Ricerc@Sapienza

This work describes the morphological, optical, and thermo-optical properties of a temperature-sensitive hydrogel poly(N-isopropylacrylamide-co-N-isopropylmethacrylamide) [P(NIPAm-co-NIPMAm]) film containing a specific amount of gold nanorods (GNRs). The light-induced thermoplasmonic heating of GNRs is used to control the optical scattering of an initially transparent hydrogel film. A hydrated P(NIPAm-co-NIPMAm) film is optically clear at room temperature.

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.

In the last decade, many innovative nanodrugs have been developed, as well as many nanoradiocompounds that show amazing features in nuclear imaging and/or radiometabolic therapy. Their potential uses offer a wide range of possibilities. It can be possible to develop nondimensional systems of existing radiopharmaceuticals or build engineered systems that combine a nanoparticle with the radiopharmaceutical, a tracer, and a target molecule, and still develop selective nanodetection systems.