Work

“Grafting-To” Covalent Binding of Plasmonic Nanoparticles onto Silica WGM Microresonators: Mechanically Robust Single-Molecule Sensors and Determination of Activation Energies from Single-Particle Events

Year: 2023

Type: article

Abstract: We hereby present a novel "grafting-to"-like approach for the covalent attachment of plasmonic nanoparticles (PNPs) onto whispering gallery mode (WGM) silica microresonators. Mechanically stable optoplasmonic microresonators were employed for sensing single-particle and single-molecule interactions in real time, allowing for the differentiation between binding and non-binding events. An approximated value of the activation energy for the silanization reaction occurring during the "grafting-to" approach was obtained using the Arrhenius equation; the results agree with available values from both bulk experiments and ab initio calculations. The "grafting-to" method combined with the functionalization of the plasmonic nanoparticle with appropriate receptors, such as single-stranded DNA, provides a robust platform for probing specific single-molecule interactions under biologically relevant conditions.

Source: Sensors

DOI: 10.3390/s23073455

Authors: Mariana P. Serrano, Sivaraman Subramanian, Catalina von Bilderling, Matías Rafti, Frank Vollmer

Institutions: Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Instituto de Investigaciones Fisicoquímicas Teóricas y Aplicadas, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, University of Exeter

Language: English

Topic: Plasmonic and Surface Plasmon Research

Subfield: Biomedical Engineering

Field: Engineering

Domain: Physical Sciences

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $2,669

Funders: University of Exeter, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, Agencia Nacional de Promoción Científica y Tecnológica