利用去湿现象制备具有SERS活性的银纳米粒子图案

构建了具有表面增强拉曼散射(SERS)活性的二维有序环状与盘状的银纳米粒子结构, 利用CTAB包覆银纳米粒子的氯仿溶液直接在图案化的金基底上进行去湿, 当改变银纳米粒子的浓度时可以得到不同的图案. 利用原子力显微镜(AFM)对其结构进行了表征, 以4-巯基吡啶作为探针分子, 采用表面增强拉曼成像技术研究了这种基底的SERS活性, 这将为SERS的研究开拓新的领域.     

基于表面增强拉曼光谱的重金属离子检测

以对巯基苯甲酸为拉曼标记和自组装修饰分子, 在光亮金基底上修饰后作为检测基底, 在金纳米粒子表面修饰后获得具有表面增强拉曼光谱信号的标记金溶胶. 修饰的基底及纳米离子通过重金属离子与羧基端的配位而发生相互作用, 最终形成“金属基底-对巯基苯甲酸/重金属离子/对巯基苯甲酸-金属纳米颗粒”的三明治结构. 采用扫描电镜表征纳米粒子的组装及以表面增强拉曼光谱检测表面标记分子的信号, 以此实现重金属离子的检测. 以强螯合剂EDTA溶液淋洗三明治结构, 使重金属离子与金属基底以及纳米颗粒上的羧基的配位作用断裂, 获得可再次利用的修饰金基底.     

金核银壳纳米粒子薄膜的制备及SERS活性研究

采用柠檬酸化学还原法制备金溶胶, 通过自组装技术在石英片表面制备金纳米粒子薄膜, 在银增强剂混合溶液中反应获得金核银壳纳米粒子薄膜. 用紫外-可见吸收光谱仪和原子力显微镜(AFM)研究了不同条件下制备的金核银壳纳米粒子薄膜的光谱特性和表面形貌, 并以结晶紫为探针分子测量了金核银壳纳米粒子薄膜的表面增强拉曼光谱(SERS). 结果表明, 金纳米粒子薄膜的分布、银增强剂反应时间的长短对金核银壳纳米粒子薄膜的形成均有重要影响. 制备过程中, 可以通过控制反应条件获得一定粒径的、具有良好表面增强拉曼散射活性的金核银壳纳米粒子薄膜.     

帽状金纳米结构的制备、表征及表面增强拉曼散射活性

采用真空离子溅射法在自组装的单层阵列二氧化硅纳米粒子表面沉积金薄膜, 制备了以SiO₂为核的帽状金纳米结构. 用透射电镜、扫描电镜、原子力显微镜、X 射线衍射仪和紫外-可见-近红外分光光度计对样品的表面形貌、结构及光学性质进行了表征. 以亚甲基蓝作为探针分子, 对金纳米帽的表面增强拉曼散射活性进行了研究, 结果显示, 吸附在金纳米帽上的分子拉曼散射信号得到显著增强, 增强因子达到10⁷数量级. 该基底在超灵敏生物和化学检测方面具有潜在的应用前景.     

银纳米粒子有序自组装体中偶联分子的表面增强拉曼光谱研究

采用自组装方法,分别以1,4-二巯基苯和对巯基苯胺为偶联分子,在光滑银基底表面上构筑了银纳米粒子的单层和双层有序结构.表面增强拉曼光谱研究表明,在有序银纳米粒子组装体中偶联分子的拉曼散射得到很大增强,其中1,4-对巯基苯的拉曼散射增强效应主要来自光滑银基底表面与单层银纳米粒子间的电磁耦合,而对巯基苯胺的拉曼散射增强效应则主要由两层银纳米粒子之间耦合作用所致.两种不同的耦合作用所产生的增强效应大致相近.     

基于自组装纳米金单层膜的全内反射SERS研究

采用静电自组装技术分别在玻璃基片和30 nm厚的金膜表面固定一层金纳米粒子(GNP)制得两种表面增强拉曼散射(SERS)基底,然后通过棱镜全内反射(TIR)激励和背向收集模式分别测试了两种基底上吸附的染料单分子层SERS光谱.实验结果表明两种SERS基底的拉曼增强效果均高度依赖于入射激光的偏振状态,对于玻璃/纳米金SERS基底,s光全内反射导致的拉曼增强因子是线偏振光(p)光的2-5倍,说明该基底上的"热点"位于纳米金单层膜内相邻粒子之间;对于玻璃/金膜/纳米金SERS基底,只有采用p光在特定的全内反射角下才能激发SERS信号,而且测得的SERS信号比玻璃/纳米金基底增强了近30倍.究其原因是p光在金膜表面共振激发的传播表面等离子体与纳米金局域表面等离子体耦合,进而导致显著场增强.实验结果指出在背向收集模式下,由p光激发的SERS信号是非偏振光,包含强度几乎相等的s和p成分.利用玻璃/金膜/纳米金基底还实现了拉曼光定向发射和收集,测得的SERS信号是p光.     

