What is claimed is:
1. In a rollerhead for a packerhead assembly used in forming concrete pipes and including a roller shaft having an upper end and a lower end, a hollow cylindrical roller body rotatably disposed around the roller shaft, a first bearing coaxially mounted about the upper end of the roller shaft and contacting an inside surface of the roller body, a second bearing coaxially mounted about the lower end of the roller shaft and contacting an inside surface of the roller body, the improvement comprising:
(a) the roller body including a radially inwardly directed flange defining an aperture therein for receiving the lower end of the roller shaft therethrough, the flange comprising a first annular shoulder adjacent the aperture including an axial surface and a radial surface;
(b) an annular body mounted coaxially about the roller shaft and disposed adjacent to the axial surface of the first annular shoulder and within the aperture defined by the flange; and
(c) an annular seal coaxially disposed about the annular body and interposed between the radial surface of the first annular shoulder and the second bearing mounted about the lower end of the roller shaft.
2. The rollerhead of claim 1 wherein the flange of the roller body comprises a second annular shoulder located adjacent to the first annular shoulder and inwardly of the roller body and including an axial surface and a radial surface, and the radial surface of the first annular shoulder and the axial surface of the second annular shoulder are coaxially disposed around the annular seal so as to provide an annular slot in the flange for receiving the annular seal therein.
3. The rollerhead of claim 1 wherein the annular body is press fit onto the roller shaft.
4. The rollerhead of claim 1 wherein the annular body comprises an annular shoulder proximate to the upper end of the roller shaft and including an axial surface and a radial surface.
5. The rollerhead of claim 4 wherein the annular seal comprises an annular slot therein including an axial surface and a radial surface for receiving therein the annular shoulder of the annular body.
6. The rollerhead of claim 1 wherein the annular seal consists of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene.
7. The rollerhead of claim 1 wherein the upper end of the roller body is closed.
8. The rollerhead of claim 7 wherein the upper end of the roller body is closed by a cap mounted directly on the top end of the roller body.
9. The rollerhead of claim 8 including at least one upright fin secured to the cap.
10. The rollerhead of claim 7 including a dampening element mounted between the closed upper end of the roller body and the first bearing mounted about the upper end of the roller shaft.
11. The rollerhead of claim 1 including a hollow cylindrical wear band coaxially mounted about the roller body.
12. The rollerhead of claim 11 wherein the wear band is press fit onto the roller body.
13. In a rollerhead for a packerhead assembly used in forming concrete pipes and including a roller shaft having an upper end and a lower end, a hollow cylindrical roller body rotatably disposed around the roller shaft, a first bearing coaxially mounted about the upper end of the roller shaft and contacting an inside surface of the roller body, a second bearing coaxially mounted about the lower end of the roller shaft and contacting an inside surface of the roller body, the improvement comprising:
(a) the roller body including a radially inwardly directed flange defining an aperture therein for receiving the lower end of the roller shaft therethrough, the flange comprising a first annular shoulder adjacent the aperture including an axial surface and a radial surface, the flange further comprising a second annular shoulder located adjacent to the first annular shoulder and inwardly of the roller body and including an axial surface and a radial surface;
(b) an annular body mounted coaxially about the roller shaft and disposed adjacent to the axial surface of the first annular shoulder and within the aperture defined by the flange;
(c) an annular seal coaxially disposed about the annular body and interposed between the radial surface of the first annular shoulder and the second bearing mounted about the lower end of the roller shaft; and
(d) wherein the radial surface of the first annular shoulder and the axial surface of the second annular shoulder are coaxially disposed around the annular seal so as to provide an annular slot in the flange for receiving the annular seal therein.
14. The rollerhead of claim 13 wherein the annular body is press fit onto the roller shaft.
15. The rollerhead of claim 13 wherein the annular body comprises an annular shoulder proximate to the upper end of the roller shaft and including an axial surface and a radial surface.
16. The rollerhead of claim 15 wherein the annular seal comprises an annular slot therein including an axial surface and a radial surface for receiving therein the annular shoulder of the annular body.
