Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Wendai Cheng, Ping Tang, Xuanmeng He, Xinyue Xing, Shengde Liu, Feng Zhang, Xiaoxu Lu, Liyun Zhong
Summary: The synthesized Au/Ag composite-based SERS nanoprobe showed significant advantages in sensitivity and response speed for quantitative characterization of Cr3+ content. This nanoprobe might offer a new strategy for dynamic monitoring of Cr3+ content in human metabolism.
ANALYTICAL AND BIOANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
(2021)
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Ping Wen, Feng Yang, Chuang Ge, Shunbo Li, Yi Xu, Li Chen
Summary: An efficient nano-Ag/Au@Au film composite SERS substrate was proposed for the rapid detection of creatinine in human serum. Finite element simulation analysis and experimental results showed that the substrate had high enhancement factor and low limit of detection for R6G molecules. The label-free detection of human serum creatinine using the SERS substrate demonstrated a low LOD and high linear correlation coefficient, indicating its potential for disease biomarker detection.
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Zichen Yang, Guoqing Chen, Chaoqun Ma, Jiao Gu, Chun Zhu, Lei Li, Hui Gao
Summary: In this study, Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering (SERS) technology was applied to the detection of quinolone antibiotics, and a combination of magnetic COF-based SERS substrate and machine learning algorithms was used for their classification and quantification. The classification accuracy of the spectral dataset reached 100%. This provides a new method for the detection of antibiotics in dairy products.
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Xiaoxiao Zhou, Shouhui Chen, Yi Pan, Yuanfeng Wang, Naifeng Xu, Yanwen Xue, Xinlin Wei, Ying Lu
Summary: In order to improve the detection performance of surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS), a low-cost Au@Ag nanorods (Au@Ag NRs) substrate with a good SERS enhancement effect was developed and applied to the detection of malachite green (MG) in aquaculture water and crayfish. The developed Au@Ag NRs sensor showed a good signal enhancement effect and achieved a detection limit of 1.58 x 10(-9) M for MG in crayfish. This new tool provided stable SERS signal, uniform size and low cost for SERS signal enhancement and highly sensitive SERS detection method development.
Article
Spectroscopy
Zichen Yang, Chaoqun Ma, Jiao Gu, Yamin Wu, Chun Zhu, Lei Li, Hui Gao, Wenzhi Yin, Zirui Wang, Ye Zhang, Yunpeng Shang, Chengwei Wang, Guoqing Chen
Summary: A surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) method using Ag-COF material as substrate has been developed for the detection of benzoic acid in milk, showing high sensitivity and reliability. This method provides a new approach for the detection of benzoic acid in dairy products.
SPECTROCHIMICA ACTA PART A-MOLECULAR AND BIOMOLECULAR SPECTROSCOPY
(2022)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Sebin Augustine, Mahesh Saini, K. P. Sooraj, Basanta Kumar Parida, Sukriti Hans, Vivek Pachchigar, Biswarup Satpati, Mukesh Ranjan
Summary: Self-organized Ag nanoparticles arrays capped with Au layer are produced and show intermediate plasmonic properties. The optimized Au deposition decreases the interparticle gap and elongates the nanoparticles along the ripple direction, resulting in a larger redshift in the LSPR. The substrate exhibits good spatial uniformity and high SERS enhancement factors for both 532 nm and 785 nm lasers.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Yazhou Qin, Yuanzhao Wu, Binjie Wang, Jiye Wang, Weixun Yao
Summary: A simple method was developed to grow island-shaped gold nanoparticles on the surface of silver nanowires, creating Ag@Au NWs with combined advantages. By optimizing the density of gold nanoparticles on the Ag NWs surface, excellent uniformity and sensitivity of the SERS substrate were achieved. Furthermore, highly sensitive SERS detection of tropane alkaloids was realized by analyzing characteristic peaks in the obtained SERS spectra.
