Ricerc@Sapienza

Plasmonically enhanced optical dichroism has attracted substantial interest for its application in optical sensing, where the interplay between chirality emanating from both molecules and plasmon-supporting structures has been regarded as a critical ingredient. Here, we experimentally demonstrate that suitably self-assembled achiral plasmonic nanostructures produce a high degree of enhancement in the optical dichroism observed from chiral molecules placed in their vicinity.

Controlling the shape and size of mesoporous silica particles (MSPs) requires a deep understanding of the different parameters that play a major role during the synthesis of the materials. One of the key factors that can determine the morphology and porosity of the systems is the surfactant, used as a templating agent. We have very recently proven that binary mixtures of hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) and bile salts are templating systems effective in controlling the morphology of MSPs in a facile and non-costly way.