Enhancement mechanism of SERS from cyanine dyes adsorbed on Ag2O colloids

Surface enhancement mechanism of Raman scattering from molecules adsorbed on silver oxide colloids is reported. Absorption spectra and Raman spectra of the cyanine dye D266 and pyridine molecules adsorbed on Ag₂O colloids, and the influences of S₂O₃²⁻ and OH⁻ on the SERS are studied respectively. The results indicate that ‘chemical' enhancement is dominant in Ag₂O colloidal solution. Surface complexes of adsorbed molecules and small silver ion clusters Ag_n⁺ as the SERS active sites make an important contribution to surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS). At these active sites, charge transfer between the adsorbed molecules and the small silver ion clusters is the main enhancement origin. The enhancement factor of D266 adsorbed on Ag₂O colloids is theoretically estimated with the excited-state charge transfer model, which is roughly in accordance with the experiments.     

Surface enhanced Raman scattering of ammonia

A surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) spectrum of 0.5 M NH₃ in 4.0 M KCl has been observed on a silver electrode. An approximate enhancement factor of 3 × 10⁵ is calculated, and additional evidence for the enhanced nature of the spectrum is provided by the observation that totally symmetric vibrations are depolarized and by the strong potential dependence of the intensity of surface lines. Assignments have been given to the SERS lines with the low-frequency lines assigned to a AgCl and AgN stretch. The positive shift of the maximum of the intensity versus voltage curve with a lower laser excitation frequency is taken as evidence for the occurrence of a charge transfer process from ammonia to the silver electrode. The fact that the SERS spectrum of NH₃ on Ag can only be observed at large electrolyte concentrations is attributed to the breaking of hydrogen bonding at the electrode-solution interface.     

Adsorption of 1,4-Benzenedithiol on Gold and Silver Surfaces: Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering Study

The adsorption behavior of 1,4-benzenedithiol (1,4-BDT) on colloidal gold and silver surfaces has been investigated by means of surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS). 1,4-BDT chemisorbed dissociatively on both gold and silver surfaces but as mono- and dithiolate, respectively. Regardless of the bulk concentration of 1,4-BDT, only a monolayer was assembled on the silver surface with a flat orientation by forming two Ag–S bonds. On the gold surface, the monothiolate species,1,4-BDT⁻¹, appeared to assume a rather flat orientation at a very low surface coverage, but as the surface coverage was increased, the adsorbate took a perpendicular orientation. Furthermore, when the bulk concentration of 1,4-BDT was close to that required for a full-monolayer coverage limit, a band assignable to the S–S stretching vibration appeared at 536 cm⁻¹ in the gold sol SERS spectra. A separate ellipsometry measurement performed with vacuum-evaporated gold substrates revealed that up to tetralayers could be assembled on gold in 1 mM n-hexane solution of 1,4-BDT while at best a bilayer formed in either methanol or ethanol solution. The different adsorbate structure of 1,4-BDT on gold and silver was overall quite comparable to that of p-xylene-α,α′-dithiol.     

Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) on silver electrodes as a technical tool in the study of the electrochemical reduction of cyanopyridines and in quantitative analysis

The SER spectra of 4-, 3- and 2-cyanopyridines adsorbed on a silver electrode are presented. The results show that cyanopyridines may adsorb in two different orientations, end-on (with the N atom of the Py ring bound to the surface) and flat, and that for potentials more negative than −1.1 V (SCE), the cyanopyridine radical anions can also be detected. The SERS intensity vs. potential curves show more than one potential of maximum SERS intensity which are assigned to the existence of more than one species on the electrode surface. The analytical potentially of SERS on electrodes has also been investigated. It is shown that the relative SERS intensity (ν_CN of the 4-CNPy (2120 cm⁻)/breathing mode of Py (1008 cm⁻¹)), at a fixed Py bulk concentration and at a fixed potential and exciting radiation, depends linearly on the 4-CNPy bulk concentration in the range 10⁻⁷-10⁻⁵M. The selectivity of the technique has also been investigated by studying the SER spectrum and the SERS intensity vs. potential curves for a mixture of 10⁻³M 4-CNPy, pyridine (Py) and 4-methylpyridine(4-MePy) in 0.1 M KCl aqueous solution.     

