Effect of the Duty Cycle of Flower-like Silver Nanostructures Fabricated with a Lyotropic Liquid Crystal on the SERS Spectrum

Shen Zhang; Zhihui Jiang; Yijin Liang; Yili Shen; Hongmin Mao; Huijuan Sun; Xin Zhao; Xiaoping Li; Wusheng Hu; Guoding Xu; Zhaoliang Cao

doi:10.3390/molecules26216522

Molecules (Oct 2021)

Effect of the Duty Cycle of Flower-like Silver Nanostructures Fabricated with a Lyotropic Liquid Crystal on the SERS Spectrum

Shen Zhang,
Zhihui Jiang,
Yijin Liang,
Yili Shen,
Hongmin Mao,
Huijuan Sun,
Xin Zhao,
Xiaoping Li,
Wusheng Hu,
Guoding Xu,
Zhaoliang Cao

Affiliations

Shen Zhang: Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Micro and Nano Heat Fluid Flow Technology and Energy Application, School of Physical Science and Technology, Suzhou University of Science and Technology, Suzhou 215009, China
Zhihui Jiang: Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Micro and Nano Heat Fluid Flow Technology and Energy Application, School of Physical Science and Technology, Suzhou University of Science and Technology, Suzhou 215009, China
Yijin Liang: Shanghai Institute of Satellite Engineering, China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation, Shanghai 201109, China
Yili Shen: Shanghai Institute of Satellite Engineering, China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation, Shanghai 201109, China
Hongmin Mao: Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Micro and Nano Heat Fluid Flow Technology and Energy Application, School of Physical Science and Technology, Suzhou University of Science and Technology, Suzhou 215009, China
Huijuan Sun: Institute of Fundamental and Interdisciplinary Sciences, Institute of Mathematics and Physics, Beijing Union University, Beijing 100101, China
Xin Zhao: School of Chemistry and Life Sciences, Suzhou University of Science and Technology, Suzhou 215009, China
Xiaoping Li: Basic Department, Jiyuan Vocational and Technical College, Jiyuan 454682, China
Wusheng Hu: Basic Department, Jiyuan Vocational and Technical College, Jiyuan 454682, China
Guoding Xu: Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Micro and Nano Heat Fluid Flow Technology and Energy Application, School of Physical Science and Technology, Suzhou University of Science and Technology, Suzhou 215009, China
Zhaoliang Cao: Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Micro and Nano Heat Fluid Flow Technology and Energy Application, School of Physical Science and Technology, Suzhou University of Science and Technology, Suzhou 215009, China

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules26216522
Journal volume & issue: Vol. 26, no. 21
p. 6522

Abstract

Read online

Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) has been widely reported to improve the sensitivity of Raman spectra. Ordinarily, the laser is focused on the sample to measure the Raman spectrum. The size of the focused light spot is comparable with that of micro-nano structures, and the number of micro-nano structures contained in the light spot area (defined as duty cycle) will severely affect the spectrum intensity. In this study, flower-like silver nanostructures were fabricated with a soft lyotropic liquid crystal template in order to investigate the effect of duty cycle. They were observed under a scanning electron microscope, and their spectrum enhancement factor was computed with the obtained Raman spectrum. Then, their duty cycles were measured using a SERS substrate at different locations. A formula was derived to represent the relation between the duty cycle of the nanoflowers and the Raman spectral intensity. This work could promote the actual applications of SERS in high-sensitivity spectrum testing.

Published in Molecules

ISSN: 1420-3049 (Online)
Publisher: MDPI AG
Country of publisher: Switzerland
LCC subjects: Science: Chemistry: Organic chemistry
Website: http://www.mdpi.com/journal/molecules

About the journal

Abstract

Keywords