TITLE A Rapid Interfacial Route to Produce Water Dispersible Nanoparticles PRIMARY INVENTORS Todd Emrick DESCRIPTION This invention describes a simple direct route by which water-dispersed nano-particles can be prepared.  Water-oil dispersions with nanoparticles, the elemental composition of which allows the attachment of oil-soluble ligands, are shown to undergo a process at the oil-water interface that imparts a water solubility to the particles.  The nanoparticles are photoluminescent in both the  oil-soluble and water soluble states. APPLICATIONS Nanoparticle based materials, especially those with active electronic and luminescent properties, are attracting interest as components in biotechnology for use as fluorescent tags in diagnostics and detection of disease. Nanoparticles of different sizes differ in emission wavelength, opening opportunities to perform complex biological studies based on this precise detection mechanism. ADVANTAGES Production of water-soluble nanoparticles by an interfacial process, which overcomes previous limitations that require multiple preparative steps to achieve water solubility. PATENT STATUS US Patent 7,470,840 LICENSING STATUS Available for Licensing and research collaboration DOCKET UMA 02-12 NOTES FOR MORE INFORMATION Commercial Ventures & Intellectual Property Phone: 413-545-3606  FAX: 413-545-3632   E-mail: cvip@research.umass.edu