(Au-Probe)@SiO_2单层纳米粒子膜制备及表面增强拉曼光谱研究

表面增强拉曼光谱(SERS)因其高达单分子检测的表面灵敏度而广受青睐,其增强机理主要包括电磁场增强效应(EM)和电荷转移增强(CT)。通常,前者占主导作用,且局域电磁场可极大地增强表面吸附分子的拉曼信号。而介质通常对局域电磁场和EM增强有一定影响,从而影响SERS检测,通过壳层隔绝纳米粒子(SHINs)可避免介质与SERS增强源间的直接接触。但迄今为止,几乎未见有关介质对其增强拉曼光谱(SHINERS)影响的研究,主要因SERS基底均匀性较差所致。制备了两种探针分子内嵌且Au核尺寸不同的核壳纳米粒子,即(55 nm Au-PNTP)@SiO_2和(110 nm Au-pMBA)@SiO_2,壳层厚度分别为3.5和4.0 nm,壳层结构连续且无针孔效应。采用液-液两相成膜法制备其单层膜,转移至固相基底上可作为SERS基底,(55 nm Au-PNTP)@SiO_2单层膜上SERS谱峰强度的相对标准偏差约为5.38%,(110 nm Au-pMBA)@SiO_2单层膜上相对标准偏差约为5.97%,其重现性及均匀性优良,符合作为SERS基底的要求。研究它们分别在空气和水两种介质中的SERS效应,结果表明Au核被致密无针孔效应的SiO_2壳层包裹,且探针分子内嵌其中,由此完全隔绝了电磁场增强源内核Au纳米粒子与介质的直接接触,当改变基底所处的环境时,其实际介质仍为SiO_2,因此在两种介质中SERS信号几乎不发生改变。内嵌探针分子的PNTP或pMBA被包裹在SiO_2壳层内,溶剂及氧气等均无法参与反应,因此探针分子未发生SPR催化反应,保持稳定的光谱特征。由此可见内嵌探针分子的SERS信号强度及光谱特征不受介质的影响,可望作为多介质环境使用的高灵敏度SERS检测以及稳定内标或标记的重要基底。     

Au@SiO2纳米粒子的制备及其用于西维因的检测

采用一种简单、低成本的方法制备了单分散不同壳层厚度的Au@SiO2核壳纳米粒子.以结晶紫为探针分子,研究了核壳纳米粒子的壳层隔离纳米粒子增强拉曼光谱（SHINERS）效应与二氧化硅壳层厚度之间的关系.结果表明：随着壳层厚度从30nm减小到4nm,粒子之间局域电磁场作用逐渐增加,探针分子的拉曼信号强度大幅度增强.用增强效果最佳的4 nm SiO2壳层厚度的核壳纳米粒子可检测到浓度低达10-5mol/L溶液中的西维因,希望结合便携拉曼仪实现农产品中残留农药西维因的现场检测.     

荧光/表面增强拉曼散射双模式纳米光学探针的构建及性能研究

提出一种新型的荧光及表面增强拉曼散射（SERS）双模式光学纳米探针。首先,通过再沉淀-包覆法合成二氧化硅包覆香豆素6的纳米颗粒,再在二氧化硅表面静电吸附多聚赖氨酸分子形成包覆层,随后通过原位还原的方法在多聚赖氨酸壳层复合银纳米颗粒,最后在银纳米颗粒表面吸附拉曼分子即形成双模式纳米探针。该探针通过二氧化硅包覆的荧光分子产生荧光信号,以多聚赖氨酸表面的银纳米颗粒作为SERS增强基底,利用拉曼分子获得SERS信号,实现了荧光及SERS双模式成像。荧光与表面增强拉曼散射相结合的双模式分析技术可同时发挥二者的优点,提高成像的分辨率和灵敏度,在生物医学领域具有重要的应用价值。     

