Facile Decoration of Polyaniline Fiber with Ag Nanoparticles for Recyclable SERS Substrate

Facile synthesis of polyaniline@Ag composite has been successfully demonstrated by a simple solution-dipping method using high-aspect-ratio benzene tetracarboxylic acid-doped polyaniline (BDP) fiber as a nontoxic reducing agent as well as template cum stabilizer. In BDP@Ag composite, BDP fibers are decorated with spherical Ag nanoparticles (Ag NPs), and the population of Ag NPs on BDP fibers is controlled by changing the molar concentration of AgNO3. Importantly, Ag-NP-decorated BDP fibers (BDP@Ag composites) have been evolved as a sensitive materials for the detection of trace amounts of 4-mercaptobenzoic acid and rhodamine 6G as an analyte of surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS), and the detection limit is down to nanomolar concentrations with excellent recyclability. Furthermore, synthesized BDP@Ag composites are applied simultaneously as an active SERS substrate and a superior catalyst for reduction of 4-nitrothiophenol.