imec, SSET-Functional Nanosystems, Leuven, Belgium.
Nanotechnology. 2011 Jan 7;22(1):015601. doi: 10.1088/0957-4484/22/1/015601. Epub 2010 Dec 6.
Gold nanoparticles are ideal candidates for clinical applications if their plasmon absorption band is situated in the near infrared region (NIR) of the electromagnetic spectrum. Various parameters, including the nanoparticle shape, strongly influence the position of this absorption band. The aim of this study is to produce stabilized NIR absorbing branched gold nanoparticles with potential for biomedical applications. Hereto, the synthesis procedure for branched gold nanoparticles is optimized varying the different synthesis parameters. By subsequent electroless gold plating the plasmon absorption band is shifted to 747.2 nm. The intrinsic unstable nature of the nanoparticles' morphology can be clearly observed by a spectral shift and limits their use in real applications. However, in this article we show how the stabilization of the branched structure can be successfully achieved by exchanging the initial capping agent for different alkanethiols and disulfides. Furthermore, when using alkanethiols/disulfides with poly(ethylene oxide) units incorporated, an increased stability of the gold nanoparticles is achieved in high salt concentrations up to 1 M and in a cell culture medium. These achievements open a plethora of opportunities for these stabilized branched gold nanoparticles in nanomedicine.
如果金纳米粒子的等离子体吸收带位于电磁光谱的近红外区域（NIR），则它们是临床应用的理想候选者。各种参数，包括纳米粒子的形状，强烈影响这个吸收带的位置。本研究的目的是生产具有潜在生物医学应用的稳定的近红外吸收支化金纳米粒子。为此，通过改变不同的合成参数来优化支化金纳米粒子的合成工艺。通过随后的无电电镀，等离子体吸收带被转移到 747.2nm。通过光谱位移可以清楚地观察到纳米粒子形态的固有不稳定性，这限制了它们在实际应用中的使用。然而，在本文中，我们展示了如何通过用不同的硫醇和二硫化物来交换初始封端剂来成功稳定支化结构。此外，当使用含有聚（氧化乙烯）单元的硫醇/二硫化物时，即使在高盐浓度高达 1M 和细胞培养基中，金纳米粒子的稳定性也得到了提高。这些成就为这些稳定的支化金纳米粒子在纳米医学中的应用提供了大量机会。
