SERS-active substrate assembled by Ag NW-embedded porous polystyrene fibers

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Nanotechnology
• Analytical Chemistry

Background:

• Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) requires highly sensitive substrates for trace molecule detection.
• Existing SERS substrates often face challenges with sensitivity, reproducibility, and large-scale production.
• Developing robust and efficient SERS platforms is crucial for advanced sensing applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To fabricate a novel SERS-active substrate using silver nanowire (Ag NW)-embedded porous polystyrene (PS) fibers.
• To investigate the structural properties and SERS performance of the fabricated substrate.
• To explore the potential applications of this flexible SERS substrate in wearable sensors.

Main Methods:

• Silver nanowires (Ag NWs) were synthesized via a glycerol-mediated solvothermal method.
• Ag NWs were embedded and aligned within porous polystyrene (PS) fibers through electrospinning.
• The porous structure of PS fibers was formed by solvent-induced phase separation.
• SERS detection of 4-aminothiophenol (4-ATP) was performed to evaluate substrate performance.

Main Results:

• The fabricated substrate features Ag NWs embedded and aligned along the axial direction of porous PS fibers.
• The porous structure enhances sample collection and target molecule adsorption onto Ag NWs.
• The substrate demonstrated a low detection limit of 10^-7 M for 4-ATP with good reproducibility.
• Polystyrene exhibited superior solvent resistance compared to PVA and PVP.

Conclusions:

• A feasible strategy for large-scale preparation of flexible SERS substrates using Ag NW-embedded porous PS fibers was proposed.
• The developed substrate offers high sensitivity, good reproducibility, and enhanced adsorption properties.
• These flexible SERS substrates hold potential for developing wearable sensors for trace chemical and biological molecule detection.