Covering silver nanocube monolayers with graphene oxide sheets: Towards an efficient SERS platform

Herein we propose the preparation of a well-controlled silver nanocubes layer covered by an uniform GO coating as an effective substrate for SERS applications. Monodisperse silver nanocubes (AgNCs) of 47-nm edge length were synthesized through the polyol synthesis method and a 2D layer of these particles was fabricated by the Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) technique. The inter-particle distance was finely tuned by choosing the appropriate surface pressure for the LB transfer. Adsorption of GO sheets onto AgNCs film was monitored through a Quartz Microcrystal Balance (QCM) experiment until a complete coverage of the nanocube monolayer was achieved.