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Engineering photo-plasmonic platforms with heterometallic nanohybrids are of paramount significance for realizing augmented sensitivity in fluorescence-based analytical detection. Although myriad nanomaterials with versatile functionalities have been explored in this regard in the surface plasmon-coupled emission (SPCE) interface, light harvesting using nano-antennas synthesized via sustainable bio-inspired routes still remains a high priority in current research. Our study provides a rational design for in situ fabrication of nanoparticles of silver, gold, and their plasmonic hybrids using biocompatible, non-hazardous sericin protein (obtained Bombyx mori) as the reducing and capping agent. The one-pot, user-eco-friendly technology demonstrated here utilizes UV irradiation to promote the photo-induced electron transfer mechanism, thereby yielding nanomaterials of tunable optoelectronic functionalities. The resulting homometallic and heterometallic nanohybrids with robust localized surface plasmon resonances (LSPR) showed strong light-confining attributes when interfaced with the propagating surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) of the SPCE platform, thereby yielding tunable, highly directional, polarized, and amplified fluorescence emission. The experimentally obtained emission profiles displayed an excellent correlation with the theoretically obtained dispersion diagrams validating the spectro-plasmonic results. The abundant hotspots from AgAu nanocubes presented in excess of 1300-fold dequenched fluorescence enhancement and were utilized for cost-effective and real-time mobile phone-based sensing of biologically relevant mefenamic acid at an attomolar limit of detection. We believe that this superior biosensing performance accomplished using the frugal bioinspired nano-engineering at hybrid interfaces would open new doors for developing nanofabrication protocols with the quintessential awareness of the principles of green nanotechnology, consequently eliminating hazardous chemicals and solvents in the development of point-of-care diagnostic tools.

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have been widely recognized and used for controlled drug delivery and in various other fields due to their unique properties and distinct advantages. Both single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) and multiwalled (MWCNTs) carbon nanotubes are used and/or studied for potential applications in medical, energy, textile, composite, and other areas. Since CNTs are chemically inert and are insoluble in water or other organic solvents, they are functionalized or modified to carry payloads or interact with biological molecules. CNTs have been preferably functionalized with proteins because CNTs are predominantly used for medical applications such as delivery of drugs, DNA and genes, and also for biosensing. Extensive studies have been conducted to understand the interactions, cytotoxicity, and potential applications of protein functionalized CNTs but contradicting results have been published on the cytotoxicity of the functionalized CNTs. This paper provides a brief review of CNTs functionalized with proteins, methods used to functionalize the CNTs, and their potential applications.

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