Gold Nanoparticles Conjugated with Iodinated Copolymers as a Potential Dual X-ray Imaging Contrast Agent
Description
Gold nanoparticles and radiopaque iodinated polymers have great potential in the field of bioimaging due to their high-contrast X-ray imaging properties. Here, we report the synthesis of iodinated copolymers, poly(2-[2’,3’,5’-triiodobenzoyl]oxoethyl methacrylate-co2- hydroxyethyl methacrylate) using reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer polymerization and the preparation of gold nanoparticles conjugated with the iodinated copolymers. GPC confirmed the copolymer with an Mn of 14,259 g/mol and a polydispersity index of 1.53 while the EDX analysis showed that the copolymer contains about 27% iodine. Gold nanoparticles conjugated with the copolymer were prepared via in situ approach, which produced nanoparticles with average sizes of 28 nm as measured by DLS. SEM visually confirmed the formation of spherical gold nanoparticles whose sizes agreed with that of the DLS measurement. The UV-Vis spectrum of the gold nanoparticles showed a strong absorption at λ 530 nm, which was attributed to the nanoparticle surface plasmon resonance. The work presented here illustrates a new platform for developing a potential dual X-ray imaging contrast agent that could be used in bioimaging and allied fields