Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy for the characterization of liposome based nano-particles on mirror constructs.

Abstract

By William Sebastien, Biochemistry

Advisor: William Lum

Presentation ID: AM_D04

Abstract: SERS have two different mechanisms; electromagnetic and chemical enhancement contributions. Chemical enhancement results from the charge-transfer between a molecule and the metal surface. SERS traditionally required formation of nano gap junctions, but usually led to probe molecules squeezed between two metallic surfaces which led to the denaturation of biological materials. New advancements for improved SERS were discovered and have reported a new biocompatible SERS construct using probe nanoparticle on mirror constructs. Mirror constructs using silver particles instead of gold showed increased SERS enhancement. The goals are towards the development of new SERS substrates where single protein molecules can be continually incorporated in a non-denaturing manner. For this project, several nanoparticles were prepared and then incubated for several minutes at room temperature water. Once this step was done, the nanoparticles were extruded 21 times for purification. After the extrusion process they were rinsed through a column with a buffer. The rinsed nanoparticle is allowed to run and collected in an Eppendorf tube from 3:15 to 4:15 minutes. The collected sample is then analyzed using a laser machine. The obtained data on this project will be discussed in detail in the poster.