PNNL

Abstract

Micellar nanoparticles made of surfactants and polymers have attracted wide attention in the materials and biomedical community for controlled drug delivery, molecular imaging and sensing; however, their long-term stability remains a topic of intense study. Here we report a new class of robust, ultrafine (10nm) silica core-shell nanoparticles formed from silica crosslinked, individual block copolymer micelles. Compared with pure polymer micelles, the new core-shell nanoparticles have significantly improved stability and do not break down during dilution. They also achieve much higher loading capacity for a wide range of chemicals, with the entrapped molecules slowly released over a much longer period of time. A wide range of functional groups can be easily incorporated through co-condensation with the silica matrix. The potential to deliver hydrophobic agents into cancer cells has been demonstrated. Because of their unique properties, these novel core-shell nanoparticles could potentially provide a new nanomedicine platform for imaging, detection and treatment.