SERS-Based Gaseous Chemical Detection
SERS Detection of Gaseous Analytes
Our research focuses on developing highly sensitive and reproducible SERS-based platforms for detecting gaseous chemical analytes, including hazardous substances and environmental pollutants. By engineering complex plasmonic nanostructures with controlled nanogaps, enhanced near-field electromagnetic focusing is achieved, enabling the identification of trace-level gases at unparalleled sensitivity.
Porous Nanoframe for Gas Sensing
Elongated dodecahedral-walled nanoframes are designed with solid terraces and open rhombic frames to enable deep penetration of gaseous analytes. The open ends allow gas entry, while light-collecting side facets focus electromagnetic energy on sharp tips for enhanced near-field sensing. This unique structure achieves attomolar-level detection of gaseous benzenethiol, highlighting the potential of porous nanoframes for real-time gas sensing applications.
Open Facets:Efficient Gas-Phase Analyte Penetration
Plasmonic double-walled nanoframes (DWFs) with tunable nanogaps are used to enhance near-field confinement and analyte adsorption. These nanoframes, featuring core-shell structures with ridges and terraces, generate hot-zones for Raman signal amplification. The open (111) facets facilitate efficient gas-phase analyte penetration, enabling rapid transport and interaction with plasmonic hotspots. This design achieves significant SERS enhancements for weakly adsorbing gaseous analytes.
MOF-Integrated Nanosponges for Sensitive Gas-Phase SERS Detection
Au octahedral nanosponges (Au Oh NSs) with nanoporous, sponge-like architectures demonstrated enhanced optical absorption and near-field focusing capabilities, facilitating highly sensitive gas-phase detection via the "lightning-sphere effect". Bulk SERS analysis achieved a detection limit of 10 ppb for weakly adsorbing analytes, such as 2-chloroethyl phenyl sulfide. For nonadsorbing molecules like dimethyl methyl phosphonate, hybrid platforms integrating Au Oh NSs with metal–organic frameworks enabled efficient SERS-based detection. These findings underscore the potential of Au Oh NSs for advanced plasmonic sensing in gas-phase applications.