Surface-enhanced Raman spectra of rhodamine 19 octadecylamide

Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) of the cationic and the neutral form of rhodamine 19 octadecylamide (R19OA) has been studied in the silver citrate colloid using NIR excitation at 1064 nm. Cationic molecules readily adsorb onto negatively charged silver nanoparticles through a positively charged xanthene part of the molecules resulting in surface enhancement of Raman scattering. Due to a lack of the positive charge in molecular structure, SERS spectrum of neutral molecules is not observed. Nevertheless, a broad band appearing at 1240 cm^?1 in the spectrum of the cationic form indicates conversion of the cationic into the neutral species occurring close to the silver surface. The observed band most likely arises from a vibration of the ring formed in the molecular structure after conversion, but before complete desorption of the neutral molecules from the metal surface. Upon addition of HCl and NaOH in the silver sol, equilibrium is shifted toward the cationic and the neutral form of R19OA, respectively, followed by corresponding changes in the Raman spectrum. In addition, FT-SERS spectra of two rhodamine dyes, rhodamine 19 (R19) and rhodamine 6G (R6G), that are structurally related to R19OA, have been studied under the same experimental conditions for comparison.     

On the occurrence of the central line (1025 cm) in the SERS spectra of pyridine adsorbed on silver hydrosols

The occurrence of a central line at 1025 cm⁻¹ between the surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) bands of pyridine at 1008 and 1036 cm⁻¹ has been first detected in silver hydrosols. This band, which has no counterpart in the Raman spectrum of the free ligand, is observed in acidic aqueous suspension as corresponding to that observed in an electrochemical cell and attributed to adsorption of pyridinium cation. When pyridine is adsorbed on an aged colloid in an alkaline medium two different species are detected. A central band at about the same wave number occurs, attributable to pyridine bound to silver ion cluster on the metal surface, oxidised by ambient air.     

FT-IR, FT-Raman and SERS spectra of Vitamin C

FT-IR and FT-Raman spectra of Vitamin c have been recorded and analysed. SERS spectrum was recorded is silver colloid. The molecule is thought to adsorb with the lactone ring in a tilted side on orientation with respect to the silver surface.     

FT-IR, FT-Raman and SERS spectra of pyridine-3-sulfonic acid

FT-IR and FT-Raman spectra of pyridine-3-sulfonic acid are recorded and analysed. Surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) spectrum is recorded in a silver colloid. The bands due to upsilonCH, upsilonSO are enhanced in the SERS spectrum. A likely 'perpendicular orientation' of the molecule on the silver surface is suggested.     

FT-Raman, FT-IR and surface enhanced Raman scattering spectra of sodium salicylate

FT-IR and FT-Raman spectra of sodium salicylate were recorded and analysed. Surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) spectrum was recorded is silver colloid. Comparisons of the SERS spectrum with the spectra in solution and of the solid sample are made. Sodium salicylate (an O donor ligand) is thought to adsorb in a somewhat 'tilted side on orientation' with respect to the silver surface.     

Selection rules of the charge transfer mechanism of surface-enhanced Raman scattering: The effect of the adsorption on the relative intensities of pyrimidine bonded to silver nanoclusters

Surface-enhanced Raman spectra (SERS) of pyrimidine recorded on a silver electrode have been analyzed on the basis of a resonant Raman (RR) process involving photoexcited charge transfer (CT) states of the metal-adsorbate surface complex. The main feature of the SERS of benzene and azine derivatives is the enhancement of the totally symmetric ring stretching mode 8a due to Franck-Condon contributions related to the CT transition. Although this behavior is observed in the SERS of pyrimidine, its spectrum is also characterized by the strong enhancement of the nontotally symmetric mode 8b. This peculiar feature can be explained only by the redistribution of the Franck-Condon factors between the 8ab pair of vibrations originated by the descent in symmetry occurring when pyrimidine is bonded to silver nanoclusters. This conclusion is a new evidence of the main role of the RR-CT enhancement mechanism in the SERS of aromatic molecules and shows once again the usefulness of the methodology developed by our group in order to analyze these complex spectra.     

Formation of uniform silver particles from bis (1,2-ethanediamine)silver(I) complex

Uniform spherical silver particles were produced by decomposing the bis(1,2-ethanediamine)silver(I) complex, by aging a solution of 1.0×10^–3 mole dm^–3 in silver (I) nitrate, 1.0 mole dm^–3 in 1,2-ethanediamine, and 2.5×10^–1 mole dm^–3 in nitric acid (basic solution) at 100°C for 42 min. The average modal diameter was estimated to be 0.52 m with a relative standard deviation of 0.10. A moderately oxygenrich layer, 40 Å thick, on the surface of the particles was detected by means of photoelectron surface microanalysis (XPS). The silver particles grew through a polynuclear-layer mechanism, as judged from the concentration change in soluble silver(I) species in the supernatant solution. The particles' point of zero charge (PZC) was estimated at pH 6.5 by potentiometric titration.     

