Combining nanothermometry and nanozyme activity in multifunctional Au-decorated REVO4 nanoplatforms

• Grant number: 21/08107-5
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Master's degree
• Start date: November 15, 2021
• End date: April 30, 2022
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Chemistry - Inorganic Chemistry
• Principal Investigator: Paulo Cesar de Sousa Filho
• Grantee: Tamires Maira Oliveira
• Supervisor: Pedro Henrique Cury Camargo
• Host Institution: Instituto de Química (IQ). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: University of Helsinki, Finland
• Associated to the scholarship: 19/21896-9 - Development of new nanothermometry platforms for plasmonic catalysis reactions, BP.MS

Abstract

Metal nanoparticles showing localized surface plasmon resonance show unique characteristics for emerging applications in optical sensing and plasmonic catalysis, which stimulates fundamental and applied research in this field. Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) also demonstrate enzyme-like activity in a variety of reactions, and plasmonic nanozyme catalysts are highly interesting for the possibility of using light to drive and tune the catalytic profile of these nanostructures. In addition, improved knowledge of local heating profiles of plasmonic nanozymes and thermal contributions to reaction mechanisms are crucial for further development of controllable nanoparticle-based biocatalysts. In this sense, combination of AuNPs with luminescent rare earth vanadate nanoparticles (REVO4) enables to produce multifunctional plasmonic catalysts with thermometric response, which can provide innovative information on nanozyme biocatalysis and further insights on local temperature profiles applicable in biological systems. We hereby propose to optimise the combination of previously obtained AuNPs and REVO4 particles in terms of the Au/RE ratio and aggregate stability, to investigate plasmonic nanozyme activity of the REVO4-AuNP structures via using model enzymatic substrates, and to perform in situ structural/compositional investigation of these systems during the biocatalytic tests by X ray absorption spectroscopy. The results of this project will be combined to further thermometry measurements to provide a broad and detailed assessment of the nanothermometric and nanozyme behaviour of the REVO4-AuNP structures.