Highly sensitive and flexible inkjet printed SERS sensors on paper

• Inkjet-printed paper-based SERS is a new method for low-cost chemical detection.
• The devices are optimized for low-cost easy-to-use chemical detection in the field.
• We demonstrate detection of 1.8 ppb BPE on an inkjet-printed SERS device.
• We detect trace concentrations of fungicide in water with a paper SERS dipstick.
• We use the flexible SERS devices as swabs to detect trace residue of a fungicide.

Surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) has the potential to be utilized for the detection of a broad range of chemicals in trace quantities. However, because of the cost and complexity of SERS devices, the technology has been unable to fill the needs of many practical applications, in particular the need for rapid, portable, on-site detection in the field. In this work, we review a new methodology for trace chemical detection using inkjet-printed SERS substrates on paper. The detection performance of the inkjet-printed SERS devices is demonstrated by detecting 1,2-Bis(4-pyridyl)ethylene (BPE) at a concentration as low as 1.8 ppb. We then illustrate the primary advantages of paper SERS substrates as compared to conventional SERS substrates. By leveraging lateral flow concentration, the detection limit of paper SERS substrates can be further improved. Two real-world applications are demonstrated. First, the inkjet-printed SERS substrates are used as “dipsticks” for detecting the fungicide malachite green in water. Then, the flexible paper-based SERS devices are used as swabs to collect and detect trace residues of the fungicide thiram from a surface. We predict that the combination of ultra-low-cost fabrication with the advantages of easy-to-use dipsticks and swabs and the option of lateral flow concentration position ink-jet printed SERS substrates as a technology which will enable the application of SERS in solving critical problems for chemical detection in the field.