SERS not to be taken for granted in the presence of oxygen.
Oxidation of the Ag nanoparticle surface has a dramatic effect on the adsorption, orientation, and SERS detection limit of nitroaromatic molecules in aqueous solutions. Ultrasensitive SERS detection of p-nitrophenol can be achieved when oxidation of surface-immobilized Ag nanoparticles is inhibited by replacing the oxygen dissolved in water with argon gas. The presence of silver oxide at the nanoparticle surface hinders charge transfer between the aromatic ring and the underlying Ag metal surface and drastically decreases the overall detection sensitivity.
Erol
Melek
M
Department of Chemistry, Chemical Biology and Biomedical Engineering, Stevens Institute of Technology, Castle Point on Hudson, Hoboken, New Jersey 07030, USA.
Han
Yun
Y
Stanley
Scott K
SK
Stafford
Christopher M
CM
Du
Henry
H
Sukhishvili
Svetlana
S
D053768:Metal Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry; D009578:Nitrobenzenes / Q000032:analysis; D009596:Nitrophenols / Q000032:analysis; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D010100:Oxygen / Q000737:chemistry*; D012834:Silver / Q000737:chemistry; D013059:Spectrum Analysis, Raman / Q000379:methods*; D013499:Surface Properties
D009578:Nitrobenzenes; D009596:Nitrophenols; D012834:Silver; D010100:Oxygen