The Accurate Imaging of Collective Gold Nanorods with a Polarization-Dependent Dark-Field Light Scattering Microscope

Anal Chem. 2023 Jan 17;95(2):1169-1175. doi: 10.1021/acs.analchem.2c03911. Epub 2022 Dec 20.

Abstract

Anisotropic nanomaterials, such as gold nanorods (AuNRs), could be employed as an orientation platform due to their polarization-dependent surface plasmon resonance. However, a variety of factors would affect the dark-field light scattering imaging of anisotropic nanomaterials, resulting in an unstable signal, which is not advantageous to its further application. In this work, the localized surface plasmon resonance properties of a few AuNRs at different angles were excited by polarization with a conventional dark-field microscope, in which it was found that the ratio of AuNRs' light scattering intensity at different polarization angles (I) to that without a polarizer (I0) reflected the orientation information of AuNRs. Furthermore, the light scattering signal ratio between the parallel polarization (Ip) and that without a polarizer (I0) was closely related with the aspect ratio of AuNRs, which could not be affected by external conditions. To verify this concept, a highly sensitive and selective assay of the alkaline phosphatase activity in human serum was successfully developed based on the chemical etching of AuNRs, resulting in a lower aspect ratio and a lesser Ip/I0. This result holds great promise for polarization-dependent colorimetric nanomaterials and single-particle tracers in living cells.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Gold* / chemistry
  • Humans
  • Light
  • Microscopy
  • Nanotubes* / chemistry
  • Surface Plasmon Resonance

Substances

  • Gold