Probing Interactions between Chiral Plasmonic Nanoparticles and Biomolecules.

Chiral plasmonic nanoparticles (and their assemblies) interact with biomolecules in a variety of different ways, resulting in distinct optical signatures when probed by circular dichroism spectroscopy. These systems show promise for biosensing applications and offer several advantages over achiral plasmonic systems. Arguably the most notable advantage is that chiral nanoparticles can differentiate between molecular enantiomers and can, therefore, act as sensors for enantiomeric purity.

The fuzzy sphere morphology is responsible for the increase in light scattering during the shrinkage of thermoresponsive microgels.

Thermoresponsive microgels undergo a volume phase transition from a swollen state under good solvent conditions to a collapsed state under poor solvent conditions. The most prominent examples of such responsive systems are based on poly-(-isopropylacrylamide). When cross-linked with ,'-methylenebisacrylamide, such microgels typically possess a fuzzy-spherelike morphology with a higher cross-linked core and a loosely cross-linked fuzzy shell.

Detection of Halomethanes Using Cesium Lead Halide Perovskite Nanocrystals.

The extensive use of halomethanes (CHX, X = F, Cl, Br, I) as refrigerants, propellants, and pesticides has drawn serious concern due to their adverse biological and atmospheric impact. However, there are currently no portable rapid and accurate monitoring systems for their detection. This work introduces an approach for the selective and sensitive detection of halomethanes using photoluminescence spectral shifts in cesium lead halide perovskite nanocrystals.