Rapid field trace detection of pesticide residue in food based on surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy.

Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy is an alternative detection tool for monitoring food security. However, there is still a lack of a conclusion of SERS detection with respect to pesticides and real sample analysis, and the summary of intelligent algorithms in SERS is also a blank. In this review, a comprehensive report of pesticides detection using SERS technology is given. The SERS detection characteristics of different types of pesticides and the influence of substrate on inspection are discussed and compared by the typical ways of classification. The key points, including the progress in real sample analysis and Raman data processing methods with intelligent algorithm, are highlighted. Lastly, major challenges and future research trends of SERS analysis of pesticide residue are also addressed. SERS has been proven to be a powerful technique for rapid test of residue pesticides in complex food matrices, but there still is a tremendous development space for future research.

A mV-level real-time peak-voltage detection circuit based on differential structure.

A peak-voltage detection circuit based on a differential comparison structure is proposed to synchronize the control and the input signal. The detection circuit is hence free of reset signals for the sampling capacitors. Furthermore, a two-channel parallel sample and hold structure (i.e., S/H circuit) is used, and a correlated double sampling technique is used, in combination with the ping-pong technique, to sample the signal value and offset voltage within one sample cycle. Consequently, the parallel connected S/H structure can not only extract the offset voltage of the op-amp but also effectively reduce the detection error, which is caused by circuit noise and leakage current. Measurements of the implemented peak detector show that in the case that the detection signal frequency is 20 kHz and the amplitude is 10 mV, the detection error is decreased to 30 µV with the equivalent output noise of 71 nV/Hz.

Competitive adsorption of residual polyvinylpyrrolidone and detection molecular on flower liked silver nanoparticles.

The silver nanoparticles have been frequently used in SERS detection, for their unique optical properties and sensitive surface Raman enhancement properties. However, as the preparation of silver nanoparticles will use polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) to achieve the effect of reducing agent and surfactant, the surface of the prepared silver nanoparticles will be wrapped by PVP, forming an insulating layer and an ill-defined AgNPs interface, which limits the plasmonic coupling between the laminates of AgNPs. This paper reported a simple method to remove PVP for high performance and reusable SERS substrate, and the residue of PVP was studied after clean centrifugal by ethanol or water. When the number of cleaning times reached 10, there was basically no residual of PVP. The cleaned AgNPs interface effectively enhanced the plasma resonance of the local surface (LSPR) and greatly improved the SERS activity of the substrate. Moreover, probe molecules (R6G) are introduced to study the influence of single molecule PVP on subsequent detection. Through the competitive relationship between the two, it can be concluded that residual PVP has basically no influence on detection of the molecular which absorbed stronger than PVP, and the remaining PVP can be ignored.

2D-VN2 MXene as a novel anode material for Li, Na and K ion batteries: Insights from the first-principles calculations.

Developing two-dimensional (2D) materials as anode materials have been proved a promising approach to significantly improve the charge storage performances of alkali metal ion. Herein, we investigate mono-layered VN2 as an anode material in Li, Na and K ion batteries. Firstly, the high stability of 2D-VN2 has been demonstrated via calculating the phonon spectra. 2D-VN2 is capable of delivering high capacities of 678.8, 339.4 and 1357.6 mAh g-1 in Li+, K+ and Na+ storage, respectively. In addition, the metallic properties and corresponding high electrical conductivity and low diffusion barriers of 201.1 meV for Li atoms, 34.7 meV for K atoms and 84.1 meV for Na atoms on VN2 surface, indicating good capacity and the superior rate performances of alkali metal atoms migration on VN2. The calculated average voltage of Li, Na and K are respectively 0.81 V, 0.29 V and 0.77 V, suggesting a promising voltage behavior compared with other 2D materials.

Controllable Self-Assembly of SERS Hotspots in Liquid Environment.

Controllable synthesis of novel metal nanoparticles and effective capture of hotspots are of great significance for SERS (surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy) detection. Therefore, in this paper, a green controllable synthesis method of gold nanoparticle was achieved via epigallocatechin gallate reduction. Different morphologies of gold nanoparticles were synthesized just by changing the solution pH values, and the growth kinetics of AuNPs (gold nanoparticles) were systematically studied. The synthetic AuNPs were put in a droplet to study dynamic variations of self-assembly SERS hotspots from the liquid sol state to the solid dry state. The addition of halogen ions in the droplet can controllably regulate the self-assembly three-dimensional hotspot model of gold nanoparticles in the evaporation process of a droplet, during which the most enhancement effect can be easily captured. The dynamically changing images of nanoparticles in the process were graphically described based on the internal interaction forces of a droplet. Two stronger areas in the changes of SERS intensity were achieved with a high concentration of halogen ions, while only one maximum intensity area was obtained with a low concentration of halogen ions added. This method can effectively avoid complex and unpredictable microenvironments of SERS substrates in the liquid drop, further improving the reproducibility of SERS detection as well as broadening it to biological applications.