I have prepared porphyrin polymer nanoparticles by reprecipitation method (no surfactant or stabilizer has been used) using THF and water. While increasing the concentration of this polymer, a substantial decrease in nanoparticle size was observed (keeping same volume of water for all conc). For example, the lowest concentration shows 100nm, the highest concentration shows 65nm size (while zeta-potential is in the range = -39 to -37). The polymer is porphyrin-thiophene based having couple of TEG (triethylene-glycol) groups on meso aryl position of porphyrin units but thiophene unit is unsubstituted and the porphyrin core is metal free.
I couldn't figure out the reason. Can anyone help me?
It could have leaded to an aggregation and the secondary particles can be out of range that may not be seen in the histogram. I think you should support your results with electron microscopy. If the results are positive then i want to question your method for conc. increase and the polydispersity of the polymer.
Wish you good luck
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