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Fabrication of surface‐enhanced Raman scattering‐active ZnO/Ag composite microspheres
Author(s) -
Song Wei,
Wang Yanfei,
Hu Hailong,
Zhao Bing
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
journal of raman spectroscopy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.748
H-Index - 110
eISSN - 1097-4555
pISSN - 0377-0486
DOI - 10.1002/jrs.1769
Subject(s) - x ray photoelectron spectroscopy , composite number , raman spectroscopy , materials science , raman scattering , chemical engineering , nanoparticle , zinc , silver nanoparticle , aqueous solution , nanotechnology , microsphere , composite material , chemistry , optics , metallurgy , physics , engineering
We show in this paper how zinc oxide (ZnO)/silver (Ag) composite microspheres can be prepared by the reduction of Ag(NH 3 ) 2 + with the reducing agent formaldehyde in aqueous solution on the surface of ZnO microspheres. During the preparation, Sn 2+ was absorbed on the surface of ZnO microspheres for sensitization and activation, and then Ag(NH 3 ) 2 + was reduced to Ag nanoparticles by the reducing agent to obtain ZnO/Ag composite microspheres. SEM and TEM images revealed silver nanoparticles with a diameter ranging from tens to 100 nm. X‐Ray photoelectron spectra (XPS), X‐ray diffraction (XRD) patterns and UV‐vis spectra were used to characterize the structure of the ZnO/Ag composite microspheres. The origin of the surface‐enhanced Raman scattering properties was traced to the surface of the ZnO/Ag composite microspheres. The enhancement factor was estimated in detail, and the enhancement mechanism for the SERS effect was also investigated. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.