A novel sandwich of smart nano-materials could now help detect harmful chemicals including explosives like TNT and RDX even at trace levels. It holds promise in areas like airport security and environmental pollution monitoring.
In recent years, numerous methods have emerged to detect harmful chemicals that impact our daily lives. Among them, surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) has stood out for its exceptional sensitivity and reliability. SERS works by amplifying the molecular ¡°fingerprint¡± signals of chemicals, allowing for precise identification even at extremely low concentrations.
Noble metals like gold and silver have traditionally been vital for signal enhancement. However, the high cost of gold and the poor long-term stability of silver and remain significant obstacles to their commercial viability.
Researchers from the Centre for Nano and Soft Matter Sciences (CeNS), Bengaluru, an autonomous institute under the Department of Science and Technology (DST), have developed an innovative multi-layer nanomaterial combining reduced graphene oxide (rGO), silver nanoparticles (Ag) and cerium oxide (CeO©ü) on a glass substrate. Each layer contributes a specific function. The team fabricated the composite material using physical vapor deposition techniques, resulting in a uniform and scalable sensing platform.