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Polylactide‐Based Nanoparticles with Tailor‐Made Functionalization
Author(s) -
Beer Veronika,
Koynov Kaloian,
Steffen Werner,
Landfester Katharina,
Musyanovych Anna
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
macromolecular chemistry and physics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.57
H-Index - 112
eISSN - 1521-3935
pISSN - 1022-1352
DOI - 10.1002/macp.201500153
Subject(s) - nanoparticle , miniemulsion , dynamic light scattering , surface modification , polymer , chemical engineering , ionic strength , materials science , fluorescence , nanotechnology , polymer chemistry , fluorescence correlation spectroscopy , aqueous solution , chemistry , molecule , organic chemistry , monomer , physics , quantum mechanics , engineering
Biocompatible polymer nanoparticles are of high interest in chemical, biological, and medical research as potential drug delivery systems. These nanoparticles must be nontoxic and metabolizable. Poly(lactic acid) (PLA) meets these requirements and therefore is widely used for biomedical applications. The miniemulsion/solvent evaporation procedure is a very efficient approach to produce PLA nanoparticles with controlled size and morphology using preformed polymer. In this paper, the synthesis of PLA‐based nanoparticles functionalized with either carboxyl groups or fluorescent molecules is presented. Both functionalities are covalently attached to the particle, thus any physical desorption and leakage of the dye upon storage or experiments performed under physiological conditions, for example during uptake by living cells, can be avoided. The fluorescence properties and stability of the obtained nanoparticles in aqueous solutions with different ionic strength are studied by fluorescence correlation spectroscopy and dynamic light scattering.