Potential-Regulated SERS Enrichment for Accurate Raman Detection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy faces challenges in excluding interfering substances and maximizing the enrichment of target molecules on a nano-active substrate, leading to weak target peak signals due to competitive adsorption and low affinity, which complicates detection results.

Innovation Solution

A method involving electrochemical pretreatment of the sample and nanostructured substrates, including cleaning, weighing, adding an enhancing reagent, and setting potential, to enhance target molecule adsorption and signal amplification.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Speed

If target molecules are directly detected by SERS in complex samples, then detection speed is improved, but detection accuracy deteriorates due to competitive adsorption and interference from matrix components

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedetection speedVSAvoiddetection accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

SpeedVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by performing electrochemical enrichment of target molecules before SERS detection. The method uses electrochemical potential to pre-concentrate target molecules on the nano-active substrate, ensuring they are adequately enriched before the actual detection process, thus avoiding interference from matrix components while maintaining detection speed

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent extracts target molecules from complex matrices through electrochemical enrichment. By applying electrochemical potential, target molecules are selectively extracted and concentrated on the substrate surface, separating them from interfering substances in the sample matrix before detection

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Illumination intensity

If electrochemical enrichment is performed to maximize target molecule adsorption, then Raman signal intensity is improved, but detection time increases

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveRaman signal intensityVSAvoiddetection time

Core Design Contradiction:

Illumination intensityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies parameter changes by optimizing electrochemical parameters (potential, time, enhancing reagent concentration) to achieve maximum signal intensity in minimum time. By carefully controlling these parameters, the method achieves ten thousand to a million-fold signal amplification while keeping enrichment time short, thus resolving the contradiction between signal intensity and detection time

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Quantity of substance

If enhancing reagents are added to activate the nanostructured substrate, then adsorption capacity is improved, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveadsorption capacityVSAvoidsystem complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses enhancing reagents as intermediaries to facilitate the interaction between target molecules and the nanostructured substrate. These reagents act as mediators that enhance adsorption capacity without requiring complex modifications to the substrate or detection system, thus improving adsorption while maintaining system simplicity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The method achieves a ten thousand to a million-fold amplification of Raman signal intensity, enabling accurate detection with simplicity, convenience, strong applicability, and low cost.

Implementation Method 1

maximize the enrichment of target molecules on a nano-active substrate

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectAdsorption: Adsorption

Implementation Method 2

electrochemical pretreatment of the sample and nanostructured substrates, including cleaning, weighing, adding an enhancing reagent, and setting potential

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElectrochemical pretreatment:

Implementation Method 3

Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) can be used for direct detection of food due to its characteristics of high sensitivity

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectSurface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy:

Data Source

PatentUS20260029347A1Method for surface-enhanced raman spectroscopy identification based on potential enrichment

Publication Date: 2026.01.29 CITY UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG SHENZHEN FUTIAN RESEARCH INSTITUTE

AI summary

A method for surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy identification based on potential regulation includes the following steps: S30: adding a solution to be tested to an electrolytic cell; S40: placing nanostructured substrates in the electrolytic cell to serve as an anode and a cathode, respectively; S50: adding an enhancing reagent to the solution to be tested and setting a potential; and S60: after adsorption and enrichment on the nanostructured substrate, measuring a Raman signal. The electrochemical pretreatment method for surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy identification based on potential regulation provided herein can promote target molecules to be adsorbed onto a substrate, and enables a signal of a target peak to be amplified by ten thousand or even a million folds.