IR, Raman and SERS spectra of disodium terephthalate

The IR and Raman spectra of disodium terephthalate were recorded and analysed. Surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) spectrum was recorded in silver colloid. The vibrational wavenumber of the compound have been computed using the Hartree-Fock/6-31G* basis and compared with the experimental values. SERS studies suggest a flat orientation of the molecule at the metal surface.     

IR, Raman and SERS studies of methyl salicylate

The IR and Raman spectra of methyl salicylate (MS) were recorded and analysed. Surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) spectrum was recorded in silver colloid. The vibrational wave numbers of the compound have been computed using the Hartree-Fock/6-31G* basis and compared with the experimental values. SERS studies suggest a flat orientation of the molecule at the metal surface.     

Experimental and theoretical surface enhanced Raman scattering study of 2-amino-4-methylbenzothiazole adsorbed on colloidal silver particles

The adsorption of 2-amino-4-methylbenzothiazole (2-AMBT) on colloidal silver particles has been investigated by a surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) study. The SERS spectra of the 2-AMBT molecule at varied adsorbate concentrations recorded in different time domains are compared with its Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectrum and normal Raman spectrum (NRS) in the bulk and in solution. The experimentally observed SERS spectra are compared with the theoretically modeled surface complexes using ab initio restricted Hatree-Fock (RHF) and density functional theory (DFT) calculations. The most favorable adsorptive sites of the 2-AMBT molecule have been estimated by natural population analysis (NPA) using the above-mentioned high level of theories. The enhancement of the in-plane modes together with the appearance of Ag-N stretching frequency at 215 cm(-1) indicates that the 2-AMBT molecule is adsorbed on the silver surface through the lone pair electrons of both nitrogen atoms with the molecular plane nearly vertical to the surface.     

Aptameric SERS sensor for Hg~(2+) analysis using silver nanoparticles

Aptamer–silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) based surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) sensor has been developed for Hg²⁺ detection by employing the structure-switching aptamer in the presence of spermine. This simple method shows excellent sensitivity and selectivity owing to the sensitive SERS detection technique and high specificity of aptamer for binding Hg²⁺.     

Surface enhanced Raman spectra of carbonate,hydrocarbonate, and substituted acetic acids on silver hydrosols

The SERS spectra of carbonate, hydrocarbonate and several substituted acetic acids absorbed on silver hydrosols are recorded. The greatest enhancement of E′ modes is shown in the spectrum of carbonate, from which the carbonate is deduced to be absorbed in an “end on” configuration, rather than flat on the surface. The spectrum of the hydrocarbonate solution shows the most enhanced bands at about 925 and 620 cm⁻¹, which cannot be explained clearly. All the substituted acids have a most enhanced bands at about 1630 cm⁻¹, revealing that the acids are initially adsorbed in a single bonding state through the carboxyl group. The change in the SERS spectra of the acids with time indicates that a bidentate bridging adsorbed state may be formed after some time.     

On-column silver substrate synthesis and surface-enhanced Raman detection in capillary electrophoresis

A new, simple, and efficient approach for on-column surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) detection in capillary electrophoresis (CE) is reported. A ∼50-μm SERS substrate spot was prepared by laser-induced growth of silver particles in the 100-μm inner diameter CE capillary window or in a flow cell consisting of a 250-μm inner diameter fused silica capillary connector. For this purpose, the Raman laser was focused by a 20× objective into the detection window filled with a 0.5 mM silver nitrate and 10 mM citrate buffer solution. During the CE runs, the silver substrate spot was formed in a few seconds after the analyte injection, hence the analytes adsorbed sequentially to the silver surface when the detection window was reached, followed by desorption from the silver surface and continuing the electrophoretic migration to the capillary end. Thus, beyond migration time, valuable molecular specific information was delivered by the SERS spectra. Accurate separations and high-intensity SERS spectra are shown by CE-SERS time-dependent 3D electropherograms for the analytes rhodamine 6G, 4-(2-pyridylazo)resorcinol (PAR), PAR complex with Cu(II) and methylene blue at 0.25–25 ppm concentrations, by using 1.4–3.6 mW HeNe laser power and an acquisition time of 5 s for each spectrum. Before and after each analyte passes the detection window, clean background spectra were recorded and no memory effects perturbed the SERS detection. The silver substrate is characterized by a fast preparation rate, good reproducibility, a preparation success rate of over 95% and no mentionable influence on the electrophoretic migration time, the CE-SERS and CE-UV electropherograms being in good agreement. The successful coupling of CE and on-column SERS detection opens new perspectives for monitoring CE separations.     

