Ultra-fast synthesis of magnetic and luminescent silica beads for versatile bioanalytical applications

A method for the synthesis of both spherically shaped micro/nano silica particles and silica hybrid particles using a novel inverse sol-gel suspension technique was developed. The technique enables the synthesis of beads within seconds and provides a simple basis for quantum dot and biosubstances encapsulation. The carriers can be used as DNA adsorbents, individually addressable optical codes for bioassays and biomolecule library screening as well as photonic crystals.