Uniform arrangement of gold nanoparticles on magnetic core particles with a metal-organic framework shell as a substrate for sensitive and reproducible SERS based assays: Application to thequantitation of Malachite Green and thiram

Magnetite (Fe3O4) spheres acting as a core were evenly decorated with gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) and coated with a shell of a metal organic framework (MOF) of type MIL-100(Fe). The resulting hybrid nanomaterial of type Fe3O4-Au@MIL-100(Fe) hybrid is shown to be a viable new SERS substrate. The integration of magnetic core, build-in plasmonic gold nanoparticles and a MOF shell endows the Fe3O4-Au@MIL-100(Fe) with highly efficient magnetic separation and enrichment ability, abundant interparticle hotspots, and significant chemical enhancement effect. This leads to a large enhancement, and greatly improved reproducibility of the SERS signals as shown for Malachite Green (MG) and the fungicide thiram. MG in solution can be quantified with a 50-fold lower detection limit (0.14nM for peak at 1398cm(-1)) and largely improved reproducibility (RSD=9%, 1398cm(-1)) when compared to the use of (a) AuNPs anchored on MIL-100(Fe) (RSD=27%, 1186cm(-1)), or (b) AuNPs embedded in MIL-100(Fe) (RSD=36%, 1398cm(-1)). The method was applied to the quantitation of MG and thiram in spiked water samples. The lower limits of detection are 4.4nM for MG (1398cm(-1)) and 15nM for thiram (1380cm(-1)), respectively, and signals' RSDs are 13% (1398cm(-1)) and 5% (1380cm(-1)) for MG and thiram, respectively. The substrate is recyclable.