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14 pages, 3410 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Three Generations of Surface Nanocomposites Based on Hexagonally Ordered Gold Nanoparticle Layers and Their Application for Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy

by Shireen Zangana, Tomáš Lednický and Attila Bonyár

Chemosensors 2023, 11(4), 235; https://doi.org/10.3390/chemosensors11040235 - 10 Apr 2023

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1921

Abstract

The fabrication technology of surface nanocomposites based on hexagonally ordered gold nanoparticle (AuNP) layers (quasi-arrays) and their possible application as surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) substrates are presented in this paper. The nanoparticle layers are prepared using a nanotextured template formed by porous anodic [...] Read more.

The fabrication technology of surface nanocomposites based on hexagonally ordered gold nanoparticle (AuNP) layers (quasi-arrays) and their possible application as surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) substrates are presented in this paper. The nanoparticle layers are prepared using a nanotextured template formed by porous anodic alumina (PAA) and combined with gold thin-film deposition and subsequent solid-state dewetting. Three types of hexagonal arrangements were prepared with different D/D₀ values (where D is the interparticle gap, and D₀ is the diameter of the ellipsoidal particles) on a large surface area (~cm² range), namely, 0.65 ± 0.12, 0.33 ± 0.10 and 0.21 ± 0.09. The transfer of the particle arrangements to transparent substrates was optimized through three generations, and the advantages and disadvantages of each transfer technology are discussed in detail. Such densely packed nanoparticle arrangements with high hot-spot density and tunable interparticle gaps are very beneficial for SERS applications, as demonstrated with two practical examples. The substrate-based enhancement factor of the nanocomposites was determined experimentally using a DNA monolayer and was found to be between 4 × 10⁴ and 2 × 10⁶ for the different particle arrangements. We also determined the sensing characteristics of a small dye molecule, rhodamine 6G (R6G). By optimizing the experimental conditions (e.g., optimizing the laser power and the refractive index of the measurement medium with an ethylene-glycol/water mixture), concentrations as low as 10⁻¹⁶ M could be detected at 633 nm excitation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanocomposites for SERS Sensing)

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17 pages, 4156 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Nanocomposite Au/Si Cantilevers for Tip-Enhanced Raman Scattering (TERS) Sensors

by Nora Slekiene and Valentinas Snitka

Chemosensors 2023, 11(4), 218; https://doi.org/10.3390/chemosensors11040218 - 31 Mar 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1216

Abstract

In this study, we proposed and tested different procedures for the preparation of Au/Si cantilevers for Tip-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (TERS). The preparation of Au/Si TERS sensors was based on three methods: chemical (electroless) deposition, thermal evaporation of Au on the tip of commercially [...] Read more.

In this study, we proposed and tested different procedures for the preparation of Au/Si cantilevers for Tip-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (TERS). The preparation of Au/Si TERS sensors was based on three methods: chemical (electroless) deposition, thermal evaporation of Au on the tip of commercially available cantilevers in a vacuum, and electrochemical etching of Au microwires. We fabricated and tested four types of TERS probes, and then used these probes for TERS measurements using graphene oxide (GO) as the target analyte. The probe tips were characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). This article presents a comparative analysis of the fabrication methods, quality of the obtained probe tips, and enhancement factors (EFs) for the four types of TERS cantilevers (probes) produced by chemical deposition, sputtering, and electrochemical methods. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanocomposites for SERS Sensing)

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16 pages, 4738 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Fabrication of Nanoparticle Agglomerate Films by Spark Ablation and Their Application in Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy

by Petra Pál, Viktória Horváth, Laura Juhász, Zoltán Kóródi, Attila Kohut and Istvan Csarnovics

Chemosensors 2023, 11(3), 180; https://doi.org/10.3390/chemosensors11030180 - 7 Mar 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1569

Abstract

This paper presents a systematic study of the investigation of nanoparticle (NP) agglomerate films fabricated via depositing spark-generated Au, Ag, and Au/Ag NPs onto quartz microscope coverslips in a low-pressure inertial impactor. The primary focus of the study is to characterize these nanostructures [...] Read more.

