Fabrication of 3D-hybrid nanostructure for surface-enhanced raman scattering substrate: Effect of applied voltage on porous size of AAO template

Abstract

Three-dimensional (3D)-hybrid surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrates have been achieved via simultaneous assembled silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) onto the anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) templates. The AAO templates were prepared from the UHV aluminum foil in 0. 3 M oxalic acid using the two-step anodization process at 0°C. The effect of applied voltage ranging from 30 to 50 V on the porous diameter and the inter-porous distance of the AAO templates was investigated and observed with filed-emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM). The results showed that the porous distance and the inter-porous distance were linearly increased with the increase in the voltage potentials. To investigate the pore-size effect on the SERS activities, the AgNPs were deposited on the AAO nanoporous templates. The SERS activities of these nanostructures were demonstrated with the methylene blue (MB) as the probing molecules. © (2014) Trans Tech Publications, Switzerland.