Au-Fe3O4 core-shell nanoparticles can be useful as nanosensors based on surface-enhanced Raman scattering, supported by their combined plasmonic and magnetic activities. Magnetically active colloidal gold (50�80 nm) can be synthesized directly in aqueous media at ambient temperatures in three steps: co-precipitation of Fe3O4, treatment with PEG-dithiocarbamate (DTC) and histidine, and seeded reduction of AuCl4 under mildly basic conditions. The formation of the magnetically active Au colloid may involve the simultaneous digestion of amorphous Fe3O4 and surface-initiated deposition of Au. Residual Fe3O4 is removed by treatment with bis(2-hydroxyethyl)-DTC, formed in situ from diethanolamine and CS2. The magnetically responsive gold clusters can support SERS signals using 785 nm excitation, and are currently being investigated for the trace detection of environmental pollutants.

Magnetically responsive gold nanoparticles for surface-enhanced Raman scattering applications

246th National Meeting (2013)

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