Cross-linked polymeric nanoparticles and metal nanoparticles derived therefrom

• US 7,189,279 B2
• Filed: 05/28/2001
• Issued: 03/13/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/26/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: G-Nano LLC
• Original Assignee: G-Nano LLC
• Inventors: Guillet, James E.
• Primary Examiner(s): MAI, NGOCLAN THI
• Application Number:
  US10/275,978
• Publication Number:
  US 20030177868A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,115 Days
• Field of Search: 752/55, 753/45, 753/63, 753/70, 525/329.1, 525/329.4, 525/329.9, 525/330.9, 977/776, 977/777
• US Class Current: 75/343
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 9/5138 obtained by reactions only involving carbon-to-carbon unsaturated bonds, e.g. polyvinyl pyrrolidone, poly(meth)acrylates
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 9/5192 Processes
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 13/18 In situ polymerisation with all reactants being present in the same phase
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 1/054 Nanosized particles
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 1/0545 Dispersions or suspensions of nanosized particles
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 1/056 Submicron particles having a size above 100 nm up to 300 nm
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 2202/11 Use of irradiation
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 2998/00 Supplementary information concerning processes or compositions relating to powder metallurgy
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 2999/00 Aspects linked to processes or compositions used in powder metallurgy
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 9/18 with reduction of metal compounds
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 9/24 starting from liquid metal compounds, e.g. solutions
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 9/30 with decomposition of metal compounds, e.g. by pyrolysis
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 30/00 Nanotechnology for materials or surface science, e.g. nanocomposites
• CPC Class Codes: C08F 220/06 Acrylic acid; Methacrylic acid; Metal salts or ammonium salts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 3/14 by precipitation from solutions C08J3/122 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C09D 11/30 Inkjet printing inks
• CPC Class Codes: C09D 11/32 characterised by colouring agents
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 977/776 Ceramic powder or flake
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 977/777 Metallic powder or flake

Abstract

There are provided internally cross-linked, stable polymeric materials, in the form of substantially spherical particles, each particle consisting essentially of a single macromolecule. They have the unusual property of being soluble or dispersible in a liquid medium without significantly increasing the viscosity of the medium, rendering them potentially useful in imaging applications such as ink jet printers. They can be prepared by dissolving polymeric material in a solvent system to form a solution of the polymeric material at a concentration therein of less than the critical concentration for the polymer, causing the polymeric material to contract into an approximately spheroidal conformation in solution, cross-linking the polymeric material in solution in said spheroidal conformation so assumed, and recovering stable, cross-linked approximately spheroidal polymeric particles from the solution.

Claims

1. A method of making an internally cross-linked single polymer molecule having a size of from about 0.1 to about 10 nm comprising:

(a) providing a polymer molecule;

(b) causing said polymer molecule to condense to form a condensed single polymer molecule; and

(c) internally cross-linking said condensed single polymer molecule to form said cross-linked single polymer molecule.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said cross-linked single polymer molecule is substantially spherical.

3. A method of making a metal particle having a size of from about 0.1 to about 10 nm comprising:

(a) providing an internally cross-linked single polymer molecule;

(b) contacting said single polymer molecule with a metal salt to incorporate said metal salt into said single polymer molecule;

(c) causing said metal salt incorporated in said single polymer molecule to form a metal particle having a size of from about 0.1 to about 10 nm.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein step (c) comprises heating the single polymer molecule having the metal salt incorporated therein.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said heating removes said polymer by pyrolosis.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein said heating is conducted in a reducing atmosphere.

7. The method of claim 3, wherein step (c) comprises irradiating the single polymer molecule having the metal salt incorporated therein.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the irradiation comprises T irradiation.

9. Internally cross-linked, particulate, single polymer molecules having substantially spheroidal particle shapes, said particles having the ability to be dispersed in a liquid medium without significantly changing the viscosity of the medium, said macromolecular particles further comprising a polyelectrolyte.

10. An internally cross-linked single polymer molecule having a size of from about 0.1 to about 10 nm, wherein the polymer is a polymer or copolymer derived from a monomer or monomers selected from the group consisting of styrene, vinyl naphthalene, styrene sulphonate, acrylic acid, methacrylic acid, acrylate, methacrylate, acrylamide, methacrylamide and acrylonitrile.

13. The cross-linked single polymer molecule of claim 10, wherein said acrylamide comprises an N-loweralkyl acrylamide.

11. An internally cross-linked single polymer molecule having a size of from about 0.1 to about 10 nm, further comprising a metal or metal salt.

14. The cross-linked single polymer molecule of claim 11, wherein said metal or metal salt is selected from the group consisting of silver, iron, copper, gold, palladium, platinum, titanium and molybdenum or a salt thereof.

12. An internally cross-linked single polymer molecule having a size of from about 0.1 to about 10 nm.