Synthesis and characterization of ZnO/Ag nanocomposites for surface-enhanced Raman scattering substrates

In this study, we report a facile approach for the fabrication of porous ZnO/Ag nanostructures via sputtering combined with thermal oxidation induced by the Joule–Lenz heating effect. The as-prepared substrates exhibit a high surface area and a uniform porous morphology. The incorporation of Ag nanoparticles induces localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR), leading to significant Raman scattering enhancement. The SERS performance was evaluated using methylene blue (MB) and thiram as probe molecules. The substrates demonstrate high sensitivity, with detection limits as low as 5.55 × 10 −12 M for MB. The enhanced performance is attributed to the synergistic effects of electromagnetic enhancement from Ag nanoparticles and interfacial interactions within the ZnO/Ag heterostructure. These findings highlight the potential of ZnO/Ag nanostructures as efficient and cost-effective SERS substrates for environmental monitoring applications.