Abstract

Electrochromic technology has been actively researched for displays, adjustable mirrors, smart windows, and other cutting-edge applications. However, it has never been proposed to overcome the critical problems in the field of surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS). Herein, we demonstrate a generic electrochromic strategy for ensuring the reproducibility and renewability of SERS substrates, which are both scientifically and technically important due to the great need for quantitative analysis, standardized production and low cost in SERS. This color-changing strategy is based on a unique quantitative relationship between the SERS signal amplification and the coloration degree within a certain range, in which the SERS activity of the substrate can be effectively inferred by judging the degree of color change. Our results may provide a first step toward the rational design of electrochromic SERS substrates with a high sensitivity, reproducibility, and renewability.

Electrochromic technology has diverse cutting-edge applications, but it has never been used to overcome the critical problems in the field of surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS). Here, the authors demonstrate a generic electrochromic strategy for ensuring the reproducibility and renewability of SERS substrates.

Details

Title
Electrochromic semiconductors as colorimetric SERS substrates with high reproducibility and renewability
Author
Cong Shan 1 ; Wang, Zhen 2 ; Gong Wenbin 2 ; Chen, Zhigang 2 ; Lu Weibang 2 ; Lombardi, John R 3 ; Zhao, Zhigang 4 

 Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Key Lab of Nanodevices and Applications, Suzhou Institute of Nano-Tech and Nano-Bionics, Suzhou, China (GRID:grid.9227.e) (ISNI:0000000119573309); Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Key Laboratory of Multifunctional Nanomaterials and Smart Systems, Suzhou, China (GRID:grid.9227.e) (ISNI:0000000119573309) 
 Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Key Lab of Nanodevices and Applications, Suzhou Institute of Nano-Tech and Nano-Bionics, Suzhou, China (GRID:grid.9227.e) (ISNI:0000000119573309) 
 The City College of New York, Department of Chemistry, New York, USA (GRID:grid.254250.4) (ISNI:0000 0001 2264 7145) 
 Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Key Lab of Nanodevices and Applications, Suzhou Institute of Nano-Tech and Nano-Bionics, Suzhou, China (GRID:grid.9227.e) (ISNI:0000000119573309); Chinese Academy of Sciences, Division of Nanomaterials, Suzhou Institute of Nano-Tech and Nano-Bionics, Nanchang, China (GRID:grid.9227.e) (ISNI:0000000119573309) 
Publication year
2019
Publication date
Dec 2019
Publisher
Nature Publishing Group
e-ISSN
20411723
Source type
Scholarly Journal
Language of publication
English
ProQuest document ID
2177677127
Copyright
This work is published under http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ (the “License”). Notwithstanding the ProQuest Terms and Conditions, you may use this content in accordance with the terms of the License.