Diblock Copolymer Stabilized Liquid Metal Nanoparticles: Particle Settling Behavior and Application to 3D Printing

Eutectic gallium indium (EGaIn) is a liquid metal with promising applications due to its favorable thermal and electrical conductivity, low viscosity, and metallic nature. For applications, including imaging, catalysis, and nanomedicine, stable EGaIn particles with submicron diameters are required. However, the low viscosity and high density of EGaIn have typically precluded the formation of stable submicron particles due to rapid EGaIn droplet coalescence. In this work, we show that poly(acrylic acid)-block-poly(N,N′-dimethylacrylamide) copolymers are able to effectively stabilize EGaIn nanodroplets formed upon ultrasonication, where the poly(acrylic acid) block anchors the polymer to the EGaIn surface and the poly(N,N′-dimethylacrylamide) block provides colloidal stability to the particles in solution. Although the high density of EGaIn causes rapid particle settling, the behavior is predictable, which allows the average particle size to be controlled through centrifugation. We demonstrate that stable EGaIn particles with sizes on the order of 50–100 nm and narrow particle size distributions can be easily obtained using this method and further used in photopolymer resins to prepare 3D printed EGaIn–polymer hybrid materials. The predictable sizes and high stability of these EGaIn nanoparticles should allow further applications in soft-electronics, nanomedicine, catalysis, and other nanotechnology

Diblock Copolymer Stabilized Liquid Metal Nanoparticles: Particle Settling Behavior and Application to 3D Printing

Eutectic gallium indium (EGaIn) is a liquid metal with promising applications due to its favorable thermal and electrical conductivity, low viscosity, and metallic nature. For applications, including imaging, catalysis, and nanomedicine, stable EGaIn particles with submicron diameters are required. However, the low viscosity and high density of EGaIn have typically precluded the formation of stable submicron particles due to rapid EGaIn droplet coalescence. In this work, we show that poly(acrylic acid)-block-poly(N,N′-dimethylacrylamide) copolymers are able to effectively stabilize EGaIn nanodroplets formed upon ultrasonication, where the poly(acrylic acid) block anchors the polymer to the EGaIn surface and the poly(N,N′-dimethylacrylamide) block provides colloidal stability to the particles in solution. Although the high density of EGaIn causes rapid particle settling, the behavior is predictable, which allows the average particle size to be controlled through centrifugation. We demonstrate that stable EGaIn particles with sizes on the order of 50–100 nm and narrow particle size distributions can be easily obtained using this method and further used in photopolymer resins to prepare 3D printed EGaIn–polymer hybrid materials. The predictable sizes and high stability of these EGaIn nanoparticles should allow further applications in soft-electronics, nanomedicine, catalysis, and other nanotechnology

Correlations amongst CMBs, WML, LI and risk factors (r).

<p>CMBs = Cerebral microbleeds; PVH = Peri-ventricular hyperintensities;</p><p>DWMH = Deep white matter hyperintensities; LI = Lacunar infarcts;</p><p>*p<0.05,</p><p>**p<0.01.</p

Correlation between the distribution of CMBs and presence of PVH, DWMH (%, n).

<p>CMBs = Cerebral microbleeds; PVH = Peri-ventricular hyperintensities;</p><p>DWMH = Deep white matter hyperintensities.</p

Risk Factors for CMBs, PVH, DWMH and LI (OR, 95% CI).

<p>CMBs = Cerebral microbleeds; PVH = Peri-ventricular hyperintensities; DWMH = Deep white matter hyperintensities; LI = Lacunar infarcts.</p

The location of cerebral microbleeds (CMBs) on 3D-enhanced T2*-weighted gradient echo sequence of MRI (arrows).

<p>(A) CMBs in frontal lobe. (B) CMBs in thalamus.</p

Correlation between the severity of CMBs and presence of PVH, DWMH (%, n).

<p>CMBs = Cerebral microbleeds; PVH = Peri-ventricular hyperintensity;</p><p>DWMH = Deep white matter hyperintensity.</p

Clinical Characteristics.

<p>TIA = Transient ischemia stroke; ICH = Intracranial hemorrhage; IS = Ischemic stroke;</p><p>SD = Standard deviation.</p

White matter hyperintensities on T2-fluid-attenuated inversion recovery sequence (T2-FLAIR).

<p>Deep white matter hyperintensities (DWMH) and peri-ventricular hyperintensities (PVH) was indicated by arrow and arrow head, respectively.</p

Correlation between the presence of CMBs and PVH, DWMH stratified by hypertension(r).

<p>CMBs = Cerebral microbleeds; PVH = Peri-ventricular hyperintensities;</p><p>DWMH = Deep white matter hyperintensities; LI = Lacunar infarcts;</p><p>*p<0.05,</p><p>**p<0.01.</p