Fabrication of 2D titanium carbide MXene/Au nanorods as a nanosensor platform for sensitive SERS detection. Issue 21 (1st November 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Wang, Tianran; Dong, Peitao; Zhu, Chushu; Gao, Weiye; Sha, Pengxing; Wu, Yulie; Wu, Xuezhong
• Is Part Of: Ceramics international. Volume 47:Issue 21(2021)
• Page Start: 30082
• Page End: 30090
• Publication Date: 2021-11-01
• Subjects: Surface-enhanced Raman scattering -- 2D-materials -- MXene -- Au nanorods -- SERS -- Ti3C2Tx; Ceramics -- Periodicals; Céramique industrielle -- Périodiques; Ceramics; Periodicals; Electronic journals; 666
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ceramint.2021.07.184
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0272-8842

Abstract

Abstract: As an emerging label-free detection technology, surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) has been used for biological detection, food safety, and environmental pollution owing to its high sensitivity, specificity and rapid response. However, traditional SERS substrates are unstable, prone to agglomeration, and demonstrate low productivity and high production cost. In this work, hybrids of a two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) Ti3 C2 Tx monolayer and Au nanorods (AuNRs) were fabricated via self-assembly. Ti3 C2 Tx :AuNRs ratios were prepared, and each hybrid's SERS activity was evaluated through 4-aminothiophenol (pATP) detection. The Ti3 C2 Tx /AuNRs-1 substrate exhibited the weakest SERS performance, whereas the Ti3 C2 Tx /AuNRs-3 substrate had the best SERS activity enhancement, with a pATP limit of detection (LOD) of 10 −9 M. When 30 sites on substrates were selected for SERS detection, the relative standard deviation (RSD) was found to be only 7.18 %, revealing the good performance sensitivity and high reproducibility of the Raman signal. The sensitivity of Ti3 C2 T x /AuNRs-3 was also assessed with respect to a hazardous chemical, 1, 2-bis (4-pyridyl) ethylene (BPE), revealing an LOD of 10 −12 M. For thiram, the LOD of Ti3 C2 Tx /AuNRs-3 was 10 −8 M, which is considerably lower than the 1 ppm industry safety standard. A relative standard deviation RSD of 7.94 % indicates the high reproducibility and uniformity of the Raman signal of thiram for Ti3 C2 T x /AuNRs-3. Compared with the LODs of 10 −5 M and 10 −6 M for commercial substrates T-SERS and Au nanorod arrays (AuNRAs), respectively, the 10 −8 M LOD of our synthesized Ti3 C2 Tx /AuNRs indicates good sensitivity. Three kinds of pesticides were detected by Ti3 C2 Tx /AuNRs, and only Raman signal of thiram can be found, revealing the good selectivity for thiram. These results for Ti3 C2 Tx /AuNRs suggest its potential to serve as a novel SERS platform. Highlights: Different radios of two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) Ti3 C2 Tx monolayer and AuNRs hybrids were self-assembly, and their Raman performances were studied and the best SERS performance was discussed. SERS performance of Ti3 C2 Tx /AuNRs was evaluated by Raman molecules of 4-aminothiophenol (PATP) and 1, 2-bis (4-pyridyl) ethylene (BPE). The limits of detection of 4-aminothiophenol (PATP) and 1, 2-bis (4-pyridyl) ethylene (BPE) were 10 −9 M and 10 −12 M, respectively. And a good reproducibility of the Raman signal for PATP was obtained. As-prepared Ti3 C2 Tx /AuNRs was also used to detect the thiram whose LOD is 10 −8 M, which is better than that of Au nanorod arrays and commercial SERS substrate T-SERS, indicating its potential as a novel SERS platform.