Nonotechnology:

POLYMEROSOMES- PREPARATION,PROPERTIES AND APPLICATIONS

Nanotechnology:

It covers the potential applications of all nano-sized materials(1 to 100nm) in diverse fields ranging from material science,medicine etc.It deals with exploitation of nanoparticles which exhibit enhanced properties with change in size like conductivity.high surface area etc,which makes them more reactive and exciting to work with.It has become a revolutionary field by reducing bulky items down to nano-level ,thus augmenting their potential.

Nanoparticles:

They are particles having dimensions in the range of 1 to 100 nm mainly, but this limit can also be extended to a few hundred nanometers,with particles between 1 and 10 nanometers called nanoclusters,whereas nanopowders are agglomerates of ultrafine particles, nanoparticles, or nanoclusters.Single-domain ultrafine particles, are often referred to as nanocrystals.

These nanoparticles have enhanced optical.mechanical.electrical etc. properties at this size levels and are highly preferred for myriad purposes Eg: Biological applications like cell therapeutics(drug delivery), catalysts for reaction,nano-electronics etc.This is due to their super-conductive nature,extreme strength and other superior properties compared to bulk.

Selective Applications:

Healthcare: Quantum dots are nanoparticles which are usd for bioimaging,cerium oxide nanoparticles have been used as antioxidants.

Industrial: Zinc oxide nanoparticles dispersed in industrial coatings protect wood, plastic, and textiles from UV-exposure

Electronics: Silver Nanoparticle has been used as ink for PCB purposes.Pt-Co nanoparticles as catalysts for fuel cells.

Environment: Iron Oxide to clean up CCl4 and arsenic in water bodies.

POLYMEROSOMES

We will look at a particular type of nanoparticle known as polymerosomes.Polymerosomes are vesicles formed by the self-assembly of amphiphilic(both hydrophobic and hydrophilic) block copolymers.The block copolymer could be a di,tri,or multi-block or grafted structures prepared from methods like living polymerization techniques, such as atom transfer free radical polymerization, reversible addition fragmentation chain transfer,ring-opening metathesis polymerization etc. Polymersomes along with micelles, have been found to be the most common and stable structures of amphiphilic molecules in water 11.As they have a hydrophobic core and an inner fluid cavity,they can encapsulate both hydrophilic and hydrophobic moieties. Surface functionalization of these nanocarriers allow specific targeting to the desired cells.

Hydrophilic polymers : Polyethylene Glycol,Polybutadiene, Poly-trimethylene carbonate etc.