This paper presents a systematic study of the investigation of nanoparticle (NP) agglomerate films fabricated via depositing spark-generated Au, Ag, and Au/Ag NPs onto quartz microscope coverslips in a low-pressure inertial impactor. The primary focus of the study is to characterize these nanostructures and to examine their potential application in surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS). The characterization of the produced nanostructures was carried out by performing optical absorbance measurements, morphology, and composition analysis, as well as testing the SERS performance of the NP films at three different excitation laser wavelengths in the visible range. The study aims to investigate the relationship between the optical properties, the morphology, and the enhancement of the produced samples at different excitations, and the results are presented and discussed. The study highlights the potential of using spark ablation and inertial impaction-based deposition as a method for producing nanoparticle films for SERS. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanocomposites for SERS Sensing)

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11 pages, 2736 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Fabrication of GO/Fe₃O₄@Au MNPs for Magnetically Enriched and Adsorptive SERS Detection of Bifenthrin

by Ying Song, Kunyue Xiao, Qiang Chen, Xiaodong Zhang, Zhi Yu, Wenwen Chen, Xiubing Zhang, De Zhang, Dejiang Ni and Pei Liang

Chemosensors 2023, 11(2), 73; https://doi.org/10.3390/chemosensors11020073 - 17 Jan 2023

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1712

Abstract

The detection of bifenthrin is closely related to the adsorption of SERS substrates. In this study, superparamagnetic Fe₃O₄@Au MNPs coated with GO were used to detect the adsorption and enrichment of bifenthrin molecules with benzene rings. Firstly, the thermal [...] Read more.

The detection of bifenthrin is closely related to the adsorption of SERS substrates. In this study, superparamagnetic Fe₃O₄@Au MNPs coated with GO were used to detect the adsorption and enrichment of bifenthrin molecules with benzene rings. Firstly, the thermal solvent method synthesized Fe₃O₄ magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) with a particle size of ~250 nm. Next, polyethylene imide (PEI) was used as an intermediate layer to modify the surface of Fe₃O₄ to form a positively charged ultra-thin polymer middle layer. Next, the gold shell was developed by adsorption of ~20 nm AuNPs, without affecting the magnetic properties. Then, the additional amount of colloidal gold and GO on SERS performance was systematically studied. Using crystal violet (CV) as the probe, we investigated the SERS performance of composite nanomaterials. The lowest detected concentration reached 10⁻⁸ mol/L, confirming that the composite functional material had good SERS activity and magnetic properties. Finally, the substrate was used to detect bifenthrin in an acetone solution, and the lowest detection concentration was 10⁻⁸ mol/L. These results showed that the prepared GO/Fe₃O₄@Au MNPs were efficient SERS substrates that could detect bifenthrin pesticide residue with high sensitivity. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanocomposites for SERS Sensing)

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12 pages, 15084 KiB

Open AccessArticle

“Coffee Ring” Fabrication and Its Application in Aflatoxin Detection Based on SERS

by Xuesong Yan, Wenfeng Zhu, Yibing Wang, Yiran Wang, Dexuan Kong and Min Li

Chemosensors 2023, 11(1), 22; https://doi.org/10.3390/chemosensors11010022 - 26 Dec 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1554

Abstract

The fabrication of a coffee ring was studied in this work to improve its sensitivity in detecting trace analytes based on surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS). Gold nanoparticles were synthesized with diameters of ~40 nm through the sodium citrate reduction method, and rhodamine 6G [...] Read more.

The fabrication of a coffee ring was studied in this work to improve its sensitivity in detecting trace analytes based on surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS). Gold nanoparticles were synthesized with diameters of ~40 nm through the sodium citrate reduction method, and rhodamine 6G (R6G) was employed as a probe to evaluate the performance of the fabricated coffee rings. The results showed that the coffee ring formed from the water-washed gold nanoparticles presented more orderly and regular morphology as well as better SERS properties than the unwashed ones. Furthermore, both the concentration and the amount of gold nanoparticles were found to affect its SERS performance. Using the optimized coffee ring as a SERS substrate, trace R6G with a concentration of 5 × 10⁻⁸ M was detected. This sensing platform could realize aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) detection down to 5 × 10⁻⁷ M and was demonstrated to function well in real-sample testing. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanocomposites for SERS Sensing)

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13 pages, 2183 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Nanoporous Ag-Decorated Ag₇O₈NO₃ Micro-Pyramids for Sensitive Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering Detection

by Linfan Guo, Haibin Tang, Xiujuan Wang, Yupeng Yuan and Chuhong Zhu

Chemosensors 2022, 10(12), 539; https://doi.org/10.3390/chemosensors10120539 - 16 Dec 2022

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1614

Abstract

Porous noble metal nanomaterials can be employed to construct sensitive surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrates, because the plasmonic nanopores and nanogaps of the porous materials can provide a larger number of hotspots, and can also serve as containers of analyte molecules. However, the [...] Read more.

