Metal Nanostructures Laboratory

Research Activities

Research at MNL involves the fabrication, characterization and applications of novel metal nanostructures, including hollow Au nanoparticles, bimetallic core-shell nanoparticles, silver nanodendrites, Au nanovoid arrays and magnetic nanorods and nanotubes. The current projects include:

  • Radioactive nanoparticles as internal radiation source for cancer treatment.
  • Silver nanodendrites as 3D surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrates for extremely high sensitive detection of small molecules in liquid and gas.
  • Using Au nanovoid arrays on optical fiber as plasmonic sensor for in-situ continuous monitoring of biomolecules in blood stream.
  • Using spectral domain phase sensitive interferometry to in-situ monitoring electrochemical and chemical process on solid substrate surfaces.

Personnel

  • Yaowu Hao, Ph.D. Associate Professor

Graduate Students

  • Yu-Jen Chiu (Ph. D.)
  • Chris Pickering (Ph. D.)
  • Aseem Athavale (Ph.D.)
  • Prajwal Bramhavar (MS)
  • Ziyao Long (MS)

Facilities and Equipment

  • General wet chemistry facility
  • Princeton Applied Research 273A Potentiostat/Galvanostats
  • Three eDAQ EA161 Potentiostat /Galvanostats controlled with e-Corder 821
  • Homemade anodization system
  • KLA-Tencor EV7 Vibrating Sample Magnetometer

Selected Publications

  • Mulgaonkar, A., Moeendarbari, S., Hassan, G., Silvers, W., Sun, X., Hao, Y., and Mao, W. (2017). Hollow gold nanoparticles as efficient in vivo radiosensitizing agents for radiation therapy of breast cancer. J Biomed Nanotechnol. 13, 566-574.
  • Zhao, B., Lu, Y., Zhang, C., Moeendarbari, S., Shelke, S.R., Liu, Y., and Hao, Y. (2016). Silver dendrites decorated filter membrane as highly sensitive and reproducible three dimensional surface enhanced Raman scattering substrates Appl Surf Sci. 387, 431–436.
  • Moeendarbari, S., Tekade, R., Mulgaonkar, A., Christensen, P., Ramezani, S., Hassan, G., Jiang, R., Öz, O.K., Hao, Y., and Sun, X. (2016). Theranostic Nanoseeds for Efficacious Internal Radiation Therapy of Unresectable Solid Tumors. Scientific Reports 6, 20614.
  • Nyagilo, J., Chang, S.-H., Wu, J., Hao, Y., and Dave, D.P. (2015). Fiber-tip plasmonic resonators for label-free biosensing. Sens Actuator B-Chem 212, 225-228.
  • Chang, S.H., Nyagilo, J., Wu, J.Q., Hao, Y.W., and Dave, D.P. (2012). Optical Fiber-Based Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering Sensor Using Au Nanovoid Arrays. Plasmonics 7, 501-508.
  • Huang, C.W., J.C. Jiang, M.Y. Lu, L. Sun, E.I. Meletis, and Y.W. Hao (2009). Capturing Electrochemically Evolved Nanobubbles by Electroless Deposition. A Facile Route to the Synthesis of Hollow Nanoparticles. Nano Letters, 9(12): 4297-4301