Plasmonic Nanostructures for Solar and Biological Application

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dc.contributor.advisorHalas, Naomi J.
dc.contributor.committeeMemberNordlander, Peter J.
dc.contributor.committeeMemberLink, Stephan
dc.creatorNeumann, Oara
dc.date.accessioned2013-09-16T16:03:51Z
dc.date.accessioned2013-09-16T16:03:58Z
dc.date.available2013-09-16T16:03:51Z
dc.date.available2013-09-16T16:03:58Z
dc.date.created2013-05
dc.date.issued2013-09-16
dc.date.submittedMay 2013
dc.date.updated2013-09-16T16:03:58Z
dc.description.abstractThe electromagnetic absorption properties of plasmonic nanostructures were utilized to develop mesoscopic sites for highly efficient photothermal generation steam, SERS biosensing, and light-triggered cellular delivery uptake. Plasmonic nanostructures embedded in common thermal solutions produces vapor without the requirement of heating the fluid volume. When particles are dispersed in water at ambient temperature, energy is directed primarily to vaporization of water into steam, with a much smaller fraction resulting in heating of the fluid. Solar illuminated aqueous nanoparticle solution can drive water-ethanol distillation, yielding fractions significantly richer in ethanol content than simple thermal distillation and also produced saturated steam destroying Geobacillus stearothermophilus bacteria in a compact solar powered autoclave. Subwavelength biosensing sites were developed using the plasmonic properties of gold nanoshells to investigate the properties of aptamer (DNA) target complexes. Nanoshells are tunable core-shell nanoparticles whose resonant absorption and scattering properties are dependent on core/shell thickness ratio. Nanoshells were used to develop a label free detection method using SERS to monitor conformational change induced by aptamer target binding. The conformational changes to the aptamers induced by target binding were probed by monitoring the aptamer SERS spectra reproducibility. Furthermore, nanoshells can serve as a nonviral light-controlled delivery vector for the precise temporal and spatial control of molecular delivery in vitro. The drug delivery concept using plasmonic vectors was shown using a monolayer of ds-DNA attached to the nanoshell surface and the small molecular “parcel” intercalated inside ds-DNA loops. DAPI, a fluorescent dye, was used as the molecular parcel to visualize the release process in living cells. Upon laser illumination at the absorption resonance the nanoshell converts photon energy into heat producing a local temperature gradient that induces DNA dehybridization, releasing the intercalated molecules.
dc.format.mimetypeapplication/pdf
dc.identifier.citationNeumann, Oara. "Plasmonic Nanostructures for Solar and Biological Application." (2013) Diss., Rice University. <a href="https://hdl.handle.net/1911/72013">https://hdl.handle.net/1911/72013</a>.
dc.identifier.slug123456789/ETD-2013-05-480
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/1911/72013
dc.language.isoeng
dc.rightsCopyright is held by the author, unless otherwise indicated. Permission to reuse, publish, or reproduce the work beyond the bounds of fair use or other exemptions to copyright law must be obtained from the copyright holder.
dc.subjectNanoshells
dc.subjectPlasmons
dc.subjectSolar vapor generation
dc.subjectSolar autoclave
dc.subjectSolar ethanol distillation
dc.subjectNanobubble
dc.subjectSteam
dc.subjectPlasmonic delivery vector
dc.subjectDNA
dc.subjectDAPI
dc.subjectPhotothermal
dc.subjectRelease
dc.subjectApatamer-target conformational changes
dc.subjectLabel-free detection
dc.titlePlasmonic Nanostructures for Solar and Biological Application
dc.typeThesis
dc.type.materialText
thesis.degree.departmentApplied Physics
thesis.degree.disciplineNatural Sciences
thesis.degree.grantorRice University
thesis.degree.levelDoctoral
thesis.degree.nameDoctor of Philosophy
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