# US 11,906,674 B2 · Sealable, mesoporous silica shell nanoreactor > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,906,674 B2 - Document ID: US11906674B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/192,674 - Filed: 2021-03-04 - Published: 2021-12-09 - Granted: 2024-02-20 - Earliest claimed: 2018-09-07 - Assignees: The Regents of the University of California - Applicants: The Regents of the University of California - Inventors: Ting Guo - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11906674B2 ## CPC - G01N 23/223: by irradiating the sample with X-rays or gamma-rays and by measuring X-ray fluorescence - G01T 1/04: Chemical dosimeters (G01T1/06, G01T1/08 take precedence) - C01B 33/18: Preparation of finely divided silica neither in sol nor in gel form; After-treatment thereof (preparation of aerogels by dehydrating gels C01B33/158; treatment to enhance the pigmenting or filling properties C09C) - B82Y 40/00: Manufacture or treatment of nanostructures - C01P 2004/34: hollow - C01P 2004/64: Nanometer sized, i.e. from 1-100 nanometer - C01P 2006/16: Pore diameter - G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q) - G01T: MEASUREMENT OF NUCLEAR OR X-RADIATION (radiation analysis of materials, mass spectrometry G01N23/00; tubes for determining the presence, intensity, density or energy of radiation or particles H01J47/00) - C01B: NON-METALLIC ELEMENTS; COMPOUNDS THEREOF; {METALLOIDS OR COMPOUNDS THEREOF NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASS C01C} - B82Y: SPECIFIC USES OR APPLICATIONS OF NANOSTRUCTURES; MEASUREMENT OR ANALYSIS OF NANOSTRUCTURES; MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF NANOSTRUCTURES - C01P: INDEXING SCHEME RELATING TO STRUCTURAL AND PHYSICAL ASPECTS OF SOLID INORGANIC COMPOUNDS ## Abstract The present technology relates to nanomaterials and methods of their use, and more specifically to methods and structures using nanomaterials to fiducially measure radiation dosing. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of measuring radiation dosage, the method comprising: incorporating a probing molecule within a nanoreactor; irradiating the nanoreactor with irradiation energy for a period of time sufficient for the probing molecule to react with hydroxyl radicals to form a fluorescent molecule; and measuring a dosage of irradiation based on the fluorescent molecules formed, wherein the dosage measurements are substantially linearly responsive within a dose range. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the dose range is from below or about 10 Gy to above or about 500 Gy. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the probing molecule comprises coumarin 3-carboxylic acid. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the nanoreactor comprises a hollow mesoporous silica shell characterized by a shell geometry that is substantially spherical, substantially cubic, or substantially cylindrical. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, wherein the probing molecule is incorporated with water within the hollow mesoporous silica shell. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, wherein hollow mesoporous silica shell comprises an exterior coating comprising polyvinylpyrrolidone. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, wherein hollow mesoporous silica shell comprises an exterior coating comprising amorphous silica. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein the amorphous silica seals over 90% of pores of the hollow mesoporous silica shell. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the irradiating is performed in an environment comprising gold nanoparticles. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the irradiating is performed in an environment comprising hydroxyl radical scavengers. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the nanoreactor substantially seals an interior of the nanoreactor from the environment comprising the hydroxyl radical scavengers. ### Claim 12 A method of producing a nanoreactor configured to measure irradiation dosage, the method comprising: incorporating probing molecules within a hollow mesoporous nanoreactor; and mixing a water-soluble polymer with the hollow mesoporous nanoreactor subsequent sufficient time for probing molecules to be contained within the hollow mesoporous nanoreactor, wherein the water-soluble polymer is configured to substantially seal pores of the hollow mesoporous nanoreactor. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein the hollow mesoporous nanoreactor comprises silica. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein the probing molecules comprises coumarin 3-carboxylic acid. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein the water-soluble polymer comprises polyvinylpyrrolidone. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein the water-soluble polymer is mixed with the hollow mesoporous nanoreactor after at least about 4 hours from incorporating the probing molecules with the hollow mesoporous nanoreactor. ### Claim 17 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein the water-soluble polymer seals more than 99% of the pores of the hollow mesoporous nanoreactor. ### Claim 18 A nanoreactor comprising: a hollow mesoporous shell; an aqueous solution contained within the hollow mesoporous shell, wherein the aqueous solution comprises a plurality of probing molecules; and an external coating on the hollow mesoporous shell comprising a polymeric material. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The nanoreactor of claim 18, wherein the hollow mesoporous shell comprises silica. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The nanoreactor of claim 18, wherein the external coating comprises amorphous silica and polyvinylpyrrolidone.