Spatial mapping and quantification of soft and hard protein coronas at silver nanocubes

Protein coronas around silver nanocubes were quantified in serum-containing media using localized surface plasmon resonances. Both soft and hard coronas showed exposure-time and concentration-dependent changes in protein surface density with time-dependent hardening. We observed spatially dependent kinetics of the corona-formation at cube edges/corners versus facets at short incubation times, where the polymer stabilization agent delayed corona hardening. The soft corona contained more protein than the hard corona at all time-points (8-fold difference with 10% serum conditions).