[23] Distance-Dependent Plasmon-Enhanced Singlet Oxygen Production and Emission for Bacterial Inacti

J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2016, 138, 2762.

Herein, we synthesized a series of 10 core–shell silver–silica nanoparticles with a photosensitizer, Rose Bengal, tethered to their surface. Each nanoparticle possesses an identical silver core of about 67 nm, but presents a different silica shell thickness ranging from 5 to 100 nm. These hybrid plasmonic nanoparticles thus afford a plasmonic nanostructure platform with a source of singlet oxygen (1O2) at a well-defined distance from the metallic core. Via time-resolved and steady state spectroscopic techniques, we demonstrate the silver core exerts a dual role of enhancing both the production of 1O2, through enhanced absorption of light, and its radiative decay, which in turn boosts 1O2 phosphorescence emission to a greater extent. Furthermore, we show both the production and emission of 1O2 in vitro to be dependent on proximity to the plasmonic nanostructure. Our results clearly exhibit three distinct regimes as the plasmonic nanostructure moves apart from the 1O2 source, with a greater enhancement for silica shell thicknesses ranging between 10 and 20 nm. Moreover, these hybrid plasmonic nanoparticles can be delivered to both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria boosting both photoantibacterial activity and detection limit of 1O2 in cells.