17. The rollerhead of claim 13 wherein the annular seal consists of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene.
18. The rollerhead of claim 13 wherein the upper end of the roller body is closed.
19. The rollerhead of claim 18 wherein the upper end of the roller body is closed by a cap mounted directly on the top end of the roller body.
20. The rollerhead of claim 19 including at least one upright fin secured to the cap.
21. The rollerhead of claim 18 including a dampening element mounted between the closed upper end of the roller body and the first bearing mounted about the upper end of the roller shaft.
22. The rollerhead of claim 13 including a hollow cylindrical wear band coaxially mounted about the roller body.
23. The rollerhead of claim 22 wherein the wear band is press fit onto the roller body.
24. In a concrete pipe forming machine including a packerhead assembly axially movable and rotatable about the longitudinal axis of a mold to which a concrete mixture is delivered, the packerhead assembly including a plurality of rollerheads for packing the concrete against the inner surface of the mold, each rollerhead including a roller shaft having an upper end and a lower end, a hollow cylindrical roller body rotatably disposed around the roller shaft, a first bearing coaxially mounted about the upper end of the roller shaft and contacting an inside surface of the roller body, a second bearing coaxially mounted about the lower end of the roller shaft and contacting an inside surface of the roller body, the improvement wherein each rollerhead comprises:
(a) the roller body including a radially inwardly directed flange defining an aperture therein for receiving the lower end of the roller shaft therethrough, the flange comprising a first annular shoulder adjacent the aperture including an axial surface and a radial surface;
(b) an annular body mounted coaxially about the roller shaft and disposed adjacent to the axial surface of the first annular shoulder and within the aperture defined by the flange; and
(c) an annular seal coaxially disposed about the annular body and interposed between the radial surface of the first annular shoulder and the second bearing mounted about the lower end of the roller shaft.
25. The rollerhead of claim 24 wherein the flange of the roller body comprises a second annular shoulder located adjacent to the first annular shoulder and inwardly of the roller body and including an axial surface and a radial surface, and the radial surface of the first annular shoulder and the axial surface of the second annular shoulder are coaxially disposed around the annular seal so as to provide an annular slot in the flange for receiving the annular seal therein.
26. The rollerhead of claim 24 wherein the annular body is press fit onto the roller shaft.
27. The rollerhead of claim 24 wherein the annular body comprises an annular shoulder proximate to the upper end of the roller shaft and including an axial surface and a radial surface.
28. The rollerhead of claim 27 wherein the annular seal comprises an annular slot therein including an axial surface and a radial surface for receiving therein the annular shoulder of the annular body.
29. The rollerhead of claim 24 wherein the annular seal consists of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene.
30. The rollerhead of claim 24 wherein the upper end of the roller body is closed.
31. The rollerhead of claim 30 wherein the upper end of the roller body is closed by a cap mounted directly on the top end of the roller body.
32. The rollerhead of claim 31 including at least one upright fin secured to the cap.
33. The rollerhead of claim 30 including a dampening element mounted between the closed upper end of the roller body and the first bearing mounted about the upper end of the roller shaft.
34. The rollerhead of claim 24 including a hollow cylindrical wear band coaxially mounted about the roller body.
35. The rollerhead of claim 34 wherein the wear band is press fit onto the roller body.
36. In a concrete pipe forming machine including a packerhead assembly axially movable and rotatable about the longitudinal axis of a mold to which a concrete mixture is delivered, the packerhead assembly including a plurality of rollerheads for packing the concrete against the inner surface of the mold, each rollerhead including a roller shaft having an upper end and a lower end, a hollow cylindrical roller body rotatably disposed around the roller shaft, a first bearing coaxially mounted about the upper end of the roller shaft and contacting an inside surface of the roller body, a second bearing coaxially mounted about the lower end of the roller shaft and contacting an inside surface of the roller body, the improvement wherein each rollerhead comprises:
(a) the roller body including a radially inwardly directed flange defining an aperture therein for receiving the lower end of the roller shaft therethrough, the flange comprising a first annular shoulder adjacent the aperture including an axial surface and a radial surface, the flange further comprising a second annular shoulder located adjacent to the first annular shoulder and inwardly of the roller body and including an axial surface and a radial surface;
(b) an annular body mounted coaxially about the roller shaft and disposed adjacent to the axial surface of the first annular shoulder and within the aperture defined by the flange;
(c) an annular seal coaxially disposed about the annular body and interposed between the radial surface of the first annular shoulder and the second bearing mounted about the lower end of the roller shaft; and
(d) wherein the radial surface of the first annular shoulder and the axial surface of the second annular shoulder are coaxially disposed around the annular seal so as to provide an annular slot in the flange for receiving the annular seal therein.
