APPLIED SURFACE SCIENCE
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2026
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IF 6.6
Yang Chen,Ning Ma,Xiaolian Liu,Zihao Liu,Shengyu Ling,Can Li,Yinyan Gong,Lengyuan Niu
The development of semiconductor-based surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrates is often hindered by their limited sensitivity. Crystal facet engineering has been recognized as an effective strategy to improve the SERS performance of semiconductors. However, the underlying mechanism by which different exposed facets influence SERS activity in bimetallic oxide systems remains unexplored. In this study, we successfully synthesized NiCo 2 O 4 and ZnCo 2 O 4 bimetallic oxides with distinct exposed facets by regulating the alkali source. When evaluated using 4-Nitrothiophenol (4-NBT) as a probe molecule, the {110} facet demonstrated the highest SERS activity in both oxide systems. The enhancement factors (EF) reached 5.56 × 10 4 for NiCo 2 O 4 and 7.41 × 10 4 for ZnCo 2 O 4 . The limit of detection (LOD) was as low as 10 −7 M and 10 −8 M, respectively, as well as the excellent repeatability and stability. Energy level structure reveals that the superior SERS properties on the {110} facet can attributed to their higher VB maxima, which enhances the thermodynamic driving force and kinetic efficiency of the interfacial charge transfer (CT) process. Moreover, first-principles calculations further illustrate that the CT efficiency on the {110} facet can be effectively improved. This work provides a clear new direction for designing high-performance semiconductor SERS substrates through precise facet control.
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ANALYTICA CHIMICA ACTA
·
2026
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IF 6.1
Kangzhe Cao,Fan Zhang,Jiakun Zhang,Jinjin Fu,Ping Lu,Jun-Tao Cao,Huiqiao Liu
Background MicroRNA-21 (miRNA-21) has emerged as a promising biomarker for early cancer diagnosis, yet its accurate quantification in complex biological matrices remains a significant challenge. Conventional SERS-based biosensors are inherently susceptible to non-specific adsorption of biomolecules and probe tags, which generates substantial background interference and severely compromises the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and detection fidelity. While various signal amplification strategies have been extensively explored, the critical issue of actively suppressing non-specific noise at the sensing interface has been largely overlooked, necessitating innovative approaches that can simultaneously enhance specific signals and minimize background interference. Results We develop an electrokinetic SERS biosensor that actively modulates the SNR through two sequential voltage-gated steps in a sandwich-structured detection format. A positive potential preconcentrates the negatively charged miRNA-21 targets and SERS probes at the electrode interface, significantly increasing their local concentration and accelerating specific hybridization kinetics, while a subsequent reverse potential acts as an electrostatic filter to selectively desorb non-specifically adsorbed probes, effectively purifying the sensing interface. This synergistic combination of preconcentration and separation efficiently decouples specific signals from non-specific interference, achieving a wide linear detection range from 1.0 × 10 −15 to 1.0 × 10 −10 M with an ultralow detection limit of 0.48 fM. The biosensor exhibits excellent selectivity in discriminating single-base mismatches and demonstrates robust analytical performance in human serum samples, with recoveries ranging from 95.4% to 104%. Significance This work introduces a novel paradigm for high-fidelity SERS biosensing by actively tuning the SNR through precise dual-action electrokinetic control. The strategy offers a generalizable, enzyme-free solution to the challenge of non-specific adsorption, critically enhancing both detection accuracy and practical applicability in complex biological matrices. The electrokinetic approach provides a versatile platform for reliable biomolecular analysis.
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Nature Communications
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2026
·
IF 18.1
Zhang Mengya,Yu Tongcheng,Liu Hao,Lin Chao,Yang Yaping,Lv Bowen,Zhang Qi,Chen Ming,Wang Tianshuai,Hua Weihong,Han Kai
Monitoring the evolution of molecules during photo and thermal synergistically induced physical and chemical processes is of paramount interest in fields including chemical, material, and energy research. Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) is a highly promising technology in this regard, offering advantages of sensitivity, real-time, and label-free detection. However, the application of conventional SERS in high-temperature environments has faced challenges due to the inevitable loss of activity and decline in sensitivity. Herein, we synthesize Au-TiO 2 nanoarrays as SERS substrates, and an anomalous enhancement of Raman signal with increasing temperature is observed. The signal intensity increases by 11.41 times at 180 °C compared to that at 22 °C. This high-temperature enhancement in Raman activity is attributed to an underlying mechanism: heat-assisted hot-hole transfer, which enables 785 nm photon-induced hot-hole transfer from Au to TiO 2 . Our work expands the application of the SERS technique for high-temperature chemical analysis and molecular diagnostics.
