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Gold-sputtered Blu-ray discs: simple and inexpensive SERS substrates for sensitive detection of melamine

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Abstract

Nanostructured gold substrates provide chemically stable, signal-enhancing substrates for the sensitive detection of a variety of compounds through surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS). Recent developments in advanced fabrication methods have enabled the manufacture of SERS substrates with repeatable surface nanostructures that provide reproducible quantitative analysis, historically a weakness of the SERS technique. Here, we describe the novel use of gold-sputtered Blu-ray disc surfaces as SERS substrates. The unique surface features and composition of the Blu-ray disc recording surface lead to the formation of gold nano-islands and nanogaps following simple gold sputtering, without any background peaks from the substrate. The SERS performance of this substrate is strong and reproducible with an enhancement factor (EF) of 103 for melamine. A limit of detection (LOD) for this compound of 70 ppb and average reproducibility of ±12 % were achieved. Gold-sputtered Blu-ray discs thus offer an excellent alternative to more exotic gold SERS substrates prepared by advanced, time-consuming and expensive methods.

AFM 3D images of 1-μm2 sections of uncoated and gold-sputtered recordable Blu-ray disc (BD-R) surfaces and the SERS signal obtained on the gold-sputtered surface for a 1000 ppm aqueous solution of melamine.

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Acknowledgments

The support for this research from Fonterra is gratefully acknowledged. The support from the Faculty of Science at the University of Auckland and the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (UOAX0812) and the assistance of Dr. Gordon Miskelly with UV-vis reflectance measurements are acknowledged.

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Author notes

  1. Jenny Malmström

    Present address: Chemical and Materials Engineering, The University of Auckland, 23 Symonds St., Auckland, New Zealand

Authors and Affiliations

  1. MacDiarmid Institute for Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology, School of Chemical Sciences, The University of Auckland, 23 Symonds St., Auckland, New Zealand

    Michél K. Nieuwoudt, Jacob W. Martin, Reece N. Oosterbeek, Nina I. Novikova, Xindi Wang, Jenny Malmström, David E. Williams & M. Cather Simpson

  2. The Photon Factory, The University of Auckland, 23 Symonds St., Auckland, New Zealand

    Michél K. Nieuwoudt, Jacob W. Martin, Reece N. Oosterbeek, Nina I. Novikova, Xindi Wang & M. Cather Simpson

  3. School of Chemical Sciences, The University of Auckland, 23 Symonds St., Auckland, New Zealand

    Michél K. Nieuwoudt, Jacob W. Martin, Nina I. Novikova, Xindi Wang, Jenny Malmström, David E. Williams & M. Cather Simpson

  4. The Dodd Walls Centre for Photonic and Quantum Technologies, Auckland, New Zealand

    Jacob W. Martin, Reece N. Oosterbeek, Nina I. Novikova, Xindi Wang & M. Cather Simpson

  5. Department of Physics, The University of Auckland, 23 Symonds St., Auckland, New Zealand

    M. Cather Simpson

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  1. Michél K. Nieuwoudt
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Correspondence to David E. Williams or M. Cather Simpson.

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Nieuwoudt, M.K., Martin, J.W., Oosterbeek, R.N. et al. Gold-sputtered Blu-ray discs: simple and inexpensive SERS substrates for sensitive detection of melamine. Anal Bioanal Chem 408, 4403–4411 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00216-016-9545-5

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