37. The rollerhead of claim 36 wherein the annular body is press fit onto the roller shaft.
38. The rollerhead of claim 36 wherein the annular body comprises an annular shoulder proximate to the upper end of the roller shaft and including an axial surface and a radial surface.
39. The rollerhead of claim 38 wherein the annular seal comprises an annular slot therein including an axial surface and a radial surface for receiving therein the annular shoulder of the annular body.
40. The rollerhead of claim 36 wherein the annular seal consists of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene.
41. The rollerhead of claim 36 wherein the upper end of the roller body is closed.
42. The rollerhead of claim 41 wherein the upper end of the roller body is closed by a cap mounted directly on the top end of the roller body.
43. The rollerhead of claim 42 including at least one upright fin secured to the cap.
44. The rollerhead of claim 41 including a dampening element mounted between the closed upper end of the roller body and the first bearing mounted about the upper end of the roller shaft.
45. The rollerhead of claim 36 including a hollow cylindrical wear band coaxially mounted about the roller body.
46. The rollerhead of claim 45 wherein the wear band is press fit onto the roller body.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A multi-polymer-coated magnetic nanocluster, comprising:
(a) super paramagnetic core particles;
(b) a first polymer attached thereto, comprising a chelating group, wherein attachment of said first polymer to said super paramagnetic core particles produces a first polymer-super paramagnetic core particle complex which is not colloidally stable, and clustering of said super paramagnetic core particles; and
(c) a second polymer attached thereto, wherein attachment of said second polymer stabilizes said multi-polymer-coated magnetic nanocluster.
2. The multi-polymer-coated magnetic nanocluster of claim 1, wherein said super paramagnetic core particles comprise magnetite.
3. The multi-polymer-coated magnetic nanocluster of claim 1, wherein said chelating group is an iron-chelating group.
4. The multi-polymer-coated magnetic nanocluster of claim 3, wherein said iron-chelating group is a free carboxylic acid.
5. The multi-polymer-coated magnetic nanocluster of claim 1, wherein said nanocluster ranges in size from 35-200 nm.
6. The multi-polymer-coated magnetic nanocluster of claim 1, wherein said nanocluster size is a function of the ratio of said chelating groups in said first polymer to iron atoms in said magnetite core particles.
7. The multi-polymer-coated magnetic nanocluster of claim 6, wherein said ratio is between 0.1 and 0.6.
8. The multi-polymer-coated magnetic nanocluster of claim 1, wherein said nanocluster size is controlled via limiting the amount of polymer 1.
9. The multi-polymer-coated magnetic nanocluster of claim 1, wherein said first polymer comprises acrylic acid, styrene sulfonic acid, vinyl sulfonic acid, vinyl benzyl trimethyl ammonium chloride, acrylamidopropyl trimethyl ammonium chloride, polyethylene oxide, polypropylene oxide or polyacrylic acid, or any combination thereof.
10. The multi-polymer-coated magnetic nanocluster of claim 1, wherein said first polymer comprises acrylic acid, styrene sulfonic acid and vinyl sulfonic acid.
11. The multi-polymer-coated magnetic nanocluster of claim 10, wherein the concentration of said vinyl sulfonic acid ranges from 25-50%.
12. The multi-polymer-coated magnetic nanocluster of claim 10, wherein the concentration of said styrene sulfonic acid ranges from 25-75%.
13. The multi-polymer-coated magnetic nanocluster of claim 10, wherein the concentration of said acrylic acid is roughly 25%.
