Enzyme-degradable self-assembled nanostructures from polymer-peptide hybrids.

The peptide PVGLIG, which is known to be selectively cleaved by the tumor-associated enzyme matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2), was conjugated to α-alkene poly(trimethylene carbonate) (PTMC) blocks of varying sizes via UV-initiated thiol-ene "click" chemistry. The PTMC precursor was synthesized by metal-free ring-opening polymerization using allyl alcohol as an initiator and an N-heterocyclic carbene as an organic catalyst. The unprecedented PVGLIG-b-PTMC hybrids were self-assembled in aqueous solution and various submicrometer-sized morphologies obtained by a nanoprecipitation process. Characterization of particle morphology was carried out by multiangle dynamic light scattering (DLS) and static light scattering (SLS) evidencing spherical nanoparticles with different morphologies and narrow size distributions. Microstructure details were also observed on transmission electron micrographs and were in good agreement with light scattering measurements showing the assembly of core-shell, large compound micelles, and vesicle morphologies, the particle morphology varying with the hydrophilic weight fractions (f) of the hybrids. These nanostructures displayed selective degradation in the presence of the cancer-associated enzyme MMP-2, as probed by the morphological change both by TEM and DLS. All these results demonstrated that PVGLIG-b-PTMC hybrids were suitable to target the tumor microenvironment.

Synthesis of hybrid gold-gold sulfide colloidal particles.

The nucleation and growth mechanism of nanometer size gold onto gold sulfide colloidal particles by irradiation-induced reduction is reported. The process is characterized by ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy, electronic diffraction, and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, allowing for observation of several key intermediates and characteristics of the growth mechanism. The formation mechanism of gold on the surface of the gold sulfide particles is shown to depend strongly on the deposition rate. At low dose rate, gold nucleates preferentially onto specific gold-rich Au2S facets {110}, resulting in epitaxial growth. The gold crystal lattice plastically deforms near the interface to accommodate a substantial lattice mismatch. Upon increasing gold precursor concentration, this low dose rate results in growth of elongated gold island on the gold sulfide surface. At a high dose rate, several randomly oriented gold particles are simultaneously produced on gold sulfide, resulting in a layered structure. The absorption spectra of these particles show a dominant surface plasmon band, whose peak wavelength shifts markedly to the red as layered structure is formed.

Experimental determination of the absorption cross-section and molar extinction coefficient of CdSe and CdTe nanowires.

Absorption cross-sections and corresponding molar extinction coefficients of solution-based CdSe and CdTe nanowires (NWs) are determined. Chemically grown semiconductor NWs are made via a recently developed solution-liquid-solid (SLS) synthesis, employing low melting Au/Bi bimetallic nanoparticle "catalysts" to induce one-dimensional (1D) growth. Resulting wires are highly crystalline and have diameters between 5 and 12 nm as well as lengths exceeding 10 microm. Narrow diameters, below twice the corresponding bulk exciton Bohr radius of each material, place CdSe and CdTe NWs within their respective intermediate to weak confinement regimes. Supporting this are solution linear absorption spectra of NW ensembles showing blue shifts relative to the bulk band gap as well as structure at higher energies. In the case of CdSe, the wires exhibit band edge emission as well as strong absorption/emission polarization anisotropies at the ensemble and single-wire levels. Analogous photocurrent polarization anisotropies have been measured in recently developed CdSe NW photodetectors. To further support fundamental NW optical/electrical studies as well as to promote their use in device applications, experimental absorption cross-sections are determined using correlated transmission electron microscopy, UV/visible extinction spectroscopy, and inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy. Measured CdSe NW cross-sections for 1 microm long wires (diameters, 6-42 nm) range from 6.93 x 10(-13) to 3.91 x 10(-11) cm2 at the band edge (692-715 nm, 1.73-1.79 eV) and between 3.38 x 10(-12) and 5.50 x 10(-11) cm2 at 488 nm (2.54 eV). Similar values are obtained for 1 microm long CdTe NWs (diameters, 7.5-11.5 nm) ranging from 4.32 x 10(-13) to 5.10 x 10(-12) cm2 at the band edge (689-752 nm, 1.65-1.80 eV) and between 1.80 x 10(-12) and 1.99 x 10(-11) cm2 at 2.54 eV. These numbers compare well with previous theoretical estimates of CdSe/CdTe NW cross-sections far to the blue of the band edge, having order of magnitude values of 1.0 x 10(-11) cm2 at 488 nm. In all cases, experimental NW absorption cross-sections are 4-5 orders of magnitude larger than those for corresponding colloidal CdSe and CdTe quantum dots. Even when volume differences are accounted for, band edge NW cross-sections are larger by up to a factor of 8. When considered along with their intrinsic polarization sensitivity, obtained NW cross-sections illustrate fundamental and potentially exploitable differences between 0D and 1D materials.