Preparation of T-shaped hollow Au nanocylinder arrays for the detection of hydrazine based on a Schiff base reaction

Hydrazine is a well-known hazardous environmental pollutant and toxic compound.Therefore, there is an urgent demand for an effective analytical monitoring method to safeguard the public from unforeseen exposure to harmful contaminants. Functional surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) has recently emerged as a highly advantageous technique for sensing trace biochemical substances, owing to its unique capacity for fingerprint-like molecular identification, making it suitable for hydrazine detection. Herein, we used UV-nanoimprint lithography (UV-NIL) combined with glancing angle deposition of electron beam evaporation (GLAD) to prepare T-shaped PVP/Au nanocylinder arrays with gaps. T-shaped hollow Au nanocylinder arrays with gaps could be achieved by dissolving PVP nanocylinder with 60°C hot water. 4-Mercaptobenzaldehyde incorporated on the T-shaped hollow Au nanocylinder arrays (T-shaped hollow Au nanocylinder arrays@4-MBA), reacted with hydrazine to form Raman active benzaldehyde hydrazone based on the Schiff base reaction, enabling sensitive and selective SERS detection of hydrazine. The limit of detection (LOD) of hydrazine was as low as 4.1 × 10 -9 mol/L. In addition, T-shaped hollow Au nanocylinder arrays@4-MBA platform prepared by this method can maintain high repeatability and stability after six month of fabrication. Therefore, the T-shaped hollow Au nanocylinder arrays functionalized with 4-MBA provides an efficient platform for rapid, sensitive, stable, and highly selective detection of hydrazine.