Tailored Functionalization of Plasmonic AgNPs/C:H:N:O Nanocomposite for Sensitive and Selective Detection

J Biophotonics. 2024 Dec 23:e202400353. doi: 10.1002/jbio.202400353. Online ahead of print.

Abstract

We report here on the development of tailored plasmonic AgNPs/C:H:N:O plasma polymer nanocomposites for the detection of the pathogenic bacterium Borrelia afzelii, with high selectivity and sensitivity. Silver (Ag) nanoparticles, generated by a gas aggregation source, are incorporated onto a C:H:N:O plasma polymer matrix, which is deposited by magnetron sputtering of a nylon 6.6. These anchored Ag nanoparticles propagate localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR), optically responding to changes caused by immobilized pathogens near the nanoparticles. The tailored functionalization of AgNPs/C:H:N:O nanocomposite surface allows both high selectivity for the pathogen and high sensitivity with an LSPR red-shift Δλ > (4.20 ± 0.71) nm for 50 Borrelia per area 0.785 cm2. The results confirmed the ability of LSPR modulation for the rapid and early detection of (not only) tested pathogens.

Keywords: C:H:N:O thin film; Lyme disease; ag nanoparticles; borrelia; localized surface plasmon resonance; magnetron sputtering; nanocomposite; nylon; plasma polymer; surface functionalization.