Longtime stability of silver-based SERS substrate in the environment and (bio)environment with variable temperature and humidity

Abstract

The increased involving of SERS in the analytical and bioanalytical field makes this technique commercially available. However, the growing range of commercially available SERS substrates opens the question regarding the stability of SERs substrates during their storage, transportation, and utilization. In this paper, we present systematical study of the stability of SERS enhanced response of silver grating under various physical and chemical load. The silver coated periodical gratings were used as SERS substrates since they provide excellent enhancement of Raman signal, perfect reproducibility and reliability of SERS signal, achieved at the macroscale. The substrate load procedures include the temperature, humidity tests, and their combination. Since the utilization of SERS substrates often involves their interaction with various (bio)environments, the effects of physiological media were studied too. In all cases, the effects of the loads were determined from the changes of SERS effectivity and reproducibility.