具有可调谐的LSPR和SERS性能的“爆米花”状Au@Ag核壳超结构的制备（英文）

本文通过使用多巴胺二硫代氨基甲酸(DDTC)作为还原剂来控制银纳米颗粒以异相成核的生长模式在金立方表面进行生长,合成出"爆米花"状的金银纳米超结构。这种结构的纳米颗粒在可见光区表现出可调谐的等离子体共振特性,并且通过改变硝酸银的浓度能够精细的调节银层的厚度。此外,使用液液界面自组装技术将纳米颗粒组装成单层膜,然后将结晶紫作为探针分子来研究纳米颗粒的表面增强拉曼散射特性(SERS)和银层厚度之间的依赖关系。并系统的研究了三种激发波长对SERS基底的响应。结果表明"爆米花"状的金银核壳超结构具有可调节的局域表面等离子体共振(LSPR)和SERS特性,在太阳能电池、催化、化学传感等领域具有广阔的应用前景。     

SiO_2/Ag核壳结构纳米粒子的制备及其表面荧光增强

以罗丹明B掺杂的SiO2球为核,通过化学还原的方法制备了二氧化硅/银核壳结构复合纳米粒子。采用透射电镜(TEM)、紫外-可见-近红外(UV-Vis-NIR)分光光度计和荧光分光光度计对二氧化硅/银核壳结构纳米粒子的表面形貌、表面等离子共振和表面荧光增强特性进行了研究和表征。结果表明,二氧化硅/银核壳结构纳米粒子的表面等离子共振峰具有明显的可调谐性,且其表面荧光增强强烈依赖于银壳层的表面等离子共振,随银壳层厚度的增大而增强。     

金银双金属纳米壳层结构的SERS活性研究

利用磁控溅射技术在组装整齐的微球表面依次镀上银、金薄膜,获得双金属纳米壳层结构。以对巯基苯胺(p-ATP)为探针分子,研究了该壳层结构在不同激发线下SERS增强差异。测试结果表明,金银双金属纳米壳层结构在780nm激光下具有很好的SERS增强效果,并随着外层金膜厚度的减小而逐渐增强。对各个基底的增强因子进行计算可知,基底的表面等离子体共振(SPR)峰与激发线的匹配程度越好,其增强因子越大。由于金的高稳定性和良好的生物相容性,该基底在SERS生物传感方面具有很大应用潜力。     

一种新型的通用的SERS基底-核壳结构纳米子

为了进一步来提高SERS基底和分子的普适性,本文采取了一种"借力"的方法,设计合成了金核过渡金属薄壳(Au@Pd,Au@Pt,Au@Ni,Au@Co)的核壳结构纳米粒子,借用底层高SERS活性的金核强的电磁场来增强过渡金属表面吸附分子的SERS信号,使得过渡金属表面的增强因子可达104-105。系统地开展了不同壳层厚度及相同壳层厚度下金核大小对SERS活性影响的研究,发现随着壳层厚的增加SERS活性迅速衰减,而且当金核为120-140 nm时可以得到最强的增强。     

两种纳米粒子的自组装及表面增强拉曼光谱研究

在氨基硅烷化的单晶硅片表面通过静电自组装技术组装上金和金核铂壳两种纳米粒子,通过改变基底浸泡在溶胶中的时间控制基底上纳米粒子的密度。用扫描电子显微镜(SEM)对基底表面上的形貌进行表征,结果表明纳米粒子呈亚单层二维阵列分布。以吡啶(Py)为探针分子,用波长为632.8 nm的激发光作为激发光源,研究纯金和金铂复合基底上的表面增强拉曼光谱(SERS)行为。数据显示在金纳米粒子之间引入金核铂壳纳米粒子后,Py的两个特征峰的频率没有明显变化,但谱峰的强度却变弱了,其SERS信号衰减最大可至原来的24%。这是由于引入的铂的d态电子使金的等离子体激发猝灭,从而破坏了电磁场增强,使金的SERS信号衰减。     