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Surfaces and Interfaces
·
2026
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IF 6
Xun Wang,Yan Yang,Hanhui Xie,Kai Xu,Xinlei Yao,Li Liang,Biyun Shi,Weidong Dou
Surface Enhanced Raman Scattering (SERS) substrates with high sensitivity and uniformity have been achieved using metallic plasmonic nanostructure arrays. There is a growing demand for cost-effective, ordered SERS-active nanostructures in portable detection. This study presents an efficient strategy for scalable fabricating low-cost, highly sensitive SERS substrates through a hot-electron-assisted reduction mechanism. Two sequential steps are involved: first, depositing an Au film onto an anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) template to create a 3D plasmonic nanostructure; second, in situ formation of Ag nanoparticles on the Au-coated AAO via plasmon-induced hot-electron reduction of silver nitrate under light excitation, eliminating the need for additional heating. The composite substrate demonstrates a 10⁴-fold Raman enhancement for low-concentration Rhodamine B detection, with a relative standard deviation of merely 2.3–4.7%. Moreover, a favorable linear relationship between the logarithm of SERS intensity (LogI) and logarithm of Rhodamine 6 G concentration (LogC) is observed with the Coefficient of Determination (R 2 ) reaching 0.99. It also serves as an effective catalytic template for 4-nitrobenzenethiol photoreactions, monitored via SERS spectral changes. Benefiting from distinct plasmonic signal enhancement, the Ag–Au/AAO substrate is competent for diverse analytical tasks, ranging from standard dye probes and trace paraquat pesticides to clinical clozapine pharmaceuticals, demonstrating broad applicability in environmental and biomedical sensing. Download: Download high-res image (298KB) Download: Download full-size image
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ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
·
2026
·
IF 7.3
Runzi Zhang,Shunbi Xie,Xiaoyu Yang,Wanyi Xiong,Yi He
Currently, surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) biosensors face practical challenges, including SERS substrate waste and unsatisfactory detection results. Accordingly, the highly efficient and regenerable SERS substrate HOF@Au was collaborated with a target-triggered identifying-cleaving-rolling-assembly cycling nanodevice (ICRACN) as a cascade signal amplification system to achieve an ultrasensitive detection of roxithromycin (RXM). In this system, abundant Au nanoparticles (NPs) were reduced in situ on the surface of alkali-resistant HOF-102 to form a uniform and high-enhancement SERS substrate HOF@Au, thereby enhancing the accuracy and stability of the sensor. Furthermore, aptamer-mediated specific recognition, efficient cleavage activity of DNA nanorollers, and a pH-responsive DNA triplex structure were engineered to construct ICRACN. In the presence of the target, it was specifically recognized by the aptamer, leading to the activation of the DNAzyme. Meanwhile, the dynamic nanorollers were triggered to initiate cleavage of a specific site along a defined pathway, enabling highly efficient signal amplification. Concurrently, the triplex structure formed by the two single-stranded DNA atoms on the SERS substrate was opened, allowing the capture of the SERS tag and generating a pronounced SERS signal. The proposed strategy achieved the sensitive detection of RXM with a low limit of detection of 3.97 × 10–14 mol/L. Moreover, modulation of pH induced reversible folding and unfolding of the triplex structure to facilitate regeneration of the SERS substrate, which simplified operational procedures and reduced detection costs. As a result, this work presents a novel, regenerable SERS biosensor and offers valuable insights into the design of multifunctional sensing platforms for analytical applications.
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ANALYTICA CHIMICA ACTA
·
2025
·
IF 6
Jingjing Wang,Waqas Ahmad,Yuzhen Liang,Yi Xu,Tianhui Jiao,Peipei Qi,Xingyu Lin,Quansheng Chen
Background Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) amplifies Raman signals via localized fields on nanostructured metallic substrates. The fabrication of efficient substrates remains challenging, as nanolithography and templating are complex, while chemical reduction and self-assembly often suffer from low reproducibility and limited stability. Results A rapid electrochemical deposition strategy is reported to synthesize gold hexagonal nanostar by precise modulation of particle size and spacing. The formation process is governed by a voltage-dependent balance between Au + ion reduction kinetics and diffusion. Low overpotentials limit growth to small tip-localized features, while moderate potentials (−0.60 to −0.65 V) accelerate lateral expansion, increasing diameter and reducing spacing. At higher overpotentials (−0.70 to −0.75 V), diffusion-consumption imbalance drives vertical growth, widening spacing despite limited diameter gain. By programming deposition voltages and intervals, the gold hexagonal nanostars were tuned to an optimal diameter of 141.22 nm and an interparticle spacing of 14.72 nm. The resulting three-dimensional nanostructures generated abundant electromagnetic “hot spots,” with a 44-fold SERS improvement over conventional counterparts. The substrates exhibited excellent signal uniformity with a relative standard deviation as low as 4.27 %. The electrochemically active surface area via gold oxide stripping reaction, absorption rate and theoretical simulations were also computed. Significance The engineered SERS substrate was successfully administered for direct ultrasensitive detection of malachite green and levofloxacin with high recovery rates in real fish and aquaculture samples. This template-free, programmable approach provides a scalable pathway for constructing high-performance SERS substrates, offering significant potential for applications in food safety monitoring and environmental analysis.
