Synthesis, characterization, and applications of core polymerized inverted nano-micelles and core polymerized double-layered nano-spheres

Two novel polymeric nanostructures, named Core Polymerized Inverted Micelles (CPIMS) and Core Polymerized Double-Layered Nanospheres (CPDLNS), have been synthesized and characterized. The CPIMS, and CPDLNS have a 50 nm average diameter and a cross-linked core. CPIMS and CPDLNS have many potential uses in biochemical, biomedical, and environmental areas.; The potential of CPIMS and CPDLNS for environmental applications was tested. CPDLNS enhanced the solubilization of representative PAH's (for example, naphthalene, phenantharene and pyrene) in aqeous media. Furthermore, CPDLNS were shown to efficiently solubilize contaminants in soil with little sorption onto porous media. With CPDLNS the solubilization of naphthalene, phenantharene and pyrene were enhanced 500-1300 fold over that achieved using SDS (sodium dodecyl sulfate) at 10 times the critical micelle concentration for SDS.; If CPDLNS were used in in-situ or ex-situ soil remediation, the attachment and detachment of the nanospheres from particle to particle is critical. Since the surface change and properties of CPDLNS are "designable", it is important to be able to predict attachment and detachment. A model of particle attachment and detachment was developed. Secondary dispersion effects observed in cell affinity chromatography were predicted by the model. Furthermore, the model predicted that irreversible binding of particles to surfaces does not always achieve efficient separation; this observation is consistent with result from cell affinity chromatography and was confirmed in the results predicted by the attachment/detachment model.