This presentation reports the reproducible synthesis of gold nanostars (GNSs) based on a seed-growth method and their functionalization with a custom-designed carboxylate-terminated dithiol. Multiple extinction bands in both the visible as well as the near-infrared (NIR) range are exhibited by these pointy nanoparticles.  Importantly, their NIR extinction maximum at ~970 nm allows for excitation using wavelengths of light that can penetrate through human tissue. Furthermore, functionalization of the surfaces of the stars using carboxylic acid-terminated thiol molecules as self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) enables bioconjugation (e.g., with antibodies) and utilization in various biological applications, such as nanosensors, biological assays, and drug delivery.  The GNSs were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to validate their star-like shapes, as well as X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy to verify their chemical composition.  The use of these nanostars in biological assays will be described. In particular, the effect of the star morphology on the ability of the nanoparticles to bind to various functionalized surfaces will be discussed.<br/>

Self-assembled monolayer functionalization of gold nanostar particles with a custom designed carboxylate-terminated dithiol as a linker for bioconjugation

2019 Spring National Meeting

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