In Situ Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy Detection of Uranyl Ions with Silver Nanorod-Decorated Tape

Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) has been utilized for rapid analysis of uranyl ions (UO₂ ²⁺) on account of its fast response and high sensitivity. However, the difficulty of fabricating a suitable SERS substrate for in situ analysis of uranyl ions severely restricts its practical application. Hence, we proposed flexible and adhesive SERS tape decorated with silver nanorod (AgNR) arrays for in situ detection of UO₂ ²⁺. The SERS tape was fabricated through a simple "paste & peel off" procedure by transferring the slanted AgNR arrays from silicon to the transparent tape surface. UO₂ ²⁺ can be easily in situ detected by placing the AgNR SERS tape into an aqueous solution or pasting it onto the solid matrix surface due to the excellent transparent feature of the tape. The proposed SERS tape with well-distributed AgNRs effectively improved the reproducibility and sensitivity for UO₂ ²⁺ analysis. UO₂ ²⁺ with concentration as low as 100 nM was easily detected. Besides, UO₂ ²⁺ adsorbed on an iron disc and rock surface also can be rapidly in situ detected. With its simplicity and convenience, the AgNR SERS tape-based SERS technique offers a promising approach for environmental monitoring and nuclear accident emergency detection.