$Ag/ZrO_2$-NT/Zr hybrid material : a new platform for SERS measurements

In this paper, we present recent results of our attempts to produce nanoporous zirconia, as well as our investigations of a hybrid material consisting of nanoporous zirconia loaded with Ag-nanoparticles, Ag- n/ZrO 2 -NT/Zr, which could be used as an active SERS substrate. The Zr-based hybrid material, as our investigations have shown, is an active and stable substrate in SERS investigations aimed at detecting various organic molecules: mercaptobenzoic acid, pyridine and two different dyes – rodhanine deriva- tives. The SERS spectra for the probe molecules adsorbed on silver nanoparticles on a ZrO 2 -NT/Zr platform display characteristic intensity ratios different from those measured on previously studied nanoporous substrates based on Ti and Al, which ensure a different (alternative) interaction between the investi- gated adsorbate and adsorbent. In order to characterize our new substrate we used high-resolution SEM and surface analytical techniques: XPS (X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy) and SERS (surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy).