Carbon quantum dots with honeycomb structures have been made by scientists in China and the US to support gold nanoparticles in surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) applications. The dots enable SERS sensitivity 8–11 times stronger than the currently used gold nanoparticles.
SERS is an ultrasensitive technique used to detect trace molecules. The gold’s function is to enhance Raman scattering to result in the surface enhanced Raman scattering effect. A current way to improve this effect for a more sensitive signal is to replace the planar surface on which the gold nanoparticles are placed with unique nanoporous superaligned carbon nanotube films with cross-stacking.
Now, the team have achieved further enhancement with their honeycomb quantum dots.
Read the ‘HOT’ Nanoscale article:
Honeycomb Architecture of Carbon Quantum Dots: A New Efficient Substrate to Support Gold for Stronger SERS
Y Fan et al, Nanoscale, 2012
DOI: 10.1039/c2nr12015a
