Open AccessSilver Nanoparticle-Decorated Silica Nanospheres and Arrays as Potential Substrates for Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering
Author(s) -
Junfang Li,
Yanfang Xu,
Lulu Tian,
Y. C. Yan,
Liyong Niu,
Xiaohong Li,
Zhijun Zhang
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
acs omega
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.779
H-Index - 40
ISSN - 2470-1343
DOI - 10.1021/acsomega.1c04874
Subject(s) - rhodamine 6g , raman scattering , materials science , silver nanoparticle , raman spectroscopy , nanoparticle , composite number , nanotechnology , chemical engineering , evaporation , detection limit , nanocomposite , molecule , chemistry , composite material , organic chemistry , chromatography , optics , physics , engineering , thermodynamics
Poly(vinylpyrrolidone) (PVP) was used as both a modifier and reductant to in situ deposit silver nanoparticles (denoted Ag NPs) on the surface of silica nanospheres (nanosilica or nano-SiO 2 ), affording Ag-decorated nanosilica (denoted SiO 2 @Ag). The as-obtained SiO 2 @Ag composite can form silver nanoparticle-decorated silica nanosphere arrays (denoted SiO 2 @Ag arrays) via evaporation-induced self-assembly. The as-prepared SiO 2 @Ag composite and SiO 2 @Ag array were used as the SERS substrates to measure the Raman signals of the dilute solutions of rhodamine 6G (denoted R6G), an organic dye that is a potential pollutant to the environment. The findings indicate that the as-prepared SiO 2 @Ag composite and SiO 2 @Ag array as potential SERS substrates simultaneously exhibit a high degree of metal coverage and small size of Ag NPs as well as good stability and abundant "hot spots", which contributes to their desired Raman enhancement capacities. For the detection of trace R6G, they provide a limit of detection of as low as 10 -9 -10 -11 M as well as good reproducibility, showing promising potential for monitoring chemical and biological molecules.