SERS on modified amorphous CuZr alloys

CuZr amorphous alloys with 40 at% and 60 at% Cu were used as targets for in situ SERS measurements of adsorbed pyridine. The as-quenched alloys did not produce enough enhancement for measurable SERS bands. However, a ‘modification/activation’ produced SERS active substrates. The observed SERS spectrum was shown to originate from pyridine molecules adsorbed on copper particles which form a sort of a regular grid onto a zirconia-enriched substrate. Therefore, it seems that SERS spectroscopy could be an effective and selective method for studying molecular adsorption on some activated glassy metals with catalytic properties.