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Updated: Mar 20, 2026

Synthesis and Characterization of Supramolecular Colloids
Published on: April 22, 2016
Versatile Route to Colloidal Stability and Surface Functionalization of Hydrophobic Nanomaterials
Heidi R Culver, Stephanie D Steichen, Margarita Herrera-Alonso1
1Department of Materials Science and Engineering, The Johns Hopkins University , Baltimore, Maryland 21218, United States.
Abstract:
We introduce a general method for the stabilization and surface functionalization of hydrophobic nanoparticles using an amphiphilic copolymer, poly(maleic anhydride-alt-1-octadecene)-poly(ethylene glycol) methacrylate (PMAO-PEGMA). Coating nanoparticles with PMAO-PEGMA results in colloidally stable nanoparticles decorated with reactive carboxylic acid and methacrylate functionalities, providing a versatile platform for chemical reactions. The versatility and ease of surface functionalization is demonstrated by varying both the core material and the chemistry used. Specifically, the carboxylic acid functionalities are used to conjugate wheat germ agglutinin to conducting polymer nanoparticles via carbodiimide-mediated coupling, and the methacrylate groups are used to link cysteamine to the surface of poly(ε-caprolactone) nanoparticles via thiol-ene click chemistry and to link temperature-responsive polymer shells to the surface of gold nanoparticles via free radical polymerization.
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