Hydrophobic Nanocrystals Coated with an Amphiphilic Polymer Shell: A General Route to Water Soluble Nanocrystals

Abstract

A general strategy is described which allows for transferring hydrophobically capped nanocrystals from organic to aqueous solution by wrapping an amphiphilic polymer around the particles. In particular, high quality CoPt3, Au, CdSe/ZnS, and Fe2O3 nanocrystals have been water-solubilized in this way. Analysis with transmission electron microscopy, gel electrophoresis, and fluorescence correlation spectroscopy demonstrates that monodispersity of the particles is conserved upon phase transfer to aqueous solution.