Patent ID: 11872635
Assignee: THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO
Field: Surface technology, coating (Chemistry)
Classification: CPC B  C | IPC B  C

Claim 0:
1. A method for isothermal amplification of nucleic acid molecules, comprising:
preparing a reaction mixture that comprises the nucleic acid molecules, primer nucleic acid strands, free nucleotides, a nucleic acid polymerase, and a plurality of penta-twinned bipyramid-shaped noble metal nanocrystals in a nanocrystal sample, wherein at least 75% of the nanocrystals in the nanocrystal sample are the penta-twinned bipyramid-shaped noble metal nanocrystals;
irradiating the reaction mixture under a first pulse length and frequency, with radiation having wavelengths in an infrared or a visible region of the electromagnetic spectrum at which said nanocrystals absorb said radiation, thereby heating said reaction mixture to a first temperature for a first time period,
wherein said penta-twinned bipyramid-shaped noble metal nanocrystals are characterized by:
a plasmonic noble metal core and a PEGylated silica coating;
a size polydispersity of less than 10%;
and
an ability to absorb light having wavelengths in the range of 400-1200 nm.