14. The multi-polymer-coated magnetic nanocluster of claim 10, wherein the ratio of said acrylic acid concentration to iron atom concentration ranges from 0.1-0.6.
15. The multi-polymer-coated magnetic nanocluster of claim 10, wherein the ratio of said acrylic acid concentration to iron atom concentration is 0.2.
16. The multi-polymer-coated magnetic nanocluster of claim 1, wherein said first polymer comprises vinyl benzyl trimethyl ammonium chloride or acrylamidopropyl trimethyl ammonium chloride and acrylic acid.
17. The multi-polymer-coated magnetic nanocluster of claim 16, wherein the concentration of said vinyl benzyl trimethyl ammonium chloride or acrylamidopropyl trimethyl ammonium chloride ranges from 25-90%.
18. The multi-polymer-coated magnetic nanocluster of claim 16, wherein the concentration of said vinyl benzyl trimethyl ammonium chloride or acrylamidopropyl trimethyl ammonium chloride ranges from 70-80%.
19. The multi-polymer-coated magnetic nanocluster of claim 16, wherein the concentration of said acrylic acid is roughly 75%.
20. The multi-polymer-coated magnetic nanocluster of claim 16, wherein the ratio of said acrylic acid concentration to iron atom concentration ranges from 0.1-0.6.
21. The multi-polymer-coated magnetic nanocluster of claim 16, wherein the ratio of said acrylic acid concentration to iron atom concentration is 0.2.
22. The multi-polymer-coated magnetic nanocluster of claim 1, wherein said first polymer is a copolymer, comprising polyethylene oxide and polypropylene oxide grafted on polyacrylic acid.
23. The multi-polymer-coated magnetic nanocluster of claim 22, wherein said polyethylene oxide is grafted at a concentration of 8-16%.
24. The multi-polymer-coated magnetic nanocluster of claim 22, wherein said polyethylene oxide is grafted at a concentration of 0-8%.
25. The multi-polymer-coated magnetic nanocluster of claim 22, wherein said polyacrylic acid has a molecular weight of 5000.
26. The multi-polymer-coated magnetic nanocluster of claim 22, wherein the concentration of said polymer is 0.25-1.25 grams of polymer per gram of magnetite.
27. The multi-polymer-coated magnetic nanocluster of claim 22, wherein the concentration of polymer is at a concentration of 0.25 grams of polymer per gram of magnetite.
28. The multi-polymer-coated magnetic nanocluster of claim 1, wherein said second polymer comprises acrylic acid, vinyl sulfonic acid, vinyl benzyl trimethyl ammonium chloride, acrylamidopropyl trimethyl ammonium chloride, polyethylene oxide, polypropylene oxide or polyacrylic acid, or any combination thereof.
29. The multi-polymer-coated magnetic nanocluster of claim 1, wherein said second polymer is greater than 15 kilodalton in size.
30. The multi-polymer-coated magnetic nanocluster of claim 1, wherein said second polymer comprises poly acrylic acid.
31. The multi-polymer-coated magnetic nanocluster of claim 30, wherein said poly acrylic acid has a molecular weight of 2,000-250,000.
32. The multi-polymer-coated magnetic nanocluster of claim 30, wherein said poly acrylic acid has a molecular weight of 5,000.
33. The multi-polymer-coated magnetic nanocluster of claim 30, wherein the concentration of said polymer ranges from 0.1-0.5 grams of polymer per gram of magnetite.
34. The multi-polymer-coated magnetic nanocluster of claim 30, wherein the concentration of polymer is at a concentration of 0.3 grams of polymer per gram of magnetite.
35. The multi-polymer-coated magnetic nanocluster of claim 1, wherein said second polymer comprises a copolymer of acrylic acid and vinyl sulfonic acid.
36. The multi-polymer-coated magnetic nanocluster of claim 35, wherein the concentration of said acrylic acid and vinyl sulfonic acid ranges from 25-50%.
37. The multi-polymer-coated magnetic nanocluster of claim 35, wherein the concentration of said acrylic acid and vinyl sulfonic acid is roughly 25%.
