Triplex Au-Ag-C Core Shell Nanoparticles as a Novel Raman Label

Monodispersed, readily-grafted, and biocompatible surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopic (SERS) tagging materials are developed; they are composed of bimetalic Au@Ag nanoparticle (NPs) for optical enhancement, a reporter moleculae for spectroscopic signature, and a carbon shell for protection and bioconjugation. A controllable and convenient hydrothermal synthentic route is presented to synthesize the layer-by-layer triplex Au-Ag-C core-shell NPs, which can incorporate the Raman-active label 4-mercapto benzoic acid (4-MBA). The obtained goled seed-silver coated principles can be coated further with a thickness-controlled carbon shell to form colloidal carbon-encapsulated Au-core/Ag-shell spheres with a monodisperse size distribution. Furthermore, these SERS-active spheres demonstrated interesting properties as a novel Raman tag for quantitative immunoassays. The results suggest such SERS tags can be used for multiplex and ultrasensitive detection of biomolecules as well as nontoxic, in vivo molecular imaging of animal or plant tissues.