Patent ID: 8419985
Filing Date: 2013-04-16
Classification: B82Y,C08L,C09K,H01S

Abstract:
1. A polymeric nanoparticle comprising a medium for photon up-conversion and a stabilizing agent, said medium comprising at least two components and a polymeric organic matrix component, said polymeric organic matrix component forming a polymeric matrix in which polymeric matrix said at least two components are distributed, wherein a first component of said at least two components is capable of absorbing-light at a first wavelength region λ 1 , which first component acts as a sensitizer in said medium, and wherein a second component of said at least two components is capable of emitting light at a second wavelength region λ 2 , which second component acts as an emissive component in said medium, wherein λ 2 ≦λ 1 , and wherein, upon absorption of light by said first component at said first wavelength region λ 1 , said emissive component emits light at said second wavelength region λ 2 , wherein said first component and said second component are organic compounds, and wherein said stabilizing agent is a polymer selected from the group consisting of hydrophilic polymers and amphiphilic polymers, said amphiphilic polymers having a hydrophobic part and a hydrophilic part, wherein said hydrophobic part also forms part of said polymeric matrix, wherein said amphiphilic polymer is selected from the group consisting of amphiphilic copolymers, hydrophobic polymers with a covalently attached hydrophilic part, hydrophilic polymers with a covalently attached hydrophobic part, and polyelectrolytes having a hydrophobic part, wherein the polymeric organic matrix comprises a hydrophobic polymer selected from the group consisting of polystyrenes, styrene-butadiene copolymers, polystyrene-based elastomers, polyethylenes, polypropylenes, polytetrafluoroethylenes, extended polytetrafluoroethylenes, polymethylmetacrylates, ethylene-co-vinyl acetates, polymethylsiloxane, polyphenylmethylsiloxanes, modified polysiloxanes, polyethers, polyurethanes, polyether-urethanes, polyethylene terephthalates, and polysulphones, wherein the first component is an organic dye having a populated triplet or mixed triplet-singlet state, a two-photon absorbing dye, an optical limiting component, or a carbon nanotube, wherein the second component is an organic dye having fluorescence emission of from 360 to 750 nm.