38. The multi-polymer-coated magnetic nanocluster of claim 35, wherein the concentration of polymer is at a concentration ranging from 0.1-0.5 grams of polymer per gram of magnetite.
39. The multi-polymer-coated magnetic nanocluster of claim 35, wherein the concentration of polymer is at a concentration of 0.4 grams of polymer per gram of magnetite.
40. The multi-polymer-coated magnetic nanocluster of claim 1, wherein said second polymer stabilizes said multi-polymer-coated magnetic nanocluster by creating a steric shell around said core particles.
41. The multi-polymer-coated magnetic nanocluster of claim 1, wherein said second polymer stabilizes said multi-polymer-coated magnetic nanocluster by providing a charge to said multi-polymer-coated magnetic nanocluster.
42. The multi-polymer-coated magnetic nanocluster of claim 1, wherein said multi-polymer-coated magnetic nanocluster is stable in solutions of high ionic strength.
43. The multi-polymer-coated magnetic nanocluster of claim 1, wherein said first polymer comprises styrene sulfonic acid, vinyl sulfonic acid and acrylic acid, and said second polymer comprises polyethylene oxide and propylene oxide grafted on polyacrylic acid, or polyacrylic acid, or acrylic acid and vinyl sulfonic acid,
44. The multi-polymer-coated magnetic nanocluster of claim 1, wherein said first polymer comprises vinyl benzyl trimethyl ammonium chloride or acrylamidopropyl trimethyl ammonium chloride and acrylic acid, and said second polymer comprises vinyl benzyl trimethyl ammonium chloride or acrylamidopropyl trimethyl ammonium chloride and acrylic acid.
45. The multi-polymer-coated magnetic nanocluster of claim 1, wherein said first polymer comprises polyethylene oxide and polypropylene oxide grafted on polyacrylic acid, and said second polymer comprises polyethylene oxide and polypropylene oxide grafted on polyacrylic acid, or polyacrylic acid, or acrylic acid and vinyl sulfonic acid.
46. The multi-polymer-coated magnetic nanocluster of claim 1, further comprising a targeting moiety.
47. The multi-polymer-coated magnetic nanocluster of claim 46, wherein said targeting moiety is an antibody, an antibody fragment, a receptor, Protein A, Protein G, biotin, avidin, streptavidin, a metal ion chelate, an enzyme cofactor, a nucleic acid or a ligand.
48. A solution comprising the multi-polymer-coated magnetic nanocluster of claim 1.
49. The solution of claim 48, wherein said solution is an aqueous solution.
50. The solution of claim 48, wherein said solution is of high ionic strength.
51. A process for producing multi-polymer-coated magnetic nanoclusters, comprising the steps of:
(i) Contacting in an aqueous solution super paramagnetic core particles with a first polymer comprising a chelator, whereby first polymer attachment to said super paramagnetic core particles produces an instability in the first polymer-super paramagnetic core particle complex, and clustering of said super paramagnetic core particles; and
(ii) Contacting the solution in (a) with a second polymer, whereby said second polymer stabilizes said polymer-magnetite particle complex forming multi-polymer-coated magnetic nanoclusters;
52. The process of claim 51, wherein said super paramagnetic core particles comprise magnetite.
53. The process of claim 51, wherein the solution of said multi-polymer-coated magnetic nanoclusters is further concentrated.
54. The process of claim 53, wherein concentrating said solution comprises precipitation of said multi-polymer-coated magnetic nanoclusters.
55. The process of claim 51, wherein said chelating group is an iron-chelating group.
56. The process of claim 55, wherein said iron-chelating group is a free carboxylic acid.
57. The process of claim 51, wherein said nanocluster ranges in size from 25-200 nm.
58. The process of claim 51, wherein the size of said nanoclusters is controlled by controlling the ratio of said chelating groups in said first polymer to iron atoms in said magnetite core particles.
