Preparation and characterization of porphyrin nanoparticles.

The synthesis, characterization, and stability of porphyrin nanoparticles of 20-200 nm diameter presented herein is general for meso arylporphyrins. The elegance of the method lies in its simplicity. This work shows that the agent used to prevent agglomeration can be covalently attached to the dye forming the particle or be part of the solvent system. It also demonstrates that these and other types of dyes with a range of photonic properties do not need to be prepared by inclusion in external matrices or by designed self-assembly a priori. The matrix may severely limit the functionality of the particles in the former case, and at present this size of particle is difficult to achieve via the latter.