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FOOD CHEMISTRY
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2025
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IF 9.8
Xiaohui Wang,Yuqi Wan,Jingkun Li,Yukihiro Ozaki,Jiahua Wang,Fuwei Pi
Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) has extraordinary potential in detecting hydrogen sulfide (H 2 S) gas molecules due to its high sensitivity and specificity. However, constructing SERS substrates with strong Raman signal enhancement effects has been a major challenge. In this study, a gold/silver nanostars (Au/Ag NSs) islands chip was developed, leveraging the phenomenon that the SERS enhancement can be significantly improved by patterning plasmonic metals with micro/nanostructures. Compared to the SERS mapping spectrogram of the conventional homogeneous Au/Ag NSs chip, uniform and dense hot spots were formed on the surface of the island chip, which is the key to remarkable enhancement of Raman signal. Both chips were functionalized with 4-mercaptophenylboronic acid (4-MPBA) for the quantitative detection of H 2 S. The islands chip displays 1.6 folds and 2 orders higher blank Raman signal intensity and a limit of detection (LOD) for H 2 S than conventional homogeneous SERS chips, respectively. The islands chip is also used for on-line monitoring of spoilage in high-protein foods. The detection ranges for H 2 S were 2 × 10 −8 M – 2 × 10 −3 M, with a LOD of 1.9 nM. This sensing strategy provides not only a novel approach for on-ling gaseous hazards detection for food spoilage but also a potential possibility for monitoring gas molecules in the environment.
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ANALYST
·
2026
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IF 3.6
Jincheng Ni,Yanyan Lu,Xuewen Chen,Haoming Bao,Yu Qiao,Shuai Zhang,Daoshuan Ding,Jiamei Jin,Huaiyuan Zhao,Qian Zhao,Jinhua Wang,Hongwen Zhang,Weiping Cai
Multidimensional tea profiling is crucial for both consumer experience, brand reputation, and market integrity. Here, we introduce a rapid and systematic strategy for multidimensional tea authentication based on a single surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) measurement integrated with machine learning. We first demonstrated, through machine learning analyses of individual variables, that a single SERS spectrum inherently encodes multidimensional information encompassing tea category, grade, storage quality, and pesticide residue levels.Partial least squares discriminant analysis enabled highly accurate classification of tea categories and grades (accuracies ≥ 98.9%), while support vector machine regression achieved precise prediction of storage quality and pesticide residue levels (R 2 > 0.99). Building upon these results, we developed a two-tier framework that integrates these multidimensional predictions from a single spectrum, enabling comprehensive authentication in one step. This framework was further implemented in a user-friendly application for real-time, singlespectrum analysis, achieving an overall accuracy of 98.2%. Collectively, this work demonstrates that SERS coupled with machine learning provides an efficient, cost-effective, and scalable approach for multidimensional tea authentication, offering a foundation for collaborative improvement and data sharing across the tea industry.
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ANALYTICA CHIMICA ACTA
·
2026
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IF 6.1
Xiaoyuan Ma,Xi Ma,Muxi Zhang,Jinchi Han,Zhouping Wang
Background As one of the most common mycotoxins, Zearalenone (ZEN) not only contaminates cereal crops but also exists in processed grain products for its chemical stability. After entering human body through the food chain, ZEN exhibits remarkable bioaccumulation properties, which poses varying degrees of harmful effects to human health. The traditional chromatography instrumental methods require expensive equipment and complex experimental procedures. The aim of this manuscript is to develop a facile and accurate method for ZEN detection in food samples. Results Here, a SERS platform was developed for ZEN detection using COF and noble metal nanomaterial with nitroreductase (NTR)-like activity. First, magnetic COF loaded with gold nanoparticles (MCOF-Au) were synthesized as SERS enhancement substrates with partial NTR activity. Simultaneously, palladium-loaded dumbbell-shaped gold nanorods (AuNR/Pd) were prepared and served as the primary NTR in the 4-NTP/NaBH 4 system, significantly enhancing both catalytic activity and SERS signal. After nucleic acid functionalization, the two components assembled. The addition of ZEN regulated the assemble of AuNR/Pd on MCOF-Au. Following magnetic separation, the catalytic and SERS activities changed in the precipitate. Using the Raman peak of the output product 4-ATP at 390 cm −1 as the quantitative marker, the method showed a linear range in 0.001 μg/kg-1000 μg/kg. The LOD was calculated as 1.88 × 10 −4 μg/kg, and spiked recoveries in wheat flour and corn ranged from 88.91% to 115.78%, demonstrating high sensitivity and reliability for real-sample detection. Significance This aptasensor integrates the high sensitivity of Raman signals with the selectivity of aptamers, providing a robust and efficient tool for accurate ZEN detection in food. COF based nanocomposites are proved to have remarkable NTR activity and the catalytic product 4-ATP exhibits prominent Raman signal, making it suitable for quantitative detection. This design offers a versatile platform for food safety monitoring and public health protection.
