Copper nanowire coated carbon fibers as efficient substrates for detecting designer drugs using SERS

Vladimir Halouzka; Barbora Halouzkova; David Jirovsky; Dusan Hemzal; Peter Ondra; Eirini Siranidi; Athanassios G Kontos; Polycarpos Falaras; Jan Hrbac

doi:10.1016/j.talanta.2016.12.084

Copper nanowire coated carbon fibers as efficient substrates for detecting designer drugs using SERS

Talanta. 2017 Apr 1:165:384-390. doi: 10.1016/j.talanta.2016.12.084. Epub 2016 Dec 30.

Authors

Vladimir Halouzka¹, Barbora Halouzkova², David Jirovsky³, Dusan Hemzal⁴, Peter Ondra⁵, Eirini Siranidi⁶, Athanassios G Kontos⁶, Polycarpos Falaras⁶, Jan Hrbac²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Analytical Chemistry, Palacky University, Faculty of Science, 17. listopadu 12, 771 46 Olomouc, Czechia; Department of Forensic Medicine and Medical Law, University Hospital Olomouc, Hnevotinska 3, 775 09 Olomouc, Czechia.
² Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, 625 00 Brno, Czechia.
³ Department of Analytical Chemistry, Palacky University, Faculty of Science, 17. listopadu 12, 771 46 Olomouc, Czechia.
⁴ Department of Condensed Matter Physics, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kotlarska 2, 611 37 Brno, Czechia.
⁵ Department of Forensic Medicine and Medical Law, University Hospital Olomouc, Hnevotinska 3, 775 09 Olomouc, Czechia.
⁶ Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, NCSR "Demokritos," 15310 Agia Paraskevi Attikis, Athens, Greece.

PMID: 28153271
DOI: 10.1016/j.talanta.2016.12.084

Abstract

Miniature Surface Enhanced Raman Scattering (SERS) sensors were fabricated by coating the carbon fiber microelectrodes with copper nanowires. The coating procedure, based on anodizing the copper wire in ultrapure water followed by cathodic deposition of the anode-derived material onto carbon fiber electrodes, provides a "clean" copper nanowire network. The developed miniature (10µm in diameter and 2mm in length) and nanoscopically rough SERS substrates are applicable in drug sensing, as shown by the detection and resolving of a range of seized designer drugs in trace amounts (microliter volumes of 10^-10-10^-12M solutions). The copper nanowire modified carbon microfiber substrates could also find further applications in biomedical and environmental sensing.

Keywords: Carbon fiber; Copper nanowire; Designer drugs; Electrodeposition; SERS; SERS substrate.

MeSH terms

Biosensing Techniques / methods*
Carbon / chemistry*
Carbon Fiber
Copper / chemistry*
Designer Drugs / analysis*
Electrodes*
Nanowires / chemistry*
Spectrum Analysis, Raman / methods*
Surface Properties

Substances

Carbon Fiber
Designer Drugs
Carbon
Copper