Adsorption of acid and polymer coated nanoparticles: a statistical thermodynamics approach

Adsorption Dynamics of Surface-Modified Silica Nanoparticles at Solid-Liquid Interfaces

Understanding the adsorption dynamics of nanoparticles at solid-liquid interfaces is of paramount importance to engineer nanoparticles for a variety of applications. The nanoparticle surface chemistry is significant for controlling the adsorption dynamics. This study aimed to experimentally examine the adsorption of surface-modified round-shaped silica nanoparticles (with an average diameter of 12 nm), grafted with hydrophobic (propyl chains) and/or hydrophilic (polyethylene glycol chains) agents, at an aqueous solution-silica interface with spherical soda-lime glass beads (diameter of 3 mm) being used as adsorbents. While no measurable adsorption was observed for solely hydrophobic or hydrophilic nanoparticles, a considerable level of adsorption was detected for nanoparticles comprising both hydrophobic and hydrophilic agents. Various kinetic models were employed to model the adsorption dynamics of the responsive nanoparticles. The results demonstrated that the mixed diffusion-kinetics models could predict the dynamics better than the adsorption diffusion models, indicating that the dynamics is controlled by a combination of liquid film diffusion, intra-particle diffusion, and mass action. Additionally, the adsorption of the surface-modified silica nanoparticles onto a mineral silica surface was examined using molecular dynamics simulations. The interaction energy for nanoparticles comprising both hydrophobic and hydrophilic agents was evaluated to be more favorable than that of solely hydrophobic or hydrophilic nanoparticles.

Theoretical Modeling of Chemical Equilibrium in Weak Polyelectrolyte Layers on Curved Nanosystems

Surface functionalization with end-tethered weak polyelectrolytes (PE) is a versatile way to modify and control surface properties, given their ability to alter their degree of charge depending on external cues like pH and salt concentration. Weak PEs find usage in a wide range of applications, from colloidal stabilization, lubrication, adhesion, wetting to biomedical applications such as drug delivery and theranostics applications. They are also ubiquitous in many biological systems. Here, we present an overview of some of the main theoretical methods that we consider key in the field of weak PE at interfaces. Several applications involving engineered nanoparticles, synthetic and biological nanopores, as well as biological macromolecules are discussed to illustrate the salient features of systems involving weak PE near an interface or under (nano)confinement. The key feature is that by confining weak PEs near an interface the degree of charge is different from what would be expected in solution. This is the result of the strong coupling between structural organization of weak PE and its chemical state. The responsiveness of engineered and biological nanomaterials comprising weak PE combined with an adequate level of modeling can provide the keys to a rational design of smart nanosystems.

Quantitative Measurement of Ligand Exchange with Small-Molecule Ligands on Iron Oxide Nanoparticles via Radioanalytical Techniques

Ligand exchange on the surface of hydrophobic iron oxide nanoparticles is a common method for controlling surface chemistry for a desired application. Furthermore, ligand exchange with small-molecule ligands may be necessary to obtain particles with a specific size or functionality. Understanding to what extent ligand exchange occurs and what factors affect it is important for the optimization of this critical procedure. However, quantifying the amount of exchange may be difficult because of the limitations of commonly used characterization techniques. Therefore, we utilized a radiotracer technique to track the exchange of a radiolabeled ¹⁴C-oleic acid ligand with hydrophilic small-molecule ligands on the surface of iron oxide nanoparticles. Iron oxide nanoparticles functionalized with ¹⁴C-oleic acid were modified with small-molecule ligands with terminal functional groups including catechols, phosphonates, sulfonates, thiols, carboxylic acids, and silanes. These moieties were selected because they represent the most commonly used ligands for this procedure. The effectiveness of these molecules was compared using both procedures widely found in the literature and using a standardized procedure. After ligand exchange, the nanoparticles were analyzed using liquid scintillation counting (LSC) and inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry. The labeled and unlabeled particles were further characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and dynamic light scattering (DLS) to determine the particle size, hydrodynamic diameter, and zeta potential. The unlabeled particles were characterized via attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) and vibrating sample magnetometry (VSM) to confirm the presence of the small molecules on the particles and verify the magnetic properties, respectively. Radioanalytical determination of ¹⁴C-oleic acid was used to calculate the total amount of oleic acid remaining on the surface of the particles after ligand exchange. The results revealed that the ligand-exchange reactions performed using widely cited procedures did not go to completion. Residual oleic acid remained on the particles after these reactions and the reactions using a standardized protocol. A comparison of the ligand-exchange procedures indicated that the binding moiety, multidenticity, reaction time, temperature, and presence of a catalyst impacted the extent of exchange. Quantification of the oleic acid remaining after ligand exchange revealed a binding hierarchy in which catechol-derived anchor groups displace the most oleic acid on the surface of the nanoparticles and the thiol group displaces the least amount of oleic acid. Thorough characterization of ligand exchange is required to develop nanoparticles suitable for their intended application.

