Modification of Track-Etched Polyethylene Terephthalate Membranes with Functionalized Silanes for Immobilizing Silver Nanoparticles

The work is devoted to the fabrication of hybrid track-etched polyethylene terephthalate membranes with immobilized silver nanoparticles exhibiting the effect of surface-enhanced Raman scattering. Track-etched membranes were modified with 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane and 3-mercaptopropyltriethoxysilane using anchor groups based on hydrated forms of aluminum and subsequent immobilization of silver nanoparticles. The resulting track-etched membranes were studied using energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and the zeta potential of the surface of membrane samples was determined at each modification stage. The presence of silver nanoparticles on the surface of the track-etched membranes was confirmed by scanning electron microscopy, ultraviolet–visible absorption spectroscopy, and surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy using the test substance 4-aminothiophenol. The proposed approach will help to create sensors based on hybrid track-etched membranes with the possibility of selective sample concentration and further detection of a wide range of substances using surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy.