Phase-change nanoparticle
First Claim
1. Apparatus comprising:
- a nanoparticle configured to be administered to a body of a subject, the nanoparticle comprising;
a phase-change-material layer that comprises a phase-change material that is configured to absorb latent heat of fusion by undergoing a phase change selected from the group consisting of;
solid to liquid, and gel to liquid, the phase-change occurring at a phase-change temperature of between 42°
C. and 80°
C.; and
an nano-sphere layer disposed around the phase-change-material layer,the nano-sphere layer comprising a plurality of nano-spheres of at least one metal,the nanoparticle having a volume of at least 65,000 nm3, andthe nanoparticle being elongatable into an ellipsoid, such that when the nanoparticle is maximally elongated;
each of the semi-axes defined by the ellipsoid is greater than 5 nm, andat least two of the semi axes of the ellipsoid are less than 30 nm.
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Abstract
Apparatus and methods are described for use with a subject suffering from cancer. A nanoparticle (22) includes an inner core (30) that comprises a phase-change material that is configured to absorb latent heat of fusion by undergoing a phase change. An outer layer (32) disposed around the inner core includes a plurality of nano-spheres (34) of at least one metal, and a plurality of molecules (38) of a substance that binds preferentially with cancerous cells relative to non-cancerous cells. The nanoparticle has a volume of at least 65,000 nm3 and is elongatable into an ellipsoid, such that, when the nanoparticle is maximally elongated, each of the semi-axes defined by the ellipsoid is greater than 5 nm, and at least two of the semi axes of the ellipsoid are less than 30 nm. Other applications are also described.
86 Citations
30 Claims
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1. Apparatus comprising:
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a nanoparticle configured to be administered to a body of a subject, the nanoparticle comprising; a phase-change-material layer that comprises a phase-change material that is configured to absorb latent heat of fusion by undergoing a phase change selected from the group consisting of;
solid to liquid, and gel to liquid, the phase-change occurring at a phase-change temperature of between 42°
C. and 80°
C.; andan nano-sphere layer disposed around the phase-change-material layer, the nano-sphere layer comprising a plurality of nano-spheres of at least one metal, the nanoparticle having a volume of at least 65,000 nm3, and the nanoparticle being elongatable into an ellipsoid, such that when the nanoparticle is maximally elongated; each of the semi-axes defined by the ellipsoid is greater than 5 nm, and at least two of the semi axes of the ellipsoid are less than 30 nm. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A method for use with a body of a subject, the method comprising:
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administering at least one nanoparticle to the subject'"'"'s body, the nanoparticle including; a phase-change-material layer that includes a phase-change material that is configured to absorb latent heat of fusion, by undergoing a phase change selected from the group consisting of;
solid to liquid, and gel to liquid, the phase-change occurring at a phase-change temperature of between 42°
C. and 80°
C., anda nano-sphere layer disposed around the inner core, the nano-sphere layer including a plurality of nano-spheres of at least one metal, each of the nanoparticles having a volume of at least 65,000 nm3, and the nanoparticle being elongatable into an ellipsoid, such that when the nanoparticle is maximally elongated; each of the semi-axes defined by the ellipsoid is greater than 5 nm, and at least two of the semi axes of the ellipsoid are less than 30 nm; and subsequent to administering the nanoparticle to the subject, heating at least a portion of the subject'"'"'s body to the phase-change temperature of the phase-change material, using a heating device. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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Specification