JOURNAL OF ALLOYS AND COMPOUNDS
(2021)
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Yating Feng, Jiaxue Dai, Chuyun Wang, Hongyang Zhou, Jianhua Li, Gang Ni, Maofeng Zhang, Youju Huang
Summary: In this study, a sandwich structure based on surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) was constructed, using AgNPs/Au@AgNRs, for the detection of perfluoro- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). The results showed that the AgNPs/Au@AgNRs structure enabled highly sensitive detection of PFAS, with the ability to quantitatively detect model molecules and a wide range of PFAS. The sensitivity could reach 0.1 ppm. This research has significant implications for environmental sustainability and human health protection.
ACS APPLIED NANO MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Sen Li, Defu He, Shuning Li, Ruipeng Chen, Yuan Peng, Shuang Li, Dianpeng Han, Yu Wang, Kang Qin, Shuyue Ren, Ping Chen, Zhixian Gao
Summary: In this study, a novel aptamer sensor based on magnetic separation and surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) was proposed for the sensitive and specific detection of trace BPA. The sensor showed high sensitivity and specificity through the pairing of the BPA aptamer and DNA. The proposed aptasensor is a promising biosensing platform for BPA detection.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Xueyan Bian, Jiangtao Xu, Jing Yang, Ka-lam Chiu, Shouxiang Jiang
Summary: In this study, silver (Ag) nanoparticles were deposited onto polyester fabric using a magnetron sputtering system. By controlling the argon flow rate and sputtering time, Ag particles of different sizes on the polyester substrate were produced, resulting in different SERS performances. The AP-200 SERS substrate exhibited high sensitivity, reproducibility, stability, and good reusability, with a limit of detection of 1 ppm for R6G collected from an irregular surface. The finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method was utilized to simulate the formation of hotspots between two Ag nanoparticles and explain the phenomenon of signal enhancement.
SURFACES AND INTERFACES
(2021)
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Yimin Fan, Tao Zhang, Zubo Cai, Dongxian Li, Weisheng Yue, Tiancheng Gong, Yunfei Luo, Ping Gao
Summary: Arrays of gold-silver bimetallic nanopillars were fabricated using surface-plasmon lithography and their enhancement properties as surface-enhanced Raman scattering substrates were studied. The nanopillars showed a good response in the detection of methylene blue molecules at a low concentration. The Au-Ag bimetallic coating exhibited higher SERS enhancement compared to pure Au or Ag coatings. This study demonstrates the potential of the fabricated SERS substrates for detecting biochemical molecules at trace levels, and surface-plasmon lithography as a promising method for fabricating SERS substrates.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Qiong Yang, Jingjing Wang, Haoran Wu, Shaoxiong Qin, Jiaqi Pan, Chaorong Li
Summary: In this study, a hierarchically rough CuO/Ag composite film with good SERS performance and recyclability was prepared by loading silver nanoparticles onto a copper oxide film with hierarchical micro/nanostructures. The CuO/Ag composite substrate can degrade surface adsorbed molecules under light irradiation, achieving self-cleaning and reusable. With the optimized composite film as the SERS active substrate, low detection limits for R6G and CV molecules were achieved. The hierarchical CuO/Ag composite film has great potential for efficient SERS sensors.
APPLIED SURFACE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Food Science & Technology
Menghu Liu, Muhammad Zareef, Afang Zhu, Wenya Wei, Huanhuan Li, Quansheng Chen
Summary: This study demonstrated the use of core-shell silver-coated gold nanorods to monitor Pb2+ in food. The results showed the accuracy and potential of this method for monitoring food quality and safety.
Article
Chemistry, Applied
Limei Yin, Tianyan You, Muhammad Arslan, Hesham R. El-Seedi, Zhiming Guo, Xiaobo Zou, Jianrong Cai
Summary: A SERS-based immunosensor was developed for the detection of Zearalenone (ZEN) in corn. The immunosensor utilized gold nanostars (AuNSs) modified with ZEN monoclonal antibodies as the capture probe, and core-shell structures loaded with Raman reporter molecules as the Raman signal probes. The method showed a detection range of 5 - 400 μg/kg for ZEN in corn samples, with a LOD of 3 μg/kg, meeting the requirement of maximum residual level. The results were consistent with the HPLC-FLD method.
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Chun -Sung Chang, Je-Chuang Wang, Kuo-Hui Wu
Summary: A simple and cost-effective method was developed to synthesize silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) and embed them on a flexible cotton swab (CS), using poly[N-(3-trimethoxysilylpropyl)diethylenetriamine] (PATS) as the capping agent for AgNPs. The CS-PATS-AgNPs substrate exhibited surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) properties and was used for the detection of chemical warfare agent simulants (CWAS). The results showed that a smartphone-based app system, combined with a Raman spectrometer, could rapidly detect and analyze the concentration changes of CWAS with high sensitivity, making it a practical and cost-effective detection method.
VIBRATIONAL SPECTROSCOPY
(2023)
Article
Electrochemistry
Lei Jin, Zhi-Hao Liang, Jia-Qiang Yang, An-Ni Zheng, Zhao-Yun Wang, Fang-Zu Yang, De-Yin Wu, Zhong-Qun Tian, Dongping Zhan
Summary: 5,5-Dimethylhydantoin (DMH), a heterocyclic compound, exhibits excellent complexation ability towards trivalent gold ions. The tautomeric structures of DMH in different pH solutions were investigated using theoretical calculations and Raman spectra. Results revealed that the ketonic form of DMH exists in weakly acidic and neutral solutions, while the enolic form is predominant in highly alkaline solutions. In a weakly alkaline medium (pH 9), a mixture of ketonic and enolic forms of DMH is observed. The coordination behavior between DMH and Au(III) in pH 9 medium was elucidated, with the N2-Au coordination structure being most stable.
ELECTROCHIMICA ACTA
(2023)
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Si-Yuan Guan, Zhuan-Yun Cai, Zi-Wei Ma, De-Yin Wu, Zhong-Qun Tian
Summary: This study investigates the Au-n-octanedithiol-Au molecular junction (Au-SC8S-Au) using density functional theory combined with the nonequilibrium Green's function approach. The relationship between the binding structures at the interface and the single-molecule quantum conductance of n-octanedithiol (SC8S) in a gold nanogap is established through theoretical calculations. Different models of Au-SC8S-Au nanogaps are designed to understand the electron transport mechanism in single molecular nanojunctions. The calculated results show variations in conductance and bond fractures depending on the specific model and bond strength.
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Yao-Hui Wang, Shunning Li, Ru-Yu Zhou, Shisheng Zheng, Yue-Jiao Zhang, Jin-Chao Dong, Zhi-Lin Yang, Feng Pan, Zhong-Qun Tian, Jian-Feng Li
Summary: In this study, a protocol combining in situ Raman spectroscopy and ab initio molecular dynamics (AIMD) simulations is proposed to unravel the directional molecular features of interfacial water. The procedures for preparing single-crystal electrodes, constructing a Raman enhancement mode with shell-isolated nanoparticles, and eliminating perturbations during in situ electrochemical Raman experiments are presented. The combination of spectroscopic measurements and AIMD simulation results provides a roadmap for deciphering the potential-dependent molecular orientation of water at the interface.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Yu-Jiao Xia-Hou, Yu Yu, Jun-Rong Zheng, Jun Yi, Jing Zhou, Ting-Xiao Qin, En-Ming You, Hai-Long Chen, Song-Yuan Ding, Li Zhang, Kai-Li Chang, Ke Chen, Martin Moskovits, Zhong-Qun Tian
Summary: This study proposes a novel method to achieve high near-field intensity in a wide range of infrared band using graphene coated manganous oxide microwires featuring hierarchical nanostructures. The near-field intensity and IR absorption of these microwires are significantly enhanced compared to microwires with smooth surfaces. The study demonstrates the potential of these microwires for vibrational sensing of small organic molecules and high photoresponse.
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Guo-yang Shi, Hao-ping Wu, Si-heng Luo, Xin-yu Lu, Bin Ren, Qian Zhang, Wei-qi Lin, Rui-yun Chen, Ping Guo, Hua-bin Chen, Zhong-qun Tian, Gui-fang Shao, Liu Yang, Guo-kun Liu
Summary: Deep learning models are widely used in the field of 1D spectroscopy due to their self-adaption and high accuracy. However, the lack of interpretability in deep learning models has been a challenge. Current visualization methods for 2D image data cannot accurately reflect the weights in 1D spectral data, which requires the consideration of position information.
ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Haipei Zhao, Xuehao Xiu, Mingqiang Li, Shaobo Dai, Mingyang Gou, Leyang Tao, Xiaolei Zuo, Chunhai Fan, Zhongqun Tian, Ping Song
Summary: Dynamic interactions of enzymes are important in regulating cellular metabolism. A super DNA-enzymes molecule was constructed for controlling and detecting metabolism. The programmable SDEM shows improved detection limit and reaction rate compared to free enzymes. The SDEM can be assembled and disassembled using a hairpin structure and a displacement DNA strand for multiple cycles. An entropically driven catalytic assembly enables quick switching between different SDEMs for detecting different metabolisms on demand.
ANGEWANDTE CHEMIE-INTERNATIONAL EDITION
(2023)
Article
Optics
Zhao-dong Meng, Zhong-qun Tian, Jun Yi
Summary: Tip-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (TERS) provides nanoscale topographic and chemical information with high sensitivity and spatial resolution, determined by the lightning-rod effect and local surface plasmon resonance (LSPR). Traditional 3D numerical simulations for optimizing TERS probe structure are resource-intensive, but a rapid theoretical method using inverse design can achieve effective optimization while reducing computational loading. By applying this method to a TERS probe, an order of magnitude improvement in enhancement factor (|E/E0|2) was observed compared to a parameter sweeping 3D simulation that would take around 7000 hours. This method shows promise for designing TERS probes, near-field optical probes, and optical antennas.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Ye-Chuang Han, Jun Yi, Beibei Pang, Ning Wang, Xu-Cheng Li, Tao Yao, Kostya S. Novoselov, Zhong-Qun Tian
Summary: A novel graphene-confined ultrafast radiant heating (GCURH) method is developed to synthesize high-loading metal cluster catalysts in microseconds, overcoming the trade-off between ultrasmall size and high loading. The graphene acts as a diffusion-constrained nanoreactor, providing kinetics-dominant and diffusion-constrained conditions for the synthesis of subnanometer metal clusters.
NATIONAL SCIENCE REVIEW
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Yu-Ling Zou, Qing-Man Liang, Taige Lu, Yao-Guang Li, Shiqiang Zhao, Jian Gao, Zi-Xian Yang, Anni Feng, Jia Shi, Wenjing Hong, Zhong-Qun Tian, Yang Yang
Summary: Single-molecule electronics enable miniaturization of electronic devices, but current experiments are limited to traditional molecular structures. We developed layer-by-layer single-molecule heterojunctions using single-layer graphene electrodes, called single-molecule two-dimensional van der Waals heterojunctions (M-2D-vdWHs), which can be defined by the thickness of the molecule. By controlling the electric field, we demonstrated reversible switching behavior of the M-2D-vdWHs. These results show that stacked M-2D-vdWHs, composed of single-layer 2D materials and a single molecule, can respond to electric field stimulus, offering potential for unprecedentedly small single-molecule devices.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Dai-Jian Su, Shi-Qin Xiang, Shu-Ting Gao, Yimin Jiang, Xiaohong Liu, Wei Zhang, Liu-Bin Zhao, Zhong-Qun Tian
Summary: In this study, the catalytic selectivity and product distribution of CO2 reduction on various metal surfaces were comprehensively investigated. The influence of reaction kinetics was analyzed based on the variation of reaction driving force and reaction resistance. External factors such as electrode potential and solution pH were found to further affect the CO2RR product distributions. A potential-mediated mechanism was discovered to determine the competing two-electron reduction products of CO2. Detailed kinetic simulations were conducted to identify the catalytic selectivity of different products. This kinetic study not only explains experimental results but also provides a fast screening method for catalysts.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Yue-Jiao Zhang, Huajie Ze, Ping-Ping Fang, Yi-Fan Huang, Andrzej Kudelski, Julia Fernandez-Vidal, Laurence J. Hardwick, Jacek Lipkowski, Zhong-Qun Tian, Jian-Feng Li
Summary: Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) is a highly sensitive technique for non-destructive detection at the single-molecule level. Shell-isolated nanoparticle-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SHINERS) overcomes the limitations of traditional SERS substrates and morphology, expanding the applications of SERS. This Primer provides an introduction to the origin and enhancement mechanism of SHINERS, and describes the experimental details, including the types and characterization of shell-isolated nanoparticles, experimental instruments, reproducibility, and data analysis. It also highlights recent advances and discusses the limitations and potential optimizations of SHINERS.
NATURE REVIEWS METHODS PRIMERS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Jun-Rong Zheng, En-Ming You, Yuan-Fei Hu, Jun Yi, Zhong-Qun Tian
Summary: Hot carriers injected into semiconductor enable below-bandgap photodetection, and the performance of hot carrier-based devices is related to the absorptivity of metal. Strategies such as surface plasmons, metamaterials, and optical cavities are used to enhance metal absorption, but narrow resonance bandwidth limits detection range. In this study, a purely planar hot-hole photodetector based on ultrathin gold film, an impedance-matched absorber, is designed. The device achieves high photoresponsivity and wide detection range, setting a new record for hot carrier photodetectors.
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Xu Jing, Zheng Hong, Xie Li-Fang, Lin Wei-Qi, Gao Jing, Xie Ze-Zhong, Chen Hong-Ju, Zeng Yong-Ming, Liu Guo-Kun, Tian Zhong-Qun
Summary: With the increasing public concern on food quality, the qualitative and quantitative analysis of trace banned substances in food is prospering in the field of food safety. A rapid and sensitive detection strategy for trace antibiotics in livestock was developed using surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy. The proposed SERS-based strategy showed accurate qualification and reliable quantitation compared to standard HPLC-MS/MS technique, providing a practical method for rapid detection of other similar substances in real samples.
CHINESE JOURNAL OF ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Yuan Fang, Ren Hu, Jin-Yu Ye, Hang Qu, Zhi-You Zhou, Sai Duan, Zhong-Qun Tian, Xin Xu
Summary: The detailed structure of the water layer in the inner Helmholtz plane of a solid/aqueous solution interface is critical for understanding the electrochemical and catalytic performances of electrode materials. In this study, the interfacial water structure was investigated with the specific adsorption of p-nitrobenzoic acid on Au(111) surface. It was found that the protruding infrared band observed in the electrochemical infrared spectra is attributed to the surface-enhanced stretching mode of water molecules hydrogen-bonded to the adsorbed p-nitrobenzoate ions. The structure of the water layer is determined by both hydrogen-bonding interactions and coverages of specifically adsorbed p-nitrobenzoate.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Chao Zhan, Jun Yi, Shu Hu, Xia-Guang Zhang, De-Yin Wu, Zhong-Qun Tian
Summary: Plasmon-mediated chemical reactions (PMCRs) utilize nanostructure-based surface plasmons to drive chemical reactions. This review outlines the primary considerations and techniques for designing and constructing plasmonic catalysts, as well as the typical methods used to characterize these catalysts and their reaction mechanisms.
NATURE REVIEWS METHODS PRIMERS
(2023)