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Nanoscale Advances
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2022
·Vol. 4
·期 22
·4730-4738
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IF 5.598
Mengen Hu,Zhulin Huang,Rui Liu,Ningning Zhou,Haibin Tang,Guowen Meng
The mechanism and application of localized surface plasmon resonance induced photocatalytic reactions remain an issue of interest. In this work, we used Au@Ag core–shell nanorods as a platform for plasmon-driven photocatalysis, which was in situ investigated by surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) spectroscopy. The para-aminothiophenol (PATP) and para-nitrothiophenol (PNTP) adsorbed on the nanorods were irradiated with different excitation wavelengths (633 nm, 785 nm) and transformed into 4,4′-dimercaptoazobenzene (DMAB) as evidenced by the emerging Raman peaks at 1142 cm−1, 1390 cm−1, 1440 cm−1, and 1477 cm−1, corresponding to hot carrier dominated oxidation of PATP and reduction of PNTP. Preliminary azo-reaction kinetics and in situ SERS measurements were conducted by comparing the relative intensity ratio of SERS peaks at 1440 cm−1 (DMAB stretching of NN) and 1080 cm−1 (C–S stretching of PATP and PNTP). These results indicate that the catalytic efficiency was dominated by the excitation wavelength as well as the resonance condition between the plasmon band of the nanorods and the excitation line. As a proof of concept, the Au@Ag core–shell nanorods were used to catalyze 4-nitrophenol molecules, and 4-hydroxyazobenzene molecules as the product were confirmed by in situ SERS spectra as well theoretical predictions, showing potential in plasmon driven catalysis and degradation of organic molecules.
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JOURNAL OF RAMAN SPECTROSCOPY
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2022
·Vol. 53
·期 4
·682-693
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IF 2.727
Hongbin Pu,Haofan Zhu,Fang Xu,Da-Wen Sun
Malachite green (MG) abuse in aquaculture has caused food safety issues and surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) can be utilized to monitor MG residues in aquatic products. However, the sensitivity and accuracy of SERS detection are limited by food matrix interference. Therefore, in this study, SERS active MNP@Au@MIL-100(Fe) substrates were developed by utilizing magnetic nanoparticle (MNP) as the core, which was evenly decorated with Au nanoparticles (AuNPs), and then coated with metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) shell of MIL-100(Fe), which acted as a filter to only allow molecules with appropriate sizes to approach the inner AuNPs, thus avoiding food matrix interference and improving the identification ability to analytes. Experiments in detecting MG residues in prawns was realized with the limit of detection (LOD) of 1.32 × 10 −10 M, showing great potential for its use as a reliable SERS substrate for monitoring food contaminants.
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BIOSENSORS & BIOELECTRONICS
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2022
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IF 12.545
Xueqin Huang,Zhubao Zhang,Lingzhi Chen,Yongjian Lin,Runmin Zeng,Jun Xu,Shanze Chen,Jianglin Zhang,Huaihong Cai,Haibo Zhou,Pinghua Sun
Ultra-sensitive detection of pathogenic bacteria is of great significance in the early stage of bacterial infections and treatment. In this work, we report a novel strategy using multifunctional Au nano-bridged nanogap nanoparticles (Au NNPs)-based sandwich nanocomposites , that made of Concanavalin A-conjugated Fe 3 O 4 @SiO 2 NPs (ConA-Fe 3 O 4 @SiO 2 NPs)/bacteria/aptamer-modified Au NNPs (apt-Au NNPs), for bacteria discrimination and quantitative detection by surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), and subsequently photothermal antibacterial assay. The sandwich nanocomposite consists of ConA-Fe 3 O 4 @SiO 2 NPs to magnetically enrich and photothermal killing bacteria , and dual-signal tags of apt-Au NNPs for both SERS sensing and ICP-MS quantification. This strategy can specifically distinguish different kinds of pathogenic bacteria, and provided a good linear relationship of Staphylococcus aureus ( S. aureus ) in the range from 50 to 10 4 CFU/mL with a detection limit of 11 CFU/mL, as well as realized ultralow amounts of bacterial detection in serum sample with high accuracy. Based on the quantitative detection, high antibacterial efficiency was monitored by ICP-MS. Overall, the established method combines bacteria discrimination, quantitative detection, and photothermal elimination with a simple and rapid process, which provides a novel way for the early diagnosis and treatment of bacterial infection.
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