Porous noble metal nanomaterials can be employed to construct sensitive surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrates, because the plasmonic nanopores and nanogaps of the porous materials can provide a larger number of hotspots, and can also serve as containers of analyte molecules. However, the fabrication processes of nanoporous noble metal are generally complicated. Here, a facile method is presented to prepare nanoporous Ag nanoparticles-decorated Ag₇O₈NO₃ micro-pyramids, which are fabricated through the chemical reduction of the electrodeposited Ag₇O₈NO₃ micro-pyramids using NaBH₄. The Ag₇O₈NO₃ micro-pyramids are fabricated by electrodeposition by using a simple aqueous solution of AgNO₃ as electrolyte. Then, porous Ag-decorated Ag₇O₈NO₃ micro-pyramids are achieved by the chemical reduction of the surface of the electrodeposited Ag₇O₈NO₃ micro-pyramids with NaBH₄. The high-density nanopores and nanogaps of the fabricated nanoporous Ag can provide plenty of hot spots for Raman enhancement. Additionally, the nanopores have an effective capacity to trap and enrich analytes. Using rhodamine 6G (R6G) as a probe molecule, the SERS performance of the fabricated SERS substrate has been investigated. It is found that a limit of detection (LOD) ~1.0 × 10⁻¹⁵ M can be achieved for R6G. Then, the SERS substrates are employed to detect dye molecule (crystal violet) and pesticide (thiram), and their LODs are calculated down to 9.6 × 10⁻¹³ M and 1.3 × 10⁻¹⁵ M, respectively. The enhancement factor of the fabricated SERS substrate is estimated to be as high as 5.6 × 10⁸. Therefore, the nanoporous Ag-decorated Ag₇O₈NO₃ micro-pyramids have shown promising application in the sensitive SERS detection of organic molecules. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanocomposites for SERS Sensing)

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12 pages, 4044 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Phosphoric Acid Induced Controllable Nanoparticle Aggregation for Ultrasensitive SERS Detection of Malondialdehyde in a Microfluidic Chip

by Yu Lu, Siying Wan, Xin Ruan, Huijun Liang, Jingting Su, Zhuyuan Wang and Li Zhu

Chemosensors 2022, 10(12), 524; https://doi.org/10.3390/chemosensors10120524 - 9 Dec 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2180

Abstract

Malondialdehyde (MDA), one of the most important products of lipid peroxidation, has been widely accepted as a biomarker to indicate food rancidity as well as the progress of some human diseases. However, ready detection of MDA with ultra-high sensitivity remains a challenge. In [...] Read more.

Malondialdehyde (MDA), one of the most important products of lipid peroxidation, has been widely accepted as a biomarker to indicate food rancidity as well as the progress of some human diseases. However, ready detection of MDA with ultra-high sensitivity remains a challenge. In this work, a microfluidic surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) sensing chip based on phosphoric acid induced nanoparticles aggregation was proposed for ultrasensitive MDA detection. The sensing chip was composed of an ultrafast microfluidic mixer, which efficiently transferred analytes to hot spots via the mixer assisted hot spots occupying (MAHSO) SERS strategy. Phosphoric acid, a reagent used in MDA detection, played the role of aggregator to induce aggregation of silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs); meanwhile, as fast as a few milliseconds mixing time effectively prevented over-aggregation of Ag NPs. Therefore, this process generated a uniform and dense SERS substrate with analyte molecules located in hot spots. As a result, the MDA SERS sensing chip possessed a limit of detection (LOD) lower than 3.3 × 10⁻¹¹ M, high spot-to-spot uniformity with a relative standard deviation (RSD) of 9.0% and an excellent batch-to-batch reproducibility with a RSD of 3.9%. This method also demonstrated excellent specificity and reliability in real sample detection with recoveries of 90.4–109.8% in spiked tests. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanocomposites for SERS Sensing)

