Au-Ag hollow nanostructures with tunable SERS properties.

Fabrication of hollow Au-Ag nanoparticles is done by the sequential action of galvanic replacement and Kirkendall effect. Polyol synthesized silver nanoparticles were used as templates and the size of cavities is controlled by the systematic addition of the HAuCl4. Au-Ag nanoparticles carved in different depths were tested for application as substrates for surface enhanced Raman scattering. Two medically important Raman active analytes-Nile blue chloride and Crystal violet were used in the surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) performance analysis. A systematic study has been made on the Raman enhancement of hollow nanoparticles fabricated with different cavity dimensions and compared with that of the silver templates used. The enhancement observed for these hollow substrates with cavities is of interest since Au protected hollow nanostructures are vital and an active area of interest in drug delivery systems.