聚甲基丙烯酸甲酯间隔的金纳米立方体与金膜复合结构的表面增强拉曼散射研究

金属纳米颗粒与金属薄膜的复合结构由于其局域表面等离子体和传播表面等离子体间的强共振耦合作用,可作为表面增强拉曼散射(SERS)基底,显著增强吸附分子的拉曼信号.本文提出了一种聚甲基丙烯酸甲酯(PMMA)间隔的90 nm金纳米立方体与50 nm金膜复合结构的SERS基底,通过有限元方法数值模拟,得到PMMA的最优化厚度为15 nm.实验制备了PMMA间隔层厚度为14 nm的复合结构,利用罗丹明6G (R6G)为拉曼探针分子, 633 nm的氦氖激光器作为激发光源,研究了复合结构和单一金纳米立方体的SERS效应,发现复合结构可以使探针分子产生比单一结构更强的拉曼信号.在此基础上,研究了不同浓度金纳米立方体水溶液条件下复合结构中R6G的拉曼光谱.结果表明,当金纳米立方体水溶液浓度为5.625μg/mL的条件下复合结构中R6G的拉曼信号最强,且可测量R6G的最低浓度达10~(–11) mol/L.     

Polymer optical fiber SERS sensor with gold nanorods

A surface-enhanced Raman scattering sensor is developed by etching polymer optical fiber and coating with gold nanorods. The SERS sensing experiments are demonstrated with the analyte molecules of rhodamine 6G (R6G) at 514.5 nm laser excitation. The results show that a strong fiber Raman background scattering overwhelm the R6G molecule Raman signal in common optrod configuration, but a distinct R6G SERS spectrum with 9 order magnitude enhancement can be observed while directly focusing light on the probe. Further modeling indicates the enhancement is attributed to both nanorods local field and their coupling.     

Permeability of R6G across Cx43 hemichannels through a novel combination of patch clamp and surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy

We have measured the permeability of rhodamine-6G across Cx43 hemichannels reconstituted on a pipette tip. Cx43 hemichannels were overexpressed in Sf9 cells, and affinity-purified. The hemichannels were reconstituted in a lipid bilayer on a pipette tip by the tip-dip method. R6G in the pipette permeated across the channels into the bath. The permeability of R6G was quantified by measuring R6G concentration in the bath after several hours by surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) with 100 nm silver colloid particles. The ratio of the permeability of dye to salt, as extracted by this combined electrical-SERS technique, is compatible with similar ratios for other dyes across whole gap junction channels. The results for the permeability ratio were further compared to fluorescence measurements. The novel combination of patch and SERS techniques can be extended to quantifying the transport of biologically significant non-fluorescent molecules, such as cAMP and IP3, across 1 nm sized pores, such as the gap junction channel.     