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10 pages, 5656 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Simulation Calculation Verification of Graphene Oxide-Decorated Silver Nanoparticles Growing on Titania Nanotube Array as SERS Sensor Substrate

by Yibing Xie

Chemosensors 2022, 10(12), 507; https://doi.org/10.3390/chemosensors10120507 - 30 Nov 2022

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 1422

Abstract

Graphene oxide-decorated silver nanoparticles growing on titania nanotube array (GO/Ag/TiO₂ NTA) were designed as active Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) sensor substrates for sensitive determination of the organic compound bisphenol A. The theoretical simulation calculation and experimental measurements have been adopted to investigate [...] Read more.

Graphene oxide-decorated silver nanoparticles growing on titania nanotube array (GO/Ag/TiO₂ NTA) were designed as active Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) sensor substrates for sensitive determination of the organic compound bisphenol A. The theoretical simulation calculation and experimental measurements have been adopted to investigate the electronic and sensing properties of GO/Ag/TiO₂ NTA SERS substrate. The molecule adsorption and surface energy are applied to investigate the interfacial interaction between the SERS substrate and the organic molecule. The Raman spectrum response intensity and the electron transfer behavior are applied to investigate sensing activity of GO/Ag/TiO₂ NTA SERS substrate. The specific adsorption amount of BPA is 3.3, 7.1, and 52.4 nmol cm⁻² for TiO₂, Ag/TiO₂, and GO/Ag/TiO₂ NTA, respectively, presenting superior adsorption and aggregation capability. GO/Ag/TiO₂ NTA SERS sensor accordingly achieves the low detection limit of 5 × 10⁻⁷ M for bisphenol A molecule. The density functional theory simulation calculation proves that GO/Ag/TiO₂ reveals a higher density of states, lower HOMO-LUMO gap, stronger electrostatic interaction, and similar band gaps in comparison with Ag/TiO₂. Binary-interfaced GO/Ag/TiO₂ presents a more declined molecule structure surface energy of 5.87 eV rather than 4.12 eV for mono-interfaced Ag/TiO₂. GO/Ag/TiO₂ also exhibits a more declined surface adsorption energy of 7.81 eV rather than 4.32 eV for Ag/TiO₂ in the adsorption of bisphenol A. The simulation calculation verification results well confirm the superior activity of GO/Ag/TiO₂ NTA substrate for sensitive detection and quantitative determination of the organic compound bisphenol A. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanocomposites for SERS Sensing)

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13 pages, 4774 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Organic-Inorganic Semiconductor Heterojunction P3HT@Ag₂NCN Composite Film as a Recyclable SERS Substrate for Molecule Detection Application

by Lin Xu, Tao Wang, Xuan Li and Zhengjian Chen

Chemosensors 2022, 10(11), 469; https://doi.org/10.3390/chemosensors10110469 - 10 Nov 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1679

Abstract

Semiconductor composite materials have attracted interest from surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrate research. Here, we investigate an organic-inorganic semiconductor heterojunction P3HT@Ag₂NCN composite film as a recyclable SERS substrate for molecule detection application. Our study shows that the SERS substrate of the [...] Read more.

Semiconductor composite materials have attracted interest from surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrate research. Here, we investigate an organic-inorganic semiconductor heterojunction P3HT@Ag₂NCN composite film as a recyclable SERS substrate for molecule detection application. Our study shows that the SERS substrate of the composite P3HT@Ag2NCN composite film has high sensitivity, excellent signal reproducibility, and is reusable. Significant π-stacking of the probe molecules with the thiophene π-cores molecules from P3HT plays an important role in the large SERS enhancement by the charge transfer mechanism. Due to physical interaction between P3HT and Ag₂NCN, the organic-inorganic semiconductor heterojunction structure further improves charge transfer efficiency and the SERS property. Our results show that the enhancement factor (EF) of P3HT@Ag₂NCN composite films (EF = 6147 ± 300) for the probe molecule methylene blue is more than 7 times that of P3HT substrate (EF = 848 ± 85) and is about 75 times that of Ag₂NCN nanorods (EF = 82 ± 8). In addition, the SERS substrates of the P3HT@Ag₂NCN composite film also display excellent reusability and signal reproducibility (RSD < 4.8%). Our study opens up a new opportunity for designing an ideal SERS substrate with high sensitivity, selectivity, long-term stability, low cost, and reusability. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanocomposites for SERS Sensing)

