An environmental governance-oriented nanoplatform for persistent ultrasensitive SERS detection and photocatalytic elimination of organic dyes in water

In practical applications, constructing bifunctional substrates with highly sensitive surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) detection capabilities and environmentally friendly degradation technologies has significant importance in environmental remediation. Herein, Ag/CuO/CF (ACC) bifunctional composites were successfully fabricated via a two-step process. First, CuO nanowire arrays were grown in situ on a copper foam (CF) substrate using a facile thermal oxidation method. Subsequently, Ag nanoparticles were deposited uniformly onto the CuO nanowire surface via chemical reduction. As a SERS substrate, the ACC platform exhibited exceptional detection capabilities for methylene blue (MB) and malachite green (MG), achieving ultra-high sensitivity with remarkably high enhancement factors and extremely low detection limits for both target molecules. Moreover, the ACC substrates exhibited excellent uniformity, repeatability, and stability, as well as remarkable performance recovery in real sample testing. As a photocatalytic substrate, ACCs exhibited outstanding photocatalytic efficiency for degrading MB and MG, maintaining degradation of 91.97% after five cycles. Such a bifunctional design offers a novel approach for developing a new generation of intelligent environmental remediation technologies. It is particularly suitable for scenarios requiring on-site rapid analysis and immediate treatment, such as the monitoring and elimination of high-risk trace-level pollutants. Therefore, exploring integrated “detection-treatment” strategies holds significant importance for practical environmental applications.

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