Ultrasensitive and reusable SERS platform based on Ag modified WO3 nanoflakes for catechol detection

Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) using the noble-metal/semiconductor hybrid nanostructures are attractive for the real-world detection of organic pollutants due to the unique fingerprint information for analytes and the ultrasensitive detection ability by electromagnetic and chemical mechanisms. In this work, we constructed noble-metal/semiconductor nanostructures by the in-situ deposition of silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) on tungsten trioxide nanoflakes (WO3 NFs) for the SERS applications. By virtue of the synergistic action of Ag NPs and WO3 NFs, the [email protected]3-NF nanostructures possess the superior SERS performance, such as ultra-low limit of detection (2.09 × 10-10 M), large analytical enhancement factor (3.90 × 108), high uniformity (less than 8.95%), and good reproducibility (5.20%), for the determination of phenolic derivative, catechol (CT). By its trace-level detection ability, the [email protected]3-NF nanostructure is employed to detect CT in tap water and the obtained results show satisfactory recovery values with high sensitivity. Moreover, the self-reviving ability of [email protected]3-NF nanostructure is demonstrated by the photocatalytic degradation of CT. The experimental results show that the [email protected]3-NF nanostructure has good detection ability of CT in the five-cycle reusability test. This work paves the way to explore the predominant advantages of noble-metal/semiconductor nanostructure with ultrasensitive and reusable properties for food safety monitoring in real-world applications.