Plasmonic Porous ZIF-8/Au NPs Platforms: A Complex Matrix Enhances SERS Substrate for Micromolar-Trace Detection of Several Analytes

Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) is an advantageous method for organic chemical and biological sensing. Benzoic acid, benzisothiazolinone, and thiram are common model compounds used to study the interaction of toxic substances with metal surfaces using SERS spectroscopy. Metal-organic frameworks, with their high porosity and large surface area, have recently received a lot of attention in sensing applications. Plasmonic porous structures are promising SERS substrates because of their high broadband charge-transfer resonance and reproducibility of fabrication. Furthermore, the exceptional enhancement of the electromagnetic field makes plasmonic nanomaterials ideal SERS substrates. In this study, we developed SERS substrates based on ZIF-8/Au NPs through a self-assembly process that forms stacked layers. The ZIF-8/Au NPs substrate demonstrated a remarkable ability to enhance Raman scattering, enabling ultrasensitive detection of various target molecules at micromolar concentrations. These attributes establish it as a promising SERS substrate for biosensing applications.