微腔型银修饰光纤SERS探针的制备及性能研究

提出了一种基于银修饰的微腔型光纤表面增强拉曼散射（SERS）探针,采用湿法检测,将光纤SERS探针直接放入待测溶液中,以罗丹明6G（R6G）溶液为探针分子,对所制备的光纤SERS探针进行远端实验性能研究。利用氢氟酸化学腐蚀的方法制备了一种微腔型光纤结构,通过控制氢氟酸的腐蚀时间得到了一系列不同腐蚀时间、不同微腔长度的光纤结构。实验研究了光纤结构的微腔长度对光纤SERS探针性能的影响,以浓度为10-3 mol·L-1的R6G溶液为探针分子,通过不断地优化纳米银溶胶与R6G溶液的混合顺序及比例,采用裸光纤微腔结构对混合溶液进行拉曼检测,发现当混合溶液的混合顺序及比例为先后混合等体积的纳米银溶胶和R6G溶液时,此时得到的混合溶液的拉曼信号增强性能最佳。利用得到的混合溶液去寻找拉曼信号增强效果最高时光纤微腔结构的结构参数,实验结果表明,在相同的实验条件下,当光纤放入氢氟酸中腐蚀时间为5 min时,此时光纤微腔结构的拉曼信号增强效果最佳。在显微镜下测量的多组腐蚀时间为5 min的光纤,其微腔长度平均约为81 μm。对得到的光纤微腔结构,采用制备过程可控的磁控溅射技术制备了一系列银纳米薄膜/多模光纤（Ag/MMF）的复合材料。当磁控溅射时间为10 min时,获得了光纤SERS探针（Ag/MMF-10）。实验以去离子水配制了不同浓度的R6G溶液,以不同浓度的R6G溶液为探针分子,Ag/MMF-10探针的远端检测限（LOD）低至10-7 mol·L-1。该光纤SERS探针拉曼信号的再现性光谱检测中显示各个特征峰的相对标准偏差（RSD）均小于10%。同时,该光纤SERS探针对浓度为10-6 mol·L-1的R6G溶液的增强因子（AEF）可高达2.64×106。实验结果表明所制备的银修饰的光纤SERS基底具有较高的灵敏度和良好的再现性。因此,该光纤SERS探针在生物医学检测、农残化学分析等痕量检测方面有潜在的应用价值。     

Two Photon Spectroscopy Can Serve as a Marker of Protein Denaturation Pathway

Rhodamine group of molecules are widely used dyes for imaging of biological molecules. Application of these dyes however includes a limitation that these molecules absorb in the visible range of the spectrum, which does not fall in the ‘biologically transparent window’ (BTW). Two photon absorption (TPA) process could come up with an alternate solution to this as these dyes could be excited in the near infrared (NIR) window to extract similar information. To validate this we have investigated TPA cross section (TPACS, σ₂) of two rhodamine dyes, namely Rhodamine 6G (R6G), Rhodamine B (RhB), site selectively bound with a model protein, bovine serum albumin (BSA), by exciting at 800 nm. Two photon spectroscopy and imaging confirms the binding of the dye to the protein. The decreases in TPACS with increasing temperature at a fixed BSA concentration excellently follows the temperature induced structural transition of BSA as the protein transforms from a molten globule to unfolded conformation beyond 60 °C, which has previously been established through circular dichroism (CD) measurements. The thus established resemblance in TPACS and CD measurement trends thus strongly affirms the suitability of TPA process in protein imaging and as an alternative marker to tracking its conformational transformations using NIR radiation.     

基于空芯微结构光纤拉曼探针的实验研究

表面增强拉曼散射(SERS)技术可有效增强样品分子的拉曼信号,对生物分子检测具有较高的灵敏性,因此在生化方面有着许多潜在的应用.而将空芯微结构光纤与SERS技术相结合不仅能够远端实时、分布式地检测,同时还可以增加光场与待测物的有效作用面积,减少传统光纤探针无法避免的石英背景信号等问题.本文基于空芯微结构光纤进行SERS探针的制备及性能测试研究,利用真空物理溅射法在空芯光纤内镀纳米Ag膜,从而制备成SERS探针,通过实验检测不同浓度的罗丹明6G (R6G)酒精溶液的拉曼信号.结果表明,在探针的近端正面成功探测到了浓度低至10~(-9)mol/L的R6G拉曼信号,在探针的远端反面探测到的浓度可小于10~(-6)mol/L.该实验结果为研究高灵敏度的SERS探针提供了一种新的手段.     

Preparation of SERS active Ag nanoparticles encapsulated by phospholipids

A cost‐effective way of fabricating lipid‐coated surface‐enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) substrate having reproducible high SERS activity was proposed. Ag nanoparticle embedded in 1,2‐dioleoyl‐sn‐glycero‐3‐phosphocholine (DOPC) and 1,2‐dioleoyl‐3‐trimethylammonium‐propane (DOTAP) membranes was produced by direct deposition of a 5‐nm‐thick layer of Ag onto the solid‐supported phospholipid membrane, and subsequent dissolution of the Ag nanoparticle‐embedded membrane in iso‐octane allowed easy one‐pot fabrication of DOPC‐ or DOTAP‐coated Ag nanoparticles. In particular, DOTAP produced nearly monodisperse lipid‐encapsulated Ag nanoparticles (9 nm in diameter) exhibiting reproducible high SERS activity (detecting up to 10 nM of rhodamine 6G and 0.5 μM of glutathione). In addition, the process was modified to incorporate variety of Raman active molecules (rhodamine 6G, malachite green, 4‐aminothiopheonol, 4‐mercaptopyridine) into the particle‐encapsulating lipid bilayer. The DOTAP/Raman dye‐coated Ag nanoparticles also generated high SERS activity to enable potential application of the DOTAP/Raman dye‐coated Ag nanoparticles feasible in different areas. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Surface‐enhanced Raman evidence for Rhodamine 6 G and its derivative with different adsorption geometry to colloidal silver nanoparticle

Some high‐affinity functional groups or resonant molecules were often used as probe molecules adsorbed on silver nanoparticles for Surface‐enhanced Raman scattering (SERS). However, it is still unclear how the attached molecules interact with the silver nanoparticles' surface, and how the anchoring groups affect the optical and electronic properties of molecules. Here, we report that surface‐enhanced Raman studies of two organic compounds; rhodamine 6G (R6G) and its aminated derivative (R‐NH₂) have very different functional groups for surface binding but nearly identical SERS spectroscopic properties at pH = 7 and UV–vis at pH = 3, respectively. A surprise was found that under the same experimental conditions, the SERS signal intensity for R6G is nearly 50‐fold higher than that of R‐NH₂. Furthermore, the pH‐dependent study reveals that the structure of R6G is irreversibly stabilized or ‘locked’ in its form and no longer responsive to pH changes. In contrast, R‐NH₂ is still sensitive to pH, and can be switched between its open‐ring and closed‐ring structures. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

DNA模板自组装正电荷纳米金基底的增强SERS效应

本文将合成的直径为10 nm的正电荷金纳米颗粒通过静电作用高密度自组装到带负电荷的长链λ-DNA分子上, 形成了高密度的具有纳米间隙的金纳米颗粒网络结构。研究了孤立的金纳米颗粒和所自组装的金纳米颗粒-DNA复合材料作为表面增强拉曼散射(SERS)基底的活性。原本对SERS信号响应较弱的10 nm直径的金纳米颗粒, 在自组装到DNA上形成具有纳米间隙的金纳米颗粒网络后, 产生了均匀、一致、强烈的SERS增强响应。我们利用用该基底对罗丹明G(R6G)、吡啶(Py)和对巯基苯胺(4-ATP)等不同类型的小分子化合物进行SERS检测的结果表明, 此方法制备SERS基底产率高、均一, 具有较好的SERS增强效果好, SERS信号稳定性和重复性相对常规孤立的金纳米颗粒SERS基底有很大提高。     

Raman spectroscopy of dipyrrins: nonresonant,resonant and surface‐enhanced cross‐sections and enhancement factors

Detailed studies of the mechanism of surface‐enhanced (resonance) Raman spectroscopy (SE(R)RS), and its applications, place a number of demands on the properties of SERS scatterers. With large Raman cross‐sections, versatile synthetic chemistry and complete lack of fluorescence, free dipyrrins meet these demands but the Raman and SE(R)RS spectroscopy of free dipyrrins is largely unknown. The first study of the Raman spectroscopy of free dipyrrins is therefore presented in this work. The nonresonant Raman, resonant Raman and surface‐enhanced Raman spectra of a typical meso aryl‐substituted‐dipyrrin are reported. Absolute differential cross‐sections are obtained for excitation wavelengths in the near infrared and visible region, in solution phase and for dipyrrin adsorbed on the surface of silver nanoparticles. Raman enhancement factors for SERRS and resonance Raman are calculated from the observed differential cross‐sections. The magnitudes of the resonantly enhanced cross‐sections are similar to those recently reported for strong SERS dyes such as Rhodamine 6G and Crystal Violet. Free dipyrrins offer the advantages of existing SERS dyes but without the drawback of strong fluorescence. Free dipyrrins should therefore find applications in all areas of Raman spectroscopy including fundamental studies of the mechanisms of SERS and bioanalytical and environmental applications. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

利用高活性和重复性的银薄膜衬底SERS检测芥子气及其水解产物

通过化学浴沉积的方法制备了一种高SERS活性和重复性的银薄膜衬底。分别采用扫描电子显微镜和拉曼光谱研究了沉积时间对银薄膜微观形貌和SERS活性的影响, 优化的沉积时间为120分钟。利用优化的银薄膜衬底, 可以检测到10-9 M 的罗丹明分子的SERS谱图, 表明该银薄膜衬底具有很高的SERS活性。相同实验条件下, 在一片银薄膜衬底上任意选择16个点测试R6G的SERS谱图。分别计算了R6G的8个特征峰16次检测的相对标准偏差, 最大相对标准偏差小于13% 。实验结果表明, 该衬底具有很好的重复性, 可应用于SERS 的定量分析。采用优化的银薄膜衬底检测了不同浓度的芥子气及其水解产物硫二甘醇。分别结合芥子气和硫二甘醇的常规拉曼光谱和文献报道, 对它们的SERS谱图进行了指认和归属。20分钟内, 对芥子气和硫二甘醇的检测限可分别达到320 ppm和1 ppm (g/g)。     

Characterization and optimization of AuNPs labeled by Raman reporters on glass based on silver enhancement

In this report, gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) labeled by Raman reporters (AuNPs‐R6G) were assembled on glass and used as the seeds to in situ grow silver‐coated nanostructures based on silver enhancer solution, forming the nanostructures of AuNPs‐R6G@Ag, which were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and UV‐visible spectroscopy. More importantly, the obtained silver‐coated nanostructures can be used as a surface enhancement Raman scattering (SERS) substrate. The different SERS activities can be controlled by the silver deposition time and assembly time of AuNPs‐R6G on glass. The results indicate that the maximum SERS activity could be obtained on AuNPs‐R6G when these nanostructures were assembled on glass for 2 h with silver deposition for 2 min. In addition, the reproducibility of SERS signal on the fabricated nanostructures is very high with the intensity error lower than 15%, which has great promise as a probe for application in bioanalysis. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A durable plastic substrate for surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy

A novel durable substrate has been prepared for surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS). The substrate is fabricated by reduction of silver nitrate using poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) (PVP) polymer as stabilizers. The SERS-active particles are based on poly(methylmethacrylate) (PMMA) materials, producing stable and optically translucent substrates. The stability of silver particles on the substrate was demonstrated by characterizing the localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) band of the elemental silver particles. The SERS activity was evaluated by detecting the signal from Raman probe molecules, Rhodamine 6G (R6G). This plastic substrate material is easy to prepare, inexpensive, and sturdy for SERS applications.     

Surface-enhanced resonance Raman scattering spectroscopy of single R6G molecules

Surface-enhanced resonance Raman scattering (SERRS) of Rhodamine 6G (R6G) adsorbed on colloidal silver clusters has been studied. Based on the great enhancement of the Raman signal and the quench of the fluorescence, the SERRS spectra of R6G were recorded for the samples of dye colloidal solution with different concentrations. Spectral inhomogeneity behaviours from single molecules in the dried sample films were observed with complementary evidences, such as spectral polarization, spectral diffusion, intensity fluctuation of vibrational lines and even ``breathing' of the molecules. Sequential spectra observed from a liquid sample with an average of 0.3 dye molecules in the probed volume exhibited the expected Poisson distribution for actually measuring 0, 1 or 2 molecules. Difference between the SERRS spectra of R6G excited by linearly and circularly polarized light were experimentally measured.     

