Gold-Decorated Titania Nanotube Arrays as Dual-Functional Platform for Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy and Surface-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization Mass Spectrometry

In this report, we demonstrate gold-decorated titania nanotube arrays (Au-TNA substrate) as a dual-functional platform for surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) and surface-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (SALDI-MS). The Au nanoparticles are grown on the substrate using vapor deposition of Au. The resulting substrates perform better than Au colloids in terms of the reproducibility of the SERS measurements, long-term stability of the fabricated structures, and clean surface of the Au. The nanostructure of the Au-TNA substrate was designed to optimize the SALDI-MS and SERS performance. Excellent reproducibility of the SERS measurements using the Au-TNA substrate was obtained, with a standard error less than 6 %. SALDI activity was also demonstrated for the same Au-TNA substrates. Finally, the Au-TNA substrate was used for combined SERS and SALDI-MS analysis (i) to discriminate the structural isomers of pyridine compounds (para-, meta-, and ortho-pyridinecarboxylic acid) and (ii) to detect polycarbamate, a dithiocarbamate fungicide. These results are difficult to obtain using either approach alone.