@article { ISI:000380241600129,
	title = {Gold incorporated mesoporous silica thin film model surface as a robust SERS and catalytically active substrate},
	journal = {Molecules},
	volume = {21},
	number = {5},
	year = {2016},
	month = {MAY},
	pages = {667},
	publisher = {MDPI AG},
	address = {ST ALBAN-ANLAGE 66, CH-4052 BASEL, SWITZERLAND},
	abstract = {<p>Ultra-small gold nanoparticles incorporated in mesoporous silica thin films with accessible pore channels perpendicular to the substrate are prepared by a modified sol-gel method. The simple and easy spin coating technique is applied here to make homogeneous thin films. The surface characterization using FESEM shows crack-free films with a perpendicular pore arrangement. The applicability of these thin films as catalysts as well as a robust SERS active substrate for model catalysis study is tested. Compared to bare silica film our gold incorporated silica, GSM-23F gave an enhancement factor of 10(3) for RhB with a laser source 633 nm. The reduction reaction of p-nitrophenol with sodium borohydride from our thin films shows a decrease in peak intensity corresponding to -NO2 group as time proceeds, confirming the catalytic activity. Such model surfaces can potentially bridge the material gap between a real catalytic system and surface science studies.</p>},
	keywords = {gold nanoparticles, model catalysis, SERS, Thin films},
	issn = {1420-3049},
	doi = {10.3390/molecules21050667},
	author = {Sekhar, Anandakumari Chandrasekharan Sunil and Vinod, Chathakudath Prabhakaran}
}
