1 research outputs found
Fabrication of Thorny Au Nanostructures on Polyaniline Surfaces for Sensitive Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy
Here we demonstrate, for the first time, the fabrication
of Au nanostructures on polyaniline (PANI) membrane surfaces for surface
enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) applications, through a direct
chemical reduction by PANI. Introduction of acids into the HAuCl<sub>4</sub> solution leads to homogeneous Au structures on the PANI surfaces,
which show only sub-ppm detection levels toward the target analyte,
4-mercaptobenzoic acid (4-MBA), because of limited surface area and
lack of surface roughness. Thorny Au nanostructures can be obtained
through controlled reaction conditions and the addition of a capping
agent poly (vinyl pyrrolidone) (PVP) in the HAuCl<sub>4</sub> solution
and the temperature kept at 80 °C in an oven. Those thorny Au
nanostructures, with higher surface areas and unique geometric feature,
show a SERS detection sensitivity of 1 × 10<sup>–9</sup> M (sub-ppb level) toward two different analyte molecules, 4-MBA
and Rhodamine B, demonstrating their generality for SERS applications.
These highly sensitive SERS-active substrates offer novel robust structures
for trace detection of chemical and biological analytes