What is the role of curvature on the properties of nanomaterials for biomedical applications?

The use of nanomaterials for drug delivery and theranostics applications is a promising paradigm in nanomedicine, as it brings together the best features of nanotechnolgy, molecular biology, and medicine. To fully exploit the synergistic potential of such interdisciplinary strategy, a comprehensive description of the interactions at the interface between nanomaterials and biological systems is not only crucial, but also mandatory. Routine strategies to engineer nanomaterial-based drugs comprise modifying their surface with biocompatible and targeting ligands, in many cases resorting to modular approaches that assume additive behavior. However, emergent behavior can be observed when combining confinement and curvature. The final properties of functionalized nanomaterials become dependent not only on the properties of their constituents but also on the geometry of the nano-bio interface, and on the local molecular environment. Modularity no longer holds, and the coupling between interactions, chemical equilibrium, and molecular organization has to be directly addressed in order to design smart nanomaterials with controlled spatial functionalization envisioning optimized biomedical applications. Nanoparticle's curvature becomes an integral part of the design strategy, enabling to control and engineer the chemical and surface properties with molecular precision. Understanding how nanoparticle size, morphology, and surface chemistry are interrelated will put us one step closer to engineering nanobiomaterials capable of mimicking biological structures and their behaviors, paving the way into applications and the possibility to elucidate the use of curvature by biological systems. WIREs Nanomed Nanobiotechnol 2016, 8:334-354. doi: 10.1002/wnan.1365 For further resources related to this article, please visit the WIREs website.

Adsorption of superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles on silica and calcium carbonate sand

Superparamagnetic iron oxide (SPIO) nanoparticles have the potential to be used in the characterization of porous rock formations in oil fields as a contrast agent for NMR logging because they are small enough to traverse through nanopores and enhance contrast by shortening NMR T2 relaxation time. However, successful development and application require detailed knowledge of particle stability and mobility in reservoir rocks. Because nanoparticle adsorption to sand (SiO2) and rock (often CaCO3) affects their mobility, we investigated the thermodynamic equilibrium adsorption behavior of citric acid-coated SPIO nanoparticles (CA SPIO NPs) and poly(ethylene glycol)-grafted SPIO nanoparticles (PEG SPIO NPs) on SiO2 (silica) and CaCO3 (calcium carbonate). Adsorption behavior was determined at various pH and salt conditions via chemical analysis and NMR, and the results were compared with molecular theory predictions. Most of the NPs were recovered from silica, whereas far fewer NPs were recovered from calcium carbonate because of differences in the mineral surface properties. NP adsorption increased with increasing salt concentration: this trend was qualitatively explained by molecular theory, as was the role of the PEG grafting in preventing NPs adsorption. Quantitative disagreement between the theoretical predictions and the data was due to NP aggregation, especially at high salt concentration and in the presence of calcium carbonate. Upon aggregation, NP concentrations as determined by NMR T2 were initially overestimated and subsequently corrected using the relaxation rate 1/T2, which is a function of aggregate size and fractal dimension of the aggregate. Our experimental validation of the theoretical predictions of NP adsorption to minerals in the absence of aggregation at various pH and salt conditions demonstrates that molecular theory can be used to determine interactions between NPs and relevant reservoir surfaces. Importantly, this integrated experimental and theoretical approach can be used to gain insight into NP mobility in the reservoir.