Fabrication of Au-Nanoparticle-Decorated Cu Mesh/Cu(OH)2@HKUST-1 Nanorod Arrays and Their Applications in Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering

Abstract

Here we report a simple fabrication method for large-scale hybrid surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) active substrates composed of Au-nanoparticle-decorated three-dimensional (3D) Cu(OH)2@HKUST-1 (Cu3(btc)2, H3btc = 1,3,5-benzenetricarboxylic acid) nanorod arrays on a woven Cu mesh (Cu mesh/Cu(OH)2@HKUST-1@Au). Cu(OH)2 nanorods were first obtained from a simple in situ chemical engraving Cu mesh and then utilized as self-sacrificing templates to achieve HKUST-1 nanocube-assembled nanorods; finally, Au nanoparticles (Au NPs) were sputtered onto the Cu(OH)2@HKUST-1 nanorods. Due to the large surface area, the three-dimensional Cu mesh/Cu(OH)2@HKUST-1 nanorods could load high-density Au NPs and capture target detection molecules, which is beneficial to the formation of a strong electromagnetic field coupling between Au NPs, and provides abundant “hot spots” for a sensitive and uniform SERS effect. Using the Cu mesh/Cu(OH)2@HKUST-1@Au nanorod arrays as the SERS substrate, 10−9 M Rhodamine 6G and 10−8 M 4-aminothiophenolcan were identified. To verify their practical application, the fabricated arrays were employed as SERS substrates for the detection of thiram, and 10−8 M thiram could be recognized. The hybrid SERS substrates show potential applications in the field of environmental pollutant detection and this is of great significance to the sustainable development of the environment.