Ultrasensitive detection of 1,4-Bis(4-vinylpyridyl)phenylene in a small volume of low refractive index liquid by surface-enhanced Raman scattering-active light waveguide

Appl Spectrosc. 2004 Apr;58(4):414-9. doi: 10.1366/000370204773580257.

Abstract

This paper reports a novel surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS)-active light waveguide method for ultrasensitive detection of a sample dissolved in a small volume of low refractive index liquid. The SERS-active light waveguide demonstrated in this study was constructed via the light-guiding silica capillary. The surface of its inner wall was modified with SERS-active silver nanoparticles that can remarkably enhance Raman signals. The capillary with SERS-active modified layer was filled with the sample solution to form the SERS-active liquid core (LC) fiber. The incident laser beam travels through the waveguide in a totally reflective mode within the fiber wall and penetrates a small distance into the sample solution by the evanescent wave field. The Raman scattering of the analytes adsorbed onto the surface of the SERS-active modified layer can be excited by the laser beam and refracted into the fiber wall. Thus, a sample dissolved in low index liquid, e.g., methanol, can be quantitatively monitored by Raman spectroscopy and detection limit of its concentration is lower than 10(-9) mol/L.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Light
  • Microchemistry / methods*
  • Pyridines / analysis*
  • Scattering, Radiation
  • Spectrum Analysis, Raman / methods*
  • Surface Properties

Substances

  • 1,4-bis(4-vinylpyridyl)phenylene
  • Pyridines