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Research article - Peer-reviewed, 2020

Self-Assembly of Asymmetrically Functionalized Titania Nanoparticles into Nanoshells

Svensson, Fredric G.; Seisenbaeva, Gulaim A.; Kotov, Nicholas A.; Kessler, Vadim G.

Abstract

Titania (anatase) nanoparticles were anisotropically functionalized in water-toluene Pickering emulsions to self-assemble into nanoshells with diameters from 500 nm to 3 mu m as candidates for encapsulation of drugs and other compounds. The water-phase contained a hydrophilic ligand, glucose-6-phosphate, while the toluene-phase contained a hydrophobic ligand, n-dodecylphosphonic acid. The addition of a dilute sodium alginate suspension that provided electrostatic charge was essential for the self-limited assembly of the nanoshells. The self-assembled spheres were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, elemental mapping, and atomic force microscopy. Drug release studies using tetracycline suggest a rapid release dominated by surface desorption.

Keywords

self-assembly; nanoshells (hollow spheres); janus particles; pickering emulsion

Published in

Materials
2020, volume: 13, number: 21, article number: 4856
Publisher: MDPI

Authors' information

Svensson, Fredric
Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Department of Molecular Sciences
Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Department of Molecular Sciences
Kotov, Nicholas
Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Department of Molecular Sciences
Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Department of Molecular Sciences

UKÄ Subject classification

Nano-technology

Publication Identifiers

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/ma13214856

URI (permanent link to this page)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/112373