Ag nanoparticle-decorated cu₂s nanosheets for surface enhanced raman spectroscopy detection and photocatalytic applications

In this article, we demonstrate a facile, rapid, and practical approach to growing high-quality Cu₂S nanosheets decorated with Ag nanoparticles (NPs) through the galvanic reduction method. The Ag/Cu₂S nanosheets were efficiently applied to the surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) and photocatalytic degradation applications. The photodegradation of RhB dye with the Ag/Cu₂S nanosheets composites occurred at a rate of 2.9 times faster than that observed with the undecorated Cu₂S nanosheets. Furthermore, the Ag/Cu₂S nanosheets displayed highly sensitive SERS detection of organic pollutant (R6G) as low as 10⁻⁹ M. The reproducibility experiments indicated that the Ag/Cu₂S nanosheets composites could be used for dual functionality in a new generation of outstandingly sensitive SERS probes for detection and stable photocatalysts.