¹⁹F Labelled Polyion Micelles as Diffusional Nanoprobes

In modern food manufacturing, there is a strong drive to find alternative formulations in which ingredients are replaced by alternatives derived from a sustainable source. However structure-function relationships remain poorly understood. In order to better understand these relationships, new measurement methods are required to quantify structural properties. At the sub-micron level, powerful microscopy does not allow for reliable quantification of structural features and microscopy methods are invasive and require careful image analysis in order to quantify structural features. For the sub-micron structural characterization of biopolymer hydrogels quantitative nanoprobe diffusometry is emerging as a powerful method to complement knowledge obtained by microscopy. In this study, the authors have used PFG NMR diffusometry to measure diffusion of labeled ¹⁹F-C₃Ms in a heterogeneous gel model system. In this model system, multi-modal diffusion of dendrimer nanoparticles was observed. They assess the merits of ¹⁹F NMR diffusometry for characterization of heterogeneous gels, and compare this to the results obtained by ¹H NMR diffusometry.