Silver Nanoparticle Thin Films with Nanocavities for Surface‐Enhanced Raman Scattering

The formation of nanometer‐sized gaps between silver nanoparticles is critically important for optimal enhancement in surface‐enhanced Raman scattering (SERS). A simple approach is developed to generate nanometer‐sized cavities in a silver nanoparticle thin film for use as a SERS substrate with extremely high enhancement. In this method, a submicroliter volume of concentrated silver colloidal suspension stabilized with cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) is spotted on hydrophobic glass surfaces prepared by the exposure of the glass to dichloromethysilane vapors. The use of a hydrophobic surface helps the formation of a more uniform silver nanoparticle thin film, and CTAB acts as a molecular spacer to keep the silver nanoparticles at a distance. A series of CTAB concentrations is investigated to optimize the interparticle distance and aggregation status. The silver nanoparticle thin films prepared on regular and hydrophobic surfaces are compared. Rhodamine 6G is used as a probe to characterize the thin films as SERS substrates. SERS enhancement without the contribution of the resonance of the thin film prepared on the hydrophobic surface is calculated as 2×10⁷ for rhodamine 6G, which is about one order of magnitude greater than that of the silver nanoparticle aggregates prepared with CTAB on regular glass surfaces and two orders of magnitude greater than that of the silver nanoparticle aggregates prepared without CTAB on regular glass surfaces. A hydrophobic surface and the presence of CTAB have an increased effect on the charge‐transfer component of the SERS enhancement mechanism. The limit of detection for rhodamine 6G is estimated as 1.0×10^?8 M . Scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy are used for the characterization of the prepared substrate.     

Spectra and Structure of Silicon-Containing Compounds. XXVIII1 Infrared and Raman Spectra,Vibrational Assignment,and Ab Initio Calculations of Vibrational Spectrum and Structural Parameters of Vinyltrichlorosilane

The infrared spectra (3200-50 cm^–1) of gaseous and solid vinyltrichlorosilane, CH₂=CH-SiCl₃, have been recorded. In addition, the Raman spectrum (3200-10 cm^–1) of the liquid has been recorded and quantitative depolarization values obtained. The infrared spectrum of the sample dissolved in liquid xenon (–80°C) has also been recorded. Using the experimental data and normal coordinate calculations with scaled ab initio force constants, the complete vibrational assignment is proposed. The torsional mode was observed in the infrared spectrum of the gas at 69 cm^–1 and the threefold barrier of internal rotation was calculated to be 500 cm^–1 (5.98 kJ/mol). Ab initio calculations have been carried out at the restricted Hartree–Fock level of the theory as well as with full electron correlation by the perturbation method to second order with different basis sets up to 6-311+G(d,p) to obtain the optimized geometries, harmonic force constants, infrared intensities, Raman activities, depolarization ratios, and vibrational frequencies. The ab initio predicted structural parameters are compared with those obtained from a previous electron diffraction study.     

Surface-enhanced Raman scattering detection of cholinesterase inhibitors

A new sensitive surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) assay for detection of cholinesterase inhibitors such as organophosphorous pesticides using silver colloidal nanoparticles was developed and optimized. Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) mediated the hydrolysis of acetylthiocholine to produce thiocholine, which interacted with the silver nanoparticles to give a specific SERS spectrum. Variation in enzyme activity due to inhibition was measured from changes in intensity of a characteristic peak (772 cm⁻¹) of the SERS spectrum that was directly correlated with the concentration of produced thiocholine. The method was demonstrated for the detection of paraoxon as reference AChE inhibitor. Limit of detection of paraoxon for 5 min incubation at 25 °C was 1.8 × 10⁻⁸ M. This assay can be utilized for the detection of trace amounts of any AChE inhibitor.