Open AccessPerformance-Enhancing Methods for Au Film over Nanosphere Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering Substrate and Melamine Detection Application
Author(s) -
Jun Feng Wang,
Xue Zhong Wu,
Rui Xiao,
Pei Dong,
Chao Guang Wang
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
plos one
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.99
H-Index - 332
ISSN - 1932-6203
DOI - 10.1371/journal.pone.0097976
Subject(s) - rhodamine 6g , melamine , raman scattering , substrate (aquarium) , materials science , detection limit , raman spectroscopy , surface enhanced raman spectroscopy , analytical chemistry (journal) , nanotechnology , molecule , chemistry , chromatography , optics , physics , oceanography , organic chemistry , composite material , geology
A new high-performance surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrate with extremely high SERS activity was produced. This SERS substrate combines the advantages of Au film over nanosphere (AuFON) substrate and Ag nanoparticles (AgNPs). A three order enhancement of SERS was observed when Rhodamine 6G (R6G) was used as a probe molecule to compare the SERS effects of the new substrate and commonly used AuFON substrate. These new SERS substrates can detect R6G down to 1 nM. The new substrate was also utilized to detect melamine, and the limit of detection (LOD) is 1 ppb. A linear relationship was also observed between the SERS intensity at Raman peak 682 cm −1 and the logarithm of melamine concentrations ranging from 10 ppm to 1 ppb. This ultrasensitive SERS substrate is a promising tool for detecting trace chemical molecules because of its simple and effective fabrication procedure, high sensitivity and high reproducibility of the SERS effect.