Raman and surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) spectra of dapsone by using colloidal silver nanoparticles have been recorded. Density functional theory was used for the optimization of ground state geometries and simulation of the vibrational spectrum of this molecule. The SERS spectrum with a large silver cluster as a model metallic surface was simulated for the first time. Taking into account the experimental and calculated Raman as well as the SERS normal modes and the corresponding assignments, along with the modeling of the free dapsone and the one in the presence of the colloidal silver nanoparticles, the importance of the sulfone group on the SERS effect in dapsone was inferred.
The development of new biomaterials has gained increasing attention in the last decade. One of the most important aspects in the development of these new materials is to understand the chemical cues presents in the native niche. Among all the techniques currently available for measuring those interactions, Raman spectroscopy offers a unique and non-invasive tool for exploring the behavior of the components within a given biomaterial and their surrounding microenvironment. This technique exploits the unique molecular vibrational fingerprints for pinpointing those interactions. The vibrational response can be improved to the single molecule level, in the presence of metal nanoparticles (NPs) with plasmonic properties (silver, gold and copper) in the so-called Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering (SERS), which can be used for in-situ measurements. Another technique recently developed is the Shell-Isolated Nanoparticle-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (SHINERS), which overcomes signal contamination from chemical interactions between biomolecules and the metal surface; it does this by coating the metal surface with an inert layer of alumina or silica. In the present contribution, the role and the applications of Raman, SERS and related spectroscopic techniques in the study of biomolecules in biomaterials are reviewed and discussed.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.