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Mini-emulsion solvent evaporation: a simple and versatile way to magnetic nanosensors

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Abstract

Magnetic optical sensor particles were prepared using a mini-emulsion solvent evaporation (MESE) technique. The resulting nanoparticles (NPs) have diameters around 100 nm and relatively narrow size distribution (PDI < 0.2). Incorporation of probes for oxygen or pH resulted in magnetic sensor particles for bioprocess monitoring and imaging applications. The MESE technique yields sensing NPs in higher quantities than obtained by a previously reported nanoprecipitation method, and the size of the NPs is smaller than that of particles made by spray-drying of sensor cocktails. Moreover, the technique is flexible in terms of polymers, solvents and indicators used in that it may be applied—at least in principle—to numerous combinations of two-phase systems.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by Österreichischer Austauschdienst, ÖAD (program Acciones Integradas) under the project number ES 13/2007. Further financial support was received from the Spanish Ministry of Education (FPU grant reference AP2006-01144) and the Regional Government of Andalusia (Excellence projects P07-FQM-02738 and P07-FQM-02625). We also thank Dr. Armin Zankel and Dr. Angelika Reichmann from the Institute for Electron Microscopy, Graz University of Technology, for the SEM measurements.

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  1. Günter Mistlberger

    Present address: Département de Chimie Minérale, Analytique et Appliquée, Sciences II, Université de Genève, 30, quai Ernest-Ansermet, 1211, Genève 4, Switzerland

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Analytical Chemistry and Food Chemistry, Graz University of Technology, Stremayrgasse 16/III, 8010, Graz, Austria

    Günter Mistlberger, Sergey M. Borisov, Torsten Mayr & Ingo Klimant

  2. Department of Analytical Chemistry, University of Granada, C/Fuentenueva s/n, 18071, Granada, Spain

    Antonio L. Medina-Castillo, Alberto Fernández-Gutiérrez & Jorge F. Fernandez-Sanchez

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  1. Günter Mistlberger
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  2. Antonio L. Medina-Castillo
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  3. Sergey M. Borisov
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Correspondence to Günter Mistlberger.

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Mistlberger, G., Medina-Castillo, A.L., Borisov, S.M. et al. Mini-emulsion solvent evaporation: a simple and versatile way to magnetic nanosensors. Microchim Acta 172, 299–308 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00604-010-0492-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00604-010-0492-0

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