# US 9,873,152 B2 · Nanoporous gold nanoparticles as high-payload molecular cargos, photothermal/photodynamic therapeutic agents, and ultrahigh surface-to-volume plasmonic sensors

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- Number: US 9,873,152 B2
- Document ID: US9873152B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 13/796,201
- Filed: 2013-03-12
- Published: 2014-04-17
- Granted: 2018-01-23
- Earliest claimed: 2012-03-12
- Assignees: University of Houston System
- Applicants: The University of Houston System
- Inventors: Wei-Chuan Shih
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9873152B2

## CPC

- B22F 9/16: using chemical processes
- B22F 1/07: Metallic powder characterised by particles having a nanoscale microstructure (nanosized particles B22F1/054)
- G01N 21/658: {enhancement Raman, e.g. surface plasmons}
- B22F: WORKING METALLIC POWDER; MANUFACTURE OF ARTICLES FROM METALLIC POWDER; MAKING METALLIC POWDER (making alloys by powder metallurgy C22C); APPARATUS OR DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR METALLIC POWDER
- G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q)

## Abstract

A nanoporous gold disk (NPGD) as a novel surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) substrate. NPGD has SERS enhancement factor similar to that of gold nanoshells, but allows, for example, at least three times more benzenethiol molecules to be attached to its surface due to large surface-to-volume ratio. The high capacity enables the rapid detection of attomole-level benzenethiol molecules with relatively high detector temperatures. Additionally, a fabrication process to make NPGD with controlled size and highly reproducible SERS activities.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A nanoporous gold structure comprising:
a plurality of nanoporous gold discs, each nanoporous gold disc comprising:
a substrate layer;
an adhesion layer disposed in association with the substrate layer; and
a porous gold layer disposed in association with the adhesion layer, wherein the porous gold layer comprises a nanoporous 3-dimensional network of pores extending throughout the porous gold layer's entire volume and is adapted for adsorbing and releasing molecules into and from the pores thereof, wherein the pores in the porous gold layer have a width ranging from about 5 nanometers to about 20 nanometers, and wherein the nanoporous gold structure has a red-shifted plasmon resonance peak of at least 650 nm.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The structure of claim 1, wherein the substrate comprises silicon.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The structure of claim 1, wherein the adhesion layer comprises gold, chromium, or combinations thereof.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The structure of claim 1, wherein the porous gold layer further comprises silver.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The structure of claim 1, wherein the porous gold layer has a thickness ranging from 50 nanometers to 1000 nanometers.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The structure of claim 1, wherein the adhesion layer has a thickness of approximately 65 nanometers.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The structure of claim 1, wherein the porous gold layer is at least partially transparent.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The structure of claim 1, further comprising molecules bound to surfaces of the pores of the nanoporous network, wherein the molecules comprise protein, DNA, RNA, a pharmacologically active substance, or combinations thereof.

### Claim 9

A nanoporous gold structure comprising:
a plurality of nanoporous gold discs, each nanoporous gold disc comprising:
a substrate layer; and
a porous gold layer disposed in association with the substrate layer, wherein the porous gold layer comprises a nanoporous 3-dimensional network of pores extending throughout the porous gold layer's entire volume and is adapted for adsorbing and releasing molecules into and from the pores thereof, wherein the pores in the porous gold layer have a width ranging from about 5 nanometers to about 20 nanometers, and wherein the nanoporous gold structure has a red-shifted plasmon resonance peak of at least 650 nm.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The structure of claim 9, further comprising an adhesion layer disposed in association with the substrate layer, wherein at least a portion of the porous alloy layer is disposed in association with the adhesion layer.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The structure of claim 10, wherein the adhesion layer comprises gold, chromium, or combinations thereof.

### Claim 12 (depends on 9)

The structure of claim 9, wherein the substrate comprises silicon.

### Claim 13 (depends on 9)

The structure of claim 9, wherein the porous gold layer further comprises silver.