Self-Assembly of Asymmetrically Functionalized Titania Nanoparticles into Nanoshells

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

SLU Authors

• Svensson, Fredric

  • Department of Molecular Sciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

• Seisenbaeva, Gulaim

  • Department of Molecular Sciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

• Kotov, Nicholas

  • Department of Molecular Sciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

• Kessler, Vadim

  • Department of Molecular Sciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

UKÄ Subject classification

Nano-technology

Publication identifier

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

Permanent link to this page (URI)

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