Clarkson University

About: Clarkson University is a education organization based out in Potsdam, New York, United States. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Particle & Turbulence. The organization has 4414 authors who have published 10009 publications receiving 305356 citations. The organization is also known as: Thomas S. Clarkson Memorial School of Technology & Thomas S. Clarkson Memorial College of Technology.

Novel Fluorescent Silica Nanoparticles: Towards Ultrabright Silica Nanoparticles

Abstract: Fluorescent nanoparticles (FNPs) are of considerable interest nowadays as labels, tracers, sensors, and photon sources. The largest areas of application are nanobiotechnology and bioinformatics. Both areas require biocompatible, nontoxic FNPs. Silica FNPs satisfy both requirements. Brightness of the particles is desired because it improves the signal-tonoise ratio when measuring florescent signals. An well-known example of such bright, commercially available FNPs are quantum dots (QDs), nanometer-scale semiconductor crystals. QDs are brighter and typically more photostable than organic fluorescent dyes even when used in aqueous media. However, use in many applications is still restricted because of their toxicity. Organic fluorescent dyes encapsulated in silica have presented a promising alternative to quantum dots. Because of a large variety of available fluorescent dyes, it is plausible to expect creation of FNPs with more versatile fluorescent properties than the fluorescence of quantum dots. Recently, synthesis of a new type of fluorescent material has been reported. Dyes were noncovalently (physically) encapsulated in self-sealed nanometer-sized channels inside micrometer-sized silica particles in high concentration. The self-sealed topology of the channels manifested itself in virtually no leakage of the dyes out of the particles. Moreover, physical confinement only of the dye molecules resulted in no detectable decrease of the fluorescence quantum yield. Finally, a specific one-dimensional (1D) entrapment of the dye molecules inside silica nanochannels resulted in attaining much higher concentrations of the dye molecules inside the channels without quenching fluorescence. Up to four orders of magnitude higher concentration of the dyes can be reached inside the tubes without dimerization (i.e., quenching the fluorescence) compared to that in water ( 4mM for rhodamine 6G dye). This made those particles 170–260 times brighter than the particles of the same size made of QDs encapsulated in polymeric matrix. It would definitely be a serious breakthrough in labeling technology if one was able to synthesize nanometer-sized silica particles with similar properties.

Gold‐Nanoparticle‐Enhanced Plasmonic Effects in a Responsive Polymer Gel

Abstract: Localized surface plasmon resonance excited in gold nanoparticles coupled with a responsive polymer gel is explored. A specially designed structure (vertically aligned cylindrical pores decorated with gold nanoparticles) of responsive polymer gel thin films allows for the transduction of external signal/ stimuli into a strong optical effect enhanced by interactions of gold nanoparticles.