Inline characterization in microfluidic reaction systems by SERS

SERS在微流控结构中的应用使得对反应物种的灵敏检测成为可能。因此，原则上可以在现场监测化学反应。除了识别和量化反应物外，表面增强拉曼散射传感器还能够精确地表征微环境(例如，关于pH值或温度)。在拟议的项目中，我们将开发表面增强拉曼光谱，以实现对化学反应的在线监测和控制。为了实现这一目标，我们将创造和开发多功能纳米结构，这些结构除了作为SERS衬底外，还可以由于其等离子体性质而影响化学反应过程，从而产生光催化活性和光热效应，可以非常局部地控制温度。新的方法学概念将应用于两种类型的反应，(I)已知的等离子体支持的反应的特征和(Ii)监测青蒿琥酯的分解，青蒿琥酯是一种抗疟疾/抗肿瘤的化合物。只有在微流控系统中，才能在微尺度上改变反应混合物的化学成分，并通过表面增强拉曼光谱对其进行监测和成像。除了灵敏的检测外，SERS还可以在线表征反应分子的结构。除了这一方法创新，该项目还将对等离子体和纳米结构支持的反应产生新的基本见解。

The application of SERS in microfluidic structures enables the sensitive detection of reacting species. Therefore it is, in principle, possible to monitor chemical reactions in situ. Apart from the identification and quantification of reactants, SERS sensors enable the precise characterization of micro-envoíronments (e.g., regarding pH or temperature). In the proposed project, we will develop SERS in order to attain in-line monitoring and control of chemical reactions. To achieve this goal, we will generate and exploit multifunctional nanostructures that, apart from serving as SERS substrate, can also influence the course of chemical reactions due to their plasmonic properties, resulting in photocatalytic activities and photothermal effects that can be used to control temperature very locally. The new methodological concepts will be applied to two types of reaction, (i) the characterization of a known plasmon-supported reaction and (ii), monitoring the decomposition of artesunate, an anti-malarial / anti-tumoral compound. To vary the chemical composition of reaction mixtures at the microscale and to monitor and image them over time by SERS is only possible in a microfluidic system. Apart from sensitive detection, SERS enables inline structural characterization of the reacting molecules. In addition to this methodlogical innovation, the project will generate new basic insights into plasmon- and nanostructure supported reactions.