Quasi-Metal for Highly Sensitive and Stable Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering
Zheng Tian,
Hua Bai,
Chao Chen,
Yuting Ye,
Qinghong Kong,
Yahui Li,
Wenhao Fan,
Wencai Yi,
Guangcheng Xi
Affiliations
Zheng Tian
Institute of Industrial and Consumer Product Safety, Chinese Academy of Inspection and Quarantine, Beijing 100176, P. R. China; School of the Environment and Safety Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, P. R. China
Hua Bai
Institute of Industrial and Consumer Product Safety, Chinese Academy of Inspection and Quarantine, Beijing 100176, P. R. China
Chao Chen
School of Materials Science & Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 639798, Singapore
Yuting Ye
Institute of Industrial and Consumer Product Safety, Chinese Academy of Inspection and Quarantine, Beijing 100176, P. R. China
Qinghong Kong
School of the Environment and Safety Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, P. R. China
Yahui Li
Institute of Industrial and Consumer Product Safety, Chinese Academy of Inspection and Quarantine, Beijing 100176, P. R. China
Wenhao Fan
Physical Property Measurement Department, Beijing Center for Physical & Chemical Analysis, Beijing 100089, P. R. China
Wencai Yi
School of Physics and Physical Engineering, Qufu Normal University, Qufu 273165, P. R. China
Guangcheng Xi
Institute of Industrial and Consumer Product Safety, Chinese Academy of Inspection and Quarantine, Beijing 100176, P. R. China; Corresponding author
Summary: Compared with the noble-metal surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrates activated by the surface plasmon resonance (SPR)-induced electromagnetic mechanism (EM), the relative low sensitivity and stability of the chemical mechanism (CM)-based substrates are the biggest obstacles to their applications. Herein, we report that quasi-metallic VO2 nanosheet arrays can be used as a sensitive and stable SERS substrate. The lowest detectable limit of analyte adsorbed on the VO2 nanosheets achieves 10−10 M and the maximum Raman enhancement factor (EF) reaches 6.7 × 107, which is comparable with that of the noble metals. The experimental and theoretical results demonstrate that the SERS performance of the VO2 nanosheets comes from the strong interfacial interactions based on charge transfer and the vigorous SPR effects. Our research results demonstrate that quasi-metals are very promising SERS detection platforms and reveal that CM, like EM, contributes significantly to the SERS activity of quasi-metals. : Physical Chemistry; Electromagnetics; Materials Property; Nanomaterials Subject Areas: Physical Chemistry, Electromagnetics, Materials Property, Nanomaterials
