Spontaneous Ag-Nanoparticle Growth at Single-Walled Carbon Nanotube Defect Sites : A Tool for In Situ Generation of SERS Substrate

Abstract EN

Silver nanoparticles were spontaneously formed on pristine and oxidized single-wall nanotubes.

Nanoparticles were observed on carbon nanotubes with AFM, and the presence of Ag nanoparticles were confirmed by ESR experiments.

Raman spectroscopy of the Ag-treated carbon nanotubes had a 4–10X enhancement of intensity compared to untreated carbon nanotubes.

Ag nanoparticles formed at defect sites on the CNT surface, where free electrons located at the defect sites reduced Ag+ to Ag.

A mechanism for the propagation of the nanoparticles is through a continual negative charge generation on the nanoparticle by electron transfer from doublet oxygen (O2−).