Characterizing Single Polymeric and Protein Nanoparticles with Surface Plasmon Resonance Imaging Measurements.

Area of Science:

• Nanotechnology
• Biophysics
• Materials Science

Background:

• Characterizing individual nanoparticles is crucial for understanding their behavior.
• Real-time, label-free detection methods are needed for dynamic nanoparticle studies.
• Surface Plasmon Resonance Imaging (SPRI) offers potential for nanoscale analysis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To utilize near-infrared SPRI microscopy for real-time detection and characterization of single polymeric and protein nanoparticles (PPNPs).
• To analyze nanoparticle adsorption onto gold thin films.
• To extract information on nanoparticle properties from SPRI response distributions.

Main Methods:

• Employing near-infrared surface plasmon resonance imaging (SPRI) microscopy.
• Monitoring the adsorption of hundreds of single nanoparticles in real time.
• Analyzing the frequency distribution of single-nanoparticle SPRI responses (Δ%R_NP).

Main Results:

• Demonstrated real-time detection and characterization of single PPNPs adsorption.
• Analyzed Δ%R_NP histograms to determine nanoparticle size, material content, and interparticle interactions.
• Quantified bioaffinity uptake and aggregation of hydrogel nanoparticles and characterized protein nanostructures.

Conclusions:

• Near-infrared SPRI microscopy is a powerful tool for label-free, real-time characterization of single nanoparticles.
• SPRI analysis of adsorption responses provides quantitative insights into nanoparticle properties and interactions.
• This technique is applicable to diverse nanoparticle systems, including hydrogels and protein nanostructures.