Utilizing Surface Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy for the Study of Interfacial Phenomena: Probing Interactions on an Alumina Surface

Abstract

Herein is a discussion of new developments in expanding Surface Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (SERS) into probing a catalyst's structure and interface interactions. To accomplish this, robust SERS substrates were generated by depositing a protective alumina coating on top of silver nanowires (NWs) via atomic layer deposition (ALD). In situ studies of catalytic systems were conducted by analyzing the effects of heating a solid acid on the alumina surface in various environments at temperatures up to 400 °C. Interestingly, the distance-dependent decay of the SERS effect allowed us to probe with enhanced detail the interfacial region. Further, we monitored adsorbate–interface interactions between the adsorption- desorption of pyridine on the acidic sites of a solid acid.