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Ag-SiO2 core-shell nanorod arrays: morphological, optical, SERS, and wetting properties
Chunyuan Song1, Jun Chen, Justin L Abell
1Nanoscale Science and Engineering Center, The University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602, USA.
Langmuir : the ACS Journal of Surfaces and Colloids
|December 14, 2011
Summary
Researchers created a silica (SiO2) coated silver nanorod (AgNR) array, forming a core-shell structure. Increasing silica thickness altered optical properties and wettability, while decreasing SERS response due to reduced AgNR surface coverage.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Nanotechnology
- Surface Chemistry
Background:
- Silver nanorods (AgNRs) are crucial for surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) and plasmonic applications.
- Controlling nanostructure morphology is key to tailoring their optical and sensing properties.
Purpose of the Study:
- To fabricate AgNR-SiO2 core-shell nanostructures with controlled silica shell thickness.
- To investigate the impact of silica coating on the morphology, optical properties, SERS activity, and wettability of AgNR arrays.
Main Methods:
- Oblique angle deposition of AgNR arrays.
- Hydrolysis of tetraethylorthosilicate for uniform SiO2 coating.
- Characterization using electron microscopy, optical spectroscopy, SERS, and contact angle measurements.
Main Results:
- Achieved uniform, conformal porous SiO2 coating on AgNRs with thickness linearly dependent on coating time.
- Observed monotonic decrease in contact angle and red-shift in localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) with increasing SiO2 thickness.
- SERS response showed exponential decay with coating time, attributed to decreasing Ag surface coverage.
Conclusions:
- The study demonstrates a method for creating tunable AgNR-SiO2 core-shell nanostructures.
- Silica shell thickness significantly influences the nanostructure's wettability and optical characteristics.
- The findings provide a basis for understanding and predicting the performance of such core-shell nanostructures in sensing applications.
