Deposition of hydrophilic Ti(3)C(2)T(x) on a superhydrophobic ZnO nanorod array for improved surface-enhanced raman scattering performance

BACKGROUND: Superhydrophobic substrate modifications are an effective way to improve SERS sensitivity by concentrating analyte molecules into a small surface area. However, it is difficult to manipulate low-volume liquid droplets on superhydrophobic substrates. RESULTS: To overcome this limitation, we deposited a hydrophilic Ti(3)C(2)T(x) film on a superhydrophobic ZnO nanorod array to create a SERS substrate with improved analyte affinity. Combined with its interfacial charge transfer properties, this enabled a rhodamine 6G detection limit of 10(−11) M to be achieved. In addition, the new SERS substrate showed potential for detection of biological macromolecules, such as microRNA. CONCLUSION: Combined with its facile preparation, the SERS activity of ZnO/Ti(3)C(2)T(x) suggests it may provide an ultrasensitive environmental pollutant-monitoring and effective substrate for biological analyte detection. GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT: [Image: see text] SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12951-022-01756-4.