Non-alloying core shell nanoparticles
View Patent ↗The present invention relates composite core/shell nanoparticles and a two-step method for their preparation. The present invention further relates to biomolecule-core/shell nanoparticle conjugates and methods for their preparation. The invention also relates to methods of detection of biomolecules comprising the biomolecule-core/shell nanoparticle conjugates.
1. A method for preparing core/shell nanoparticles comprising the steps of:
(a) providing metal-containing cores;
(b) treating the metal-containing cores simultaneously with a solution comprising a gold salt and a solution comprising a reducing agent so as to form a reaction mixture having a gold salt concentration of about 2 uM and generate a non-alloying gold shell surrounding the nanoparticle cores to produce core/shell nanoparticles; and
(c) isolating the core/shell nanoparticles.
2. The method according to claim 1 wherein the gold salt comprises HAuCl 4 , NaAuCl 4 , KAuCl 4 , or KAu(CN) 2 .
3. The method according to claim 1 wherein the gold salt comprises HAnCl 4 .
4. The method according to claim 1 wherein the reducing agent comprises NaBH 4 , ascorbic acid, NH 2 OH, or N 2 H 4 .
5. The method according to claim 4 wherein the reducing agent comprises NaBH 4 .
6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the gold salt and reducing agent are present at a ratio ranging from about 1:2 uM:uM to about 1:20 uM:uM.
7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the metal-containing core comprises silver, Pt, FePt, FeAu, AgAu, Fe, Co, or Ni.
8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the core comprises silver.
9. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the metallic nanoparticle core comprises an alloy metal comprising FePt or FeAu.
10. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the metal-containing core comprises a metal oxide.
11. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the metal-containing core is magnetic.
12. The method according to claim 11 , wherein the metal-containing core comprises Fe 3 O 4 or Co 3 O 4 .
13. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the metal-containing core comprises a semiconductor.
14. The method according to claim 13 , wherein the metal-containing core comprises CdSe or CdS.