Patchy silica-coated silver nanowires as SERS substrates

Simona E. Hunyadi Murph, Catherine J. Murphy

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

18 Scopus citations

Abstract

We report a class of core-shell nanomaterials that can be used as efficient surface-enhancement Raman scattering (SERS) substrates. The core consists of silver nanowires, prepared through a chemical reduction process, that are used to capture 4-mercaptobenzoic acid (4-MBA), a model analyte. The shell was prepared through a modified Stöber method and consists of patchy or full silica coats. The formation of silica coats was monitored via transmission electron microscopy, UV-visible spectroscopy, and phase-analysis light-scattering for measuring effective surface charge. Surprisingly, the patchy silica-coated silver nanowires are better SERS substrate than silver nanowires; nanomolar concentration of 4-MBA can be detected. In addition, "nano-matryoshka" configurations were used to quantitate/explore the effect of the electromagnetic field at the tips of the nanowire ("hot spots") in the Raman scattering experiment.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Article number1607
JournalJournal of Nanoparticle Research
Volume15
Issue number6
DOIs
StatePublished - Jun 2013
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Patchy nanostructures
  • SERS
  • Silica
  • Silver nanowires

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Bioengineering
  • General Chemistry
  • Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics
  • Modeling and Simulation
  • General Materials Science
  • Condensed Matter Physics

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