Highly-Sensitive Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (SERS)-based Chemical Sensor using 3D Graphene Foam Decorated with Silver Nanoparticles as SERS substrate

Abstract

In this work, a novel platform for surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS)-based chemical sensors utilizing three-dimensional microporous graphene foam (GF) decorated with silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) is developed and applied for methylene blue (MB) detection. The results demonstrate that silver nanoparticles significantly enhance cascaded amplification of SERS effect on multilayer graphene foam (GF). The enhancement factor of AgNPs/GF sensor is found to be four orders of magnitude larger than that of AgNPs/Si substrate. In addition, the sensitivity of the sensor could be tuned by controlling the size of silver nanoparticles. The highest SERS enhancement factor of ∼5 × 104 is achieved at the optimal nanoparticle size of 50 nm. Moreover, the sensor is capable of detecting MB over broad concentration ranges from 1 nM to 100 μM. Therefore, AgNPs/GF is a highly promising SERS substrate for detection of chemical substances with ultra-low concentrations.

Quantitative surface‐enhanced resonance Raman scattering analysis of methylene blue using silver colloid

“…Nuntawong et al reported a low‐cost and high sensitive substrate by the deposition of silver nanoparticles on anodic aluminum oxide template with an enhancement factor more than 1.71 × 10 4 . Srichan et al obtained an enhancement factor of 5 × 10 4 utilizing three‐dimensional microporous graphene foam decorated with silver nanoparticles. Xiao and Man reported MB SERS on silver nanocups presenting an enhancement factor as large as 4.2 × 10 7 .…”

A cost-effective identification of tobacco alkaloids using porous Si SERS substrates for forensic and bioanalytical applications

“…Therefore, SERS platforms with considerable enhancement have been demonstrated through a number of methods, including laser interference lithography [4], deep UV lithography [11], galvanic displacement reaction [12,13], e-beam lithography [10,11] and evaporation (or magnetron sputtering) [14,15]. However, these methods are time consuming, complicated and not applicable to large scale production [16,17]. Moreover, uniformity and reproducibility of SERS devices are highly critical for the effective use of SERS in commercial applications.…”

Fluorescence enhancement of carbon dots by graphene for highly sensitive detection of tetracycline hydrochloride

“…13,14 It should be pointed out that there many reports have focused on enhanced Raman spectroscopy, but reports involving enhanced uorescence spectroscopy are rare. [15][16][17] Until now, only a few examples involving the study of the phenomenon of enhanced uorescence by graphene have been reported, including studies on uorescence enhancement of GeSi quantum dots, SnO 2 nanostructures and ZnO nanostructures by graphene. [18][19][20] Self-assembled multilayers (SAMs) can be easily prepared and converted to devices, and therefore, SAMs have been widely applied in biochemical analysis.…”