Silver nanoparticles within functionalized hydrogels for plasmonic (bio)chemical sensors

Abstract

Plasmonics is the basis for a novel generation of adsorption-based ultrasensitive (bio) chemical sensors. In nanoplasmonic sensors one utilizes nanocomposites typically in the form of thin films, comprising metal nanoparticles or ordered metal-dielectrics (plasmonic crystals). In this work we investigated thin functionalized hydrogel films with embedded silver nanoparticles. These films were prepared by copolymerizing glycidyl methacrylate with mono and multifunctional methacrylates using UV irradiation. The epoxy group in glycidyl methacrylate can then be converted by chemical means into a desired functionality to capture the targeted analyte. Silver nanoparticles were either photochemically generated in situ, or were introduced into hydrogels by chemical reduction. Differences in morphology and performance of these nanocomposites were investigated and will be discussed.