Starlike dendrimers in solutions: Structural properties and internal dynamics

We measured the shape and the internal dynamics of starlike dendrimers under good solvent conditions with small-angle neutron scattering and neutron spin-echo (NSE) spectroscopy, respectively. Architectural parameters such as the spacer length and generation were varied in a systematic manner. Structural changes occurring in the dendrimers as a function of these parameters are discussed, i.e., in terms of the fractal dimension and deviations of the radius of gyration from the Gaussian value. A first cumulant evaluation of the NSE spectra for each scattering vector q separately yields the length scale dependent relaxation rates. We observe a local minimum in the normalized relaxation rates Omega(q)q(3) on length scales corresponding to the overall dendrimer dimension. The dynamics is discussed within a Rouse-Zimm approach generalized to the case of starlike dendrimers of arbitrary geometry. The model allows an identification of the modes contributing to the relaxation of the dendrimer in the q and time range of the NSE experiment. The local minimum is due to collective breathing motions of (parts of) the dendrons relative to each other. Shape fluctuations are not observed

PLA-coated gold nanoparticles for the labeling of PLA biocarriers

POly-DL-lactide end-capped by a protected thiol was synthesized by bulk ring-opening polymerization (ROP) of DL-lactide initiated by the reaction product of aluminum isopropoxide [Al (iOPr) (3)] with alpha- (2,4-dinitrophenylsulfenyl) ethanol. After the thiol deprotection, PLA-SH was used to stabilize gold nanoparticles. Either these nanoparticles were prepared in the presence of PLA-SH, or PLA-SH was substituted for part of the undecanethiol (C11SH) that stabilized preformed gold nanoparticles. In contrast to C11SH-coated nanoparticles, those stabilized by PLA-SH were successfully entrapped into 100-nm PLA nanocarriers prepared by nanoprecipitation. This is an easy technique to label PLA biocarriers and therefore trace their fate in vivo