Surface-enhanced Raman spectra of substances adsorbed on Ag0 clusters deposited on SiO2 submicron spheres prepared by the sol–gel method

Abstract Submicron silica spheres containing silver nanoparticles on their surfaces have been obtained by the sol–gel technology. The silver-doped matrices were immersed in solutions of various substances enabling the solute molecules to interact with surfaces of the Ag 0 -doped silica spheres. Raman spectra of the Ag 0 -doped matrices after impregnation in solutions of the solute molecules have been measured. The impregnated silica matrices which did not contain silver nanoparticles were used as a reference. These experiments have been performed in order to establish whether Raman signal enhancement could be obtained by adsorption of various solute molecules on the surface of Ag 0 inclusions in the sol–gel matrices analogously to the standard surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) method.