Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 5, 2026

Author Spotlight: Tracking Electrochemistry on Single Nanoparticles with Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering Spectroscopy and Microscopy
Published on: May 12, 2023
[Preparation of Au Nanoparticles with Different Morphologies and Study of Their Property as Surface Enhanced Raman
Abstract:
Different shapes of gold nanoparticles (NPs) have different enhancement effect in Surface Enhanced Raman Scattering (SERS). The polyhedral Au NPs have multiple angular structures, which show stronger enhancement effect than Au nanoplatelets. In recent years, the research on synthesis and properties of polyhedral Au NPs has attracted much attention. In this study the enhancement effect of the Au NPs in SERS was observed in Au NPs with the shape of dodecahedron, icosahedron, triangular plate and spherosome. Triangular Au NP films were prepared through a chemical reduction method using sodium borohydride as the reductant. As for synthesizing icosahedral Au NPs, Poly (vinyl pyrrolidone) is used as a capping agent and diethylene glycol is used as a reducing agent. Dodecahedral Au NPs were synthesized using icosahedral Au NPs as seeds. SERS spectra were detected for these three Au NPs as well as the traditional colloidal Au by using 4-mercaptopyridine and 4-mercaptobenzoic as probing molecules. Triangular Au NP films, icosahedral Au NPs and dodecahedral Au NPs were with average diameters of about 130, 100 and 120 nm. UV/Vis spectroscopy indicated that these three Au NPs had typical absorbance bands at 589, 598 and 544 nm. The results show that the Au polyhedron has better enhancement ability than the Triangular NPs.
Related Concept Videos
Scatter Plot
Raman Spectroscopy: Overview
However, a small fraction of the scattered light exhibits a frequency shift due to the exchange of energy between the incident photons and...
Microbial Morphologies
Physical and Chemical Properties of Matter
Self-Evaluation: Self-Enhancement and Self-Verification
Raman Spectroscopy Instrumentation: Overview
The monochromatic laser source, typically using visible or near-infrared radiation, generates a highly focused beam of light. This light interacts with the molecules of the sample, scattering some of the light. Liquid and gaseous samples are usually tested in ordinary glass capillaries, while solids can be analyzed as powders packed in capillaries or as potassium...

