A New Approach to Functionalized Organic and Metal Nanoparticles

在这个由化学系大分子、超分子和纳米化学项目资助的项目中，Steven C.伊利诺伊大学的齐默尔曼将创造一种制备有机纳米颗粒的新方法。该方法涉及官能化单体的开环易位聚合，随后是一系列广泛的颗粒内交联反应。待开发的有机纳米颗粒与先前描述的根本不同（例如，树枝状聚合物、纳米晶体、分子组件等）因为通过合成，它们的尺寸可以控制在1至100纳米，并且它们的柔性可以通过控制交联程度而完全可调。化学性质也足够灵活，以允许合成两部分或Janus有机纳米颗粒，并允许一个或多个附着到有机纳米颗粒的表面和内部。 更广泛的影响包括培训本科生和研究生，通过纳入来自化学科学中代表性不足的群体的研究人员来扩大参与，并继续为代表性不足的少数民族学生提供研究学徒计划。纳米粒子是指尺寸在1- 10微米范围内的材料。100纳米，并有许多潜在的应用，包括支持化学合成，光捕获天线，平台的新的生物医学成像剂，药物封装和触发释放系统。该项目旨在研究如何在高度控制其尺寸和化学特性的情况下制备纳米颗粒。 该项目研究的纳米颗粒由有机前体制成，预计无毒，对环境的影响最小。

In this project funded by the Macromolecular, Supramolecular, and Nanochemistry Program of the Chemistry Division, Steven C. Zimmerman of the University of Illinois will create a new method for preparing organic nanoparticles. The approach involves the ring-opening metathesis polymerization of a functionalized monomer followed by an extensive series of intra-particle cross-linking reactions. The organic nanoparticles to be developed are fundamentally different than previously described (e.g., dendrimers, nanocrystals, molecular assemblies, etc.) because through the synthesis their size can be controlled from 1 to 100 nanometers and their flexibility is full tunable by controlling the extent of cross-linking. The chemistry is also sufficiently flexible to allow the synthesis of two-part or Janus organic nanoparticles and to allow one or more attachments to the surface and interior of the organic nanoparticle. The broader impacts involve training undergraduate and graduate students, broadening participation through the inclusion of research personnel from groups underrepresented in the chemical science, and continuing a research apprenticeship program for underrepresented minority students at the University of Illinois, Department of Chemistry.Nanoparticles are materials whose dimensions fall into the range of 1-100 nanometers and have many potential applications including supports for chemical synthesis, light harvesting antennae, platforms for new biomedical imaging agents, and drug encapsulation and triggered release systems. This project aims to study how nanoparticles can be prepared with a very high degree of control over their size and chemical characteristics. The nanoparticles to be studied in this project are made from organic precursors and are expected to be nontoxic and have minimal environmental impact.