GERMANIUM NANOPARTICLES AND BIOSUBSTANCE LABELING AGENT BY USE THEREOF

Abstract

Nanoparticles are disclosed, comprising a core and a shell, wherein the core comprises germanium (Ge) and the shell comprises an inorganic material, and the nanoparticles exhibit an average core size of 1 to 50 nm. A biosubstance labeling agent by use thereof is also disclosed.

Description

Claims

1. Core/shell nanoparticles, wherein the nanoparticles each comprise a core and a shell, the core comprises germanium (Ge) and the shell comprises an inorganic material, and the nanoparticles exhibiting an average core size of 1 to 50 nm.

2. The nanoparticles of claim 1, wherein the average core size is 1 to 20 nm.

3. The nanoparticles of claim 1, wherein the inorganic material is an inorganic compound other than said germanium (Ge).

4. The nanoparticles of claim 3, wherein the inorganic compound is germanium dioxide (GeO2).

5. The nanoparticles of claim 1, wherein the nanoparticles exhibit an average shell thickness of 1 to 50 nm.

6. The nanoparticles of claim 1, wherein the nanoparticles exhibit an average particle size of 3 to 60 nm.

7. The nanoparticles of claim 1, wherein the nanoparticles were surface-modified with a surface modifying agent to enhance hydrophilicity of the surfaces of the nanoparticles.

8. The nanoparticles of claim 7, wherein the surface modifying agent is at least one selected from the group consisting of mercaptopropionic acid, mercaptoundecanoic acid and aminopropanethiol.

9. A biosubstance labeling agent comprising nanoparticle, wherein the nanoparticles are bonded to a molecular label substance through an organic molecule, and the nanoparticles are those as defined in claim 1.

10. The labeling agent of claim 9, wherein the nanoparticles were surface-modified with a surface modifying agent to enhance hydrophilicity of the surfaces of the nanoparticles.

11. The labeling agent of claim 10, wherein the surface modifying agent is at least one selected from the group consisting of mercaptopropionic acid, mercaptoundecanoic acid and aminopropanethiol.

12. The labeling agent of claim 9, wherein the molecular label substance is a nucleotide chain.

13. The labeling agent of claim 9, wherein the molecular label substance is an antibody.

14. The labeling agent of claim 9, wherein the organic molecule is at least one selected from the group consisting of an albumin, a myoglobin, a casein and avidin combined with biotin.

15. A method of preparing nanoparticles comprising a core and a shell, the method comprising the steps of: (a) forming core particles and(b) forming a shell on the surfaces on the core particles to form the nanoparticles,wherein the nanoparticles are those defined in claim 1 and step (a) comprises the steps of(a-1) dispersing a germanium salt and a surfactant in an organic solvent to form reversed micelles of the surfactant and including the germanium salt and(a-2) reducing the germanium salt to form particles of germanium (Ge).

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the germanium salt is GeCl4.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the reducing agent is lithium aluminum hydride.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein in step (b), the particles of germanium (Ge) are oxidized to form the shell of germanium dioxide (GeO2) on the surfaces of the particles of germanium (Ge).

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises: (c) subjecting the nanoparticles to a hydrophilization treatment to enhance hydrophilicity of the surfaces of the nanoparticles by bringing the nanoparticles into contact with a surface modifying agent.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the surface modifying agent is at least one selected from the group consisting of mercaptopropionic acid, mercaptoundecanoic acid and aminopropanethiol.