TLC‐SERS Plates with a Built‐In SERS Layer Consisting of Cap‐Shaped Noble Metal Nanoparticles Intended for Environmental Monitoring and Food Safety Assurance

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We report on a thin layer chromatograph (TLC) with a built‐in surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) layer for in‐situ identification of chemical species separated by TLC. Our goal is to monitor mixture samples or diluted target molecules suspended in a host material, as happens often in environmental monitoring or detection of food additives. We demonstrate that the TLC‐SERS can separate mixture samples and provide in‐situ SERS spectra. One sample investigated was a mixture consisting of equal portions of Raman‐active chemical species, rhodamine 6 G (R6G), crystal violet (CV), and 1,2‐di(4‐pyridyl)ethylene (BPE). The three components could be separated and their SERS spectra were obtained from different locations. Another sample was skim milk with a trace amount of melamine. Without development, no characteristic peaks were observed, but after development, a peak was observed at 694 cm−1. Unlike previous TLC‐SERS whereby noble metal nanoparticles are added after development of a sample, having a built‐in SERS layer greatly facilitates analysis as well as maintaining high uniformity of noble metal nanoparticles.