Novel bioinspired plasmonic nanocomposites platform for global health and global development applications

这项提议的目标是建立一个新型廉价纳米生物复合材料的研究计划，这些材料可以用于具有全球意义的应用，并解决全球关注的问题。纳米复合材料具有极高的比表面积，具有独特的电学、光学、热学和机械性能。它们已经发现了大量的技术应用，并可能在未来改变我们的生活。我们建议开发具有独特和可调性质的独特的纳米生物复合材料，这将得到广泛的应用。这些结构的制造很容易扩展，并将产生廉价的材料。具体的方向是：(I)开发和表征新型等离子体、纳米生物复合材料结构，(Ii)评估流经这些结构的流体的毛细流动，用于侧向流动分析，以及(Iii)探索在全球健康问题上的潜在应用，以及(Iv)探索其在全球发展问题中的潜在应用。这些纳米复合材料是由双原子锥体(或硅藻土)、石墨烯和等离子体颗粒组成的廉价而灵活的结构，并以各种方式制造，以满足用于诊断的分子检测、用于表征的颗粒分离、抗菌应用以及面向清洁能源的改进氢气生产等领域的特定需求。*特定目标*1.廉价和柔性等离子体纳米复合磁带结构的制备和表征。将探索几种制备方法和在胶带上沉积纳米复合材料的方法，并针对分子检测应用进行优化。为此，我们还将通过表面增强拉曼散射对这些纳米复合材料进行初步测量，并评估它们对从小分子(如毒素)到蛋白质和DNA等特定目标分子的分析能力。还将进行电学性质的COMSOL模拟。*2.评估流体通过纳米复合材料的流动，并将其用于侧向流动应用，例如用于分离分子组分，以进行检测和表征。这些结构将与更传统的基于纸张的侧向流动分析进行灵敏度和多路复用能力的比较。*3.通过检测和表征疾病的生物标记物，如结核病标记物和细胞外小泡，制造和评估这些纳米复合材料在健康方面的应用。*4.制造和使用等离子纳米复合材料，目标是几种全球开发应用，如净水、抗菌应用和清洁能源。

The goal of this proposal is to establish a research program in novel inexpensive nanobiocomposite materials that can be used in applications of global significance and address problems of global concern. Nanocomposite materials offer unique electrical, optical, thermal, and mechanical properties due to their exceptionally high surface-to-volume ratio. They have already found numerous technological applications and will likely transform our lives in the future. We propose to develop unique nanobiocomposites with unique and tunable properties that will find a wide range of applications. The fabrication of these structures is easily scalable and will yield inexpensive materials. The specific directions are to: (i) develop and characterize novel plasmonic, nanobiocomposite structures, (ii) evaluate the capillary flow of fluid through these structures for use in lateral flow assays, and (iii) explore potential applications to global health problems, and (iv) explore their potential applications in global development problems. These nanocomposites are inexpensive and flexible constructs made out of diatomic frustules (or diatomite), graphene, and plasmonic particles, and are fabricated in a variety of ways to fulfill the specific needs in the areas of molecular detection for diagnosis, particle separation for characterization, antibacterial applications, and improved hydrogen production towards clean energy. ***Specific aims***1. Fabrication and characterization of inexpensive and flexible plasmonic nanocomposite structures on tape. Several fabrication methods and deposition of nanocomposites on a tape will be explored and optimized for applications targeting molecular detection. In this aim we will also perform preliminary measurements of these nanocomposites via SERS and evaluate their analytical capabilities on specific target molecules of interest ranging from small molecules such as toxins to proteins and DNA. COMSOL simulations of the electrical properties will also be performed. ***2. Evaluate the flow of fluid through the nanocomposite and use it in lateral flow applications such as for the separation of molecular components for their detection and characterization. These constructs will be compared with more traditional lateral flow assays based on paper for sensitivity and multiplexing capability. ***3. Fabricate and evaluate the use of these nanocomposites for health applications via detection and characterization of biomarkers of disease such as tuberculosis markers and extracellular vesicles. ***4. Fabricate and use plasmonic nanocomposites targeted for several global development applications such as water purification, antimicrobial applications, and clean energy.