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10 pages, 2617 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Engineering Raspberry-like Plasmonic Nanoclusters as Tags in Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering-Based Immunoassays

by Jingwen Xu, Shizhen Huang, Zhida Gao and Yanyan Song

Chemosensors 2022, 10(11), 442; https://doi.org/10.3390/chemosensors10110442 - 26 Oct 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1284

Abstract

Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) is highly attractive with the advantages of non-destructive performance, high specificity, and ultra-sensitivity. However, it is still a great challenge to design SERS tags with strong and undisturbed SERS signals via a simple method for an SERS-based immunoassay. Herein, [...] Read more.

Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) is highly attractive with the advantages of non-destructive performance, high specificity, and ultra-sensitivity. However, it is still a great challenge to design SERS tags with strong and undisturbed SERS signals via a simple method for an SERS-based immunoassay. Herein, a simple one-pot method was developed for the fabrication of SERS nanotags with interior reporters located at the nanogaps between plasmonic structures. Benefiting from the reducibility and easy-to-polymerize properties of aniline, Au³⁺ ions were reduced and grew into small-sized Au nanoparticles with a thin layer of polyaniline (PANI) by using aniline as the reductant. Following the continuous polymerization and the reduction reactions, PANI-coated Au nanoparticles were assembled into a nanocluster with sub 5 nm gaps, and PANI located at these gaps were used as interior reporters in SERS tags. As proof-of-concept, a histidine-tagged antigen was used as the model analyte for the SERS-based immunoassay. The proposed sensing platform showed the response to the histidine-tagged antigen ranging from 0.1 to 1000 ng mL⁻¹ with a detection limit of 0.01 ng mL⁻¹. The remarkable and undisturbed SERS signals make the proposed SERS tags feasible for detections of biomarkers with a low concentration in complex biological samples. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanocomposites for SERS Sensing)

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11 pages, 2747 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Ag Nanoparticles Synthesized on Black-Titanium Dioxide by Photocatalytic Method as Reusable Substrates of Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy

by Tianze Cong, Yifeng Zhang, Hui Huang, Chengwei Li, Zeng Fan and Lujun Pan

Chemosensors 2022, 10(11), 441; https://doi.org/10.3390/chemosensors10110441 - 25 Oct 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1282

Abstract

The construction of excellent surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) substrates needs rationally designed architectures of noble metals or semiconductors. In this study, Ag nanoparticles (NPs) are densely and uniformly synthesized on the surfaces of black-titanium dioxide (b-TiO₂) NPs through a facile two-step [...] Read more.

The construction of excellent surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) substrates needs rationally designed architectures of noble metals or semiconductors. In this study, Ag nanoparticles (NPs) are densely and uniformly synthesized on the surfaces of black-titanium dioxide (b-TiO₂) NPs through a facile two-step photocatalysis method. The b-TiO₂ improved the utilization efficiency of natural sunlight by the extension of light absorption from the ultraviolet (UV) to the visible (Vis) region. First, Ag seeds were densely grown in a short time on the surfaces of b-TiO₂ NPs under the irradiation of UV light. Then, Ag NPs were grown slowly and uniformly from the Ag seeds under the irradiation of Vis light. The as-prepared Ag/b-TiO₂ with high sensitivity achieved a limit of detection as low as 10⁻¹² M for rhodamine 6G. Meanwhile, the substrate showed reusability due to the high photocatalytic ability of b-TiO₂. The Ag/b-TiO₂ SERS substrate achieves SERS detections of organic pollutants, such as hydroquinone, p-phenylenediamine, and terephthalic acid, indicating that this substrate possesses potential applications in food safety and environmental monitoring. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanocomposites for SERS Sensing)

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12 pages, 2764 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Flexible and Transparent SERS Substrates Composed of Au@Ag Nanorod Arrays for In Situ Detection of Pesticide Residues on Fruit and Vegetables

by Chao Liu, Shenhao Wang, Xuan Dong and Qing Huang

Chemosensors 2022, 10(10), 423; https://doi.org/10.3390/chemosensors10100423 - 17 Oct 2022

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2280

Abstract

Due to the increasing importance of food quality/safety control, there is an imminent need to develop efficient methods for the rapid detection of pesticide residues in agricultural products. Herein, we proposed a simple and rapid detection approach to the in situ detection of [...] Read more.

