Understanding the Interaction of Glutamate Salts with Serum Albumin Protected Prism‐Shaped Silver Nanoparticles toward Glutamate Sensing

Surface plasmon spectroscopy of serum albumin protected prism‐shaped silver nanoparticles is used as simple and effective sensing tool to detect glutamate salts. The approach does not require any electrochemical setup to detect glutamates, in contrast to common techniques to detect glutamates in general. Experiments reveal that upon presence of high concentrations of glutamate salts, the prism‐shaped nanoparticles are transformed to smaller‐sized nanoclusters, while the remaining nanoparticles are assembled to form aggregates. Control experiments confirm that the interaction is specific to the serum albumin coating, the prism shape of the nanoparticles, and to silver.     

Colloidal Nanoparticles: Formation of Large 2D Arrays of Shape‐Controlled Colloidal Nanoparticles at Variable Interparticle Distances (Part. Part. Syst. Charact. 1/2013)

A method for the production of homogeneous layers of nanoparticles of arbitrary shape is presented. The method relies on a ligand exchange with a functionalized polymer and a subsequent self‐assembly of a thin film on the substrates. The interparticle distances in the layer can be adjusted by the length of the polymer. In the case of spherical particles, the approach yields quasi‐hexagonal structures; in the case of anisotropic particles, the minimum distance between adjacent particles is controlled. Regular arrangements of the nanoparticles covering areas of several square centimeters are achieved.