TY - JOUR
T1 - Scalable synthesis of multicomponent multifunctional inorganic core@mesoporous silica shell nanocomposites
AU - Zeng, Muling
AU - Shu, Ying
AU - Parra-Robert, Marina
AU - Desai, Diti
AU - Zhou, Hongzhi
AU - Li, Qihong
AU - Rong, Zhifeng
AU - Ṣen Karaman, Didem
AU - Yang, Huiling
AU - Peng, Jingbao
AU - Fernández-Varo, Guillermo
AU - Jiménez, Wladimiro
AU - Casals, Gregori
AU - Puntes, Víctor
AU - Rosenholm, Jessica
AU - Casals Mercadal, Eudald
PY - 2021/6/24
Y1 - 2021/6/24
N2 - Integrating multiple materials with different functionalities in a single nanostructure enables advances in many scientific and technological applications. However, such highly sophisticated nanomaterials usually require complex synthesis processes that complicate their preparation in a sustainable and industrially feasible manner. Herein, we designed a simple general method to grow a mesoporous silica shell onto any combination of hydrophilic nanoparticle cores. The synthetic strategy, based on the adjustment of the key parameters of the sol-gel process for the silica shell formation, allows for the embedment of single, double, and triple inorganic nanoparticles within the same shell, as well as the size-control of the obtained nanocomposites. No additional interfacial adhesive layer is required on the nanoparticle surfaces for the embedding process. Adopting this approach, electrostatically stabilized, small-sized (from 4 to 15 nm) CeO2, Fe3O4, Gd2O3, NaYF4, Au, and Ag cores were used to test the methodology. The mean diameter of the resulting nanocomposites could be as low as 55 nm, with high monodispersity. These are very feasible sizes for biological intervention, and we further observed increased nanoparticle stability in physiological environments. As a demonstration of their increased activity as a result of this, the antioxidant activity of CeO2 cores was enhanced when in core-shell form. Remarkably, the method is conducted entirely at room temperature, atmospheric conditions, and in aqueous solvent with the use of ethanol as co-solvent. These facile and even “green” synthesis conditions favor scalability and easy preparation of multicomponent nanocomposite libraries with standard laboratory glassware and simple benchtop chemistry, through this sustainable and cost-effective fabrication process.
AB - Integrating multiple materials with different functionalities in a single nanostructure enables advances in many scientific and technological applications. However, such highly sophisticated nanomaterials usually require complex synthesis processes that complicate their preparation in a sustainable and industrially feasible manner. Herein, we designed a simple general method to grow a mesoporous silica shell onto any combination of hydrophilic nanoparticle cores. The synthetic strategy, based on the adjustment of the key parameters of the sol-gel process for the silica shell formation, allows for the embedment of single, double, and triple inorganic nanoparticles within the same shell, as well as the size-control of the obtained nanocomposites. No additional interfacial adhesive layer is required on the nanoparticle surfaces for the embedding process. Adopting this approach, electrostatically stabilized, small-sized (from 4 to 15 nm) CeO2, Fe3O4, Gd2O3, NaYF4, Au, and Ag cores were used to test the methodology. The mean diameter of the resulting nanocomposites could be as low as 55 nm, with high monodispersity. These are very feasible sizes for biological intervention, and we further observed increased nanoparticle stability in physiological environments. As a demonstration of their increased activity as a result of this, the antioxidant activity of CeO2 cores was enhanced when in core-shell form. Remarkably, the method is conducted entirely at room temperature, atmospheric conditions, and in aqueous solvent with the use of ethanol as co-solvent. These facile and even “green” synthesis conditions favor scalability and easy preparation of multicomponent nanocomposite libraries with standard laboratory glassware and simple benchtop chemistry, through this sustainable and cost-effective fabrication process.
UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.msec.2021.112272
U2 - 10.1016/j.msec.2021.112272
DO - 10.1016/j.msec.2021.112272
M3 - Article
SN - 0928-4931
VL - 128
JO - Materials Science and Engineering: C
JF - Materials Science and Engineering: C
M1 - 112272
ER -