Stable and Recyclable SERS Substrates Based on Au-Loaded PET Nanocomposite Superhydrophobic Surfaces

Abstract

Novel surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrates with stable and recyclable properties have been prepared by assembling gold nanoparticles-loaded PET (AuNPs/PET) nanocomposite superhydrophobic surfaces. After a physical vapor deposition process, the AuNPs/PET surfaces with vast plasmonic “hot spots” showed superhydrophobic properties, and it can hold target molecules droplets for rapid SERS detection. From blown off droplets and rinsed substrates with water after detection, we found that no probe molecules remained on the surfaces from Raman spectra. The prepared substrates were not contaminated in the detection process. Furthermore, the new SERS substrates were used for rapidly detecting droplets of crystal violet (CV) and the lowest detection concentration was about [Formula: see text] M. The as-prepared AuNPs/PET substrates also have good performance in terms of reproducibility and recyclability.