Ag nanoparticles decorated ZnO: Al nanoneedles as a high-performance surface-enhanced Raman scattering substrate

This present study used a simple aqueous chemical growth method to synthesize Al-doped ZnO (ZnO: Al) nanoneedles on ZnO seeds/glass substrates. The surface morphology and length of ZnO: Al nanostructures can suitably control by the concentration of aluminum sulfate. The surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) effect of Ag sputtering durations on the ZnO: Al nanoneedles and the concentration of aluminum sulfate on the ZnO: Al/Ag heterostructures systematically investigated. The ZnO: Al/Ag heterostructures (2 mM aluminum sulfate and 60 s sputtering time) exhibited a more substantial enhancement, a lower detection limit (10−10 M), excellent uniformity, high reusability and stability for the SERS detection of rhodamine 6G molecule. The ZnO: Al/Ag heterostructures can also use to detect the lower concentration of melamine (10−9 M) and 5-fluorouracil (10−7 M). ZnO: Al/Ag heterostructures can provide a low-cost and straightforward manufacturing method with high enhancement, low detection limit, excellent uniformity, and reusability for the SERS applications in areas of chemical and medicine. [Display omitted] •A facile aqueous chemical growth method can use to grow ZnO: Al nanostructures on the ZnO seeds/glass substrates.•The morphology and length of ZnO: Al nanostructures can suitably control by the concentration of aluminum sulfate.•ZnO: Al/Ag heterostructures exhibited excellent SERS performance in the detection of rhodamine 6G molecule.•ZnO: Al/Ag heterostructures can use to detect the lower concentration of melamine (10−9 M) and 5-fluorouracil (10−7 M).