Photochromic properties and surface enhanced Raman scattering spectra of indoline spiropyran in silver-based nanocomposite films

The structure and photochromic transformations of composite organometallic nanosystems composed of Ag nanoparticles covered with a layer of indoline-spiropyran (ISP) molecules from solutions were studied by spectrophotometry, surface Raman scattering spectroscopy (SERS) and quantum chemistry. Analysis of experimental data showed that studied nanostructured systems have photochromic properties, manifested in the reversible photo-induced changes both of the electronic-absorption spectra and of the relative intensity of the SERS bands. The open form of ISP, formed in the organometallic nanostructured film as a result of photochromic transformations, has an adsorption geometry, and, possibly, a conformation different from that formed as a result of chemisorption of ISP molecules on silver colloids.