I-Corps: Automated Nanoparticle Synthesis

这个i-Corps项目的更广泛的影响/商业潜力是开发一种专为学术、小规模和政府实验室设计的金属纳米颗粒合成器。目前，学术和小规模实验室要么购买纳米颗粒，要么手动合成纳米颗粒以供利用。然而，用户报告说，购买的纳米颗粒成本高，质量参差不齐，人工合成纳米颗粒被发现是费力的，需要进行广泛的培训才能生产出具有一致性能的可行纳米颗粒。拟议的技术使这一过程自动化，并消除了人工干预的需要。此外，通过提供批次之间的重现性和对生产的纳米颗粒的物理尺寸的控制，该过程可能使研究人员能够产生更准确和一致的结果。这可能会对先进的生物传感器、纳米医学和靶向药物输送系统的发展产生影响，并改善医疗保健结果。这个i-Corps项目是基于自动化金属纳米颗粒合成器的开发。这项拟议的技术旨在提高纳米颗粒生产的效率，按需向实验室供应颗粒，并减少与外包纳米颗粒合成相关的时间和成本。此外，拟议的工艺可以加强对合成过程的控制，包括纳米颗粒的尺寸、形貌和组成，从而能够针对特定的研究要求进行定制。所提出的合成器已经被证明可以产生100毫升直径20 nm的金纳米颗粒。此外，它还配备了自动热床，具有反馈控制和精确的蠕动泵，可精确调节合成温度和最佳试剂输送，从而确保卓越的质量并将批次之间的变异性降至最低。这项拟议的技术可能会改变实验室中的纳米粒子生产，促进基于纳米技术的研究和创新。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The broader impact/commercial potential of this I-Corps project is the development of a metallic nanoparticle synthesizer designed for academic, small-scale, and government laboratories. Currently, academic and small-scale laboratories either purchase or manually synthesize nanoparticles for utilization. However, users report high expense and variations in quality from purchased nanoparticles, and manually synthesizing nanoparticles was found to be laborious and necessitated extensive training to yield viable nanoparticles with consistent performance. The proposed technology automates the process and eliminates the need for manual intervention. In addition, the process may enable researchers to generate more accurate and consistent results by providing batch-to-batch reproducibility and control over the physical dimensions of the nanoparticles produced. This may have an impact on the development of advanced biosensors, nanomedicine, and targeted drug delivery systems and improve healthcare outcomes.This I-Corps project is based on the development of an automated metallic nanoparticle synthesizer. The proposed technology is designed to enhance efficiency of nanoparticle production, supplying laboratories with particles on demand and reducing the time and expense associated with outsourcing nanoparticle synthesis. In addition, the proposed process may enhance control over the synthesis process, including the dimensions, morphology, and composition of the nanoparticles, enabling customization for specific research requirements. The proposed synthesizer has been shown to generate 100 mL of 20 nm diameter gold nanoparticles. Additionally, it is equipped with an automated heat bed featuring feedback control and precise peristaltic pumps for accurate regulation of synthesis temperature and optimal reagent delivery, which may ensure superior quality and minimize batch-to-batch variability. The proposed technology may transform nanoparticle production in laboratories, facilitating nanotechnology-based research and innovation.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.