不同Ag壳厚度Au@Ag纳米粒子的调控制备表征及表面增强拉曼光谱的效应

采用化学还原法制备了以Au为核、包覆Ag的双金属核壳Au@Ag纳米粒子,并成功地用于表面增强拉曼光谱(SERS)分析测试。通过改变制备液中Ag/Au的量比来调控Ag壳包覆厚度。采用透射电子显微镜(TEM)和紫外-可见光谱仪(UV-Vis)对Au@Ag纳米粒子的构貌进行表征。TEM显示明显存在核壳结构,且Ag壳层随Ag/Au的量比的增加而逐渐变厚;UV-Vis表明随着Ag/Au的量比的增加,Au@Ag纳米粒子出现了Au核与Ag壳吸收峰的2个等离子体共振峰,同时伴随着Au峰的蓝移和Ag峰的红移。以双甲脒为分析物,考察了不同Ag/Au的量比时的Au@Ag纳米粒子的SERS活性。结果表明,SERS活性随Ag/Au的量比的增加先增大后减小,在6∶5时其SERS增强效应最佳,此时Ag壳厚度约为6 nm。以对巯基苯胺(4-ATP)、结晶紫(CV)和双甲脒为分析测试对象,对比了Au@Ag、Ag、Au 3种基底的SERS活性。结果表明,所制备的Au@Ag纳米粒子的SERS活性要明显优于单纯的Au、Ag纳米粒子。     

Ag纳米粒子修饰聚合物纳米尖锥阵列的SERS衬底制备

表面增强拉曼散射(SERS)以其无损、超灵敏、快速检测分析等优点而备受关注,在化学和生物传感等应用领域有着极大的潜力。研制灵敏度高、重复性强、稳定性好的SERS基底,对于实现其在痕量分析、生物诊断中的实际应用具有重要意义。具有微/纳米结构的聚合物具有优异的机械性能、光学性能、耐化学性等优点。通过模板压印法,利用多孔阳极氧化铝(AAO)在聚合物聚碳酸酯(PC)表面制备一种高度有序的纳米PC尖锥阵列结构,然后通过蒸发镀膜在PC尖锥阵列上沉积一层银膜,制备了大面积Ag纳米颗粒修饰的高度有序聚合物纳米尖锥阵列。高曲率纳米针状结构顶端的银颗粒及颗粒之间狭小的纳米间隙能产生大量的SERS"热点"。这种方法得到了均匀,可重复,大面积高增强的SERS活性基底,并进一步研究了不同沉积厚度银膜的SERS特性。用扫描电子显微镜(SEM)对其进行了表征,以结晶紫作为探针分子对这种结构进行研究。结果表明:拉曼信号强度随银厚度的增加显示为先增强后减弱的趋势。基底对结晶紫的拉曼增强因子达到5.4×10~6,基底主要拉曼峰强度的RSD为10%,说明该基底具有很好的检测灵敏性和重复性。此外,基底在存放40 d后,在相同条件下仍然保持着高SERS性能,表现出很好的稳定性。整个制备过程简单易行,重复性好,制作成本非常低廉,而且能够规模化制备,可方便地作为活性基底应用于SERS研究,必将具有广阔的研究和应用前景。     

Silica-covered Au nanoresonators for fluorescence modulating of a graphene quantum dot

We synthesize Au@SiO2composite particles with a core-shell structure, and utilize the Au@SiO2nanoparticles to modulate the fluorescence emission of the graphene quantum dot(GQD) through varying the silica shell thickness. The silica shell thickness can be easily controlled by varying the coating time. After silica coating, we investigate the influence of the silica thickness on the fluorescence emission of the GQD and find that the fluorescence property of the GQD can be changed as expected by varying the thickness of the silica shell. We propose an optimized coating time for the silica shell under the interaction of fluorescence quenching and enhancement.     

