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Author Spotlight: Development and Application of SERS Flexible Substrates Using Synthesized AgNPs
Published on: November 17, 2023
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Surface functionalized 3D printed metal structures as next generation recyclable SERS substrates
Uzma Malik1, Roxanne Hubesch1, Paramita Koley1
1Centre for Advanced Materials and Industrial Chemistry (CAMIC), School of Science, RMIT University, Melbourne, 3001 Victoria, Australia. suresh.bhargava@rmit.edu.au.
Chemical Communications (Cambridge, England)
|October 18, 2023
Summary
Additive manufacturing creates advanced metallic substrates for next-generation Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (SERS) applications. These recyclable SERS substrates combine design flexibility with enhanced photocatalytic and plasmonic properties for diagnostics and reaction monitoring.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science and Engineering
- Nanotechnology
- Analytical Chemistry
Background:
- Additive manufacturing (AM), specifically laser powder bed fusion (LPBF), offers design flexibility and rapid prototyping for complex metallic structures.
- Integrating photocatalytic and plasmonic functionalities onto AM substrates is crucial for advanced Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (SERS) applications.
- Current methods for functionalizing AM substrates face challenges in achieving desired nanoparticle grafting and performance.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the fabrication of intricate metallic lattices using LPBF for SERS applications.
- To develop and demonstrate methods for grafting plasmonic and semiconductor nanoparticles onto LPBF-manufactured metallic substrates.
- To enable tailored SERS substrates with controllable structure, composition, and morphology for enhanced performance.
Main Methods:
- Utilized laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) to fabricate complex metallic lattice structures.
- Employed soot templating, chemical vapor deposition, and electroless plating for nanoparticle functionalization.
- Investigated techniques for grafting plasmonic and semiconductor nanoparticles onto LPBF substrates.
Main Results:
- Successfully fabricated intricate metallic lattices with controlled structures using LPBF.
- Demonstrated effective grafting of plasmonic and semiconductor nanoparticles onto the metallic substrates.
- Achieved tailored substrate properties, including plasmonic and photocatalytic activities.
Conclusions:
- The developed methodology enables the creation of a new class of recyclable SERS substrates by combining AM with nanoparticle functionalization.
- These tailored substrates show promise for next-generation applications like point-of-care diagnostics and in situ chemical reaction monitoring.
- The approach offers significant potential for advancing SERS technology through precise control over substrate design and functionality.
