Yolk-Shell Nanostars@Metal Organic Frameworks as Molecular Sieves for Optical Sensing and Catalysis

Hybrid composites between nanoparticles and metal organic frameworks (MOFs) have been described as optimal materials for a wide range of applications in optical sensing, drug delivery, pollutant removal or catalysis. These materials are usually core-shell single- or multi-nanoparticles, restricting the inorganic surface available for reaction. Here, we develop a method for the preparation of yolk-shells consisting in a plasmonic gold nanostar coated with MOF. This configuration shows more colloidal stability, can sieve different molecules based on their size or charge, seems to show some interesting synergy with gold for their application in photocatalysis and present strong optical activity to be used as SERS sensors.