A New Approach to Functionalized Organic and Metal Nanoparticles

在这项由化学系高分子、超分子和纳米化学计划资助的项目中，伊利诺伊大学的史蒂文·C·齐默尔曼将创造一种制备有机纳米颗粒的新方法。该方法包括官能化单体的开环易位聚合，然后是一系列广泛的颗粒内交联反应。将要开发的有机纳米粒子与之前描述的完全不同(例如，树枝状大分子、纳米晶体、分子组装等)。因为通过合成，它们的尺寸可以控制在1到100纳米之间，并且通过控制交联度可以完全调节它们的灵活性。化学也足够灵活，允许合成两部分或Janus有机纳米颗粒，并允许一种或多种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，通过纳入化学科学中代表性较低的群体的研究人员来扩大参与，以及继续在伊利诺伊大学化学系为代表性较低的少数族裔学生开展研究学徒计划。纳米颗粒是尺寸在1-100纳米范围内的材料，具有许多潜在的应用，包括支持化学合成、捕光天线、新型生物医学显像剂的平台，以及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纳米颗粒的大小和化学特性的情况下制备纳米颗粒。该项目中要研究的纳米颗粒是由有机前体制成的，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.