Study on the resonance Raman scattering properties of β-carotene incorporated into SBA-15

In this study, β-carotene, a resonance Raman active substance, was introduced into the large pore channel of rod-like SBA-15 for the first time. This novel resonance Raman active material has been characterized by small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) and Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) surface area analysis. The adsorption process did not show any influence on the microstructure of SBA-15 as well as its physicochemical characters. Excited by 514.5 nm laser, the resonance Raman signals of the products were demonstrated as well-defined Raman peaks at 1009, 1158 and 1514 cm−1, which should be assigned to the methyl rock (C–CH3), carbon single-bond stretch (C–C) and carbon double-bond stretch (CC) normal modes, respectively. In addition, the internal standard method was utilized by resonance Raman spectroscopy to determine the adsorption capacity of mesoporous silicas for β-carotene using the results of UV–vis spectroscopy as a reference.