Room Temperature Ferromagnetic Ni Nanocrystals: An Efficient Transition Metal Platform for Manifestation of Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering

A simple solid-phase synthetic approach has been deliberately exploited for the synthesis of room temperature ferromagnetic, phase pure, fcc Ni nanocrystals on resin matrix. Self-assembly directed chainlike hierarchical nanostructures on the matrix could be engendered from magnetic dipole-dipole interaction between the nanocrystallites. Then, a practical virtue of the transition metal nanoparticle, Ni, was expressed from the rich and high-quality vibrational information of a chelating ligand, 1,10-phenanthroline (phen), onto the magnetically separated metal particles. Thus, surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) has emerged exclusively from the time-dependent surface complexation of the chemically adhered probe molecule. Finally, kinetic effect has bestowed Ni(II)-phen chelate which later on demonstrates unique SERS activity on fcc Ni nanocrystals. The results provide a benchmark illustration of the value of transition metal for aiding interpretation of the vibrational signature of the adsorbate attainable from SERS studies.