Sensors 2018, 18(9), 3035; https://doi.org/10.3390/s18093035
Designing Efficient Low-Cost Paper-Based Sensing Plasmonic Nanoplatforms
Laurentiu Susu 1,†, Andreea Campu 1,2,†, Ana Maria Craciun 1, Adriana Vulpoi 3, Simion Astilean 1,2 and Monica Focsan 1,*
1
Nanobiophotonics and Laser Microspectroscopy Center, Interdisciplinary Research Institute on Bio-Nano-Sciences, Babes-Bolyai University, Treboniu Laurean No. 42, Cluj-Napoca 400271, Romania
2
Biomolecular Physics Department, Faculty of Physics, Babes-Bolyai University, M Kogalniceanu No. 1, Cluj-Napoca 400084, Romania
3
Nanostructured Materials and Bio-Nano-Interfaces Center, Interdisciplinary Research Institute on Bio-Nano-Sciences, Babes-Bolyai University, Treboniu Laurian No. 42, Cluj-Napoca 400271, Romania
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These authors contributed equally to this work.
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Received: 12 August 2018 / Revised: 6 September 2018 / Accepted: 8 September 2018 / Published: 11 September 2018
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sensors and NanoSensors for Biomedical, Environmental and Food Monitoring Applications)
Abstract
Paper-based platforms can be a promising choice as portable sensors due to their low-cost and facile fabrication, ease of use, high sensitivity, specificity and flexibility. By combining the qualities of these 3D platforms with the optical properties of gold nanoparticles, it is possible to create efficient nanodevices with desired biosensing functionalities. In this work, we propose a new plasmonic paper-based dual localized surface plasmon resonance–surface-enhanced Raman scattering (LSPR-SERS) nanoplatform with improved detection abilities in terms of high sensitivity, uniformity and reproducibility. Specifically, colloidal gold nanorods (GNRs) with a well-controlled plasmonic response were firstly synthesized and validated as efficient dual LSPR-SERS nanosensors in solution using the p-aminothiophenol (p-ATP) analyte. GNRs were then efficiently immobilized onto the paper via the immersion approach, thus obtaining plasmonic nanoplatforms with a modulated LSPR response. The successful deposition of the nanoparticles onto the cellulose fibers was confirmed by LSPR measurements, which demonstrate the preserved plasmonic response after immobilization, as well as by dark-field microscopy and scanning electron microscopy investigations, which confirm their uniform distribution. Finally, a limit of detection for p-ATP as low as 10−12 M has been achieved by our developed SERS-based paper nanoplatform, proving that our optimized plasmonic paper-based biosensing design could be further considered as an excellent candidate for miniaturized biomedical applications. View Full-TextKeywords:
paper nanoplatform; gold nanorods; nanosensor; LSPR; SERS
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Susu, L.; Campu, A.; Craciun, A.M.; Vulpoi, A.; Astilean, S.; Focsan, M. Designing Efficient Low-Cost Paper-Based Sensing Plasmonic Nanoplatforms. Sensors 2018, 18, 3035.
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