帽状银纳米粒子的制备及表面增强拉曼活性研究

采用真空热蒸发法在自组装的单层阵列二氧化硅纳米粒子表面沉积银膜制备了帽状银纳米粒子。通过透射电镜(TEM)、扫描电镜(SEM)和紫外-可见-近红外分光光度计 (UV-Vis-NIR)对其表面形貌及光学性质进行了表征。以吡啶-(2-偶氮-4)间苯二酚作为探针分子，研究了该复合纳米粒子的表面增强拉曼散射 (SERS) 活性，增强因子高达2.88×10⁶。结果表明在二氧化硅纳米粒子表面制备的帽状银纳米粒子是很好的表面增强拉曼散射活性基底。     

Au@SiO2膜/Ti电极吸附吡啶的表面增强拉曼光谱研究

基于壳层隔绝纳米粒子增强拉曼光谱技术,合成了Au@SiO₂纳米粒子,并对其进行了相关表征. 结果表明,包裹的二氧化硅层连续、致密,Au@SiO₂膜/Ti电极上可获得金属钛电极上吸附吡啶分子的高质量表面增强拉曼光谱（SERS）信号. 通过Pt、Ni电极的测试,证实该信号源于吸附在基底表面的吡啶分子. 此外,Au@SiO₂膜/Ti电极上吸附吡啶分子的现场SERS光谱研究表明,在-0.1 V ~ -0.6 V电位区间,吡啶分子平躺吸附,从-0.6 V起吸附的吡啶分子由平躺逐转变为垂直,而当电位为-1.2 V时,电极表面析氢,吡啶脱附.     

基于自组装纳米金单层膜的全内反射SERS研究

采用静电自组装技术分别在玻璃基片和30 nm厚的金膜表面固定一层金纳米粒子（GNP）制得两种表面增强拉曼散射（SERS）基底,然后通过棱镜全内反射（TIR）激励和背向收集模式分别测试了两种基底上吸附的染料单分子层SERS光谱. 实验结果表明两种SERS基底的拉曼增强效果均高度依赖于入射激光的偏振状态,对于玻璃/纳米金SERS基底,s 光全内反射导致的拉曼增强因子是线偏振光（p）光的2-5 倍,说明该基底上的“热点”位于纳米金单层膜内相邻粒子之间;对于玻璃/金膜/纳米金SERS基底,只有采用p光在特定的全内反射角下才能激发SERS信号,而且测得的SERS信号比玻璃/纳米金基底增强了近30 倍. 究其原因是p 光在金膜表面共振激发的传播表面等离子体与纳米金局域表面等离子体耦合,进而导致显著场增强. 实验结果指出在背向收集模式下,由p 光激发的SERS信号是非偏振光,包含强度几乎相等的s 和p 成分. 利用玻璃/金膜/纳米金基底还实现了拉曼光定向发射和收集,测得的SERS信号是p光.     

银纳米粒子簇的设计、 制备和表面增强拉曼光谱

通过匹配激光光斑直径与胶体微球的尺寸, 设计制备了银纳米粒子的表面增强拉曼散射(SERS)基底, 并将其用于研究单个银纳米粒子簇的表面增强拉曼光谱. 在制备纳米粒子的过程中, 考察了等离子体刻蚀时间与银沉积厚度对“单”银纳米粒子结构与形貌的影响. 将吡啶、 巯基苯和罗丹明R6G作为SERS探针分子, 研究了其SERS效应, 通过荧光共振能量转移(FRET)机理, 实现了染料分子在单银纳米粒子簇上的SERS效应. SERS光谱测试与相关计算结果表明, 单个银纳米粒子簇的拉曼增强因子能够达到约10⁶.     

