title: Plasmonic Colloidosomes as Three-Dimensional SERS Platforms with Enhanced Surface Area for Multiphase Sub-Microliter Toxin Sensing.
abstract: Colloidosomes are robust microcapsules attractive for molecular sensing because of their characteristic micron size, large specific surface area, and dual-phase stability. However, current colloidosome sensors are limited to qualitative fluorogenic receptor-based detection, which restrict their applicability to a narrow range of molecules. Here, we introduce plasmonic colloidosome constructed from Ag nanocubes as an emulsion-based 3D SERS platform. The colloidosomes exhibit excellent mechanical robustness, flexible size tunability, versatility to merge, and ultrasensitivity in SERS quantitation of food/industrial toxins down to sub-femtomole levels. Using just 0.5 μL of sample volumes, our plasmonic colloidosomes exhibit >3000-fold higher SERS sensitivity over conventional suspension platform. Notably, we demonstrate the first high-throughput multiplex molecular sensing across multiple liquid phases.
authors.affiliation: Division of Chemistry and Biological Chemistry, School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, 21 Nanyang Link, Singapore 637371 (Singapore).
authors.forename: Gia Chuong
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Phan-Quang
authors.affiliation: Division of Chemistry and Biological Chemistry, School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, 21 Nanyang Link, Singapore 637371 (Singapore).|Institute of Materials Research and Engineering, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), 3 Research Link, Singapore 117602 (Singapore).
authors.forename: Hiang Kwee
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Institute of Materials Research and Engineering, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), 3 Research Link, Singapore 117602 (Singapore).
authors.forename: In Yee
authors.initials: IY
authors.lastname: Phang
authors.affiliation: Division of Chemistry and Biological Chemistry, School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, 21 Nanyang Link, Singapore 637371 (Singapore). xyling@ntu.edu.sg.
authors.forename: Xing Yi
authors.initials: XY
authors.lastname: Ling
mesh_terms: D004396:Coloring Agents / Q000032:analysis*; D004655:Emulsions / Q000737:chemistry*; D005504:Food Analysis / Q000379:methods; D053768:Metal Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D012834:Silver / Q000737:chemistry*; D013059:Spectrum Analysis, Raman / Q000379:methods*; D013499:Surface Properties; D014118:Toxins, Biological / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D004396:Coloring Agents; D004655:Emulsions; D014118:Toxins, Biological; D012834:Silver
keywords: colloidosomes; sensors; silver nanoparticles; surface-enhanced Raman scattering; toxin