Claims
- 1. A method of producing surfaces modified by (co)polymers synthesized using Reversible Addition-Fragmentation chain Transfer (RAFT), comprising:
forming an end-capped (co)polymer by reacting a polymerizable monomer or co-monomers with a free radical source and a chain transfer agent (CTA) using the RAFT method in a solvent solution; contacting the surface with the end-capped (co)polymer; and introducing a reducing agent into the solution.
- 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the solvent comprises water.
- 3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the forming and introducing steps are performed open to the atmosphere.
- 4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the free radical source is a free radical source selected from the group consisting of azo-compounds, peroxides, redox systems, and reducing sugars.
- 5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the CTA is selected from the group consisting of dithioester compounds, disulphides, thiocarbonylthio compounds, xanthates, xanthate disulphides, and dithiocarbonates.
- 6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the surface is selected from the group consisting of transition metals, transition metal nanoparticles, films, wafers, silicon wafters, silicon chips, stainless steel, metals, ceramics, carbon materials, polymers, biochips, and biomimetic material.
- 7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the reducing agent includes at least one of the compounds selected from the group consisting of NaBH4, KBH4, LiBH4, Ca(BH4)2, Mg(BH4)2, Zn(BH4)2, Al(BH4)3, LiAlH4, NaBH3CN, H2NNH2, B2H6, 9-BNN, L-Selectride(®), LS-Selectride(®), LiAlH(OtBu)3, LiAlH(OMe)3, LiAlH(OEt)3, Li(mesityl)2BH2, Li(siamyl)3BH, NaBH(OMe)3, and NaBH(OiPr)3.
- 8. A method of producing nanoparticles stabilized by (co)polymers synthesized using Reversible Addition-Fragmentation chain Transfer (RAFT), comprising:
forming a dithio end-capped (co)polymer by reacting a polymerizable monomer or co-monomers with a free radical source and a chain transfer agent (CTA) using the RAFT method in a solvent; obtaining metal precursor colloidal nanoparticles in a solution; contacting the metal precursor colloidal nanoparticles with the dithio end-capped (co)polymer; and introducing a reducing agent into the solution.
- 9. The method according to claim 8 further comprising:
concentrating the stabilized nanoparticles and removing by-products of synthesis which remain in solution; adding a solvent and agitating the nanoparticles to redisperse the stabilized nanoparticles; and concentrating the stabilized nanoparticles in a manner such as to minimize aggregation.
- 10. The method according to claim 8, wherein the solvent comprises water.
- 11. The method according to claim 8 wherein the forming and introducing steps are performed open to the atmosphere.
- 12. The method according to claim 8, wherein the free radical source is a free radical initiator selected from the group consisting of azo-compounds, peroxides, redox systems, and reducing sugars.
- 13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the azo-compounds are selected from the group consisting of AIBMe, AIBN, ACP, AB, azobis(2-aminopropane)-dichloride, and dithionate compounds.
- 14. The method according to claim 12, wherein the peroxides are selected from the group consisting of hydrogen peroxide, tert-butyl peroxide, cumene hydroperoxide, tert-butyl peroxyacetate, lauroyl peroxide, dibenzoyl peroxide, and ammonium persulphate.
- 15. The method according to claim 12, wherein the redox systems are selected from the group consisting of mixtures of hydrogen peroxide, alkyl peroxide, peresters,and percarbonates, in combination with any one of the salts of iron, titaneous salts, zinc salts, zinc formaldehyde sulphoxylate, sodium salts, and sodium formaldehyde sulphoxylate.
- 16. The method according to claim 8, wherein the CTA is selected from the group consisting of dithioester compounds, disulphides, xanthate disulphides, and dithiocarbonates.
- 17. The method according to claim 16, wherein the CTA is DTBA.
- 18. The method according to claim 8, wherein the obtaining metal precursor colloidal nanoparticle step includes forming a colloidal metal precursor solution as a complex of the transition metal at approximately room temperature in water.
- 19. The method according to claim 8, wherein the obtaining metal precursor colloidal nanoparticle step comprises forming a colloidal metal precursor solution from an appropriate salt of the transition metal and water at approximately room temperature.
- 20. The method according to claim 8, wherein the nanoparticles comprise transition-metal based nanoparticles selected from the group of metals comprising the second and third series of the d-block of the Periodic Table.
- 21. The method according to claim 20, wherein the transition metal based nanoparticles comprise transition metals having tetrahedral or octahedral geometries.
- 22. The method according to claim 8, wherein the metal precursor colloidal nanoparticle solution includes a metal system selected from the group consisting of Na2IrCl6.6H2O, Na2OsCl6.H2O, K3RuCl6, Na3RhCl6, PtOAc2, Na2PtCl6.6H2O, Na2PdCl6.4H2O, AgNO3, HAuCl4, H2PtCl6, H2IrCl6, and H2OsCl6.
- 23. The method according to claim 8, wherein the reducing agent includes at least one compound selected from the group consisting of NaBH4, KBH4, LiBH4, Ca(BH4)2, Mg(BH4)2, Zn(BH4)2, Al(BH4)3, LiAlH4, NaBH3CN, H2NNH2, B2H6, 9-BBN, L-Selectride®, LS-Selectride®, LiAlH(OtBu)3, LiAlH(OMe)3, LiAlH(OEt)3, Li(mesityl)2BH2, Li(siamyl)3BH, NaBH(OMe)3, and NaBH(OiPr)3.
- 24. The product of the process of claim 8.
- 25. A method of producing transition metal surfaces modified by (co)polymers synthesized using Reversible Addition-Fragmentation chain Transfer (RAFT), comprising:
forming a dithio end-capped (co)polymer by reacting at least one polymerizable monomer or co-monomers with a free radical source and a chain transfer agent (CTA) using the RAFT method in a solvent; introducing a transition-metal surface to the end-capped (co)polymer; adding a reducing agent to the solution; and allowing the solution and surface to remain in contact for a set period of time to stabilize and form a (co)polymer-modified transition metal surface.
- 26. The method according to claim 25, further comprising:
removing the (co)polymer-modified transition metal surface from the solution, thereby separating by-products of synthesis which remain in solution; adding a solvent to the surface to rinse the (co)polymer-modified transition metal surface; and drying the (co)polymer modified transition metal surface in a manner such that aggregation is minimized.
- 27. The method according to claim 25, wherein the (co)polymer modified transition metal surface is dried under an inert atmosphere at ambient temperature.
- 28. The product of the process of claim 25.
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] The present application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 60/367,816 filed Mar. 27, 2002, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT
[0002] The government may own rights in the present invention pursuant to grant number DE-FC26-01BC15317 from the U.S. Department of Energy, and award number DMR-0213883 from the National Science Foundation.
Provisional Applications (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
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60367816 |
Mar 2002 |
US |