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Updated: Jul 25, 2025
Biofunctionalized Prussian Blue Nanoparticles for Multimodal Molecular Imaging Applications
Published on: April 28, 2015
Iron-based hybrid polyionic complexes as chemical reservoirs for the pH-triggered synthesis of Prussian blue
Liming Peng1, Stéphane Gineste1, Christophe Coudret1
1Laboratoire des IMRCP, CNRS UMR 5623, University of Toulouse, Université Toulouse III - Paul Sabatier 118, route de Narbonne, 31062 Toulouse Cedex 9, France.
Hypothesis:
Hybrid polyion complexes (HPICs) obtained from the complexation in aqueous solution of a double hydrophilic block copolymer and metal ions can act as efficient precursors for the controlled synthesis of nanoparticles. In particular, the possibility to control the availability of metal ions by playing on the pH conditions is of special interest to obtain nanoparticles with controlled size and composition.
Experiments:
HPICs based on Fe3+ ions were used to initiate the formation of Prussian blue (PB) nanoparticles in presence of potassium ferrocyanide in reaction media with varying pH values.
Findings:
Complexed Fe3+ ions within HPICs can be easily released by adjusting the pH value either through the addition of a base/acid or by using a merocyanine photoacid. This allows to modulate the reactivity of Fe3+ ions with potassium ferrocyanide present in solution. As a result, PB nanoparticles with different structures (core, core-shell), composition and controlled size are obtained.
