Selective surface-enhanced
Raman scattering (SERS) detection
of
target explosives with good reproducibility is very important for
monitoring soldiers’ health and ecological environment. Here,
the specific charge transfer pathway was constructed between a stable
nanodiamond-multilayer graphene (MGD) film substrate and the target
explosives. Two-step wet chemical oxidation methods of H2O2 (30%) and HNO3 (65%) solutions were used
to regulate the terminal structure of MGD films. The experimental
results showed that the hydroxyl (−OH) functional groups are
successfully modified on the surface of MGD thin films, and the MGD–OH
substrates having good selectivity for 1,3,5-triamino-2,4,6-trinitrobenzene
(TATB) explosive in mixed solutions of the TATB, 2,2-dinitroethene-1,1-diamine,
2,4,6-trinitrotoluene, and 1,3,5-trinitroperhydro-1,3,5-triazine explosives
compared with MGD substrates were demonstrated. Finally, first-principles
density functional theory simulations revealed that the SERS enhancement
of the MGD–OH substrate is mainly attributed to the transferred
electrons between the –NO2 groups of TATB and the
−OH groups of the MGD–OH substrate.