Using colloid lithography to fabricate silicon nanopillar arrays on silicon substrates

In this study, we partially grafted geminal silanol groups in the protecting organic shells on the surfaces of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) and then assembled the alkyl-AuNP-Si(OH)(4) particles onto the surfaces of silicon (Si) wafers. The density of assembled AuNPs on the Si surface was adjusted by varying the geminal silanol group content on the AuNP surface; at its optimal content, it approached the high assembly density (0.0254 particles/nm(2)) of an AuNP assembled monolayer. Using reactive-ion etching (RIE) with the templates as masks, we transferred the patterned AuNP assemblies to form large-area, size-tunable, Si nanopillar arrays, the assembly density of which was controlled by the dimensions of the AuNPs. Using this colloidal lithography (CL) process, we could generate Si nanopillars having sub-10-nm diameters and high aspect ratios. The water contact angles of the high-aspect-ratio Si nanopillars approached 150°. We used another fabrication process, involving electron beam lithography and oxygen plasma treatment, to generate hydrophilic 200-nm-resolution line patterns on a Si surface to assemble the AuNPs into 200-nm-resolution dense lines for use as an etching mask. Subsequent CL provided a patterned Si nanopillar array having a feature size of 200 nm on the Si surface. Using this approach, it was possible to pattern sub-10-nm Si nanopillar arrays having densities as high as 0.0232 nm(-2).     

Electrochemical pathway for the quantification of SERS enhancement factor

This communication presents a new pathway for the more precise quantification of surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) enhancement factor via deducing resonance Raman scattering (RRS) effect from surface-enhanced resonance Raman scattering (SERRS). To achieve this, a self-assembled monolayer of 1,8,15,22-tetraaminophthalocyanatocobalt(II) (4α-Co^IITAPc) is formed on plasmon inactive glassy carbon (GC) and plasmon active GC/AuNP surface. The surfaces are subsequently used as common probes for electrochemical and Raman (RRS and SERRS) studies. The most crucial parameters required for the quantification of SERS substrate enhancement factor (SSEF) such as real surface area of GC/AuNPs substarte and the number of 4α-Co^IITAPc molecules contributing to RRS (on GC) and SERRS (on GC/AuNPs) are precisely estimated by cyclic voltammetry experiments. The present approach of SSEF quantification can be applied to varieties of surfaces by choosing an appropriate laser line and probe molecule for each surface.     

Characterization of Labeled Gold Nanoparticles for Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering

Noble metal nanoparticles (NP) such as gold (AuNPs) and silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) can produce ultrasensitive surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) signals owing to their plasmonic properties. AuNPs have been widely investigated for their biocompatibility and potential to be used in clinical diagnostics and therapeutics or combined for theranostics. In this work, labeled AuNPs in suspension were characterized in terms of size dependency of their localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR), dynamic light scattering (DLS), and SERS activity. The study was conducted using a set of four Raman labels or reporters, i.e., small molecules with large scattering cross-section and a thiol moiety for chemisorption on the AuNP, namely 4-mercaptobenzoic acid (4-MBA), 2-naphthalenethiol (2-NT), 4-acetamidothiophenol (4-AATP), and biphenyl-4-thiol (BPT), to investigate their viability for SERS tagging of spherical AuNPs of different size in the range 5 nm to 100 nm. The results showed that, when using 785 nm laser excitation, the SERS signal increases with the increasing size of AuNP up to 60 or 80 nm. The signal is highest for BPT labelled 80 nm AuNPs followed by 4-AATP labeled 60 nm AuNPs, making BPT and 4-AATP the preferred candidates for Raman labelling of spherical gold within the range of 5 nm to 100 nm in diameter.     

Characterization of gas-expanded liquid-deposited gold nanoparticle films on substrates of varying surface energy

Dodecanethiol-stabilized gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) were deposited via a gas-expanded liquid (GXL) technique utilizing CO(2)-expanded hexane onto substrates of different surface energy. The different surface energies were achieved by coating silicon (100) substrates with various organic self-assembled monolayers (SAMs). Following the deposition of AuNP films, the films were characterized to determine the effect of substrate surface energy on nanoparticle film deposition and growth. Interestingly, the critical surface tension of a given substrate does not directly describe nanoparticle film morphology. However, the results in this study indicate a shift between layer-by-layer and island film growth based on the critical surface tension of the capping ligand. Additionally, the fraction of surface area covered by the AuNP film decreases as the oleophobic nature of the surfaces increases. On the basis of this information, the potential exists to engineer nanoparticle films with desired morphologies and characteristics.     

