Multifunctional Ag₂CO₃ microrods as SERS-active substrate for the detection and degradation of Rhodamine B dye

Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) is a non-destructive and ultrasensitive detection tool used for a variety of contaminants in recent years. In this paper, we synthesized a multifunctional Ag₂CO₃ nanocomposite for a sensitive SERS detection and photodegradation of Rhodamine B (RhB) dye. The proposed Ag₂CO₃ substrate was characterized using XRD, UV-vis, FESEM, EDX and TEM techniques. Ag₂CO₃ exhibited a strong SERS sensitivity with a detection limit of 10^-11 M and good reproducibility for the detection of RhB molecules. The degradation efficiency of Ag₂CO₃ under visible light irradiation was found to be 95%. The SERS and photocatalysis mechanisms were proposed considering the charge-transfer paths between the substrate and RhB molecules. Additionally, an excellent reusability property of Ag₂CO₃ microcrystals was observed for SERS detection due to its catalytic activity. This work explores the potential usability of Ag₂CO₃ substrate as a promising candidate for detection and photodegradation applications.