Gold Nanoparticle-Coated Bioceramics for Plasmonically Enhanced Molecule Detection via Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering

Abstract

Herein, feasibility of plasmonically enhanced molecule detection via surface-enhanced Raman scattering for ceramics that are commonly used as bone or tooth replacement materials is evaluated. Open cell foams of Bioglass 45S5, the commercial hydroxyapatite-based product Bio-Oss, and bioinert zirconia-toughened-alumina (ZTA) are coated with Au nanoparticles via colloidal deposition to introduce plasmonic effects. Depending on the pore size, gold-functionalized plasmonic porous Bioglass shows effective Raman enhancement factor (eEF) up to (Formula presented.), while depositing gold nanoparticles on Bio-Oss and porous ZTA resulted in eEF of (Formula presented.) and (Formula presented.) respectively. The performance of the plasmonic porous bioceramics under simulated biological conditions is examined in situ in the biological medium fetal bovine serum (FBS) and during extended incubation in mineralizing simulated body fluid (SBF). Most notably, the plasmonic porous Bioglass still delivered an eEF around (Formula presented.) after 28 days of incubation in SBF, indicating promising stability in simulated biological conditions without significant difference in SBF bioactivity before and after Au deposition. Accordingly, the plasmonically enhanced porous bioceramics offer the possibility for real-time and sensitive molecule detection at SBF and FBS conditions and can be further developed for sensing of specific biomarkers, for example, in the context of osseointegration of bone replacement materials.