59. The process of claim 51, wherein the size of said nanoclusters is controlled by limiting the amount of polymer 1.
60. The process of claim 51, wherein said first polymer comprises acrylic acid, styrene sulfonic acid, vinyl sulfonic acid, vinyl benzyl trimethyl ammonium chloride, acrylamidopropyl trimethyl ammonium chloride, polyethylene oxide, polypropylene oxide or polyacrylic acid, or any combination thereof.
61. The process of claim 51, wherein said first polymer comprises acrylic acid, styrene sulfonic acid and vinyl sulfonic acid.
62. The process of claim 61, wherein the concentration of said vinyl sulfonic acid ranges from 25-50%.
63. The process of claim 61, wherein the concentration of said styrene sulfonic acid ranges from 25-75%.
64. The process of claim 61, wherein the concentration of said acrylic acid is roughly 25%.
65. The process of claim 61, wherein the ratio of said acrylic acid concentration to iron atom concentration ranges from 0.1-0.6.
66. The process of claim 61, wherein the ratio of said acrylic acid concentration to iron atom concentration is 0.2
67. The process of claim 51, wherein said first polymer comprises vinyl benzyl trimethyl ammonium chloride or acrylamidopropyl trimethyl ammonium chloride and acrylic acid.
68. The process of claim 67, wherein the concentration of said vinyl benzyl trimethyl ammonium chloride or acrylamidopropyl trimethyl ammonium chloride ranges from 25-90%.
69. The process of claim 67, wherein the concentration of said vinyl benzyl trimethyl ammonium chloride or acrylamidopropyl trimethyl ammonium chloride ranges from 70-80%.
70. The process of claim 67, wherein the concentration of said acrylic acid is roughly 75%
71. The process of claim 67, wherein the ratio of said acrylic acid concentration to iron atom concentration ranges from 0.1-0.6.
72. The process of claim 67, wherein the ratio of said acrylic acid concentration to iron atom concentration is 0.2
73. The process of claim 51, wherein said first polymer is a copolymer, comprising polyethylene oxide and polypropylene oxide grafted on polyacrylic acid.
74. The process of claim 73, wherein said polyethylene oxide is grafted at a concentration of 8-16%.
75. The process of claim 73, wherein said polypropylene oxide is grafted at a concentration of 0-8%.
76. The process of claim 73, wherein said polyacrylic acid has a molecular weight of 5000.
77. The process of claim 73, wherein the concentration of said polymer is 0.25-1.25 grams of polymer per gram of magnetite.
78. The process of claim 73, wherein the concentration of polymer is at a concentration of 0.25 grams of polymer per gram of magnetite.
79. The process of claim 51, wherein said second polymer comprises acrylic acid, vinyl sulfonic acid, vinyl benzyl trimethyl ammonium chloride, acrylamidopropyl trimethyl ammonium chloride, polyethylene oxide, polypropylene oxide or polyacrylic acid, or any combination thereof.
80. The process of claim 51, wherein said second polymer comprises poly acrylic acid.
81. The process of claim 80, wherein said poly acrylic acid has a molecular weight of 2,000-250,000.
82. The process of claim 80, wherein said poly acrylic acid has a molecular weight of 5,000.
83. The process of claim 80, wherein the concentration of said polymer ranges from 0.1-0.5 grams of polymer per gram of magnetite.
84. The process of claim 80, wherein the concentration of polymer is at a concentration of 0.3 grams of polymer per gram of magnetite.
85. The process of claim 51, wherein said second polymer comprises a copolymer of acrylic acid and vinyl sulfonic acid.
86. The process of claim 85, wherein the concentration of said acrylic acid and vinyl sulfonic acid ranges from 25-50%.
87. The process of claim 85, wherein the concentration of said acrylic acid and vinyl sulfonic acid is roughly 25%.
88. The process of claim 85, wherein the concentration of polymer is at a concentration ranging from 0.1-0.5 grams of polymer per gram of magnetite.
89. The process of claim 85, wherein the concentration of polymer is at a concentration of 0.4 grams of polymer per gram of magnetite.
90. The process of claim 51, wherein said second polymer stabilizes said multi-polymer-coated magnetic nanocluster by creating a steric shell around said core particles.
