Phase-transfer of magnetic heterocoagulate to provide oil-in-water nanostructures

What is it about?

In this work, we could stabilize coagulated nanoparticles, formed in AOT dispersions with aqueous gel-like formation after phase-separation, firstly dispersed in oleic acid, and then in water. The phase transfer from oleic acid to water was mediated by another auxiliary surfactant in a solution of water and ethanol. By initial heating of the components recently mixed in the AOT dispersion, compartmentalized oil-in-water nanostructures were provided after the phase-transfer work-up. The initially water-dispersible, polyethylenimine-coated gold nanoparticles were embedded by a matrix-shell of oil-dispersible magnetite nanoparticles with/ without silver nanoparticles, oleyl-capped.

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Photo by Dan Cristian Pădureț on Unsplash

Photo by Dan Cristian Pădureț on Unsplash

Why is it important?

The procedures used for transferring and stabilizing coagulated nanoparticles from water-in-oil to oil-in-water dispersions consisted on stepwise mild processes. This can facilitate any other type of phase-transfer including a combination of both oil-dispersible and water-dispersible nanoparticles. Compartmentalized nanostructures in similarity of layer-by-layer assembly are of interest for the delivery of bioactive substances of any type of dispersibility.

Perspectives