Fast High-Resolution Screening Method for Reactive Surfaces by Combining Atomic Force Microscopy and Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering. Issue 7 (July 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: van Hoorn, Camiel H.; Wessels, Carlos; Ariese, Freek; Mank, Arjan J.G.
• Is Part Of: Applied spectroscopy. Volume 71:Issue 7(2017)
• Page Start: 1551
• Page End: 1559
• Publication Date: 2017-07
• Subjects: Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy -- SERS -- atomic force miscroscopy -- AFM -- p-nitrothiophenol -- p-NTP -- catalysis -- Raman imaging; Spectrum analysis -- Periodicals; 543.505
• DOI: 10.1177/0003702816683528
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0003-7028

Abstract

A fast high-resolution screening method for reactive surfaces is presented. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) and surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) are combined in one method in order to be able to obtain both morphological and chemical information about processes at a surface. In order to accurately align the AFM and SERS images, an alignment pattern on the substrate material is exploited. Subsequent SERS scans with sub-micron resolution are recorded in 30 min per scan for an area of 100 × 100 µm 2 and are accompanied by morphological information, supplied by a fast AFM, of the same area. Hence, a complete reactivity overview is obtained within several hours with only a monolayer of reactant. To demonstrate the working principle of this method, a SERS substrate containing the alignment pattern and silver nanoparticle aggregates as catalytic sites is prepared to study the photo-catalytic reduction of p -nitrothiophenol ( p -NTP).