Hybrid Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering Substrates for the Trace Detection of Ammonium Nitrate, Thiram, and Nile Blue.

Content Provider	Europe PMC
Author	Rathod, Jagannath Byram, Chandu Kanaka, Ravi Kumar Sree Satya Bharati, Moram Banerjee, Dipanjan Akkanaboina, Mangababu Soma, Venugopal Rao
Copyright Year	2022
Abstract	We report the fabricationand performance evaluation of hybridsurface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrates involving laserablation and chemical routes for the trace-level detection of variousanalyte molecules. Initially, picosecond laser ablation experimentsunder ambient conditions were performed on pure silver (Ag) and gold(Au) substrates to achieve distinct nanosized features on the surface.The properties of the generated surface features on laser-processedportions of Ag/Au targets were systematically analyzed using UV–visiblereflection and field emission scanning electron microscopy studies.Later, hybrid-SERS substrates were achieved by grafting the chemicallysynthesized Au nanostars on the plain and laser-processed plasmonictargets. Subsequently, we employed these as SERS platforms for thedetection of a pesticide (thiram), a molecule used in explosive compositions[ammonium nitrate (AN)], and a dye molecule [Nile blue (NB)]. A comparativeSERS study between the Au nanostar-decorated bare glass, silicon,Ag, Au, and laser-processed Ag and Au targets has been established.Our studies and the obtained data have unambiguously determined thatlaser-processed Ag structures have demonstrated reasonably good enhancementsin the Raman signal intensities for distinct analytes among othersubstrates. Importantly, the fabricated hybrid SERS substrate of “Aunanostar-decorated laser-processed Ag” exhibited up to eighttimes enhancement in the SERS intensity compared to laser-processedAg (without nanostars), as well as up to three times enhancement thanthe Au nanostar-loaded plain Ag substrates. Additionally, the achieveddetection limits from the Au nanostar-decorated laser-processed AgSERS substrate were ∼50 pM, ∼5 nM, and ∼5 μMfor NB, thiram, and AN, respectively. The estimated enhancement factorsaccomplished from the Au nanostar-decorated laser-processed Ag substratewere ∼106, ∼106, and ∼104 for NB, thiram, and AN, respectively.
Journal	ACS Omega
Volume Number	7
PubMed Central reference number	PMC9096967
Issue Number	18
PubMed reference number	35571848
e-ISSN	24701343
DOI	10.1021/acsomega.2c01095
Language	English
Publisher	American Chemical Society
Publisher Date	2022-04-28
Access Restriction	Open
Rights License	Permits non-commercial access and re-use, provided that author attribution and integrity are maintained; but does not permit creation of adaptations or other derivative works (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/). © 2022 The Authors. Published by American Chemical Society
Content Type	Text
Resource Type	Article
Subject	Chemistry Chemical Engineering