Low curvature combined with high amorphization improves SERS sensitivity of semiconducting Rh–Se mesoporous nanospheres toward non-adsorbing resistant pollutants

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Amorphous metal–selenium (M–Se) alloys hold promise for applications such as catalysis, electronics, and surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) sensing due to their surface reactivity, isotropic properties, and tunable bandgap. However, controlling the synthesis of nanostructured noble-metal-based M–Se materials is difficult, as the strong metallic bonding and low chemical reactivity of noble metals hinder homogeneous selenization. Here we show a one-step micellar self-assembly reduction method to produce amorphous semiconducting Rh–Se mesoporous nanospheres (a-Rh–Se MNs). We systematically investigate how composition, surface curvature, and crystallinity affect SERS performance. a-Rh–Se MNs with low curvature and high amorphization achieve enhanced sensitivity toward typically non-adsorbing, low-polarizability analytes, including hexachlorobenzene, anthracene, and polytetrafluoroethylene microplastics (even in wastewater). Combined experimental and theoretical analyses reveal that co-modulating curvature and amorphization tunes key electronic descriptors (e.g., d-band center and work function), thereby promoting resonant charge transfer. This finding overturns the conventional paradigm that prioritizes high-surface-area substrates. Our work establishes mesostructured a-Rh–Se for SERS applications and provides insights into M–Se surface chemistry for designing advanced SERS materials. Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy can be used to detect hard-to-measure pollutants, but amorphous nanomaterials pose challenges in terms of morphology and composition control. Here, the authors illustrate the interplay of curvature and amorphization in semiconducting mesoporous Rh–Se nanospheres for maximizing SERS activity.

Source: Nature Communications

DOI: 10.1038/s41467-026-75365-2

Authors: Yunqing Kang, Olga Guselnikova, Lei Fu, Norman C.-R. Chen, José Julio Gutiérrez Moreno, Joel Henzie, Yuqi Guo, Xiangyang Liu, Yingji Zhao, Wei-Hsiang Huang, Min-Hsin Yeh, Yagmur Tanis, Markus Valtiner, Stanislav Ježek, Jun Zhou, Yusuke Asakura, Kevin C.-W. Wu, Yusuke Yamauchi

Institutions: The University of Queensland, Nagoya University, TU Wien, State Key Laboratory of Electrical Insulation and Power Equipment, Xi'an Jiaotong University, National Taiwan University, Barcelona Supercomputing Center, National Institute for Materials Science, Research Center for Materials Nanoarchitectonics, National Taiwan University of Science and Technology, National Synchrotron Radiation Research Center, Envites (Czechia), Chulalongkorn University, Yuan Ze University, Kyung Hee University

Language: English

Topic: Gold and Silver Nanoparticles Synthesis and Applications

Subfield: Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials

Field: Materials Science

Domain: Physical Sciences

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $6,990

Funders: Australian National Fabrication Facility, European Commission, Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, Austrian Science Fund, Australian Research Council, Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, Agencia Estatal de Investigación, Exploratory Research for Advanced Technology

OpenAlex ID: W7201852012