Rapid Determination of SiO₂ Shell Thickness on Au Core Nanoparticles via Differential Centrifugal Sedimentation for SHINERS

Everitt, Jacqui, Fernandez-Vidal, Julia, Younis, Khadija, Qin, Shiying, Mehdi, B Layla ORCID: 0000-0002-8281-9524, Samuels, Thomas O, Cowan, Alexander J ORCID: 0000-0001-9032-3548, Brust, Mathias ORCID: 0000-0001-6301-7123, Volk, Martin ORCID: 0000-0003-3555-8584 and Hardwick, Laurence J ORCID: 0000-0001-8796-685X (2026) Rapid Determination of SiO₂ Shell Thickness on Au Core Nanoparticles via Differential Centrifugal Sedimentation for SHINERS JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY C, 130 (24). pp. 8363-8371. ISSN 1932-7447, 1932-7455

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Abstract

Consistent and reproducible synthesis of SiO<inf>2</inf>-coated Au nanoparticles, which are widely used as shell-isolated nanoparticles for enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SHINERS), is limited by the lack of rapid, routine methods to determine shell thickness and aggregation state. Here, differential centrifugal sedimentation (DCS) is demonstrated as a benchtop, collective-averaged technique capable of evaluating Au–SiO<inf>2</inf> nanoparticles for SHINERS on time scales of under 10 min. Shell thicknesses determined by DCS show close agreement with transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images within the critical 3.5–5.5 nm range governing reliable pinhole free Raman enhancement, while simultaneously revealing early stage aggregation beyond the reach of UV–visible spectroscopy. By converting shell thickness and aggregation assessment into a rapid, decision-ready measurement, DCS enables routine quality control and synthesis-level optimization of reproducible particles for use in SHINERS.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	40 Engineering, 4018 Nanotechnology, Bioengineering, Nanotechnology
Divisions:	Faculty of Science & Engineering Faculty of Science & Engineering > School of Engineering Faculty of Science & Engineering > School of Physical Sciences Faculty of Science & Engineering > School of Physical Sciences > Chemistry Faculty of Science & Engineering > School of Engineering > Materials, Design and Manufacturing Eng
Depositing User:	Symplectic Admin
Date Deposited:	22 Jun 2026 16:24
Last Modified:	10 Oct 2026 02:15
DOI:	10.1021/acs.jpcc.6c01307
Related Websites:	Author Publisher
URI:	https://livrepository.liverpool.ac.uk/id/eprint/3199077
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