Abstract
Nanoshells are a novel class of optically tunable nanoparticles that consist of alternating dielectric and metal layers. They can potentially be used as contrast agents for multi-label molecular imaging, provided that the shell thicknesses are tuned to specific ratios. Sub-100nm multi-layer nanoshells can potentially have improved tissue penetration, generate a strong surface plasmon resonance, and may exhibit absorption peaks in the visible-near-infrared (NIR) spectrum. Herein we describe the synthesis and characterization of bilayered concentric nanoshells with an overall diameter of around 50nm consisting of a gold core, a tunable silica spacer layer and an outermost gold shell, which is approximately 16 times smaller than previously described multi-layered nanoparticles. The structured nanoshells were visualized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) at each step of preparation. The absorption spectra of the gold-silica bilayered nanoshells are in good agreement with Mie's prediction and their resonance peak position is a function of the relative thickness of silica and gold layers.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Article number | 025 |
| Pages (from-to) | 5435-5440 |
| Number of pages | 6 |
| Journal | Nanotechnology |
| Volume | 17 |
| Issue number | 21 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Nov 14 2006 |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Bioengineering
- Chemistry(all)
- Materials Science(all)
- Mechanics of Materials
- Mechanical Engineering
- Electrical and Electronic Engineering