Immobilization of ordered plasmonic nanostructures at surfaces of polymeric melts

• Applicants: Professor Dr. Andreas Fery; Dr. Jürgen Nagel
• Subject Area: Polymer Materials ; Plastics Engineering
• Term: from 2018 to 2022
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 407193529

Due to their plasmonic properties gold nanoparticles (AuNP) are interesting for sensing applications, like Surface Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (SERS). So far a gap between the assembly and nano-photonic characterization of AuNP-structures in lab-scale and the integration of such nanostructures in manufacturing relevant processes exists. The aim of this project is to close this gap. For that purpose the interplay between single nanoparticles and nanoparticle structures with polymer melts has to be investigated, particularly with regard to structure preserving integration during injection molding and 3D printing (fused deposition modeling). SERS serves as model application, as structural integrity is of great importance here and at the same it is possible to gain knowledge about reaction processes that appear during processing. As a long-term goal optical functional devices for microfluidic flow-through cells should be made accessible in large numbers.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants