Near-infrared surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (NIR-SERS) for the identification of eosin Y: theoretical calculations and evaluation of two different nanoplasmonic substrates

Extraordinary approach to further boost plasmonic NIR-SERS by cryogenic temperature-suppressed non-radiative recombination

We report an effective strategy to promote the near-infrared surface-enhanced Raman scattering spectroscopy (NIR-SERS) activity by boosting the photon-induced charge transfer (PICT) efficiency at cryogenic temperature. Based on as-prepared Au/Ag nano-urchins (NUs) with abundant surface defects, the extremely low temperature (77 K) can significantly weaken the metallic lattice vibration and reduce the recombination of thermal phonons and photoexcited electrons, then accelerate the migration of energetic electrons. It enables the NIR-SERS detection limit of dye molecules to be achieved at 10^-17 M, which is nearly three orders of magnitude better than that at room temperature. The present work provides a new, to the best of our knowledge, approach for ultra-trace NIR-SERS bioanalysis.

Dyes of a Shadow Theatre: Investigating Tholu Bommalu Indian Puppets through a Highly Sensitive Multi-Spectroscopic Approach

Tholu Bommalu are typical leather puppets of the traditional Indian shadow theatre. Two of these objects are part of a collection in the International Puppets Museum “Antonio Pasqualino” (Palermo, Sicily, Italy), which can count on one hundred-seventy-three of artifacts. These Indian puppets were investigated to obtain information related to the use of dyes for their manufacturing through a multi-technical approach exploiting the combination of highly sensitive spectroscopic techniques. Wet cotton stubbons were used to entrap small particles of dyes on the fibers from the art objects for the consequent analyses. Visible Light Micro-Reflectance spectroscopy was employed for the preliminary identification of the molecular class of dyes directly on the swabs, while Surface Enhanced Raman Scattering allowed the identification of the specific dye. Several synthetic dyes belonging to different typologies of coloring compounds were identified. The study resulted in an interesting overview of dyes used in recent Tholu Bommalata manufacturing through the combination of micro-invasive techniques directly on the sampling substrate.

Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy for Molecule Characterization: HIM Investigation into Sources of SERS Activity of Silver-Coated Butterfly Scales

Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) is a powerful technique for obtaining structural information of molecules in solution at low concentrations. While commercial SERS substrates are available, high costs prevent their wide-spread use in the medical field. One solution is to prepare requisite noble metal nanostructures exploiting natural nanostructures. As an example of biomimetic approaches, butterfly wing scales with their intricate nanostructures have been found to exhibit exquisite SERS activity when coated with silver. Selecting appropriate scales from particular butterfly species and depositing silver of certain thicknesses leads to significant SERS activity. For morphological observations we used scanning electron microscopes as well as a helium ion microscope, highly suitable for morphological characterization of poorly conducting samples. In this paper, we describe a protocol for carrying out SERS measurements based on butterfly wing scales and demonstrate its LOD with a common Raman reporter, rhodamine 6 G. We also emphasize what special care is necessary in such measurements. We also try to shed light on what makes scales work as SERS substrates by carefully modifying the original nanostructures. Such a study allows us to either use scales directly as a raw material for SERS substrate or provides an insight as to what nanostructures need to be recreated for synthetic SERS substrates.

Adsorption of toxic dye Eosin Y from aqueous solution by clay/carbon composite derived from spent bleaching earth

The environmentally friendly clay/carbon composite (SBE/C) was prepared by one-step pyrolysis under N₂ atmosphere at 700°C of spent bleaching earth (SBE) from the industrial waste of the refined oil industry. SBE/C was tested to remove anionic dye Eosin Y from aqueous water. The results revealed that SBE/C had larger specific surface area than SBE, and the equilibrium adsorption capacity of SBE/C (11.15 mg/g) was about 3 times than that of SBE (4.04 mg/g). The adsorption process was found to be exothermic and spontaneous. The adsorption capacity of SBE/C was independent on pH (5-12), and exhibits satisfactorily recyclable performance. Combined with characterization analysis, the adsorption mechanism likely includes electrostatic interaction, hydrogen bonding, hydrophobic interaction, halogen bonding, and π-π interaction. Overall, this exploration of SBE/C might open a window to the design of an efficient and low-cost adsorbent for Eosin Y dye elimination from wastewater. PRACTITIONER POINTS: The resource utilization of industrial waste SBE was achieved. SBE/C was synthesized and tested to adsorb Eosin Y for the first time. SBE/C had characteristics with porous structure and large surface area. pH had little effect on adsorption capacity of SBE/C for Eosin Y. SBE/C exhibited potential for dye elimination from wastewater.

Eosin-Y and sulfur-codoped g-C3N4 composite for photocatalytic applications: the regeneration of NADH/NADPH and the oxidation of sulfide to sulfoxide

The successful development of eosin-Y and sulfur-codoped g-C3N4 composite as a highly efficient photocatalyst for the regeneration of NADH/NADPH (64.38%/81.14%) and the light-driven oxidation of sulfide to sulfoxide with an yield of 99.6%.

(Cu2O-Au) – Graphene - Au layered structures as efficient near Infra - Red SERS substrates

Near Infra-Red Surface Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (NIR SERS) has gained huge attention in recent years as the conventional visible SERS suffers from overwhelming fluorescence background from the fluorophore resulting in the masking of Raman signals. In this paper, we propose a novel multi-layered SERS substrate- (Cu₂O - Au) - Graphene – Au - for efficient NIR SERS applications. The proposed structure has a monolayer of Cu₂O - Au core-shell particles on a Au substrate with 1 nm thick graphene spacer layer. Mie simulations are used to optimize the aspect ratios of core-shell particles to shift their plasmon resonances to NIR region using MieLab software. Further, Finite Difference Time Domain (FDTD) simulations using Lumerical software are used for the design of the multiparticle layered SERS substrate as MieLab software works only for single particle systems. Designed structure is shown to provide high field enhancement factor of the order of 10⁸ at an excitation of 1064 nm thus ensuring the possibility of using the proposed structure as efficient NIR SERS substrate which could probably be used for various NIR sensing applications.

Surface enhanced Raman scattering of inorganic microcrystalline art pigments for systematic cultural heritage studies

The present work summarizes our experimental data on Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) of inorganic pigments. The effect of pigment type on Raman scattering enhancement was studied. The paper also describes the features of the SERS-active substrates used as well as the methods of sample preparation for SERS analysis of the pigments. The results of successful application of SERS and micro-SERS for art pigments identification in the canvas paintings and icons have been demonstrated. The techniques allowed us to clearly identify the composition of blue and green paint layers as well as grounds in the nine artworks. This lead to determination of the lower time limit of work creation, to dating of the restoration interventions, to distinguish red ochers from two different deposit sources of raw mineral. The enhancement of Raman scattering intensities allows to reduce significantly the amount of the sample being taken from artwork (up to 1 μg).

Print metallic nanoparticles on a fiber probe for 1064-nm surface-enhanced Raman scattering

This Letter presents 1064-nm surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) on an optical fiber probe, or 1064-nm-SERS-on-fiber. Metallic nanoparticles are printed on an optical fiber probe by using optothermal surface bubbles under ambient conditions. An optothermal surface bubble is a laser-induced micro-sized bubble that is formed on a solid-liquid interface. The SERS activity of the optical fiber probe for 1064-nm Raman microscopy is tested with rhodamine 6G in aqueous solution. The 1064-nm-SERS-on-fiber can reduce the fluorescent background noise that commonly exists in other Raman systems. It can also compensate for the decreased Raman signal due to the use of an infrared Raman laser. The 1064-nm-SERS-on-fiber will find potential applications in low-background-noise biosensing and endoscopy.

Aminofluoresceins Versus Fluorescein: Ascertained New Unusual Features of Tautomerism and Dissociation of Hydroxyxanthene Dyes in Solution

Within the course of this spectroscopic research, we revealed novel features of the protolytic behavior, which extend the knowledge of the chemistry of xanthene dyes and rationalize the utilization of these compounds. In addition to the well-known tautomerism of the molecular form, H₂R, of fluorescein dyes, new aspects of tautomeric transformation of anions are disclosed. First, for the dyes bearing the substituents in the phthalic acid residue, 4'- and 5'-aminofluoresceins and 4'-fluorescein isothiocyanate, the monoanion HR^- exists in non-hydrogen-bond donor solvents not only as a tautomer with the ionized carboxylic and nonionized OH group but also as a "phenolate" ion with a nonionized COOH group. Such state of HR^- ions is typical for dyes bearing halogen atoms or NO₂ groups in the xanthene moiety but was not observed until now in the case of substitution in the phthalic residue. Second, the possibility of the existence of the HR^- species in DMSO in the form of colorless lactone is deduced for the 5'-aminofluorescein using the visible and infrared spectra. This results in a dramatic difference in medium effects. For instance, whereas for fluorescein in DMSO, the inversion of the stepwise ionization constants takes place and the K_a1/K_a2 value equals 0.08, the same ratio for 5'-aminofluorescein is as high as ∼800. In addition, the pK_a values of sulfonefluorescein, erythrosin, methyl ether of fluorescein, and phenol red were obtained to verify the acidity scale in DMSO and to support the detailed scheme of protolytic equilibria of fluorescein dyes.

Recent Advances on the Analysis of Polychrome Works of Art: SERS of Synthetic Colorants and Their Mixtures With Natural Dyes

The development and application of proper sample pretreatments is often a key step toward the successful analysis of dyes used as artists' materials by surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS). Complexation of the organic colorants with metal ions to dye fabrics and produce lake pigments, as well as undesired interactions with other matrix components such as substrate, binding media, fillers, and extenders, are just some of the issues that typically complicate dye identification in minute samples from invaluable artworks and museum objects. These concerns may be addressed by using, prior to SERS analysis, ad-hoc sample pretreatments that, in addition to increasing the technique's sensitivity, favorably affect its selectivity toward certain molecules or molecular classes. The present work describes a newly developed sample pretreatment based on the use of nitric acid that has proven crucial for the successful detection of aniline and xanthene dyes–the first synthetic organic colorants to be used in printing and painting, among other art forms–in microscopic samples from works of art such as a 19th-century silk fabric, paper cut-outs by Henri Matisse, Vincent Van Gogh's Irises, and Japanese woodblock prints. This treatment promotes the hydrolysis of the dye-metal bond in mordant dyes or lake pigments, resulting in a more efficient adsorption of the dye molecules on the SERS-active substrate and, hence, enabling the acquisition of high-quality spectra. In the case of synthetic colorants, this method shows advantages over hydrolysis with hydrofluoric acid–a procedure previously established for the analysis of red lakes prepared from natural dyes. The nitric acid treatment presented here may be integrated into a multi-step methodology that, by exploiting differences in solubility of various dyes and lake pigments, has enabled for the first time to successfully characterize intentional mixtures of natural and synthetic colorants of the xanthene and anthraquinone molecular classes, i.e., eosin Y and carmine, in a selection of Japanese prints of the Meiji era. The present study paves the way for the systematic identification of synthetic dyes in objects of artistic and archeological interest, even when they are present in mixtures with natural organic colorants.

NIR-Active Plasmonic Gold Nanocapsules Synthesized Using Thermally Induced Seed Twinning for Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering Applications

Hollow and porous core-shell nanostructures with defined interior nanogaps are of great significance in the field of surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) applications because of the presence of intrinsic electromagnetic (EM) hot spots, multipolar resonances, and multiple facets. Further, nanomaterials having extinction in the near-infrared (NIR) region are particularly important for SERS and biomedical applications, and thus it is highly desirable to synthesize NIR-active plasmonic nanostructures. Herein, we report the synthesis of gold nanocapsules having a solid Au bead as core and a thin-porous rod-shaped shell with extinction in both NIR I and NIR II regions. Thermally induced twinned seeds were used for the silver-free synthesis of pentatwinned Au bead, which served as the foundation for the directed growth of Ag nanorods, which was finally converted to Au nanocapsules following galvanic replacement reaction (GRR). Detailed investigation was carried out to understand the effect of thermal treatment duration in the seed morphology and its subsequent growth to anisotropic Au beads. Ag overgrowth on Au beads yielded uniform Au-bead@Ag nanorods whose size can be tuned by varying the Ag precursor. Five different sized Au-bead@Ag nanorods were studied, and they were converted to Au nanocapsules following GRR. We explored the size-dependent SERS activity of the prepared Au nanocapsules along with their comparison with solid pentatwinned Au beads and found that the smallest sized Au nanocapsules were the best SERS performers. Finite-difference time-domain simulation revealed the presence of intense EM hot spots in the smallest sized Au nanocapsule and corroborated the experimental SERS data. Finally, we fabricated a simple flexible cellulose-based SERS substrate by using the smallest sized Au nanocapsules and investigated its SERS sensing ability for the detection of 2-napthalenethiol (2-NT), as a model analyte, and were able to achieve its detection down to 1 fM concentration.

Direct Chemical Synthesis of Plasmonic Black Colloidal Gold Superparticles with Broadband Absorption Properties

Self-assembly of plasmonic metal nanoparticles can provide an opportunity of creating colloidal superparticles with fascinating optical properties arising from interparticle plasmonic coupling, but typically requires multiple steps involving solvent and/or ligand exchange. We developed a direct, one-step chemical synthesis of plasmonic black colloidal Au superparticles with broadband absorption in visible and near-infrared regions. During the synthesis, the Au superparticles were formed through self-assembly of in-situ-formed Au nanoparticles driven by solvophobic interactions between nanoparticles and solvent. These superparticles could be solution-processed to fabricate a thin film, which exhibited near-perfect absorption over a broad range from 400 nm to 2.5 μm as well as the excellent antireflective property. Thanks to their broadband absorption property, the Au superparticles showed good performances for near-infrared surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy and light-to-heat conversion.

Plasmonic colloidal pastes for surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) of historical felt-tip pens

Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) has been identified as a suitable technique for the analysis of colorants in works of art. Herein, the application of SERS to the identification of dye compositions in historical felt-tip pens is reported, which is of paramount importance for the development of appropriate conservation protocols for historical drawings. In this study, three pens (pink, green, and blue colors) belonging to the film director Federico Fellini were analyzed. SERS measurements were performed directly on the pen lines drawn on a commercial paper by the deposition of Ag colloidal pastes, which allowed fast in situ dye identification without the need for extraction or hydrolysis treatments. Eosin Y was identified as the only dye present in the pink pen ink, whereas erioglaucine was found to be the main dye component in green and blue pen inks. SERS also resulted in highly efficient identification of the individual dyes erioglaucine, crystal violet, and rhodamine present as a mixture in the blue pen ink. The high SERS sensitivity was ascribed to the plasmonic effects and efficient quenching of the fluorescence interference of dyes. A comparison with contemporary pen inks highlighted minor differences in the chemical composition. These results prove that SERS can be used as a fast and sensitive analytical tool for ink analysis that provides invaluable support for the general assessment of the date, provenance, and originality of the historical drawings as well as for the development of preventive conservation protocols.

SERS analysis performed with silver nanopastes allowed in situ identification of dye compositions of the historical felt-tip pens used by Federico Fellini.

Probing Intermolecular Vibrational Symmetry Breaking in Self-Assembled Monolayers with Ultrahigh Vacuum Tip-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy

Ultrahigh vacuum tip-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (UHV-TERS) combines the atomic-scale imaging capability of scanning probe microscopy with the single-molecule chemical sensitivity and structural specificity of surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy. Here, we use these techniques in combination with theory to reveal insights into the influence of intermolecular interactions on the vibrational spectra of a N-N'-bis(2,6-diisopropylphenyl)-perylene-3,4:9,10-bis(dicarboximide) (PDI) self-assembled monolayer adsorbed on single-crystal Ag substrates at room temperature. In particular, we have revealed the lifting of a vibrational degeneracy of a mode of PDI on Ag(111) and Ag(100) surfaces, with the most strongly perturbed mode being that associated with the largest vibrational amplitude on the periphery of the molecule. This work demonstrates that UHV-TERS enables direct measurement of molecule-molecule interaction at nanoscale. We anticipate that this information will advance the fundamental understanding of the most important effect of intermolecular interactions on the vibrational modes of surface-bound molecules.

Spontaneous Formation of Fractal Aggregates of Au Nanoparticles in Epoxy-Siloxane Films and Their Application as Substrates for NIR Surface Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy

We present a facile, inexpensive route to free-standing, thermo-mechanically robust and flexible epoxy-siloxane substrates embedded with fractal aggregates of Au nanoparticles, and demonstrate their efficiency as substrates for surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) at NIR wavelengths. The metallodielectric films are prepared by generating Au nanoparticles through the in-situ reduction of gold (III) chloride trihydrate in epoxypropoxypropyl terminated polydimethyl siloxane (EDMS). The metal nanoparticles spontaneously aggregate into fractal structures in the colloid, which could then be drop-cast onto a substrate. Subsequent UV-initiated cationic polymerization of epoxide moieties in EDMS transforms the fluid colloid into a thin, free-standing film, which contains a dense distribution of fractal aggregates of Au nanoparticles. We used electron and optical microscopy as well as UV⁻Vis⁻NIR spectrometry to monitor the evolution of nanoparticles and to optically and structurally characterize the resulting films. Raman spectroscopy of the chromophore Eosin Y adsorbed onto the metallodielectric films showed that they are excellent SERS substrates at NIR excitation with an enhancement factor of ~9.3 × 10³.

Near infrared surface-enhanced Raman scattering based on star-shaped gold/silver nanoparticles and hyperbolic metamaterial

It is desirable to extend the surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) from the conventionally used visible range into the infrared region, because the fluorescence background is lower in the long-wavelength regime. To do this, it is important to have a SERS substrate suitable for infrared operation. In this work, we report the near infrared SERS operation based on the substrates employing star-shaped gold/silver nanoparticles and hyperbolic metamaterial (HMM) structure. We first fabricate the SERS substrate in which nanoparticles are separated from a silver film by a thin dielectric layer. Performance of the SERS substrate is investigated with a 1064-nm excitation source. Compared with similar silver film-based substrates employing respectively gold and silver spherical nanoparticles, it is found that, Raman intensity scattered by the substrate with star-shaped nanoparticles is 7.4 times stronger than that with gold nanoparticles, and 3.4 times stronger than that with silver nanoparticles. Following this, we fabricate the SERS substrate where the star-shaped nanoparticles are deposited over a HMM structure. The HMM structure comprises three pairs of germanium-silver multilayers. Further experimental result shows that, with the star-shaped nanoparticles, the HMM-based substrate yields 30% higher Raman intensity for near infrared SERS operation than the silver film-based substrate does.

"Paintings Fade Like Flowers": Pigment Analysis and Digital Reconstruction of a Faded Pink Lake Pigment in Vincent van Gogh's Undergrowth with Two Figures

Color fading in Vincent van Gogh's Undergrowth with Two Figures was studied chemically to facilitate the creation of a digital reconstruction of fugitive colors . The painting contains a field of white, green, orange, and yellow flowers under a canopy of poplar trees with two central figures-a man and a woman, arms entwined. From Van Gogh's letters, however, it is known that he painted the picture with some pink flowers, which appear to have altered, presumably to white. Raman spectroscopy was applied to microsamples of paint to identify the faded pigment as geranium lake, which in this painting consists of the dye, eosin (2',4',5',7'-tetrabromofluorescein). For the first time, lead(II) sulfate has been specifically identified as the likely inorganic substrate for a geranium lake used by Van Gogh in the last months of his life. Microfocus X-ray fluorescence (MXRF) spectroscopy was subsequently used in situ to analyze the white flowers to identify bromine as a proxy for eosin, thus indicating an original pink coloration. Of the 387 white flowers analyzed, 37.7% contained measurable bromine and were, therefore, originally pink. Several cross-sections from these formerly pink areas were assessed using a combination of visual inspection and microcolorimetry to create a colored mask in Adobe Photoshop to digitally reconstruct a suggestion of the original appearance of the painting with regard to the faded flowers. Additionally, microfadeometry was undertaken for the first time on a painting cross-section sample to understand the actual fading kinetics of the underlying bright pink geranium lake used by Van Gogh. A combination of Raman microspectroscopy, MXRF, and scanning electron microscopy energy dispersive spectroscopy (SEM-EDS) were utilized in situ and on paint microsamples to identify the complete palette used to create Undergrowth with Two Figures.

Core-Shell Nanoparticle-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy

Core-shell nanoparticles are at the leading edge of the hot research topics and offer a wide range of applications in optics, biomedicine, environmental science, materials, catalysis, energy, and so forth, due to their excellent properties such as versatility, tunability, and stability. They have attracted enormous interest attributed to their dramatically tunable physicochemical features. Plasmonic core-shell nanomaterials are extensively used in surface-enhanced vibrational spectroscopies, in particular, surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS), due to the unique localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) property. This review provides a comprehensive overview of core-shell nanoparticles in the context of fundamental and application aspects of SERS and discusses numerous classes of core-shell nanoparticles with their unique strategies and functions. Further, herein we also introduce the concept of shell-isolated nanoparticle-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SHINERS) in detail because it overcomes the long-standing limitations of material and morphology generality encountered in traditional SERS. We then explain the SERS-enhancement mechanism with core-shell nanoparticles, as well as three generations of SERS hotspots for surface analysis of materials. To provide a clear view for readers, we summarize various approaches for the synthesis of core-shell nanoparticles and their applications in SERS, such as electrochemistry, bioanalysis, food safety, environmental safety, cultural heritage, materials, catalysis, and energy storage and conversion. Finally, we exemplify about the future developments in new core-shell nanomaterials with different functionalities for SERS and other surface-enhanced spectroscopies.

Metal-Particle-Decorated ZnO Nanocrystals: Photocatalysis and Charge Dynamics

Understanding of charge transfer processes is determinant to the performance optimization for semiconductor photocatalysts. As a representative model of composite photocatalysts, metal-particle-decorated ZnO has been widely employed for a great deal of photocatalytic applications; however, the dependence of charge carrier dynamics on the metal content and metal composition and their correlation with the photocatalytic properties have seldom been reported. Here, the interfacial charge dynamics for metal-decorated ZnO nanocrystals were investigated and their correspondence with the photocatalytic properties was evaluated. The samples were prepared with a delicate antisolvent approach, in which ZnO nanocrystals were grown along with metal particle decoration in a deep eutectic solvent. By modulating the experimental conditions, the metal content (from 0.6 to 2.3 at%) and metal composition (including Ag, Au, and Pd) in the resulting metal-decorated ZnO could be readily controlled. Time-resolved photoluminescence spectra showed that an optimal Au content of 1.3 at% could effectuate the largest electron transfer rate constant for Au-decorated ZnO nanocrystals, in conformity with the highest photocatalytic efficiency observed. The relevance of charge carrier dynamics to the metal composition was also inspected and realized in terms of the energy level difference between ZnO and metal. Among the three metal-decorated ZnO samples tested, ZnO-Pd displayed the highest photocatalytic activity, fundamentally according with the largest electron transfer rate constant deduced in carrier dynamics measurements. The current work was the first study to present the correlations among charge carrier dynamics, metal content, metal composition, and the resultant photocatalytic properties for semiconductor/metal heterostructures. The findings not only helped to resolve the standing issues regarding the mechanistic foundation of photocatalysis but also shed light on the intelligent design of semiconductor/metal composite systems to consolidate their utility in photocatalytic fields.

Nanoscale Chemical Imaging of a Dynamic Molecular Phase Boundary with Ultrahigh Vacuum Tip-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy

Nanoscale chemical imaging of a dynamic molecular phase boundary has broad implications for a range of problems in catalysis, surface science, and molecular electronics. While scanning probe microscopy (SPM) is commonly used to study molecular phase boundaries, its information content can be severely compromised by surface diffusion, irregular packing, or three-dimensional adsorbate geometry. Here, we demonstrate the simultaneous chemical and structural analysis of N-N'-bis(2,6-diisopropylphenyl)-1,7-(4'-t-butylphenoxy)perylene-3,4:9,10-bis(dicarboximide) (PPDI) molecules by UHV tip-enhanced Raman spectroscopy. Both condensed and diffusing domains of PPDI coexist on Ag(100) at room temperature. Through comparison with time-dependent density functional theory simulations, we unravel the orientation of PPDI molecules at the dynamic molecular domain boundary with unprecedented ∼4 nm spatial resolution.

Achieving optimal SERS through enhanced experimental design

One of the current limitations surrounding surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) is the perceived lack of reproducibility. SERS is indeed challenging, and for analyte detection, it is vital that the analyte interacts with the metal surface. However, as this is analyte dependent, there is not a single set of SERS conditions that are universal. This means that experimental optimisation for optimum SERS response is vital. Most researchers optimise one factor at a time, where a single parameter is altered first before going onto optimise the next. This is a very inefficient way of searching the experimental landscape. In this review, we explore the use of more powerful multivariate approaches to SERS experimental optimisation based on design of experiments and evolutionary computational methods. We particularly focus on colloidal-based SERS rather than thin film preparations as a result of their popularity. © 2015 The Authors. Journal of Raman Spectroscopy published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Ionization and tautomerism of methyl fluorescein and related dyes

The protolytic equilibrium of methyl ether of fluorescein is studied in water, aqueous ethanol, and in other solvents. The constants of the two-step dissociation are determined by spectrophotometry. In water, the fractions of the zwitterionic, quinonoid, and lactonic tautomes are correspondingly 11%, 6%, and 83%, as deduced from the UV-visible spectra. Corresponding study of the ionization of the methyl ether ester of fluorescein, fluorescein ethyl ester, and sulfonefluorescein allows testing the correction of the attribution of the microscopic dissociation constants of methoxy fluorescein. The results of nuclear magnetic resonance and infrared spectroscopy, as well as the X-ray analysis confirm the predomination of the lactonic structure of the molecular species in solid state and in DMSO. Contrary to it, the spectroscopic studies in both hydrogen-donor bond (HDB) and non-HBD solvents confirm that the presence of lactonic monoanion is atypical for the dye under study and, with high probability, also for the mother compound fluorescein.

Biotags Based on Surface-Enhanced Raman Can Be as Bright as Fluorescence Tags

Surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) is a powerful analytical technique that has been proposed as a substitute for fluorescence for biological imaging and detection but is not yet commercially utilized. The reason lies primarily in the lower intensity and poor reproducibility of most metal nanoparticle-based tags as compared to their fluorescence-based counterparts. Here, using a technique that scrupulously preserves the same number of dye molecules in both the SERS and fluorescence measurements, we show that SERS-based biotags (SBTs) with highly reproducible optical properties can be nanoengineered such that their brightness is at least equal to that of fluorescence-based tags.

Nanoparticle properties and synthesis effects on surface-enhanced Raman scattering enhancement factor: an introduction

Raman spectroscopy has enabled researchers to map the specific chemical makeup of surfaces, solutions, and even cells. However, the inherent insensitivity of the technique makes it difficult to use and statistically complicated. When Raman active molecules are near gold or silver nanoparticles, the Raman intensity is significantly amplified. This phenomenon is referred to as surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS). The extent of SERS enhancement is due to a variety of factors such as nanoparticle size, shape, material, and configuration. The choice of Raman reporters and protective coatings will also influence SERS enhancement. This review provides an introduction to how these factors influence signal enhancement and how to optimize them during synthesis of SERS nanoparticles.

Incident angle-tuned, broadband, ultrahigh-sensitivity plasmonic antennas prepared from nanoparticles on imprinted mirrors

We have used a direct imprint-in-metal method that is cheap and rapid to prepare incident angle-tuned, broadband, ultrahigh-sensitivity plasmonic antennas from nanoparticles (NPs) and imprinted metal mirrors. By changing the angle of incidence, the nanoparticle-imprinted mirror antennas (NIMAs) exhibited broadband electromagnetic enhancement from the visible to the near-infrared (NIR) regime, making them suitable for use as surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS)-active substrates. Unlike other SERS-active substrates that feature various structures with different periods or morphologies, the NIMAs achieved broadband electromagnetic enhancement from single configurations. The enhancement of the electric field intensity in the NIMAs originated from coupling between the localized surface plasmon resonance of the NPs and the periodic structure-excited surface plasmon resonance (SPR) of the imprinted mirror. Moreover, the coupling wavelengths could be modulated because the SPR wavelength was readily tuned by changing the angle of the incident light. Herein, we demonstrate that such NIMAs are robust substrates for visible and NIR surface-enhanced resonance Raman scattering under multiple laser lines (532, 633, and 785 nm) of excitation. In addition, we have found that NIMAs are ultrasensitive SERS-active substrates that can detect analytes (e.g., rhodamine 6G) at concentrations as low as 10(-15) M.

Mussel-inspired plasmonic nanohybrids for light harvesting

Core-shell plasmonic nanohybrids are synthesized through a simple solutionbased process utilizing mussel-inspired polydopamine (PDA). The multi-purpose PDA not only facilitates plasmonic metal formation, but also serves as a scaffold to incorporate photosensitizers around the metal cores, as well as an adhesive between the nanohybrids and the substrate. The resulting plasmonic assembly exhibits highly enhanced light absorption in photo catalytic systems to augment artificial photosynthesis.