Ag–Cu2O composite microstructures with tunable Ag contents: synthesis and surface-enhanced (resonance) Raman scattering (SE(R)RS) properties

Abstract

Metal–semiconductor composite microstructures have recently been demonstrated to possess potential applications due to their unique structures. Ag–Cu₂O composite microstructures (Ag–Cu₂O CMSs) with tunable silver content have been synthesized with a facile in situ method. Ag contents on the surface of Cu₂O can be tuned through the variation of the concentration of AgNO₃, which further greatly affected the surface-enhanced (resonance) Raman scattering (SE(R)RS) performance. The Ag–Cu₂O CMSs prepared with 0.4 mM AgNO₃ show the optimum SE(R)RS properties, better than pure Ag NPs. Furthermore, the enhancement mechanism and uniformity of Ag–Cu₂O CMSs are investigated in detail.