A rapid and simple chemical method for the preparation of Ag colloids for surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy using the Ag mirror reaction

Colloidal silver (Ag) nanoparticles (AgNP) have been widely used for surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) applications. We report a simple, rapid and effective method to prepare AgNP colloids for SERS using the classic organic chemistry Ag mirror reaction with Tollens’ reagent. The AgNP colloid prepared with this process was characterized using SEM, and the reaction conditions further optimized using SERS measurements. It was found that Ag mirror reaction conditions that included 20 mM AgNO₃, 5 min reaction time, and 0.5 M glucose produced AgNP colloids with an average size of 319.1 nm (s.d ± 128.1). These AgNP colloids exhibited a significant SERS response when adenine was used as the reporter molecule. The usefulness of these new AgNP colloids was demonstrated by detecting the nucleotides adenosine 5′-mono-phosphate (AMP), guanosine 5′-monophosphate (GMP), cytidine 5′-monophosphate (CMP), and uridine 5′-monophosphate (UMP). A detection limit of 500 nM for AMP was achieved with the as-prepared AgNP colloid. The bacterium Mycoplasma pneumoniae was also easily detected in laboratory culture with these SERS substrates. These findings attest to the applicability of this AgNP colloid for the sensitive and specific detection of both small biomolecules and microorganisms.     

等离子体金属纳米结构在SERS传感及可穿戴应力传感中的应用

等离子体金属(金、银)纳米结构因其特有的理化性能,被广泛应用于表面增强拉曼散射(Surface-enhanced Raman scattering,SERS)传感及可穿戴应力传感领域。其中,SERS是一种应用贵金属纳米材料增强拉曼散射信号的检测技术,该技术灵敏度高、特异性强,已被广泛用于生物医学、环境监测、食品药品检测等领域。随着电子检测技术和柔性电子材料的快速发展,柔性可穿戴传感技术也得到了快速发展,且取得了大量的研究成果。SERS检测技术主要依赖于贵金属纳米增强基底材料,而基于贵金属纳米结构的可穿戴传感元件对人体微应力、微应变的传感具有极高的灵敏度。SERS增强基底材料与可穿戴应力传感元件材料具有互通互用性,将贵金属纳米SERS基底应用于柔性可穿戴式检测,这是SERS检测技术比较新颖的、尚未深入研究的应用领域之一。该文综述了贵金属溶胶纳米结构的材料组成分类以及该类材料在SERS和可穿戴应力传感中的应用,并分析了胶体贵金属纳米结构组成及成分对SERS传感、可穿戴应力传感灵敏度、可重复性及稳定性的影响,最后展望了贵金属胶体纳米结构在SERS传感和柔性可穿戴应用中的发展趋势。     

Surface-enhanced Raman scattering for ultrasensitive chemical analysis of 1 and 2-naphthalenethiols

The results of the search for the optimal experimental conditions for ultrasentitive chemical analysis of 1-naphthalenethiol (1-NAT) and 2-naphthalenethiol (2-NAT) using surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) are discussed. The report begins with a review of the vibrational spectra, including infrared and Raman spectra of the target molecules, and the interpretation of the observed frequencies aided by local density functional theory (DFT) calculations at the B3LYP/6-311G(d,p) level of theory. Several metal nanostructures were tested for SERS activity, including island films and colloids of silver, gold and copper. Correspondingly, the most effective laser line for excitation in the visible and near infrared region was sought. The achieved detection limit for 1-naphthalenethiol, and for 2-naphthalenethiol, on silver nanostructures is in the zeptomole regime.     

Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy based on conical holed enhancing substrates

In this contribution, surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) based on conical holed glass substrates deposited with silver colloids was reported for the first time. It combines the advantages of both dry SERS assays based on plane films deposited with silver colloids and wet SERS assays utilizing cuvettes or capillary tubes. Compared with plane glass substrates deposited with silver colloids, the conical holed glass substrates deposited with silver colloids exhibited five-to ten-folds of increase in the rate of signal enhancement, due to the internal multiple reflections of both the excitation laser beam and the Raman scattering photons within conical holes. The application of conical holed glass substrates could also yield significantly stronger and more reproducible SERS signals than SERS assays utilizing capillary tubes to sample the mixture of silver colloids and the solution of the analyte of interest. The conical holed glass substrates in combination with the multiplicative effects model for surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (MEM_SERS) achieved quite sensitive and precise quantification of 6-mercaptopurine in complex plasma samples with an average relative prediction error of about 4% and a limit of detection of about 0.02 μM using a portable i-Raman 785H spectrometer. It is reasonable to expect that SERS technique based on conical holed enhancing substrates in combination with MEM_SERS model can be developed and extended to other application areas such as drug detection, environmental monitoring, and clinic analysis, etc.     

Biomimetic preparation of core‐shell structured surface‐enhanced Raman scattering substrate with antifouling ability,good stability,and reliable quantitative capability

The fouling and stability are two most critical limiting factors for practical applications of surface‐enhanced Raman scattering (SERS)‐based microfluidic electrophoresis device. Herein, we present a novel biomimetic nanoengineering strategy to achieve a SERS substrate featuring antifouling ability, good stability, and reliable quantitative capability. Typically, by employing tea polyphenol as the reducing agent, the substrate made of silver core‐gold shell nanostructures in situ grown on silicon wafer surface is fabricated. The core‐shell nanostructures are further embedded with internal standard molecules. Remarkably, the fabricated substrate preserves distinct SERS effects, adaptable reproducibility, and reliable quantitative ability even if the substrate is incubated with 15% H₂O₂, 13% HNO₃, or 10⁸ CFU/mL bacteria, or suffered from 12‐day continuous vibration at 250 rpm/min in PBS buffer. As a proof‐of‐concept application, the DNA‐functionalized substrate is capable of precise quantification of Hg²⁺ with a limit of detection down to ca. 1 pM even in sewage water.     

Design of Silica@Au Hybrid Nanostars for Enhanced SERS and Photothermal Effect

Core-shell nanostructures of silicon oxide@noble metal have drawn a lot of interest due to their distinctive characteristics and minimal toxicity with remarkable biocompatibility. Due to the unique property of localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR), plasmonic nanoparticles are being used as surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) based detection of pollutants and photothermal (PT) agents in cancer therapy. Herein, we demonstrate the synthesis of multifunctional silica core – Au nanostars shell (SiO₂@Au NSs) nanostructures using surfactant free aqueous phase method. The SERS performance of the as-synthesized anisotropic core-shell NSs was examined using Rhodamine B (RhB) dye as a Raman probe and resulted in strong enhancement factor of 1.37×10⁶. Furthermore, SiO₂@Au NSs were also employed for PT killing of breast cancer cells and they exhibited a concentration-dependent increase in the photothermal effect. The SiO₂@Au NSs show remarkable photothermal conversion efficiency of up to 72 % which is unprecedented. As an outcome, our synthesized NIR active SiO₂@Au NSs are of pivotal importance to have their dual applications in SERS enhancement and PT effect.     

Synthesis of p-aminothiophenol-embedded gold/silver core-shell nanostructures as novel SERS tags for biosensing applications

We describe a novel surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) tag that is based on Au/Ag core-shell nanostructures embedded with p-aminothiophenol. The Au/Ag core-shell sandwich nanostructures demonstrate bright and dark stripe structure and possess very strong SERS activity. Under optimum conditions, the maximum SERS signal was obtained with a 10?nm thick Ag nanoshell, and the enhancement factor is 3.4?×?10⁴ at 1077?cm^?1. After conjugation to the antibody of muramidase releasing protein (MRP), the Au/Ag core-shell nanostructures were successfully applied to an SERS-based detection scheme for MRP based on a sandwich type of immunoassay.

Differential SERS activity of gold and silver nanostructures enabled by adsorbed poly(vinylpyrrolidone)

We report that poly(vinylpyrrolidone) (PVP), a common stabilizer of colloidal dispersions of noble metal nanostructures, has a dramatic effect on their surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) activity and enables highly selective SERS detection of analytes of various type and charge. Nanostructures studied include PVP-stabilized Au-Ag nanoshells synthesized by galvanic exchange reaction of citrate-reduced Ag nanoparticles (NPs), as well as solid citrate-reduced Ag and Au NPs, both before and after stabilization with PVP. All nanostructures were characterized in terms of their size, surface plasmon resonance wavelength, surface charge, and chemical composition. While the SERS activities of the parent citrate-reduced Ag and Au NPs are similar for rhodamine 6G (R6G) and 1,2-bis(4-pyridyl)ethylene (BPE) at various pH values, PVP-stabilized nanostructures demonstrate large differences in SERS enhancement factors (EFs) between these analytes depending on their chemical nature and protonation state. At pH values higher than BPE's pK(a2) of 5.65, where the analyte is largely unprotonated, the PVP-coated Au-Ag nanoshells showed a high SERS EF of >10(8). In contrast, SERS EFs were 10(3)- to 10(5)-fold lower for the protonated form of BPE at lower pH values, or for the usually highly SERS-active cationic R6G. The differential SERS activity of PVP-stabilized nanostructures is a result of discriminatory binding of analytes within-adsorbed PVP monolayer and a subsequent increase of analyte concentration at the nanostructure surface. Our experimental and theoretical quantum chemical calculations show that BPE binding with PVP-stabilized Au-Ag nanoshells is stronger when the analyte is in its unprotonated form as compared to its cationic, protonated form at a lower pH.     

Stability of silver colloids as substrate for surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy detection of dipicolinic acid

Silver colloids have been commonly used as substrates for surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS). It has been shown that SERS requires partial aggregation of the silver colloids. This study evaluates factors affecting the aggregative state of the silver colloids such as the age of the silver colloids and the aggregation as a result of addition of the analyte. The silver colloids are obtained from the chemical reduction of silver nitrate by sodium borohydride. Further oxidation of the sodium borohydride solution at room temperature results in concentration changes of the resulting silver colloids. Methods of controlling the sodium borohydride depletion are presented in this paper. The analyte used is dipicolinic acid, a molecular signature of Bacillus spores.     

CuO nanoparticles with PAMAM dendrimers

An easy pathway to synthesize a variety of cupric oxide (CuO) nanoshapes by a one-step wet chemical method is reported. CuO nanoparticles and nanorods were obtained from CuCl₂ in a mixture of water and DMSO in the absence of a base at room temperature. 1-D CuO nanostructures resembling wires inside tubes, or nanopea pods, were shaped when polyamidoamine (PAMAM) dendrimers of generation 2 (16-NH₂ end groups) or 2.5 (32-COO^? end groups) were added to the CuO colloids. The evolution in time of the different nanostructures was followed by UV–visible spectroscopy. The XRD patterns, Raman spectroscopy and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy show clear evidence that all nanoshapes obtained in this work are composed by CuO. This method is a simple, versatile, and economical alternative for the fabrication of CuO nanostructures and might provide a practical reference for the controlled synthesis of other nanoarchitectures.     

Fast and sensitive trace analysis of malachite green using a surface-enhanced Raman microfluidic sensor

A rapid and highly sensitive trace analysis technique for determining malachite green (MG) in a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) microfluidic sensor was investigated using surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS). A zigzag-shaped PDMS microfluidic channel was fabricated for efficient mixing between MG analytes and aggregated silver colloids. Under the optimal condition of flow velocity, MG molecules were effectively adsorbed onto silver nanoparticles while flowing along the upper and lower zigzag-shaped PDMS channel. A quantitative analysis of MG was performed based on the measured peak height at 1615 cm⁻¹ in its SERS spectrum. The limit of detection, using the SERS microfluidic sensor, was found to be below the 1–2 ppb level and this low detection limit is comparable to the result of the LC-Mass detection method. In the present study, we introduce a new conceptual detection technology, using a SERS microfluidic sensor, for the highly sensitive trace analysis of MG in water.     

Correlation of surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy and laser desorption-ionization mass spectrometry acquired from silver nanoparticle substrates

Applying complementary experiments, like laser desorption-ionization mass spectrometry (LDI-MS) and confocal surface-enhanced Raman microscopy, to the same physical sample location has the potential to elucidate the behavior of complex chemical and biochemical systems in ways that are not available to either method applied in isolation. In these experiments surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) and LDI-MS are applied to the same sample spot using a common structure, deposited Ag colloids, both as ionization matrix and simultaneously as enhancing media for surface-enhanced Raman scattering of small organic molecules, dyes and lipids, and the behavior is compared. Three compounds-p-aminothiophenol (ATP), rhodamine 6G and cholesterol-which exhibit different strengths of interaction with Ag are examined in detail by correlated SERS and LDI-MS. The related mechanisms of nanoparticle-assisted desorption-ionization and Raman enhancement are explored by correlating mass and Raman spectra. The correlated spectra highlight the manner in which the different test compounds interact with plasmonic metal nanostructures. These coupled studies yield new insight into the transition of analyte from the metal-solution interface to gaseous ions, including, in the case of organothiols, a rich set of mixed clusters that provide chemical insight into the ion formation process.     

In Situ Raman Monitoring and Manipulating of Interfacial Hydrogen Spillover by Precise Fabrication of Au/TiO2/Pt Sandwich Structures

The spillover of hydrogen species and its role in tuning the activity and selectivity in catalytic hydrogenation have been investigated in situ using surface‐enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) with 10 nm spatial resolution through the precise fabrication of Au/TiO₂/Pt sandwich nanostructures. In situ SERS study reveals that hydrogen species can efficiently spillover at Pt‐TiO₂‐Au interfaces, and the ultimate spillover distance on TiO₂ is about 50 nm. Combining kinetic isotope experiments and density functional theory calculations, it is found that the hydrogen spillover proceeds via the water‐assisted cleavage and formation of surface hydrogen–oxygen bond. More importantly, the selectivity in the hydrogenation of the nitro or isocyanide group is manipulated by controlling the hydrogen spillover. This work provides molecular insights to deepen the understanding of hydrogen activation and boosts the design of active and selective catalysts for hydrogenation.     

Development of Novel Substrates for Surface-enhanced Raman and Surface-enhanced Hyper Raman Spectroscopy

Since its discovery two decades ago, surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) has been explored extensively as a useful technique in the study of molecular behaviors at interfaces and in chemical and biochemical analysis. At solid-liquid interface, SERS has been practiced mainly in aqueous solution on either aggregated metal colloids or roughened metal electrodes. However, both aggregated metal colloids and roughened electrodes have their own problems as SERS substrates. One of the intriguing questions in exploring SERS application in chemistry is that can SERS-activity be gained and regulated from the dispersed metal nanoparticles immobilized on a SERS-inactive smooth electrode surface. The very essence of this question is to explore the effect on SERS-activity when the main features of two conventional SERS-surfaces, namely metal colloids and electrode, are combined. Same question can also be asked for the nonlinear three-photon surface-enhanced hyper Raman scattering (SEHRS).     

Comparative study of the morphology, aggregation, adherence to glass, and surface-enhanced Raman scattering activity of silver nanoparticles prepared by chemical reduction of Ag+ using citrate and hydroxylamine

Two different silver colloids were prepared by chemical reduction of silver nitrate with trisodium citrate and hydroxylamine hydrochloride to compare their characteristics in relation to their possible use in surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) spectroscopy. The morphology and plasmon resonance of the single nanoparticles and aggregates integrating these colloids were characterized by means of UV-vis absortion spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy, revealing important differences between each type of nanoparticle as concerns their physical properties. These metallic systems also manifested differences in the aggregation and the adherence to glass surfaces, revealing significant differences in the chemical surface properties of these nanoparticles. SERS and surface-enhanced IR also indicated the presence of interference bands which can overlap the spectra of the analyte, mainly in the case of the citrate colloid. All these differences have an important influence on the applicability of these nanostructured systems in SERS. In fact, the enhancement factor and spectral pattern of the SERS obtained by using alizarin as a molecule probe are different.     

Gold colloid-bienzyme conjugates for glucose detection utilizing surface-enhanced Raman scattering

It is difficult to detect glucose by surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) due to the small normal Raman cross-section and the weak adsorption of glucose molecules on the surface of noble metal. A simple and fast method is proposed in this paper for the detection of glucose based on SERS signal of the enzyme reaction product and the difficulties have been circumvented. Gold colloids modified by horseradish peroxidase and glucose oxidase (HRP/GOD-gold colloids) are added to the mixture of o-phenylenediamine and glucose, and the resulting solution is allowed to react at room temperature for 5 min. Azoaniline, an azo compound with strong Raman scattering, is generated and the Raman scattering of this reaction product is enhanced when adsorbed on gold colloids. The intensity of the SERS spectrum is used for assessment of glucose content. The dynamic signal range provided by this analytical system is 0.50-32 mM, which covers the normal clinical range for glucose in blood from 3.5 to 6.1 mM. The detection limit is about 0.46 mM. The interference effect of several proteins on glucose detection is also investigated and has shown to have no effect on the measurement of glucose by the described technique.     

Filter-based surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy for rapid and sensitive detection of the fungicide ferbam in water

Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) has been widely applied for rapid and sensitive detection of various chemical and biological targets. Here, we incorporated a filter syringe system into the SERS method to detect the fungicide ferbam in water. Silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) were aggregated by sodium chloride (NaCl) to form nanoclusters that could be trapped in the pores of the filter membrane to from the SERS-active membrane. Then samples were filtered through the membrane. After capturing the target, the membrane was taken out and air dried before measuring by a Raman instrument. After optimisation of various parameters, the developed filter SERS method was able to detect the fungicide ferbam as low as 2.5 μg/L and had a good quantitative capability. The developed method was successfully applied in three water samples, including double-distilled water, tap water, and pond water. The test can be carried out on site using a portable Raman instrument. This study shows that the filter-based SERS method improves the detection capability in water samples, including the sensitivity and portability, and could be applied in the detection of various toxins in real-world water samples.     

水汽界面二维银颗粒表面上的单分子拉曼光谱检测

随着各种超灵敏分析仪器的发展 ,已经可以在低温固体中、室温液体中和电介质表面检测、鉴定单分子及其动力学行为 .这种新进展为科学家在分析化学、分子生物学和纳米结构材料等各种学科的应用开辟了许多新的视窗 .单分子谱学的研究在基础科学和应用科学方面引起了人们广泛的兴趣 .人们不仅希望能够“看到”单分子 ,而且希望了解单分子的物理化学行为 .在各种超灵敏检测技术中 ,拉曼光谱成为一种重要的技术 .由于原子力显微等微区技术的发展 ,并结合高灵敏度检测技术的进步 ,拉曼光谱已经发展成为一种检测灵敏度可以达到分子级的检测技术 [1,…     

Plasmonic Pollen Grain Nanostructures: A Three-Dimensional Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering (SERS)-Active Substrate

A new route has been developed to design plasmonic pollen grain-like nanostructures (PGNSs) as surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS)-active substrate. The nanostructures consisting of silver (Ag) and gold (Au) nanoparticles along with zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoclusters as spacers were found highly SERS-active. The morphology of PGNSs and those obtained in the intermediate stage along with each elemental evolution has been investigated by a high-resolution field emission scanning electron microscopy. The optical band gaps and crystal structure have been identified by UV-vis absorption and X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) measurements, respectively. For PGNSs specimen, three distinct absorption bands related to constituent elements Ag, Au, and ZnO were observed, whereas XRD peaks confirmed the existence of Ag, Au, and ZnO within the composition of PGNSs. SERS-activity of PGNSs was confirmed using Rhodamine 6G (R6G) as Raman-active dyes. Air-cooled solid-state laser kits of 532 nm were used as excitation sources in SERS measurements. SERS enhancement factor was estimated for PGNSs specimen and was found as high as 3.5×10⁶. Finite difference time domain analysis was carried out to correlate the electromagnetic (EM) near-field distributions with the experiment results achieved under this investigation. EM near-field distributions at different planes were extracted for s-, p- and 45° of incident polarizations. EM near-field distributions for such nanostructures as well as current density distributions under different circumstances were demonstrated and plausible scenarios were elucidated given SERS enhancements. Such generic fabrication route as well as correlated investigation is not only indispensable to realize the potential of SERS applications but also unveil the underneath plasmonic characteristics of complex SERS-active nanostructures.     

Silver nanoparticles active as surface-enhanced Raman scattering substrates prepared by high energy irradiation

In surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) technique the preparation of metal substrates containing minimum hindrance from impurities is an important issue. The synthesis of silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) active as SERS substrates and having the above-mentioned advantage, were obtained by electron beam irradiation of Ag⁺ aqueous solutions. Ag⁺ ions were reduced by free radicals radiolytically generated in solution without the addition of chemical reductants or stabilizing agents.The metal colloids were characterised by UV-Vis spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy, monitoring the nanoparticles’ growth process that depends on the irradiation dose and the initial AgNO₃ concentration. Nanoparticles of long-time stability and with different size and shape, included silver nanocubes, were synthesised by varying the irradiation dose. Different tests on the SERS activity of Ag NPs obtained by electron beam irradiation were performed by using benzenethiol as a probing molecule, achieving a good magnification of the adsorbate Raman bands.