Gold nanoparticle-paper as a three-dimensional surface enhanced Raman scattering substrate

This work investigates the effect of gold nanoparticle (AuNP) addition to paper substrate and examines the ability of these composite materials to amplify the surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) signal of a dye adsorbed. Paper has a three-dimensional (3D), porous, and heterogeneous morphology. The manner in which paper adsorbs the nanoparticles is crucial to its SERS properties, particularly with regards to aggregation. In this work, we sought to maintain the same degree of aggregation, while changing the concentration of nanoparticles deposited on paper. We achieved this by dipping paper into AuNP solutions of different, known concentration and found that the initial packing density of AuNPs in solutions was retained on paper with the same degree of aggregation. The surface coverage of AuNPs on paper was found to scale linearly to their concentration profile in solutions. The SERS performances of the AuNP-treated papers were evaluated with 4-aminothiophenol (4-ATP) as the Raman molecule, and their SERS intensities increased linearly with the AuNPs' concentration. Compared to AuNP-treated silicon, the Raman enhancement factor (EF) from paper was relatively higher due to a more uniform and greater degree of adsorption of AuNPs. The effect of the spatial distribution of AuNPs in their substrates on SERS activity was also investigated. In this experiment, the number of AuNPs was kept constant (a 1 μL droplet of AuNPs was deposited on all substrates), and the distribution profile of AuNPs was controlled by the nature of the substrate: paper, silicon, and hydrophobized paper. The AuNP droplet on paper showed the most reproducible and sensitive SERS signal. This highlighted the role of the z-distribution (through film) of AuNPs within the bulk of the paper, producing a 3D multilayer structure to allow inter- and intralayer plasmon coupling, and hence amplifying the SERS signal. The SERS performance of nanoparticle-functionalized paper can thus be optimized by controlling the 3D distribution of the metallic nanoparticles, and such control is critical if these systems are to be implemented as a low-cost and highly sensitive bioassay platform.     

Closely adjacent gold nanoparticles linked by chemisorption of neutral rhodamine 123 molecules providing enormous SERS intensity

Addition of neutral R123 molecules (10(-7) M) to an as-prepared gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) suspension generated flocculates that are a small number of closely adjacent particles. Formation of AuNP flocculates was evidenced by the coupled localized plasmon peak at 720-750 nm. The AuNP flocculates provided pronounced SERS spectra of adsorbed neutral R123 molecules (SERS-A) as anticipated by FDTD (Finite Difference Time Domain) simulations. The observed SERS spectra are significantly different from those of cationic R123(+) molecules (SERS-B), which electrostatically adsorbed on Cl(-)-treated AuNPs. The difference is not simply due to deprotonation but reflects a distinct difference in adsorption nature between neutral R123 and cationic R123(+) molecules. Indeed neutral R123 molecules exclusively gave an Au-N stretching band at 202 cm(-1), showing the chemisorption on Au surfaces through lone pair electrons at the amino groups. The different adsorption nature is further evidenced by the observation that cationic R123(+) molecules adsorbed on as-prepared (without NaCl addition) AuNP flocculates gave both SERS-A and SERS-B spectra. Thus, the cationic R123(+) molecules form the flocculates both by chemisorption and electrostatic adsorption owing to modest surface charge on as-prepared AuNPs.     

Photoisomerization of azobenzene derivatives confined in gold nanoparticle aggregates

Photoisomerization is an important reaction that confers photoresponsive functionality on nanoparticles. Although photoisomerization of molecules forming self-assembled monolayers on two-dimensional surfaces or three-dimensional clusters has been studied, a detailed picture of interactions of molecules undergoing isomerization with nanoparticles is not available. In this paper, we report on the photoisomerization of azobenzene derivatives spatially confined in gold nanoparticle (AuNP) aggregates. AuNP aggregates allow us to simultaneously probe the structural changes of molecules via surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) and the accompanying changes in interparticle interactions via surface plasmon couplings. AuNP aggregates are formed by the adsorption of synthesized azobenzene-derivatized sulfides (Az) onto the surfaces of AuNPs. The photoisomerization of the adsorbed Az from trans to cis by excitation at 365 nm causes the AuNPs to move close to each other in the aggregates, leading to a redshift of the surface plasmon coupling band in the UV-vis spectra and a concomitant rise in SERS intensity. SERS spectra reveal that the vibrational modes containing the N=N stretching character redshift upon irradiation, suggesting that the N=N bond is significantly weakened when Az is in the cis form in the AuNP aggregates. The weakening of the N=N bond is attributed to the interaction of the N=N bond, which is more exposed to the outside in the cis conformation, with the nearby AuNPs that have come closer by the isomerization of adsorbed Az. We find that backisomerization from cis to trans occurs much faster in the AuNP aggregates (k = 1.9 × 10(-2) min(-1)) than in solution (k = 1.3 × 10(-3) min(-1)) because of the reduced N=N bond order of cis-Az in the aggregates.     