Fabrication of microporous hollow silica spheres templated by NP-10 micelles without calcinations

We reported a novel method to fabricate hollow silica microspheres using nonionic surfactant nonyl phenol ethoxylated decylether (NP-10) micelles as template, n-octadecane as core and sodium silicate as silica precursor. The core materials were removed by ethanol during the reaction. Hollow structure formed without calcinations or chemical etching. Hierarchical silica hollow microspheres were prepared by changing the concentration of the reactants and reaction time. Size of the core materials was obtained from the temperature-dependent dynamic light scattering (DLS) measurement. Scanning election microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) results revealed that ordered microporous hollow silica microspheres with thickness of shell about 200 nm and mean diameter 2.5 μm were prepared. Porosity and pore size were analyzed by Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET).     

Facile Fabrication of Dendritic Mesoporous SiO2@CdTe@SiO2 Fluorescent Nanoparticles for Bioimaging

A seeded watermelon‐like mesoporous nanostructure (mSiO₂@CdTe@SiO₂, mSQS) composed of a novel dendritic mesoporous silica core, fluorescent CdTe quantum dots (QDs), and a protective solid silica shell is successfully fabricated by loading QDs into dendritic mesoporous silica nanoparticles through electrostatic interaction, and then coating with a solid silica shell by the modified Stöber method. The shell thickness of mSQS can be tuned from 0 to 32 nm as desired by controlling the reaction parameters, including the amount of silica precursor, tetraethyl orthosilicate, that is introduced, the solvent ratio (H₂O:ethanol), and the amount of catalyst (NH₃?H₂O). These fluorescent mSiO₂@QDs@SiO₂ nanoparticles possess excellent stability and thickness‐dependent cytotoxicity, and are successfully applied to bioimaging.     

Influence of annealing conditions on the properties of reinforced silver-embedded silica matrix from the cheap silica source

The influence of annealing conditions on the properties of reinforced silver-embedded silica matrix was systematically investigated in the present study. The samples were prepared via a recently reported method using sodium silicate as a silica precursor. Aluminium ions were used to reinforce and improve the chemical durability of silver-embedded silica; and the mole ratio of the precursors was fixed at Al/Ag = 1. The properties of the final product were examined in relation to its counterparts; namely pure silica, aluminium-embedded silica (without silver), and silver doped silica (without aluminium). The materials were heat treated at the range of 600-1000 °C under the constant supply of argon (inert atmosphere). The properties of the final product were compared with those of the previously reported materials prepared via the same method but calcined in air. The current material was found to have pure silver nanoparticles (without AgCl nanoparticles) while the previous material had both silver and AgCl nanoparticles. The results demonstrate that materials with more desirable properties can be obtained by this newly developed technique while utilizing sodium silicate, which is relatively cheap, as a silica precursor. This may significantly boost the industrial production of the silver-embedded silicas for various applications.     

High quality and tuneable silica shell–magnetic core nanoparticles

Obtaining small (<50 nm), monodispersed, well-separated, single iron oxide core–silica (SiO₂) shell nanoparticles for biomedical applications is still a challenge. Preferably, they are synthesised by inverse microemulsion method. However, substantial amount of aggregated and multicore core–shell nanoparticles is the undesired outcome of the method. In this study, we report on the production of less than 50 nm overall size, monodispersed, free of necking, single core iron oxide–SiO₂ shell nanoparticles with tuneable shell thickness by a carefully optimized inverse microemulsion method. The high degree of control over the process is achieved by understanding the mechanism of core–shell nanoparticles formation. By varying the reaction time and precursor concentration, the thickness of silica layer on the core nanoparticles can be finely adjusted from 5 to 13 nm. Residual reactions during the workup were inhibited by a combination of pH control with shock freezing and ultracentrifuging. These high-quality tuneable core–shell nanocomposite particles exhibit superparamagnetic character and sufficiently high magnetization with great potential for biomedical applications (e.g. MRI, cell separation and magnetically driven drug delivery systems) either as-prepared or by additional surface modification for improved biocompatibility.     

