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Synthesis of Fluorescent PMMA‐Based Nanoparticles
Author(s) -
Dossi Marco,
Ferrari Raffaele,
Dragoni Luca,
Martigi Carlotta,
Gaetani Paolo,
D'Incalci Maurizio,
Morbidelli Massimo,
Moscatelli Davide
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
macromolecular materials and engineering
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.913
H-Index - 96
eISSN - 1439-2054
pISSN - 1438-7492
DOI - 10.1002/mame.201200122
Subject(s) - monomer , fluorescence , materials science , polymerization , emulsion polymerization , emulsion , rhodamine , acrylate , pulmonary surfactant , nanoparticle , rhodamine b , polymer chemistry , biocompatible material , chemical engineering , polymer , chemistry , nanotechnology , organic chemistry , biomedical engineering , medicine , physics , catalysis , quantum mechanics , photocatalysis , engineering , composite material
The synthesis of PMMA‐based nanoparticles (NPs) covalently labeled with a fluorescent dye is investigated for imaging applications such as cell uptake and biodistribution. Batch emulsion polymerization (BEP) and monomer‐starved semi‐batch emulsion polymerization (MSSEP) are adopted using SDS. Fluorescent properties are added to these NPs using Rhodamine‐B (RhB) as a fluorescent dye covalently bonded to 2‐hyroxyethyl‐acrylate. The resulting HEMA‐RhB monomer is copolymerized with MMA via BEP and MSSEP to synthesize fluorescent NPs. Subsequently, SDS is substituted with a biocompatible surfactant, Tween80, through ionic‐exchange resins. ζ ‐Potential measurements confirmed the complete surfactant exchange that leads to biocompatible fluorescent NPs with tunable size and narrow size distribution.