Due to the increasing importance of food quality/safety control, there is an imminent need to develop efficient methods for the rapid detection of pesticide residues in agricultural products. Herein, we proposed a simple and rapid detection approach to the in situ detection of residual pesticides on fruit/vegetable using surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS). Flexible and transparent SERS substrates were fabricated by transferring Au@Ag core-shell nanorods (Au@Ag NRs) arrays to silicone membranes, with the single-layer Au@Ag NRs arrays prepared by the liquid–liquid interface self-assembly method. The as-prepared SERS sensor showed excellent SERS activity and repeatability, and it could be readily pasted onto the surface of fruit and vegetables for residual pesticide detection. For the inspection of thiram in contaminated strawberries, apples, and mushrooms, the limit of detection (LOD) could reach 2 ng/cm² with high measurement recovery and reproducibility. In general, this work provides an effective way for the preparation and application of flexible and transparent SERS substrates in food-safety control. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanocomposites for SERS Sensing)

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13 pages, 5898 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Solvent Effect on the Synthesis of Oleylamine Modified Au Nanoparticles and Their Self-Assembled Film for SERS Substrate

by Junfang Hao, Min He, Bin Liu and Jianhui Yang

Chemosensors 2022, 10(9), 373; https://doi.org/10.3390/chemosensors10090373 - 17 Sep 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2652

Abstract

The preparation and self-assembling of monodisperse gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) is of great significance for its SERS application. According to the oleylamine-reduced method, oleylamine (OAm) serves as the reducing agent and stabilizing agent, and the effects of different reaction parameters such as solvent [...] Read more.

The preparation and self-assembling of monodisperse gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) is of great significance for its SERS application. According to the oleylamine-reduced method, oleylamine (OAm) serves as the reducing agent and stabilizing agent, and the effects of different reaction parameters such as solvent and temperature on the size and dispersity of Au NPs have been evaluated. The Au NPs synthesized with toluene as the solvent have the best dispersity and narrowest particle size distribution with adjustable sizes. The particle size gradually increases with the increase in reaction temperature. The highly ordered self-assembly film of Au NPs was employed as surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrate for the probing molecule of rhodamine 6G. The Au substrate exhibits excellent spatial uniformity and SERS reproducibility, which indicates its practicability as a substrate. This study provides a simple synthesis strategy of highly ordered monodispersed Au NPs, which can serve as a SERS substrate with excellent spatial uniformity and SERS re-producibility. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanocomposites for SERS Sensing)

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Review

Jump to: Research

21 pages, 5295 KiB

Open AccessReview

Nanostructures for In Situ SERS Analysis of High-Temperature Processes

by Jingying Huang, Jiahao Wu, Jing Shao and Youkun Tao

Chemosensors 2023, 11(1), 21; https://doi.org/10.3390/chemosensors11010021 - 26 Dec 2022

Viewed by 1590

Abstract

Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) is a highly sensitive analytical technique based on Raman scatter and utilizes the nanostructures of active metals, such as gold and silver, with roughened surfaces as a signal amplifier. With its enhancement effect and “fingerprint” ability, in situ SERS [...] Read more.

Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) is a highly sensitive analytical technique based on Raman scatter and utilizes the nanostructures of active metals, such as gold and silver, with roughened surfaces as a signal amplifier. With its enhancement effect and “fingerprint” ability, in situ SERS is able to capture the dynamics of microstructure evolution and trace surface species in real time, which provides direct information for the analysis of a reaction mechanism in various surface processes, including heterogeneous catalysis, electrochemical reactions, etc. To date, SERS has been widely used in operando analysis of surface processes under ordinary temperatures. For application in high-temperature processes, the harsh environment puts forward additional requirements in addition to high sensitivity for the SERS nanostructures, especially concerning thermal stability, chemical inertness, and surface universality. Therefore, it is necessary to develop specialized SERS nanostructures for in situ analysis of high-temperature processes. This paper reviews the research progress of the design and application of nanostructures for in situ SERS analysis of high-temperature processes, with special focus on how to solve the stability and sensitivity contradiction of the SERS nanostructures in the high-temperature complex environment through the design and regulation of the nanostructures. For the structure design, the strategies, preparation, and performance of the reported nanoarchitectures are compared. For the high-temperature application, the utilization of SERS nanostructures in in situ studies are summarized, including thermal crystallization, lattice dynamics, heterogeneous catalysis, and high-temperature electrode reactions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanocomposites for SERS Sensing)

