Functionalization of SLS parts for application as SERS substrates in chemical analysis: Preliminary results
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to demonstrate the functionalization of polyamide parts made by selective laser sintering (SLS) for application as substrates for chemical analysis by surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS).
Design/methodology/approach
Fabrication of Nylon 12 (Duraform PA®) samples using two laser power levels and deposition of a layer of gold-coated zinc oxide nanostructures. Performance of these substrates in the detection of a known compound was tested by Raman spectroscopy.
Findings
The hydrothermal synthesis proved to be a good method for functionalizing the surface of polyamide parts made by the SLS process. By varying the synthesis temperature, ZnO nanoparticles and nanorods attached to the sample surfaces could be obtained. The degree of sample sintering had an effect on the growth of the nanostructures. The gold-coated functionalized surfaces enhanced the Raman signal from crystal violet by more than three orders of magnitude. ZnO nanorods grown on well-sintered SLS parts showed the best performance from the set of samples tested in this work.
Originality/value
ZnO nanostructures were grown directly on untreated surfaces of SLS-made polyamide. These substrates were used for chemical analysis by SERS.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The authors would like to thank CNPq for the financial support, LME/LNNano/CNPEM for the technical support during the electron microscopy work and Dr Ronei Jesus Poppi for allowing access to the Raman spectrometer.
Citation
de Oliveira Setti, G., Fernandes de Oliveira, M., Alves Maia, I., Vicente Lopes da Silva, J. and Joanni, E. (2014), "Functionalization of SLS parts for application as SERS substrates in chemical analysis: Preliminary results", Rapid Prototyping Journal, Vol. 20 No. 4, pp. 280-284. https://doi.org/10.1108/RPJ-08-2012-0071
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2014, Emerald Group Publishing Limited