Au-0 domains, and was characterized using UV-vis spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering and transmission electron microscopy.