Novel Gold Nanostructures and Methods of Use
AssigneeThe Regents of the University of California
InventorsJin Z. Zhang, Adam Schwartzberg, Tammy Y. Olson
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Abstract
The invention is drawn to novel nanostructures comprising hollow nanospheres and nanotubes for use as chemical sensors, conduits for fluids, and electronic conductors. The nanostructures can be used in microfluidic devices, for transporting fluids between devices and structures in analytical devices, for conducting electrical currents between devices and structure in analytical devices, and for conducting electrical currents between biological molecules and electronic devices, such as bio-microchips.
Claims27
1-30. (canceled)
A method, comprising the step of:
- using a chemical sensor for measuring at least one cellular process with a detecting molecule bound to a surface of a synthetic nanotube to determine a cellular process measurement, wherein the chemical sensor comprises the synthetic nanotube, the synthetic nanotube comprising a substantially homogenous polycrystalline uniform symmetrical metal nanostructure, the synthetic nanotube being substantially hollow and having dimensions of between about 20 nm and 100 nm in diameter and at least between about 0.1 μm and 4 μm in length, the synthetic nanotube further comprising the surface and the detecting molecule, and wherein the detecting molecule is bound to the surface.
A method, comprising the step of:
- producing a chemically stable and electrically conducting nanotube, further comprising the steps of
- (i) combining an aqueous solution of Co2+ salt with an aqueous solution of citrate salt thereby forming a first mixture;
- (ii) degassing the first mixture;
- (iii) purging at least once with nitrogen gas;
- (iv) adding an aqueous solution of NaBH4 thereby reducing the Co2+ to Co0, and thereby forming a second mixture comprising Co0 particles, the step of adding being in the presence of an induced magnetic field and wherein the presence of the induced magnetic field aligns the Co0 particles;
- (v) agitating the second mixture until hydrogen evolution is substantially complete;
- (vi) adding the second mixture comprising aligned Co0 particles to an aqueous solution of Au3+ salt;
- (vii) allowing the Au3+ to be reduced to crystalline Au0 and the Co0 oxidized to Co2+, and wherein the crystalline Au0 is deposited adjacent to the aligned Co0 thereby creating a nanotube comprising crystalline Au0;
- (viii) Chemically controlling a length, a diameter, and a wall thickness of the nanotube adjusting an initial concentration of each of the Co2+ salt, of the citrate salt, and of the Au3+ salt;
- and
- (ix) Magnetically controlling a position and a structural alignment of the nanotube by adjusting a magnetic field;
- thereby producing a chemically stable and electrically conducting nanotube.
A method comprising the step of imaging at least one molecule (molecular imaging) by use if a chemical sensor responding to a sample binding a detecting molecule bound to a surface of a synthetic nanotube contained in the chemical sensor.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.