Selective Raman detection and photocatalytic degradation of triphenylmethane dyes based on Ag nanoparticles anchored on the flower-like of aluminum/carbon nitride

At present, to develop an effective sensor with good photocatalytic activity for triphenylmethane (TPM) dyes in wastewater is urgently needed. Herein, Ag nanoparticles anchored on the flower like of aluminum/carbon nitride (Al/f-CN/Ag) are prepared. Importantly, the optimal Al/f-CN/Ag substrate shows not only a highly selective and sensitive SERS response but also excellent adsorption and photocatalytic performance for TPM molecules, due to the f-CN in Al/f-CN/Ag provides abundant contacting sites for AgNPs, and the highly efficient adsorption activity for TPM molecules through π-π stacking. Also, finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) analysis indicates that more vital "hot spots" are generated by AgNPs which are perfectly anchored in the petal gaps of Al/f-CN, further confirming the superiority of flower-like nanostructure. In addition, the Al/f-CN/Ag displays distinguished SERS activity with a detection limit of ~10−10 mol·L−1 for crystal violet (CV) and ~ 10−8 mol·L−1 for other TPM molecules, and the degradation rate for CV is as high as 99.9% in 140 mins. Moreover, the Raman activity of the substrate is almost unchanged in air within 95 days and after seven cycles. Thus, the constructed versatile SERS substrate will be an attractive nanomaterial for the detection and removal of TPM dyes in wastewater.