Substrates for surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) are typically fabricated with complex (micro/nano)structures of noble metals to obtain high surface-area plasmonic surfaces, which are capable to enhance this effect and, therefore, the detection of chemical species at very low concentrations. These substrates are frequently high-priced and because their high reactivity, they often have a limited shelf life. Development of new SERS substrates that minimize these issues but preserving a good analytical performance is a constant concern.

Screen-printed electrodes can be easily fabricated with different metallic materials and the well-established screen-printing method leading to mass production of versatile, cost-effective and disposable devices. They could be promising SERS substrates.

In this Application Note, the feasibility of using readily- available screen-printed metal electrodes as cost-effective and disposable substrates for the fast and sensitive detection of different chemical species by in situ electrochemical SERS (EC-SERS) is shown.

The fabulous, compact and integrated instrument for Raman Spectroelectrochemistry, SPELEC-RAMAN, was used. This instrument integrates in only one box: a spectrometer, a laser source (785 nm) and a bipotentiostat/galvanostat.

Screen-printed metal electrodes (refs. C013 (Silver), 220BT (Gold), CU10 (Copper), SPCU10 (Silver/Copper)) were placed in the Raman cell (RAMANCELL) coupled with the RAMANPROBE, which allows to perform Raman measurements of the electrode surface at the optimal focal distance.