Electrochemically Three-Dimensional Printed Metal Nanoparticles for Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy

Abstract

Electrochemical three-dimensional printing (E3DP) or electrochemical additive manufacturing (ECEM) is a new form of three-dimensional printing process. In this process, metal structures are formed by electrochemical reduction of metal ions from their solutions onto a conducting surface using a suitable potential difference. The desired three-dimensional shapes can be achieved by depositing the above metallic particles in a layer-by-layer manner. This technique has potential applications in creating three-dimensional micro- and nano-metallochemical structures. In this study, this process has been used for the first time as a new technique for the one-step synthesis of metallic nanoparticles, which have been used for surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS). SERS is a process that uses the Raman process to study an analyte. In this method, the sensing molecule is deposited on a special metal layer, which increases Raman sensitivity and allows for the detection of the analyte. Silver nanoparticles have been used to investigate various drugs. These particles have been shown to enhance the original Raman signal by an order of 10⁷. The ability to print at the nanoscale in a controlled manner suggests that this process has the potential to create SERS layers with a precision and ease that no other method can.