Photoconversion of silver halide to functional silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) is of both scientific curiosity and technological importance. The conventional wisdom that colloidal nanoparticles are best prepared in homogeneous solutions has, however, prevented researchers from exploring silver halide as a precursor to silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) due to its poor solubility in common solvents. Here we show that AgCl can be rapidly photoconverted to functional AgNPs with the aid of DNA. The resultant AgNPs are biofunctionalized, and exhibit photostable luminescence and DNA-specific surface-enhance Raman scattering (SERS) signature, allowing for DNA-directed recognition and bioimaging (Chem. Commun. 2011, 47, 9426-9428). The simultaneous targeting and light scattering-fluorescence-SERS multimodal imaging of cancer cells were achieved using AgNPs prepared with a DNA aptamer. Furthermore, the intermediates of AgNP, referred to as Ag@AgCl nanostructure, were found to exhibit DNA-specific photocatalytic performance. The use of these photocatalysts for degradation of organic dyes as model pollutants has also been demonstrated.

DNA-mediated photoconversion of AgCl to functional nanocrystals

243rd National Meeting (2012)

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