Synthesis of stable "gold nanoparticle-polymeric micelle" conjugates: A new class of star "molecular chimera" that self-assemble into linear arrays of spherical micelles

Stable and aggregation-free "gold nanoparticle-polymeric micelle" conjugates were prepared using a new and simple protocol enabled by the hydrogen bonding between surface-capping ligands and polymeric micelles. Individual gold nanoparticles were initially capped using a phosphatidylthio-ethanol lipid and further conjugated with a star poly(styrene-block-glutamic acid) copolymer micelle using a one-pot preparation method. The morphology and stability of these gold-polymer conjugates were characterized using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and UV-vis spectroscopy. The self-assembly of this class of polymer-b-polypeptide in aqueous an medium to form spherical micelles and further their intermicelle reorganization to form necklace-like chains was also investigated. TEM and laser light scattering techniques were employed to study the morphology and size of these micelles. Polymeric micelles were formed with diameters in the range of 65-75 nm, and supermicellular patterns were observed. (C) 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.