Lixuan Mu

High-performance surface-enhanced Raman scattering sensors based on Ag nanoparticles-coated Si nanowire arrays for quantitative detection of pesticides

A surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) sensor made of Ag nanoparticles-coated Si nanowire (SiNW) arrays was fabricated for the quantitative detection of Carbaryl (an important nitrogen pesticide). H-terminated SiNWs were capable of reducing silver ions, leading to uniform deposition of silver nanoparticles on SiNW arrays. Such wire arrays exhibited a superior detection sensitivity of 10−17 M Rodamine 6G with high reproducibility. The sensor also enabled high sensitivity, reproducibility, and stability detection of Carbaryl. Significantly, the linear relation between the logarithmic concentrations and Raman peak intensities provided quantitative detection of Carbaryl.

Using Si and Ge Nanostructures as Substrates for Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering Based on Photoinduced Charge Transfer Mechanism

The possibility of utilizing the Si and Ge nanostructures to promote surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) is discussed. The vibronic coupling of the conduction band and valence band states of Si or Ge with the excited and ground states of the target molecule during the charge transfer (CT) process could enhance the molecular polarizability tensor. Using H-terminated silicon nanowire (H-SiNW) and germanium nanotube (H-GeNT) arrays as substrates, significant Raman enhancement of the standard probes, Rodamine 6G (R6G), dye (Bu(4)N)(2)[Ru(dcbpyH)(2)-(NCS)(2)] (N719), and 4-aminothiophenol (PATP), are demonstrated. The abundant hydrogen atoms terminated on the surface of SiNW and GeNT arrays play a critical role in promoting efficient CT and enable the SERS effect.

Silicon Nanowire-Based Fluorescent Nanosensor for Complexed Cu2+ and its Bioapplications

A silicon nanowires (SiNWs)-based fluorescent sensor for complexed Cu(2+) was realized. High sensitivity and selectivity of the present sensor facilitate its bioapplications. The sensor was successfully used to detect the Cu(2+) in liver extract. Meanwhile, real-time and in situ monitoring of Cu(2+) released from apoptotic HeLa cell was performed using the as-prepared SiNW arrays-based sensor. These results indicate that the present SiNWs-based sensor would be of potential applications in revealing the physiological and pathological roles of Cu(2+).

Electrodeposition of one-dimensional nanostructures.

Electrodeposition is a simple and flexible method for the synthesis of one-dimensional (1D) nanostructures and has attracted more and more attention in recent years. 1D nanostructures of metals, semiconductors and polymers have been successfully fabricated by electrodeposition. Templates were often used in the electrochemical process to realize the 1D growth. On the other hand, some materials with intrinsic anisotropic crystal structures can also be prepared by the template-free electrochemical method. In this paper, we review the recent patents progress and offer some prospects of future directions in electrodeposition of 1D nanostructures.

Optical modulation of persistent photoconductivity in ZnO nanowires

In this study, ZnO nanowires (ZNWs)-based optoelectric devices are found to exhibit strong persistent photoconductivity (PPC) effect. An optical modulation on the PPC effect of the ZNWs with 980 nm infrared (IR) laser has been investigated. It was found that the decay time for the PPC can be significantly shortened by IR irradiation. The modulation mechanism related with the oxygen vacancies and the subband gap excitation is proposed. Based on this mechanism, the modulation behavior of the IR can be well explained. The present optical modulation on the PPC is suggested to have potential applications in enhancing the performance of ZnO-based photodetectors.

SnO2 Nanoparticle-Coated ZnO Nanotube Arrays for High-Performance Electrochemical Sensors

Novel 1D nanostructures offer new opportunities for improving the performance of electrochemical sensors. In this study, highly ordered 1D nanostructure array electrodes composed of SnO2 nanoparticle-coated ZnO (SnO2 @ZnO) nanotubes are designed and fabricated. The composite nanotube array architecture not only endows the electrochemical electrodes with large surface areas, but also allows electrons to be quickly transferred along the nanotubes. Modifying the SnO2 @ZnO nanotube arrays with negatively charged polymer film and employing them as a working electrode, sensitive and selective electrochemical detection of an important neurotransmitter, i.e., dopamine, is realized via the cycle voltammetry (CV) and differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) techniques. Interference from ascorbic acid can be successfully eliminated. The oxidative peak currents recorded from CV linearly depend on the dopamine concentrations from 0.1 to 100 μM with a sensitivity of 2.16 × 10(-7) A μM(-1) cm(-2) and detection limit of 45.2 nM. Using the DPV technique, an improved sensitivity and detection limit of 1.94 × 10(-6) A μM(-1) cm(-2) and 17.7 nM are respectively achieved. Moreover, the SnO2 @ZnO nanotube array electrodes can be reused through simple ultrasonical cleaning and no obvious deterioration is observed in the performance.

Modified silicon nanowires: a fluorescent nitric oxide biosensor with enhanced selectivity and stability

A fluorescence sensor for nitric oxide (NO) was realized by covalently immobilizing reduced fluoresceinamine molecules onto the surface of silicon nanowires (SiNWs). The fluorescence intensity of the sensor can be greatly enhanced by NO. The sensor exhibits excellent selectivity for NO against other reactive species. Facile synthesis, nontoxicity, rapid response and use in a 100% aqueous solution endows the present sensor with suitability for biosystems. As an application, the sensor was used to detect NO released from liver extract, and exhibited high sensitivity and selectivity as well as rapid response. The fluorescence image from a single SiNW-based sensor showed a fine spatial resolution. The present sensor paves a way to detect NO at specific location in a single cell by inserting a single SiNW-based sensor into the cell.

ZnO nanowire-based all-optical switch with Reset-Set flip-flop function

An all-optical switch with Reset-Set (RS) flip-flop function has been developed by attaching a derivative of spiropyran on the surface of zinc oxide (ZnO) Nanowire. Using UV/visible irradiation and the fluorescence of spiropyran-modified ZnO nanowire as inputs—set/reset and output, RS flip-flop function can be performed on a single ZnO nanowire or a nanowire array. The configuration of the current all-optical switch represents a potential for developing small-sized all-optical devices, which could be further exploited at higher level of integration.

Ferromagnetic Si/Mn27Si47 core/shell nanowire arrays

Arrays of Si/Mn27Si47 core/shell nanowire (NW) are synthesized by an in situ reaction between Si NW arrays and MnCl2. Results from XRD and transition electron microscopy (TEM) indicated that the shells have single-crystalline tetragonal Mn27Si47 structure with the axial direction perpendicular to (204) face. The thickness of the Mn27Si47 shell can be controlled by adjusting the growth conditions. The Si/Mn27Si47 NW arrays exhibited enhanced ferromagnetism compared with the bulk higher manganese silicides (HMS). The Curie temperature of the Si/Mn27Si47 core/shell NW arrays is about 150 K, which is much higher than that of the bulk HMS. Due to the excellent compatibility of Si/Mn27Si47 with Si-based nanowire devices, these core/shell structures should have wide potential applications in the Si-based self-assembly nanowire devices.

Facile method for modification of the silicon nanowires and its application in fabrication of pH-sensitive chips.

A novel, facile, and effective method for modification of SiNWs or SiNW arrays has been developed. In this method, reaction between reductive Si-H bonds on the surface of SiNWs and the aldehyde group containing in organic molecules has been used for immobilization of organic molecules onto the surface of SiNW arrays. The method is time saving and can be operated at room temperature without any other complex reaction requirement. Fluorescence images, XPS, fluorescence spectra, and IR spectra were used for characterization of the modification. Through this method, a SiNW array-based pH sensitive chip was realized by covalently immobilizing 5-aminofluorescein molecules onto the surface of SiNW arrays with glutaraldehyde as linker molecules. Fluorescence intensity of the chip increased with increasing of pH value and a linear relationship between fluorescence intensity and pH values was acquired. In addition, the chip has been successfully used for real-time and in situ monitoring of extracellular pH changes for live HeLa cells and the result exhibited fine resolution of time and space.