Patent ID: 6908496
Filing Date: 2005-06-21
Classification: B22F,B82Y

Abstract:
1. A method for purifying a suspension containing colloid-seeded nanoparticles and excess colloids, comprising: (a) adding to the suspension a filter aid comprising a salt; (b) filtering the suspension with a filter of a pore size intermediate between the average colloid-seeded nanoparticle size and the average excess colloid size, so as to form a retentate comprising the majority of the colloid-seeded nanoparticles and a filtrate comprising the majority of the excess colloids, wherein each colloid-seeded nanoparticle comprises a plurality of linkers, and a plurality of colloids bound to a portion of the linkers, the remaining portion of the linkers being free; (c) collecting the retentate; and (d) adding a plurality of protectants to the retentate so as to passivate the free linkers.