Surface Enhanced Raman Scattering (SERS) Effects of 4-Aminothiophenol on Au Nanoparticles with Different Shapes.

Au nanoparticles with different shapes (nanosphere, nanoplate and nanorod) have been synthesized and were characterized by scanning electron microscope, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction and UV-vis absorption spectroscopy. We investigated the catalytic activity of Au nanoparticles with different morphologies as surface-enhanced Raman scattering substrates for the conversion of p-aminothiophenol to p,p'-dimercaptoazobenzene. The experimental results indicated that the order of catalytic activity is nanorod> nanoplate> nanosphere under 633 and 785 nm excitation. The current research provides some reliable insights and important references for exploration new catalysts and their catalytic activities from the perspectives of different sizes, morphology and crystal composition of nanomaterials.