Synthesis of Silver Nanostructures and their Application in Highly Sensitive SERS Sensors

  • Alok Kumar Srivastava Defence Materials & Stores R&D Establishment, DRDO, Kanpur http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6927-9295
  • Punam Awasthi Defence Materials and Stores Research and Development Establishment, Kanpur - 208 013, India
  • Sanjay Kanojia Defence Materials and Stores Research and Development Establishment, Kanpur - 208 013, India
  • N. S. Neeraj Defence Materials and Stores Research and Development Establishment, Kanpur - 208 013, India
  • Pankaj Sharma Defence Materials and Stores Research and Development Establishment, Kanpur - 208 013, India
  • Kingsuk Mukhopadhyay Defence Materials and Stores Research and Development Establishment, Kanpur - 208 013, India
  • N. Eswara Prasad Defence Materials and Stores Research and Development Establishment, Kanpur - 208 013, India
Keywords: Nanomaterial synthesis, Silver nanowires, Nanocubes, Surface Enhanced Raman Scattering, Sensors

Abstract

A comparison of Surface Enhanced Raman Scattering (SERS) activity of chemically synthesised silver nanostructures with different shapes is reported. The silver nanostructures of cubical, prism and wire like morphology were synthesised using chemical synthesis route and utilised as SERS substrates. The sensors were fabricated by spin coating these materials over a Silicon or glass substrate. The fabricated sensors were used to analyse response with two different analytes, 4-Mercaptobenzoic acid and Rhodamine 6G under different concentrations. The signal enhancement was compared with a silver coated thin film over glass substrate and it was observed that the enhancement of the order of 103 is achieved. The nanowire performed better than the other forms of silver and gave a higher signal enhancement for all the analytes as compared to other nanostructures. The fabricated sensors may be useful for various applications including explosive and biowarfare agent detection.

Author Biographies

Alok Kumar Srivastava, Defence Materials & Stores R&D Establishment, DRDO, Kanpur

Dr Alok Kumar Srivastava obtained his BTech and PhD in Chemical Engineering from IIT Kanpur and ME in Chemical Engineering from IISc Bengaluru. He is currently working as Scientist ‘E’ and Head of Nanosensor and Energy Materials Division in DRDO-Defence Materials & Stores R&D Establishment (DMSRDE) Kanpur. His research interests include : Nanomaterial synthesis, characterisation and applications. 

He was instrumental in conceptualising the ideas presented in this paper, design of experiments and characterisation as well as interpretation of the results. The study was carried out under his guidance. 

Punam Awasthi, Defence Materials and Stores Research and Development Establishment, Kanpur - 208 013, India

Ms Punam Awasthi is BSc in Chemistry and MEd from Kanpur University and is currently working as TO ‘B’ in the Nanosensor and Energy Materials Division, DRDO-DMSRDE Kanpur. Her research interests include: Synthesis of nanomaterials using chemical methods. 

In the present study, she has contributed in the synthesis of nanomaterials and their characterisation including SEM, XRD, RAMAN and UV-Vis.

Sanjay Kanojia, Defence Materials and Stores Research and Development Establishment, Kanpur - 208 013, India

Mr Sanjay Kanojia obtained his MTech in Remote Sensing from Allahabad University. Presently working as Scientist ‘D’ in the Nanosensor and Energy materials Division in DRDO -DMSRDE, Kanpur. His research interests include : Nanomaterial characterisation and sensors. 

He was involved in the RAMAN and SERS characterisation studies in this work.

N. S. Neeraj, Defence Materials and Stores Research and Development Establishment, Kanpur - 208 013, India

Mr Nagendra S Neeraj obtained his MSc in Chemistry from Alagappa University Karaikudi. Presently working as TO ‘A’ in DRDO-DMSRDE, Kanpur. His research interests are synthesis of nanomaterials. 

He was involved in the synthesis of nanomaterials and their characterisation in this work.

Pankaj Sharma, Defence Materials and Stores Research and Development Establishment, Kanpur - 208 013, India

Mr Pankaj Kumar Sharma obtained his MSc (Physics) from BhimRao Ambedkar University, Muzaffarpur. Presently working as STA ‘B’ in DRDO-DMSRDE Kanpur. His research interests include thin film deposition using magnetron sputtering and other available processes. 

In the current wok he was involved in the preparation of standard SERS sample using magnetron sputtering process.

Kingsuk Mukhopadhyay, Defence Materials and Stores Research and Development Establishment, Kanpur - 208 013, India

Dr. Kingsuk Mukhopadhyay obtained his PhD in Chemistry from IIT Bombay. Presently working as Head of the Directorate of nanomaterials and Technology at DRDO-DMSRDE Kanpur. His research interests include: Synthesis of nanomaterials and characterisation and their applications. 

He guided the work and contributed in the analysis of the experimental results presented here.

N. Eswara Prasad, Defence Materials and Stores Research and Development Establishment, Kanpur - 208 013, India

Dr N. Eswara Prasad, obtained his BTech and PhD in Metallurgical Engineering from Indian Institute of Technology (BHU), Varanasi, India, in 1985 and 1993, respectively. Presently working as an Outstanding Scientist (Sc ‘H’) and Director, DRDO-DMSRDE, Kanpur. He has made significant contributions in the fields of design, materials development and characterisation and airworthiness certified production of various materials for LCA, LCHand Indian Space program. 

The present study was carried out under his guidance and supervision.

Published
2017-12-18
How to Cite
Srivastava, A., Awasthi, P., Kanojia, S., Neeraj, N., Sharma, P., Mukhopadhyay, K., & Prasad, N. (2017). Synthesis of Silver Nanostructures and their Application in Highly Sensitive SERS Sensors. Defence Science Journal, 68(1), 98-103. https://doi.org/10.14429/dsj.68.11958
Section
Commemorative Issue - DRDO