Research on Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy and Simulated Laccase Activity of Two-Dimensional Metal Sulfide Nanosheets

Transition metal sulfides (TMS) exhibit unique attributes such as high electron mobility, excellent charge transfer ability, narrow band gap, and large surface area, which makes them particularly attractive for use in surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) and as catalysts applications. In this study, we prepared NiCo2S4 TMS nanosheets through a hydrothermal process. These nanosheets display outstanding SERS activity, which is attributed to their exceptional charge transfer interactions with crystal violet (CV). In addition, NiCo2S4 nanosheets display excellent laccase-like activity. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations further reveal that NiCo2S4–O2 exhibits a low adsorption energy and pronounced laccase-like catalytic performance. Furthermore, the NiCo2S4 nanosheets show great potential for the oxidation and detection of various catechin molecules. Consequently, the NiCo2S4 nanosheets exhibit immense potential in various applications, including SERS analysis and detection, laccase-like antibacterial properties, and the degradation of environmental pollutants.