SERS properties of TiN nanotube arrays prepared via reduction nitridation of TiO2 nanotube arrays derived from anodic oxidation method

TiN nanotube arrays were prepared by ammonia reduction nitridation of TiO2 nanotube arrays derived by anodic oxidation process. The effects of different reduction nitridation temperature on the crystal phase, microstructure and surface enhanced Raman activity of TiN nanotube arrays were studied by XRD, SEM, UV–VIS-NIR and RAMAN. The results showed that the TiN phase began to form at 800 °C, and the XRD peaks intensity of TiN phase gradually increased with the reduction nitridation temperature increasing. As the reduction nitridation temperature increased to 900 °C, the TiN nanotube arrays still retained tubular morphology. In addition, the typical optical absorption feature of the TiN pahse was presented between 400 and 600 nm, and a red shift of the absorption peak was observed. The TiN nanotube arrays obtained at 900 °C presented the best Raman enhancement performance and the enhancement factor was 3.46*103. The TiN nanotube arrays with long-term stability achieved a low detection limit of 10−6 M for probe molecule R6G.