America
Raman effect to detect phoney art, chemical weapons
New York, June 2
An international research
team has developed nanotechnology that harnesses surface-enhanced Raman
spectroscopy (SERS) to detect trace amounts of molecules in fraudulent
paintings, diseases, chemical weapons and more.
Led by University at Buffalo (UB) engineers, the new method makes SERS simple and more affordable.
"The
technology we're developing - a universal substrate for SERS - is a
unique and, potentially, revolutionary feature," said lead author
Qiaoqiang Gan from UB.
"It allows us to rapidly identify and
measure chemical and biological molecules using a broadband
nanostructure that traps wide range of light," Gan added.
The
universal substrate can trap a wide range of wavelengths and squeeze
them into very small gaps to create a strongly enhanced light field.
"It
acts similar to a skeleton key. Instead of needing all these different
substrates to measure Raman signals excited by different wavelengths,
you'll eventually need just one. Just like a skeleton key that opens
many doors," co-author Nan Zhang said.
Traditional substrates, or
the silicon surfaces on which liquid samples are deposited, are
typically designed for only a very narrow range of wavelengths.
This
is problematic because different substrates are needed if scientists
want to use a different laser to test the same molecules.
In
turn, this requires more chemical molecules and substrates, increasing
costs and time to perform the test. The new technology has a wide range
of applications.
"The ability to detect even smaller amounts of
chemical and biological molecules could be helpful with biosensors that
are used to detect cancer, malaria, HIV and other illnesses," the
researchers said.
"This could be helpful detecting forged pieces of art as well as restoring ageing pieces of art," Gan said.
"Also,
the technology could improve scientists' ability to detect trace
amounts of toxins in the air, water or other spaces that are causes for
health concerns. And it could aid in the detection of chemical weapons,"
he added.
The study was published in the journal Advanced Materials Interfaces.