Using Hydrogels to Accommodate Hydrophobic Nanoparticles in Aqueous Media via Solvent Exchange

The solvent exchange of hydrogel particles allows direct loading of hydrophobic inorganic nanoparticles into the gel particles without modification of the particles surfaces and the hydrogel networks. The hydrophobic coating of the loaded nanoparticles is well retained, leading to an excellent chemical stability in water. Simultaneous or stepwise loading of different nanoparticles leads to multifunctional inorganic/organic composite particles.