Surface‐enhanced Raman spectroscopy of various madder species on wool fibers: the role of pseudopurpurin in the interpretation of the spectra

Madder has been used as a textile dye and pigment in works of art since antiquity. Madder dyes from different botanical species are characterized by different series of anthraquinone derivatives. The occurrence of one or more of these compounds in various relative amounts may provide a useful indication of the plant species used to obtain the dye. In this work, surface‐enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) was applied to the analysis of textile fibers dyed with madder from two different botanical species, Oldenlandia umbellata L. and Rubia tinctorum L. The resulting SERS spectra were interpreted in light of the actual composition of the madder dyes as determined by high‐performance liquid chromatography. Interestingly, the SERS spectra were found to exhibit very distinctive spectral features depending on the different anthraquinone derivatives present in the dyes. In particular, the SERS spectrum of O. umbellata L. was found to match the spectrum of alizarin, while the SERS spectrum of R. tinctorum L. was surprisingly dominated by signals due to the less studied anthraquinone compound pseudopurpurin. With this study, we demonstrate that SERS spectra may offer valuable information regarding the major coloring constituents present in different madder species. Moreover, our work shows that not only can SERS be used successfully to differentiate among closely related anthraquinone derivatives, but also that this technique is particularly suitable for the detection of pseudopurpurin, leading to the identification of this compound in a number of works of art. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

三维金字塔立体复合基底表面增强拉曼散射特性

表面增强拉曼散射(SERS)是一种广泛应用于化学反应检测、医学诊断和食品分析等领域的高灵敏度光谱技术.基底结构的构建对提高探针分子的SERS信号有非常重要的影响.本文利用聚甲基丙烯酸甲酯(PMMA)包裹银纳米颗粒制备了一种三维金字塔立体复合SERS基底,实现了对罗丹明6G (R6G)分子的高灵敏度检测.通过调节银纳米颗粒在PMMA丙酮溶液中的分散密度,实现了光在金字塔谷内的有效振荡,既保证了三维结构高密度的"热点"效应,又避免了由于金属-分子相互作用引起的吸附探针分子变形导致的信号失真等问题.同时,有效防止了银纳米颗粒的氧化,为探针分子提供更大的电磁增强作用范围,使增强的拉曼信号产生稳定的输出.此研究结果不仅提供了一种高性能、可重复使用的SERS基底的有效策略,也会对未来设计改进三维结构的SERS基底有指导意义.     

Au/TiN复合薄膜制备及其表面增强拉曼光谱研究

表面增强拉曼散射光谱(SERS)已用于环境监测、生物医药、食品卫生等领域,而高活性SERS基底是表面增强拉曼散射光谱技术应用的关键。TiN作为新型等离子材料具有较强的SERS性能,同时化学稳定性及生物相容性较好,但其SERS性能不如贵金属金强。该研究采用氨气还原氮化法和电化学沉积法,在TiN薄膜表面沉积贵金属Au纳米颗粒制备出Au/TiN复合薄膜。在Au/TiN复合薄膜中单质Au和TiN两种物相共存;随着电化学沉积时间延长,TiN薄膜表面单质金纳米颗粒数量逐渐增多,金纳米颗粒尺寸增大,颗粒间距减小。由于金与TiN两者的本征表面等离子共振耦合作用,Au/TiN复合薄膜的共振吸收峰发生了偏移。利用罗丹明6G为拉曼探针分子,对Au/TiN复合薄膜进行SERS性能分析,发现Au/TiN复合薄膜上的R6G探针分子的拉曼峰信号强度随沉积时间延长呈现先增大后减小的规律;当电化学沉积时间为5 min时,R6G拉曼信号峰较高,复合薄膜样品的SERS活性最大。将Au/TiN复合薄膜和Au薄膜分别浸泡在10-3,10-5,10-7,10-8及10-9 mol·L-1 R6G溶液5 min,进行检测限分析,发现Au/TiN复合薄膜检测极限达10-8 mol·L-1,增强因子达到8.82×105,与Au薄膜和TiN薄膜相比,Au/TiN复合薄膜上对R6G探针分子SERS活性最高。这得益于Au/TiN复合膜中表面等离子体产生的耦合效应,使得局域电磁场强度增强,从而引起R6G探针分子拉曼信号增强。通过2D-FDTD模拟电场分布发现Au/TiN,Au及TiN薄膜具有电场增强作用,其中Au/TiN复合薄膜的增强作用尤为显著,这也证实了氮化钛与金纳米颗粒之间存在耦合效应。另外发现TiN与Au之间可能存在电荷转移,促进了4-氨基苯硫酚氧化反应,进而证实了TiN与Au薄膜的协同作用。此外,Au/TiN复合薄膜均匀性较好,相对平均偏差仅为7.58%。由此可见,采用电化学沉积制备的Au/TiN复合薄膜具有作为SERS基底材料的应用潜力。     

