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Published on: November 17, 2023
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A nano-imprinted graphene oxide-cellulose composite as a SERS active substrate
Aeshah F Alotaibi1,2, Brian J Rodriguez1,3, James H Rice1
1School of Physics, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland. aeshah.alotaibi@ucdconnect.ie.
Summary
Researchers developed a novel cellulose acetate and graphene oxide composite for enhanced sensing. This sustainable material shows potential for flexible sensor platforms, improving signal detection capabilities.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Nanotechnology
- Spectroscopy
Background:
- Cellulose acetate (CA) is a sustainable material.
- Graphene oxide (GO) can enhance material properties.
- Optically active nanoarrays can be formed on cellulose surfaces.
Purpose of the Study:
- To create a composite of cellulose acetate and graphene oxide.
- To investigate the effect of graphene oxide on the surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) properties of nanoimprinted cellulose acetate.
- To explore the potential of this composite as a flexible sensor platform.
Main Methods:
- Mixing graphene oxide (0.1 mg mL-1) into cellulose acetate.
- Nanoimprinting the composite with nanoscale surface features.
- Vapor deposition of a thin silver layer.
- Characterization using surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS).
Main Results:
- The cellulose acetate/graphene oxide composite exhibited enhanced SERS signal strengths.
- An average SERS signal increase of 1.4-fold was observed with the inclusion of GO.
- The composite demonstrated a combination of photonic, electromagnetic, and charge transfer effects contributing to SERS enhancement.
Conclusions:
- Nanoimprinted graphene oxide/cellulose acetate composites show significant potential for enhanced SERS detection.
- The integration of GO improves the sensitivity of the sensor platform.
- These flexible composites offer a promising avenue for developing advanced molecular detection systems.
