Sustainable and adaptable manufacturing of Gold Nanoparticles for use in Biomedical Diagnostics

在家庭Covid测试中使用金纳米颗粒创建红线是纳米技术的伟大胜利之一。我们都知道金的颜色，但纳米金是红色的，可溶于水，人们可以将其与检测特定疾病的分子结合；因此，金纳米颗粒可以可视化感染因子的存在。Grove纳米材料有限公司已经开发、测试和验证了一种新技术（CoVap），该技术可以直接从金属来源生产功能化的金纳米颗粒，并且以可持续的方式避免有毒化学物质。将其纳入“侧流测试”（LFTs）不仅可以检测Covid或流感等感染，还可以在食品测试或怀孕等情况下检测谷蛋白或乳糖等潜在过敏原。该项目将扩大格罗夫的制造能力，生产具有多种化学偶联的金纳米颗粒，这些纳米颗粒可以快速调整，以满足客户对诊断设备的需求，以应对未来的医疗或健康威胁。与设备开发商和oem密切合作，我们的敏捷和响应式制造方法使用了一种新颖的“真空合成”工艺，这意味着Grove可以以低成本快速向客户和/或最终用户供应批量产品。此外，该产品将以各种形式提供，要么作为纳米颗粒在相关有机/聚合物基质中的稳定纳米复合材料“干燥”，要么分散到稳定的胶体溶液中)，并以各种尺寸和颜色满足特定的诊断要求（例如Covid，流感，麸质或妊娠）。概念验证已经建立，诊断设备市场定位（特别是横向流动测试，LFTs）作为金纳米颗粒的主要用户。该项目将通过进一步和必要的研发扩大格罗夫的制造能力和产品范围，同时确保符合客户需求。该项目的主要活动包括：*研发：通过改进工艺控制，扩大已证实的功能化范围和材料表征，将我们的技术提升到TRL8/9 *通过与三个行业合作伙伴的测试，验证我们的纳米颗粒在LFT应用中的应用。雅培实验室——新冠病毒横向流动检测；“阿宾顿健康”——流感和妊娠测试；“Bio-Check”—食品过敏原测试*开发规划、成本/性能建模和进一步的知识产权保护*探索Grove最近发现的“海军蓝”和“荧光”金纳米颗粒，用于双重诊断设备（即使用单个LFT检测2种不同的疾病）。为了将这项技术引入快速扩张的纳米颗粒材料市场，Grove已获得约25万英镑的外部杠杆资金

The use of gold nanoparticles to create the red lines in a home Covid test is one of the great triumphs of nanotechnology. We all know the colour of gold, but nano-gold is red, soluble in water and one can bind it to molecules which detect a particular disease; thus the gold nanoparticles visualise the presence of an infectious agent. Grove Nanomaterials Ltd has developed, tested, and validated to proof-of-concept stage, a novel technology (CoVap) for producing functionalised gold nanoparticles directly from metal sources, and in a sustainable way that avoids toxic chemicals. Their incorporation into 'Lateral Flow Tests' (LFTs) will enable the detection not only of infections like Covid or Flu but also potential allergens such as gluten or lactose in food testing or conditions such as pregnancy.This project will scale-up Grove's manufacturing capability to produce gold nanoparticles with diverse chemical conjugations, that are rapidly tuneable to meet customer needs for diagnostic devices to address future medical or health threats. Working closely with device developers and OEMs, our agile and responsive manufacturing approach uses a novel 'in-vacuo synthesis' process, meaning that Grove can rapidly supply batch quantities at low cost to customers and/or end-users. Moreover, the product will be available in various formats, either "dry" as a stable nanocomposite of nanoparticles within a relevant organic/polymeric matrix, or dispersed into a stable, colloidal solution), and in a variety of sizes and colours to meet specific diagnostic requirements (e.g. Covid, Flu, Gluten or Pregnancy)With proof-of-concept already established, and the diagnostic devices market targeted (particular Lateral Flow Tests, LFTs) as major user of gold nanoparticles, this project will scale-up Grove's manufacturing capability and product range through further and essential R&D, whilst ensuring compliance with customer needs.Key activities in this project include:* R&D: Advancing our technology to TRL8/9 through refinement of process control, extending the range of proven functionalisation's, and material characterisation* Validation of our nanoparticles within LFT applications, through testing with three industry partners. 'Abbott Laboratories -- Lateral Flow Tests for Covid; 'Abingdon Health' -- Flu and Pregnancy Tests; 'Bio-Check' -- Food allergen tests* Exploitation planning, cost/performance modelling and further IP protection* Explore Grove's recent discoveries of 'navy blue' and 'fluorescent' gold nanoparticles for their use in dual-diagnostic devices (i.e. to detect 2 different diseases using a single LFT)To deliver this technology into the rapidly expanding nanoparticulate materials market, Grove has secured ~ £250k of external leveraged funding