Self-assembled vertically aligned Au nanorod arrays for surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) detection of Cannabinol

Sarah Milliken; Jeff Fraser; Shawn Poirier; John Hulse; Li-Lin Tay

doi:10.1016/j.saa.2018.01.030

Self-assembled vertically aligned Au nanorod arrays for surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) detection of Cannabinol

Spectrochim Acta A Mol Biomol Spectrosc. 2018 May 5:196:222-228. doi: 10.1016/j.saa.2018.01.030. Epub 2018 Jan 12.

Authors

Sarah Milliken¹, Jeff Fraser¹, Shawn Poirier¹, John Hulse¹, Li-Lin Tay²

Affiliations

¹ National Research Council Canada, Measurement Science and Standards, Ottawa, ON K1A0R6, Canada.
² National Research Council Canada, Measurement Science and Standards, Ottawa, ON K1A0R6, Canada. Electronic address: lilin.tay@nrc-cnrc.gc.ca.

PMID: 29453097
DOI: 10.1016/j.saa.2018.01.030

Abstract

Self-assembled multi-layered vertically aligned gold nanorod (AuNR) arrays have been fabricated by a simple preparation process that requires a balance between the particle concentration and the ionic strength of the solvent. An experimentally determined critical AuNR concentration of 2.0nM and 50mM NaCl produces well-ordered vertically aligned hexagonally close-packed AuNR arrays. We demonstrate surface treatment via UV Ozone cleaning of such samples to allow introduction of analyte molecules (benzenethiol and cannabinol) for effective surface enhanced Raman scattering detection. This is the first demonstration of the SERS analysis of cannabinol. This approach demonstrates a cost-effective, high-yield and simple fabrication route to SERS sensors with application in the screening for the cannabinoids.

Keywords: Au NR; Cannabinol; Cannabis; Plasmonics; Raman; SERS; Self-assembly; Sensors.

MeSH terms

Cannabinol / analysis*
Gold / chemistry*
Nanotubes / chemistry*
Phenols / analysis
Sodium Chloride / chemistry
Spectrum Analysis, Raman / methods*
Sulfhydryl Compounds / analysis

Substances

Phenols
Sulfhydryl Compounds
Sodium Chloride
Gold
thiophenol
Cannabinol