Trace Cd²⁺ Ions Detection on the Flower-Like Ag@CuO Substrate

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Nanotechnology
• Analytical Chemistry

Background:

• Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) is a powerful technique for ultrasensitive molecular detection.
• Developing novel SERS substrates with high sensitivity and stability is crucial for various applications.
• Metal oxide-based nanostructures offer unique properties for SERS applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize and characterize a novel Ag@CuO composite material.
• To evaluate the SERS performance of the Ag@CuO composite using Rhodamine 6G (R6G) as a probe molecule.
• To investigate the potential of the Ag@CuO composite as a SERS substrate for detecting cadmium ions (Cd2+) in environmental samples.

Main Methods:

• Facile hydrothermal synthesis of CuO flower-like material (FM).
• Deposition of silver (Ag) nanoparticles onto CuO FM to form the Ag@CuO composite.
• SERS measurements using R6G as a probe molecule to determine limit of detection (LOD) and enhancement factor (EF).
• Detection of Cd2+ ions using the Ag@CuO SERS substrate.

Main Results:

• The Ag@CuO composite exhibited excellent SERS performance with an LOD of 3.58 × 10^-16 M for R6G and an EF of 3.99 × 10¹⁰.
• The Ag@CuO SERS substrate achieved an LOD of 2.6 × 10^-8 M for Cd2+ detection.
• The detected LOD for Cd2+ is below the permissible limits set by WHO and EPA for drinking water.

Conclusions:

• The Ag@CuO composite demonstrates superior SERS activity and sensitivity.
• The developed SERS substrate is effective for the ultrasensitive detection of Cd2+ ions.
• The Ag@CuO composite holds significant promise for practical applications in environmental monitoring, particularly for Cd2+ detection in drinking water and soil.