Identification of Nanoparticles via Plasmonic Scattering Interferometry

The increasing use of nanomaterials calls for the emergence of new technologies to identify and characterize nanosized objects, especially in aqueous solutions. While the development of optical imaging techniques has led to significant advancements in single‐nanoparticle tracking and analysis, these techniques are incapable of label‐free selective nanoparticle recognition. Here, we demonstrated a label‐free plasmonic imaging technology that is able to identify different kinds of nanoparticles in water. We precisely quantified the plasmonic interferometric scattering patterns of nanoparticles and established relationships among the refractive index, particle size and pattern both numerically and experimentally. Using this approach, we distinguished metallic and metallic oxide particles with different radii without any calibration. The ability to optically identify and size different kinds of nanoparticles can provide a promising platform for investigating nanoparticles in complex environments to facilitate nanoscience studies, such as single‐nanoparticle catalysis and nanoparticle‐based drug delivery.

from A via a.sfakia on Inoreader http://bit.ly/2BrHUAr