Metal Enhanced Fluorescence Solution-based Sensing Platform 2: Fluorescent Core-Shell Ag@SiO<Subscript>2</Subscript> Nanoballs

In this Rapid Communication, we present the development of monodisperse core-shell (silver core-silica shell) nanoparticles with various shell thicknesses featuring a fluorophore, subsequently named Metal-Enhanced Fluorescence (MEF) nanoballs. MEF nanoballs consist of a ≈130 nm silver nanoparticle core, a silica shell with up to 35 nm thickness and fluorophores doped within the silica shell. Fluorescent nanobubbles where the silver core is removed by chemical etching are used as control samples to show the benefits of using silver nanoparticles, i.e, Metal-Enhanced Fluorescence. Finally, we demonstrate the broad potential biological applications of MEF nanoballs by employing near-infra red emitting probes (Rhodamine 800) within the silica shell, for potential applications in cellular imaging and solution-based sensing. Kadir Aslan, Meng Wu, Contributed equally     

Gold decorated NaYF<Subscript>4</Subscript>:Yb,Er/NaYF<Subscript>4</Subscript>/silica (core/shell/shell) upconversion nanoparticles for photothermal destruction of BE(2)-C neuroblastoma cells

Gold decorated NaYF₄:Yb,Er/NaYF₄/silica (core/shell/shell) upconversion (UC) nanoparticles (~70–80 nm) were synthesized using tetraethyl orthosilicate and chloroauric acid in a one-step reverse microemulsion method. Gold nanoparticles (~6 nm) were deposited on the surface of silica shell of these core/shell/shell nanoparticles. The total upconversion emission intensity (green, red, and blue) of the core/shell/shell nanoparticles decreased by ~31% after Au was deposited on the surface of silica shell. The upconverted green light was coupled with the surface plasmon of Au leading to rapid heat conversion. These UC/silica/Au nanoparticles were very efficient to destroy BE(2)-C cancer cells and showed strong potential in photothermal therapy.     

Silica‐Coating of Hematite Nanoparticles Using Reactive Water‐Soluble Polyalkoxysiloxanes

In this article, we report on a new one‐step synthetic route to obtain multi‐functional silica‐coated hematite particles using a water‐based surfactant‐free technology. The synthesis and properties of uniform silica‐coated hematite particles with adjustable size, morphology, and silica shell thickness are discussed in detail. The developed method allows simultaneous formation of the silica shell around hematite core and incorporation of reactive groups on the surface of core–shell nanoparticles. Vinyl groups are introduced to the silica surface at once by pre‐functionalization of a water‐soluble hyperbranched polyalkoxysiloxanes with active double bonds. The reactivity of these surface‐immobilized vinyl groups is demonstrated by covalent attachment of rhodamine B using a thiol‐en click reaction.     

A facile route to prepare hierarchical magnetic cobalt–silica hollow nanospheres with tunable shell thickness

Magnetic nanoshells composed of close-packed cobalt–silica nanoparticles have been successfully fabricated on silica spheres. The synthesis is facile and no high pressure, high temperature, or other severe reaction conditions were required. TEM images showed that two batches of the hollow-structured products have a good spherical morphology with an average diameter of 380 and 550 nm, respectively. The surface area and magnetic properties of cobalt–silica nanoshells are measured. By varying the times of the precipitation procedure, the shell thickness is successfully controlled within the 5–30 nm range and each time of procedure might increase the thickness about 5 nm. It is expected that the in situ reaction method can be extended to the synthesis of other hollow metal spheres. The prepared microcapsule with controllable shell thickness and interspaces has the potential to be used for controlled release applications.     

Synthesis and characterization of core-shell europium(III)-silica nanoparticles

Luminescent core-shell europium(III)-silica nanoparticles were prepared using europium(III) chelate core structure and polyvinylpyrrolidone synthesis strategy for silica shell. Europium(III):naphtoyltrifluoroacetone:trioctylphosphineoxide complex was spontaneously agglomerated from organic solvent to water. Polyvinylpyrrolidone was adsorbed onto the core structure and stable silica shell was synthesized using tetraethylorthosilicate. Nanosized particles with a diameter of 71 ± 5 nm and 11 nm shell thickness were obtained with fluorescence decay rate of 517 μs and excitation and emission wavelengths of 334 and 614 nm, respectively.