Chelating amphiphilic polymers

A method of making a particle, wherein the particle comprises a non-chelating amphiphilic polymer and a self-assembled structure, the self-assembled structure comprising a chelating amphiphilic polymer, wherein the chelating amphiphilic polymer is capable of self-assembly,

• wherein the chelating amphiphilic polymer comprises a hydrophilic block and a hydrophobic block,
• wherein the hydrophilic block is provided with a chelating moiety, wherein the chelating moiety is selected from the group consisting of DOTA, DTPA, HYNIC, and desferoxamine as an end-group,
• wherein one or more of the chelating moieties comprises a metal ion in the form of a coordination complex,
• wherein the metal ions are chelated at the inside, wherein a chelating amphiphilic polymer is subject to an aqueous environment so as to form a bilayer enclosing a cavity, wherein the chelating moieties are subjected to the formation of coordination complexes with metal ions prior to the formation of the bilayer, the method comprising:
• creating the amphiphilic polymer;
• and
• after creating the amphiphilic polymer coupling the chelating moiety to the hydrophilic block,
• wherein the hydrophilic block is a poly (ethylene oxide) block, preferably having a weight-average molecular weight of from 500 to 10,000,
• wherein the hydrophobic block has a Tg of below 70° C.,
• wherein, the hydrophobic block is selected from the group consisting of poly (butadiene), poly (isoprene), and poly (ethylethylene).