COATED WATER SOLUBLE NANOPARTICLES

• US 20110073811A1
• Filed: 09/23/2010
• Published: 03/31/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/04/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Agency For Science Technology and Research (Government of Singapore)
• Original Assignee: Agency For Science Technology and Research (Government of Singapore)
• Inventors: Tan, Timothy T., Selvan, Subramanian T., Ying, Jackie Y.
• Application Number:
  US12/888,871
• Publication Number:
  US 20110073811A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 252/500
• CPC Class Codes: C30B 29/60 characterised by shape
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 977/773 Nanoparticle, i.e. structure having three dimensions of 100 nm or less
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 977/777 Metallic powder or flake
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2991 Coated
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2993 Silicic or refractory material containing [e.g., tungsten oxide, glass, cement, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2998 including synthetic resin or polymer

Abstract

Nanoparticles and methods of making nanoparticles are provided. The nanoparticles may include semiconductor nanocrystals. A shell may encapsulate a nanoparticle core, and the shell may include non-organic material and may be silica. The shell may also include additional species such as PEG. In some embodiments, a passivation layer is in contact with the core.

Claims

1. A semiconductor nanocrystal solution comprising:

an aqueous solution having a pH of less than about 8.0;

a plurality of semiconductor nanocrystals dissolved in the aqueous solution wherein at least 90% of the semiconductor nanocrystals, by weight, remain dissolved for greater than 6 hours.

2. The semiconductor nanocrystal solution of claim 1 wherein the aqueous solution is a biological fluid.

3. The semiconductor nanocrystal solution of claim 1 wherein the aqueous solution is mammalian blood.

4. The semiconductor nanocrystal solution of claim 1 wherein the aqueous solution has a pH of less than equal to 7.0.

5. The semiconductor nanocrystal solution of claim 1 wherein the semiconductor nanocrystals comprise polyethylene glycol.

6. A semiconductor nanocrystal wherein the nanocrystal is soluble in water at a pH of less than about 8.0.

7. The semiconductor nanocrystal of claim 6 wherein the nanocrystal comprises a shell comprising silica.

8. The semiconductor nanocrystal of claim 7 wherein the shell includes a polyethylene glycol.

9. The semiconductor nanocrystal of claim 8 wherein the polyethylene glycol has a molecular weight of about 5,000 to 10,000.

10. A nanoparticle comprising a silica shell encapsulating a core, the silica shell including polyethylene glycol, or a derivative thereof.

11. The nanoparticle of claim 10 wherein the polyethylene glycol has a molecular weight of about 5,000 to about 10,000.