Non-resonant enhancement mechanism in SERS effect due to copper oxide quantum dots stabilized in synthetic zeolite F9-NaX

This study shows the presence of SERS effect caused by the interaction of synthetic zeolite F9-NaX with stabilized CuO quantum dots. The quantum dots synthesized by the ion-exchange properties of the zeolite show a good size distribution, and a spheroidal shape of 4 nm approximately. The simulation of the structural unit of the zeolite (d4r-8T) and small clusters of (CuO)n performed with density functional theory (DFT), allowed to determine the non-resonant effects from the interaction between the zeolite and CuO as the main contribution to SERS effect by the chemical bonding effect (CBE). Quantum dots CuO show good antibacterial activity against Gran positive and Gran negative bacteria.