Lipoic acid capped silver nanoparticles: a facile route to covalent protein capping and oxidative stability within biological systems.

Covalent attachment of human serum albumin protein to the surface of spherical lipoic acid capped silver nanoparticles results in the generation of stable nanoparticle-protein hybrids with well defined surface composition. Enhanced stability towards oxidation and in the presence of complex media with high ionic strength, holds promise towards the use of these conjugates as therapeutics in biomedical applications and sensing.