Dual-Mode Sensing of Fe(III) Based on Etching Induced Modulation of Localized Surface Plasmon Resonance and Surface Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy.

Convenient, rapid, highly sensitive and on-site iron determination is important for environmental safety and human health. We developed a sensing system for the detection of Fe(III) in water based on 7-mercapto-4-methylcoumarine (MMC)-stabilized silver-coated gold nanostars (GNS@Ag@MMC), exploiting a redox reaction between the Fe(III) cation and the silver shell of the nanoparticles, which causes a severe transformation of the nanomaterial structure, reverting it to pristine GNSs. This system works by simultaneously monitoring changes in the Localized Surface Plasmon Resonance (LSPR) and Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (SERS) spectra as a function of added Fe(III).

Human Serum Albumin Protein Corona in Prussian Blue Nanoparticles.

Prussian Blue nanoparticles (PBnps) are now popular in nanomedicine thanks to the FDA approval of PB. Despite the numerous papers suggesting or describing the in vivo use of PBnps, no studies have been carried out on the formation of a protein corona on the PBnp surface and its stabilizing role. In this paper, we studied qualitatively and quantitatively the corona formed by the most abundant protein of blood, human serum albumin (HSA).

Increasing gold nanostars SERS response with silver shells: a surface-based seed-growth approach.

A straightforward method to prepare surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) chips containing a monolayer of silver coated gold nanostars (GNS@Ag) grafted on a glass surface is introduced. The synthetic approach is based on a seed growth method performed directly on surface, using GNS as seeds, and involving a green pathway, which only uses silver nitate, ascorbic acid and water, to grow the silver shell. The preparation was optimized to maximize signals obtaining a SERS response of one order of magnitude greater than that from the original GNS based chips, offering in the meantime good homogeneity and acceptable reproducibility.

Temperature and pH Stimuli-Responsive System Delivers Location-Specific Antimicrobial Activity with Natural Products.

Smart materials with controlled stimuli-responsive functions are at the forefront of technological development. In this work, we present a generic strategy that combines simple components, physicochemical responses, and easy fabrication methods to achieve a dual stimuli-responsive system capable of location-specific antimicrobial cargo delivery. The encapsulated system is fabricated by combining a biocompatible inert polymeric matrix of poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) and a bioactive cargo of saturated fatty acids.

Metastable Ni(I)-TiO Photocatalysts: Self-Amplifying H Evolution from Plain Water without Noble Metal Co-Catalyst and Sacrificial Agent.

Decoration of semiconductor photocatalysts with cocatalysts is generally done by a step-by-step assembly process. Here, we describe the self-assembling and self-activating nature of a photocatalytic system that forms under illumination of reduced anatase TiO nanoparticles in an aqueous Ni solution. UV illumination creates a Ni/TiO/Ti photocatalyst that self-activates and, over time, produces H at a higher rate.