OMCVD Gold Nanoparticles Covalently Attached to Polystyrene for Biosensing Applications†

Remarkable developments and successes are witnessed in the fabrication and implementation of optical sensors based on localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) for the investigation of chemical and biological material quantities. We report on the reproducible fabrication of chemically stable surface immobilized AuNPs grown via organometallic chemical vapor deposition (OMCVD) on a polymer substrate, namely polystyrene (PS). Oxygen plasma-treated and UV ozone-treated PS samples depict enhanced amounts of polar -OH groups allowing for nucleation and growth of AuNPs. The optimum plasma treatment conditions, the largest shifts in the LSPR curves, and the bulk sensitivity of the OMCVD-grown AuNPs are discussed.