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Synthesis and Characterization of PMMA@Alloy (Au-Ag) Core-Shell as
Potential Substrates for Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering (SERS)
Nor Abidah Binti Mukhtar
Supervisor: Dr. Syara Kassim
Bachelor of Science (Chemical Sciences)
School of Fundamental Science
Photonic Crystals (PhCs) have attracted considerable interest on account of their many
potential technological applications ranging from optics to optoelectronics in the form
of thin film. In order to evaluate the fabrication of PhCs thin film, homogeneous
poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) was synthesized via free-emulsifier emulsion
polymerization. By the absence of absorption peaks of the C=C bond at 1639.83 cm -1
of FT-IR spectrum, proved that Methyl Methacrylate was completely undergone
polymerization to form PMMA. Besides, to produce highly sensitive substrates for
active surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS), PMMA was coated with alloy Au-
Ag to produce core-shell structures. The addition of the metal nanoparticles displays
surface plasmon resonance at 466 nm via UV-Vis spectrum. PMMA@Alloy (Au-Ag)
core-shell then will be applied as potential substrates for SERS. These substrates offer
several benefits such as simple, inexpensive synthesis, and high SERS activity due to
the concentration of extremely intense electromagnetic fields at the interparticle gap
when aggregated into plasmonic clusters.
426 | U M T U N D E R G R A D U A T E R E S E A R C H D A Y 2018