Detecting explosive molecules from nanoliter solution: A new paradigm of SERS sensing on hydrophilic photonic crystal biosilica.

ABSTRACT: We demonstrate a photonic crystal biosilica surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrate based on a diatom frustule with in-situ synthesized silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) to detect explosive molecules from nanoliter (nL) solution. By integrating high density Ag NPs inside the nanopores of diatom biosilica, which is not achievable by traditional self-assembly techniques, we obtained ultra-high SERS sensitivity due to dual enhancement mechanisms. First, the hybrid plasmonic-photonic crystal biosilica with three dimensional morphologies was obtained by electroless-deposited Ag seeds at nanometer sized diatom frustule surface, which provides high density hot spots as well as strongly coupled optical resonances with the photonic crystal structure of diatom frustules. Second, we discovered

SUBMITTER: Kong X 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5371024 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature