GOLD NANOPARTICLE UPTAKE IN POLYMERSOMES FOR BIO-MEDICAL APPLICATIONS

Abstract

This thesis focusses on the investigating a suitable route to enable uptake of large sized (30 nm and 60 nm) gold nanoparticles by pH responsive polymersornes of diameters ranging from 110-140 nm. Addition of these gold nanoparticles(AuNP) during self-as. seiiibly process of polymersomes. was Ibund to have poor encapsulation efficiency after investigations by DLS, tiV-vis and Cryo-TEM. Moreover, a significant size reduction was observed in case of encapsulated samples. Specific interactions like inter-chain digitation. threading interactions and host-guest complexal ion were employed to improve AuNP uptake by polvmersoines. However. formation of PEG-AuNP hybrid due to interchain digitation by PEG was unsuccessful. But, investigations with f3-Cyclodextrin modilied AuNP showed a possibility 11w their / uptake by threading complexation with PEG chains of polymersome5. Lastly. successful uptake of large sized AuNPs by polymersomcs was acheived by host-guest coinplexation betweeii 3-Cyclodextrin iinmobilised on AuNP and Adamantanc moieties on the polymersonie.