title: Electrospun nanofibrous membranes surface-decorated with silver nanoparticles as flexible and active/sensitive substrates for surface-enhanced Raman scattering.
abstract: The development of novel nanomaterials with well-controlled morphologies/structures to achieve excellent activities/sensitivities in surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) is crucial in advancing the high-performance SERS detections of chemical and biological species. In this study, amidoxime surface-functionalized polyacrylonitrile (ASFPAN) nanofibrous membranes surface-decorated with silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) were prepared via the technique of electrospinning followed by the method of seed-mediated electroless plating. High SERS activities/sensitivities were observed from the ASFPAN-Ag NPs nanofibrous membranes, while the density and size of Ag NPs had an important impact on the SERS activity/sensitivity. The results confirmed that the enhancement of Raman signals is due to the presence of hot spots between/among Ag NPs on the nanofiber surfaces. Electrospun nanofibrous membranes surface-decorated with Ag NPs were mechanical flexible/resilient and could be used as highly active/sensitive SERS substrates for a broad range of applications.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, Rapid City, South Dakota 57701, United States.
authors.forename: Lifeng
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Xiao
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Gong
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Bao
authors.forename: Yong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Min
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Xi
authors.forename: Chaoyang
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Hao
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Fong
mesh_terms: D055595:Mechanical Phenomena; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D053768:Metal Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry*; D057139:Nanofibers / Q000737:chemistry*; D036103:Nanotechnology / Q000379:methods*; D012834:Silver / Q000737:chemistry*; D013059:Spectrum Analysis, Raman / Q000379:methods*; D013499:Surface Properties
chemical_list: D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D012834:Silver