Nanowires of 3-D cross-linked gold nanoparticle assemblies behave as thermosensors on silicon substrates

In this study, we used a novel fabrication process, involving electron beam lithography and oxygen plasma treatment, to generate line and dot patterns of (3-mercaptopropyl)trioxysilane units over a large area of the Si(100) surface for gold nanoparticle (AuNP) immobilization. We synthesized the AuNPs in a two-phase system for assembly onto the Si substrate through coordination to the thiol groups of the protecting organic shell patterns. The resulting bottom layer of AuNPs was then treated with 1,6-hexanedithiol to generate thiol groups on their surfaces, thereby allowing the bottom-up construction of multiple layers of three-dimensional cross-linked AuNP assemblies, so-called poly(AuNP), linked directly to the Si substrate. We fabricated nanowires of cross-linked three-layer poly(AuNP) over large areas, with resolutions ranging from 200?nm to 10???m. The nanowires of the poly(AuNP) underwent dramatic changes in their electrical resistivities and morphologies when melting began at a temperature of 140°C. For example, the resistivity of the nanowires assembled from three layers of poly(AuNP) at a width of 1???m increased rapidly from 8.99?×?10^?C4 to 9,471??? m upon increasing the temperature from room temperature to 140°C. Such microwires assembled from lines of poly(AuNP) might, therefore, be applicable as thermosensors on Si surfaces in devices miniaturized to the nanoscale.     

Crystal-face-selective adsorption of Au nanoparticles onto polycrystalline diamond surfaces

Crystal-face-selective adsorption of Au nanoparticles (AuNPs) was achieved on polycrystalline boron-doped diamond (BDD) surface via the self-assembly method combined with a UV/ozone treatment. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of crystal-face-selective adsorption on an inorganic solid surface. Hydrogen-plasma-treated BDD samples and those followed by UV/ozone treatment for 2 min or longer showed almost no adsorption of AuNP after immersion in the AuNP solution prepared by the citrate reduction method. However, the samples treated by UV/ozone for 10 s showed AuNP adsorption on their (111) facets selectively after the immersion. Moreover, the sample treated with UV/ozone for 40-60 s showed AuNP adsorption on the whole surface. These results indicate that the AuNP adsorption behavior can be controlled by UV/ozone treatment time. This phenomenon was highly reproducible and was applied to a two-step adsorption method, where AuNPs from different batches were adsorbed on the (111) and (100) surface in this order. Our findings may be of great value for the fabrication of advanced nanoparticle-based functional materials via bottom-up approaches with simple macroscale procedures.     

Site-selective assembly and reorganization of gold nanoparticles along aminosilane-covered nanolines prepared on indium-tin oxide

We have fabricated gold nanoparticle (AuNP) arrays on indium-tin oxide (ITO) substrates in a nearly one-dimensional fashion. AuNPs were site-selectively immobilized on ITO of which the surface had been patterned by a nanolithography process based on scanning probe microscopy. The fabricated nanoscale lines covered with aminosilane self-assembled monolayer served as chemisorption sites for citrate-stabilized AuNPs of 20 nm in diameter, accordingly, AuNP nanolines with a thickness of single nanoparticle diameter were spontaneously assembled on the lines. In this 1D array, the AuNPs were almost separated from each other due to the electrostatic repulsion between their negatively charged surface layers. Furthermore, a reorganization process of the immobilized AuNP arrays has been successfully demonstrated by replacing each AuNP's surface layer from citric acid to dodecanethiol. By this process, the AuNPs lost their electrostatic repulsion and became hydrophobic so as to be attracted to each other through hydrophobic interaction, resulting in reorganization of the AuNP array. By repeating the deposition and reorganization cycle, AuNPs were more densely packed. The optical absorption peak of the arrays due to their plasmonic resonance was found to shift from 526 to 590 nm in wavelength with repeating cycles, indicating that the resonance manner was changed from the single nanoparticle mode to the multiple particle mode with interparticle coupling.