Resin-Metal Composite Marker for Immunoassay
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing immunoassay markers, particularly those using colored microparticles and gold nanoparticles, face issues with durability, visual recognizability, and sensitivity due to limitations in pigment binding and surface plasmon absorption, leading to inadequate performance in immunoassay applications.
Innovation Solution
A resin-metal composite is developed with a specific structure where metal particles are both exposed and encased within resin particles, providing high localized surface plasmon absorption and improved durability, allowing for enhanced visual recognizability and sensitivity without requiring special devices or complex operations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If colored microparticles are used as markers, then visual determination is simplified, but the color brightness and visual recognizability are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses composite particles consisting of a latex core combined with metal particles (gold, silver, or their alloys) on the surface. This composite structure combines the ease of handling latex particles with the superior plasmonic properties of metals, achieving both simple visual determination and enhanced color brightness through localized surface plasmon resonance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent optimizes multiple parameters including metal particle size (0.1-100 nm), metal particle concentration (1-50 wt%), and latex particle size (0.1-10 μm) to achieve desired color intensity and visual recognizability. By adjusting these parameters, the color brightness can be tuned while maintaining the simplicity of visual determination.
2Illumination intensity
If pigment coloring amount is increased to improve visual recognizability, then color intensity increases, but the latex surface state is impaired and antigen/antibody binding becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional pigment-based chemical coloring with physical plasmonic coloring using metal particles. This substitution allows color intensity to be achieved through metal particle concentration and size rather than pigment quantity, thereby avoiding surface coverage that would interfere with biomolecule binding.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the coloring mechanism from chemical pigments to physical plasmonic effects by controlling metal particle size (0.1-100 nm) and concentration (1-50 wt%). This parameter optimization enables sufficient color intensity while maintaining latex surface properties necessary for antigen/antibody binding.
3Illumination intensity
If more metal particles are carried on resin particles to improve visual recognizability, then color intensity increases, but durability decreases due to particle detachment
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a gradient distribution of metal particles within the resin particle structure. The metal particles are concentrated in the surface section (within 50 nm from the surface) rather than uniformly distributed throughout. This localized concentration provides strong visual signal at the surface while the resin matrix maintains structural integrity and prevents detachment.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent embeds metal particles within the resin particle matrix, creating a nested structure where metal particles (0.1-100 nm) are contained within the resin particle (0.1-10 μm). This nesting provides mechanical support from the resin matrix that prevents metal particle detachment while allowing sufficient metal content for strong visual signal.
4Measurement precision
If conventional markers are used to achieve high sensitivity, then special analysis devices are required, but the assay complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes metal particle size (0.1-100 nm, preferably 1-50 nm) to enhance localized surface plasmon resonance intensity, achieving high sensitivity that can be detected by simple visual observation or basic colorimetry without requiring complex specialized analysis devices.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The resin-metal composite achieves excellent durability and visual determinability, enabling high-sensitivity immunoassay determinations and expanding applicable purposes beyond traditional markers, including use as solid catalysts, pigments, and sensor components.
Implementation Method 1
the plurality of metal particles includes: first particles, having a portion exposed from the resin particle; and second particles, completely encased in the resin particle; and among the first particles and the second particles, at least portions of the particles are three-dimensionally distributed in a surface section of the resin particle
Data Source
AI summary
A resin-metal composite 100 includes resin particles 10 and metal particles 20. The metal particles 20 are dispersed or immobilized on the resin particles 10, and portions of the metal particles 20 are three-dimensionally distributed in a surface section 60 of the resin particles 10. The metal particles 20 include encased metal particles 30 completely encased in the resin particles 10, partially exposed metal particles 40 having a portion embedded in a resin particle 10 and a portion exposed from the resin particle 10, and surface-adsorbed metal particles 50 absorbed on the surface of a resin particle 10.