荧光/表面增强拉曼散射双模式纳米光学探针的构建及性能研究

提出一种新型的荧光及表面增强拉曼散射（SERS）双模式光学纳米探针。首先,通过再沉淀-包覆法合成二氧化硅包覆香豆素6的纳米颗粒,再在二氧化硅表面静电吸附多聚赖氨酸分子形成包覆层,随后通过原位还原的方法在多聚赖氨酸壳层复合银纳米颗粒,最后在银纳米颗粒表面吸附拉曼分子即形成双模式纳米探针。该探针通过二氧化硅包覆的荧光分子产生荧光信号,以多聚赖氨酸表面的银纳米颗粒作为SERS增强基底,利用拉曼分子获得SERS信号,实现了荧光及SERS双模式成像。荧光与表面增强拉曼散射相结合的双模式分析技术可同时发挥二者的优点,提高成像的分辨率和灵敏度,在生物医学领域具有重要的应用价值。     

Steric hindrance in cationic and neutral rhodamine 6 G molecules adsorbed on Au nanoparticles

The adsorption of cationic and neutral R6G molecules on Au nanoparticles was elucidated by surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS). The steric hindrance at hydroethyl amino (‐N(H)Et) groups in R6G was evidenced by the observation that R6G⁺ adsorb on as‐prepared gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) only with electrostatic forces, in contrast to the electrostatic and chemical adsorption of R123⁺ with dihydro amino (‐NH₂) groups on as‐prepared AuNPs. Large steric hindrance at the amino groups in R6G yielded saturated coverage of 700 molecules/AuNP for R6G⁺ significantly fewer than 1000 molecules/AuNP for R123⁺. In addition, neutral R6G⁰ on AuNPs showed markedly enhanced peaks at 1200–1600 cm⁻¹, which were not observed in Raman spectra of R6G⁰ in bulk solution, and also in SERS of R6G⁺ on AuNPs. These bands are attributed to vibrational modes of an outer phenyl ring and ethyl amino groups, which are vertical to a xanthene plane, on the basis of theoretical analysis of molecular vibrations. Thus, Raman scattering of these bands is enhanced under an inclined orientation of R6G⁰ molecules chemisorbed on AuNPs via lone pair electrons at amino groups. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

SERS activity of Au nanoparticles coated on an array of carbon nanotube nested into silicon nanoporous pillar

A novel composite structure, Au nanoparticles coated on a nest-shaped array of carbon nanotube nested into a silicon nanoporous pillar array (Au/NACNT/Si-NPA), was fabricated for surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS). The morphology of the Au/NACNT/Si-NPA composite structure was characterized with the aid of scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction instrumentation and Transmission electron microscopy. Compared with SERS of rhodamine 6G (R6G) adsorbed on SERS-active Au substrate reported, the SERS signals of R6G adsorbed on these gold nanoparticles were obviously improved. This was attributed to the enlarged specific surface area for adsorption of target molecules brought by the nest-shaped CNTs structure.