Gold nanoshells are surface plasmon resonant (SPR) nanoparticles consisting of a nanoscale silica core surrounded by an ultra-thin gold shell. Changing the ratio of the core diameter and the shell thickness tunes the absorption and scattering properties of the nanoshells across the visible and near-IR (NIR) regions of the electromagnetic spectrum. Increasing the size of the silica core, and decreasing the thickness of the gold shell cause the plasmon resonance to shift toward the NIR.

Gold Nanoshells have been integrated into dozens of lateral flow assay systems, offering a clear advantage in stability, reproducibility, dynamic range, and sensitivity.

The Gold Nanoshell Advantage
Gold Nanoshells have been integrated into dozens of lateral flow assay systems, offering a clear advantage in stability, reproducibility, dynamic range, and sensitivity.

• Hormone Detection: Nanoshells were utilized in a hormone detection assay where 150 nm gold nanoshells achieved an 8× lower limit of detection compared to 40 nm gold which was necessary to measure the clinically relevant range. A 510k application is under review by the FDA.
• Salivary Cortisol: A salivary cortisol assay was developed both with 40 nm gold nanospheres and 150 nm diameter Nanoshells. This is a semi-quantitative competition assay where a large dynamic range is required to track diurnal baselines and cortisol spikes. Both the 40 nm nanospheres and the Nanoshells could detect the lowest clinically relevant range of 0.5 ng/mL; the use of gold nanoshells increased the dynamic range by a factor of 10.
• Troponin I: A 10× increase in sensitivity was obtained when measuring Troponin I analyte in serum using gold Nanoshells compared to 40 nm gold.
• Malaria: An 8× increase in sensitivity was achieved using gold Nanoshells in a malaria test developed by a partner.

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