Low-cost Ag/ZnO nanosheets arrays as sensitive and recyclable surface-enhanced Raman scattering substrates

The development of surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrate based on metal/semiconductor nanostructured platforms has emerged as a promising technique for achieving highly sensitive and recyclable detection across various fields, including environmental monitoring, food safety, biomedical diagnostics, and the preservation of cultural heritage. However, the design and fabrication of cost-effective metal/semiconductor nanostructures suitable for SERS substrates remain a formidable challenge. In this study, a low-cost, recyclable SERS substrate based on Ag nanoparticle decorated ZnO nanosheets (Ag/ZnO NSs) arrays was developed using hydrothermal growth and photochemical reduction approaches. The optimized Ag/ZnO NSs arrays demonstrated local electric field enhancement and multi-path charge transfer, ensuring an enhancement factor of 10 7 and a detection limit of 10 −10  mol/L for crystal violet molecules. This research not only sheds light on the economical production of metal/semiconductor SERS substrates but also paves the way for a broader spectrum of SERS-based detection applications in diverse fields.