Crystal–Amorphous Core–Shell Structure Synergistically Enabling TiO2 Nanoparticles’ Remarkable SERS Sensitivity for Cancer Cell Imaging

• DOI: 10.1021/acsami.9b17150
• Publication Date: 2019-12-02T18:47:35Z
• Authors: Jie Lin; Wenzhi Ren; Anran Li; Chenyang Yao; Tianxiang Chen; Xuehua Ma; Xiaotian Wang; Aiguo Wu
• Keywords: Crystal (programming language)

Exploring novel surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) active materials with high detection sensitivity, excellent biocompatibility, low biotoxicity, and good spectral stability is urgently required for efficacious cancer cell diagnosis. Herein, black TiO2 nanoparticles (B-TiO2 NPs) crystal-amorphous core-shell structure are successfully developed. Remarkable SERS activity derived from the synergistic effect of promising structure. Abundant excitons can be generated by high-efficiency exciton transitions in crystal core, a feature that provides sufficient charge source. Significantly, heterojunction enables efficient separation at interface, which effectively facilitate transfer core to amorphous shell results enrichment shell. Kelvin probe force microscopy (KPFM) confirms Fermi level layer shifting relatively position compared allowing photoinduced (PICT) between molecules. The first-principles density functional theory (DFT) calculations further indicate possesses narrow band gap electronic state (DOS), promote vibration coupling target Moreover, MCF-7 drug-resistant (MCF-7/ADR) breast cells quickly accurately diagnosed based on high-sensitivity B-TiO2-based bioprobe. To best our knowledge, this first time enhancement TiO2-molecule PICT process, widens application semiconductor-based platforms precision diagnosis treatment cancer, has been investigated.