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Investigation of Interfacial Charge Transfer in a Ag/MBA/P3HT Sandwich System via Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering
Yuxin Sun1, Nannan Yang1, Lu Yang1
1Key Laboratory of Preparation and Applications of Environmental Friendly Materials, Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry, Jilin Normal University, Changchun 130103, P.R. China.
Langmuir : the ACS Journal of Surfaces and Colloids
|October 31, 2025
Summary
This study developed a silver/mercaptobenzoic acid/poly(3-hexylthiophene) (Ag/MBA/P3HT) composite for surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS). Optimized P3HT concentration significantly boosts SERS intensity by enhancing electronic conjugation and charge transfer.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Nanotechnology
- Spectroscopy
Background:
- Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) is a powerful technique for molecular detection.
- Developing high-performance SERS substrates requires optimizing material composition and structure.
- Poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) is a conductive polymer with potential for enhancing electronic properties.
Purpose of the Study:
- To fabricate and characterize a novel Ag/MBA/P3HT composite system for SERS applications.
- To investigate the effect of P3HT concentration on the SERS performance of the composite.
- To elucidate the underlying mechanisms responsible for SERS enhancement.
Main Methods:
- Layer-by-layer self-assembly was used to fabricate the Ag/MBA/P3HT composite with tunable P3HT concentrations.
- Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) spectroscopy was employed to evaluate the SERS activity.
- Mechanistic studies focused on electronic conjugation and charge transfer (CT) processes.
Main Results:
- The SERS intensity of mercaptobenzoic acid (MBA) increased with P3HT concentration, reaching a maximum at 10-5 g/mL.
- P3HT incorporation enhanced electronic conjugation via π-π interactions between P3HT and MBA.
- Improved electron delocalization and charge transfer efficiency correlated with increased SERS intensity.
Conclusions:
- The Ag/MBA/P3HT composite system demonstrates tunable and enhanced SERS performance.
- P3HT plays a crucial role in improving electronic conjugation and charge transfer, leading to higher SERS sensitivity.
- This research offers valuable insights for designing advanced SERS-active substrates.
