Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 2, 2025
11:44
Surface Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy Detection of Biomolecules Using EBL Fabricated Nanostructured Substrates
Published on: March 20, 2015
20.2K
Quick Freezing-Induced Au Nanoparticle Aggregates (QFIAAs) for Near-IR (NIR) Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering (SERS)
Kristopher W Hoyt1, Ashleigh C Block1, Jillian Tung1
1Department of Chemistry, SUNY Buffalo State University, 1300 Elmwood Ave., Buffalo, New York 14222, United States.
Langmuir : the ACS Journal of Surfaces and Colloids
|January 17, 2025
Summary
A new method uses quick freezing to create stable gold nanoparticle aggregates for near-infrared surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) analysis. These aggregates offer high sensitivity and long-term stability for chemical detection and bioimaging applications.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Nanotechnology
- Spectroscopy
Background:
- Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) requires stable nanoparticle substrates for sensitive chemical detection.
- Traditional methods for creating SERS substrates can be time-consuming and may lack long-term stability.
- Near-infrared (NIR) SERS offers advantages for bioimaging due to reduced background fluorescence.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a simple and rapid method for preparing stable near-infrared (NIR) surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrates.
- To characterize the properties and performance of these novel SERS substrates.
- To evaluate their potential for high-throughput chemical analysis and bioimaging.
Main Methods:
- Citrate-capped gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) were rapidly frozen in liquid nitrogen and then thawed.
- The resulting quick freezing-induced AuNP aggregates (QFIAAs) were characterized for their stability and aggregation state.
- NIR SERS spectroscopy was used to measure the enhancement factor and limit of detection (LOD) of QFIAAs using Rhodamine 6G (R6G).
Main Results:
- A simple, rapid method for preparing stable NIR SERS substrates (QFIAAs) was established.
- QFIAAs exhibited controlled aggregation and remained stable in solution for at least three months.
- 70 nm AuNP-derived QFIAAs demonstrated excellent NIR SERS activity (enhancement factor of 5 × 10^4) and a low LOD (20 nM for R6G).
Conclusions:
- Quick freezing provides a controlled method for creating stable, high-performance NIR SERS substrates.
- QFIAAs are suitable for high-throughput chemical analysis and show promise for NIR SERS bioimaging.
- The stability of QFIAAs is attributed to tight interparticle binding mediated by citrate molecules.
