Enhanced plasmonic nanoparticles for cancer therapy and diagnostics

Abstract

One or more techniques and/or products are disclosed using a process for preparing metallic nanoparticles. Resulting nanoparticles may comprise a gold-silver-gold core-shell-shell nanoparticles. Such nanoparticles can be formed by forming a gold core, providing certain materials to form a silver shell, and providing certain materials to form a gold shell. The metallic nanoparticles may be used in molecular sensing, catalysis, photothermal therapy, and other biologically-relevant technologies.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A process of preparing metallic nanoparticles comprising:
 adding a first citrate compound to a gold solution resulting in a gold core solution comprising at least one gold core;   adding ascorbic acid, a silver compound, and a strong base to the gold core solution resulting in a silver shell on at least one gold core; and   adding a second citrate compound, hydroquinone, and a gold compound to at least one silver shell on at least one gold core resulting in an outer gold shell on the silver shell.   
     
     
         2 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the first citrate compound and second citrate compound respectively comprise sodium citrate. 
     
     
         3 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the gold solution comprises gold chloride and ultrapure water. 
     
     
         4 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the silver compound comprises silver nitrate. 
     
     
         5 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the strong base comprises sodium hydroxide. 
     
     
         6 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the silver shell and outer gold shell are uniform thicknesses. 
     
     
         7 . The process of  claim 1 , the silver shell configured to a desired width. 
     
     
         8 . The process of  claim 7  further comprising the step of increasing the thickness of the silver shell to the desired width by adding ascorbic acid, the silver compound, and the strong base. 
     
     
         9 . The process of  claim 1 , the outer gold shell configured to a desired width. 
     
     
         10 . The process of  claim 1  further comprising the steps of:
 thiolating the nanoparticles; and 
 functionalizing the nanoparticles. 
 
     
     
         11 . The process of  claim 1  further comprising the step of adding at least one additional gold shell to the outer gold shell of the metallic nanoparticles. 
     
     
         12 . The process of  claim 1  further comprising the step of adding at least one additional silver shell to the outer gold shell of the metallic nanoparticles.