Stable silver/biopolymer hybrid plasmonic nanostructures for high performance surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS).

Silver/biopolymer nanoparticles were prepared by adding 100 mg silver nitrate to 2% polyvinyl alcohol solution and reduced the silver nitrate using 2% trisodium citrate for high performance Surface Enhanced Raman Scattering (SERS) substrates. Optical properties of nanoparticle were measured using UV/VIS spectroscopy and hyperspectral imaging microscopy. Nanoparticle morphology was analyzed using transmission electron microscopy. Substrate reproducibility and repeatability was checked by measuring SERS signals of trans-1,2-bis(4-pyridyl)ethylene (BPE) and Rhodamine 6G.