91. The process of claim 51, wherein said second polymer stabilizes said multi-polymer-coated magnetic nanocluster by providing a charge to said multi-polymer-coated magnetic nanocluster.
92. The process of claim 51, wherein said solution is of high ionic strength.
93. The process of claim 51, wherein said multi-polymer-coated magnetic nanocluster is stable in solutions of high ionic strength.
94. The process of claim 51, wherein said wherein said first polymer comprises styrene sulfonic acid, vinyl sulfonic acid and acrylic acid, and said second polymer comprises polyethylene oxide and polypropylene oxide grafted on polyacrylic acid, or polyacrylic acid, or acrylic acid and vinyl sulfonic acid.
95. The process of claim 51, wherein said wherein said first polymer comprises vinyl benzyl trimethyl ammonium chloride or acrylamidopropyl trimethyl ammonium chloride and acrylic acid, and said second polymer comprises vinyl benzyl trimethyl ammonium chloride or acrylamidopropyl trimethyl ammonium chloride and acrylic acid.
96. The process of claim 51, wherein said wherein said first polymer comprises polyethylene oxide and polypropylene oxide grafted on polyacrylic acid, and said second polymer comprises polyethylene oxide and polypropylene oxide grafted on polyacrylic acid, or polyacrylic acid, or acrylic acid and vinyl sulfonic acid.
97. The process of claim 51, further comprising the step of conjugating a targeting moiety to said multi-polymer-coated magnetic nanoclusters.
98. The process of claim 97, wherein said targeting moiety is an antibody, an antibody fragment, a receptor, Protein A, Protein G, biotin, avidin, streptavidin, a metal ion chelate, an enzyme cofactor, a nucleic acid or a ligand.
99. A method of separation comprising the steps of:
(i) Contacting a solution comprising a substance of interest with a multi-polymer-coated magnetic nanocluster comprising:
(i) super paramagnetic core particles;
(ii) a first polymer attached thereto, comprising a chelating group, wherein attachment of said first polymer to said super paramagnetic core particles produces a first polymer-super paramagnetic core particle complex which is not colloidally stable, and clustering of said super paramagnetic core particles; and
(iii) a second polymer attached thereto, wherein attachment of said second polymer stabilizes said multi-polymer-coated magnetic nanocluster;
wherein said multi-polymer-coated magnetic nanocluster has an enhanced interaction with said substance of interest;
(ii) Providing conditions whereby said multi-polymer-coated magnetic nanocluster interacts with said substance of interest, forming a multi-polymer-coated magnetic nanocluster-substance of interest complex; and
(iii) Magnetically separating said multi-polymer-coated magnetic nanocluster-substance of interest complex from other components of said solution.
100. The method of claim 99, wherein said method is utilized to separate a biological substance of interest from a sample in solution.
101. The method of claim 100, wherein said sample is a biological sample.
102. The method of claim 101, wherein said biological sample is a tissue homogenate, a cell lysate, a broth or a cell or tissue culture.
103. The method of claim 100, wherein said biological substance is a eucaryotic cell, procaryotic cell, subcellular organelle, virus, protein, nucleic acid, carbohydrate, ligand, lipid or any combination thereof.
104. The method of claim 99, wherein magnetic separation of said complex is via high gradient magnetic separation.
105. The method of claim 99, wherein said method is utilized to separate a protein expressed by a cell from said cell.
106. The method of claim 105, wherein said protein is strongly cationic.
107. The method of claim 106, wherein said protein is lysozyme.
108. The method of claim 105, wherein said cell is infected with a virus.
109. The method of claim 108, wherein said protein is separated from said virus.
110. The method of claim 105, wherein said method is conducted in a solution or broth.
111. The method of claim 105, wherein said cell is a bacteria or yeast.
112. The method of claim 111, wherein said yeast is a Pichia species.
113. A method of separation comprising the steps of:
(i) Contacting a solution comprising a substance of interest with a multi-polymer-coated magnetic nanocluster comprising:
(i) super paramagnetic core particles;
(ii) a first polymer attached thereto, comprising a chelating group, wherein attachment of said first polymer to said super paramagnetic core particles produces a first polymer-super paramagnetic core particle complex which is not colloidally stable, and clustering of said super paramagnetic core particles;
(iii) a second polymer attached thereto, wherein attachment of said second polymer stabilizes said multi-polymer-coated magnetic nanocluster; and
(iv) a targeting moiety attached thereto;
(ii) Providing conditions whereby said targeting moiety interacts with said substance of interest, forming a multi-polymer-coated magnetic nanocluster-substance of interest complex; and
(iii) Magnetically separating said multi-polymer-coated magnetic nanocluster-substance of interest complex from other components of said solution.
114. The method of claim 105, wherein said method is utilized to separate a biological substance of interest from a sample in solution.
115. The method of claim 106, wherein said sample is a biological sample.
116. The method of claim 107, wherein said biological sample is a tissue homogenate, a cell lysate or a cell or tissue culture.
117. The method of claim 107, wherein said biological substance is a eukaryotic cell, prokaryotic cell, subcellular organelle, virus, protein, nucleic acid, carbohydrate, ligand, lipid or any combination thereof.
118. The method of claim 105, wherein said targeting moiety is an antibody, an antibody fragment, a receptor, Protein A, Protein G, biotin, avidin, streptavidin, a metal ion chelate, an enzyme cofactor, a nucleic acid, a ligand or a lectin.
119. The method of claim 105, wherein magnetic separation of said complex is via high gradient magnetic separation.
120. A method of separating an expressed protein from a virus expressing said protein, the method comprising the steps of:
(i) lysing a cell comprising a virus expressing a protein of interest;
(ii) contacting the lysate obtained in (a) with a multi-polymer-coated magnetic nanocluster comprising:
(i) super paramagnetic core particles;
(ii) a first polymer attached thereto, comprising a chelating group, wherein attachment of said first polymer to said super paramagnetic core particles produces a first polymer-super paramagnetic core particle complex which is not colloidally stable, and clustering of said super paramagnetic core particles; and
(iii) a second polymer attached thereto, wherein attachment of said second polymer stabilizes said multi-polymer-coated magnetic nanocluster;
(iii) providing conditions whereby said multi-polymer-coated magnetic nanocluster interacts with said expressed protein, forming a multi-polymer-coated magnetic nanocluster-expressed protein complex, whereby said conditions may also result in the formation of a multi-polymer-coated magnetic nanocluster-virus complex;
(iv) magnetically separating from other components a complex comprising a multi-polymer-coated magnetic nanocluster, wherein said complex may comprise expressed protein, virus, or mixtures thereof, in said complex;
(v) Contacting said complex with a solution of high ionic strength; and
(vi) Collecting said expressed protein,
whereby said solution of high ionic strength results in enhanced binding affinity of said virus for said multi-polymer-coated magnetic nanocluster, reduced binding affinity of said expressed protein for said multi-polymer-coated magnetic nanocluster, or a combination thereof, and wherein said effects on binding affinity enable preferential collection of said expressed protein thereby being a method of separating a recombinantly expressed protein from a virus expressing said protein.
121. The method of claim 120, wherein magnetic separation of said complex is via high gradient magnetic separation.
122. The method of claim 120, wherein said cell is a yeast or a mammalian cell.
123. The method of claim 120, wherein said multi-polymer-coated magnetic nanocluster is at a range in size of from 20-1000 nm.
124. The method of claim 120, wherein said solution of high ionic strength ranges in concentration of from 0.1-0.4M.
125. The method of claim 120, wherein said multi-polymer-coated magnetic nanocluster is at a concentration of 0.05-0.3%.
126. The method of claim 120, further comprising the step of contacting said complex with a solution at high pH.
127. The method of claim 126, wherein said solution is of low ionic strength.
128. The method of claim 127, further comprising the step of collecting said virus.
129. The method of claim 120, wherein said multi-polymer-coated magnetic nanocluster comprises a copolymer of vinylsulfonic acid and acrylic acid.
130. The method of claim 120, wherein said multi-polymer-coated magnetic nanocluster comprises PEO.