Raman spectroscopy and surface wetting of self-assembled monolayer (SAM) of 1-octanethiol and 1,10-decanedithiol

We report the preparation of mixed self-assembled monolayer of 1-octanethiol and 1,10-decanedithiol on Au thin film with preferential Au(111) surface and their characterization using Raman spectroscopy of cysteine adsorbed on mixed self-assembled monolayer mediated isolated Ag nanoparticles. The self-assembled monolayer characterization has been also performed through water contact angle measurement. A significant enhancement in water contact angle from 24° to 103° has been observed on Au surface after self-assembled monolayer formation, primarily due to the hydrophobic nature of the methyl group at the terminal end of the 1-octanethiol, which confirms regular self-assembled monolayer formation. Availability of –SH group from 1,10-decanedithiol on the self-assembled monolayer surface and so, the formation of mixed self-assembled monolayer has been ascertained by immobilization of Ag nanoparticles probed via scanning electron microscopy and Raman spectroscopy of cysteine adsorbed on Ag nanoparticles. Raman spectrum of cysteine on self-assembled monolayer mediated Ag nanoparticles in the fingerprint region of 500–1800 cm⁻¹ shows appreciable increase in the band intensity due to surface enhanced Raman scattering as compared to the band intensity on bare Au surface. These results clearly indicate that the mixed self-assembled monolayer with adequate proportion of component molecules can be utilized as a suitable and inexpensive host for surface enhanced Raman scattering substrates.