Optical Bio-Micro Systems Laboratory, Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, Concordia University 1455 de Maisonneuve Blvd. West, Montreal, Quebec, Canada H3G 1M8.
J Biomed Nanotechnol. 2012 Aug;8(4):539-49. doi: 10.1166/jbn.2012.1418.
Gold-poly(dimethyl siloxoxane) (Au-PDMS) nanocomposite films with a high elasticity were fabricated for sensing experiments. The nanocomposite was prepared by a novel in-situ method by using the ethanol solution of the chloroauric acid. The high rate of permeation of ethanol in the polymer film, compared to an aqueous solution, allows the introduction of the gold precursor into the polymer network with a higher rate and, thus the reduction reaction is accelerated. The strong hydrophobicity of the as-prepared films precludes the diffusion of aqueous solutions of biomolecules in the polymer network, essential for sensing purposes. In order to modify the morphology and the surface properties of the samples, they have been heat-treated and the polymer network has been expanded mechanically by repeated swellings and shrinkages. As a result, the free volume of the polymer is increased substantially and thus, the biosensing capability of the material is improved. The effect of gold nanoparticles on the porosity and the mechanical properties of the material has been studied. The highest value of the sensitivity (around 70 nm/RIU) has been obtained for the samples that were annealed and, subsequently swollen in toluene. Biosensing experiments involving antigen-antibody interactions showed a high sensitivity. The results of this work are relevant for sensing in a microfluidic environment.
用于传感实验的高弹性金-聚（二甲基硅氧烷）（Au-PDMS）纳米复合材料薄膜被制备。该纳米复合材料通过使用氯金酸的乙醇溶液的新的原位方法制备。与水溶液相比，乙醇在聚合物膜中的高渗透速率允许以更高的速率将金前体引入聚合物网络中，从而加速还原反应。所制备的薄膜具有很强的疏水性，阻止了生物分子的水溶液在聚合物网络中的扩散，这对于传感目的至关重要。为了改变样品的形态和表面性质，它们已经进行了热处理，并且聚合物网络通过反复溶胀和收缩而机械地扩展。结果，聚合物的自由体积大大增加，从而提高了材料的生物传感性能。研究了金纳米粒子对材料的多孔性和力学性能的影响。在经过退火并随后在甲苯中溶胀的样品中获得了最高的灵敏度（约 70nm/RIU）。涉及抗原-抗体相互作用的生物传感实验显示出高灵敏度。这项工作的结果对于微流控环境中的传感是相关的。