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22 pages, 6243 KiB

Open AccessReview

Recent Advances in Surface Plasmon Resonance Microscopy

by Songfeng Huang, Jiajie Chen, Teliang Zhang, Xiaoqi Dai, Xueliang Wang, Jianxing Zhou, Weifu Kong, Qian Liu, Junle Qu and Yonghong Shao

Chemosensors 2022, 10(12), 509; https://doi.org/10.3390/chemosensors10120509 - 30 Nov 2022

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2400

Abstract

Surface plasmon resonance microscopy (SPRM) is a versatile technique for biosensing and imaging that facilitates high-sensitivity, label-free, real-time characterization. To date, SPR technology has been successfully commercialized and its performance has continued to improve. However, this method is inhibited by low spatial resolution [...] Read more.

Surface plasmon resonance microscopy (SPRM) is a versatile technique for biosensing and imaging that facilitates high-sensitivity, label-free, real-time characterization. To date, SPR technology has been successfully commercialized and its performance has continued to improve. However, this method is inhibited by low spatial resolution and the inability to achieve single-molecule detection. In this report, we present an overview of SPRM research progress in the field of plasma imaging and sensing. A brief review of the technological advances in SPRM is outlined, as well as research progress in important applications. The combination of various new techniques with SPRM is emphasized. Finally, the current challenges and outlook of this technique are discussed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanocomposites for SERS Sensing)

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18 pages, 3256 KiB

Open AccessReview

Recent Progress on the Applications of Nanozyme in Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering

by Dan Li, Ling Xia and Gongke Li

Chemosensors 2022, 10(11), 462; https://doi.org/10.3390/chemosensors10110462 - 7 Nov 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2206

Abstract

Nanozymes are nanomaterial with natural enzyme-like activity and can catalyze specific reactions for analyte identification and detection. Compared to natural enzymes, they have several benefits, including being steady, low-cost, easy to prepare and store. Based on the promising development of nanozymes in surface-enhanced [...] Read more.

Nanozymes are nanomaterial with natural enzyme-like activity and can catalyze specific reactions for analyte identification and detection. Compared to natural enzymes, they have several benefits, including being steady, low-cost, easy to prepare and store. Based on the promising development of nanozymes in surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS), this paper reviews the classification of different types of nanozymes in SERS, including metal-based nanozyme, carbon-based nanozyme, metal-organic framework (MOF)/covalent organic framework (COF)-based nanozyme, and semiconductor-based nanozyme, followed by a detailed overview of their SERS applications in disease diagnosis, food safety, and environmental safety. Finally, this paper discusses the practical shortcomings of nanozymes in SERS applications and makes some suggestions for further research. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanocomposites for SERS Sensing)

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25 pages, 5623 KiB

Open AccessReview

The Advanced Applications of 2D Materials in SERS

by Yansheng Liu, Zhenle Qin, Junpeng Deng, Jin Zhou, Xiaobo Jia, Guofu Wang and Feng Luo

Chemosensors 2022, 10(11), 455; https://doi.org/10.3390/chemosensors10110455 - 2 Nov 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2433

Abstract

Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) as a label-free, non-contact, highly sensitive, and powerful technique has been widely applied in determining bio- and chemical molecules with fingerprint recognitions. 2-dimensional (2D) materials with layered structures, tunable optical properties, good chemical/physical stabilities, and strong charge–transfer interaction with [...] Read more.

Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) as a label-free, non-contact, highly sensitive, and powerful technique has been widely applied in determining bio- and chemical molecules with fingerprint recognitions. 2-dimensional (2D) materials with layered structures, tunable optical properties, good chemical/physical stabilities, and strong charge–transfer interaction with molecules have attracted researchers’ interests. Two-D materials with a large and flat surface area, as well as good biocompatibility have been considered promising candidates in SERS and widely applied in chemical and bio-applications. It is well known that the noble metallic nanostructures with localized surface plasmon effects dominate the SERS performance. The combination of noble metallic nanostructure with 2D materials is becoming a new and attractive research domain. Until now, the SERS substrates combined with 2D materials, such as 2D graphene/metallic NPs, 2D materials@metallic core-shell structures, and metallic structure/2D materials/metallic structure are intensely studied. In this review, we introduce different kinds of fabrication strategies of 2D and 3D SERS substrates combing with 2D materials as well as their applications. We hope this review will help readers to figure out new ideas in designing and fabricating SERS substrates with high SERS performance that could enlarge the applicable domains of SERS. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanocomposites for SERS Sensing)

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24 pages, 3252 KiB

Open AccessReview

Progress of Microfluidics Combined with SERS Technology in the Trace Detection of Harmful Substances

by Junjie Chen, Suyang Li, Fuqi Yao, Fubing Bao, Yuqing Ge, Minqiang Zou, Pei Liang and Qiang Chen

Chemosensors 2022, 10(11), 449; https://doi.org/10.3390/chemosensors10110449 - 28 Oct 2022

Cited by 12 | Viewed by 2811

Abstract

The combination of microfluidic technology and surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) has the advantages of being label-free, fingerprint spectroscopy, and high sensitivity, which giving the combination great potential for rapid trace-level biological and environmental analysis. In this review, we summarized the recent progress in [...] Read more.

The combination of microfluidic technology and surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) has the advantages of being label-free, fingerprint spectroscopy, and high sensitivity, which giving the combination great potential for rapid trace-level biological and environmental analysis. In this review, we summarized the recent progress in these two fields, e.g., microfluidics and SERS, including the basic strategies of a simple and versatile microfluidic-SERS detection system and its wide-ranging applications. Moreover, we listed the main challenges and future directions of the microfluidic-SERS systems; proposed on-chip applications beyond SERS; developed a more efficient, more sensitive, and more convenient microfluidic-SERS system; and formed a more complete on-site real-time detection technology. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanocomposites for SERS Sensing)

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34 pages, 5285 KiB

Open AccessReview

Graphene-Based Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering (SERS) Sensing: Bibliometrics Based Analysis and Review

by Qingwei Zhou, Meiqing Jin, Weihong Wu, Li Fu, Chengliang Yin and Hassan Karimi-Maleh

Chemosensors 2022, 10(8), 317; https://doi.org/10.3390/chemosensors10080317 - 8 Aug 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 3002

Abstract

Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) has received increasing attention from researchers since it was first discovered on rough silver electrode surfaces in 1974 and has promising applications in life sciences, food safety, and environmental monitoring. The discovery of graphene has stirred considerable waves in [...] Read more.

Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) has received increasing attention from researchers since it was first discovered on rough silver electrode surfaces in 1974 and has promising applications in life sciences, food safety, and environmental monitoring. The discovery of graphene has stirred considerable waves in the scientific community, attracting widespread attention in theoretical research and applications. Graphene exhibits the properties of a semi-metallic material and has also been found to have Raman enhancement effects such as in metals. At the same time, it quenches the fluorescence background and improves the ratio of a Raman signal to a fluorescence signal. However, graphene single-component substrates exhibit only limited SERS effects and are difficult to use for trace detection applications. The common SERS substrates based on noble metals such as Au and Ag can produce strong electromagnetic enhancement, which results in strong SERS signals from molecules adsorbed on the surface. However, these substrates are less stable and face the challenge of long-term use. The combination of noble metals and graphene to obtain composite structures was an effective solution to the problem of poor stability and sensitivity of SERS substrates. Therefore, graphene-based SERS has been a popular topic within the last decade. This review presents a statistically based analysis of graphene-based SERS using bibliometrics. Journal and category analysis were used to understand the historical progress of the topic. Geographical distribution was used to understand the contribution of different countries and institutions to the topic. In addition, this review describes the different directions under this topic based on keyword analysis and keyword co-occurrence. The studies on this topic do not show a significant divergence. The researchers’ attention has gradually shifted from investigating materials science and chemistry to practical sensing applications. At the end of the review, we summarize the main contents of this topic. In addition, several perspectives are presented based on bibliometric analysis. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanocomposites for SERS Sensing)

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