Nano flex

The hydrodynamic sizes of the particles in the colloidal samples and their stability were analyzed using dynamic light scattering (DLS) and ζ-potential measurements. The DLS measurements were performed using backscatter geometry with a 780 nm laser on a Nano-flex (Microtrac, Montgomeryville and York, PA, USA). For each sample, a set of five 2 min scans was collected. The ζ-potential data was collected using a Stabino (Particle Metrix GmbH, Ammersee, Germany).

Particle size and distribution (poly-dispersity index, PDI) were determined by dynamic light scattering (DLS) using a Microtrac NANO-flex. Zeta potential of particle dispersion were measured by Stabino PMX 400. FTIR absorbance peaks were acquired using Bruker Tensor 27 FTIR spectrometer and NP dispersion and solution were dropped on KBr pellets and dried at 50 ºC. UV/Vis absorption spectra for F127 qualification was carried out with a UV–Vis–NIR spectrometer (Lambda 950, from Perkin Elmer). The photoluminescence spectra were measured using a JASCO spectrofluorometer FP-8500. SEM images were taken using a FEI Sirion SEM at 3 kV accelerating voltage. All samples were coated with 3 nm Pt before performing SEM measurements. AFM measurements were performed with a Nanosurf Easy Scan 2 in contact mode. Near-edge X-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS) spectroscopy have been recorded at the PolLux beamline at the Swiss Light Source^{66 (link)}. The samples were raster-scanned through the focal spot of a nickel zone plate with an outermost zone width of 25 nm (yielding approx. 30 nm lateral resolution) with a pixel resolution of 10 nm.

Titania nanoparticles were synthesized from TiBALDH (purchased from Sigma Aldrich, CAS No. 65104-06-5) through a simple precipitation method described in Seisenbaeva G. et al. 201319 (link) and from titanium tetraethoxide (CAS No. 3087-36-3) by the techniques of the Captigel patent no. WO07145573. The particles were washed by centrifugation at 4000 rpm three times in anhydrous ethanol and then washed in water four times. They were analysed by Thermo Gravimetric Analysis (TGA) in a Perkin-Elmer Pyris 1, X-Ray Powder Diffraction in Bruker SMART Apex-II multipurpose diffractometer operating with MoKα radiation λ = 0.71073, Energy-Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDS) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with an Hitachi TM-1000-μDeX. Transmission electron microscopy was used to determine the size of the particles using a Philips CM-20 Super Twin microscope, operating at 200 kV. The particle size in solution, both deionized water and M9-minimal salts, was investigated with nano tracking analysis with Nanosight 300 and additional investigation into the different aggregation-states of the particles analysed by dynamic light scattering (DLS) using Microtrac NANO-flex. The zeta potentials were measured on a Malvern Nano ZS.