ABSTRACT: Encoded particles are one of the most powerful
approaches for multiplex high-throughput screening. Surface-
enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) based codification can, in
principle, avoid many of the intrinsic limitations due to
conventional alternatives, as it decreases the reading time and
particle size while allowing for almost unlimited codification.
Unfortunately, methods for the synthetic preparation of these
particles are tedious; often subjected to limited reproducibility
(associated with large fluctuations in the size distributions of the
polymers employed in the standard protocols); and to date,
limited to a small amount of molecules. Herein, we report a universal, one-pot, inexpensive, and scalable synthetic protocol for
the fabrication of SERS-encoded nanoparticles. This synthetic strategy is highly reproducible, independent of the chemical nature
and size of the Raman code used (31 different codes were tested) and scalable in the liter range without affecting the final
properties of the encoded structures. Furthermore, the SERS efficiency of the fabricated encoded nanoparticles is superior to that
of the materials produced by conventional methods, while showing a remarkable reproducibility from batch to batch. This
encoding strategy can easily be applied to nanoparticles of different materials and shapes.