title: Porous substrates for label-free molecular level detection of nonresonant organic molecules.
abstract: We report on the design of practical surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrate based upon 3D alumina membranes with cylindrical nanopores chemically modified with polyelectrolyte coating and loaded with gold nanoparticle clusters. These substrates allow for a molecular-level, label-free detection of common plastic explosive materials (TNT, DNT) down to 5-10 zeptograms or 15-30 molecules and a common liquid explosive (HMTD) down to 1 picogram. Such a sensitive detection of organic molecules by utilizing efficient SERS substrates opens the path for affordable and label-free detection of trace amount of practically important chemical compounds.
authors.affiliation: School of Materials Science and Engineering and School of Polymer, Textile, and Fiber Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332, USA.
authors.forename: Hyunhyub
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ko
authors.forename: Sehoon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Vladimir V
authors.initials: VV
authors.lastname: Tsukruk
mesh_terms: D000537:Aluminum Oxide / Q000737:chemistry; D002623:Chemistry Techniques, Analytical / Q000379:methods*; D002625:Chemistry, Organic / Q000379:methods; D003460:Crystallization / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D004573:Electrolytes; D053834:Explosive Agents; D006046:Gold / Q000737:chemistry; D008422:Materials Testing / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D053768:Metal Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry; D036103:Nanotechnology / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D010316:Particle Size; D012542:Scattering, Radiation; D013059:Spectrum Analysis, Raman / Q000379:methods*; D013499:Surface Properties; D013501:Surface-Active Agents
chemical_list: D004573:Electrolytes; D053834:Explosive Agents; D013501:Surface-Active Agents; D006046:Gold; D000537:Aluminum Oxide